Challenges for Teachers' and Students' Digital Abilities: A Mixed Methods Design Study

Digital education is a recently highlighted challenge for educational innovation. This study aimed to discover the educational conditions in which teachers and students may be involved during the pandemic, and how these may affect teachers’ workload and educational quality. A Mixed Methods Design was used, where quantitative and qualitative data were obtained and analyzed. An ad hoc questionnaire was created and sent to teachers of different levels of education (pre-university) and types of school (public and private). Predictive variables of working hours were analyzed by carrying out a multiple regression. Moreover, changes experienced by teachers were studied by analyzing qualitative data. The variables type of teaching, students’ access to electronic resources, and instant training in online teaching predicted teachers’ working hours. Furthermore, participants cited having changes in workload and being overwhelmed during this period, having less contact with students, and experiencing changes in working environment as the most important variables affecting the new working conditions. In conclusion, teachers’ training in online education and the provision of electronic resources for students should be a priority to make online learning possible, to avoid the problem of teachers needing to perform extra work in similar future conditions, and to foster educational innovation

Estudio neuropsicológico y de meta-análisis de la Epilepsia del Lóbulo Frontal

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases with 50 million people worldwide who suffer it (Organización Mundial de la Salud, 2001). It is defined as "a brain disorder that has an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures with a neurobiological, psychological and social consequences" (p. 476, Fisher et al., 2014). The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy define epileptic seizures as a “transient occurrence of signs/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain” (p. 471, Fisher et al., 2005). Incidence data indicate an average of 50.4 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year in adults (Ngugi et al., 2011) and between 27-70/100,000 inhabitants/year in children (Palencia, 2000). The point prevalence of active epilepsy in Spanish adults is 5.79/1,000 inhabitants (Serrano-Castro et al., 2006) and 5.72/1,000 inhabitants in children (Durá-Travé et al., 2007). Frontal Lobe Epilepsy (FLE) is a focal epilepsy in which the epileptic focus is located in the frontal lobe. Frontal seizures are less frequent than those in the temporal lobes, with a frequency between 15% and 20% within all focal epilepsies (Álvarez-Carriles, 2007). Functional and structural heterogeneity of the frontal lobes causes that the diagnosis of FLE to be a complex issue. Its tendency to spread to other brain areas, the variability of the behavioural and neuroimaging manifestations and inconclusive electroencephalogram sometimes confuse the diagnosis to other focal epilepsies or even to non- epileptic seizures (Chauvel, 1997). However, frontal seizures share some common characteristics like the absence of aura, a fast start tending to spread widely bilaterally, short term seizures, high incidence during sleep and they are often grouped in clusters (Lee et al., 2008; Shulman, 2000). FLE is normally due to a structural/metabolic cause like traumatic brain injuries, tumours, vascular malformations or dysplasia. FLE is associated with cognitive problems, especially in areas related to frontal lobe functioning as executive functions, attention and motor skills, but with impact on memory and psychosocial adaptation (Patrikelis et al., 2009). Deficits are similar in both adults and children with FLE, although no studies, longitudinal or transverse, comparing the same research in adult and paediatric performance have been made. Therefore, this paper investigates the cognitive functioning in FLE in adult and child population through two methodologies that allows a full view of the issue: an empirical study with a sample of adults and children and a systematic review with meta-analysis about cognition in FLE in these two populations. Data are presented using the CHC cognitive factors (McGrew, 2005). A random effect meta-analysis was made using Cohen’s d and the confidence interval for each cognitive factor was calculated. 40 subjects participated in the empirical study: 20 adults and 20 children, 20 FLE subjects and 20 healthy controls. A neuropsychological protocol was designed in order to assess the different cognitive factors. The results in the meta-analysis show a general pattern of cognitive dysfunction in FLE, especially in functions related to the frontal lobe, with an influence of the duration and the age of onset of epilepsy, as well as the age of the sample used. In addition, researches in this type of epilepsy are heterogeneous, with too many different sampling and methodological characteristics, which no standard format reporting clinical sample characterization, making it difficult to study FLE in depth. The results in the neuropsychological study indicate that people with FLE are at higher risk of neuropsychological disorders. FLE is related to a pattern of cognitive dysfunction that affects mainly to complex attention, sustained attention, cognitive inhibition, verbal memory and spatial working memory and long term memory, both verbal and figurative. These changes affect both children and adults. In addition, the CHC model stands as a valid and reliable option for studying the cognition in epilepsy, with explanatory and discriminant capacity among participants with FLE and healthy controls and allows a consistent and concise interpretation of the neuropsychological profile in epilepsy. General conclusions are included at the end of this manuscript, combining both studies and giving a general explanation and interpretation of the impact of this research

Assessment of the Teaching Behavior of the Instructors of an Out-of-School Program

Out-of-school programs for students with high abilities are especially relevant when their needs are not covered in formal education. The evaluation of these programs is essential and it can be carried out from different evaluative approaches. The evaluation of the behavior of the people who implement the programs is an important aspect in the evaluation of process and it can resemble the one conducted by a teacher in formal education. This type of assessment requires an appropriate methodology such as the observational. In this study a protocol for observation of teaching functions has been designed for the evaluation of the behavior of the instructors of a socio-affective out-of-school program. The frequency of occurrence of behaviors as well as the resultant of conducts in intrapersonal, interpersonal and cooperative activities is analyzed in this study.Sin financiaciónNo data (2015)UE

Implementación de la simulación en la asignatura de neuropsicología del grado en psicología

