Community Of Andalusia Research Articles

ASSESSMENT IN CLIL: TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVE

Over the last two decades in Spain there have been many efforts aimed at implementing of bilingual education and training Primary Education teachers in the methodological approach known as CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning). However, assessing children’s progress in CLIL presents many difficulties, due to the varied contexts and also to the difficulty of finding assessment tools that measure both content and linguistic competence from a truly integrated perspective. Given the importance of this issue, this research addresses how the assessment process is carried out in the upper cycle of Primary Education in schools in the Community of Andalusia. It is a mixed method research (quantitate and qualitative) whose main objective is to analyze, through teachers’ opinions, aspects such as the training they have received, their competence in assessment practices and the difficulties they face. In order to collect data, a questionnaire was sent online to Primary schools. The analysis shows that the difficulties presented by teachers are many, but the growing interest in formative assessment in the educational field and specifically in CLIL approach is perceived as a central aspect to carry out an authentic integration of language and content and, through the assessment process, to contribute to the achievement of quality bilingual education.

The Discourse Structure of Morisco Journey Narrative Avoqai Journey – A Brief Narrative of Al-Shihab ila Liqaa’ Al-Ahbab) as a Model

Objectives: This study is dedicated to discussing the discourse structure of the journey as used by Ahmad Shihab Al-Din Ibn Qasim Al-Hajari, a well-known Morisco scholar known as the "Avoqai" or "the lawyer". His journey is titled Naser Eddeen Ala Al-Qawm Al-Kafereen. This narrative serves as a factual historical record of the most critical period experienced by the Moorish community in Andalusia. Following the downfall of Muslim strongholds in 1942 AD, the Moorish people faced severe suppression by the "Spanish Inquisition" and were subsequently forced to leave the land after Philip 3rd issued the expulsion decision in 1609 AD. The author also included the debates he conducted with Christians and Jews during his time as the Saadi ambassador in both France and the Netherlands.
 Methods: The study employed the analytical method to identify the elements of speech within the journey. This was achieved through analyzing the journey's speech, starting from the text thresholds presented in the main title and subheadings of the journey's sections.
 Results: The study highlights the discourse elements that transformed the author's journey from a mere narration of events into a distinctive discourse with an authentic literary identity, thanks to the remarkable prose employed in the text.
 Conclusions: Avoqai's journey is a literary voyage that incorporates various elements, as analyzed by narrative criticism. These elements include the introduction of the text, its chronological and captivating functions, as well as narration and characterization. Furthermore, the study examines the role of the narrator as both a speaker and a character, the abundant use of dialogue, and the inclusion of fantastical elements in the text.

Footprints of COVID-19 on Pollution in Southern Spain

Background: Many annual deaths in Spain could be avoided if pollution levels were reduced. Every year, several municipalities in the Community of Andalusia, located in southern Spain, exceed the acceptable levels of atmospheric pollution. In this sense, the evolution of primary air pollutants during the March–June 2020 lockdown can be taken as reliable evidence to analyze the effectiveness of potential air quality regulations. Data and Method: Using a multivariate linear regression model, this paper assesses the levels of NO2, O3, and PM10 in Andalusia within the 2017–2020 period, relating these representative indices of air quality with lockdown stages during the pandemic and considering control variables such as climatology, weekends, or the intrusion of Saharan dust. To reveal patterns at a local level between geographic zones, a spatial analysis was performed. Results: The results show that the COVID-19 lockdown had a heterogeneous effect on the analyzed pollutants within Andalusia’s geographical regions. In general terms, NO2 and PM10 concentrations decreased in the main metropolitan areas and the industrial districts of Huelva and the Strait of Gibraltar. At the same time, O3 levels rose in high-temperature regions of Cordoba and Malaga.

Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Optimism According to Gender and Social Context (Urban vs. Rural)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of Emotional Intelligence on optimistic–pessimistic attitudes in a sample of 177 people from the Autonomous Community of Andalusia (Spain). The sample consisted of 102 women (57.60%) and 75 men (42.40%), who live in different localities depending on the number of residents (urban and rural context). The instruments used in the study were: The Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R), Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi-C), and Wong–Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS-S). The results indicated that Emotional Intelligence was positively related to optimism and negatively related to pessimism (p < 0.01). In addition, pessimism was found to be significantly related to the rural context, but not to the urban context. The multigroup Structural Equations model was developed for the gender variable, and it had good structural validity (χ2 = 96.485; RMSEA = 0.056; GFI = 0.901; CFI = 0.900; IFI = 0.907), which was greater for the female gender. The practical consequences of this study help to understand the usefulness of EQ on optimism–pessimism as an attribute between urban vs. rural areas and the effect of living in socio-culturally different environments.

