Search

The study of employability aims to analyze the skills developed by students and their relevance for obtaining a job. It is about reducing imbalances between labor supply and demand. Carrying out internships in companies has proven to be an important factor in improving employability, because it improves the capabilities of university graduates. This paper has analyzed the role of internships in improving student skills and, consequently, their role in the employability of graduates. For doing the analysis, a questionnaire has been prepared, based on the four employability dimensions derived from the theoretical analysis, which includes ítems referring to: instrumental and interpersonal skills, as well as those related to motivation and the adequacy of the internships to the student’s university training. The questionnaire has been sent to 580 Business Administration and Management (ADE) students at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEE) at the University of Barcelona (UB). A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was carried out with the results of the survey. The model obtained divided the employability into the four factors previously defined according to the theory: two kind of competences, instrumental competences and interpersonal competences, student’s motivation and the adequacy of the practices. Additionally, the model shows the existence of gender differences related to the motivation of students in carrying out the internships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher training and innovation in the academic field are basic processes for improving the quality of education. This paper presents an innovative didactic experience for students of the Master’s Degree in Teacher Training in Secondary Education and bachelor’s degree, of an online university, in the specialty of mathematics. The educational innovation arises after the detection of difficulties in the assimilation of the contents taught in the subject of Teaching Innovation and Initiation to Educational Research by the participating students. The experience consists of a real simultaneous interaction (online) between the students of the Master’s Degree in Mathematics and the students of bachelor’s degree of a public center of Secondary Education, in Spain, while they receive classes in their center in a face-to-face way. The didactic methodology used in this experience is based on the principles of the Flipped Classroom and, at all times, the material necessary for its understanding and assimilation has been shared with the Master’s students. To analyze this experience, a questionnaire was used to collect information before and after the experience, a satisfaction survey and a focus group. The results indicate that the students of the online Master’s program consider this experience very necessary, since it favors the perception of the environment to which they must adapt and, in addition, the visualization of real cases provides a significant vision that completes and complements the theoretical training received. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new student generation, denominated generation Y emerged as a consequence of structural changes in a higher education globalization context as well as the social and technologic development. Some of the generation Y characteristics are: digital natives, the most diverse generation, at once more connected and more isolated, facing the worst economy in recent memory, more immature and dependent, with a pragmatic vision of studies and with useful searching information skills. This paper focused a comprehensive and structural vision of generation Y college students. This vision, multidimensional and multilevel, has been constructed with two types of evidence: the first one it's about some secondary evidence sources (research studies, institutional reports), with special focus on strong methodological issues; the second one is founded on primary evidence from a group of junior faculty of University of Barcelona. The multidimensional vision included such aspects as: social and academic background, transition to higher education, modes and types of studies, and learning styles. The multilevel analysis focuses on students of several countries (especial attention on European students), national Spanish students, and student from some specifics universities. A singular objective of this paper is to have the possibility of contrasting the similitude of the double vision generated from the two typologies of examined evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current University is challenged to design and configure processes of teaching more meaningful and experiential learning, it must continue investing in the development of methodologies and learning experiences that meet the demands of a new culture of learning competence integrated into the European Higher Education Area (EEES). The nocturnal gymkhana "Gymkhaexpress yourself throught sports" presented in this paper, refers to a nonformal educational event performing for several academic courses, with students from various promotions of Bachelor Degree in Physical Education of the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Seville University. Through this teaching proposal, faculties from the Departments of Physical Education and Sport and Theory and History of Education of this University, offers to different groups of students the opportunity to experience the potential and utility of the evenings night of camp in the natural environment, which will have to develop and launch sometime in their careers. This paper presents a number of patterns and reflections, related design, implementation and description of a nocturnal gymkhana developed in the Alamillo Park of Seville, which may well result in personal and professional interest, particularly for current practitioners of Physical Education and the future ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Could be easy to find interesting studies about the influence of some factors (personal, social, institutional, etc.) as facilitators or inhibitors of adequate academic transition from student's perspective. This paper describes the process of academic adjustment to high education college from the perspective of first-year teachers. Underlies also the relationship between faculty motivation and satisfaction and students retention. Collect opinions of first-year teachers could result of particular interest. They can have an important influence on students, being a reference for them. Could be possible to identify some profile of first year teachers, not only in terms of the characteristics of the discipline to be taught, but also the student's profile and the characteristics of the class groups. A statistical survey has been done to all first-year teachers at grades of Administration and Management (ADE) and Education studies, at the University of Barcelona. This survey was done at the end of the 2010-11 academic year, obtaining a rate 45% response. Sample includes "online comments" from faculty members. Statistical techniques as descriptive analysis and regression analysis, based on a principal components analysis, let identify relationships between variables. The study also collected qualitative results of the opinions of higher education teachers to incorporate personal aspects. Factors relating to teaching context are those that have a higher influence in faculty satisfaction. On the other hand, student previous academic preparation has a negative effect on it. Four factors were identified through a dimensional reduction of variables: teaching coordination and operation, teaching conditions, teaching experience and teacher gender. This paper would remark this point and suggest some improving needs for a first year teachers and those who have responsibilities on it. Results show how teachers' motivation and involvement decline slightly throughout the academic