Teaching: between the valuation of future educators and social discredit

Abstract

Teaching has acquired various social representations, which are ideas that students have when they enter college to become educators. This topic has not been addressed in the Ecuadorian context: a reality with new education policies and curriculum changes. This research aimed to understand social representations about teaching students have, on their first-year of education. Focus groups were carried out with 13 first-year college students. A thematic analysis was performed. Teaching is associated with providing counseling for students, where the human factor prevails. Creativity, innovation and technology are elements associated with teaching. Despite acknowledging the importance of teaching, the students consider that society underestimates it.