Search

Understanding what is meant by pedagogical renewal today, based on the transformative processes that are being carried out, poses a challenge, one that is even greater if the aim is to elucidate the pedagogical benchmarks and hallmarks of secondary schools. This article, which takes the form of a multiple case study, aims to bring to the fore those unique and defining elements of the selected schools, considered renewal schools, from five Spanish regions. During the fieldwork, semi-structured interviews, in-depth interviews and discussion groups were held with members of the management teams, teachers, families and students. The analysed results show that the elements highlighted by the schools linked to pedagogical renewal are unique features of them, with the school project being the tool used to construct the educational meaning of of its practices, aiming to ensure that these practices form a coherent whole with its discourse. Thus, for example, it highlights the central role of students in decision-making in their learning process or reflection with the teaching team in improving educational practice. It should be noted that they do not define themselves with the same term, and they add more current and recent pedagogical benchmarks to the classic ones. In short, this study seeks to provide a novel contribution to the study of contemporary pedagogical renewal, given the lack of such studies in secondary school education.

Computer engineering students should develop competences related to the contents of databases design and SQL queries. For this purpose, the recommendations on the convenience of changing the traditional teaching methodology to the flipped classroom are followed. In this article we present a quantitative study in which we compare the potential for the development of engineering students' competences in the design and use of databases of the flipped classroom methodology and the traditional teaching methodology. The results obtained in the evaluation of the subject in two different courses are compared. In the first course, traditional teaching methodology was used. In the second one, flipped classroom was used when its implementation had already been tried and tested. In this article we show evidence that the implementation of the flipped classroom teaching methodology provides different results depending on the learning promoted and on the specific contents in the subject of relational databases. We have found evidence that flipped classroom improve theoretical learning outcomes for database design and in the resolution of non-reproductive activities in the SQL queries block. No conclusive benefits are reported for students' competency development for either of the two content blocks.

Internationalization in higher education is essential, and although active learning methodologies are increasing and allow students to develop transversal skills, most still have a very local scope. In this context, the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) methodology is an interesting approach to benefit the students' development. It consists of an online program that involves creating multicultural teams to develop a specific learning project. Although this methodology is expanding, its use in physiology is still scarce. This paper aims to show an example of applying COIL methodology in physiology topics to enhance higher-education students' innovation and business skills. Our example project developed a sports-assessment service concept focused on physiology and biomechanics assessments. The program involved teams from Brazil, Germany, and Spain, comprising undergraduate and master students. Over 7 weeks, these teams, mentored by professors and researchers, engaged in workshops covering COIL methodology, business model design, executive summary planning, economic analyses, and communication techniques. Key outcomes included learning new concepts, developing soft skills, building confidence in innovative solution proposals, and experiencing diverse cultures. Challenges faced were language barriers, scheduling, task complexity, and logistical issues. This experience confirms the effectiveness of incorporating programs using COIL methodology into educational curriculums. Doing so exposes physiology students to innovation, entrepreneurship, and business creation while strengthening their professional connections and opening up postgraduation opportunities.

Within OECD countries, 20% of university students continue no further than the first year. The objective of this research is to analyse the antecedents of student commitment, so as to design action plans for reducing dropout rates within higher education. Educational engagement, student--university identification and perception of performance were analysed at the campus of Social and Juridical Sciences of Seville University (Spain). A sample of 641 valid questionnaires was used to analyse the constructs and their complex inter-relations using Partial Least Squares-Simultaneous Equation Modelling. The results revealed a strong relation between identification with and commitment to the university, as well as between educational engagement and identification. Universities as institutions are called on to take action to reduce high early dropout rates by encouraging educational engagement and identification with the university. Such actions might include departments for educational orientation and the promotion of activities to foster enduring links between students and universities.

Fluency in other languages has become essential for proper integration and communication with other communities, societies, and cultures. Hence, it is of major importance to understand the factors which impact on English language learning, including the influence of parents on their children's learning during the higher education years, last stage before labor market. To this effect, this descriptive survey study with a sample of 689 students from the University of Seville describes the influence of the parents' socio-educational level and parental encouragement on the university motivational profile of future preschool and primary school teachers, doctors, and computer engineers to learn languages according to their academic goals for a successful socio-occupational integration. For this purpose, a descriptive data analysis of percentages, means, and standard deviations, Kruskall-Wallis tests and Pearson correlations have been carried out. The results show the prevalence of learning goals over the performance goals in their motivation, as well as a notable impact of the socio-educational level of parents on the parental support. In conclusion, parental encouragement, undergraduate degree programme, and the student's expected professional career are key factors in achieving a successful apprenticeship which facilitates their employability.

This paper describes an experience based on the use of an active method in which students of a basic physics course prepare multiple choice questions (MCQs) to prepare for exams in the subject. The objective of the research was to provide the students with a method that would enhance their desire to learn physics, and consequently lead to an improvement in their meaningful learning. The participants were 57 first-year students from various engineering degrees. The quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests and a control group is described. The results showed that students who use the method of generating MCQs to prepare exams sometimes improve their learning significantly in comparison with the control group. The method also provides a new way to detect students' misconceptions about the concepts covered in class, which thus allows the evolution of their knowledge to be evaluated. Finally, it should be noted that the students valued the method used positively.

This systematic review aims to identify the dimensions operationalized in different instruments that assess the developmental domains in Early Childhood Education through play. Research between 2015 and 2021 that dealt with quantitative developmental assessment instruments from 2 to 7 years of age were included. Instruments without psychometric properties or clinical use were excluded. Fifty-six studies were analysed. Forty-one instruments published between 1981 and 2020 were identified, of which 32 assessed the effects of play interventions, and nine used games. Seven studied the psychomotor domain, five the socioemotional, and 19 the cognitive. The results show the need for an interdisciplinary play-based developmental assessment instrument for Early Childhood Education, which can be used by teachers to guide teaching and learning processes focused on developmentally appropriate practices, and by the fields of research and psychopedagogy.