year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is twofold: first, it aims at presenting the operation of the Law Degree's final dissertation at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra; and second, it seeks to analyze the experience accumulated over the past two years and to draw some lessons that – specially with regards to its organization and coordination– may prove helpful to other institutions and universities. After a short introduction, the paper sketches the complex normative framework surrounding the course "Degree's final dissertation" at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Following this, the paper describes those constrains and initial considerations that informed its design. This brief analysis provides the necessary context to the following pages, which focus on the several stages the course includes and the main coordination activities attached to them. The paper concludes with a reflection on the main lessons that can be drawn after two years of experience and with some suggestions. Among others, three deserve special attention: first, the need to adopt a flexible, proactive, close, continued and anticipatory style of coordination to ensure the success of the course; second, the convenience to elaborate a course guide as clear and concise as possible; third, the relevance of creating a brief manual that helps professors in their tutorial activities and the ulterior evaluation of papers, particularly in those cases that involve a large number of professors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the extent to which students are able to assess their own learning and that of their peers (peer assessment and self-evaluation) through erubrica, standards and evaluation criteria proposed by the faculty in the configuration, design and development of project evaluation. This type of evaluation and self-assessment presumes in the New European space of Higher Education that students take a more active role in the learning process and the evaluation itself will serve in helping to achieve the knowledge of professional skills. Thus the use of new technologies in self-regulatory assessment processes allows the student to achieve an optimal, effective and quality performance in the proposed content, as much as in the development of them before the group, considering the act of evaluation as a process of improvement and learning through tools such as the erubrica that favor the "overall assessment"; that is, the assumption of all core competencies. This study has been carried out in the academic year 2011-2012, for two semesters with different core subjects (theory and child education policy and towards an inclusive school: patterns and practices) and with identical groups (Group 1, 1st degree of infant A as the experimental group; and Group 2, 1st degree of infant B, as the control group). This paper exposes the results of peer evaluation and self-evaluation through the implementation of projects, where students evaluate their peers and evaluate themselves by comparing the results with the assessment made by the teacher with their groups and each student individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major legislative changes undertaken by the Spanish University Ordination Act in 2001 have sharply changed the guidelines of accreditation and promotion for university teachers. The period of 2001-2011 was marked by different economic and social contexts in Spanish universities, as well as by these new teacher evaluation systems coming into force. The period of economic growth until 2007 and the subsequent crisis that continues today have set boundary conditions that directly affect the structure of teaching staff in university faculties. This situation has created a problem that combines short-term phenomena such as the economic situation with long-term ones such as the teacher's accreditation process. This paper presents the evolution of teachers in Spain (associate, full professor, contracted, etc.) until 2011 and the repercussions of accreditation systems in the teaching profession. It explores the causes and consequences of different variables (such as category, dedication, or teacher's population) using the methodology of statistical analysis with the aim of determining the influence and representation that actually involves each of the existing figures in the university structure. These parameters influence teaching and it is particularly important to determine how changes in the accreditation system are actually affecting the functioning of university schools. Finally, the paper presents possible future scenarios arising in the field of university accreditation for a better fit in the international context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "flipped classroom" is a new teaching methodology model that seeks to reverse the way learning contents are delivered to students in order to promote the subject understanding by working at home. The aim of the study is to analyze whether the implementation with "flipped classroom" is useful as a teaching tool to improve academic performance and if it is dependent on the sex of participants. We have a sample of 75 kinesiology students (55% male and 46% female) and 98 of obstetrics (94% women and 4% men), between 20-24 years. They performed three tests in the academic semester: 1st test, control group N = 164; 2nd test, introduction from class to class on paper; 3 test, introduction of web platform. The average score of the first test was 3.86 ± 0.78 and confidence interval (3.74-3.99), second test average score was 4.12 ± 0.87 and confidence interval (3.99-4.26) and third test average score was 4.92 ± 0.94 and interval confidence (4.77- 5.05). An analysis of variance was done obtaining p = 0.000, indicating that there were significant differences among the 3 groups scores. Regarding the gender variable, no differences were observed. The introduction of the teaching tools significantly improves academic performance of students and it is better with the introduction of the web platform teachem than with paper materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper assumes some relevant links connecting both, the reflection on student dropout and quality in Higher Education. The assumed frames locate the reflection on student dropout in a wider context than the most common studies do. That's it; the influence exerted by the tertiary education in the student's personal development and its socio-economic impact on the local contexts where it is such education is developed. Beyond it, the paper analyzes some of the more relevant data related to the dropout phenomena and some of the it most common evaluations on Higher Education in our country, besides considering some key biases detected in studies on dropout. To deepen the knowledge of this phenomenon means the development of high analytic criticism on previous studies and the frames they adopted in its analysis. Beyond the former analysis some feasible guidelines are proposed in order to build up better policies pointing at the dropout reduction in Higher Education. According to such proposal some key concepts are depicted for a more comprehensive approach to the phenomena. As a closing summary, they are illuminated by ten basic guidelines aiming at the institutional intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The e-portfolio used as a tool in the process of teaching and learning, provides students with opportunities for reflection so they can achieve improvements throughout their own learning process. This is also a powerful tool that accompanies the process of fulfilling changing requirements, ensuring strong involvement of students, increasing awareness of their own learning and progress, and emphasising the promotion and development of skill-based assessment. The e-portfolio has been implemented in nursing studies at the Universitat d'Andorra, in all the practical subjects, provides a wide range of