Cuban experience in the formation of university teachers

Abstract

The formation of the university teacher is recognized as one of the most important factors in the quality of higher education in Cuba; its optimization requires using the most successful ways to improve its effectiveness. In the article, some international trends related to the formation of the university teacher are analyzed; it briefly explains some peculiarities this process assumes in Cuba, focusing on the analysis of the historical and theoretical-practical elements related to the main ways used in the formation of teachers in Cuban universities. The methodological work is highlighted for its usefulness in the university teaching exercise, due to its contextualized and systematic condition and its immediate effect on the formation and performance of the university teacher. The role of the post graduate education is recognized as a more formal formative process, with mediate effects on the professional development of teachers. It emphasizes on the importance of the scientific-investigative activity because of its productive function of new knowledge that enriches the teacher´s professional culture and as a source of updating the content of the training process he directs. It illustrates the application of these formative ways at the University of Pedagogical Sciences “José de la Luz y Caballero” in Holguín, Cuba. Finally, some challenges are presented which the mentioned university must face when preparing teachers in the current development of the Cuban university.

Keywords

• formación
• profesor universitario
• trabajo metodológico
• educación de postgrado
• actividad científico-investigativa
• vías de formación del profesor universitario