Teaching and ICT in higher education: applications, training and needs perceived by the faculty at Complutense University

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1 Int. J. Information and Operations Management Education, Vol. 3, No. 3, Teaching and ICT in higher education: applications, training and needs perceived by the faculty at Complutense University Carmen Alba* School of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Rector Royo Villanova s/n, Madrid 28040, Spain *Corresponding author Ainara Zubillaga School of Industrial Relations, Complutense University of Madrid, C/San Bernardo, 49, Madrid 28015, Spain Abstract: This paper presents the results of a survey on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in different teaching and research activities among academic staff of the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). A total of 140 respondents to an online questionnaire showed large differences among the technologies used and the extended presence of the communication tools. Results also revealed the instrumental orientation of the training already received, and the identified training needs, in order to integrate these resources in their teaching and to actively participate in building the European Higher Education Area. Data are indicative of certain tendencies emerging fairly homogeneously, especially on the need of suitable training for relevant educational uses of ICT in their teaching, to support learning and methodological integration of technology resources. Keywords: academic rank (professional); college faculty; computer literacy; education; EHEA; European Higher Education Area; faculty development; gender differences; information; technology uses in education; training needs. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Alba, C. and Zubillaga, A. (2010) Teaching and ICT in higher education: applications, training and needs perceived by the faculty at Complutense University, Int. J. Information and Operations Management Education, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp Biographical notes: Carmen Alba received her PhD in Education from the Complutense University of Madrid (1991), and she has also obtained a degree as Human Resources Specialist (1997). Since March 1994, she is an Associate Professor with tenure in Educational Technology at the School of Education of the Complutense University of Madrid. She holds the Microsoft Professor for Accessibility in Education position at the same university, Copyright 2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

2 242 C. Alba and A. Zubillaga teaching courses about internet services for classroom and teacher training and the uses of ICT resources for educational diversity and special needs. Ainara Zubillaga holds a Bachelor in Education from the Complutense University of Madrid, and a Master degree in Design of E-learning Environments and Educational Materials from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. As a Researcher, her current work focuses on improvement of the access and participation of students with disabilities in higher education, the development of accessible educational materials and the faculty s assessment on how to promote the pedagogical use of ICT and the design of inclusive educational processes in higher education settings. 1 Introduction: the process of European Convergence and its impact on the university professors training In 1999, representatives from 31 European countries signed the Bologna Declaration (see ECC, 2000), in which they took up the importance of the Europe of knowledge as an irreplaceable factor for human and social growth. The Bologna Declaration corroborated the agreements of the Declaration of the Sorbonne and set objectives to achieve the European Space for Higher Education (ESHE) and the statement entitled Towards a European Higher Education Area (ECC, 2003), ratified the commitment to this area by The convergence process of universities to the ESHE also called European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has opened a world of uncertainties in the entire university community (Rodríguez, 2004). They are responsible for accomplishing the premises centred on learning with students having a more active role in constructing their knowledge, with complementary learning activities, a more significant tutorial action, teaching materials to support learning, etc. In this new framework, the role and functions of faculty changed (Valcárcel, 2004; Vizcarro, 2004), with particular concerns about the quality of teaching. None of these proposals are new in the pedagogical discourse (Aguado and Fonseca, 2007), but possibly it is not widespread at the college level. Firstly, because they are part of a teaching language that is rarely used among university faculty, especially if one considers that the training curriculum has not figured in the training required, recommended or provided to this group of teachers, unlike the other teachers in the education system. Secondly, because in higher education (HE) teaching methodologies have been for centuries an issue subject to the tradition inherited from generation to generation. Educational innovation at this level has based, in most cases, on individual initiative of each university teacher or on his/her vision of how that subject should be taught, but it has not been guided by any specific training processes. But the process of European Convergence presents an opportunity not only to discuss, question and reflect on the role as a university professor, but also promotes realisation of educational practices and exchange of experiences that encourage teaching and learning to improve HE in supranational levels. Translating these proposals involves the modification of the selection and organisation of content and the interaction and communication processes that encourage critical thinking learning communities. Otherwise, we will continue to make adaptations and reforms without changing the deep structure that determines the HE Curriculum, with any repercussion in the educational process. Hence, the importance of university teacher training understanding is an element

