Applying the Project-Based Learning Approach in the Degree in Public Management and Administration at the University Jaume I (Spain): A Pilot Design of Degree-Based Integrative Project

Ponència presentada a 10th International Technology, Education and Development ConferenceThe Public Management and Administration (PMA) degree at the Universitat Jaume I (Castellon, Spain) (UJI) is relatively new, in July of 2016, the first four years cycle (2011-2012 to 2015-2016) will be completed; and the first six years evaluation process by the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation will take place in 2018. This degree was designed according the Bologna degree structure adapted for Spain by the corresponding statute law: four years or 240 European Credit Transfer System credits. Its main career opportunities are ranging from the local until European and international administration and in the private sector too. Since 2011, the degree has three main problems: (1) almost the 30% of new students mark the PMA degree as second or third option in the registration process; (2) the enrollment rate has a negative trend; and (3) there is a high average of relinquishments. Every year there are 70 new positions available. However, the rate has gone down from 64 (91%) in 2011 to 37 (53%) in 2015. In addition, an average of 12% of students leaves this degree at the end of the second semester. The most of them changes to different studies and/or universities because PMA was not motivating for them. UJI authorities are very worried about the risk of continuity in this degree. In our EDULEARN 2014 communication, we described the two years of experience in running PMA, and we proposed some measures to fight against the lack of student’s motivation (problems 1 and 3). Nonetheless, after four years of experience, we think that new strategies are needed to solve the negative enrollment trend (problem 2). We also think that one of causes of problem 2 could be the low visibility of PMA in the social and high school environment of UJI, and the lack of interest in some high school staff charged of mentoring students about college issues. Therefore, in order to increase the degree visibility, some institutional measures, as increasing efforts to broadcast the PMA degree knowledge (open doors journeys, visiting schools, etc.) to the High schools’ staff and students, are needed. But, to enhance the degree attractiveness, some academic strategies have to be applied. The study attractiveness comes from different sources: institution prestige, very (old and) consolidated career, current professional interests, very good quality and organization, etc. In our case, among different strategies, we found that the Project-Based Learning (PBL) is the appropriate approach for making PMA more comprehensive and coherent along the four academic years. It is possible to design a project roadmap which starts from the first semester and goes to the Degree Thesis, involving the more subjects per semester as possible. First semester students can start with a basic administration project which supervision and evaluation is split on selected subjects along the following semesters, adding new requirements in order to increase the project complexity and/or specify. That could become a Degree Thesis if all parts agree to extend and enhance it during seventh and eighth semesters. PBL allow to students gaining a wide and consolidated vision of the degree and distributing efforts along the eight semesters. The aim of this work is fully describe a pilot design process, with requirements, methods, techniques, and time sequence of PBL cases. This work would be a draft for the future official revision of the PMA degree

CBM-system for prompting engagement and SRL among master students.

Projecte: PID2020-UB/043Poster que presenta resultados del proyecto PID2020-UB/043, donde se utiliza el sistema CBM como recurso de ayuda al aprendizaje autorregulado por parte de una cohorte completa de estudiantes del máster de formación del profesorado de educación secundaria. Los resultados muestran mejora en el los resultados de aprendizaje del pre-test al post-test, de la autoconfianza, además de una valoración positiva por parte de los estudiantes.PID2020-UB/04

Sistema CBM (confidence based marking) en ideas previas para promoción de un aprendizaje autorregulado. Futuros profesores de secundaria como aprendices activos y autocompetentes.

Projecte: 2020PID-UP/043[spa] En un módulo de materia troncal del Máster de Educación Secundaria se ha implementado un sistema de evaluación previa para activación de un proceso de aprendizaje autorregulado, apoyado en la llamada “calificación basada en la confianza” (CBM), con una muestra de 452 estudiantes (cohorte completa) de distintas áreas disciplinares. El sistema ha permitido mejorar sustancialmente la implicación en el estudio así como los resultados de aprendizaje.[eng] We report about the implementation of a pre-evaluation system for the activation of self-regulated learning in a basic module in the Masters program for Secondary Teacher Education. A sample (complete cohort) of 452 secondary teacher students coming from diverse disciplinary areas have participated in this study. The system promoted a substantial increase in the engagement of the students, as well as in their learning results.2020PID-UP/04

The Effectiveness of a Program of Physical Activity and Diet to Modify Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Severe Mental Illness (CAPiCOR Study)

Background: Patients with severe mental disorders have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. Obesity and sedentarism are cardiovascular risk factors and their control reduces morbidity and mortality. Thus, interventions directed toward decreasing weight and/ or increasing the level of physical activity are necessary.Objectives: The aim of this study would be to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention focused on diet and physical activity in order to change the amount of physical activity, Body Mass Index and waist circumference in these patients.Design: Randomized clinical trial with a control group with one-year follow-up.Setting: Outpatient Mental Health Teams of Barcelona and a residence for patients with severe mental disorders.Participants: Patients between 18 and 65 years of age diagnosed with schizophrenia, a schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder in treatment with antipsychotic medication and a low level of physical activity (240 patients in each randomized group).Intervention group: Physical activity group educational program of 24 sessions over 12 weeks and diet (16 sessions in the fist 8 weeks) carried out by nurses and physical activity specialists.Control group: Usual practice with regular checks and the usual treatment of their disease.Main outcome measures: Level of physical activity (IPAQ questionnaire), weight, Body Mass Index and waist circumference.Other outcomes: Cardiovascular risk, quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire), tobacco consumption, dietary habit (PREDIMED questionnaire), blood pressure and laboratory parameters (cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose).Evaluations will be masked and will be made at 0, 3, 6 and 12 months.Data analysis: Intention to treat analysis. Analysis of variance for repeated measures to adjust for differences attributable to the effect of the intervention for potential confounders (drug treatment, care level of intervention and mental status of the patient).Ethical aspects: The project has been evaluated and approved by the ethics committee (CEIC) of the Primary Healthcare-University Research Institute IDIAP Jordi Gol, with registration number P11/64.Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01729650

