Professional Skills and Social Skills in the Degrees of Education: Validation of a Questionnaire Using a Structural Equation Model

We study the competences and social skills that students value first for their future profession and the activities that contribute to obtaining them. To do this, we have designed a questionnaire and determined its validity, using a Confirmatory Factorial Analysis (CFA) and a Model of Structural Equations (SEM). The sample included 257 students enrolled in a Degree in Education program, from the universities that participated in the Educational Innovation Project (PIE13-002). The most valued competencies by the students were the following: teamworking and interacting with other people from the same or different professional areas; transmitting information, ideas, problems, and solutions to the specialized and non-specialized public; developing capacities for analyzing social and educational realities; and preparing projects in relation to different contexts, subjects, and groups. Among social skills, assertiveness, conflict resolution, and empathy were valued in the first place. In terms of activities, the role-playing, video-forum, class forums, and case studies stood out for their impact on the acquisition of skills and professional development. Finally, we have validated the model, demonstrating that it is appropriate and that it correctly describes the existing reality, which implies that the conclusions drawn from applying the model on the studied population serve to explain the perception that students have on the relative importance of several competencies linked to their professional development. The validated questionnaire explained the variability of 80% in the student assessment. It is important to promote teamwork and social skills development because they act as a protective factor against risky situations and facilitate effective social interactions and social support.