3 Teaching and ICT in higher education 243 of educational innovation. Until recently, it was established the idea that teaching at the University only needs the mastery of the scientific content of the subject. Currently, it is still considered by many sectors that to know the subject is enough to be a good college professor. Fortunately, in recent years, the speech and some practices are being redefined. Shulman (1986, 1987) claimed that the emphases on teacher s subject knowledge and pedagogy were being treated as separately domains. To address this division, he proposed to consider the necessary relationship between them introducing the concept of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Shulman (1986) rose for the first time the missing paradigm in research on the education, understood as the omission of teacher thinking of the content of the topic and its interaction with the didactic. The PCK was considered at the beginning as the synthesis of three basic skills: subject knowledge, teaching knowledge and knowledge of the curriculum. Afterward, Shulman redefined these constructs as knowledge of the subject, knowledge of curriculum and didactical knowledge of the content. It is a question of execute a didactic transposition, in order to convert the content object into learning object (Chevallard, 1985). This new framework is based on the idea that teacher education should combine these two knowledge bases to more effectively prepare teachers. In line with this new conception, efforts are being made to give a greater role to the university professor and to increase specific training in educational issues. 2 Technological literacy as a tool to improve the innovation in HE settings The knowledge society requires innovations resulting from the presence of information and communication technology (ICT), reflecting new ways of understanding the functions of the university in the transmission of knowledge and models of training that prepares graduates. Universities have a key role in the construction of knowledge, its transmission and thus the training of professionals. As noted by Schneckenberg (2009), digital literacy is a pre-requisite in the knowledge society. Within this society is also necessary technological literacy in the university, and to achieve technological literacy among the different sectors of the academic community. In the case of teachers is a specific competence and relevant to the performance of their profession in the context of information society. The ICT, are considered as one of the priorities, not only seeks to support and improve the digital literacy but also to encourage lifelong learning. The goal is to integrate new technologies into university teaching, improving the access to resources and services of the university, as well as exchanges and cooperation. The aim of ICT is to set up sustainable communication and researching channels to implement a cooperative HE setting. However, ICT should not determinate the teaching. It is not technology that makes education, not confuse the mean with the goal. Otherwise, innovation would be apparent, and we would teach the same content with different formats. The purpose is to change the information into knowledge, creating educational context to help us to move from a static and transmitted knowledge to a dynamic, constructed and contextualised knowledge (Morin, 2000). In this context created by the intersection of the European Convergence process and the ICT, the issue is to determinate the use of the technology to support the development of new methodologies that can be enriched with multimedia resources, the possibility of hypertext and hyperlinks, the developing of most dynamic materials and the strengths of virtual learning environments as interaction and communication tools. To achieve a student centred, active and

