Factors Associated with the Development of University Teachers’ Soft Skills in Loja, Ecuador

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17716645

Keywords:

competencias socioemocionales, desempeño docente, formación profesional, gestión institucional, educación superior

Abstract

This study analyzes the factors influencing soft skills development among university professors in Loja, Ecuador, considering the crucial role of these skills in improving professional teaching practices and educational environments. In a context where technical-academic training predominates, the study aims to highlight personal, contextual, and institutional elements that either promote or hinder the development of these essential skills. The objective was to analyze and identify the factors associated with such development among university faculty. A mixed-methods approach, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive design was employed. A validated survey was used to collect quantitative data, while a semi-structured interview, for the qualitative component. The results show that, although professors perceive themselves as highly competent in leadership, teamwork, and effective communication, there are significant variations in self-assessment. Also, barriers such as stress, work overload, and lack of institutional policies are identified. On the other hand, self-education, collaborative work, and emotional support stand out as facilitators for the development of soft skills. The study concludes that university professors' soft skills refining requires coordination between training processes, institutional strategies, and personal conditions, which are essential for consolidating a comprehensive and humanistic teaching practice in line with the contemporary challenges of higher education.

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Author Biographies

Anghela Gabriela Zhanay-Ramón, Universidad de Cuenca

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Biology Education from the National University of Loja, a training that strengthened her interest in understanding and improving educational processes from an integrative perspective. She later obtained a Master’s degree in Educational Research and Innovation from the University of Cuenca, where she deepened her knowledge of approaches aimed at pedagogical transformation, the analysis of teaching practices, and the design of evidence-based training proposals. Her academic interests focus on curriculum innovation, the development of soft skills, the creation of enriched learning environments, and the study of socio-emotional competencies as key components of meaningful learning and teacher education. Her work is oriented toward promoting a reflective, contextualized education committed to strengthening professional performance and the holistic well-being of all educational stakeholders.

Mónica Patricia Abad-Célleri, Universidad de Cuenca

She is a tenured professor in the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Languages program at the University of Cuenca, Ecuador, with 15 years of experience teaching English as a foreign language, English phonetics, English phonology, and academic writing. She has also taught postgraduate courses in master’s programs. She obtained a PhD in Education from the National University of La Plata, Argentina, and is an active researcher. She is a member of the Teacher Education research team in the Department of Education, where she contributes to studies on CLIL, teacher education, critical pedagogy for English language teaching, phonology for listening comprehension in EFL, and English pronunciation.

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Fotografía: Rafael Idrovo / Diseño de portada: Darwin Parra

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Published

2025-11-25

How to Cite

Zhanay-Ramón, A. G., & Abad-Célleri, M. P. (2025). Factors Associated with the Development of University Teachers’ Soft Skills in Loja, Ecuador. South American Research Journal, 5(1), 71–81. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17716645

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2025): Intersections

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Copyright (c) 2025 Anghela Gabriela Zhanay-Ramón, Mónica Patricia Abad-Célleri

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