Tablet-based praxis developed for children in primary education studying natural sciences and mathematics

Information and Communication Technologies are now a common feature in classroom activities. The aim of this study was to present praxis developed for the tablet for use by primary education students (aged 6–12) studying the natural sciences and mathematics. This research is qualitative and follows the narrative-ethnographic approach. The study sample consisted of 120 primary education students and 52 educational blogs. The results and conclusions reveal praxis that is rarely innovative or ludic. The bulk of tablet-based activities were for natural sciences classes rather than mathematics, and the most common practice with the tablet in the natural sciences was information searching and content exploration. The most widely used apps were the Google search engine, YouTube and the tablet’s default apps (camera, image and video editor). Course content in the natural sciences focused on living beings and states of matter, and the activities developed for children to do on the tablet aimed to foster learning through discovery, exploration and enquiry. In mathematics, a traditional methodological approach was apparent in children’s use of the tablet for typical activities related to units of measurement.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades | Ref. FPU15/00091Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades | Ref. RTI2018-099764-B-10

El acercamiento al contexto profesional como móvil para indagar sobre las TIC: un estudio cualitativo

With this work is intended to know the perception of a students' group who attended the master teacher training for secondary education about the benefits and controversies generated by the inclusion of ICT in schools, from their immersion in external practices. The investigation was approached through a qualitative study, using an interview technique. There were involved a total of 20 participants who attended the master at University of Vigo. The results reveal that ICT use improves the motivation, increases the autonomy, the predisposition to share experiences in the pupils, and provokes a greater level of teacher commitment. It turns out obstacles related to poor teacher training and misuse of ICT.Con este trabajo se trata de conocer la percepción que tiene un grupo de estudiantes del máster de formación del profesorado de secundaria sobre los beneficios y controversias que genera la inclusión de las TIC en los centros, a partir de su inmersión en las prácticas externas. La investigación se abordó a través de un estudio cualitativo, utilizando la técnica de la entrevista. Se han implicado un total de 20 participantes que cursaban el máster en la Universidad de Vigo. Los resultados revelan que el uso de las TIC mejora la motivación, incrementa la autonomía, la predisposición por compartir experiencias en el alumnado, y suscita un mayor nivel de compromiso en el profesorado. Se descubren obstáculos relacionados con la deficiente formación docente y con el mal uso de las TIC

Social overview of smartphone use by teenagers

Information and Communication Technologies have led to a new way of life and, in particular, of socialization. The objective of this study is to analyse the image social media disseminate of news taken from digital newspapers, based on the opportunities and drawbacks attributed to smartphone use by teenagers. An essentially qualitative methodology was used, on a sample of 1704 news items published in digital newspapers. The results and conclusions show that smartphone use by teenagers improves development of their digital competence, presents new academic opportunities (through gamification or mobile learning) and provides them with digital tools for school and leisure. The widespread drawbacks reflect the effects of the device on the deterioration of health (dependence, stress, psychosocial problems) and emotions, thereby succinctly affecting academic performance. A noticeable increase of positive news about smartphones was published in the major newspapers in December, while that on its negative effects, in September.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades | Ref. FPU16/0085

El uso informal del Smartphone en adolescentes de centros de protección: Un reto para promover la intervención socioeducativa

En la actualidad existe una preocupación social generalizada sobre el uso que realizan los/as adolescentes de las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación, y concretamente de dispositivos como el Smartphone. La utilización del teléfono móvil se ha popularizado entre este colectivo, repercutiendo de diferente forma en su vida. Por ello, a la vista de la fascinación que le produce es pertinente realizar un estudio sobre su empleo. El objetivo central de este trabajo es conocer los patrones que se desprenden del uso informal del Smartphone como punto de partida en el diseño e implementación de la intervención socioeducativa, en particular con adolescentes que se integran en el Sistema de Protección de Menores considerando su elevada vulnerabilidad y la complejidad que envuelve a este colectivo. Esta investigación es de tipo cualitativo y se enmarca en el enfoque narrativo, a partir de la recogida de datos con la técnica del relato y de la entrevista. Los resultados y conclusiones ponen de manifiesto que el Smartphone responde a diversos patrones de uso en los/as adolescentes. Cabe indicar que supeditan el dispositivo al empleo constante de ciertas App por su popularidad, fácil manejo y gratuidad. Es notoria la utilización de aplicaciones de los sistemas de mensajería instantánea, destacando WhatsApp y Snapchat en cualquier tramo de edad de la etapa de la adolescencia. De las redes sociales que utilizan sobresale Instagram. En general las App las emplean con finalidad recreativa. No obstante, acogiendo un cometido esencialmente lúdico, los videojuegos no presentan una afluencia relevante en el colectivo. Por último, señalar que realizan un uso notorio del Smartphone con un propósito comunicativo, para mantenerse en contacto principalmente con sus coetáneos y la pareja sentimental.Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte | Ref. FPU16/0085

The approach to the professional context as a motive to investigate about ICT: a qualitative study

