Revista Digital de Investigación y Postgrado, 5(11), 101-113
Electronic ISSN: 2665-038X
103
Technological competencies and the academic performance of university students
cular goals and competencies. In this regard, Sánchez et al. (2022) emphasize that digital com-
petencies include aspects related to hardware, software, school organization and management,
the use of ICTs, and the social, ethical, and legal elements associated with their use.
Meanwhile, Cateriano et al. (2021) point out that, globally, many teachers face difficulties in sear-
ching for relevant data and information. As a result, many educators rely solely on Google as
their main search tool and are unfamiliar with the use of databases, institutional repositories,
and advanced searches with Boolean operators to access quality information. This lack of skills
limits their ability to access appropriate academic resources and reduces the quality of infor-
mation used in their teaching practice.
In this context, Cobos et al. (2020) indicate that there are global gaps in the use of technology
for academic purposes and the dissemination of information. This is because many educators
lack knowledge on how to select appropriate resources and effectively use search engines to
choose topics aligned with students' research needs and academic levels.
Similarly, Díaz & Serra (2020) suggest that it is difficult to determine to what extent teachers
misuse the Internet when searching for information. This may be due to a lack of necessary
skills to fully utilize technologies in teaching or awareness of the variety of search engines avai-
lable for consulting scientific information. Consequently, many teachers resort exclusively to tra-
ditional methods for finding quality scientific information, which impacts their classes and may
negatively affect students' educational progress.
For this reason, Espinoza (2020) highlights the importance of educators knowing and using
academic search engines such as Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic, which provide access
to peer-reviewed articles and books. Scientific journals on platforms like PubMed, IEEE Xplore,
and JSTOR, as well as databases like Scopus, SciELO, Dialnet, and Redalyc, offer specialized and
high-quality research. In addition, academic networks such as ResearchGate and Academia.edu
facilitate collaboration and access to publications and scientific websites offering high-quality
reports and studies.
In this context, Baldomero (2022) emphasizes that the digital competencies of higher education
teachers include information literacy, essential for navigating, filtering, and managing digital in-
formation. He also highlights the importance of online communication and collaboration, in-
volving interaction and proper use of netiquette. Another key competency is digital content
creation, which requires integrating platforms and respecting copyright. Additionally, Díaz &
Loyola (2021) note that these digital competencies include data search and management, per-
son-to-person interaction, and data protection. They also highlight the importance of techno-
logical skills that enable teachers to search for and filter relevant information while applying
effective strategies for virtual teaching.
On the other hand, Flores & Garrido (2019) underline that in Latin America, teachers must de-
velop digital, communicative, intellectual, and ethical skills to ensure student learning. Likewise,