Most physical education (PE) research pertaining to COVID-19 has focused on the (negative) implications and difficulties PE teachers face during this pandemic period. In fact, despite informed calls for reform and radical change in PE, little attention has been paid to the (potentially positive) implications for teachers' pedagogical practices and, more importantly, for the future of PE. Drawing on a social constructivism theoretical perspective, this paper explores the reality from several PE teachers' perspectives and reflects on the type of PE that the global pandemic conditioned. We approached this analysis informed by Lawson, H. A. (2009. Paradigms, exemplars and social change. "Sport, Education and Society," 14(1), 97-119.) and Quennerstedt, M. (2019. Physical education and the art of teaching: Transformative learning and teaching in physical education and sports pedagogy. "Sport, Education and Society," 24(6), 611-623.) calls for the PE community to (re)act and drive PE to its twenty-first century version. Using methods associated with a process-oriented methodology, this study adopted a cross-sectional qualitative design, and 12 PE teachers with diverse backgrounds and teaching experiences participated. We conducted a series of semi-structured interviews that began with the following question: 'How can the experience of blended or online PE contribute to the improvement of current and future PE?' To analyse the data, an amalgamation of inductive and deductive approaches was used. Three major themes were constructed: (1) impact: PE teachers reinventing themselves to allow PE to continue being educative; (2) resilience: learning and flourishing together to overcome the challenge and improve the PE system; and (3) selective expansion: more physical activity (PA) and digital technology. We concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic has agitated the foundations of PE as a field, creating a scenario in which teachers show high levels of collegiality and improved readiness to overcome current and future challenges. This could be another stage of the PE journey towards community aspirations (whatever they could be).

Rural schools have their own identity, influenced by the context in which they are immersed and their multigrade classroom structure. According to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, educational institutions must ensure the preservation of the particularities of the environment by taking into account the territorial dimension as a contextual element and as social and cultural heritage. Therefore, the integration of territorial elements into educational practices, projects and didactic support materials is a relevant topic for investigation. This paper aims to identify whether rural schools have the work of the territorial dimension as a priority in their educational practices and, specifically, if the curricular didactic materials used in multigrade classrooms also contemplate this. A survey questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of 537 Spanish rural teachers, and focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results show that, although work on the territorial dimension is considered, it is not identified as a priority. A dearth of didactic resources thinks about the rural context and has references to it, and there is a lack of collaboration with families and communities in the creation of resources. The conclusion refers to the importance of bearing in mind elements of the territorial dimension in curricular materials and improving communication networks between teachers and teacher training.

School leadership plays a crucial role to quality education. Social changes have led to an increase in school principals' competencies, responsibilities, and demands. There are significant gaps in the literature on school leadership and limitations in the study of principals' responsibilities. This study aimed to analyse whether principals consider the competencies assigned to them by educational legislation to be within their scope. Participants were 394 principals from state-owned schools in Andalusia, southern Spain. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses were performed. We identified four competencies that the principals believed they were unable to effectively assume within the Andalusian educational context: (1) awarding contracts for construction, services, or supplies; (2) authorising expenditures, arranging payments, and preparing the school budget; (3) promoting the qualifications and training of teaching staff; and (4) supervising non-teaching staff in the school. This study emphasises the need of a comprehensive reevaluation of how competencies assigned to school principals are managed, highlighting the significance of incorporating principals' perspectives. For future research, we recommend exploring alternative approaches in competency management to enhance their effectiveness and relevance in the educational context.

This research is the first to provide insights into the experiences of gay men studying a university degree in Physical Activity and Sport Science (PASS) in Spain. Drawing on Bourdieu's categories, one-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 PASS students and ex-students that were subsequently studied through deductive-inductive thematic analysis. Our findings show the PASS context to be a heteronormative, masculinised and cisgender social field. Male homosexuality was almost invisible except when antigay language was used. Considering this environment, most of our interviewees chose to remain in the closet, which contributed to low levels of wellbeing and high levels of stress and anxiety. However, the few students that chose to come out experienced relief and felt included by some of their classmates and by staff. Discussed are key aspects of the dominant culture in PASS faculties and the repercussions for the mental health and wellbeing of gay students. Our research also provides new insights into the nature and prevalence of microaggressions regarding sexual orientation that will help PASS and university management develop specific strategies and programmes to foster inclusivity.

The study of variables related to the use of ICT in the classroom is a topic of interest that has been frequently researched. In this paper, after examining the importance of teacher training in explaining the use of ICT in the classroom, we focused on analysing the weight of variables related to teaching practices and the organisational context of schools, which are variables that are less frequently addressed in the literature. To do so, a secondary analysis was carried out using data provided by the Teaching and Learning International Study (TALIS 2018). Specifically, we worked with a sample of 3,918 principals and 64,899 teachers from a total of 3921 schools in 21 countries. A multilevel binary regression model with random intercept, fixed coefficients and a two-level structure with teachers at level 1 and schools at level 2 was used. The results indicate that the presence of ICT in the classroom is associated with self-efficacy in teaching and the cognitive activation of students and with the organisational aspects of the school, which are scarcely addressed by the existing literature on this topic of interest, such as school climate, educational innovation and cooperation among teachers. Based on these results, we reflect on possible ways to promote the use of ICT in the classroom.

