Research Competencies in the Training of Teachers in the Early Childhood Education Degree

Research skills are fundamental in the training of teachers as a transversal axis of their work. The objective of this research is to analyze the development process of these skills through classroom activities. This study is framed within the phenome-nological interpretive paradigm and employs a mixed-methods approach. The scope of the research is explanatory, utilizing a non-experimental, cross-sectional, bibliographic, and field de-sign. The population consisted of 92 students who completed a questionnaire, and 17 teachers who participated in structured interviews, totaling 109 subjects. The response of the students regarding the identification of a problem was predominantly negative, with 70% indicating they could not identify a prob-lem. Similarly, 81% of students reported a lack of statistical knowledge. Additionally, 94% of students did not use special-ized databases for research. Teachers in training emphasized the need for a multidisciplinary approach to develop and strengthen these competencies. The authors support the idea that a harmoniously structured system of activities, aligned with the cognitive needs of teachers in training, will lead to the con-solidation of these competencies among the early childhood education students at Salesiana Polytechnic University in the city of Guayaquil.