Compulsory Secondary Education Research Articles

General secondary education in Spain: administrative law aspects

The article analyses the system of general secondary education in Spain from the perspective of administrative law. The author aims to study the main goals and objectives of general secondary education in Spain, its principles, structure, educational relations and the State’s obligations in the field of education. The research is based on the analysis of the fundamental legal act in the field of education in Spain, the Organic Law of Education.
 The author notes that in the system of compulsory secondary education in Spain, particular attention is paid to the educational and professional orientation of students, taking into account the gender-sensitive approach and special educational needs of students with disabilities. In addition, school education is aimed at teaching students the basic elements of culture, instilling tolerance, healthy lifestyle skills, and respect for the environment.
 For the purpose of comparative analysis of the practical achievements of the Spanish secondary education system, the author draws attention to the results of the OESD’s Programme for International Student Assessment PISA, other data from the OECD, UNDP and independent rankings.
 It is noted that public administration in the field of general secondary education is in close communication and interaction of public authorities, is characterised by decentralisation of powers, transparency, accountability, autonomy of educational institutions and flexibility in the organisation of the educational process. The author looks into the distribution of powers in the field of education between the bodies of the General State Administration, such as the Government of Spain and the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports of Spain, and the administrations of the Autonomous Communities. Education authorities at different levels coordinate their actions, each within its own competence, in order to use resources efficiently and achieve the goals set by law.
 On the basis of the research, the author concludes that public administration in the field of education in Spain is aimed at meeting to the fullest extent the needs of the population in providing general secondary education, and the Spanish education system itself is focused on the formation of educated, tolerant and culturally enriched individuals. The state is most interested in taking into account the needs of students to unveil their potential to the full extent.

Musical Instrumental Self-Concept, Social Support, and Grounded Optimism in Secondary School Students: Psycho-Pedagogical Implications for Music Education

Research in music education has shown that musical and academic self-concept, the social component, task achievement, and academic performance are highly interrelated constructs in musical learning in general and instrumental learning in particular in secondary school students. However, no studies in Spain have analyzed the relationship between musical self-concept and the variables of social support and optimism in compulsory secondary education. Therefore, our study aimed to explore the relationships between instrumental musical self-concept, social support, and grounded optimism. We hypothesize that there is a significant relationship between the variables of musical self-concept, social support, and grounded optimism The variables were measured using the Instrumental Musical Self-Concept Scale (IMSCS), an adaptation of the Perceived Social Support Scale in Spanish Conservatory Music Students to the Secondary School Level, and the Grounded Optimism Scale (BEEGC-RA/BEECESA-RA24). The study sample consisted of 980 students enrolled in compulsory secondary education in public and semi-private schools in the autonomous communities of Aragon and Navarra. An analysis of correlations and regressions allowed us to explore and quantify the relationship among the variables under study, confirming the existence of a significant relationship among the variables “instrumental musical self-concept”, “social support” and “grounded optimism”. The present study thus provides more in-depth knowledge of the variables involved in the teaching–learning process of music as a school subject and instrumental music in particular, as well as a greater knowledge of the individual’s performance and motivation in the subject, with various future implications to be taken into account.

Acculturation Preferences in the Asturian Educational Context: A Study on the Direct and Interactive Effects of Gender and Stereotypes at School

AbstractAs a consequence of globalisation, a large number of studies have been carried out on the attitudes and preferences of acculturation of immigrants and host societies, with the aim of observing the different changes that occur in this intercultural contact. These studies have been carried out in places with a large migratory flow; however, it was considered convenient to carry out the same type of studies in regions with less migratory flow, which is why this investigation focuses on a place with a lower migratory flow, such as the Principality of Asturias. Thus, the main objective of this work is to observe whether gender contributes to the creation of different attitudes and whether this is moderating the intensity with which stereotypes participate in the formation of the acculturation preferences of native students in compulsory secondary education. The analysis of acculturation attitudes was carried out on the dimensions of “adopting” and “maintaining” separately, in order to study how these dimensions are affected by each of the variables (gender/stereotype) in different domains. The exploratory results obtained through quantitative analysis reveal that stereotypes affect the dimensions differently in each of the domains. It is also found that gender affects both dimensions, and finally, it is claimed that gender can moderate the intensity with which stereotypes are involved in the creation of acculturation attitudes in almost all domains. These results are discussed in comparison with those found in other studies with different social and cultural groups.

