The influence of institutional conditions in developing electronic skills of professors for distance education teaching: proposition of an analytical model

Brazil has undergone, since 2002, a significant process of internalization of higher education, through the creation of new campuses and through the creation of new higher education institutions. This phenomenon seems to have occurred mainly due to favorable economic conditions in this period and the specific policies of the Federal Government and, in some cases, of State governments. When therefore considered the new educational context established by technological advancement, by encouraging the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the consolidation of Distance Learning, we believe it to be of fundamental importance to consider technological skills in the teaching profession. In this sense, the electronic competence must be understood as a competence for the specific action of professors to master the learning technologies. Its acquisition requires more than learning respectively new knowledge, to develop new skills and take on new attitudes. From this premise, this study aims to propose an analytical model in order to evaluate the influence of institutional conditions in developing electronic skills of professors in Distance Learning higher education. To achieve the objective of this work, after a systematic literature review and theoretical analysis, we revisit the concept of "action competence", basing the arrangements of the individual for the relevant action, the contexts and consensual norms, which determine the appropriate standards of behaviour. Subsequently, we present a discussion on skills for higher education and, especially, electronic skills for distance education. Finally, institutional conditions of a synergy model for electronic skills were detailed, ending with the proposed model.

Key words:
Electronic Competence; Distance education; Higher education