4 244 C. Alba and A. Zubillaga participated learning, the university professor must organise their teaching taking into account different times and spaces, learning to use them alternately. ICT are an excellent mean to manage it. Teachers are challenged to adapt its role to a new reality where learning is not only focused exclusively in the classroom, but also involves access to communication technologies, virtual classroom and blended learning and distance education. This recognition of the role of ICT as a key strategic factor in developing the knowledge society in educational institutions contrasts with the lack of reference to these elements in the process of building the EHEA and its implementation. In spite of some authors argue ICT as essential approach to adapt education systems to meet the Lisbon objectives (MacKeogh and Fox, 2009), references to these resources, as either a medium or a tool, in the processes of teaching and learning in institutional statements are very vague. All the universities have taken steps towards new concepts in HE, including greater student responsibility in learning, prospects for inter-university collaboration at national and international activities and services at a distance possible by the presence of information technology and communication in society. Internet services, , learning platforms, are already being pursued in many European universities, among which there are many Spanish universities to offer students innovative services, collaborate with other institutions, compete within the existing training provision and meet the demands of society. In recent years, teacher training in ICT has become a priority considered as a key to enable the incorporation of education to new forms derived from the so-called information society (Alba, 2002). The investment in that for teacher training in Primary, Secondary and High School has been very heavy, especially as instrumental training, to manage new IT tools, and on the use of these resources as tools in teaching and learning processes or as carriers of these processes. In the case of faculty, each university has launched offers for training in ICT, although no action has been taken generalised as in the case of technological literacy programmes targeted to teachers of other levels. But universities have joined quite quickly the information society and its new forms. So, the new offers of training based on the use of ICT in teaching and learning processes to support new forms of distance learning (tele-training, distance learning, e-learning, virtual campus, etc.) or using these tools to support teachers in classroom teaching processes (web pages to support teaching, tutoring, telematics, collaborative work, learning platform, etc.) have led to a range of training and investment in this infrastructure by most universities. They have jumped on board the train of technology for communication, information and for teaching and research. In some cases only with communication services ( , internet, etc.), but in most cases with substantial investment in new services (virtual campus, computer services for training, learning platforms, etc.), mainly to support teaching, provide new training offerings or for research activity (Keengwe et al., 2009). These costly investments are justified on the potential use of these services by teaching staff, researchers and students in their academic activity, the improvement that may result in the quality of the teaching, research or learning. But to introduce ICT in university teaching is a complex process conditioned by many variables, which includes the level of knowledge the faculty members possess about the educational uses of ICT and the related training approaches (Trentin, 2006; Trentin et al., 2008). Then, is faculty staff prepared to incorporate these technologies into their teaching? Do they use these technological resources already? Do they have sufficient training or need to receive it?

5 Teaching and ICT in higher education Research description The purpose of this study was to identify Complutense University of Madrid (CUM) faculty perceptions of the methodological changes required to adapt their practice to the required when participating in the EHEA, and the use of ICT in their academic activity (Alba, 2004). This information was collected on their training and use of ICT in different areas and on the ICT training needs. They were also asked to specify what topics deserve more interest and the most appropriate training approaches to meet those demands. The study combines two different but complementary procedures, one more quantitative, by the means of an online questionnaire, and a more qualitative one, a focus group. The sample of the CUM faculty staff surveyed was made up of 140 cases or surveys completed, with a greater involvement for Social, Economic and Legal Sciences (34.3%), followed by the Health (25.7%), Experimental (23.6%) and Sciences (23.6%). The age range of the members who responded to the questionnaire ranged from 29 to 72 years, with an average of years. The main group participant is between 40 and 52 years. From 52 years participation has a negative trend, decreasing as they approach retirement age. The number of years of experience as university staff, responses showed that the minimum number of years of teaching has been 1 and the maximum 37. Grouped in intervals of years of teaching are a large number of cases with extensive teaching experience as evidenced in the following figure: 34% of participating faculty is from 7 to 15 years of teaching and 37% from 16 to 26 years of teaching. Faculty members were asked about his collaboration with European universities. The results obtained show the small number of faculty members who has maintained or maintains this kind of relationship. Only 22.1% responded positively to actions or collaborations in European Projects. This reflects the significant effort involved and that will involve for faculty joining the EHEA, and the challenge to address the changes that would involve the incorporation into working groups and European research. 4 Results 4.1 Training level on ICT applications and services Faculty members were consulted on their level of training in computer applications (word processors, databases, simulations, presentation software and specific software to their professional field); on design tools and programming (web page design, design of multimedia materials and free software) and programs of communication, navigation and training platforms ( , forums, messaging, internet browsing and learning platforms). The range of responses was from 0 to 4, corresponding to the value 0 no response and 4 to a very high degree of training. Navigating the internet receives the highest rating, with an average of Most faculty (62.9%) felt that their level of training as internet users is very high (25%) or high (37.9%). Only 2.9% of the teachers who responded to the questionnaire believed that their education is low in this content (Table 1).

