Instruction in the New Educational Landscape: A Needs Assessment of University Teachers Competencies in Hybrid Modalities

Abstract This study employed a quantitative research design anchored on Oliver’s Blended Framework for Instructions (2014) to examine college students’ perceived needs regarding their teachers’ instructional competencies across online and face-to-face modalities. Specifically, the investigation sought to determine students’ expectations of their instructors’ proficiency in key domains—namely instruction, professional responsibilities, technology integration, planning and preparation, curriculum development, and instructional design—and to identify whether significant differences existed when findings were categorized according to year level, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES).Results revealed that students consistently expect their teachers to demonstrate a high to excellent level of competence across all instructional domains, regardless of modality. Moreover, statistical analyses indicated no significant differences in students’ expectations across demographic categories, suggesting that learners hold uniformly high standards for instructional quality irrespective of year level, gender, or SES. This uniformity implies that students view quality instruction as a non-negotiable requirement in both online and face-to-face settings.The findings underscore the considerable challenge this poses for higher education institutions, particularly in ensuring that teachers maintain exemplary competencies as essential conditions for effective learning. The study highlights the imperative for policymakers and academic leaders to strengthen qualification standards, professional development programs, and competency-based evaluations for faculty. Additionally, the absence of demographic differences in expectations suggests that students neither lower their standards nor adjust their needs when confronted with inadequacies in instructional competencies, instructional design, or the learning environment. Thus, addressing these needs becomes critical to sustaining equitable and high-quality learning experiences across instructional platforms. Keywords: needs assessment, university teachers competencies, hybrid modalities