Drought-related media analysis from Andalusia and São Paulo

ABSTRACT Drought risk is a complex phenomenon that leads to different interpretations, public understanding of causes, consequences and adaptation strategies and, therefore, different responses. To date, and despite the rise of social media, mass media are still the main way through which society receives information about drought, mainly owing to accessibility and periodicity. Media content analysis can be useful not only for identifying the relevant stakeholders in debates about definition and management but also for monitoring the evolution of key issues over time. This work presents a methodology to systematise drought-related media content analysis. The methodology has been tested in two widely different case studies: The Autonomous Community of Andalusia in Spain and the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo in Brazil, which were recently exposed to drought. Results show that the methodology is applicable to different settings, regardless of the number of media outlets and the news stories analysed. The paper incidentally also shows the resistance to the paradigm shift in terms of drought management measures, where in both cases traditional measures based on increasing water availability continue to predominate over the measures of risk planning and mitigation.

Conditioning Factors of Sustainability of Dual Vocational Educational Training in Andalusia (Spain): Case Study of Three Educational Centres

From the incorporation of the Dual Vocational Educational Training (dual VET) in the Spanish educational panorama in 2012, and in the midst of the economic and financial crisis, this dual VET educational scheme has been a political priority of national and regional governments, who see it as a strategy for socioeconomic growth, employability, and youth entrepreneurship framed under an educational sustainability model. Despite the growing number of companies involved in the scheme, this model of educational training has not been free of debate and controversy. This study focuses on the autonomous community of Andalusia with the objective of identifying—using a complementary methodological perspective—the key factors that condition the successful implementation of dual VET in this region based on the experience of three educational centres and the opinions of those educators involved. Some of the weaknesses of dual VET identified in the autonomous community include the ambiguity of regulations, budgetary sustainability, governance models, the relationship between the training offered and industry, the involvement of companies, and the recognition of the teaching staff involved.

Teacher Training in Lifelong Learning—The Importance of Digital Competence in the Encouragement of Teaching Innovation

The vertiginous advance of society in recent years has forced a modification of demands among citizens and educators. The arrival of information and communication technologies to the educational atmosphere has led to the development of the digital competence of teachers, which is one of the educational challenges teacher training has to face now. Based on this, this work intends to carry out an evaluation of the development of digital competence in teachers of the Lifelong Learning stage in the community of Andalusia (Spain). In order to do so, a quantitative and transversal work design was used, with a sample of 142 teachers from different schools in this area. The results showed a deficit of teachers in the five digital dimensions, especially in the creation of digital content. It was also clarified that there was a direct relationship between previous information and communication technology (ICT) training and the dimensions of communication and collaboration, and content creation. Finally, the work here showed that the teachers concerned with preservice ICT training were young and with less than 10 years of experience. In conclusion, the development of digital teaching competence continues to be a challenge for the education system which must therefore be addressed, and it shall continue to be a key issue in the training of current teachers, as it is indeed a fundamental pillar for promoting a new way of teaching, being the only way to develop an areal teaching innovation panorama.

Trabajo en red: desarrollo de proyectos innovadores inclusivos ante el desenganche y el abandono escolar

En este artículo se presentan los resultados del trabajo en red desarrollado por equipos interinstitucionales e inter-servicios en dos provincias de la Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía ante una misma problemática: el desenganche y abandono escolar, entendido éste como un proceso multidimensional que se produce y desarrolla en los contextos educativos y sociales a los que pertenece el alumnado. El objetivo general de este estudio se centra, por tanto, en la construcción de redes locales que abordan los procesos de desenganche escolar, creando una red de trabajo y apoyo entre centros educativos y organizaciones sociales e investigadores de una misma localidad o zona como espacio de colaboración e intercambio de conocimiento, experiencia y prácticas inclusivas sobre el tema. Desde un enfoque metodológico, participativo y emancipatorio se desarrolla en el seno de cada equipo distintos proyectos educativos inclusivos e innovadores que abordan esta problemática bajo la perspectiva de la Educación Inclusiva. Los resultados obtenidos señalan por una parte, el beneficio e impacto que supone el abordaje de un fenómeno tan complejo como es el desenganche y abandono escolar desde el trabajo en red de instituciones y organizaciones bajo una misma mirada y distintas posiciones institucionales. Por otra parte, el desarrollo del estudio nos muestra la diversidad y riqueza de respuestas educativas (proyectos educativos inclusivos) desarrolladas en función de las necesidades y contextos singulares.