Exploring the persistence of adults on secondary education courses: occupational status, satisfaction and self-efficacy as key factors

One of the most worrying issues in Spanish education is the high school dropout rate, especially for those students who leave compulsory secondary education with no qualifications. Some of these students re-enter the system via adult education centres (AECs), where they can obtain the minimum qualification required by the labour market (the Secondary Education Graduate Certificate, the equivalent of GCSE in UK education). Entry into and adaptation to the AECs was explored in a non-probabilistic sample of 234 individuals from a total population of 2033 enrolled in 14 Catalan AECs, and the roles of a range of factors in shaping successful trajectories were analysed. The aim was to contribute to the design of strategies boosting students’ well-being and raising the probability of their persisting in their studies. The results showed that when study was full-time or combined with a part-time job of half a day or fewer working hours, when there was high academic satisfaction with the centre, and when there was a feeling of empowerment and efficacy in studying, the bond to the centre and the will to continue studying there were enhanced.

Effect of an Active Break Intervention on Attention, Concentration, Academic Performance, and Self-Concept in Compulsory Secondary Education.

(1) Background: Society's shift to a tech-focused era and has created a hyper-connected, sedentary lifestyle. The purpose of this study is to address two objectives: firstly, to describe and analyze the effects of an active breaks program associated with the learning of curricular content (CF-AB) on levels of attention, concentration, and academic performance (AP); secondly, to examine the relationship between intense physical activity (PA), attention, concentration, academic self-concept, basic psychological needs, and academic performance in schoolchildren who practice CF-ABs. (2) Method: A randomized controlled trial quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test study with a non-probabilistic sample included 313 secondary school students divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention, a curricular-focused academic break (CF-AB) (8 weeks, 5-10 min/session), is taken in the middle of the class and linked with the subject content. Measuring instruments: Attention Test D2, ad hoc test for the AP, self-concept AF5, Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Scale in General (BNSG-S), and the Global PA Questionnaire (GPAC.V2). (3) Results: Attention and concentration improved in both groups, with no significant differences. There were no significant differences in academic self-concept, but the intervention group showed higher scores in basic psychological needs. AP correlated positively with concentration, academic self-concept, and physical activity. A proportion of 20% of the variance of AP in spelling is explained by the regression model. Students who improved the most in AP practiced intense PA outside school, with good self-concept and satisfactory social relationships. Although concentration was related to AP, it did not explain the improvement. (4) Conclusion: CF-ABs may have a positive impact on attention and AP, with socioemotional factors and PA playing an important role in this effect. (5) Limitations and Future Research: The relationship between PA performed in class and AP should be considered with caution due to the multifactorial nature of AP. Future research should consider the number of sessions per week, the prolongation of the same during the school year, the intensity and duration of the activity, and the intervention type of active breaks. In addition, attention should be paid to possible incident factors in AP related to personal and social variables.

English Code-Mixings in WhatsApp interactions among Spanish adolescents and their orthographic competence

Aims: The widespread use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) among adolescents has favored the creation of a newly written code called digitalk. This new code includes, among other characteristics, the use of foreign words as textisms, mainly anglicisms. These textisms also serve as a mark of identity among young speakers. The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to describe which are the more frequent anglicisms used by Spanish adolescents in their CMC and the code-mixing pathways of inclusion; second, to examine the possible influence between the use of anglicisms in the CMC of Spanish adolescents and their orthographic competence. Method: Based on an exploratory methodology, a corpus of interactions through WhatsApp of a group of adolescents attending Compulsory Secondary Education in a region of southern Spain has been analyzed. Data analysis: Sketch Engine software was used for corpus analysis, presenting the normalized frequency (1/1,000) of textisms, misspellings, and multimodal elements. Finally, for the descriptive statistical analysis of the data and for the bivariate correlation analysis applying Pearson’s coefficient, IBM SPSS v.26 software was used. Findings: The results indicate that young people use English Code-Mixings (ECM) as discursive framers with an expressive aim and as a sign of belonging to a specific community of speakers. Moreover, no positive correlation is observed between the use of these ECMs and a lower orthographic competence. Implications: ECMs show an important pragmatic function in CMC among Spanish adolescents. Furthermore, they are one of the elements that have been incorporated into the digital norm of Spanish and can be used in Compulsory Education as a resource for the acquisition of communicative competence in adolescents along with other textisms. Originality: This is the first research that analyzes the frequency and function of anglicisms in Spanish CMC and their impact on the orthographic competence of Spanish adolescents.