activities that guide and assist in the teaching-learning process and shows the progress of students' improvement during their clinical training, in a transversal and longitudinal way throughout the first university level in nursing. In this paper, we analyze a group of 25 students of Bachelor of Nursing, and we clearly show how mentoring and monitoring the student during clinical training is very important, both to offer tracking of the activities thus helping their improvement, and to provide continuity and support. This tutoring offers the opportunity to reflect continuously on the activities and experiences in front of new real situations that involve new approaches, doubts and therefore evolution and progress. The results of implementing the e-portfolio shown in this paper, demonstrate the high level of participation and constancy of the students and their progress throughout clinical training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a review of the university tutoring, we find it reappears in Higher Education, with the new European guidelines, as an element of quality and innovation that facilitates the process of accompaniment required to contribute to the integral formation of students, favoring the new educational approach centered on the students and their learning. This paper focuses on the perceptions, beliefs and relationships that students and tutors of different Degree studies belong to a University Tutoring Special Plan have on it in the first year of admission. The analysis and discussion of basic aspects of tuto ring allows its protagonists, students and tutors, raise a feedback and suggestions for optimal development. This paper concludes with the need to consider tutoring as a process characterized as systematic, planned, integrated, intentional, ongoing, dynamic and, above all, recognized, responding to a right of the EHEA and a quality factor of the same. Given this fact, tutoring can't be left in the hands of willful people, but it should be seen as an institutional matter. This requires the creation of an organizational structure to ensure its performance and the appropriate response to specific demands. Therefore, it is to provide content tutoring, to give it meaning, coherence and continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of learning remains one of the most contentious and difficult for teachers elements. Methodological and technical solutions as erúbricas they claim to solve this situation, knowing that teaching situations are very different so it can not be a single solution for all cases, but specific measures suited to contexts where teachers will arise help from communities of practice. This paper presents the evolution of a service erúbricas [1] which departed from the first experience paper rubrics, and with time and various educational projects first innovation and R & D + i [2] more later, it has evolved with the support of a community of practice [3] and the exchange of experiences between teachers and researchers. In this article showing the results and functionality of this service achieved to date of this publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Higher Education Area has brought a significant change in traditional practices of university education, introducing significant changes in teaching methodology. In this way, we have changed from a teaching centred model to a learning centred one. This paper presents research aimed at first year students in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education in the University of Jaen. This paper intends to determine their attitudes and perceptions towards developing cooperative strategies in their learning process. Thus, the study sample was selected through a randomized sampling procedure and it was made up by all students who answered the questionnaire provided after taking the subject (n=416). The results have shown a favorable perception of the students surveyed towards this type of methodology. They assessed positively both the planning posed by the teacher and its impact on their learning process. Additionally, the data provided have revealed that older students and those studying Early Childhood Education are more receptive to this type of methodology. No doubt, this is an innovative experience in the field of Higher Education which has meant significant progress in the teaching of undergraduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the concept of English Medium Instruction, a growing activity at Spanish universities and a consequence of the European Higher Education Area, the internationalization of universities and the gradual interest in the different CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) models. The forces behind CLIL are presented along with the benefits for institutions and practitioners involved. Special attention is given to methodological implications with the purpose of demystifying the belief that English language competence is the only requisite and benefit of bilingual programs. The paper offers an overview of the spread of this practice in Spanish Universities as well as references to sources for further information. Another section presents some of the aspects related to the implementation of bilingual programs, mainly those referring to planning. Teacher education, competences required and linguistic needs are dealt with in the final section. The main contribution of the article could be some indications for trainers or for those who may undertake autonomous training to teach through English. The paper points at three areas from which knowledge about the linguistic needs can be obtained. In addition, these areas may help the content teacher to understand the different language types used in the classroom event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new educational scenario promoted by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has brought significant changes in the day-to-day teaching of undergraduate degrees. Among these changes we can mention the appearance of a Final Project as a compulsory subject in all degrees, including the degree in Business Administration. This paper examines the experience in this regard of the Faculty of Business Administration and Tourism of the University of Vigo. This Faculty located in the Ourense Campus already has two years of experience as regards teaching and academic organization of the Final Project since its establishment in the academic year 2010-11. For this purpose the paper begins by reviewing the main characteristics of the Final Project. This review is made in the Spanish context of the new degrees adapted to the EHEA and paying special attention to the degree in Business Administration. Then we present the particular case of this Faculty where you can identify the main pillars on which its implementation was based as well as the future challenges that those responsible for the Faculty still face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the problems that has to be faced by university teachers is the large number of students that start doing a degree without actually knowing the professional profile they will have after finishing it, as well as without knowing what the profession they are being trained for actually consists in. Furthermore, one can usually find definitions of professional identities which only take into account the technical and legal aspects while overlooking emotional and social components. University provides us with an appropriate space for the development of that identity on the basis of a comprehensive concept of training. However, at the same time, the compartmentalized structures of the degrees, which are subdivided into different subjects, mean an obstacle for the implementation of that development. Hence, we decided to create a team of university teachers specialized in different subjects in order to suggest a proposal to be implemented in the classroom. This proposal is intended to put an end