The Experience of Professors who Research at Universidad Don Bosco from El Salvador

Abstract

Researching is one of the essential activities from Latin American universities. In El Salvador, the recognition of the need for researching has implied for educational institutions to make greater efforts to encourage their teachers to research, in addition to teaching. The aim of this article is to describe the experience of professors from Universidad Don Bosco
(UDB), who have done research projects during the period of 2017-2021. The methodology was qualitative with a descriptive scope and an intrinsic case study design. Nine researcher-professors and two Research Council members were interviewed. The UDB case shows that researcher-professors have intrinsic motivation, which has contributed to expanding their research activities in their fields of expertise. However, the need for more in-depth training in project management and the use of the virtual platform for this purpose are evident. Furthermore, it is vital to support participation in academic dissemination, since these  experiences enhance the research process accomplishment and strengthen the culture of research that promotes interdisciplinarity.