Informal learning about teaching of university novice professors

Teaching is one of the functions performed by university professors, but the formal training they receive for it is rare. In addition, novice professors, who are in the initial stage of their professional development, are characterized by the beginning of their teaching identity construction, the contrast of their expectations with reality and insecurities towards teaching. These circumstances lead to the need to explore informal learning in teaching of novice university professors in universities in the metropolitan area of ​​Barcelona. The research has two general objectives. The first aims to analyze the informal learning about teaching of novice university professors, understanding the reasons for this learning, the teaching skills acquired through it, the strategies of informal learning used and the influence of organizational factors on this phenomenon. The second general objective is to design a model to promote informal learning in teaching within university organizations, including intervention principles, institutional proposals and action strategies. The research methodology is based on a mixed design, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. First, a questionnaire was applied to novice university professors from public and private universities in the Barcelona metropolitan area. Subsequently, interviews with novice professors were conducted to delve qualitatively into the quantitative data previously obtained. Based on these results, a learning promotion model has been developed, which has after been validated by heads of university departments and experts through focus groups. The results make it possible to understand the phenomenon of informal learning about teaching of novice professors in the universities selected, taking into account the different variables involved. In addition, a model for promoting learning is also provided, which can be a guide for universities in fostering the development of teaching skills for novice professors.