to the rigidity of a structure organized by subjects through the design and implementation of a number of joint activities whose ultimate aim is the acquisition of competences. This paper presents our personal views about the professional identity of those degrees relating to Economics and Business, suggesting a comprehensive team work proposal which integrates different views on different subjects in order to design activities which may help students to achieve a better understanding of their future profession. This paper includes a summary of the designed activities, the evaluation tools and the results of their implementation during the first years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a proposal of a Tutoring and Support Plan for PhD students, designed and conducted by the Competences and Values Development Team of Deusto University. This plan aims to provide the training of the members of the research team with strategies and it is also conceived as an alternative to avoid the feeling of loneliness experienced by PhD students while doing their theses as well as to minimize the dropout rate. The basics of the plan are aimed at developing learning autonomy, collaborative work competence on research teams, reflection practising and scientific knowledge construction. The objectives, the main activities and the results based on the opinions of people involved in the Plan are included in this paper. The evaluation of the Plan carried out both by directors and students is positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tutoring is one of the methodological resources which has undoubtedly experienced a deepest evolution since the implantation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Tutorial conception as a merely legal obligation to address students' doubts has given rise to the use of tutorials as one of the most useful methods to develop certain skills and competences, in addition to its contribution to the learning of the subject in which they are inserted. This paper analyzes, from the perspective of developed innovative teaching experiences, the evolution of traditional mentoring until the current use that can be made of them as an interactive forum of equals, and, moreover, suggesting a classification. Finally, this paper shows a new breakthrough in the role of tutoring supported on new technologies as a suitable means of contrasting opinions, encouraging critical thinking and building student's autonomous thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a conceptual clarification of the term 'competences', outlining the authors' personal stance and examining different theoretical currents which offer differing views of this construct. Its polysemy and ambiguity generate different conceptions and, consequently, encompass different educational practices within university education. An exhaustive characterisation of this concept helps to identify its significant features: its holistic, comprehensive, contextual, axiological, transferable and evolutionary nature. This paper shows the potential of competences to offer frameworks of reference for the new model of university teaching proposed in the European Higher Education Area. Hence, competences appear as broad ends in themselves which frame the purposes and formative and professional profile of university course programmes, whilst at the same time facilitating the selection of contents, understood as cultural media, which in turn facilitate the acquisition of relevant, in-depth, interdisciplinary, flexible and creative knowledge. Competences allow us to design learning situations and to choose methodological principles which emerge from involving students in research processes in order to acquire new knowledge. Similarly, evaluation is affected by the inclusion of competences in the curriculum, requiring the application of an approach to training which is materialised through the use of different instruments to evaluate the processes and not just academic results. Finally, the paper analyses certain circumstances which have hindered the real application of competences in scenarios of higher education, proposing the RIECU network as an example of good practices for the development of professional competences in prospective Pre-Primary school teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Higher Education regulation process in Europe, known as the Bologna Process, has involved many changes, mainly in relation to methodology and assessment. According to some authors, one of the terms that may characterise best this Higher Education framework is "modularization". This concept is linked to the new structure of the university studies which is precisely based on "modules". The paper given below is related to implementation of the new EU study plans into the Teacher Training University College of Vitoria-Gasteiz; it is the first interdisciplinary paper involving teaching staff and related to the Teaching Profession module, the first contained in the structure of the new plans. The coordination of teaching staff is one of the main lines of work in the Bologna Process, which is essential to develop the right skills and maximise the role of students as an active learning component. The use of active, interdisciplinary methodologies has opened up a new dimension in universities, requiring the elimination of the once componential, individual structure, making us look for new areas of exchange that enable students' training to be developed jointly. Among the conclusions it is highlighted the implementation of module which has had its difficulties to be carried out. Moreover, we show the principal valuations made by teaching staff and students about this first interdisciplinary experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an innovative approach to improving teacher quality that is being developed at the Faculty of Philosophy and Educational Sciences of the UPV / EHU, taking the opportunity arose with the configuration of the new curricula for their convergence in the European Higher Education Area. It is framed in the broader context of organizational change, curriculum and cultural, that is assuming the implementation of a modular design of the new degree (Education and Social Education), working in teams coordinated and with the institutional support of the UPV. The concrete innovation is presented, describes one of the seven modules of the new degree of Social Education, and underlines the work done by the faculty team who teach the five subjects that make up the module in the two official languages: Basque and Spanish, because they must plan, develop and evaluate the interdisciplinary activity in a coordinated manner. We reflect in this paper on the potential that the modular structure offers to undertake real change in the culture of teaching practice, and how to manage key factors to ensure the transition to a teaching model active, participatory and collaborative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to expose the emprise in curricular innovation of the Faculty of Humanities and Education (HUHEZI) at Mondragon University. This experience will be illustrated through the subject Cross-cultural Education and Values Education of the Teacher Training Degree (Infant and Primary Education Degrees). The practice described is located within the cooperative framework of Grupo Mondragón. This paper explains the keys and the institutional and collective process of the education project at HUHEZI. It portrays the development and the evolution of the subject afore mentioned from its early start (Teacher Training Degree in the academic year 2005-2006) to nowadays (2012- 2013). The core of the paper is the exposition of the organization of this subject, its methodology, participation means, staff training, its ongoing design, application, evaluation and the improvement of its cross-curricular perspective - all of which represent the main ingredients of the educational project