Use of Social Media, Satisfaction with Body Image, and the Risk of Manifesting Eating Disorders

Eating disorders in adolescents are an increasingly important issue nowadays. Although they have been shown to be a pathology with multifactorial causes, the objective of our study is to determine the degree of influence that body dissatisfaction and the use of social media (time and type) might have on the risk of manifesting eating disorders. To perform this, the Sick Control One Fat Food scale was used as part of a randomized survey carried out among 12 schools in Almería (Spain). The sample consisted of 605 students in Compulsory Secondary Education between the ages of 12 and 17 years (M = 14.27; SD = 1.44), 48.42% female and 51.52% male. Cross-tabulation tables were constructed to observe the relationship of sex and age with the risk of manifesting EDs, and, subsequently, a two-factor ANOVA was performed using the risk of suffering from an eating disorder as a dependent variable. The results show that 29.3% of the respondents express an elevated risk of suffering from an eating disorder. There are no significant differences regarding sex, but there are differences regarding age. It was also observed that dissatisfaction with body image is a significant risk factor, but not the time that young people spend on social media. Furthermore, the type of content displayed on social media has a significant influence, both independently and together with body dissatisfaction. The main conclusion highlighted in this study relates to the importance of self-perceived body image (satisfaction and dissatisfaction) and its relationship with the type of content seen on social media. For this reason, it is essential to work on self-esteem at an early age as well as learn to value others and oneself beyond just the physical.

Determinants of Grade Repetition in Spain. Analysis of Cognitive and Socio-Economic, Mediated by Ethnic Factors

Grade repetition is an issue with important educational implications. This study analyzes the effect of cognitive variables, socio-economic status, as well as the interaction of socio-economic status with  ethnic origin, on the probability of not repeating. Data were collected to calculate socioeconomic status using the Hollingshead Socioeconomic Index, and the following tests were administered to collect information on cognitive variables: the Primary Mental Aptitude Test (PMA), the Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, and the Wechsler Intelligence for Children Information Scale (WISC IV).  The sample consisted of 664 students of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO), Baccalaureate and intermediate and higher vocational training. The results confirm the predictive power of socioeconomic status. With regard to cognitive variables, significant results were only obtained when the WISC-IV Information Scale was taken as a predictor, this measure being related to crystallized intelligence. The influence of the origin of the students did not yield significant results. There is a clear need for a debate and a rethinking of the issue leading to the identification of new strategies to reduce grade repetition and its negative effects.

Emotions and music through an innovative project during compulsory secondary education

This article presents the results and main conclusions of a quasi-experimental study after the implementation of an innovative project extended as a multi-year programme, called 'MusMotion', applied in compulsory secondary education, which is based on the relationship between music and emotions, as well as its effects on the academic performance of adolescents. The research analysed and tested an educational innovation project that improves students' academic performance, as well as the classroom climate between teachers and students (N = 444). A key strand of this research concerns the use of music to support students' emotional development and awareness. As we will explain, the results of this research have shown positive outcomes that have direct implications for pedagogy and classroom practice.The results confirm that there is a relationship between emotions and students' academic performance, and the innovative educational programme MusMotion can help to improve students' academic performance and the classroom climate by improving their state of mind. Educational systems, through the management of emotions via music, could help many children who today may have difficulty with their emotions.

Developing motivation through an ICT cooperation project plan in English between Spanish and German students

This case study aims to research the connection between motivation and real-life experiences in the use of the English language through an ICT cooperation project plan between two centres. Introducing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by means of videoconferences and the Edmodo network, we connect teenagers from different countries who share hobbies and interests. The goal is that students from Spanish 3rd-grade compulsory secondary education or their equivalent 9th-grade German peers use English as a lingua franca to achieve their objectives. This also helps students to acquire a foreign language (English) in a motivating and communicative environment and to develop competencies that are usually relegated to the background in standard English classes. In total, 104 teenagers participated in this study, in which they had to write letters, record a video, and participate in three videoconferences. The research started with an online meeting between the two teams of teachers from both centres in which the general guidelines were set up. The research instruments that the students had to carry out during the project were pictures and letters, videoconferences, and finally a profile on an educational social network. The results show how this cooperation project motivated them to the point that they could end their school year with a better grade than they had before starting the project as they shared interests in the use of English to maintain cooperation with their peers.

