Mejora de la reflexividad y de la competencia de aprender a aprender en el proyecto INSTALL

This paper is related to the European Project INSTALL. This Project has undertaken research and intervention with non-traditional and disadvantaged students to promote social inclusion and avoid dropout through narrative tools. We will present the concept of narrative learning, discussing an intervention model, applied and evaluated across four European countries. The aim of INSTALL has been to develop the acquisition of the key competence of “Learning to learn” and of reflexivity in HE, through a training aimed to disadvantaged students. This innovative methodology, named Narrative Mediation Path (NMP), has produced positive results and increased the level of reflexivity of the students targeted in the project.Este texto está referido al proyecto europeo INSTALL, que ha llevado a cabo investigación e intervención sobre estudiantes universitarios en desventaja, a fin de promover la inclusión social y evitar la deserción temprana por medio de herramientas narrativas. Nos centraremos en el aprendizaje narrativo presentando y discutiendo un modelo para la intervención en estudiantes con desventajas en la educación universitaria. Este modelo de aprendizaje narrativo ha sido aplicado y evaluado en cuatro países europeos. El objetivo de INSTALL ha sido el desarrollo de la adquisición de la competencia clave de “aprender a aprender” y de la reflexividad en la universidad, mediante un training dirigido a estudiantes desventajados a través de la experimentación de una metodología innovadora, el llamado Itinerario de Mediación Narrativa (IMN). Los resultados de la evaluación del proyecto muestran la validez de la metodología empleada.Unión Europea 517750-LLP-1-IT-ERASMUS-ESI

Mejora de la reflexividad y de la competencia de aprender a aprender en el proyecto INSTALL

This paper is related to the European Project INSTALL. This Project has undertaken research and intervention with non-traditional and disadvantaged students to promote social inclusion and avoid dropout through narrative tools. We will present the concept of narrative learning, discussing an intervention model, applied and evaluated across four European countries. The aim of INSTALL has been to develop the acquisition of the key competence of “Learning to learn” and of reflexivity in HE, through a training aimed to disadvantaged students. This innovative methodology, named Narrative Mediation Path (NMP), has produced positive results and increased the level of reflexivity of the students targeted in the project.Este texto está referido al proyecto europeo INSTALL, que ha llevado a cabo investigación e intervención sobre estudiantes universitarios en desventaja, a fin de promover la inclusión social y evitar la deserción temprana por medio de herramientas narrativas. Nos centraremos en el aprendizaje narrativo presentando y discutiendo un modelo para la intervención en estudiantes con desventajas en la educación universitaria. Este modelo de aprendizaje narrativo ha sido aplicado y evaluado en cuatro países europeos. El objetivo de INSTALL ha sido el desarrollo de la adquisición de la competencia clave de “aprender a aprender” y de la reflexividad en la universidad, mediante un training dirigido a estudiantes desventajados a través de la experimentación de una metodología innovadora, el llamado Itinerario de Mediación Narrativa (IMN). Los resultados de la evaluación del proyecto muestran la validez de la metodología empleada.Unión Europea 517750-LLP-1-IT-ERASMUS-ESI

Counselling for (disadvantaged) students: Models of intervention and experiences at two european universities

Higher Education is experiencing a critical reform process in which, among other things, the importance of the social dimension has been highlighted. The essential role that the University has to play in promoting social cohesion and reducing inequalities should be translated into the provision of adequate services to students and the creation of more flexible pathways (London Communiqué, ). As a consequence, international studies (such as the Eurostudent project ) have been promoted, allowing a first characterisation of the different “publics” that enter Higher Education, and providing statistical and comparable data on many European countries. However, it is necessary to go beyond this information, adopting a more in–depth perspective that allows us to go deeply into the daily reality of non–traditional students. This paper presents the process and results of research that has been developed in two university contexts which have different traditions regarding the provision of support services for students: the University of Seville and the University of Nottingham. First, a description of the profiles of non–traditional students in both contexts is made, emphasising some of the problems and difficulties they experience. This information comes from the analysis of written narratives of a total of students ( in the University of Seville and at the University of Nottingham). Second, existing services in both universities are described, exploring the opinions of the technical staff of these services concerning the mechanisms and support strategies commonly used. This information has been collected through open– question interviews of technical staff and people in charge of the support services in both universities. Beyond looking at the comparison between the services and profiles in both contexts, the results are intended to serve as a reflection of the strengths and weaknesses in the support given to students with non–traditional profiles, who may present disadvantages and the risk of social and academic exclusio

Giving Voice to Non-traditional Students “Walking” the Narative Mediation Path. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

The growing phenomenon of disadvantaged and non-traditional students increases the risk of educational underachievement and drop-out in universities in Europe. Within the European funded project INSTALL (Innovative Solutions to Acquire Learning to Learn) researchers developed a qualitative methodology — Narrative Mediation Path (NMP) — consisting of a group training process targeted to disadvantaged students. NMP, based on the psychological concept of ‘mentalization’‚ also known as ‘reflexive competence’, combines into one methodology four discursive modules: Metaphoric, Iconographic, Written and Bodily. In this chapter, we present the findings from an evaluative study about how participating students experienced the NMP training process, how NMP is able to support non-traditional students and the implications for policy makers. The results suggest that the use of different discursive modules supports the students in developing their reflexive competence during a formative experience which enables them to better adjust to the university context. Several propositions are made as to how NMP methodology can be integrated in various institutional contexts, and some key issues about policies and practice in supporting non-traditional students are made available for policy makers

