Mexican Students Research Articles

Teacher Autonomy Support in Physical Education Classes as a Predictor of Motivation and Concentration in Mexican Students.

There is a strong belief that physical education can affect an individual’s physical activity, healthy habits, and behaviors through pleasant, positive, and significant exercise experiences, a practical knowledge base, and comprehensive teaching strategies. However, a crucial cognitive aspect for the effective and significant learning of the activities offered in the educational environment is the concentration of students. This study aims to test a hypothetical model based on self-determination theory to assess the degree of support prediction provided by the teacher for student autonomy in the various types of motivation and on student concentration in physical education classes in high schools within the Mexican context and test invariance across gender groups. This study included 859 students between 11 and 16 years from different high schools in the city of San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León (México). The Learning Climate Questionnaire, the Perceived Locus of Causality, and the Concentration scale adapted to physical education and translated into Mexican Spanish were used. Results showed good internal consistency for all instruments. Both the measurement model and the structural equation modeling showed satisfactory adjustment indexes. The results revealed that the autonomy support positively predicted autonomous motivation, controlled motivation to a lesser extent, and amotivation negatively. Furthermore, the students’ concentration was highly and positively predicted by autonomous motivation, by controlled motivation to a lesser extent, and by amotivation negatively. The model predicted 39% of variance of autonomous motivation with large effect size (ƒ2 = 0.64), 2% of controlled motivation with small effect size (ƒ2 = 0.02), 8% of amotivation with small effect size (ƒ2 = 0.09), and 49% of concentration with large effect size (ƒ2 = 0.96). Finally, the invariance analysis revealed that the model fit was invariant across gender groups. The results of this study emphasize how important it is for teachers to adopt an interpersonal style of autonomy support to generate a motivational climate that influences the concentration of students. This could contribute to the achievement of the purposes and educational objectives of the physical education class, which, in turn, might be conducive to students adopting healthy lifestyles in adolescence and beyond.

Tlatelolco 1968: Memoria de un antropólogo

Este texto está basado en la conferencia de clausura del V Congreso Mexicano de Antropología Social y Etnología que, con el título de «La participación de las y los antropólogos en el movimiento estudiantil del 68», tuve el honor de impartir en la sede de la ENAH en octubre de 2018, justo cuando se cumplían 50 años de una masacre que cambió al país e impactó en toda América Latina. No es LA memoria de aquellos días, sino una particular memoria, la que nace de mis recuerdos como miembro del Consejo Nacional de Huelga. El movimiento estudiantil generado en las fechas previas a la celebración de las Olimpiadas buscaba implantar un régimen político democrático, desterrar el autoritarismo y la corrupción, garantizar la libertad de prensa y de pensamiento, y, en general, instaurar en México el respeto a la libertad ciudadana y el combate contra la desigualdad social. Esto fue visto por el establishment como un peligro para el autoritario orden establecido, por lo que optó por reprimirlo de modo sangriento. Aunque los estudiantes del 68 no consiguieron todo lo que perseguían, México experimentó cambios en su vida pública a partir de un proceso que se inició inmediatamente después de ese movimiento.

Los jóvenes mexicanos y sus construcciones relacionadas con los roles de género

El objetivo del artículo fue estudiar la percepción que tienen universitarios mexicanos acerca de los roles de género en el hogar y el mercado de trabajo. Lo anterior se realizó a través de la construcción de un cuestionario con escalas tipo Likert. Este es un estudio transversal con una muestra de 1408 estudiantes, donde se llevó a cabo el análisis factorial y modelos lineales generalizados. Se obtuvieron cuatro factores: 1) las mujeres y el trabajo doméstico, 2) los hombres y la familia, 3) el mercado de trabajo y 4) el cuidado y educación de los hijos. Se concluye que las instituciones de educación deberían comprometerse en la implementación de programas de sensibilización orientados hacia una educación sobre la igualdad de género, reforzando las estrategias en aquellos grupos vulnerables de jóvenes que provienen de estratos socioeconómicos poco favorecidos.