The scale of myths of romantic love: Psychometric properties and gender differences in Spanish adolescents

Adolescence is characterized by the emergence of romantic interactions. This study aims to explore the psychometric properties of the Scale of Myths of Romantic Love (SMRL) and the gender differences in Spanish adolescents. The sample was representative and consisted of 1,840 third (52.8%) and fourth (47.2%) year students in compulsory secondary education in Castilla-La Mancha. In line with the original validation, the results of the factor analyses show that the SMRL is a mainly uni-dimensional measure when applied to adolescents. The bi-factor analysis yields satisfactory fit indices (in terms of GFI, AGFI, CFI, RMSEA, SRMR; Medrano & Muñoz-Navarro, 2017) and indicates that the general factor is more solid than the specific factors (in terms of ECV, ωh and H h). Correlations with the Myths Scale toward Love and the Gender Equality Attitudes Scale provide evidence in favor of convergent and discriminant validity. Boys scored significantly higher than girls on the SMRL. In conclusion, this is a suitable instrument to scientifically address romantic myths at the adolescent stage, but also to complement and guide educational interventions.

Physical Activity, Body Composition, Physical Fitness, and Body Dissatisfaction in Physical Education of Extremadura Adolescents: An Exploratory Study.

In recent years, physical activity levels among youths have declined significantly. This has led to a decline in adherence to physical activity recommendations. In this sense, physical education offers an ideal environment that contributes positively to improving adherence to physical activity recommendations, as it teaches students movement-related skills and knowledge. The objective of the present research was to investigate the relationship between physical activity levels, body composition, fitness in Physical Education, and body dissatisfaction levels, and to analyse sex differences in relation to the study variables. The sample was formed of 1166 participants from the 1st and 2nd secondary compulsory education, of which 642 were boys (age 13.16 ± 0.91), and 524 girls (age 13.08 ± 0.85). The measure of physical activity was the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). Body composition was assessed using weight and height to calculate their body mass index. Cardiorespiratory capacity was assessed using the Course-Navette test in Physical Education lessons. The results showed the relationship between physical activity and body mass index, cardiorespiratory capacity, and body satisfaction. It was also confirmed that higher levels of physical activity were associated with a lower body mass index, improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, and lower levels of body dissatisfaction to a greater extent in boys than in girls. The study concludes that improvements in the study variables were associated with increased physical activity. In addition, it seems necessary to promote healthy lifestyles in physical education lessons, especially during adolescence, as they could serve as a gateway for the improvement of health-related fitness in future generations. Increasing the amount of physical activity among young people is vital. Therefore, it would be essential to develop intervention programs in physical education classes, especially during adolescence, aimed at promoting and increasing physical activity and its benefits.

Unveiling Connections: A Thorough Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals Integration within the Spanish Physical Education Curriculum

This study analyses the relationship between the physical education (PE) curriculum in secondary education in Spain and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Physical education curriculum of compulsory secondary education, as well as the complementary materials, were analysed through document analysis. Although there is no explicit relationship, the analysis reveals links between curricular elements and SDGs targets, particularly with SDG 4 (Quality Education), 3 (Health and Well-being), and 5 (Gender Equality). Other SDGs, such as 10 (Reducing Inequalities) and 12 (Responsible Consumption), are less related. The social dimension of sustainable development is most closely linked to PE. A historical analysis of the treatment of sustainable development in PE curricula in Spain is also presented, examining how they have evolved over time. The manuscript helps clarify how teachers and researchers can mobilize competencies to address global challenges in students’ lives as individuals and world citizens, fostering commitment and social responsibility. Furthermore, this work highlights the importance of integrating the SDGs into education and how PE can be a key tool in this process.

Gender and academic year as moderators of the efficacy of mobile app interventions to promote physical activity in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial

