The innovative competence of university teachers to improve learning: A comparative study of Bolivia, Spain and Mexico

Abstract

The innovative competence of university teaching staff is a fundamental component in improving the quality of academic provision in higher education. The originality of the study lies in the contribution of a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of the innovative competence of university teaching staff. As a result, higher education institutions in different countries will be able to determine the training needs of their teachers in order to improve their innovative performance and, ultimately, student learning. The aim of the study is to identify, analyse and differentiate the innovative profile of a sample of university teachers working in Bolivia, Spain and Mexico. The research methodology (non-experimental and ‘ex-post-facto’) consists of applying a questionnaire to 1404 teachers from various universities in the countries involved. The results obtained suggest the need to structure specific teacher training strategies to remedy the deficiencies found in innovative competence in the three participating countries.