Assessment of Affinity towards Diversity Using the Implicit Association Test and Self-Reports

Affinity towards diversity (ATD) is the tendency to appreciate the dynamic variety of biophysical and socio-cultural scenarios. ATD may reveal a human predisposition to conserve the diversity necessary to guarantee the preservation of human and natural ecosystems. This study expands upon previous studies which employed only self-report measures by introducing a version of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and by using a mediational model to test whether ATD through sustainable (pro-environmental and pro-social) behaviors leads to greater wellbeing. We recruited 119 Mexican students to complete a computerized IAT task and respond to ATD, wellbeing, and sustainable behavior self-report questionnaires. Reliability analyses of the scales utilized showed acceptable indexes. A mediational model was tested to examine whether sustainable behaviors mediate the relationship between ATD and wellbeing. Results demonstrated that affinity towards diversity indirectly predicted wellbeing via the mediating effects of pro-environmental behaviors and altruism. Despite finding an association between self-reported affinity towards biodiversity and IAT reaction times, an association was not found with D scores, highlighting the need for further research. These findings suggest that those with increased inclination towards diversity are more prone to engage in environmentally (both physical and social) protective behaviors and to experience psychological wellbeing.

Impact of augmented reality technology on academic achievement and motivation of students from public and private Mexican schools. A case study in a middle-school geometry course

In this paper, the authors show that augmented reality technology has a positive impact on learning-related outcomes of middle-school Mexican students. However, the impact varies depending on whether students were enrolled in public or private schools.The authors designed an augmented reality application for students to practice the basic principles of geometry, and a similar application which encompasses identical learning objectives and content deployed in a Web-based learning environment. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design was employed with 93 participants to investigate the effect of type of technology (web, augmented reality), type of school (private, public), and time of assessment (pre, post) on motivation, and declarative learning. The results show that: (1) there is an interactive effect of type of technology, type of school, and time of assessment when students' achievement scores are measured; (2) students using the augmented reality-based learning environments scored higher in post-test than those using the web-based application; (3) the augmented reality learning environment was more learning effective compared with the web-based learning environment in public schools, but not in private schools; (4) there is not an interactive effect of type of technology, type of school and time of assessment when students' motivation is measured; (5) students from private schools reported higher levels of motivation compared with those from public schools when using the augmented reality learning environment. The research findings imply that in Mexico, augmented reality technology can be exploited as an effective learning environment for helping middle-school students from public and private schools to practice the basic principles of Geometry.

Anxiety toward Math: A Descriptive Analysis by Sociodemographic Variable

<p style="text-align:justify">The following analysis provides evidence from the comparative levels of anxiety towards mathematics of the variables from the categories presented by the AMARS and sociodemographic variables as well. A sample of 381 economics students in Mexico answered the survey. For data analysis, descriptive statistics (x̄, Sd.) was carried out and to identify if there are significant differences of means in the sociodemographic variables, the ANOVA analysis was carried out. Although in general the anxiety towards mathematics presented in Mexican economics students is “very little”, in the dimension of mathematical evaluation the results of the descriptive analysis show that economics students from the south of Mexico have more anxiety than students from other regions. Regarding gender, women feel more anxiety than men towards mathematics evaluation. Likewise, students from public institutions show greater anxiety towards mathematics in the evaluation processes than those belonging to private. Finally, ANOVA test showed that the variable Region showed values less than 0.05 in two of three dimensions (ANXTASK and ANXCOUR). The ANXEVAL dimension showed values < 0.05 in the variable Gender as the ANXEVAL and ANXCOUR showed values < 0.05 in the variable University, this because there is a difference in means.</p>

Pre-university students’ mathematical connections when sketching the graph of derivative and antiderivative functions

The aim of this research was to explore the mathematical connections that pre-university students make when they sketch the graph of a derivative function and an antiderivative function. Also, we tried to explain the origin of the mathematical connections identified. We assume mathematical connections as a cognitive process through which a person makes a true relationship between two or more mathematical ideas, concepts, definitions, theorems, or meanings with each other. Task-based interviews were used to collect data which included two graphical tasks that involved the derivative function and the antiderivative function. Through thematic analysis, we identified five types of intra-mathematical connections: procedural, different representations, part-whole, feature, and reversibility, which can serve as a preliminary theoretical framework to study mathematical connections in Calculus in future research; this is a contribution of this research. In addition, results indicated that Mexican students seldom used visualization to solve graphical tasks, so in future research, classroom intervention proposals should be developed to promote the use of visualization including the development of the ability to make mathematical connections, in order to improve their mathematical understanding.

