Measures to reduce school failure from school and classroom on the stage of secondary education

El fracaso escolar es una problemática de dimensión internacional que afecta a todos los sistemas educativos y que en España sigue siendo una preocupación vigente. Para estudiarlo nos planteamos la siguiente finalidad: descubrir y analizar situaciones de fracaso escolar vividas por diferentes agentes, a fin de comprenderlas y averiguar la posible responsabilidad de la propia escuela y el docente para, apoyándonos en lo aprendido de la experiencia, derivar acciones de mejora. En este trabajo nos centraremos en presentar la segunda parte de la finalidad descrita. Se ha desarrollado mediante una metodología cualitativa de corte fenomenológico. Los sujetos participantes están constituidos por: profesorado en activo, profesores jubilados, estudiantes que viven fracaso escolar y sujetos integrados en el mundo laboral que experimentaron situaciones de fracaso escolar. El instrumento utilizado para la recogida de información ha sido la “entrevista semiestruturada en profundidad. Los resultados se han obtenido a partir de “análisis de contenido” y, con ayuda del programa cualitativo Nvivo 11 Plus, presentamos una serie de medidas y recomendaciones útiles para la escuela y el docente en la reducción del fracaso escolarSchool failure is an issue of international scope which affects all education systems, it is a current concern still unsolved in Spain. The following aim is addressed to tackle this matter: identification and analysis of the school failure circumstances lived by different individuals in order to understand and determine the possible liabilities of the school and teachers and follow actions for improvement based on experience. This research has been carried out following a qualitative phenomenological methodology. The inquired participants are: working teachers, retired teachers, students with school failure and active individuals that experienced school failure situations. Data has been gathered developing a “deep semistructured interview”. The results have been obtained from "content analysis" and, with the help of the qualitative program Nvivo 11 Plus, we present a series of measures and recommendations that are useful for the school and the teacher in reducing school failur

Towards effective pedagogical coordination. The emergency of intermediate leader

Investigaciones internacionales apuntan a otros miembros de la organización como líderes potenciales en los centros educativos, especialmente a los jefes de departamento por su posición estratégica. El trabajo que se expone tiene por finalidad el análisis y la descripción de la coordinación pedagógica en Secundaria en Andalucía oriental, a partir de 245 respuestas de profesores a cuestionario ad hoc de tipo Likert. A la luz de los resultados obtenidos, se ha evidenciado cómo existe una tendencia entre el profesorado a sentirse líderes escolares, aspecto determinante en la encrucijada que atañe a la coordinación pedagógica en los institutos, en consonancia con investigaciones similares. Además, se ha encontrado que el profesorado considera que existe un clima de colaboración en el centro, que es facilitado por la dirección y que existe una cultura de trabajo en torno a un proyecto común, así como un diálogo e intercambio de prácticas sobre aspectos propios de la innovación educativaInternational research points to other members of the organization as potential leaders in educational schools, especially department heads due to their strategic position. The purpose of this work is to analyze and describing the pedagogical coordination in Secondary in Eastern Andalusia, based on 245 responses from teachers to the Likert type ad hoc questionnaire. In light of the results obtained, it has become evident how there is a tendency among teachers to feel like school leaders, a decisive aspect at the crossroads that concerns the pedagogical coordination in the institutes, in line with similar research. In addition, it has been found that teachers consider that there is a climate of collaboration, which is facilitated by headmaster. Likewise, teachers consider that there is a work culture around a common project, as well as a dialogue and exchange of practices on them on aspects of educational innovatio

Solid-state cultures of Fusarium oxysporum transform aromatic components of olive-mill dry residue and reduce its phytotoxicity

The present study mainly investigated the ability of solid-state cultures of the non-pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum strain BAFC 738 to transform aromatic components to reduce the phytotoxicity in olive-mill dry residue (DOR), the waste from the two-phase manufacturing process. Lignin, hemicellulose, fats and water-soluble extractives contents of DOR colonized by the fungus for 20 weeks were reduced by 16%, 25%, 71% and 13%, respectively, while the cellulose content increased by 25%. In addition, the ethyl acetate-extractable phenolic fraction of the waste was reduced by 65%. However, mass-balance ultra-Wltration and size-exclusion chromatography experiments suggested that the apparent removal of that fraction, mainly including 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl alcohol and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethyl alcohol, was due to polymerization. Mn-peroxidase and Mn-independent peroxidase activities were found in F. oxysporum solid-state cultures, while laccase and aryl alcohol oxidase activities were not detected. Tests performed with seedlings of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.), soybean (Glycine maximum Merr.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) grown on soils containing 6% (w/w) of bioconverted DOR (kg soil)¡1 showed that the waste’s phytotoxicity was removed by 20 weeks-old fungal cultures. By contrast, the same material exhibited a high residual toxicity towards lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).L'articolo é disponibile sul sito dell'editore: http://www.sciencedirect.co

