Research lines: Education and ICT (e-learning)

Research lines

Education and ICT (e-learning)

Organization, governance and institutional improvement in online and digital education

This line of research focuses on the organisational and institutional aspects of developing and improving digital and online education. The focus is on institutions' ability to design, implement and manage comprehensive strategies that ensure quality, inclusive, sustainable and adaptable educational models.

This involves integrating sustainability and equity principles into all dimensions of the educational ecosystem, including governance, leadership, strategic planning, the educational model and curriculum, quality assurance systems, teacher training models, and student support mechanisms. The research also considers the active participation of the educational community and its influence on the development of people-centred institutional environments.

In this way, it provides a space to analyse and understand the organisational transformations necessary to respond to contemporary digital education challenges, such as reducing access and technology use gaps, consolidating inclusive policies, managing cultural change and implementing flexible, scalable models aimed at continuous improvement.

Keywords: digital institutional culture, digital leadership; teacher digital competence; Decision-making, soft skills, professional development; higher education institutions; educational and oganizational models; digital transformation; social capital; social networks; digital behaviour; digital information resources; collaborative learning; digital environments; technology acceptance; quality in higher education; digital transformation & excellence; quality assurance

Thesis Proposals	Researchers	Research Group	Keywords
Teacher Digital Competence Leadership and institutional culture analysis The aim of this research area is to deepen understanding of how institutional culture acts as either an enabler or a barrier to the development of Teacher Digital Competence (TDC) in Higher Education. It explores the influence of organizational structures, leadership, and digital strategies on teachers’ professional growth and innovation.	Dr Maria Jesús Martínez Argüelles mmartinezarg@uoc.edu	MeL	digital institutional culture, digital leadership; teacher digital competence
Developing personal and professional decision-making skills This research aims to analyse and design learning environments that foster the development of personal and professional decision-making skills. It seeks to systematize knowledge in this field to enhance understanding of how individuals make decisions in complex and dynamic contexts—particularly within organizations—and to integrate these insights into professional learning and higher education programs related to management, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Main research lines include: Analysis of competences, soft skills, and learning outcomes, with a focus on critical thinking, collaboration, teamwork, creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The integration of gender perspectives and ethical considerations in e-learning. Teamwork and intercultural dimensions of online learning.	Dr Enric Serradell Lopez (Coordination) eserradell@uoc.edu Dr Maria Jesús Martínez Argüelles mmartinezarg@uoc.edu Dr Raquel Ferreras García rferreras@uoc.edu Dr Àngels Fitó Bertran afitob@uoc.edu Dr Carme Pagès Serra cpagesserra@uoc.edu Dr Natalí Basilico nbasilico@uoc.edu Dr Cíntia Pla García cplag@uoc.edu Dr Maria Pujol Jover mpujoljo@uoc.edu Dr Jordi Sales-Zaguirre jsales@uoc.edu Dr David Roman Coy droman@eada.edu Dr. Akinul I. Jony ajony@uoc.edu	MeL	Decision-making, soft skills, professional development
Digital Transformation of Educational Institutions Analysis and identification of key parameters in the digital transformation of educational organizations that involve technology, organization and pedagogy, and the development of diagnoses and action proposals to transition with quality towards organizations that respond to the educational scenarios of the future.	Dr Montse Guitert mguitert@uoc.edu Dr Nati Cabrera ncabrera@uoc.edu Dr Josep M. Duart jduart@uoc.edu Dr Lourdes Guàrdia lguardia@uoc.edu Dr Marcelo Maina mmaina@uoc.edu Dr Josep M. Mominó jmomino@uoc.edu Dr Marc Romero mromerocar@uoc.edu Dr Teresa Romeu tromeu@uoc.edu Dr Albert Sangrà asangra@uoc.edu	Edul@b	higher education institutions; educational and oganizational models; digital transformation
Educational Leadership in the Digital Era This line of research aims to study how the digital era is challenging educational leadership, how leadership approaches are shaping education in the digital society, and what mindsets and actions leaders have to take into consideration. These studies have to support a new definition of leadership in today's world	Dr Albert Sangrà asangra@uoc.edu (Coordination) Dr Josep M. Duart jduart@uoc.edu Dr Nati Cabrera ncabrera@uoc.edu	Edul@b	leadership, digital education
Impact of social capital and social networking behavior on students' learning process in e-learning This line of research studies the structure and use of students’ social networks in an online learning environment, in an attempt to relate networks’ structure and use with students’ learning process. Advanced statistical techniques will be applied to relate the structure of social networks with the learning process of students. Semi-structured interviews and other qualitative techniques will be applied to determine how students use their personal social networks. A thesis proposal can be based on quantitative methodologies, qualitative methodologies, or a combination of the two. The proposals will take into account the existing literature and theory on social networks and on informational behaviour, so as to customize its application in the specific context of e-learning.	Dr Agustí Canals acanalsp@uoc.edu Dr Eva Ortoll eortoll@uoc.edu Dr Montserrat Garcia-Alsina mgarciaals@uoc.edu Dr Natàlia Cugueró ncuguero@uoc.edu	KIMO	social capital; social networks; digital behaviour
Habits and motivations in the uses of the digital environment for collaborative learning This line of research studies behaviours and decisions in relation to the use of the digital environment in learning processes. It aims to discover behaviours and motivations in regard to the acceptance or refusal of digital information resources (such as applications, services or devices) in learning processes as well as the modes of use and access to these resources. The possible contexts of learning are considered in the broadest sense, whether formal learning in an academic context (teaching and research), informal learning in a personal or organizational context, or a combination of these. The paradigm of digital visitors and residents is used as a key reference to characterize these behaviours, as well as existing literature on knowledge management and information behaviour. The theses proposals may include qualitative or quantitative methods, or a combination of the two.	Dr Agustí Canals acanalsp@uoc.edu Dr Eva Ortoll eortoll@uoc.edu Dr Montserrat Garcia-Alsina mgarciaals@uoc.edu Dr Natàlia Cugueró ncuguero@uoc.edu	KIMO	digital information resources; collaborative learning; digital environments; technology acceptance
Educational quality assessment This research line explores the quality of education systems from a conceptual, ideological and political viewpoint. It also encompasses research on assessment processes and models, both from a macro (system) perspective and a micro (educational process) perspective. Studies related to the following thesis lines are particularly relevant: 1. Educational transformation processes triggered by the growing integration of digital technologies, and the social and economic impact of these processes on the quality of education at the student level. 2. Strategies for widening and enhancing stakeholders' involvement in defining quality and the assessment processes in place to measure it. 3. Proposals for new assessment models, systems or tools (or updates to existing ones) that take into account improvement, innovation and ongoing change processes in educational contexts, especially technology-mediated ones	Dr Nati Cabrera (Coordination) ncabrera@uoc.edu Dr Montse Guitert mguitert@uoc.edu Dr Josep Maria Duart jduart@uoc.edu Dr Maite Fernàndez-Ferrer mfernandezferrer@uoc.edu Dr Marcelo Maina Mail: mmaina@uoc.edu Dr Albert Sangrà asangra@uoc.edu Dr Montse Vall-llovera mvall-llovera@uoc.edu	Edul@b	quality in higher education; digital transformation & excellence; quality assurance