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This study analyses the extent to which university faculty use the technological resources that make up their Learning Ecologies to promote their professional development as educators. The interest of this research lies on the growing impact of Learning Ecologies as a framework to examine the multiple learning opportunities provided by a complex digital landscape. Global data referred to the use of technological resources grouped in three dimensions (information access, search and management resources, creation and content editing resources, and interaction and communication resources) has been identified. In addition, the influence of different variables such as gender, age, years of teaching experience and the field of knowledge were also examined. The study was conducted using a survey-based quantitative methodology. The sample consisted of 1,652 faculty belonging to 50 Spanish universities. To respond to the objectives of the study, descriptive and inferential analyses (ANOVA) were carried out. On the one hand, a moderate use of technological resources for professional development was noted while on the other hand, significant differences were observed on all variables analyzed. The results suggest a need to promote, both at the individual and institutional levels, more enriched Learning Ecologies, in such a way that each professor can harness the learning opportunities afforded by the networked society.

In this article, we present the results of a study about the perceptions of students studying for a degree in primary education about their music-teaching knowledge and their training needs in that area. The study was carried out in three public universities in Galicia (Spain). Using a quantitative methodological approach, a questionnaire was used to collect data from 302 participants. The results indicate some gaps in their practical, theoretical, and teaching knowledge related to musical expression which would have to be addressed through continued training during their professional practice. These gaps could also be considered in the design of teaching plans for teachers' initial training. Considering that music is part of the primary education curriculum, and most people's daily lives, careful thought is needed about the elements making up future teachers' training. The measures which are adopted as a result will determine the use that will be made of music, both academically and as an interdisciplinary teaching resource.

Teaching in virtual environments demands mastery of several teaching competencies. Although the most accepted ones are pedagogical, in order to successfully teach online it becomes necessary to acquire and develop some other competencies, sometimes referred to as peripheral roles (Denis et al., 2004). The aim of this study is to analyse perceptions on the level of proficiency that online teachers have regarding these peripheral roles (social, evaluator, manager, technologist, advisor/counsellor, personal, and researcher), and their professional development needs required to improve their online teaching competencies. A questionnaire was specifically created and validated by experts, and data was gathered from 166 university teachers. The findings show that teachers highlight the importance of the peripheral roles for quality teaching, and thus, professional development programmes should be based on a balance between central and peripheral roles to better train online teachers and increase the quality of their teaching.

The practicum is an essential component of teacher training plans and a key element the process of learning to teach. Various documents, guides and protocols have defined the aims of this training phase and the functions of those involved: supervisors, tutors and students. To identify the tasks student teachers perform during the practicum, a quantitative study was designed using a questionnaire completed by 248 students in their final year of teacher training. The results show that the student teachers did not have the chance to tackle the broad range of teaching tasks, limiting their view of teaching and reducing their training potential. It is necessary to clearly establish the obligations of institutions who collaborate in the practicum, defining participants' roles and ensuring that this experience encourages appropriate learning.

The educational landscape has changed in recent years, requiring reflection about new pedagogical methods and theories. There are three important perspectives as drivers of pedagogical reflection: lifelong and life-wide learning, the idea of learning as a social construct in which internal elements and changing external factors converge, and the recognition of technology as a resource that can promote ubiquitous and expanded learning. Learning ecology has been proposed as a conceptual and empirical framework, but its still emergent nature along with its multidimensionality and complexity require further exploration. The Delphi study we present as part of a broader research project aims to identify the components of learning ecologies. Three panel rounds with international experts were carried out, after which two important dimensions emerged in the structure of learning ecologies. The first is related to intrinsic "learning dispositions," which is made up of three categories: the subject's ideas about learning, their motivations and expectations. The second dimension, called "learning processes," comprises four components: relationships, resources, actions and context. The identification of the components of learning ecologies and their influence on formal, non-formal and informal training processes will provide guidance for educational policies and help to better organize training programmes.

Teachers' attitudes towards technology are crucial to foster its use in schools and to improve its educational affordances and this is still a topic for research. This article relates the attitudes school teachers have towards information and communication technologies (ICT) with the different levels of technology integration in schools. A multiple case-study research methodology was applied, and in which the school was the unit of sampling used. Thirty-five schools from eight Spanish regions were selected, and 1222 questionnaires were collected, representing 78.9% of the sample. Three combined variables were utilised to classify schools in four different levels of technology integration. Results suggest level 4 school teachers exhibit better attitudes towards ICT, which results in creating a positive circle which improves the learning process. This becomes relevant for teacher education and professional development, as effective ICT integration in the classroom can perform as a catalyst for educational innovation.

This article outlines a methodological approach to the creation, production and dissemination of online collaborative audio-visual projects, using new social learning technologies and open-source video tools, which can be applied to any e-learning environment in higher education. The methodology was developed and used to design a course in the audio-visual communication degree at the Open University of Catalonia. It combines three pedagogical strategies in an e-learning environment: project-based learning, computer-supported collaborative learning and participatory culture as a new form of literacy. Here, we present the objectives, the different stages of development and an evaluation of the methodology.