Purpose: Microteaching is a teacher training method based on microclasses (groups of four or five students) and microlessons lasting no more than 5-20 min. Since it was first explored in the late 20th century in experiments at Stanford University, microteaching has evolved at the interdisciplinary level. The purpose of this paper is to examine the networks found via an analytical bibliometric study of the scientific output related with microteaching in teacher training, through a study and examination of the Web of Science database. Design/methodology/approach: This research was conducted with the VOSviewer tool for content analysis through data mining and scientific network structure mapping by means of the normalisation technique. This technique is based on the association strength indicator, which is interpreted as a measurement of the similarity of the units of analysis. Findings: Two hundred and nine articles were thus obtained from the Web of Science database. The networks generated and the connections among the various items, co-authorship and co-citation are presented in the results, which clearly indicates that there are significant authors and institutions in the field of microteaching. The largest cluster is made up of institutions such as Australian Catholic University. The most often-cited document is by Rich and Hannafin. Allen (1968), who defines microteaching as a technique based on microclasses and microlessons, is the author most often cited and has the largest number of connections. Research limitations/implications: This research's limitations concern either aspects that lie beyond the study's possibilities or goals that have proved unattainable. The second perspective, which focuses on skill transfer, contains a lower percentage of documents and therefore has a weaker central documentary structure. Lastly, the authors have also had to bear in mind the fact that the scientific output hinges upon a highly specific realm, the appearance and/or liberalisation of digital technologies and access to those technologies in the late 20th century. Originality/value: This research shows that microteaching is a promising area of research that opens up vast possibilities in higher education teacher training for application in the realm of technologies. This paper could lead to several lines of future research, such as access to and the universal design of learning from the standpoint of different communication and pedagogical models based on microteaching.

The purpose of this study was to review academic papers on the experiences of binary and non-binary trans people in physical education (PE), published between January 2000 and August 2022. The selection process yielded 16 articles from Brazil, the UK, Spain, Canada, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, and the USA. The discussion focuses on five themes for analysis: (a) school policies and control, (b) curriculum activities, (c) social environment, (d) transgendering while surviving, and (e) trans-positive experiences. The systematic review highlights the fact that heteronormativity is still present in schools and PE spaces, positioning, categorizing, and policing dissenting bodies and gender identities, which means that many trans students did not have good memories of PE classes. Many similar situations were faced by both binary and non-binary trans students, although with some notable differences. It is thus necessary to deconstruct the prevailing cis-heteronormativity during PE lessons to eradicate the discrimination that (re)produces a hostile environment for these students.

In this text, with an autobiographical methodology, we consider what it has meant for us to position ourselves as feminists in academia, inhabiting research lines and spaces in the field of Gender Studies. In our context, where universities are divided into teaching departments based on areas of knowledge, placing ourselves in a peripheral, subordinate field such as that which is termed Gender and/or Feminist Studies, as well as involving a dual task, this has positioned us at times as 'traitors' to our fields of knowledge. In this paper, we aim to go beyond analyses demonstrating the subordinate place women occupy in universities to explore how, although situating ourselves in this in--between place resulted in a dual task and has been a source of conflict, it has also been a space of escape (from the hierarchies which are the backbone of departments) and of oxygen (by enabling dialogue between knowledge and disciplines from our ethnographic perspective).

Purpose: This study addresses the challenge of integrating entrepreneurial competences development into the traditionally structured engineering curriculum, recognizing its potential contribution to job creation. Specifically, this study proposes a course design that intersects project management and entrepreneurial disciplines, adopting a challenge-based learning approach. Design/methodology/approach: Considering a list of common features that entrepreneurs and engineers--in the role of project managers--should excel at, and building upon the principles of experiential learning, this study proposes and describes a course design that is expected to help engineering students develop entrepreneurial competences. Through a series of assessment instruments and descriptive statistics, the study evaluates its implementation in a pilot test applied in a Project Management course at a Spanish university. Findings: The results demonstrate a significant improvement in students' entrepreneurial competences after completing the course. Noteworthy variations in receptiveness to skill development among different personality profiles are observed. Gender differences are minimal, with the exception of women exhibiting heightened self-perception in the autonomy dimension. Originality/value: This study explores the common features shared by two often-disconnected disciplines, namely engineering and entrepreneurship. It suggests that integrating both perspectives through a challenge-based course design can enhance entrepreneurial competences among engineering students without compromising the specific knowledge gained from engineering programs. Engaging students in such pedagogical experiences not only fosters entrepreneurial competences but also contributes to their professional and personal growth.

At a time when there are renewed expressions of concern about how our societies are organised and the health of our democracies, this paper focuses on the role of education in a democracy. Informed by John Dewey's and Martin Buber's accounts of what it is to be educated, and Homi Bhabha's concept of third space work, the paper presents the case for a progressive education for democratic citizenship. Adopting an ethnologically-informed approach, the paper provides an in-depth look at two Catalan and two English schools, focussing on the ways in which they look to provide a democracy enabling education. The findings reveal how and why mutual cooperation, collaboration and dialogue in relationships are key elements in the modelling of an education for democratic citizenship.

"Research Findings:" The influence of early childhood teachers' professional development on fundamental movement skills remains unknown in the literature. The purpose of the present study was to examine how early childhood teachers' professional development in physical education (PE) contributes to predicting children's fundamental movement skills. For this purpose, sixty early childhood teachers from Spain completed the Questionnaire Professional Development in Infant PE (QPD-IPE) to assess the teachers' professional development concerning PE. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 was applied to evaluate the fundamental movement skills of their children (N = 300). Two separate hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to examine the effect of teachers' professional development in PE on locomotor and object control skills. The results illustrated that 18% of the variance in locomotor skills was predicted by minutes of PE, training and professional development, and external perception. Additionally, 22% of the variance in object control was predicted by minutes of PE, training and professional development, personal perspective, and years of teaching experience. Age and sex were controlled for in both models. "Practice or Policy:" Early teachers' professional development should receive attention to support preschoolers' fundamental movement skills.