Face-to-face versus online: A comparative study of mindfulness-based stress reduction program in a general Spanish population

Objectives Explore the reduction in general psychological distress after a face-to-face versus an online mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program in a Spanish population. In addition, we study if program adherence and satisfaction differ between modalities. Methods We performed an 8-week quasi-experimental study in which 373 participants took part in an MBSR program in which face-to-face (n=109) and online (n=264) modalities were compared. Results Participants in both modalities showed a significant reduction in distress (P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in this reduction between modalities (P=0.314). Adherence (P<0.001) and satisfaction (P=0.024) were significantly better in face-to-face sessions (P<0.001) compared to online ones. Conclusions The MBSR program reduces general psychological distress in both modalities (face-to-face and online). However, the face-to-face modality has higher levels of adherence and program satisfaction.Objetivos Explorar las diferencias entre el efecto de un programa presencial u online de reducción del estrés basado en mindfulness (REBM) sobre el malestar psicológico general en población española. Además, se estudia si la adhesión y satisfacción con el programa difiere entre ambas modalidades. Metodología Estudio cuasiexperimental en el que 373 participantes realizaron un programa REBM de 8 semanas. Se compararon 2 modalidades: presencial (n = 109) y online (n = 264). Resultados Los participantes de ambas modalidades presentaron reducciones significativas de malestar (p < 0,001). No hubo una diferencia significativa en la reducción de malestar entre ambas modalidades (p = 0,314). La adhesión (p < 0,001) y satisfacción (p = 0,024) fueron significativamente superiores en los participantes de la modalidad presencial (p < 0,001) que en los de la modalidad online. Conclusiones Ambas modalidades de REBM (presencial y online) reducen el malestar psicológico general. Sin embargo, la modalidad presencial tiene mayores niveles de adhesión y satisfacción

Estrategias para la implicación del estudiante mediante la evaluación inicial basada en CBM. La voz del alumnado

Projecte: 2020PID-UP/043[spa] En un módulo de materia troncal del Máster de Educación Secundaria se ha implementado un sistema de evaluación previa para activación de un proceso de aprendizaje autorregulado, con una muestra de 452 estudiantes (cohorte completa) de distintas áreas disciplinares. Habiendo constatado resultados positivos de aprendizaje, aquí presentamos los resultados de valoración de la experiencia por parte de los estudiantes.[eng] We implemented a pre-evaluation system for the activation of self-regulated learning in a basic module in the Masters program for Secondary Teacher Education. A sample (complete cohort) of 452 secondary teacher students coming from diverse disciplinary areas have participated in this study. Besides cofirming a substantial increase in the engagement of the students, as well as in their learning results, in this paper we present results on students’ evaluation of the experience.2020PID-UP/04

Estrategias para la implicación del estudiante mediante la evaluación inicial basada en CBM. La voz del alumnado [Congrés]

Projecte: 2020PID-UP/043En un módulo de materia troncal del Máster de Educación Secundaria se ha implementado un sistema de evaluación previa para activación de un proceso de aprendizaje autorregulado, con una muestra de 452 estudiantes (cohorte completa) de distintas áreas disciplinares. Habiendo constatado resultados positivos de aprendizaje, aquí presentamos los resultados de valoración de la experiencia por parte de los estudiantes.2020PID-UP/04

Sistema CBM (confidence based marking) en ideas previas para promoción de un aprendizaje autorregulado. Futuros profesores de secundaria como aprendices activos y autocompetentes. [Congrés]

Projecte: 2020PID-UB/43En un módulo de materia troncal del Máster de Educación Secundaria se ha implementado un sistema de evaluación previa para activación de un proceso de aprendizaje autorregulado, apoyado en la llamada “calificación basada en la confianza” (CBM), con una muestra de 452 estudiantes (cohorte completa) de distintas áreas disciplinares. El sistema ha permitido mejorar sustancialmente la implicación en el estudio así como los resultados de aprendizaje.2020PID-UB/4

El yacimiento del Paleolítico Medio de la Cueva 120 (La Carrotxa, Cataluña) : primeros resultados

The paper describes the first results from the study of Plistocene levels of the 120 cave (La Garrotxa, Catalonia), a new site of Middle Paleolithic in CataloniaEn esta comunicación se presentan los primeros resultados del estudio de los niveles pleistocenos de la Cueva 120 (la Garrotxa, cataluña), un nuevo yacimiento Paleolítico Medio en Cataluñ

Els nivells ceràmics de la cova 120 (Sales de Llierca, la Garrotxa)

Sobre la Cova 120, al terme municipal de les Sales del Llierca, a la Garrotx