Competencias digitales docentes en el contexto de tres universidades salvadoreñas

The advancement of digital technologies has transformed the educational landscape, requiring educators to develop digital competencies for effective teaching in virtual environments. In El Salvador, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the transition to online education, highlighting the need to strengthen the technological skills of university instructors. In this regard, this study aimed to analyze the current digital competencies of higher education instructors at three Salvadoran universities. A qualitative methodology with a cross-sectional design and explanatory approach was adopted. Twenty-four virtual classrooms were reviewed using a 15-item observation guide, and three in-depth interviews were conducted with virtual education directors at the universities studied. Data analysis included open and axial coding, complemented by content analysis of institutional documents. The results reveal that university instructors at the three universities studied have demonstrated significant progress in digital literacy, primarily in the creation and updating of virtual classrooms. However, the limited use of multimedia reindicates as videos and simulations, indicates that digital skills have not yet been fully developed, especially in terms of creating interactive content.