One of the most sensitive changes faced by universities due to the COVID-19 crisis was the remote assessment of student learning. This research analysed the case of a massive distance learning university that rapidly changed the final assessment (N=126,653 undergraduate students in 2020) from face-to-face exams to entirely online exams. The research focused on the influence of online assessment on academic performance and students' perception of the new method. Two data sources were used: the contrast of academic performance indicators (assessment, success and achievement rates, and average marks obtained) between the online examination call and the previous ones with face-to-face examinations; and a questionnaire to a sample of students (n=714) on their perception of the online assessment experience. The results show that all the academic performance indicators in the 28 Bachelor Degrees offered at the university increased when the final assessment method turned to online due to the pandemic crisis; and that a majority of students are more favourable to online assessment methods. The discussion places these findings in a context of rapid change, and concludes by identifying the possible implications of online assessment for student retention, organisational challenges, as well as possible further studies.

In this research, the influence of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on 9th grade students' mathematics achievement is analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods. A posttest only with control group design was used to compare the mathematics marks of 9th grade students from the previous school year (before the pandemic, control group) and the current school year (during the pandemic, experimental group). Seventy-three students from a public high school in Spain attending class on alternate days participated in the study. Three focus group sessions were held with students, and five semi-structured interviews were conducted--two with teachers and three with students' families. Results show statistically significant differences in students' mathematics achievement, with students enrolled in 9th grade the previous (pre-pandemic) year outscoring their peers currently enrolled in 9th grade (during the pandemic) by 22.17%. An overall negative effect size of Hedge's g = -1.11 was reported. Although significant statistical differences between groups were reported for both male and female students, the effect was 42.31% larger for male students (Hedge's g = -1.11) than for females (Hedge's g = -0.78). The qualitative information supported the quantitative results. Changes in educational settings, students' lack of motivation, monotony, and students' level of responsibility were qualitatively reported as factors that may explain this phenomenon. The main conclusion of this study is that the COVID-19 pandemic may be significantly and negatively affecting 9th grade students' mathematics achievement.

The much-needed interest in promoting a healthy lifestyle among school-age students has found a context for development: school gardens. There are numerous studies where using gardens as a teaching-learning context also improves students' performance in the experimental sciences. In this study, we proposed another interest that sets it apart and adds motivation: combining curricular mathematics with experimental science content in this context. The search for possible studies in the scientific literature has gave rise to the review presented herein. From this review, we obtained 21 studies, from which we extracted a series of categories: whether research was undertaken and with which tools; which curricular contents were covered and the impact produced; the ages of the participants and duration of the project; and, finally, whether the garden was cultivated. The main conclusion of this search was the lack of a clear line of research linking school gardens, the experimental sciences, and mathematics, in addition to the scant presence of studies framed in this context. For that reason, we send a call to action to the scientific community encouraging the interdisciplinarity of the two aforementioned subjects within the context of school gardens.

The academic effects of learning statistics and probability through peer tutoring were analysed in the research reported on here. Two hundred and eight students enrolled in Grades 7, 8 and 9 participated. Fixed- and same-age peer tutoring was implemented 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Each tutoring session lasted approximately 25 minutes. The main aims of this research were to quantify the effect of peer tutoring and to determine any differences among grades. A pre-test-post-test design was employed. Students were assigned to control or experimental conditions. Effect sizes were calculated and non-parametric statistical tests were performed. No statistically significant differences were reported in the pre-test analysis. Statistically significant improvements were reported with the implementation of the programme for all grade courses, both individually and globally (Mann-Whitney "U" test = 5436.79, p < 0.01). The reported global effect size may be considered as medium to large (Hedges' "g" = 0.72). The comparison among courses did not report any significant differences. It can be concluded that using peer tutoring for learning statistics and probability could be academically beneficial for middle school students.

Social networking sites form part of everyday life in classrooms at all educational levels. Within these, general social networking sites (GSNSs) offer pre-service teachers flexibility, versatility and the possibility of forming educational communities by connecting formal, non-formal and informal settings. This research analyses the nature, intensity, and type of pre-service teachers' use of such for educational purposes in their initial training in order to detect the most important aspects for improvement. Possible factors shaping behaviour were gender, whether individuals belonged to universities operating online or in person, differences in the types of studies they were undertaking, and the time at which the questionnaire was administered, before or after the COVID-19 health crisis. To this end, we studied how much and with what aims these students use the most widely used GSNSs for educational purposes. To do so, we administered a questionnaire to a total of 812 students from 6 Spanish universities. The results show a preference for WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram. In addition, it was found that undergraduate students used them more intensively than postgraduate students. In the case of online universities, there was a greater need to cover affective and emotional aspects than in in-person universities. As in almost all areas, the situation caused by COVID-19 changed the way social networks were used. The findings also show that pre-service teachers consumed more information on social media than what they produced, which leads to a failure to fully exploit social capital and potential job or academic opportunities that could be generated through their own creations.

