Cooperative learning at the university level in Primary Education Degree.

Cooperative learning has had a profound impact on educational practices and research in recent years. It has been proven to be an effective teaching strategy for students as it offers numerous benefits to their academic and personal development. Thus, the objective of the present study was to scrutinise the opinions of university students on cooperative learning practice and its possible application in the future. A total of 62 students (69.4 %female; 30.6% male) enrolled in the Primary Education Degree at the University of Málaga participated in the study. The students who worked in groups on numerous tasks throughout the whole semester in the subject “Theoretical and Practical Foundations of Foreign Language Teaching” were administered an ad-hoc questionnaire to evaluate their learning experience at the end of the course. The questionnaire comprised close-ended questions divided into two parts: the first part consisted of nine questions addressing students’ previous experience and general opinion on cooperative learning, while the second part comprised 30 questions related to their learning experience in the given subject. The answers were measured with a 6-point Likert scale ranging from “I strongly disagree (1)” to “I strongly agree (6)”. For the purpose of the present study, only the first part of the questionnaire was analysed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Gamification in the English language classroom in primary and secondary education.

The present study carried out a bibliometric analysis of the publications that dealt with the use of gamification in English classes at the primary and secondary school levels. The objectives of the study were to analyse the evolution of the number of studies published per year and to identify research trends related to gamifying lessons in foreign language learning. The search for studies analysing the use of gamification in English classes was conducted in March 2023. The database which was used for retrieving studies was the Web of Science. A total of 95 publications identified were retrieved for a more detailed screen. Afterwards, from the full-text publications assessed for eligibility, 47 publications dealt with gamified classes in schoolchildren and thus were included in the study. The results indicate a growing trend in publication numbers in this field. As regards the scope review, after an in depth analysis of the 47 publications, the majority of studies underscored the benefits of applying educational games in classes. The increased motivation is the most palpable benefit reported, followed by meaningful learning, improvement of language skills, and increased learners' engagement, confidence and autonomy. Most studies indicated that games facilitate language learning and ensure active class participation, making the whole process of learning more enjoyable and effective. Nevertheless, despite numerous benefits reported, it has also been argued that the use of gamification presents several challenges such as the occurrence of technical difficulties, the creation of a negative competitive setting or the creation of a noisy environment, which might have a negative impact on the learning outcomes.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Desafíos del bilingüismo en la etapa de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria en Andalucía.

El objetivo principal del presente estudio fue examinar las opiniones de docentes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria sobre las limitaciones del programa bilingüe en la región de Andalucía. Los datos se obtuvieron mediante un cuestionario ad hoc que consistía de 22 ítems cerrados y divididos en seis categorías. Al final de cada categoría se introdujo una pregunta de respuesta abierta con el objetivo de dar a los encuestados la oportunidad de comentar aquellos aspectos que considerasen necesarios. De los 225 docentes que realizaron el cuestionario, un total de 113 informantes cumplimentaron las preguntas de respuesta abierta. Para examinar el objetivo del presente estudio, primero se calcularon las estadísticas descriptivas (media y desviación estándar o porcentaje) de las características de los profesores. Posteriormente, los comentarios de los profesores se importaron al programa cualitativo NVivo donde se analizaron todas las respuestas utilizando códigos que finalmente se agruparon en las siguientes categorías: 1) coordinación; 2) competencias y motivación de los profesores; 3) programas de formación; 4) materiales y recursos; 5) conocimientos y actitudes del alumnado, y 6) otras cuestiones. Posteriormente, tras un análisis en profundidad de cada categoría, se detectaron las preocupaciones citadas con más frecuencia. Finalmente, se creó un total de 29 códigos, en los que cada código denotaba una preocupación relacionada con la implantación del programa bilingüe.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Revisiting cannabinoid receptor 2 expression and function in murine retina.

The cannabinoid receptor CB2 plays a significant role in the regulation of immune function whereas neuronal expression remains a subject of contention. Multiple studies have described CB2 in retina and a recent study showed that CB2 deletion altered retinal visual processing. We revisited CB2 expression using immunohistochemistry and a recently developed CB2-eGFP reporter mouse. We examined the consequence of acute vs. prolonged CB2 deactivation on the electroretinogram (ERG) responses. We also examined lipidomics in CB2 knockout mice and potential changes in microglia using Scholl analysis. Consistent with a published report, in CB2 receptor knockout mice see an increased ERG scotopic a-wave, as well as stronger responses in dark adapted cone-driven ON bipolar cells and, to a lesser extent cone-driven ON bipolar cells early in light adaptation. Significantly, however, acute block with CB2 antagonist, AM630, did not mimic the results observed in the CB2 knockout mice whereas chronic (7 days) block did. Immunohistochemical studies show no CB2 in retina under non-pathological conditions, even with published antibodies. Retinal CB2–eGFP reporter signal is minimal under baseline conditions but upregulated by intraocular injection of either LPS or carrageenan. CB2 knockout mice see modest declines in a broad spectrum of cannabinoid-related lipids. The numbers and morphology of microglia were unaltered. In summary minimal CB2 expression is seen in healthy retina. CB2 appears to be upregulated under pathological conditions. Previously reported functional consequences of CB2 deletion are an adaptive response to prolonged blockade of these receptors. CB2 therefore impacts retinal signaling but perhaps in an indirect, potentially extra-ocular fashion.post-print8285 K