Association of Motivational Climate With Addictive Behaviors Depending on Type of Sport in University Students: Structural Equation Analysis

This research study aims at contrasting a structural model of the associations between the alcohol consumption, tobacco dependence, and the problematic use of video games with motivational climate toward sport depending on the category of sports practiced in a sample of Physical Education university students. The sample consisted of 775 university students from the Autonomous Community of Andalusia (Spain), aged between 21 and 35 (22.22 ± 3.76) years. The instruments used were the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and the Questionnaire of Experiences Related to Video Games (QERV) questionnaires. A path model that fitted properly in the multigroup analysis for both categories of sports was used, χ2 = 19.843; gl = 8; p = .011; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.911; normed fit index (NFI) = 0.903; incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.912; root mean square error approximation (RMSEA) = 0.085. An inverse association was shown between task climate and tobacco consumption in individual sports, being weaker in collective sports. This association is not significant for collective sports, but it is for individual sports for ego climate. However, a positive association was found between ego climate and the use of video games in individual sports, not being significant in the case of collective sports. The importance of promoting motivational climates oriented toward tasks that are based on the practice of collective sports is established, because they could act as protective factors against the development of addictive behavior in university students.

Legislación y tratamiento de los menores que cometen delitos antes de los 14 años

The promulgation of the Law LO 5/2000 since almost two decades ago, represented an important challenge for the autonomous communities. Not in vain, these had to assume the competence of responding to crimes committed of those offenders under the age of 14 years. The Child Protection Services were responsible for this work within each community, having to reinvent itself in the face of new demands. However, to this day, there are still doubts about the suitability and capacity of this system to face such a challenge.On the basis of this work, we intend to highlight some of the interventions operated by certain entities on the national scene who work with offenders under the age of 14, making a special follow-up to the current situation of the autonomous community of Andalusia and in particular, the province from Malaga. Thanks to the contributions of experts in the social and legal field we will try to shed some light on this reality which is not so well known by society

Reception Centres for Women Victims of Gender-based Violence

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32444/IJSW.2018.79.2.163-176 This article reviews approaches used at reception centres to address gender-based violence. The review starts by focusing on facilities available for women in international settings, followed by Europe and Spain and finally narrowing down to the autonomous community of Andalusia. The most important legislative change regarding gender- based violence occurred in Spain with the passing of the Integral Law (Law 1/2004 of 28 December). The study provides an in-depth analysis of women victims of gender- based violence who seek protection in shelters. Keywords: Gender-based Violence, Reception Centers for Victims, International Socioeconomic Programs

Comparative analysis of the incidence of bladder cancer in the communities of Andalusia, Catalonia and Madrid in 2011

Abstract Objectives To determine the incidence of bladder cancer (BC) in the autonomous communities that include the largest number of cases in the national hospital BC registry (Andalusia, Catalonia and Madrid) and report the clinical, pathological and diagnostic differences and similarities of BC in these regions. Material and methods An observational epidemiological study was performed in 2011 in 12 public hospitals with reference population areas according to the National Health System (Spain). Demographic and clinical variables were collected from new cases and relapses, with histopathologic confirmation of BC. The raw incidence rate was calculated using the number of diagnosed cases in all the participating centers compared with the aggregate total population assigned to each center. The raw rates by age and sex were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics (2011) by weighting the assigned population with the distribution by age and sex. Results The 3 autonomous communities recorded 51% of the 4285 cases included in the national registration, with relapses corresponding to 42.8% of these cases. The raw annual incidence rate for new episodes was 22.6 (95% CI: 20.7; 24.6) in Andalusia, 23.5 (95% CI: 20.9; 26.0) in Catalonia and 22.0 (95% CI: 19.9; 24.1) in Madrid. Conclusions Except for the larger proportion of smokers and lower tumor grade of lesions in Andalusia, the 3 autonomous communities studied are similar in terms of clinical characteristics, comorbidities, patient symptoms and diagnostic processes for BC.