No previous study has analyzed the differences in the effectiveness of an intervention with mobile applications, according to gender and academic year, on the level of physical activity, body composition, and physical fitness of adolescents. For this reason, the aim of the present investigation was to establish the differences in the change in level of physical activity, kinanthropometric and derived variables, and fitness with an intervention to promote physical activity base on the use of mobile applications in adolescents according to gender and academic year. A randomized controlled trial was carried out with a 10-week intervention with mobile applications that was promoted by the physical education department of the school. The final sample consisted of 400 adolescents (210 males and 190 females; mean age: 13.96 ± 1.21 years). A total of 240 adolescents were placed in the experimental group, and 160 were placed in the control group. Physical activity, body composition and physical fitness were measured before (pre) and after the intervention (post). During the intervention, four apps were mandatory used by the adolescents (Strava, Pacer, MapMyWalk, Pokémon Go) a minimum of three times a week. The distance to be traveled increased weekly during the intervention. The control group did not use the apps but continued to perform their physical activities as normal. The results showed that the use of mobile apps was higher in females (p < 0.001; 71.1% females vs 50.0% males) and adolescents in higher academic year (p < 0.001; 74.4% fourth academic year vs 53.8% first academic year). Moreover, the use of the apps prevented the increase of variables related to fat accumulation (body mass index (BMI), fat mass, sum 3 skinfolds, waist, and hips girths). Specifically, the differences between male and female were significant in BMI (p < 0.001; mean diff: −0.352), corrected calf girth (p = 0.008; mean diff: −0.498), fat mass (p = 0.025; mean diff: 0.748), handgrip right (p = 0.002; mean diff: −1.359), handgrip left (p = 0.002; mean diff: −1.103), and countermovement jump (p = 0.002; mean diff: −2.456), while when considering academic year, differences were significant in height (p < 0.001–0.044; mean diff: −1.099 to −0.509), sum of 3 skinfolds (p = 0.046–0.047; mean diff: −3.255), waist girth (p = 0.048; mean diff: 0.584), hip girth (p < 0.001–0.008; mean diff: −1.461 to −0.777), corrected calf girth (p = 0.019–0.029; mean diff: −0.539 to −0.482), and fat mass (p = 0.025–0.046; mean diff: 1.011 to −1.392). It can be concluded that mobile apps can be a great alternative to promote the practice of physical activity, decrease of fat variables, and improve some physical fitness variables, especially in females and adolescents in higher academic year. As a consequence of the above, gender and academic year should be considered in future interventions with mobile apps, as the effects in kinanthropometric and derived variables, and fitness and the follow-up of the intervention by adolescents may be different depending on these factors. The research protocol was registered prior to the start of the study in ClinicalTrials.gov (code: NCT04860128), under the name “New technologies as a tool for health promotion in schoolchildren of compulsory secondary education”. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04860128?term=NCT04860128&draw=2&rank=1.

Design and validation of the general scale of academic engagement for Spanish adolescents (CAADE)

Academic engagement is considered one of the most essential elements to achieve educational success and decrease levels of school dropout. However, there is a need to develop reliable, practical and valid instruments that evaluate the academic engagement of adolescents taking into account their multidimensionality. The main aim of this research was to design and validate the General Scale of Academic Engagement for Spanish Adolescents that overcomes this limitation. The elaboration process began with the creation of items that are relying on the evaluation of existing literature, then the items were refined thanks to the reviews of the experts and discussion groups with adolescents. Data from 1158 students in compulsory secondary education were analyzed. The instrument's psychometric properties were determined by comprehension validity, analysis of content, reliability and construct validity. An Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed with the first sample (n = 356), while the second sample (n = 802) was used to verify the factor structure identified through Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Evidence of reliability and validity was provided for the instrument using SPSS Version 27 and SPSS AMOS. The results of the analyses resulted in a questionnaire of 17 items grouped into three factors (Cognitive, Affective-Emotional and Behavioral), and confirm that the General Scale of Academic Engagement for Spanish Adolescents (CAADE) has an adequate construct validity and reliability. In summary, this study has resulted in the development of a tool that can be utilized by educators or any institution concerned in evaluating student academic engagement, a construct that does not yet to have consensus.

Applying Design Thinking to Enhance Programming Education in Vocational and Compulsory Secondary Schools

A proper and complete formation in technology (science, communications, programming, robotics, Computational Thinking, etc.) must be imparted at all educational levels for a lifelong education. However, students may lose motivation or interest due to the complexity and abstraction of some of the concepts imparted. In line with this, the work at hand looks to improve the interest and commitment of students by presenting the programming concepts and contents in a practical way. The teaching–learning process is based on the development of projects about robotics, which are adapted for courses and groups of different educational levels. The Design Thinking methodology is used to impart the content. This methodology allows the students to experiment, design and test different solutions for a given problem, increasing their motivation and interest, promoting creativity, and making the students conscious of their learning process. Two different projects are considered, a simulated one based on a sensor network to localise and track a robot in a closed area for vocational education students, and an experimental one about constructing a robot with several capabilities using Lego Mindstorms for compulsory secondary education students. The results obtained over three different groups of students are analysed and compared, and show that the methodology and projects selected can be adopted and adapted for different educational levels, increasing the proficiency of the students, their development, motivation and self-learning despite the difficulty and complexity of some concepts related to computer science.