Insights from a New Survey

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has been maturing as the region prepared to join the European Union (EU). Since the beginning of transition the pattern of FDI has evolved, reflecting new business strategies pursued in anticipation of EU membership. Based on first results from a questionnaire survey conducted in 2003 in Hungary, Lithuania and Poland, we portray the recent patterns and developments in foreign investment, the motives for investment, and managers’ assessment of the local business environment. Some questions have been replicated from a study conducted in the emerging economies of Egypt, India, South Africa, and Vietnam, which allows us to benchmark FDI patterns in CEE against other emerging economies in different parts of the world. We find that find fewer changes over the period of the 1990s then we expected, but some interesting differences across the three countries in our study, and between CEE and other emerging economies

Recognition of social health: A conceptual framework in the context of dementia research

Objective: The recognition of dementia as a multifactorial disorder encourages the exploration of new pathways to understand its origins. Social health might play a role in cognitive decline and dementia, but conceptual clarity is lacking and this hinders investigation of associations and mechanisms. The objective is to develop a conceptual framework for social health to advance conceptual clarity in future studies. Process: We use the following steps: underpinning for concept advancement, concept advancement by the development of a conceptual model, and exploration of its potential feasibility. An iterative consensus-based process was used within the international multidisciplinary SHARED project. Conceptual framework: Underpinning of the concept drew from a synthesis of theoretical, conceptual and epidemiological work, and resulted in a definition of social health as wellbeing that relies on capacities both of the individual and the social environment. Consequently, domains in the conceptual framework are on both the individual (e.g., social participation) and the social environmental levels (e.g., social network). We hypothesize that social health acts as a driver for use of cognitive reserve which can then slow cognitive impairment or maintain cognitive functioning. The feasibility of the conceptual framework is demonstrated in its practical use in identifying and structuring of social health markers within the SHARED project. Discussion: The conceptual framework provides guidance for future research and facilitates identification of modifiable risk and protective factors, which may in turn shape new avenues for preventive interventions. We highlight the paradigm of social health in dementia as a priority for dementia research

Teachers’ perceptions of Content and Language Integrated Learning in Primary and Secondary Schools in Andalusia

Además, los profesores de área no lingüística, así como los de menor competencia lingüística y experiencia en la enseñanza, parecen necesitar urgentemente más formación y apoyo. Estas conclusiones merecen una mayor consideración y deberían regir las decisiones educativas para garantizar la viabilidad del proyecto.El objetivo principal del presente estudio fue realizar una evaluación de la implantación del Aprendizaje Integrado de Contenidos y Lenguas Extranjeras (AICLE) en la región de Andalucía (España). El estudio pretendía examinar las percepciones de los profesores de Educación Primaria y Educación Secundaria sobre el enfoque dual en una comunidad monolingüe, haciendo especial hincapié en las deficiencias de la nueva iniciativa educativa detectadas por los estudios de investigación anteriores. Por lo tanto, los objetivos principales, que se han convertido en la piedra angular del presente estudio, son los siguientes: El objetivo 1 fue examinar las percepciones del profesorado de Educación Primaria y Educación Secundario sobre programas de formación, su competencia lingüística, coordinación en sus centros, materiales y recursos empleados en clase, tamaño de la clase y el nivel de inglés de los alumnos. El objetivo 2 fue determinar si existen posibles diferencias dentro de la cohorte de profesores en cuanto a la edad, el género, la experiencia docente en el programa bilingüe, el tipo de centro, el tipo de profesor y el nivel de inglés de los profesores en las dos etapas educativas. El objetivo 3 fue determinar si existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre las opiniones de los profesores bilingües de Educación Primaria y Educación Secundaria sobre el programa AICLE. Los datos se obtuvieron a partir de un cuestionario enviado a todos los centros bilingües de Educación Primaria y Secundaria en Andalucía. En cuanto a los resultados, el panorama que se desprende del estudio no es positivo, ya que existe una creciente preocupación por la escasez de programas de formación del profesorado, la insuficiente coordinación, la falta de atención a la diversidad, el inadecuado diseño de los libros de texto y, sobre todo, la escasa aptitud lingüística de los alumnos y el tamaño de los grupos, que podrían impedir el correcto desarrollo del programa

Modern immigration and its relationship with motivation towards learning foreign languages. Study of Polish immigrants using English in Iceland.

Modern European immigration was exacerbated with the introduction of the European Freedom of Movement in 1992. This resulted in greater trans-national mobility of people and posed new challenges to migrants who had to adapt to the new surroundings, including new language reality. The following thesis aims to explore the subject of migration and its relationship to motivation towards learning foreign languages. The study was conducted in the form of a survey and it aimed to establish the tendencies in regards to learning English by Polish immigrants in Iceland. The variables were compared against each other in order to establish any existing correlation. The thesis reviews the literature available on the topic and relates it to the conducted research. It presents the data and theories about migration processes and motivation. This is followed by the description and methodology of the study as well as the results and the discussion about the findings. The results suggest that despite the lack of increase in the commitment towards learning English by Polish immigrants in Iceland the reasons behind acquiring knowledge have shifted from the integrative ones to the instrumental ones and, the perceived level of English skills has increased