This article explores how university learning and the period of school placement can contribute to identity development understood as a dynamic and evolving process. From this perspective, we understand the teacher's professional identity as an ongoing process of interpretation and re-interpretation of experiences that are shaped in professional spaces of relationship with others, where each person makes different processes of identification, representations, and attributions, creating a spiral of continuous construction or reconstruction. It is thus a phenomenon of social interaction. Data collection involved eight students, their school tutors, and university teachers within the framework of 4th-year school placements. Data analysis was organised around three dimensions of the research project: the teacher him/herself, the bond between students and the educational community, and the relationship between the school and the university. The results highlighted the need to improve the practicum, especially at the university level. Both school and university tutors are crucial in promoting and guiding dialogical processes of knowledge construction with oneself, others, and the world. However, the university has an added responsibility in this key relational process; university tutors must improve their role as mediators between students and school tutors to contribute to the development of the teaching identity in a complex and dynamic way.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the organization and scheduling of high schools in Spain. Due to pandemic restrictions, most students from grades 9 to 11 come to class only on alternate days. In this situation, e-learning and distance learning have gained prominence as necessary methods of instruction. In this study 68 students from grades 9 and 10, attending on alternate days, participated in an online teaching experience for the first time in their lives. This took place during the first trimester of the 2020-2021 academic school year. On days when they did not attend class in person, students were expected to watch the mathematics classes which were broadcasted live via YouTube. Students could either watch the classes live and ask the teacher questions via an online chat, or alternatively, they could watch the pre-recorded classes at a later time. The two options were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Results showed a continuous decrease in the number of students who preferred the first option, switching progressively from online live classes to pre-recorded classes as the weeks passed. The qualitative results explained this progressive decrease as students preferred to watch the teacher's explanations several times. Although e-learning is absolutely necessary in the 21st century, and especially during the current pandemic, controlling students' level of application to distance work and online learning is still a challenge.

Purpose: Injury prevention is a crucial aspect of sports, particularly in high-performance settings such as elite female football. This study aimed to develop an injury prediction model that incorporates clinical, Global-Positioning-System (GPS), and multiomics (genomics and metabolomics) data to better understand the factors associated with injury in elite female football players. Methods: We designed a prospective cohort study over 2 seasons (2019–20 and 2021–22) of noncontact injuries in 24 elite female players in the Spanish Premiership competition. We used GPS data to determine external workload, genomic data to capture genetic susceptibility, and metabolomic data to measure internal workload. Results: Forty noncontact injuries were recorded, the most frequent of which were muscle (63%) and ligament (20%) injuries. The baseline risk model included fat mass and the random effect of the player. Six genetic polymorphisms located at the DCN, ADAMTS5, ESRRB, VEGFA, and MMP1 genes were associated with injuries after adjusting for player load (P <.05). The genetic score created with these 6 variants determined groups of players with different profile risks (P = 3.1 × 10−4). Three metabolites (alanine, serotonin, and 5-hydroxy-tryptophan) correlated with injuries. The model comprising baseline variables, genetic score, and player load showed the best prediction capacity (C-index:.74). Conclusions: Our model could allow efficient, personalized interventions based on an athlete's vulnerability. However, we emphasize the necessity for further research in female athletes with an emphasis on validation studies involving other teams and individuals. By expanding the scope of our research and incorporating diverse populations, we can bolster the generalizability and robustness of our proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on early language acquisition has observed that age of onset of acquisition (AoA) is relevant for certain grammatical phenomena. Simultaneous bilinguals receive regular and extensive exposure to two languages from birth (Müller, 2009), whereas sequential child learners get in extensive contact to L[subscript B] once the L[subscript A] has developed to a certain degree (Meisel, J. M. [2013]. Sensitive phases in successive language acquisition: "The Critical Period Hypothesis revisited." In C. Boeckx & K. Grohmann (Eds.), Handbook of biolinguistics (pp. 69-85). Cambridge University Press). Exposure to LB can take place early in childhood (eL2 learners, age 3;0) or starting with elementary school (cL2 learners, age 6;0). In this study, 34 participants were recruited from different Catalan-speaking regions and displayed different AoA-profiles (12 simultaneous, 13 eL2 and 9 cL2 learners) and different degrees of language dominance (17 balanced, 10 Spanish and 7 Catalan dominant). We conducted a Preference Task to examine Catalan copula selection in locative contexts with (non-)eventive subjects, since it may pattern differently in Catalan/Spanish: Both languages select "ésser/ser" for eventive subjects, non-eventive subjects take "estar" in Spanish but show variation in Catalan. Our study examines whether the factors AoA, language dominance or the speaker's linguistic variety determine copula selection. In a nutshell, all speakers preferred "ésser" with eventive subjects. For non-eventive subjects, the results show that language dominance and speaker's linguistic variety predict copula preference.

Background: A positive conception of sexuality among people with intellectual disabilities is crucial and relies on several social and interpersonal contexts. The goal of this study is to analyse the interaction and impact of three different contextual groups: individuals with intellectual disabilities, their parents, and professionals working with them. Methods: Survey data were collected from 330 people with intellectual disabilities attending occupational centres in eastern Spain, 330 parents, and 100 professionals. Results: Correlation and variance analyses of dyad-level data show significant differences among the three groups in all variables. Professionals perceived people with intellectual disabilities to have higher knowledge of socio-sexual norms than people with intellectual disabilities actually appear to be, but they are also more concerned about aspects related to this area of people with intellectual disabilities. Compared to people with intellectual disabilities and professionals, parents perceived people with intellectual disabilities to have lower sexual knowledge. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates inconsistent perceived knowledge of people with intellectual disabilities' socio-sexual norms and sexual knowledge among the three groups, leading to disparate levels of concern regarding people with intellectual disabilities sexuality. Thus, the need to collect information from different perspectives for more accurate reporting and the critical need for sex education programs that involve the target population, but also parents and professionals who frequently interact with people with intellectual disabilities are highlighted.

