Group Of Spanish Students Research Articles

On the pursuit of happiness. Personality underpinnings of life satisfaction of Spanish and Polish university freshmen

The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between personality traits and life satisfaction among university freshmen. Knowledge about personality determinants of life satisfaction in newly enrolled university students can be used to predict their successful adaptation to new educational requirements. Two groups of students were surveyed: Spaniards studying in Spain (n = 164; Mage = 21.25; SD = 1.97) and Poles studying in Poland (n=162; Mage=22.85; SD=1.24). The following instruments were used: the Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The results showed that in the group of Spanish students, life satisfaction correlated positively with Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism, while in the group of Polish students, it correlated positively with all personality traits. In both Polish and Spanish students, Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism were significant predictors of higher life satisfaction. The Polish and Spanish student groups differed slightly in the patterns of the relationships between personality traits and life satisfaction, however, in both samples, higher levels of Extraversion, Conscientiousness and lower levels of Neuroticism were conducive to higher life satisfaction. The article discusses the educational implications of the reported findings.

Critical Thinking and Motivation in Vocational Training and Baccalaureate: A Comparison Study of Students of Spanish Nationality, Unaccompanied Foreign Minors and Young Care Leavers

The present study analyzed academic motivation and its relationship with dispositions towards critical thinking in a sample of 131 students of Spanish nationality and 131 students of foreign nationality (unaccompanied foreign minors and foreign adolescents who had previously experienced the Andalusian care system). For this, an ex-post-facto study was conducted which was descriptive, comparative, and cross-sectional in nature. The main analyses carried out are of a descriptive and inferential nature, the latter to analyze the differences and associations between the variables of critical thinking and motivation (ANOVA test and an structural equations models) in both groups. Main outcomes included the lack of significant differences in dispositions towards critical thinking between Spanish and foreign students, alongside the existence of significant differences in academic motivation between both of these groups. In addition to this, significant differences were found within the group of Spanish nationality students in the dimensions of critical thinking as a function of intrinsic motivation, whilst such differences emerged in the foreign nationality group as a function of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and amotivation. Finally, within the group of Spanish students, a significant and positive relationship was found between motivation and critical thinking, being positive and non-significant in the foreign national group. In conclusion, it is necessary to improve dispositions towards critical thinking and educational motivation from the educational system for the inclusion of minors and youths in today’s society.

Out-of-Class Learning of Spanish During COVID-19: A Case Study in Trinidad and Tobago

This paper describes the experiences of 15 students who reported on their study habits and studying of Spanish outside of the classroom during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when suddenly face-to-face classes had to be delivered remotely. The paper features the voices of eight teachers on how they promoted out-of-class learning. The inquiry took the form of a small-scale qualitative case study with beginner learners of Spanish and Spanish teachers at a language centre. The aim was to explore how students studied Spanish independently after their synchronous live classes by making use of some additional resources recommended by their teachers. Therefore, this paper attempts to look at how students made use of such resources and if they benefited from them. Data for this study were retrieved from an open-ended survey administered to three groups of Spanish students and a focus group interview with eight Spanish teachers. The emerging findings of the study suggest that although students engaged with additional materials, much work is needed in this context to raise more awareness and promote more learner engagement and exploration outside of the classroom.

Role of Global Self-Esteem in Predicting Life Satisfaction of Nursing Students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia.

