University extension and the development of professional skills: A necessary symbiosis for professional performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/mw2025819Keywords:
University extension, professional skills, teacher training, higher educationAbstract
Introduction: the university extension programme was conceived as an educational space that combines teaching, research and community outreach. However, in Ecuador, and particularly at the Technical University of Manabí, its impact on the development of professional teaching skills had not been systematically analysed.
Method: the study took a qualitative approach and aimed to examine how coordinators and teachers involved in outreach processes view the situation. The sample consisted of 19 participants selected according to their experience and roles. A review of documents and semi-structured interviews was conducted. The analysis was performed using Atlas.ti 25, applying axial and open coding. Finally, a bibliometric study was carried out in VOSviewer of publications indexed in Scopus during the previous five years.
Results: three main categories emerged. The first corresponded to the integration of theory and practice, highlighted as a means of strengthening students' confidence and professional skills. The second related to communication and leadership, skills identified as recurring in outreach projects. The third was linked to the need for organisational change, as the lack of planning and institutional support limited the impact of the activities.
Conclusions: the research showed that professional skills, critical analysis and communication are developed through the university extension programme at the Technical University of Manabí. However, there are still limitations due to a lack of resources, strategic planning and institutional continuity. For this reason, it is essential to have stable and clear policies and to integrate them as an essential element of teacher training in order to ensure the programme's viability.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Eleticia Isabel Pinargote Macías, Ana Alejandra Bolívar Chávez, Gustavo Adolfo Cedeño Zambrano, María Teresa Nagua Velepucha, Cindy Tatiana Bucaran Intriago (Author)
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