6 246 C. Alba and A. Zubillaga Table 1 Training level on ICT applications and services % Training level ICT applications and services No training Low Adequate High Very high X S Computer applications (word processors, databases, etc.) Simulators Presentation /slide software Specific software (relation with the specific discipline) Web pages design Multimedia materials design Communication tools ( , chat, discussion boards, etc.) Internet navigation E-learning platforms (virtual learning environments) Free software (e.g. Linux, Open Office) With regard to training in basic computer applications, most faculties (77.1%) considered to have an Adequate level of training (36%) or High (40.7%). Just 3.6% believe their standard of insufficient training in this aspect. Simulators (0.81) and web design (0.94) are below the average value of 1. In these cases, the majority of faculty says they have no training whatsoever in these topics or a low level of training. The majority of the university members surveyed (89.7%) consider Sufficient (44.3%), High (31.4%) or Very High (15%) their level of training in communication tools, which ensures the possibility of using these services in teaching and research, or for administrative communication tasks. It is remarkable the level of response on the learning platforms, where most staff said to have No training (36.43%) which together with those who says they have Low education (32.14%) represent a large majority of sample (68.57%). Also, it is significant to note that the low level of training for designing multimedia materials, 35% and 37.14% with No training, represented a 72.14% of the total sample surveyed who said not having enough training to design materials to support their teaching in multimedia format. Male professors have more extensive ICT training than their female colleagues. The ANOVA results showed that the effect of gender is significant in ICT training in three different tools: Basic computer applications (F = 6.633, p = 0.011), Specific programs of their professional field (F = 5.059, p = 0.026) and web page design (F = , p. = 0.002). Another explored factor was the field of knowledge. ANOVA results indicate that there are significant differences in training in computer applications in every field of knowledge. Faculty members of Social Studies, Economics and Law respondents seem to have a higher level of education in most of these tools (Table 2).

7 Teaching and ICT in higher education 247 Table 2 Training in computer applications by field of knowledge Health Sciences N = 36 Field of knowledge Experimental Sciences N = 33 Social Studies, Economics and Law N = 48 Humanities (Philosophy, Philology and Linguistics) N = 18 ANOVA ICT training a X s X s X s X s F p Computer applications (word processors, databases, etc.) Simulators Presentation/slide software Specific software (related to the specific discipline) Web pages design Multimedia design Communication tools ( , chat, discussion boards, etc.) Internet E-learning platforms (virtual learning environments) Free software (e.g. Linux, Open Office) a Data for the other fields of Humanities (History and Art) and Engineering are not showed in this table for failure to obtain significant results. Faculty in the field of Health Sciences main focus in ICT training is in presentation programs and simulators; in Experimental Sciences better training is showed in specific software for their professional field and simulators. The Faculty of Humanities group (Philology, Philosophy and Linguistics) has more training in web design, multimedia design, E-learning platforms and free software. Differences were also analysed to identify if academic rank has effect in training in computer applications of faculty at the Complutense University. As shown in Table 3, ANOVA results indicate that the group of Lecturers/Instructors showed significant higher level of training in most computer applications (p < 0.01) compared to other academic categories. Full Professors responding to the questionnaire showed the lowest level of training in computer applications in comparison with other academic groups.

8 248 C. Alba and A. Zubillaga Table 3 Training in computer applications and academic rank Academic rank b Full Professor N = 8 Professor N = 74 Associate Professor N = 3 Assistant Professor N = 18 Teaching Assistant N = 31 Lecturer/ Instructor N = 5 ANOVA ICT training a X s X s X s X s X s X s F p Computer applications Simulators Presentation/slide software Specific software Web pages design Multimedia design Communication tools Internet E-learning platforms Free software a Faculty members were consulted on their level of training in different computer applications. b As the academic categories of faculty are not identical in all higher education systems, it has been included the ranks of the interviewed faculty members at the CUM and their correspondence with the academic ranks in the US system. Attention must be paid to the low ratings on knowledge for the creation of websites, multimedia materials design and use of virtual platforms, because it could be relevant for both, the faculty members themselves in their academic activities and for their teaching performance. The use of these resources could be a key in the development of studentcentred methodologies, and providing support for learning in the context of the methodological proposals related to the EHEA. It should also be considered the fact that they are incorporated and used, as in the case of the WWW and communication services, when are clear the benefits of their integration in the teaching and research activity. In light of these data it would highlight that, in order to introduce the methodologies proposed by the Bologna process, attention should be paid to faculty training so that they can manage a website, using a learning platform or to prepare instructional materials to be available to their students in these virtual spaces. 4.2 ICT level of use Besides knowing the level of training, each faculty was asked about the uses of ICT in different activities of their teaching and research, some of them clearly linked or considered relevant for putting in practice student centred methodologies or for encouraging independent learning and online activities. Results show large differences

