TEACHERS' DIGITAL SKILLS: REFLECTIONS FROM THE PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES OF WRITTEN LANGUAGE IN PRIMARY EDUCATION

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to characterize teachers’ digital competencies and analyze their impact on pedagogical practices at the Institución Educativa Rural Cocha Medina Silva in the municipality of Muzo, Boyacá, Colombia, during the year 2024. The study was based on the recognition that digital competencies go beyond the mere instrumental mastery of ICT, as they involve their critical, creative, and pedagogical integration into teaching and learning processes. The research was framed within the interpretative paradigm and adopted a qualitative ethnographic approach, supported by the analytical description of teaching practices in their natural context. Participant observation and semi-structured interviews were applied as the main data collection techniques with three fifth-grade primary school teachers. The results are divided into two sections: Analytical Unit 1—interpretation of the observation process, and Analytical Unit 2—interpretation of the interview script. The findings revealed a transitional process between traditional pedagogical practices and those mediated by digital technologies. Although teachers use tools such as Educaplay and Canva to make classes more dynamic, there remains a limited techno-pedagogical appropriation, particularly in the design of strategies that foster digital literacy and collaborative learning. The study provides significant reflections on the need to strengthen teachers’ continuous and contextualized professional development, aimed at enhancing digital competencies that transform pedagogical practices and, consequently, improve the quality of education.