Espacios innovadores en la enseñanza superior universitaria

Resumo

The following study analyses the importance of incorporating innovative spaces in classrooms to improve the quality of education at the European University of Madrid. The main objective is to recognise the pedagogical, environmental and digital elements that influence the design of an innovative learning space. For this purpose, a quantitative methodology was used through the design of an instrument that assesses three dimensions: pedagogical, environmental and digital, adapted from Bautista et al. (2019). Descriptive and comparative analyses were carried out on a sample of 24 teachers from the European University of Madrid. In relation to the pedagogical dimension, 95.8% of teachers agree or strongly agree that classrooms should have different spaces that encourage research, creation or interaction. In relation to the environmental dimension, the data analysed show that 100% of the teaching staff agree or totally agree that a more flexible distribution of classrooms would respond to individual learning needs. They are also concerned about the layout of the classroom space and the elements that make it up. Regarding the digital dimension, 75% strongly agree that educational technology in the classroom should be used to create, collaborate, communicate and solve real-world problems. In general, the results show that the implementation of digital technology in the classroom should be used to create, collaborate, communicate and solve real-world problems. Moreover, according to teachers’ perceptions, these spaces encourage teamwork, creativity and problem solving. The need to provide adequate training for teaching staff to make the most of these learning environments is highlighted. The results show the need to implement a “classroom of the future” at the European University of Madrid. The advantages of adopting innovative spaces are discussed, such as improved learning, increased student participation and preparation of graduates for today’s work environment.