9 Teaching and ICT in higher education 249 among the technologies used. The most popular are the communication tools, that are used almost daily by 69.3% per faculty surveyed, which highlights the rapid introduction and incorporation of these services in the academic life. Only 15% said not ever used (Table 4). Table 4 ICT level of use by college faculty % use level Technologies used Never Occasionally Monthly Weekly Daily X s Word processors and presentation software Databases and spreadsheets Specific software (relation with the specific discipline) Web pages and multimedia materials design Internet to look for information, resources and documents Internet as communications tool Internet for downloading software Virtual learning environment (Training) Virtual learning environment (Teaching) The second place is for the use of internet to find information and documents. About 57.9% recognises Everyday use in contrast with 15% of responses indicating Never use it. Internet as a communication tool, with services like , which has established itself as a resource for teaching and research, at an extraordinary penetration rate, reflecting the presence of these technologies in all areas of society and culture. And this has happened without special attention or special measures for faculty training or to promote its use. Internet and its services have stood the test of interest from university teachers and researchers by the advantage that its use represents. Incorporated as part of the academic landscape are also basic computer applications (word processors and presentation software) that are hardly mentioned, because they are not new and because they are naturally integrated into academic activity. About 41% of faculty surveyed say they use these programs daily and 26.4% weekly, but still some 15% of teachers say not to use ever. Database programs, spreadsheets (37.9%) or using the internet for downloading software (38.6%) are only used occasionally. The lowest levels of use are for programs for web design and multimedia, with a majority saying never use it (60%) or only occasionally (23.6) vs. 0.7% who use them daily. Similarly, the use of virtual platforms for training has little impact among CUM faculty. According to the responses, 62.9% say they never use it. About 29.3% of respondents indicated occasional use, which may indicate an approach to this kind of tools and services for distance learning or online activities. Learning platforms are still available but rarely used for educational activities. According to the responses of the CUM faculty, 77.9% say they never use it, compared to 6.4% already use them daily or weekly (2.9%) in their teaching. Gender differences were explored in the level of use of

10 250 C. Alba and A. Zubillaga IT tools and they only appear in web design and multimedia design (F = 5.732, p = 0.018), more used by males than by female professors. Analyses were also performed to identify possible differences in the level of use of computer tools among the academic groups. The ANOVA results show (Table 5) that there are significant differences in the level of use of IT tools among different academic categories. Lecturers or Instructors are the most frequent users of these tools. On the contrary, Full Professors are the least likely to do so. These data can be interpreted in light of reasons as motivation for improvement or professional development, difficult to maintain when they are at the upper limit of the academic ranking. Table 5 Level of use of computer tools and academic rank Full Professor (Catedrático de Universidad) N = 8 Professor (Profesor Titular de Universidad) N = 74 Academic rank* Associate Professor (Catedrático Escuela Univ.) N = 3 Assistant Professor (Titular E. U.) N = 18 Teaching Assistant (Contratad o /Asociado) N = 31 Lecturer/In structor (Ayudante) N = 5 ANOVA Technologies used X s X s X s X s X s X s F p Word processors and presentation software Databases and spreadsheets Specific software (related to the specific discipline) Web pages and multimedia materials design Internet to look for information, resources and documents Internet as communications tool Internet for downloading software Virtual learning environment (training) Virtual learning environment (teaching) * As the academic categories of faculty are not identical in all higher education systems, it has been included the ranks of the interviewed faculty members at the CUM and their correspondence with the academic ranks in the USA system.

