Research Competencies and Skills of Philosophy Students and Faculty in the 21st Century

This paper analyzes the research competencies and skills required of students and faculty in the Philosophy program at Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD) within learning environments mediated by digital technologies. This research is grounded in the transformation of traditional models of academic support in philosophy, historically characterized by face-to-face instruction, and proposes training and research strategies developed through Virtual Learning Environments. The study aims to identify the competencies, thinking skills, and digital resources necessary to strengthen research processes in philosophy programs delivered through virtual modalities.

The research was conducted using a descriptive qualitative approach supported by virtual ethnography, enabling the characterization of students’ and instructors’ competencies related to digital literacy, critical thinking, effective communication, creativity, collaborative work, and the use of educational technologies. Likewise, the study analyzes research competencies associated with the interpretation of philosophical texts, the formulation of research questions, argumentation, academic writing, reference management, and the synthesis of research findings.

The results indicate that the use of digital resources such as forums, videoconferencing platforms, Google Drive, Skype, and academic databases facilitates research support processes, autonomous learning, and the collaborative construction of knowledge The tables and matrices presented outline specific 21st-century competencies aimed at strengthening cognitive, technological, and communication skills among students and faculty in the philosophy program.

The study identifies impacts associated with improvements in the ability to clarify, evaluate, and analyze information, strengthen academic writing processes, and develop more dynamic research-oriented teaching practices in virtual environments. These competencies contribute to the consolidation of philosophical training processes centered on research, pedagogical innovation, and the critical appropriation of digital tools in higher education.