Purpose: To describe the curricular elements in blended physical education (PE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A survey of PE teachers was conducted regarding curricular elements related to content blocks, instruction, and assessment. A total of 174 Spanish secondary PE teachers (120 men and 54 women) participated in the survey. Results: For the nonface-to-face part, instruction relied mainly on challenge-based learning as an instructional strategy, the learning of the designed individual program as a teaching-learning style, health-based PE as a pedagogical model, and self-assessment as the most used assessment form. Discussion/Conclusion: The study describes an overview of the characteristics of the curricular elements used in the blended learning PE model in secondary education. Both the age of PE teachers and the socioeconomic level of the families are variables to consider.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher and students' perspectives on their experiences within three consecutive hybrid sport education and cooperative learning pedagogical model units. Method: Fifty elementary school students (M[subscript age] = 10.52; SD[subscript age] = 0.39) and a 36-year-old male teacher participated in three consecutive hybrid cooperative learning/sport education units (24 lessons). Semistructured interviews were conducted to gather data and gain a rich, insiders' perspective of their experiences. Results: Three main themes (including several subthemes) were generated from the data analysis--students' enthusiasm and involvement (autonomy support, motivation, and engagement); students' learning (technical-tactical learning, cooperative skills, and social learning); and teacher challenges. Conclusions: Findings from the current study showed that a teacher's use of three consecutive hybrid sport education/cooperative learning pedagogical model units promoted a learning environment where students were involved in authentic sport experiences that fostered the development of students' learning across all domains.

An appreciative inquiry approach oriented eight semi-structured interviews conducted with teachers from Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Italy, Spain, Canada, Bangladesh and India to identify their intrinsic and extrinsic strengths and understand how they were able to translate them into practice during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Commitment and determination, collegial support and solidarity were some of the common driving forces identified, despite the differences in teachers' backgrounds, education systems, policies and cultures. Our research sheds light on opportunity solving in times of crisis as well as on the way education systems worldwide can renew themselves to ensure innovative and inclusive quality education.

Purpose: This research analyzes the effects of a Service-learning program on the development of civic attitudes and skills on preservice teachers (n = 98). They provided a direct service of motor sessions aimed at children with functional diversity. Method: The topic was approached using a mixed methodological approach. A pre- and posttest quantitative analysis was performed on the results obtained after applying the Civic Attitudes and Skills Questionnaire, and a qualitative analysis was performed on the content of follow-up journals. Results: The quantitative results indicated a significant positive posttest, and qualitative analysis explained the civic skills and attitudes that the preservice teachers acquired. Discussion/Conclusion: Service-learning is a useful method for promoting the civic attitudes and skills of preservice teachers. The acquired learning specifically affected the different dimensions involved in achieving meaningful learning, an improvement in the skills and attitudes that are essential characteristics of an inclusive teacher.

Purpose: This study aims to build a model for the analysis of the environmental behavior of university students. Design/methodology/approach: A partial least square method was adopted, and a questionnaire on intelligence, knowledge, attitude and environmental behavior was performed on 480 Spanish university students. Findings: The results indicate that environmental intelligence positively affects university students' environmental behavior through environmental knowledge and attitude. Research limitations/implications: The conclusions of the present study are based on a sample drawn from Spanish university students. Therefore, new studies are needed to cover other educational institutions and cultural contexts. Practical implications: Many university students' environmental behavior depends on implementing educational actions that improve their environmental intelligence and knowledge. Social implications: The study suggests that educational programs should implement strategies that maintain a sense of responsibility toward the sustainable development of university students, ensuring that future generations can live a quality life in a sustainable and safe environment. Originality/value: The present study identifies the mechanism through which the environmental behavior of university students is formed.

This study examines the relationship between sustainability performance and knowledge, as well as between innovation transfer and co-production. It moves away from evaluating processes to exploring impact by investigating how explicit and tacit knowledge archetypes are associated with sustainability performance in the agri-food sector. Applying the knowledge-based theory and the Shannon index, we rely on a database from 2013 to 2020 of two case studies selected from a Spanish research institution. At the institutional level, the results postulate that knowledge and innovation transfer tends to have a higher diversity index, mainly driven by explicit knowledge archetype. Tacit type of knowledge in both transfer and co-production mechanisms predominately relies on engagement parameters. At the case study level, as an educational toolkit, the first case study prioritizes engagement that is, transferring and transmitting knowledge to a higher number of participants--tacit knowledge transfer. As an innovative technique, the second case study prioritizes diversity that is, transferring and transmitting knowledge through various channels--explicit knowledge transfer. Regarding sustainability performance, the findings demonstrate that both explicit and tacit knowledge are associated with health and capacity building pillars in the first case study through the transfer mechanism. However, in the second one, tacit knowledge is mainly associated with economic and socioterritorial pillars through transfer and co-production mechanisms. This study sheds light on the micro level of knowledge, proposing an approach for researchers and practitioners to categorize knowledge in different proxies and evaluate their performance.

The successful acquisition of a heritage language (HL) has been the focus of much of the research on early bi-, tri- and multilingualism in the last years, since it is this language which is generally delimited within the family environment and finds less continuity outside this context once the multilingual child starts socialising in the community (language). Our study contributes to this research by analyzing Spanish and German as HL or majority languages (MaL) and the children's (receptive) linguistic competence from 86 multilingual children recruited in Germany and Spain (mean age 57.5 months). With the aid of a linguistic background questionnaire, Family Language Policies (FLP), presence/absence of HL in the family, institution and community for 50 of these children were examined. Our study shows that, in early multilingual acquisition, Spanish and German are acquired similarly when enjoying community support, on the one hand, or when being acquired as heritage languages, on the one hand. In these early years, the chosen FLP seems to have an impact on HL-competence, yet up to age 5;0. Other factors, such as the presence of the HL in the institution, act as useful pillars for promoting HL-competence, yet its presence in the family becomes decisive.