of HUHEZI. Difficulties and challenges are also described, such as the need to balance the democratic means of participation with the academic and epistemological disciplines. The current financial struggle, the constant political alterations and the sudden socio-cultural changes are some other challenges to be faced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current crisis, unsustainable growth, financial scandals involves reflection on the role of universities in the professional training, particularly those who have to manage businesses. On this issue, there is a perception that the teaching of ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) is insufficient (Baetz and Sharp, 2004; Kashyap et al., 2006). In this regard, universities play a fundamental role due both to the impact of the incorporation of CSR into the design of their study and research programs, and its incorporation into universities' mission, vision, and corporate strategy (Muijen, 2004). Then, the present study focuses jon analyzing both the definition of educational objectives and skills development to be acquired by students as the level of inclusion of CSR offered by Spanish universities. In particular, the present paper focuses on analyzing reports verified by National Agency for Quality Assessment of degrees related to the organizational management area implemented in the 2010-2011 academic course, which degrees has been developed based on European Higher Education Area. Based on previous papers, the results of the present paper show that the Bologna process and the Higher Education reform in Spanish universities have promoted an increase of the presence of CSR in the business education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work-paper is about providing the tutor approach of practicum, understood as a collaborative process between supervisor and tutor. We meant to explain the relationship between colleges/universities with the goal of achieving a learning from which we can get a double qualification because the dual nature, curricular-practical, of the process. This approach wants to surpass and improve this dual view of the same process because even most of the times it is equal, it doesn't always happen this way, creating a discordance that looks unjustified. If the process is unique (although it is diverse in his content), this process should be qualified as such, making the collaborative assessment process surpass its internal dichotomy (theorical-practical). This discordance isn't as important by itself but as evidenced of communication, collaboration and unity lack as the result of agreement absence and a probable commitment absence in programming. The analysis of the PRACTICUM planning and programming process, of his implementation, and the analysis of the used tools in this assessment process will guide some of the proposal made in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the experience carried out by a confederation of Higher Education Institution (IUS) operating in six states of Latin America. To achieve the goal of new model of teaching and learning based on "learning process" and shift the paradigm of learning as "centered teaching", the Higher Education Institution have defined a new profile of the university teachers. This action expresses three characteristics presented in this paper: the first refers at the profile as "product" of a Community of Thought; the second refers to "participated process", a working model that allowed the co-construction of the profile with the teachers, the administrative and the human resources staff of the universities; the [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a knowledge model of the good teaching practice of a university lecturer in "Social Organization and Human Development" a subject taught in the first semester in Sociology: The model was developed as a part of a research project conducted by 6 Spanish universities. The paper identifies, analyzes, explicates and, with the aid of the CMap Tools software package, maps the pedagogical thinking and teaching practice of a university lecturer with a reputation for good teaching practice. The knowledge model for the good practice of this lecturer, which is readily accessible via the Internet, provides an excellent example for the guidance of both novice and experienced lecturers who wish to improve the quality of their teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper recognizes the way in which scientific knowledge has reached center stage, have opposed the dogmatic arguments, cultural and ideological beliefs uncritically established for years. The scientific achievements allow for changes inhuman conceptions to transform the perception, interpretation and interaction between humans and their environment critically and reflectively. This essay re-creates the complexity and impact for which they had to move evolutionary ideas in some states of the American Union, the situation in Argentina and finally the case of Mexico, which all fall similarities and differences. Similarities in the difficulties and differences in the acceptance, management of time and the influence of beliefs about the origin and formation of our planet. Beyond the passage of a controversial debate, this paper frames a reflection that searches there adersaw are of the role played by the University in the transmission of knowledge and critical discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a knowledge model of the good teaching practice of a university lecturer in "Social Organization and Human Development" a subject taught in the first semester in Sociology: The model was developed as a part of a research project conducted by 6 Spanish universities. The paper identifies, analyzes, explicates and, with the aid of the CMap Tools software package, maps the pedagogical thinking and teaching practice of a university lecturer with a reputation for good teaching practice. The knowledge model for the good practice of this lecturer, which is readily accessible via the Internet, provides an excellent example for the guidance of both novice and experienced lecturers who wish to improve the quality of their teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper relates two basic aspects of assessment evaluation in higher education (Formative Assessment and Competency Assessment) with the existence of an Inter-University Network that carries five years working these issues systematically. First, we analyze the state of the Formative and Shared Assessment in Higher Education. Second, we explain the organization and operation of the Network of Formative Assessment in Higher Education: purpose, basic methodology of work, different actions and framework: innovation projects and educational research, seminars, action-research, dissemination of results, annual conferences and thematic work-groups. We also present the main results, organized into four sections: a-advantages; b-cons, problems and possible solutions; c-influence on academic performance; d-load of work required by teachers and pupils. In the third and final section of the paper we explain the fundamental aspects of Competency Assessment in Higher Education, the changes required and the importance of coherence among curriculum elements, in this sense, we provide a practical application that we hope will be helpful in achieving higher level of coherence in our curriculum subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from a methodological proposal based on case study, a group of professors at the University of Lleida has created a shared collaborative space using a wiki in the context of a teaching innovation project. This paper describes how the wiki has been adjusted to user needs and presents the process of building consensus on the information architecture, as well as the technical aspects. Moreover, the paper elaborates on related issues such as protecting the copyrights of the materials generated in