Teaching excellence practices and barriers in the training of educators: A study at the University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez

ABSTRACT This qualitative research aimed to identify excellent pedagogical practices and the barriers faced by teacher trainers in undergraduate courses at the Faculty of Pedagogical Sciences (FCP) of the Universidad de Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez (UNICA), Cuba. Through a semi-structured interview applied to 20 teachers, the pedagogical strategies used, the evaluation methods used, the use of technological and didactic resources, and the challenges in the implementation of these practices were explored. The qualitative methodology included content analysis of the responses, allowing the identification of the main active pedagogical strategies, such as problem-based learning, although a strong dependence on traditional evaluation methods was observed. Teachers also pointed out difficulties in addressing the diversity of learning styles and the integration of educational technologies due to the limited availability of resources. In addition, they highlighted the importance of supervised professional practice, but pointed out the lack of coordination between the university and educational institutions. It is recommended to improve technological infrastructure and offer continuing education programs that address the diversity of pedagogical methodologies. It is also essential to reduce administrative overload to allow teachers to implement more innovative and effective strategies in the training of future educators.