Profiles and opinions of disadvantaged students starting a narrative course to promote learning to learn in the context of a transnational project

The frame for this paper is a European funded project which aims to prevent university drop-out of students who need support to fulfill their educational potential because of disadvantages caused by personal, social, cultural or economic circumstances. The project promotes acquisition of the key competence of Learning to Learn at the university level by developing and implementing a training course focused on narrative tools. This narrative methodology is aimed at sustaining the development of a reflexive competence, based on the process of mentalisation of learning experience on the part of individuals. The project target group consists in nontraditional students, enrolled in the second year of a university degree, who have passed less than 50% exams and can be considered as disadvantaged students. This paper focuses specifically in analyzing some of the characteristics and profiles of the nontraditional students participating in the first cycle of the training course (n= 30). We present the results of the analysis of both the entry form (necessary to apply for the course) and the form to evaluate the initial situation of the students about reflective/mentalisation competence. Results show that the attending students feel frustrated because they think they lack of the capabilities to success in the university. Their critics to the university as an institution are addressed to the lack of attention it pays to meet their special needs. As a consequence, their ways of dealing with the difficulties they encounter are, somehow, “defensive”: put more effort or sacrifice and become resigned. However, reading beneath their answers, we are inclined to think that they show certain agentivity in order to overcome their difficulties. Their positive attitudes towards the course is a sign that they have not so far given up, and that they are searching for new ways to develop a positive academic career avoiding future drop-outUnión Europea Erasmus Multilateral Projects, nº 517750-LLP-1-IT-ERASMUS-ESI

A systematic review of the effectiveness of self-management interventions in people with multiple sclerosis at improving depression, anxiety and quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Self-management interventions have become increasingly popular in the management of long-term health conditions; however, little is known about their impact on psychological well-being in people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of self-management interventions on improving depression, anxiety and health related quality of life in people with MS. METHOD: A structured literature search was conducted for the years 2000 to 2016. The review process followed the PRISMA guidelines, and is registered with PROSPERO (no. CRD42016033925). RESULTS: The review identified 10 RCT trials that fulfilled selection criteria and quality appraisal. Self-management interventions improved health-related quality of life in 6 out of 7 studies, with some evidence of improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSION: Although the results are promising more robust evaluation is required in order to determine the effectiveness of self-management interventions on depression, anxiety and quality of life in people with MS. Evaluation of the data was impeded by a number of methodological issues including incomplete content and delivery information for the intervention and the exclusion of participants representing the disease spectrum. Recommendations are made for service development and research quality improvement

Fasting and postprandial plasma ghrelin levels are decreased in patients with liver failure previous to liver transplantation

[Abstract] Anorexia is a problem of paramount importance in patients with advanced liver failure. Ghrelin has important actions on feeding and weight homeostasis. Concentrations of ghrelin are controversial in liver cirrhosis. Our aim was to study fasting ghrelin and their response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in liver failure patients and normal subjects. Methods We included 16 patients with severe liver failure prior to liver transplantation. As a control group we included 10 age- and BMI-matched healthy subjects. After an overnight fast, 75 g of oral glucose were administered; glucose, insulin, and ghrelin were obtained at baseline and at times 30, 60, 90, and 120 min, respectively. Results Fasting ghrelin (median and range) were statistically significantly lower for patients compared to the controls, 527 (377–971) pg/ml vs. 643 (523–2163) pg/ml, P = 0.045, for patients and controls, respectively. The area under the curve for total ghrelin post-OGTT were lower in end-stage liver failure patients than in the control group, 58815 (44730–87420) pg/ml min vs. 76560 (56160–206385) pg/ml min, for patients and controls, respectively, P = 0.027. Conclusions Ghrelin levels are significantly decreased both fasting and post-OGTT in patients with liver failure candidates for transplantation. Decreased ghrelin levels could contribute to anorexia in patients with cirrhosis.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI051024Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI070413Xunta de Galicia; PS07/12Xunta de Galicia; PGIDT05PXIC91605PNXunta de Galicia; INCITE08ENA916110E

Collision sellar lesions: experience with eight cases and review of the literature

The concomitant presence of a pituitary adenoma with a second sellar lesion in patients operated upon for pituitary adenoma is an uncommon entity. Although rare, quite a great variety of lesions have been indentified coexisting with pituitary adenomas. In fact, most combinations have been described before, but an overview with information on the frequency of combined pathologies in a large series has not been published. We present a series of eight collision sellar lesions indentified among 548 transsphenoidally resected pituitary adenomas in two Neurosurgical Departments. The histological studies confirmed a case of sarcoidosis within a non-functioning pituitary adenoma, a case of intrasellar schwannoma coexisting with growth hormone (GH) secreting adenoma, two Rathke’s cleft cysts combined with pituitary adenomas, three gangliocytomas associated with GH-secreting adenomas, and a case of a double pituitary adenoma. The pertinent literature is discussed with emphasis on pathogenetic theories of dual sellar lesions. Although there is no direct evidence to confirm the pathogenetic relationship of collision sellar lesions, the number of cases presented in literature makes the theory of an incidental occurrence rather doubtful. Suggested hypotheses about a common embryonic origin or a potential interaction between pituitary adenomas and the immune system are presented