With this work is intended to know the perception of a students' group who attended the master teacher training for secondary education about the benefits and controversies generated by the inclusion of ICT in schools, from their immersion in external practices. The investigation was approached through a qualitative study, using an interview technique. There were involved a total of 20 participants who attended the master at University of Vigo. The results reveal that ICT use improves the motivation, increases the autonomy, the predisposition to share experiences in the pupils, and provokes a greater level of teacher commitment. It turns out obstacles related to poor teacher training and misuse of ICT

Instructors’ teaching styles: relation with competences, self-efficacy, and commitment in pre-service teachers

Instructors’ teaching styles in higher education are an issue of major importance because these interactions affect students’ self-perceptions, involvement, and achievement. This study aimed to test a theoretical model of relations between perceived teaching styles (autonomy support, structure, and control) and competences, self-efficacy, and commitment in pre-service teachers; to assess the invariance of the model in two samples; and to analyze the mediated relations between these variables. Measures were collected from 842 Spanish pre-service teachers. As main research implications, teaching styles predicted acquired competences, competences predicted teaching self-efficacy, and self-efficacy predicted commitment to the profession. This model was equivalent in two samples of childhood and primary education pre-service teachers. Competences and self-efficacy mediated the relationships between variables. As practical implications, this study clearly shows the need for different interventions to enhance adequate instructors’ teaching styles and to foster among novice pre-service teachers the acquisition of professional competences, initial self-efficacy, and a good level of commitment to their profession

Raising ecological awareness and digital literacy in primary school children through gamification

Environmental education, at least in northwest Spain, is often overlooked in the education system from infant schooling onwards and interventions are needed to raise the profile of this subject. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a learning program designed for primary school students to broaden their ecological awareness and improve digital literacy using gamification tools. The research was developed using a qualitative approach, with data obtained from 156 subjects, including teachers, students and families. The results show that the children assimilated new habits on the better usage of water and electricity and recycling paper and plastic. Moreover, they acquired more efficient strategies for finding information online, by using apps and developing content with digital tools. Gaming dynamics and resources were the key to students’ learning, with the tablet proving an essential tool for boosting motivation, interaction and problem solving.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades | Ref. FPU15/00091Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades | Ref. RTI2018-099764-B-10

Preferências académicas e profissionais na adolescência : uma perspectiva de género

Es importante que en la adolescencia puedan trazar de forma consciente su recorrido vital para afianzar paulatinamente sus aspiraciones académicas y laborales, de las que debe ser conocedor el profesorado y progenitores. En este trabajo, se trata de descubrir las preferencias académicas y profesionales del alumnado del último curso de la educación obligatoria en España. La investigación se ha abordado a través de la vertiente cualitativa, a partir de un estudio de casos múltiples. Como resultados y conclusiones cabe resaltar que se detectan diferencias por género en cuanto a la inclinación revelada por el alumnado hacia asignaturas de ciencias experimentales o de "lenguas". Los y las adolescentes se decantan principalmente por las profesiones relacionadas con el sector servicios

Digital newspapers’ perspectives about adolescents’ smartphone use

The growth of ICTs has led to a new socialization model and a continuous dynamic flow of communication and information, wherein smartphones have become very popular with teenagers. This paper investigates what teenagers use smartphones for and the related intervention measures published in digital newspapers. A qualitative methodology was used to analyze 362 news items published in 53 Spanish digital newspapers. The results and conclusions indicate that teenagers use smartphones mainly for recreational purposes and sparingly for educational ones. The published intervention measures are primarily aimed at stimulating citizens’ reflections on the subject, in order to improve proper smartphone use by teenagers.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España) | Ref. FPU16 / 0085

Desmotivación del alumnado de secundaria en la materia de matemáticas

Academic failure is a concern in the education community; more taxing subjects therefore deserve special consideration. The primary objective of this study was to identify and analyze factors of adolescent demotivation in mathematics in high school. This study followed a qualitative approach, using an introspective process based on teachers’ perceptions. To this end, 70 mathematics teachers from Portugal were interviewed, of whom 51 were female and 19 male. Content analysis was performed on the different narratives obtained. The results and conclusions show that the main constituents of demotivation are inadequate prior education and certain traditional teaching activities used by mathematics teachers. A negative influence from the environment should also be noted.El fracaso académico constituye una preocupación de la comunidad educativa. Por ello, asignaturas que cuentan con circunstancias poco favorables merecen una especial atención. El objetivo central de esta investigación es identificar y analizar los componentes de la desmotivación en los adolescentes en la materia de matemáticas en la Educación Secundaria. Este estudio se desarrolló desde un enfoque cualitativo, a través de un procedimiento introspectivo a partir de la percepción del profesorado. Para ello, se han realizado 70 entrevistas a docentes de Matemáticas de Portugal, de ellos 51 son mujeres y 19 varones. A las distintas narrativas obtenidas se le ha aplicado un análisis de contenido. Los resultados y conclusiones ponen de manifiesto, como principales integrantes de la desmotivación, la insuficiente formación del alumnado, así como algunas dinámicas tradicionales de enseñanza utilizadas por los docentes de Matemáticas. Además, cabe añadir una influencia negativa del ambiente