La constante evolución de las tecnologías ha influido en los sistemas educativos en el mundo, lo que ha obligado a los profesores a desarrollar rápidamente nuevas habilidades para hacer frente a estos desafíos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar el nivel de competencias digitales de los profesores de la Universidad de los Llanos (Villavicencio, Colombia) y analizar los factores que influyen en la adopción de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. Esta investigación utilizó una metodología que combina enfoques cuantitativos y cualitativos. Para diagnosticar las competencias docentes en saberes digitales de profesores en educación superior, se aplicó un test durante el primer semestre del año 2021 a 180 profesores de cinco facultades. Las competencias digitales se analizaron en cuatro dimensiones: (1) Información, (2) Comunicación y colaboración, (3) Uso de dispositivos y herramientas digitales y (4) Creación de contenido. Los resultados mostraron que los profesores presentan un nivel de apropiación de medio a medio-alto en todas las dimensiones, siendo la más baja la Creación de contenido. Las conclusiones destacan la importancia de implementar nuevas medidas en el entorno institucional para el fortalecimiento de competencias digitales y la adaptación a nuevas formas de enseñanza y aprendizaje.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of knowledge creation in a key technology field, i.e. information and communication technology (ICT), to determine whether it is driven by domestic firms and inventors, or whether the traction is provided by international connections to global innovation networks. The authors argue that the geographical pattern of international connectivity is characterized by local concentration and strong connections to foreign multinational enterprises, for which a large number of inventors in Spain work. Design/methodology/approach The analysis was done using data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office database, covering almost 40 years, ranging from 1976 to 2014. The authors used patents in the ICT sector connected to either inventors or organizations located in Spain. The authors analyzed collaboration by the location of both inventors and assignees, and the connections established across borders. Second, the authors assessed the level of concentration and dispersion that characterizes these relationships. Findings First, the growth of the ICT sector in Spain is strongly driven by linkages with foreign companies, in particular those located in the USA. Second, the interaction of local and international clusters of knowledge generation is a key driver of the ICT sector, which is far from being global. Third, there is a geographic concentration of national/international knowledge sources, which is mediated by the technological strategies of internationalized firms. Therefore, the new information age seems to be highly dependent on the collaboration between individuals and companies through focal local points, and on the prevalence of co-developed international inventions. Research limitations/implications Understanding the patterns of ICT-related knowledge creation and its geographical footprint is crucial to foster competitiveness in the digital age. The transition from a paradigm based on tangible assets to one where competitive advantage stems mainly from intangibles, has significant implications for both policy and practice. International collaboration presents opportunities to enhance competitiveness at various levels, be that organizations, regions or countries. To seize these opportunities, it is key to enhance the endogenous capabilities and absorptive capacity of the local players. While patent data captures the output of a national innovation system only partially, it is still a suitable indicator to capture international connectedness. More qualitative-oriented techniques, however, may allow for a better assessment of tacit knowledge flows. Originality/value The creation of knowledge in high-tech industries is a key aspect of competitiveness, and it is increasingly supported by collaboration that spans across borders. However, knowledge creation adopts different patterns, depending on the unique characteristics of the country. The authors analyze the case of Spain, a developed economy with pockets of innovation but also significant areas that can be considered “peripheral,” both economically and industrially, when compared to much of Western Europe. This study’s analysis captures the combination of concentration and dispersion in the process of knowledge generation that characterizes the ICT sector in intermediate countries.

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PurposeRecent years have seen increased participation by women in Science and Technology activities, but parity with men remains a distant goal. This paper provides a framework for improving knowledge on the dynamics of women’s contributions to innovation, as measured through their contributions as inventors.Design/methodology/approachAnalysis was conducted using data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database, covering over 40 years from 1976 to 2019. The study provides a breakdown of women’s inventiveness/innovation by technology area, which permits analysis of whether female inventors tend to work individually or as part of a team, as well as analysis of the effects of international networks.FindingsSpecific data have been analyzed around innovative activity by women in Spain, providing new insights on gender gaps. Key findings include those recent increases in inventions by women (as measured through patents) have occurred mostly via participation in internationally connected mixed-gender teams. Furthermore, the inventive creativity of women is found to be sector-biased and framed mainly in the chemical sector.Originality/valueThere are no similar contributions using USPTO data for Spanish inventions. This is an original paper that emphasizes the potential of collaborative networks as key driving mechanisms for the reduction of gender gaps and for the larger integration of women into innovation activities, with potential implications for stakeholders at both firm and governmental levels.