Factors and Motivations Influencing the Teaching Style of University Professors

This research project addresses the need to transform university teaching in engineering in response to the challenges of an interconnected and volatile society. The study focuses on identifying the factors and motivations that determine the pedagogical decisions of professors at the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS) in Cuenca, Ecuador. Given the rigidity of traditional disciplinary structures, the research proposes the use of 'faculty clusters' as a matrix organizational structure to foster collaborative instructional design, transdisciplinary teaching, and deep learning among students. The methodology is mixed-methods, combining an exhaustive literature review, quantitative surveys for multivariate statistical analysis of factors, and qualitative interviews using Grounded Theory to explore faculty motivations. The project aims not only to generate academic knowledge on engineering education but also to provide UPS with a validated methodology for collaborative faculty management. Expected outcomes include the publication of indexed scientific articles and the implementation of pedagogical strategies that improve educational quality and the training of future engineers capable of managing the complexity and uncertainty of the current environment.<br/><br/><b>Goal</b>: <br/>To analyze the relationships and correlations between the factors influencing the teaching style of professors at the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana and the underlying motivations that shape their teaching practice. The goal is to establish a foundation for a collaborative instructional design model based on faculty clusters.<br/><br/><b>Research lines</b>: <br/>Wireless networks