11 Teaching and ICT in higher education 251 To further explore the results, statistical crossings were carried out in order to identify tendencies or discrepancies between the level of training and the level of use of computer tools. Chi-square analysis revealed that a significant difference exists with a higher level of training in computer applications and a greater use of these tools. In fact, relations are statistically significant (p < 0.05) between training on different tools (simulators, specific programs of the professional field, web design, multimedia materials design, learning platforms and free software) and using them for their teaching practice. It is also of interest the significant relationship between training in e-learning platforms and free software and using them for learning, which is relevant to support lifelong learning and teaching processes. This analysis also evidences a tendency to use computer tools little or nothing when there is a low level of training in these resources for teaching practice. Obtained values on the level of use show a consistent trend in the responses on ICT that are and are not used. Faculty members have included IT tools in their practice when they were available and because of the benefits of using them. All these results evidence that training to implement IT tools in teaching practice is related to their use by faculty members, which evinced this specific training as a need if academic staff is expected to incorporate ICT as a resource in its educational practice. 4.3 ICT uses in academic activities CUM faculty was asked in which areas of their academic activity used these tools: courses management, classes, distance teaching, tutorship, research and follow-up. According to the responses, the area in which university teachers most frequently use tools is research (Table 6). Table 6 ICT uses in academic activities ICT uses in academic activities Word processors and presentation software Course management Classes E-learning Tutorship Research Follow-up Databases and spreadsheets Specific software (relation with the specific discipline) Web pages and multimedia materials design Internet to look for information, resources and documents Internet as communications tool Internet for downloading software Virtual learning environment (training) Virtual learning environment (teaching)

12 252 C. Alba and A. Zubillaga Repertoire of ICT uses distributes as Internet to find information (72.14%), word processing and presentation software (70.00%), Internet as a tool of communication (65.71%); Internet as a means of obtaining resources and software (60%), databases, spreadsheets (55.71%) and specific programs of its professional field (52.86%). Usage rates are also higher than 50% of respondents in the field of course management. Significantly, and consistent with the data already discussed, low levels of use of virtual platforms are shown, both, for training and to support the teaching in any area of application. The highest percentage of use of platforms is in research activities (22.86%). A cross-sectional analysis of data shows that tools that currently have greater presence in the activity of faculty are word processors and presentation programs, which appear in multiple areas, followed by the different uses of Internet and its services. The analysis on the uses of these tools in different areas of academic activity by gender indicates no differences between male and female professors. 4.4 Preferred training offers CUM faculty was asked about those types of training offer they considered positive for the implementation of ICT in their teaching practice, pointing to a maximum of five. Courses at the same university or school (74.3%) and seminars on specific topics (72.9%) were considered the two best training offers. Although they have found lower rates of acceptance, ongoing seminars on demand of groups of university teachers (65.7%), workshops between coworkers (50%) and online courses (47.1%) are other interesting choices for training. These options, in recent years, have shown to be successful when they contribute to learn relevant topics and produce satisfaction to implement changes in their daily practice (Table 7). Table 7 Preferred training offers Preferred training offers % Acceptance % No acceptance Courses at the same university/college Seminars on specific topics Seminars on demand groups of university teachers Workshops between coworkers Online courses Conferences Courses in external institutions Other training options have not received the same acceptance as the above. High ratios of non-acceptance are for courses in institutions outside the university (77.9%), debates (85.7%) and forums (88.6%), that show clear that they are not as attractive training options for the university s faculty. And perhaps it is because they feel that these options do not provide benefits or satisfaction for their training and professional development.

