Las Competencias Comunicativas como Herramientas Virtualizadas en la Formación Universitaria

This research will examine how communicative competencies in reading and writing are viewed as virtualized tools by university students. The objective of this work was to analyze the influence of the communicative skills covered in the Oral and Written Communication (COE) course, offered virtually, across all degree programs at the Salesian Polytechnic University (UPS) in Ecuador. A qualitative methodology with a descriptive and analytical approach was used over two semesters, analyzing the following categories: reading comprehension, academic writing, and scientific production. The results indicate that students are unaware of their reading comprehension levels, and they engage in academic writing merely to fulfill assignments without applying established norms in the field. Scientific production is limited because students lack support in the development of essays and academic articles. The study concludes that student participation through the collective creation of knowledge, meanings, and realities within a diverse socio-cultural context, guided by the principle of "learning to learn," is fundamental. Literacy and communication skills are fundamental to academic training because they encompass basic communication functions and must be precise at the higher education level. This ensures performance as a competent, reflective, and socially responsible professional.