Effectiveness of tutoring at school: A machine learning evaluation

Tutoring programs are effective in reducing school failures among at-risk students. However, there is still room for improvement in maximising the social returns they provide on investments.Many factors and components can affect student engagement in a program and academic success. This complexity presents a challenge for Public Administrations to use their budgets as efficiently as possible. Our research focuses on providing public administration with advanced decision-making tools.First, we analyse a database with information on 2066 students of the Programa para la Mejora de Éxito Educativo (Programme for the Improvement of Academic Success) of the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla y Léon in Spain, in 2018–2019, the academic year previous to the pandemic. This program is designed to help schools with students at risk of failure in Spanish, literature, mathematics, and English. We developed a machine learning model (ML) based on Kohonen self-organising maps (SOMs), which are a type of unsupervised (ANN), to group students based on their characteristics, the type of tutoring program in which they were enrolled, and their results in both the completion of the program and the 4th year of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO).Second, we evaluated the results of tutoring programs and identified and explained how different factors and components affect student engagement and academic success.Our findings provide Public Administrations with better decision-making tools to evaluate and measure the results of tutoring programs in terms of social return on investment, improve the design of these programs, and choose the students to enrol.

“My Father Put Me in a Patera So I Could Study”: Key Aspects of Socio-Educational Support for Minors Who Migrate Alone

The migration process for minors who migrate alone represents a complex reality, one entailing exciting life projects but which often clashes with a host society that at times responds in a way shaped by stereotypes and prejudices. In this regard, the role of public and private institutions responsible for the care and custody of these minors is of the utmost importance. This is the point of departure of this study: to explore the multicultural and inclusive practices that are implemented in the process of socio-educational support for minors who migrate alone. Taking as a reference the closest context, as a case study, and employing a qualitative methodological approach, 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals from Centers for the Protection of Minors, Institutes of Compulsory Secondary Education (secondary schools), and third-sector entities involved in socio-educational intervention with minors who migrate alone in the province of Cordoba (Spain). The results show, firstly, the complexity of the process behind the socio-educational inclusion of these minors, mainly due to their backgrounds; and, furthermore, the role of the different expectations of the professionals involved with regards to this group’s educational and labor-oriented development, along with the importance of the diversity of socio-educational intervention strategies used, focused on individualized attention and with a comprehensive approach. In conclusion, the findings of this study highlight the importance of tackling the task of socio-educational care in a coordinated manner, without forgetting the cultural backgrounds and previous experiences that these minors have when they join these protection and educational systems. It is, therefore, necessary to continue to implement these inclusive practices that promote the comprehensive development of minors and facilitate their transition to adult life, as should be done with any other minor facing situations of social vulnerability.

El hombre que pudo reinar en la clase de Historia del Mundo Contemporáneo

Colonial imperialism tends to appear in Spanish Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) very subordinated to other historical processes, without paying enough attention to it as an autonomous phenomenon. The subject of 1st year of Spanish upper secondary education (Baccalaureate) Contemporary World History is obliged to provide a broader and more monographic approach that allows a critical analysis of concepts such as “domination” or “racism”, usually condemned in ESO classrooms without further justification. To achieve our objective, we propose a didactic proposal centered on viewing a series of fragments from The Man Who Would Be King (John Huston, 1975), which will be preceded by the teacher’s explanations and followed by a series of activities designed to encourage debate and responsible skepticism.

Applied biostatistics in clinical trials for 15‐year‐old pupils

AbstractIt is important for young people to be aware of job profiles and activities in the professional world. Bringing the education system closer to the professional world is vital for them to make decisions about their academic and professional futures. Programs developed to connect 15‐year‐old students who in Spain are in year 4 of their Compulsory Secondary Education, and Research Support Units within the Health Research Institutes of the Hospitals and the Clinical Research Support Platforms of the Carlos III Institute of Health are a good opportunity to highlight the role of biostatistics in clinical trials. The aim of this article is to share the outcomes of and learnings from an interactive workshop for 15‐year‐old students on biostatistics and clinical trials conducted within the 4°ESO + Empresa program and directed by the Scientific Support Unit of the Health Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid, Spain.