this project and posted on the Wiki. Finally, future work directions are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carpeta Digital is a generator of electronic portfolios that has been designed and developed on pedagogical and technological principles. These principles are based on the main idea that portfolio space is not only for the scholar or academic uses but has a personal planner use, too This paper presents an approach to the Carpeta Digital's creation process. Also the pedagogical and technological features of the system are explained. The second part of this paper is focused on the use of the tool in a particular context: the University of Barcelona. Results from students' surveys are shown and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method used to allow the joint acquisition of generic skills such as teamwork, design creative proposals, select information, oral and written communication to University students from different study programs is presented in this paper. To achieve this goal, first, a project using the methodology of Project Based Learning (PBL) was designed and, second, it was tested carrying out two pilot plans which involved different numbers of students and courses. The students had the challenge of converting an episode of the television show of a famous Spanish cook (Karlos Arguiñano) into a scientific radio program. For this reason, the project was called Arguiñano Project. The radio show had to be filled with a testable scientific content and to do so students had to work collaboratively and share their own knowledge background. The project was reorganized after the evaluation of the first pilot plan and it was developed again in a second pilot project, which involved more students and allowed to compare scores between students that work under PBL and others of the same course and study program that performed a similar task but without following the PBL method. The results show that PBL-based activities have a great potential for the acquisition of generic skills and also improve the achievement of specific skills and a higher degree of satisfaction when compared to a more traditional learning method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advances and Web applications have allowed extending the use of simulators or business games at university teaching. This is an active methodology to develop student skills that are included in curricula of administration and business management degrees and masters. In this paper, we describe the use of SIMBRAND simulator as a teaching methodology at Master in Marketing and Market Research at the University of Extremadura. The results were positively assessed by the students and teachers involved in the project. The experience also reveals the need of considering some key aspects for the proper use of this tool, such as the planning and definition of the evaluation system, continuous monitoring and guidance from teacher to students and learning that students should have received previously from both the simulator and the teams' management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the results on the perception of the students on formative assessment processes carried out in the university are presented, focusing on understanding the system and monitoring conducted throughout the course in relation to this work students enrolled subjects, first, 1st and 2nd year and, second, 3rd and 4th. The sample used is 3460 students, corresponding to 51 subjects of 17 Spanish universities; in all were conducted formative evaluation processes. The students were divided in 2 groups, one called "initial training" (1764 students) and one called "final course" (1696 students). We used a validated questionnaire on evaluation methodology and initial training, in which different items related to formative assessment specified. It has employed a quantitative analysis, divided into descriptive: frequencies and percentages and inferential: contingency tables and χ2 and ANOVA, using this latter technique based on the positive perception of the assessment based on learning processes items and the number of times the student is enrolled in courses. The findings of this research show: a) formative assessment systems are perceived positively by students; b) the quality of the tasks required increases, recognizing that greater involvement is needed for work and an understanding of the system from the beginning does not build; c) the number of times the student is enrolled in the course not directly affects their perception of this type of process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the students' point of view about the competencies of a good university teacher, obtained from a questionnaire based on the teaching competencies stated and validated according to the REDU2012 Project. 10302 undergraduate students and 1700 master students from 15 universities answered through an online formulary suitable also for mobile devices. The importance that has been given to the 16 characteristics defined in the questionnaire is remarkably high: all of them are qualified either as good or as excellent. That the teacher explains clearly the subject's content is the best-scored characteristic, followed by the motivation encouragement. Both characteristics are highly rated by students, with no regard of their original areas of knowledge, their year or their sex. The lowest rated skills in order to be a good teacher are the encouragement of participation and of collaborative work and the coordination with teachers of other subjects, although their scores exceed also 7.5 (in a scale from 0 to 10). When relating the research results with the teaching competencies we observe that the highest assessment goes to communicative competencies, interpersonal relationship competencies and methodological competencies. Instead, competencies of planning and management of the teaching and teamwork competencies are less rated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The teacher degrees at the Teaching College of Bilbao from Basque Country University UPV/EHU have a four-monthly modular structure. In each module students have to perform an interdisciplinary task that includes all subjects of the module. This paper presents the proposal that a team of six teachers from different fields of knowledge has designed to address the tutoring of that task. The tutoring has been carried out with students that are studying the second module of the Primary Education Grade, which belongs to the first year of the degree. In this module the task consists in working in groups following the PBL methodology (Problem-Based Learning). The objectives were to redesign the initial scenario, design a plan of tutoring for students, and socialize results among other teachers of the module. The initial scenario has been written up taking into account the objectives and the activities of the Modular Interdisciplinary Task (TIM). The tutoring plan, organized in several sessions, includes the objectives to be achieved, tasks to be performed, the methodology -which is based on cooperative learning-, and the assessment. Besides, the results have been shared with other teachers of the module so that the results of this work have effect in the practice of all teachers. Finally, and in order to determine the satisfaction level of students about the changes proposed, a questionnaire has been designed, which has been answered by 61 students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at USC has been a pioneer in the implementation of the undergraduate dissertation in the Spanish university. In this paper we analyze the valuation of the stakeholders (students and supervisors). The study is structured around five key elements of the teaching-learning method: support (supervision, information, training activities); the procedure to assign both the issue and the supervisor; the competences acquired; the dedication and the student assessment