Purpose: This paper focusses on the tutoring process developed by three teachers during the implementation of two lesson studies (LSs) by students of the Bachelor of in Primary Education as a methodological strategy to facilitate the reconstruction of the teachers' practical knowledge. Design/methodology/approach: The study is set within the framework of qualitative research and the methodology adopted is borne out by the case study. Findings: The analysis shows how an adequate process of tutoring and accompaniment during the design, development and evaluation of the LS assists students to reconstruct their practical knowledge through action and to reflect on their actions and to develop key professional competences for initial teacher training. Research limitations/implications: This study was constrained by the need to develop a particular methodology of the study over a single four-month period, given that this type of process requires some quiet time for analysis and reflection. And the time that the tutors could make available due to the high ratio and the need to provide continuity to these processes to allow the students to consciously modify the tutors' lessons plans and incorporate this vision of being a teacher. Practical implications: The paper advised to repeat the experience in successive courses, to accompany the students in order to analyse the educational value of LS and how educational value of LS affects the how the students reconstruct their practical knowledge. Originality/value: This paper shows the strategies adopted to promote the reconstruction of practical knowledge in initial teacher training.

Purpose: The present research focuses on an understudied field in the entrepreneurial process: the events that transform intention into effective entrepreneurial behavior. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper a comparative analysis, using the t-test on related samples, is made of the perceptions of these triggering events of a group of graduates who showed entrepreneurial intention in higher education but, up to now, had not taken the decision to start a business with those of a group who had started a business. To do this, a sample of 227 graduates from a medium-sized European University located in Spain, with manifest entrepreneurial intention was used. Findings: The results show that there are important differences between perceptions of entrepreneurship triggering events of potential entrepreneurs who have yet to start a company compared to entrepreneurs who have actually started a company. In this sense, the overevaluation by those who have not yet become entrepreneurs of events related to access to finance and the greater relevance for those with entrepreneurial experience of having a good team and contacts consisting of other entrepreneurs, mentors and advisers stand out. Research limitations/implications: Some of the limitations observed in this work are related to the size of the sample analyzed. In the future, the study should be broadened, and different entrepreneurial behavior by academic specialization, gender, sector and/or type of activities should be investigated. Originality/value: Our study focuses on the phase of the entrepreneurship process in which intention becomes action and, more specifically, on those events that favor this change in behavior.

Undergraduate internships have gained popularity among students, universities, governments and firms since the creation of the European Higher Education Area. However, empirical research on the relationship between internships and labour market performance of graduates is still scarce, particularly in Spain. This paper examines whether internships improve job attainment in the short run (first employment after graduation) and in the medium/long term (employment 4 years later). We use the first Spanish University Graduate Job Placement Survey (2014) to estimate linear probability models and probit models. A novel econometric technique is also implemented to evaluate the sensitivity of our findings to omitted variable bias. We disentangle the internship effect on (i) the time it takes to find the first job; (ii) the vertical, horizontal and skills matching with the first job; (iii) being employed in the medium/long term; (iv) the vertical and horizontal matching with the current employment; and (v) wage quintiles of the current job. Our results show that internship experience facilitates the university-to-work transition for Spanish graduates. Although the effects of internships on being employed do not vanish in the medium/long term, there is weak evidence of positive effects on matching four years after graduation and no effects are found on wages.

Purpose: The transfer of training has been identified with the effectiveness of training. The purpose of this work is to analyse the impact of training stages (training needs analysis, application and evaluation) as they relate to training transfer. Design/methodology/approach: The study participants correspond to a sample of 116 teachers with managerial responsibilities (management teams and department heads) from 17 secondary schools in Spain. This work hypothesises five significant relationships: needs analysis and application of training, application and transfer of training, evaluation and analysis of training needs, evaluation and application of training and evaluation and transfer of training. The hypotheses were tested using structural equations, namely, the partial least squares-structural equation modelling technique and SmartPLS version 3.2.9. Findings: The relationships between application and transfer of training, between evaluation of training and needs analysis, application and transfer of training are positively contrasted. The relationship between the analysis and application of training is not contrasted. Originality/value: This work analyses the relationship between the training process's different phases (analysis, application and evaluation) in the training output (training transfer) and emphasises the role of evaluation in the training process.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of unknown comorbid mental disorders in individuals with mild/moderate intellectual disability (ID) with/without autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to compare the severity of challenging behavior with respect to the comorbidity of ASD and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 91 adults with mild or moderate ID with no previous psychiatric diagnosis (except ASD). The assessment tools were the PAS-ADD checklist, Mini-PAS-ADD, PAS-ADD clinical interview and the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP). Results: A previously undiagnosed mental disorder was found in 23.81% of the individuals with ID and ASD and in 10.20% of the individuals without. The most prevalent mental disorder was major depressive disorder. An association between psychiatric comorbidity and challenging behavior was found in people with ID and ASD. Conclusions: The prevalence of underdiagnosed mental disorders in individuals with ASD and ID is high and is associated with challenging behavior.

This study focuses on an analysis of assessment methods according to expected learning outcomes in courses taught at the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) in Spain. Based on the European Higher Education Area and its learning-centred approach, the TALOE webtool has been used to analyse the internal coherence of 10 Bachelor's and Master's courses. The TALOE tool was developed in a European project and is free and publically available. The article gives a detailed explanation of how the courses' analysis has been carried out. The results indicate that, in general, the courses analysed are internally coherent. Nevertheless, we do indicate the mismatches in both the way the learning outcomes are written and the choice of assessment methods, conditioned by the mass character of certain courses. Finally, we give an example of improvements made in a course and we evaluate the utility of the TALOE tool in course design.