13 Teaching and ICT in higher education Conclusions Analysis of results revealed some clear trends in the responses of the CUM academic staff who participated in the survey. Data are indicative of certain tendencies emerging fairly homogeneous: There is a significant relationship between training on the various tools and level of use of same: those applications for which are shown higher levels of training are the most used. Also the faculty s level of ICT training is inversely proportional to the complexity of computer applications: those tools are widely used and less technical or specific, like Internet browsing, using basic computer applications and communication services, show high levels of training and frequency of daily use. However, as computer applications represent a higher level of technical complexity, decreases both the amount of training and continuity of use, as it is showed in low knowledge and use of simulators or web design programs. Those applications related to active or student centred methodologies have low levels of training and use: learning platforms and multimedia materials design are two technological tools, closely related to new teaching methodologies, given their potential to encourage self-learning systems or to enrich learning activities and contents. However, the level of training and utilisation of both elements is very low. The use of computer resources is fundamentally instrumental in nature. Internet and its services are used for instrumental activities, with low training and use of these resources as tools for collaborative work. Thus, the highest rates of Internet use are as a source of information. Similarly, more active and dynamic tools (simulators or web design) have little presence in the daily academic activities of faculty. However, it is important to note also the high level of training and network usage as a communication tool, though, we should differentiate whether the use for which is referred to as services (understood in its more basic role, as telematic phone, mainly player character), or technologies such as forums or chat rooms (linked to a more collaborative use of technology resources). In either case, the low figure in training and use of learning platforms still show little willingness of university teachers to a change in the dynamics of working towards collaborative working models based on the use of ICT. The incorporation of ICT in the academic work is focused primarily on the research work: the majority uses Internet as a source of information and resources and as a communication tool, and for those reasons the network makes an ideal instrument for research. There is a little didactic use of ICT resources. Their uses as teaching aids to support the classroom teaching or as a fundamental element for blended or distance education is very low, revealing a low educational achievement of technological resources. While the instrumental knowledge of the management of some technology tools is high, limited application to teaching duties highlights the low accompanying didactic training of faculty. The low incorporation of the use of basic technologies as tools in support of classroom instruction means that will be more complicated even using them in new educational methods integrating the use of ICT, such as training platforms or design of multimedia materials.

14 254 C. Alba and A. Zubillaga Expectations of faculty about ICT integration in teaching practice and research are quite high and, in general, they consider that such integration will be an advantage in the development of different activities that identify university activity. They can be relevant for methodological diversity, flexible forms of learning and student participation in their learning process. Also ICT are conceived as tools with a great potential for organisation and management processes, design of materials, information, communication, research and creating autonomous learning activities. Faculty s most appreciated training offers are the courses offered by the university as well as seminars on specific topics. University teachers also prefer to have training through offerings that promote collaborative work with other colleagues as well as through seminars constituted under specific demands of groups of faculty. The training offers more attractive facing to promote the integration of ICT into the university teaching practice would be to establish working groups of teachers tutored by other teachers and experts in didactics and ICT, facing the process of adapting the subjects to teach. Other types of training offers valued positively have been those that encourage cooperative teamwork between faculty and establishing departmental and school working groups. The faculty survey shows the need for training for relevant use and integration of ICT in their teaching. This training in the use of ICT should be based on the needs and demands identified by faculty members. That action should focus less on the teaching of instrumental management of the various technological tools, but put special emphasis on educational development and methodological integration of technology resources. The EHEA has been an excellent opportunity to reflect, analyse and redefine the role, organisation and educational practices in HE. The creation of university networks in Europe, the production of new resources and services and the improvement of collaborative, flexible and open models based on ICT, both in administrative tasks, communication and research, as in the teaching and learning processes, make ICT a powerful tool for building the Europe of knowledge. References Aguado, J.I. and Fonseca, C. (2007) Enseñar en la Universidad: Experiencias y propuestas para la docencia. A Coruña: Netbiblo. Alba Pastor, C. (Coord.) (2002) Outlook on Applications and Developments of New Technologies in Education: European Union, Latin America and Caribbean. Madrid: Dirección General de Universidades. Alba Pastor, C. (Coord.) (2004) La viabilidad de las propuestas metodológicas para la aplicación del crédito europeo por parte del profesorado de las universidades españolas, vinculadas a la utilización de las TICS en la docencia y la investigación. Available at: univ/html/informes/estudios_analisis/resultados_2004/ea0042/ea _alba-2- InformeGlobal.pdf, September Chevallard, Y. (1985) La transposición didáctica: Del Saber sabido al Saber enseñado. Buenos Aires: Aique. ECC European Communities Commission (2000) The Bologna Declaration on the European Space for Higher Education. Available at: bologna/bologna.pdf, September 2009.

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