procedure. The analysis is supported by data coming from a survey of 115 students and 56 supervisors, in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 in the degrees in Business Administration and Economics. The results show that the undergraduate dissertation is perceived as a subject with an appropriate methodology for achieving the suitable skills and competences. Besides, 82.6% of the students say that the complementary training activities were unnecessary. The assessment criteria are considered suitable (78.6% of teachers and 44.3% of students, although the remaining 55.7% propose changes which are not significant). By contrast, the opinions about the procedure to assign issues and supervisors are widely dispersed. Supervisor plays a crucial role in the transmission of information to the student. We conclude that the undergraduate dissertation is a subject with a suitable methodology to achieve the objectives and competences raised. However, the level of effort required is high, and is scarcely acknowledged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the educational actions of success highlighted by the most recent research (Includ-ed Consortium, 2011) is the participation and training of the families of schoolchildren and other members of the community who work in schools. One way to realize such training in Learning Communities is through dialogic gatherings in which they participate together with the teachers of the schools. Although it is relatively common to find publications that inform how the formation of the families it has an impact on the improvement of school learning, not so much find references that realize the benefits that the dialogic gatherings provide another type of volunteering. In this paper we contribute to fill this gap so that its objective is to determine the perceptions of university students contributors in Learning Communities about the impact that they have had their participation in dialogic gatherings. Using a qualitative methodology based on the analysis of the discourse, in this article we present the assessment that the dialogic gatherings make 23 psychology students who have participated in them, as well as the benefits that they say have obtained of such participation. In their contributions, the students highlight many positive aspects (90,36% of the contributions), both referred to the dialogic gatherings as to his participation in them, confirming what he says regarding the scientific literature and the experience of other centres that implement educational practices of success in improving performance and overcoming the problems of coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of developing a description of students attending universities today leads us to deal with a problem that supports and demands different perspectives of analysis. We believe that any study on this line will require a definition -or at least one previous explanation- of the parameters that will be addressed to undertake the identification of the distinctive features of this population. In other words, what we want to know about college student?, which data should be collected and what could it being told?, what is the relevance of this knowledge and what kind of actions could it impulse? According to these problems, three main purposes encouraged the development of this paper: first, discriminate analysis lines that can contribute to a better research on college students; secondly, to advance the understanding of the psychological aspects that influence the construction of identity during the years of university education and, finally, identify actions that from universities surroundings, accompany and support the share process of building professional identities. The three sections that comprise the written deals with the three aims before mentioned. Results emphasize the relevance of focusing the research about educational problems according with a work perspective that decidedly implies an engagement with diversities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The academic and scientific research requirements that university demands, requires students to manage, analyze and integrate information from multiple sources, to build knowledge significantly. Thus, academic reading practices play a key role in the development of learning and discipline knowledge. Current studies in this field have found that the level of reading comprehension is related to the type of strategies involved in the management of written information. Therefore, selfregulated learning strategies from academic texts are essential to enable a more thoughtful and committed approach to reading, contributing to greater learning. The purpose of this paper is to analyze some personal aspects that promote self-regulated learning in academic texts understanding in college students, such as prior knowlegde and academic goals. 364 college students participated (69.5% men and 30.5% women) in their first semester of Engineering, with a mean age of 19.77 (SD=1.20). Through regression analysis it was found that prior knowledge and academic learning goals favor self-regulated learning strategies in understanding academic texts. These findings might guide the teaching practice to promote learning goal orientation and a skalfolding for the use of self-regulation strategies for meaningful learning in higher education students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the legal education system as it currently exists in England and Wales (the rest of the UK has a somewhat different structure) and highlights perceived shortcomings in that system. It then goes on to address these and to suggest how learning and teaching can be improved by paying attention to form as well as content, particularly from the perspective of how legal education is delivered. The paper focuses on one particular approach to legal education, termed: problem-based learning (PBL). This forms the key means for study at one of the UK's leading law schools. The rationale for and concept of PBL is explained and extensive reference is made to a wealth of source materials on the nature and effectiveness of such a learning medium. The implications for PBL in the context of experiential learning are also explored including the use of PBL in live-client clinics. The chapter concludes with the suggestion that more interactive or 'hands-on' methods of study will increasingly feature in legal education across the common and civil law worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on the selfassessment trough e-rubrics. Rubrics as an instrument of self-assessment involve a process of reflection that can contribute to increase the involvement and awareness of their own achievements. Here we wanted to engage students from the design and creation of rubric through a collaborative process of building an e-rubric by the students and the teacher. In this study, undergraduate students of Pedagogy participated in an elective subject in their third year. It was developed in several stages in a semester: training for using e-rubrics, designing and construction of e-rubrics, using the e-rubric as a tool for self-assessment and filling a final questionnaire to collect their views. It's important to consider that when we work with innovative strategies of assessment, students have to know not only the features of the instrument but also they have to know the influence to improve their learning processes and they have to achieve the ability to incorporate it to their own skills as education professionals. As main result, students highlighted the importance of rubrics to guide their learning processes and to reflect about it and the capacity of rubric to predict their performance in the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the effect of massive access to higher education on teaching at a public Argentine Law School. It describes the general background of the phenomenon and outlines the main consequences