Background: This study analyzed the role of global self-esteem and selected sociodemographic variables in predicting life satisfaction of nursing students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia. Methods: The study subjects were full-time nursing students from three European countries. A diagnostic survey was used as a research method, while the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (SES) and the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) were used to collect data. Results: The research was performed on a group of 1002 students. The mean age of those surveyed was 21.6 (±3.4). The results showed significant differences both in the level of the global self-esteem index (F = 40.74; p < 0.0001) and in the level of general satisfaction with life (F = 12.71; p < 0.0001). A comparison of the structure of results demonstrated that there were significantly fewer students with high self-esteem in Spain (11.06%) than in Poland (48.27%) and in Slovakia (42.05%), while more students with a high sense of life satisfaction were recorded in Spain (64.90%) than in Poland (37.87%) or in Slovakia (47.44%). A positive, statistically significant correlation was found between global self-esteem and satisfaction with life in the group of Slovak students (r = 0.37; p < 0.0001), Polish students (r = 0.31; p < 0.0001) and Spanish students (r = 0.26; p < 0.0001). Furthermore, a regression analysis proved that three variables explaining a total of 12% output variation were the predictors of life satisfaction in Polish students. The regression factor was positive (ßeta = 0.31; R2 = 0.12), which indicates a positive correlation and the largest share was attributed to global self-esteem (9%). In the group of Spanish students, global self-esteem explained 7% (ßeta = 0.27; R2 = 0.07) of the output variation and 14% in the group of Slovak students (ßeta = 0.38; R2 = 0.14). Conclusions: The global self-esteem demonstrates the predictive power of life satisfaction of nursing students, most clearly marked in the group of Slovak students. The measurement of the variables under consideration may facilitate the planning and implementation of programs aimed at increasing self-esteem among young people and promoting the well-being of nursing students.

The Improvement of Intelligibility in the Oral Production of Standard English: A Study About the Production of Vowel Quality in Stressed and Unstressed Syllables

Pronunciation is an essential aspect in the teaching of the English language, especially those aspects of pronunciation such as stress and vowel quality as they are crucial elements to ensure intelligibility in communication. The general objective of this study is to investigate whether the theoretical-practical instruction on pronunciation has a crucial impact on the vowel quality production of stressed and unstressed syllable in isolated words and in wider contexts, and therefore, in the improvement of intelligibility and of the oral production in general terms, in two groups of Spanish students of English (the control and the experimental group). More particularly, the study addresses the impact of formal instruction in pronunciation based on deduction in terms of rule formation from a cognitive perspective. The results indicate that the specific work implemented with the production of vowel quality in stressed and unstressed syllables have a significant impact on intelligibility.

The Open Algorithm Based on Numbers (ABN) Method: An Effective Instructional Approach to Domain-Specific Precursors of Arithmetic Development.

This article presents the results of a comparative study regarding the impact and contribution of two instructional approaches to formal and informal mathematical reasoning with two groups of Spanish students, aged four and five. Data indicated that for both age groups, children under the ABN method [Open Algorithm Based on Numbers (ABN)] (n = 147) achieved better results than the group under the CBC approach (Closed Algorithms Based on Ciphers) (n = 82), which is the widespread approach in Spanish schools to teach formal and informal mathematical reasoning. Furthermore, the comparative analyses showed that the effect is higher in the group of students who received more instruction on skills considered domain-specific predictors of later arithmetic performance. Statistically significant differences were found in 9 of the 10 dimensions evaluated by TEMA-3 (p < 0.01), as well as on estimation tasks in the number-line for the 5-year-old-group. However, the 4-year-old group only presented significant results in calculation and concepts tasks about informal mathematical reasoning. We discuss that these differences arise by differential exposure to specific number-sense tasks, since the groups proved to be equivalent in terms of receptive vocabulary, processing speed, and working memory. The educational consequences of these results were also analyzed.

Multimodal communication in academic oral presentations by L2 Spanish students

ABSTRACTPresenting in a second language (L2) is perhaps the greatest challenge for international students in a foreign academic context. In this study, we examine the multimodal (verbal and non-verbal) oral performances of two L2 and two L1 groups of Spanish students enrolled in a university Applied Linguistics course. To determine the specific demands and challenges that each group faces, we conducted a questionnaire with 16 participants and carried out an audiovisual discourse analysis of the presentations based on a multimodal framework applied to the use of academic Spanish. It was discovered in the analysis of the data that multimodal competence, the ability to make use of and combine verbal and non-verbal modes of communication to construct and communicate meaning, can compensate for L2 students’ linguistic deficiencies. The article concludes with guidelines to support the development of multimodal competence of L2 students.