Shared vision of an inclusive educational project in a difficult performance school: elements that favor and impede its achievement

Construir una visión compartida sobre el proyecto educativo constituye una de las señas del liderazgo educativo exitoso, constituyendo una de las metas de todo centro educativo. Atendiendo a las particularidades de los centros de difícil desempeño, y al modo en que varían en cuanto a la manera de alcanzar dichas estrategias de liderazgo –tan fundamentales para conseguir la mejora en estos contextos desafiantes-, este trabajo se dirige a indagar sobre las condiciones que favorecen e impiden su puesta en marcha y desarrollo. Enmarcado en una estrategia de indagación de estudio de caso, accedimos a las percepciones de los agentes educativos implicados en un centro que imparte enseñanzas pertenecientes a la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO), situado en un contexto "desafiante". Los hallazgos obtenidos nos muestran aspectos que favorecen e impiden la construcción de una visión compartida del proyecto educativo, desde una perspectiva ambivalente y controvertida, entre una lucha constante por construir un proyecto inclusivo compartido y las resistencias que provienen de circunstancias externas: utilidad percibida hacia la formación por parte de familias y estudiantes, e implicación de instituciones educativasBuilding a shared vision about the educational project is one of the hallmarks of successful educational leadership, constituting one of the goals of every school. Considering the particularities of the hard-to-perform school, and the way in which they vary as to the way to achieve said leadership strategies- so fundamental to achieve improvement in these challenging contexts-, this work is aimed at investigating the conditions that favour and prevent its implementation and development. Framed in a strategy of inquiry of case study, we accessed the perceptions of the educational agents involved in a school that imparts teaching belonging to Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO), located in a "challenging" context. The findings obtained show us aspects that favour and prevent the construction of a shared vision of the educational project, from an ambivalent and controversial perspective, between a constant struggle to build a shared project and the resistances that come from external circumstances: perceived utility towards training by families and students, and involvement of educational institution

Editorial: (Re) Definiendo la profesionalización docente desde diversas miradas

Presentación del monográfico

Teaching professionalism today: contributions to professional development

Numerosos son los trabajos que han tratado de contribuir a la definición de la profesión docente. No es nuestro cometido atender aquí a las diversas concepciones que adopta, y términos asociados–profesionalismo, profesionalización, profesionalidad–, esto ya lo hicieron algunos trabajos en números anteriores (e.g. Eirín, García & Montero, 2009), sino aportar un marco de referencia desde el que abordar el estudio del conjunto de colaboraciones que incluye este monográfico que tenemos el honor de presentar. Estas contribuyen a (re)definir la profesión docente desde variadas y diversas miradas, mostrándonos qué es lo apremiante en el desarrollo de la profesión docente y su aprendizaje. Constituyen evidencias de especial relevancia para atender el actual panorama educativo, complejo e inmerso en profundos procesos de cambio social y científico, –el auge de las nuevas tecnologías, la emergencia de nuevas formas de violencia escolar, la inmigración, o a educación en contextos de compleja dificultad–, que determinan y redefinen de una forma continua los escenarios donde han de desarrollar su docencia nuestros docentes, y en definitiva las funciones que han de desempeñar (Mas & Tejada, 2013).Numerous are the works that have tried to contribute to the definition of the teaching profession. It is not our task to attend here to the different conceptions that it adopts, and associated termsprofessionalism, professionalization, professionalism-, this has already been done by some works in previous issues (eg Eirín, García & Montero, 2009), but to provide a frame of reference from which to approach the study of the set of collaborations that includes this monograph that we have the honor to present. These contribute to (re) define the teaching profession from varied and diverse perspectives, showing us what is the pressing in the development of the teaching profession and its learning. They constitute evidences of special relevance to address the current educational panorama, complex and immersed in deep processes of social and scientific change, - the rise of new technologies, the emergence of new forms of school violence, immigration, or education in complex contexts. difficulty-, that determine and redefine in an ongoing way the scenarios where our teachers have to develop their teaching, and ultimately the functions they have to perform (Mas & Tejada, 2013)

