Teacher Training Strategies for Strengthening Soft Skills in Technical and Professional Education
Keywords:
Family, family orientation, , educational psychologist, orientation psychopedagogical.Abstract
Introduction: This research aimed to analyze how teacher training strategies influence the development of soft skills in students of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Ecuador. A quantitative approach was used, with a positivist paradigm and a non-experimental, cross-sectional design, with a purposive sample of nine teachers. Data were collected through structured Likert-type surveys, classroom observations, exploratory interviews, and document analysis. The findings revealed that students have limited knowledge of soft skills but recognize their usefulness; teachers value these skills but lack training and institutional resources to develop them. Furthermore, a positive association was found between socio-emotional skills, academic performance, and school climate, but with the need for more training, active methodologies, and technological tools. Finally, it was determined that TVET requires a curricular transformation that explicitly integrates these competencies, strengthens teacher training, and develops contextualized assessment strategies for a comprehensive technical education relevant to today's labor market.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Prentice-Hall.
Bell, S. (2010). Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century: Skills for the Future. The Clearing House, 83(2), 39–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098650903505415
Benevene, P., De Stasio, S., & Fiorilli, C. (2020). Well-being of teachers in relation to emotional intelligence and self-efficacy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(9), 3242. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093242
CASEL. (2020). The CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL: Essentials for Social and Emotional Learning Implementation. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.
Cerezo, M. T., Esteban, M., & Sánchez, M. (2020). Percepción del alumnado sobre las competencias blandas en la educación superior. Revista Electrónica Interuniversitaria de Formación del Profesorado, 23(1), 65–76. https://doi.org/10.6018/reifop.408471
Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Powerful Teacher Education: Lessons from Exemplary Programs. Jossey-Bass.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Powerful Teacher Education: Lessons from Exemplary Programs. Jossey-Bass.
Delors, J., et al. (1996). La educación encierra un tesoro. UNESCO.
Durlak, J. A., Domitrovich, C. E., Weissberg, R. P., & Gullotta, T. P. (2020). Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice. Guilford Publications.
Espinoza, M., Cueva, C., & Ramos, F. (2021). Formación docente y desarrollo de habilidades blandas en la educación técnica en Ecuador. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación Superior, 12(33), 75–92.
Fernández, J. M., González, A., & López, R. (2018). Las competencias blandas en la formación profesional: un enfoque desde el profesorado. Revista Educación y Sociedad, 21(2), 133–152.
Fernández, J., Roca, C., & López, M. (2018). El desarrollo de las habilidades blandas en la educación técnica: una necesidad impostergable. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación, 77(2), 21–39. https://doi.org/10.35362/rie7723119
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogía del oprimido. Siglo XXI Editores.
Fuentes, G., Moreno-Murcia, L. M., Rincón-Téllez, D. C., & Silva, M. (2021). Evaluación de las habilidades blandas en la educación superior. Formación Universitaria, 14(4), 49–60. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-50062021000400049
García Murillo, G. R., & Bucaran Intriago, C. T. (2023). Habilidades blandas en el profesorado de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad Técnica de Manabí. Maestro y Sociedad. https://maestroysociedad.uo.edu.cu/index.php/MyS/article/view/6596
García-Chitiva, M. P., & Correa, J. C. (2023). Soft Skills Centrality in Graduate Studies Offerings. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.15220
García-Peñalvo, F. J., Corell, A., Abella-García, V., & Grande, M. (2021). Online assessment in higher education in the time of COVID-19. Education in the Knowledge Society, 22. https://doi.org/10.14201/eks.23013
García-Peñalvo, F. J., Corell, A., Abella-García, V., & Grande-de-Prado, M. (2021). La evaluación por competencias en la educación superior en línea: retos y oportunidades. Education in the Knowledge Society (EKS), 22, e23627. https://doi.org/10.14201/eks.23627
Goleman, D. (1995). Inteligencia emocional. Bantam Books.
Goleman, D. (1995). Inteligencia emocional. Bantam Books.
Heckman, J. J., & Kautz, T. (2012). Hard Evidence on Soft Skills. Labour Economics, 19(4), 451–464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2012.05.014
Heckman, J. J., & Kautz, T. (2012). Hard Evidence on Soft Skills. Labour Economics, 19(4), 451–464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2012.05.014
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Prentice-Hall.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Prentice-Hall.
López-Gayarre, P., García-Sanz-Calcedo, J., & Gómez-López, M. (2021). Soft skills in technical and vocational education and training. Education Sciences, 11(10), 621. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11100621
Mendoza, J., Torres, L., & Ríos, A. (2022). Capacitación docente y su impacto en competencias transversales en educación técnica. Revista Electrónica de Investigación Educativa, 24(2), 56–71.