Teaching into Context by Video Sketching Recording: Academic English with Students of Architecture

Abstract This paper describes an activity developed during one academic term with students of Architecture that study English (ESL) and Spanish (ELE) as a second language. Taking advantage of architecture students learning styles ( Ubeda & Escribano, 2002 ), the creation of some video sketching recording activity was developed as a course task in order to improve their language skills. The practicum took place with two groups of students; a group of International students (Erasmus) using Spanish as a second language (ELE) and a group of Spanish students with English as a second language (ESL). At the end of the course, a questionnaire was completed to gather students’ feedback of this practice. The results obtained from them show a very fruitful and innovative material creation for teaching in specific contexts. This activity was handled under the research group of Innovative Education (APLAI) from the Technical University of Madrid.

Cooperation and Autonomy in Language Learning: An Application of the Collage Method

The Collage method (Moller, 2001) of language teaching uses authentic texts following an innovative process that is both specific and flexible during which students collaborate in the reading and analysis of the texts in order to build their knowledge. This study was carried out using the action-research methodology with a group of Spanish students at Trent University, Canada and consists of the adaptation and application of the Collage method to this group. The main objective of the study is to analyze the use of the method in the teaching of Spanish as a third language with a group of English-speaking students of different disciplines. The results were favourable, showing an increase in the final evaluation.

“That would give us power...” Proposals for Teaching Radical Participation from a Society in Transition

In this article I explore how a group of Spanish students (aged 11–19) and some of their teachers understand ‘radical participation’ teaching and learning within the social studies class. I analyse, from an in-depth and critical approach using open questionnaires (n=131), interviews (n=7), and focus groups (n=4), the ways in which they interpret ‘radical participation’ and how they propose ‘radical participation’ be taught. The results suggest that ‘radical participation’ can be taught by: (a) deconstructing the concepts of power, participation, and politics; (b) empowering the students with the communication and critical thinking skills they require to participate; (c) establishing clearer links between schools and society and engaging students with current social movements.

What does Political Participation Mean to Spanish Students?

This article explores how a group of Spanish students (aged 11–19) understand the meaning of ‘political participation’ in society and discusses the implications of their views for debates and practices in citizenship education. The ways in which these students (n=112) describe and interpret political participation are analysed using an in-depth and interpretative approach employing open questionnaires and interviews. The results suggest that most students value political participation in positive terms and that ‘activist’ students have a more optimistic view of the effectiveness of participation and especially of new forms of participation such as protests.

Differences between the personal, social and emotional profiles of teaching and computer engineering professionals and students

The evidence suggests that emotional intelligence and personality traits are important qualities that workers need in order to successfully exercise a profession. This article assumes that the main purpose of universities is to promote employment by providing an education that facilitates the acquisition of abilities, skills, competencies and values. In this study, the emotional intelligence and personality profiles of two groups of Spanish students studying degrees in two different academic disciplines – computer engineering and teacher training – were analysed and compared. In addition, the skills forming part of the emotional intelligence and personality traits required by professionals (computer engineers and teachers) in their work were studied, and the profiles obtained for the students were compared with those identified by the professionals in each field. Results revealed significant differences between the profiles of the two groups of students, with the teacher training students scoring higher on interpersonal skills; differences were also found between professionals and students for most competencies, with professionals in both fields demanding more competencies that those evidenced by graduates. The implications of these results for the incorporation of generic social, emotional and personal competencies into the university curriculum are discussed.

Motivation and task performance in a task-based web-based tandem project

The objective of this paper is to describe a task-based project in tandem via e-mail, and to discuss the effects of motivation on task performance. In this project, a group of Irish students and a group of Spanish students are asked to carry out a series of tasks in collaboration with their tandem partners via e-mail by means of a web page especially designed for the project. Half the message is meant to be written in the student’s native language and half in the target language, and students are also encouraged to correct one another. The goal behind our research is to discuss the effects of motivation on task performance. We argue that resource directing (such as reasoning demands) and resource depleting factors (such as prior knowledge) which belong to task complexity in Robinson’s model (Robinson, 2001) are closely connected to affective variables which, as is the case with motivation, belong to task difficulty. Motivational factors like interest in the meanings to be exchanged, involvement in the decision-making process, students’ expertise in the topic, media and materials used, and the diffusion of outcomes among others have strong effects on task performance, and should therefore be considered together with complexity variables.