Profesionalización del docente en la actualidad: Contribuciones al desarrollo profesional

Numerosos son los trabajos que han tratado de contribuir a la definición de la profesión docente. No es nuestro cometido atender aquí a las diversas concepciones que adopta, y términos asociados –profesionalismo, profesionalización, profesionalidad–, esto ya lo hicieron algunos trabajos en números anteriores (e.g. Eirín, García & Montero, 2009), sino aportar un marco de referencia desde el que abordar el estudio del conjunto de colaboraciones que incluye este monográfico que tenemos el honor de presentar. Estas contribuyen a (re)definir la profesión docente  desde variadas y diversas miradas, mostrándonos qué es lo apremiante en el desarrollo de la profesión docente y su aprendizaje. Constituyen evidencias de especial relevancia para atender el actual panorama educativo, complejo e inmerso en profundos procesos de cambio social y científico, –el auge de las nuevas tecnologías, la emergencia de nuevas formas de violencia escolar, la inmigración, o a educación en contextos de compleja dificultad–, que determinan y redefinen de una forma continua los escenarios donde han de desarrollar su docencia nuestros docentes, y en definitiva las funciones que han de desempeñar (Mas & Tejada, 2013)

Ecotoxicological Assessment of Polluted Soils One Year after the Application of Different Soil Remediation Techniques

This research was funded by the project RTI 2018-094327-B-I00 (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation) and by the project E-RNM-444-UGR20 (Operating Research Program FEDER 2014- 2020). The APC was funded by E-RNM-444-UGR20.The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https: //www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/toxics11040298/s1, Table S1: Guideline values (mg/kg) to declare a soil as potentially polluted by legislations of different countries [51–54,90]The present work evaluated the influence of eight different soil remediation techniques, based on the use of residual materials (gypsum, marble, vermicompost) on the reduction in metal(loid)s toxicity (Cu, Zn, As, Pb and Cd) in a polluted natural area. Selected remediation treatments were applied in a field exposed to real conditions and they were evaluated one year after the application. More specifically, five ecotoxicological tests were carried out using different organisms on either the solid or the aqueous (leachate) fraction of the amended soils. Likewise, the main soil properties and the total, water-soluble and bioavailable metal fractions were determined to evaluate their influence on soil toxicity. According to the toxicity bioassays performed, the response of organisms to the treatments differed depending on whether the solid or the aqueous fraction was used. Our results highlighted that the use of a single bioassay may not be sufficient as an indicator of toxicity pathways to select soil remediation methods, so that the joint determination of metal availability and ecotoxicological response will be determinant for the correct establishment of any remediation technique carried out under natural conditions. Our results indicated that, of the different treatments used, the best technique for the remediation of metal(loid)s toxicity was the addition of marble sludge with vermicompost.Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain (MICINN) Spanish Government RTI 2018-094327-B-I00Operating Research Program FEDER 2014-2020 E-RNM-444-UGR2

Functional impairment related to painful physical symptoms in patients with generalized anxiety disorder with or without comorbid major depressive disorder: post hoc analysis of a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most frequent anxiety disorder in primary care patients. It is known that painful physical symptoms (PPS) are associated with GAD, regardless the presence of comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD). However the specific role of such symptoms in patients' functional impairment is not well understood. The objective of the present study is to assess functional impairment related to the presence of PPS in patients with GAD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a post hoc analysis of a cross-sectional study. Functioning, in the presence (overall pain score >30; Visual Analog Scale) or absence of PPS, was assessed using the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) in three groups of patients; 1) GAD and comorbid MDD (GAD+MDD+), 2) GAD without comorbid MDD (GAD+MDD-), 3) controls (GAD-MDD-). ANCOVA models were used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of those patients with GAD+MDD+ (n = 559), 436 (78.0%) had PPS, compared with GAD+MDD- (249 of 422, 59%) and controls (95 of 336, 28.3%). Functioning worsened in both GAD groups in presence of PPS (SDS least squares mean total score: 16.1 vs. 9.8, p < 0.0001, GAD+MDD+; 14.3 vs. 8.2, p < 0.0001, GAD+MDD-). The presence of PPS was significantly associated with less productivity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Functional impairment related to the presence of PPS was relevant. Clinical implications should be considered.</p