Comparison of the teaching of digital competences between health science faculties in Andalusia and Catalonia

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Covid-19 brought great restrictions to face-to-face classes throughout the university system in Spain. In the field of health sciences, face-to-face teaching has been transformed into a virtual format. In most cases, teaching activities could not be prepared or planned, leading to unprecedented challenges for students and teachers, making it clear that some teachers have not developed an optimal level of digital skills. Materials and methods This descriptive-comparative study aims to analyse the level of digital teaching competence among the university health sciences teaching staff in two Spanish autonomous communities: Andalusia and Catalonia. 561 teachers participated in the study and answered the DigCompEdu check-In questionnaire. Results The results show how, in general, the level of their professed digital skills is basic, without significant differences between the participating communities. Further, technological mastery appears to be greater than pedagogical mastery with respect to one of the classroom technologies. The lack of technological training is highlighted and there is a discussion of the structuring of personalized learning itineraries by competences. Conclusions With regard to possible limitations of the research, we could reflect on the different areas for improvement and how comparative studies between future works with similar characteristics should be approached. One of the main weaknesses lies in the types of samples used, since the intentional sampling method indicates that it is not random, therefore, the results found should be considered non-extrapolatable to other areas of knowledge. Incorporating probabilistic samples for each area to be studied in future studies will allow the collection of more representative data that can be extrapolated globally.