Learning Ecologies in University Teacher Training: An Analytical Model for Professional Development in Digital Contexts

Abstract

Despite growing recognition of the role of digital technologies in teacher professional development, the learning ecologies of university teacher in Colombia higher education remain insufficiently examined, particularly amid persistent ICT integration gaps and weak institutional policies. This study analyzed the elements configuring the learning ecologies of university teachers in faculties of education in the Colombian Caribbean, through a mixed methods sequential exploratory design. An initial qualitative phase comprised a multiple case study with 15 purposively selected teachers, using semi-structured interviews, documentary review, and Atlas.ti-supported analysis. A subsequent quantitative phase administered a validated 40-item questionnaire to 382 teachers across 15 institutions; a Principal Component Analysis accounted for 68.5% of the variance across thirteen components (KMO = 0.831; α = 0.922). Findings show that teachers' learning ecologies function as dynamic, personalized systems shaped by contextual factors, formal and informal learning processes, digital resources, and digital competencies, with informal learning through social networks and open platforms proving particularly significant for professional development. Results point to the need for institutional policies recognizing diverse learning trajectories and fostering collaborative learning communities in digitally mediated settings.