Ministerio de Educación de Ecuador. (2023). Normativa para la capacitación y desarrollo profesional docente. https://educacion.gob.ec
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054.
Morillo, A., Salazar, V., & Campos, E. (2022). Efectividad de la formación docente en habilidades blandas: Un estudio de caso en institutos tecnológicos. Revista de Educación y Desarrollo, 63, 33–47.
OCDE. (2021). Teachers and Leaders in Vocational Education and Training. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/59d4fbb1-en
OECD. (2018). The Future of Education and Skills: Education 2030 – The OECD Learning Compass 2030. OECD Publishing.
Perrenoud, P. (2004). Diez nuevas competencias para enseñar. Graó.
Prada, M. F., & Rucci, G. (2023). Skills for Work in Latin America and the Caribbean: Unlocking Talent for a Sustainable and Equitable Future. Inter-American Development Bank. https://doi.org/10.18235/0005160
Referencias bibliográficas (Normas APA 7)
Ríos, A., Suárez, E., & Correa, M. (2022). Habilidades blandas y desempeño académico en estudiantes de formación técnica: un estudio correlacional. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 28(1), 123–135. https://doi.org/10.31876/rcs.v28i1.39105
Ríos, M., Arévalo, P., & Estrella, M. (2022). Relación entre habilidades blandas y rendimiento académico en estudiantes técnicos superiores. Revista Científica Universidad y Sociedad, 14(4), 156–165.
Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453–465. https://doi.org/10.1177/1080569912460400
Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453–465. https://doi.org/10.1177/1080569912460400
Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive Perceptions of the Top 10 Soft Skills Needed in Today’s Workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453–465. https://doi.org/10.1177/1080569912460400
Rodríguez Siu, J. L., Rodríguez Salazar, R. E., & Fuerte Montaño, L. (2021). Habilidades blandas y el desempeño docente en el nivel superior de la educación. SciELO. Disponible en SciELO.
Rodríguez Siu, J. L., Rodríguez Salazar, R. E., & Fuerte Montaño, L. (2021). Habilidades blandas y el desempeño docente en el nivel superior de la educación. SciELO. Disponible en SciELO.
Rodríguez-Sabiote, C., Álvarez-Rodríguez, J., & Gutiérrez-Santiuste, E. (2023). Teacher training and emotional competence in professional education. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 15(1), 121–137.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic Books.
Soto, F., Arias, M., & Yépez, D. (2021). Formación docente y competencias blandas: una necesidad emergente. Revista Conrado, 17(81), 189–195.
Soto, R., Paz, R., & Cordero, P. (2021). La integración de las habilidades blandas en la formación docente: percepciones y desafíos. Revista Electrónica de Investigación Educativa, 23(1), 1–16.
Spencer, L. M., & Spencer, S. M. (1993). Competence at Work: Models for Superior Performance. Wiley.
Spencer, L. M., & Spencer, S. M. (1993). Competence at Work: Models for Superior Performance. Wiley.
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1585420
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1585420
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1585420
Tafur Méndez, F. J. (2023). Potenciando el Desarrollo de Habilidades Blandas: Un Enfoque Práctico para Docentes en la Educación Técnica y Tecnológica. Editorial R2ICS. Disponible en EuroAmericano.
Tafur Méndez, F. J. (2023). Potenciando el Desarrollo de Habilidades Blandas: Un Enfoque Práctico para Docentes en la Educación Técnica y Tecnológica. Editorial R2ICS. Disponible en EuroAmericano.
Thomas, J. W. (2000). A Review of Research on Project-Based Learning. The Autodesk Foundation. http://www.bie.org
Tobón, S. (2013). Diseño curricular por competencias: fundamentos para la reestructuración de planes de estudio en educación superior. Ecoe Ediciones.
UNESCO. (2022). Transforming Technical and Vocational Education and Training for a Sustainable Future. https://unesdoc.unesco.org
Villegas-Reimers, E. (2003). Teacher Professional Development: An International Review of the Literature. UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.
World Economic Forum. (2023). The Future of Jobs Report 2023. https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023
Zabalza, M. A. (2009). Competencias docentes del profesorado universitario: Calidad y desarrollo profesional. Narcea Ediciones.
Zabalza, M. A. (2009). Competencias docentes del profesorado universitario. Calidad y desarrollo profesional. Narcea Ediciones.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Maryuri Delgado Anastacio, Jorge Giovanny Aguirre Garcia, Segress García Hevia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content, based on the principle that offering the public free access to research helps a greater global exchange of knowledge. Each author is responsible for the content of each of their articles.
Universidad de Oriente 