of teaching Law in overcrowded classrooms. Then, it defines the underlying epistemology, the theories of learning and the predominant educational approach applied by law school professors. Next, it observes how expanded access to Law School defies the educational goals of the institution. It concludes by offering an alternative educational proposal to still achieve the objectives in overcrowded classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the new challenges which, in the context of the European Space of Higher Education, the legal studies are facing at the present moment, specifically Roman Law. The different ways, through a teaching resource like the group tutorial classes can be very useful for this project, have been studied. Very special attention has been dedicated to its role in the preparation of the Final Project. Many competences, generic and specific, acquired during years of study must be used in his development. In consequence, from which its importance as a thermometer of the quality of the given formation and the learning actually achieved. Tutoring developed in small groups of four or five students as maximum, in accordance with the methodological structure of a seminar, increases each of the papers and allows the tutor to make a more realistic evaluation of the educational proceedings. The necessity of proposing appropriate instruments for a more efficient management of the Final Project has led us to adopt this resource, based on previous experience of innovation teaching that we have successfully been applying for more than ten years. The results obtain greatly benefit both the students, who learn to work in a cooperative way, and the tutor, who is therefore able to provide them counselling of a more integral and complete nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Law students as well as the companies that recruit recent graduates have identified a gap between what is taught in the classrooms and the actual practice of law as a professional. Although there has been much written about the transition between law school and the labor market, there is a lack of literature on how recent graduates are to acquire and develop skills to better prepare them for their entry into the labor market. Developing authentic performances and simulations, this paper presents an innovative pedagogical approach which seeks to address this issue by creating a greater synergy between what is taught in universities and the actual processes that a lawyer that has specialized in the administrative field will be undertaking. We found that students were able to build knowledge departing from their own experience, as they faced problems related to their everyday life that involved role assumption. This allowed them to develop the skills required to excel at the workplace as well as to get motivated to study law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical legal education has become relevant in the training of lawyers in law schools around the world. In particular, the clinical element can be used to balance the aims of legal education: to educate trained and competent lawyers, valuable professionals and good citizens. In this paper, from experiences at universities around the world and recently in Spain, some suggestions are explored for inclusion in the learning process of lawyers and to promote future sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-stage study is being performed in order to assess the adaptation of the traineeships to the EHEA Degrees at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). First, the situation previous to the EHEA deployment was considered. Second, the necessary changes due to the EHEA as forecasted were considered. Third, the current research, which is still in progress, aims to check student satisfaction in traineeships. This working paper describes thoroughly the methodology, and identifies room for improvement in traineeship performance. As a first conclusion we have found that the incorporation of the traineeships as a curricular subject in the degree studies has been a success, because the students' satisfaction level has increased. Their satisfaction is acceptably high with technical aspects (assignment process, preliminary information, monitoring, etc.) and it is very high with their motivation. Four out of five students believe it has been very important for them do the internships well. Furthermore, with regard to the role of the internships in the labour integration of university graduates, we found that one third of the trainees received an offer to continue the practicums or a labour contract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic training for in-service teachers whose main occupation is not teaching presents challenges. This paper describes a teaching training program at a university of health sciences that deals with them. Around 40 professionals who teach in undergraduate and graduate courses of the Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires take part annually in this program. In order to explain how this program faces those challenges, we perform a pedagogicaldidactic characterization of some of its "training devices". This analysis is part of didactical design research undertaken by the authors and teachers responsible for this proposal and includes both systematic record of experience in the classroom, participants written work and their personal reflections. As a result we find that these devices can be grouped into three types: to mobilize the reflection on their own conceptions, to produce alternative courses of actions and to play the whole game of teaching. From the voice of the participants, these devices, complementary and throughout the two years of the program, problematize practices uncritically reproduce, modify conceptions and improve the practice of teaching. Thus, this analysis provides conceptualizations and training proposals that could support not only the activity of those who are responsible for designing and conducting such projects, but also to the production of knowledge in the field of teacher training in university teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although educational systems worldwide intend to attain academic excellence by hiring teaching staff with a solid background in pedagogical skills and resort to strict selective processes, it seems that this has not always been the case at Universidad de Costa Rica. Indeed, the "Reglamento de Régimen Académico y Servicio Docente," which stipulates the rules for selecting the teaching staff, does not include one single requirement in pedagogy for applicants who attempt to join the faculty. Although a few UCR policies account for "good practices" in teacher performance, the truth to the matter is that optimal formation of teaching staff is still under gestation. But not everything looks gloomy. During the last few years, different strategies to promote a professional identity have been adopted. Multiple actions include the development of at least seven macroprojects oriented towards generating reflective action, enhancing teacher training and development, and veering towards a richer exchange of ideas and experiences. This paper is an attempt to analyze the strategies adopted by Universidad de Costa Rica to increase the teaching staff's awareness of the need to keep up with the evolutions in higher education instruction. Some of these attempts have been met with enthusiasm. Others have faced resistance and even indifference. No doubt, it seems vital to develop further research that would support the adoption of new policies towards quality of professional status, teaching practice, appropriate selection processes, professional competence, and improvement of class performance. This is a major goal as one of the country's main pressing needs is to attract the best qualified individuals to "upgrade" the teaching experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]