Informal learning by university faculty

The thesis prepared by Laia Encinar Prat, entitled "Informal learning in teaching for new university teachers", has been directed by Dr. Joaquín Gairín. The thesis was read before the tribunal formed by Dr. Serafín Antúnez Marcos (University of Barcelona), acting as President, Dr. David Rodríguez Gómez (Autonomous University of Barcelona), acting as secretary and Dr. Mireia Tintoré Espuny (University Internacional de Catalunya), acting as a member.

Teaching is one of the functions carried out by university teachers, but the formal training they receive around it is scarce. In addition, new teachers, who are in the initial stage of their professional development, are characterized by the beginning of the construction of their teaching identity, the contrast of their expectations with reality and the insecurities towards teaching. These circumstances lead to the need to explore informal learning in teaching by new university professors at universities in the metropolitan area of ​​Barcelona. The research has two general objectives. The first of them is to analyze the informal learning of new university teaching staff, understanding the reasons why this learning takes place, the teaching competencies that have been acquired through it, the informal learning pathways used and the influence of the organizational elements in this phenomenon. The second general objective has the purpose of designing a model to promote informal learning in teaching within university organizations that includes intervention principles, institutional proposals and action strategies.

The research methodology is based on a mixed design, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. In the first place, a questionnaire has been applied to new university faculty from public and private universities in the metropolitan area of ​​Barcelona. Subsequently, interviews with novice teachers have been carried out, which have allowed a qualitative deepening of the quantitative data previously obtained. Based on these results, a learning promotion model has been developed that has been subsequently validated by heads of university departments and experts on the subject through discussion groups. The results make it possible to understand the phenomenon of informal learning in teaching by new teachers in the participating universities, taking into account the different variables involved. In addition, a learning promotion model is also provided, which can serve as a guide for universities when it comes to promoting the development of teaching skills for new teachers.