Educación tecnológica formativa y responsabilidad rectoral en una institución pública de Bolivia y una privada de Ecuador

Authors

Waldo Moya Fernández
Eva M. Mieles Cedeño

Abstract

Introduction: Technological education faces differentiated social, economic, and productive demands that require contextualized educational responses and relevant institutional leadership. Objective: To understand and compare rectoral experiences regarding formative technological education and institutional responsibility in a public institution in Bolivia and a private institution in Ecuador. Materials and methods: A qualitative, descriptive-comparative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and documentary study was conducted. Rectoral statements presented at international conferences and institutional information from both cases were analyzed through thematic analysis and a correspondence matrix. Purposive selection considered institutional nature, territorial location, and source relevance to the research object. Results: Bolivia showed an orientation toward technological competencies, applied research, entrepreneurship, human development, territorial needs, and productive capacities. Ecuador emphasized professional competencies, performance, employability, and productive opportunities. Rectoral responsibility articulated educational processes, institutional context, and social and economic demands. Discussion: The differences were consistent with studies recognizing the influence of socioeconomic, labor, and territorial conditions on technical education. The findings also supported the need to integrate innovation, entrepreneurship, and competencies with specific national productive contexts. Likewise, they demonstrated that educational relevance could not be established through homogeneous criteria across both countries. Conclusions: Formative technological education acquired differentiated meanings according to each context. Rectoral responsibility constituted an articulating element for directing competencies and institutional responses toward concrete social, economic, productive, and territorial needs.

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