Inconvenientes de género en los reagrupamientos familiares hacia España: propuestas desde el Trabajo Social

Las personas inmigrantes en España logran mejorar su acceso al Sistema de Protección Social mediante la convivencia en familia. El estudio empírico realizado en una Unidad de Extranjería de la Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía constata que, sin embargo, se producen desigualdades asociadas al género. Las mujeres inmigrantes encuentran más dificultades en el ejercicio del derecho a reagrupar debido a los puestos de trabajo que ocupan, a las responsabilidades en el ámbito privado, a la invisibilidad en los espacios públicos y a las trabas personales, sociales y administrativas impuestas desde los países de origen y en los países de acogida.

La competencia mediática de las perso-nas mayores andaluzas: retos para una inclusión social plena

Older people in current society represent a high percent age that tends to be higher over the years. In addition, these seniors are becoming more active within this society taking part of even the developments resulting from the use of digital technologies. This paper analyzes the level of media literacy of people over 55 years in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.

The intercultural turn brought about by the implementation of CLIL programmes in Spanish monolingual areas: a case study of Andalusian primary and secondary schools

In monolingual areas such as the southern Spanish Autonomous Community of Andalusia, the progressive introduction of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) programmes in a wide range of primary and secondary schools has probably produced the biggest turning point in Spain's modern educational history. CLIL is initially focused on enhancing learners’ language competences. However, the reflection on otherness considered to be implicitly embodied in CLIL education is thought to contribute to learners’ development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC). This article looks into the relationship between CLIL and ICC by presenting a case study of Andalusian CLIL primary and secondary schools. The results show that there is some evidence that CLIL constitutes a framework for the implementation of interculturally-oriented methodological approaches and that it has the potential to contribute to the enhancement of learners’ intercultural communicative competence.

Policy-makers, market advocates and edu-businesses: new and renewed players in the Spanish education policy arena

This paper discusses issues concerning the implementation of quasi-market dynamics, the introduction of private interests and market rules in the provision of formal education at compulsory levels in the Spanish educational system. It aims to discuss current neoliberal discourses and practices in Spain, suggesting new spaces to be considered in future education policy studies. In the paper, I discuss first the ideological sources on which the political action rests and sketch some basic principles developed by the market advocates in the Spanish case. Secondly, I analyse specific mechanisms implemented to guarantee a fertile ground for the establishment of market dynamics in the education system, which has facilitated a significant growth in the private provision in compulsory education levels throughout the last 30 years. The examples presented in this section refer to two specific regions, the autonomous communities of Andalusia and Madrid, traditionally governed by the socialist and conservative party, respectively. I finally offer some data of the changing nature of the private sector in Spain and present a preliminary analysis of a rising set of new for-profit ventures in education.

Evaluation of NRTK positioning using the RENEP and rap networks on the southern border region of Portugal and Spain

Nowadays, the Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network, combined with network RTK corrections (NRTK solution), is a widely used technique for high-accuracy positioning in real time. This “active” network realizes a reference frame and propagates it to the users. In border regions the coherence between the reference frames propagated by neighboring active networks is a critical problem. In this study the test results of post-processed and simultaneous NRTK positions at six test points located in the border region between Portugal and the Community of Andalusia, in the south west of the Iberian Peninsula, are presented. The analysis is based on two GNSS active networks present in this border region, namely RENEP (Portugal) and RAP (Community of Andalusia, Spain), a national and a local RTK network respectively, with similar characteristics. Upon comparing the post-processed position for each test point, as estimated with respect to each of the two active networks analyzed, the discrepancies found in 3D were less than 2 centimeters. The results of network-based RTK positioning were found to be successful within a 2 cm precision level in the east and north components and 4 cm for the up component. The results also confirm that the NRTK positioning accuracy is about 2 cm in horizontal and 4 cm in vertical, which can satisfy the requirement of real-time positioning users at a centimetric accuracy level, even in border regions considering extrapolated NRTK solutions.