During the last 15 years, there have been some efforts to extend the use of eye-tracking to researching reading in complex contexts, such as the reading of multiple documents. The research community involved in this extension has been interested in higher-order comprehension processes occurring in complex reading contexts, such as sourcing, defined as the processes of attending to, representing, evaluating, and using available or accessible information about the sources of textual content. In this article, we argue that extending eye-tracking research to investigate more complex reading contexts has been made without critically reflecting on its validity in those contexts. Specifically, because eye-tracking captures automatic as well as conscious processes, it is currently an open question how consistently eye-tracking captures the strategic sourcing processes that take place during multiple document reading, in particular when using real documents that include salient source information that may attract bottom-up fixations. In contrast, subjective methods, such as interviews, mainly target conscious processes, and may therefore be a more valid and generalizable measure of strategic sourcing activities. We compared sourcing indicators based on eye-tracking measures to sourcing indicated by a post-reading interview. Results suggested that current eye-tracking indices of sourcing are not universally valid measures, and that simpler methods, such as asking readers whether they paid attention to source information, may be more suited to assess strategic sourcing during multiple document reading.

The arrival of the Bolognia Process, that is, the last European bold adventure in order to build both a common and strong European Higher Education Area had to mean a new chance to reset our higher education structure. Bolognia meant a new opportunity to set up a wide array of reforms with the focus in raising the quality assurance. Bolognia process was supposed to be surgery rather than just make-up. In the case of Spain the approval and development of the Bolognia Process has been little impact in the much needed turn-around of the higher education arena.

The paper is a study about the MOOC experience at the Spanish National University of Distance Education (UNED), where we have collected initial and final information about learners' profiles and opinions, as well as enrolment, completion and certification rates. It is a survey-based study covering 17 MOOCs offered in UNED's own platform, and collects information from a sample of more than 24000 learners (initial survey) and 2003 learners (final survey). The paper first presents an overview of the MOOC experience at UNED, introducing the main features of these courses. Afterwards, it focuses on the methodology used in the study and in the information gathered in the second edition of UNED MOOCs, which took place from November 2013 until March 2014. Learners' average profile is a Spanish female, approximately 37 years old, with a University degree, and generally employed. For many of the participants, UNED MOOCs were their first experiences with these sorts of courses, and the main reasons for enrolment were the course topic and the perceived usefulness for professional development. The expectations regarding completion and certification where initially very high, but completion rates remain below 14%. In the final survey, the overall experience in the MOOCs and the different tools used in the courses were highly valued by learners, except the support figures (curator, facilitator, peers), which received lower ratings. These findings are of interest for the institution and further research, refining learning analytics, is encouraged.

Massive Open Online Courses and e-learning represent the future of the teaching-learning processes through the development of Information and Communication Technologies. They are the response to the new education needs of society. However, this future also presents many challenges such as the processing of online forums when a huge number of messages are generated. These forums provide an excellent platform for learning and connecting students of the subject, but the difficulties in following and searching the vast volume of information that they generate may produce the opposite effect. In this paper, we propose a computational method for enabling the educational process in huge online learning communities. This method analyzes the forum information through Natural Language Processing techniques and extract the main topics discussed. The results generated improves the management of the forums, increases the effectiveness of the teachers' explanations and reduces the time spent by students to follow the course. The proposal has been complemented with a real case study that shows promising results.

This article shows the design and validation of two questionnaires addressed to students and teachers. The aim is to find out their perception about the competencies and learning outcomes for sustainability that students develop through their participation in the international cross-border project of the Bordeaux-Euskampus "Ocean i3: Blue Skills for the Development of the Blue Economy in the Basque-Aquitaine Cross-Border Coast". The study population consisted of all the participants of the project: 37 students majoring in Biology, Law, Advertising, Business Administration and Management, Pedagogy, Criminology, Nursing, Engineering and Sports Sciences at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the University of Bordeaux (UBx), and 33 undergraduate and postgraduate lecturers from both universities. The article describes the procedure followed for their validity and reliability, and annexes both questionnaires. They may be transferable to other studies that share the same or similar objectives of this study.

The literature on school dropout indicates a set of predictors of dropout. These factors are fundamentally grouped into three dimensions: behavioral, academic, and social. This study aims to analyze the relationships between of dropout. It is proposed that students' socialization abilities in the classroom affect their behavioral engagement, and that family support mediates the relationship between the student's skills and behavioral engagement. The participants in the study are 754 adolescents from Spain (age M = 15.75 years). This study uses the partial least squares method. The results show, first, a direct relationship between the student's socialization skills and, second, engagement and the mediating role of family support in the relationship between students' skills and behavioral engagement. The work proposes implications and interventions to examine the problem of school dropout.

As an alternative to the direct instructional model, Metzler proposed a range of pedagogical models that include second generation models such as teaching games for understanding (TGfU) and sport education (SE). These pedagogical models have key design features that can promote high levels of autonomous motivation for both boys and girls. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to investigate the motivational outcomes of elementary boys and girls as they participated in an invasion game unit through two pedagogical models: a hybrid TGfU/SE unit or a direct instruction unit. Participants were 292 elementary school students (mean age = 10.41, standard deviation age = 0.49), who were taught through a hybrid TGfU/SE unit or a more traditional teacher-centred format within a pre-intervention/post-intervention quasi-experimental design. The hybrid unit was designed according to the characteristics of SE, while learning tasks were designed to integrate the pedagogical principles of TGfU. A 2 (pedagogical model) × 2 (test-time) × 2 (gender) multivariate analysis of variance was performed to detect between-groups and within-group differences. Significant differences in student motivation were observed for both boys and girls who participated in the hybrid TGfU/SE unit in both analyses across all motivational outcomes. Despite the existence of social stereotypes in terms of physical activity, teachers' use of hybrid TGfU/SE units promotes an autonomy-supportive, inclusive, and equitable learning environment where all students, regardless of their gender and/or content focus of the unit and have opportunities to increase their engagement, enjoyment, and social interactions within physical education lessons.