El curso de Neuropsicología es el primer acercamiento, durante el Grado en Psicología, que tienen los estudiantes con un campo en creciente demanda y expansión en España (Olabarrieta-Landa, 2016). La simulación clínica permite que los estudiantes pongan en práctica el contenido teórico de la asignatura y que desarrollen habilidades en escenarios que son similares a los que pueden encontrar en la práctica clínica (Comisión Nacional de Acreditación Profesional, 2017). Durante el curso 2018-19 se implementó por primera vez la simulación en esta asignatura de Neuropsicología. Los resultados han dejado un alto grado de satisfacción (89% del alumnado totalmente de acuerdo) y han permitido que las actividades directamente relacionadas con ella se aprobasen de una manera muy satisfactoria, contribuyendo a cumplir con los resultados de aprendizaje.SIN FINANCIACIÓNNo data 2019UE

Decision-making on an explicit risk-taking task in children and adolescents with high intellectual abilities: a neuropsychological perspective

Objective: Two processing pathways have been described in explicit risk decision-making tasks: an emotional and a cognitive feedback pathway. The objective of the study was to examine decision-making on an explicit risk-taking task in children and adolescents with high intellectual abilities compared with a control group typical development and to determine whether their execution is similar or different. Methods: This study explores differences in quality of decision making between gifted (n = 28) and average intellectual ability (n = 37) students of two different age groups (children vs. adolescents). Groups were compared using the scores obtained in the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT). Results: Results show that gifted students displayed better decision making as evidenced by higher cognitive self-control to postpone immediate rewards and quality of decision when compared to the control group. Deliberation time in gifted was faster in the adolescent group and slower in the child group. Conclusion: This finding suggests developmental influences that need to be considered to explain the effects of the G factor in decision making skills. Procedures help to reflect upon the contribution of controlled cognitive tasks in elucidating abilities related to general intelligence. Neuropsychological basis of decision-making is briefly discussed.Depto. de Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del ComportamientoFac. de EducaciónTRUEpu

Neuropsychology of frontal lobe epilepsy in children and adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) is associated with cognitive problems, especially in areas related to frontal lobe functioning as executive functions, attention, and motor skills, but with impact on memory and psychosocial adaptation. Deficits are similar in both adults and children with FLE, although no studies have compared adult and pediatric performance in the same study. The aim of this research was to analyze the existing evidence concerning the cognition in adults and children with FLE. A randomeffect meta-analysiswas used using Cohen's d, and the confidence interval for each cognitive factor was calculated. The results in the meta-analysis show a general pattern of cognitive dysfunction in FLE, especially in functions related to the frontal lobe, with an influence of the duration and the age at onset of epilepsy, as well as the age of the sample used. In addition, researches in this type of epilepsy are heterogeneous,with too many different sampling and methodological characteristics,which is not a standard format for reporting clinical sample characterization, making it difficult to study FLE in depth.Sin financiación2.378 JCR (2018) Q2, 73/146 Psychiatry; Q3, 28/53 Behavioral Sciences, 116/199 Clinical Neurology1.299 SJR (2018) Q1, 78/378 Neurology (clinical), 17/82 Behavioral Neuroscience; Q2, 43/165 NeurologyNo data IDR 2018UE

Teacher's Physical Activity and Mental Health During Lockdown Due to the COVID-2019 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has led teachers to an unpredictable scenario where the lockdown situation has accelerated the shift from traditional to online educational methods, and relationships have been altered by the avoidance of direct contact with the others, with implications for their mental health. Physical activity seemed to be a factor that could prevent mental disorders such as anxiety or depression in this peculiar situation. Therefore, the aims of this study were to explore how teachers have been affected by the lockdown with respect to their mental health and their relationships in three main fields: work, family, and social relationships, and to know which is the role of physical activity in the mentioned variables. For that purpose, an online survey was designed to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Results showed that indoor physical activity acts as preventive in lockdown situations, whereas the level of activity does not affect mental health. Also, teachers have experienced higher levels of distress due to the workload generated during the lockdown. In conclusion, to prevent health problems among teachers in future similar situations, it would be important to facilitate the practice of physical activity at home. Furthermore, teacher training in blended or online educational methods would be crucial for their favorable work development.SIN FINANCIACIÓN4.566 JCR (2020) Q1, 14/81 Physiology1.320 SJR (2020) Q2, 45/178 PhysiologyNo data IDR 2020UE

Comunicar más ciencia psicológica con menos mitos populares

Sin financiaciónNo data 2020UE

Creativity and cognitive flexibility in children and adolescents with high intellectual capabilities

Sin financiaciónNo data 2020UE

Challenges for Teachers’ and Students’ Digital Abilities: A Mixed Methods Design Study

Digital education is a recently highlighted challenge for educational innovation. This study aimed to discover the educational conditions in which teachers and students may be involved during the pandemic, and how these may affect teachers’ workload and educational quality. A Mixed Methods Design was used, where quantitative and qualitative data were obtained and analyzed. An ad hoc questionnaire was created and sent to teachers of different levels of education (pre-university) and types of school (public and private). Predictive variables of working hours were analyzed by carrying out a multiple regression. Moreover, changes experienced by teachers were studied by analyzing qualitative data. The variables type of teaching, students’ access to electronic resources, and instant training in online teaching predicted teachers’ working hours. Furthermore, participants cited having changes in workload and being overwhelmed during this period, having less contact with students, and experiencing changes in working environment as the most important variables affecting the new working conditions. In conclusion, teachers’ training in online education and the provision of electronic resources for students should be a priority to make online learning possible, to avoid the problem of teachers needing to perform extra work in similar future conditions, and to foster educational innovation.Sin financiación3.251 JCR (2020) Q2, 59/125 Environmental Studies0.664 SJR (2021) Q1, 166/756 Geography, Planning and DevelopmentNo data IDR 2020UE