Ansiedad y depresión en cuidadores de pacientes dependientes

Estimar la prevalencia de depresión y ansiedad en cuidadores principales de pacientes dependientes según la Ley 39/2006 de atención a la dependencia. Seleccionamos 294 cuidadores principales de pacientes dependientes según la Ley 39/2006. Estudio descriptivo, transversal y multicéntrico. Seleccionados durante el primer semestre de 2009 en 8 centros urbanos y 2 rurales de las comunidades de Andalucía y Murcia. Medimos niveles de ansiedad y depresión a través de la escala Hamilton, el apoyo social percibido mediante la escala Duke-UNK, variables sociodemográficas, médicas y asociadas al cuidado del dependiente. Se empleó la prueba de χ 2 y los tests de Wilcoxon y t de Student. Se realizó análisis multivariante con los datos más relevantes. Presentaban ansiedad 254 cuidadores (86%) (IC 95%: 82,47-90,31%) y depresión 191 (65%) (IC 95%: 59,51-70,41%). La presencia de ansiedad se relacionó de manera estadísticamente significativa (p = 0,043) con: cuidador no remunerado, apoyo social bajo, diagnóstico previo de ansiedad y depresión, toma de psicofármacos y diagnóstico de depresión mediante escala Hamilton para depresión. La presencia de depresión se relaciona con: cuidador no remunerado, parentesco, diagnóstico previo de ansiedad y depresión, consumir psicofármacos y con diagnóstico de ansiedad según la escala Hamilton. No detectamos diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la asociación de grados de dependencia y la aparición de depresión y/o ansiedad. La prevalencia de depresión y ansiedad en cuidadores de pacientes dependientes es significativamente mayor que en la población general. A mayor apoyo social menor prevalencia de dichos trastornos. To determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in main carers of dependent patients as defined by the Dependent Care Law 39/2006. We selected 294 main carers of dependent patients as defined by Law 39/2006, and performed a descriptive, cross-sectional and multi-centre study. They were recruited during the first semester of 2009 in 8 urban centres and 2 rural ones in the Communities of Andalusia and Murcia. We measured levels of anxiety and depression using the Hamilton scale, the social support by means of the Duke-UNK scale, sociodemographic, medical variables and associated with the support to the dependent person. The Chi-squared (χ), Wilcoxon and Student t tests were used to describe the data. Multivariate analysis was performed on the most significant data. A total of 254 carers showed anxiety (86%) (95% CI: 82.47-90.31%) and depression 191 (65%) (95% CI: 59.51 – 70.41%). The presence of anxiety was statistically significant ( P =.043) when associated to: being an unpaid carer, low social support, previous diagnosis of anxiety and depression, taking of psychiatric drugs, and diagnosis of depression using the Hamilton depression scale. The depression presence of depression is associated with: being an unpaid carer, family relationship, previous diagnosis of anxiety and depression, taking of psychiatric drugs, and with an anxiety diagnosis according to the Hamilton scale. No statistically significant differences were detected in the association between levels of dependency and the appearance of depression and/or anxiety. The prevalence of depression and anxiety in the carers of dependent patients is significantly greater than in the general population. The greater the social support the lower the prevalence of these disorders.

A Methodology for Creating RTK Positioning Coverage Maps via a Radio Modem Link to CORS Stations

The Andalusian Positioning Network (RAP) is a real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS-based network that covers the Autonomous Community of Andalusia (southern Spain) homogeneously and offers, amongst other services, radio modem-based differential corrections for accurate real-time positioning (RAP-RTK). The institutions responsible for permanent GPS networks do not currently provide information regarding the radio coverage of their stations. In this communication we therefore present a methodology for creating RTK positioning maps via a radio modem link to continuously operating reference stations (CORS). We have applied this methodology to the University of Jaén (UJAE)'s permanent GPS station and present, for the first time, two coverage maps for this service. One of these maps is based on field data and the other on a combination of field data and computerized applications that generate viewshed maps, thus offering relevant information regarding the areas where users can make use of this service. This type of application is shown to be an excellent tool for estimating beforehand the possibility of using the radio modem-based differential correction service without having to visit the site.

Temporal Trends in Asthma Mortality over 30 Years

Background. Bronchial asthma is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is limited availability of updated information on asthma mortality trends. In this context, further investigation of asthma mortality trends is necessary. Objective. We aimed to assess trends in asthma mortality trends in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia (over 7 million inhabitants), Spain, during the period 1975–2005. Method. Official population estimates and data on asthma deaths were obtained from official authorities. Crude and age-adjusted death rates for different age and gender groups were calculated. Joinpoint regression analysis was used for trend analysis. Results. Age-adjusted death rates for asthma have fallen 2.9% for females and 7.7% for males from 1975 to 2005. This trend has not been constant but has varied during the study period. After a non-significant increase from 1975 to 1981 (4.5% for females and 3.8% for males), adjusted asthma mortality rates have been declining 3.7% for females and 9.6% for males (both p values < 0.05) since 1981. Age-group analysis revealed that the downturn in asthma mortality rates occurred in all age groups above 45 years for males and 35 years for females. Conclusions. During the last decades, significant variation in asthma mortality was found in Andalusia. This variation has not been constant during the study period. Currently, the decreasing trend initiated in 1981 continues.