Suicide-related behavior and health-related quality of life among first-year university students in a Mexican university

The objective was to determine if suicide-related behavior (SRB) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) are associated and whether this association is independent of substance use, violence, and sociodemographic variables. It involved a cross-sectional study with 1,229 Mexican university students: 62.4% women; 37.6% men; age 18.2± .6 years. The YRBS and KISDSCREEN questionnaires were applied. The results were as follows: 14.2% students reported despair; 4.7% had suicidal ideation (SI); 4% had suicidal tendencies (ST); and 2.3% had attempted suicide. Multiple logistic regression models show that despair increased the possibility of lower scores in all HRQL domains except economic resources with odds ratio OR (CI 95%) ranging from 1.5 (1.0-2.3) for autonomy to 4.6 (3.1-6.8) for state of mind. The SI increased the possibility of a lower score in relationships with parents and family life (3.9, 1.7-8.9) and in friends and social support (2.9, 1.3-6.4). The ST increased the possibility for lower physical (2.7, 1.2-6.1) and psychological well-being (3.1, 1.3-7.2). HRQL is associated with SRB among Mexican students even after adjustment for substance use and violence. It highlights the fact that despair is negatively associated with different domains of the HRQL of the students.

E-cigarette use frequency and motivations among current users in middle school

IntroductionThe popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has increased worldwide among youth, even in countries like Mexico that ban them. This study aimed to assess the correlates of e-cigarette use frequency among Mexican students who currently use ecigarettes, as well as to describe their reasons for use. MethodsData were analyzed from a school-based survey of 57 public middle schools from the three largest cities in Mexico. Primary analyses were confined to those who used e-cigarettes in the prior 30 days. Censored binomial models for truncated distributions were estimated, regressing lifetime and past month frequency of use on participant sociodemographics, other substance use (smoking, alcohol, drugs), technophilia (appeal of new technologies), characteristics of e-cigarettes used, and family's and friends' use of nicotine products. ResultsBeing male (APR = 1.93 95% CI 1.53–2.44), using drugs, (APR = 1.51 95% CI 1.03–2.20), higher technophilia (APR = 1.66 CI 1.21–2.29) and having a family member who uses e-cigarettes and cigarettes were associated with more frequent use in the last month. Students who preferred fruit and combined flavors had used e-cigarettes more often in their lifetime compared to students who preferred mint/menthol flavors. ConclusionsSome risk factors for more frequent e-cigarette use among Mexican youth are similar to those foudn in other countries (having relatives who use ecigarettes, using drugs, and use of fruit flavors). Additionally, the novel measure of technophilia was positively associated with frequency of e-cigarette use. The appeal of flavors, in particular, suggests the importance of reducing youth access to flavored products to impede product initiation and progression.

Orthorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorder symptomatology in Mexican students

Orthorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorder symptomatology in Mexican students

Mexican descent college student risky sexual behaviors and alcohol use: The role of general and cultural based coping with discrimination

Objective This study investigates cultural and general coping strategies as potential protective or risk factors to risky sexual behaviors (RSBs) and alcohol use in the face of discrimination for Mexican descent college students. Participants: Data collection was conducted from September 2016 to May 2017 and included 796 Mexican descent emerging adults. Methods: Linear regressions were conducted to test main and interaction effects of discrimination, and general and cultural coping strategies on RSBs and alcohol use issues. Results: Higher discrimination experiences were not associated with RSBs or alcohol use issues. Only ethnicity-based coping was found to be a significant moderator to the relationships between discrimination and the outcome variables of RSBs and alcohol use issues. Conclusions: This study has implications for the way mental health clinicians explore the intersection of ethnic identity and coping as a means of understanding the relationship among discrimination, RSBs, and alcohol use issues.

The Relationships between High School Subjects in terms of School Satisfaction and Academic Performance in Mexican Adolescents.

Adolescents’ academic performance and the way it is related to their subjective wellbeing are issues of great interest across educational systems. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how satisfaction with high school subjects can predict school satisfaction and academic performance in Mexican students. The sample consisted of 457 high school students in the Baja California and Nuevo León states in Mexico (247 boys, 210 girls); their mean age being 14.10 (SD = 0.84). We used a questionnaire featuring a subject satisfaction scale, an intrinsic school satisfaction scale, and one related to academic grades. We used descriptive analyses, correlations, and structural regression models. In terms of results, the high satisfaction and academic performance levels in physical education, Spanish and English are worth highlighting. Geography and history are the most relevant predictors of academic grades, while Spanish predicts school satisfaction and physical education predicts boredom. In conclusion, satisfaction with mathematics, Spanish, and English are strong predictors of satisfaction (SATF), and the latter in turn predicts Mexican high school students’ academic performance.

Dimensions of Self-Construal Associated with Self-Esteem and Depression: A Study among Mexican Students

The relationship between dimensions of self-construal and reported mood states is examined among two samples of Mexican students. Scales focused on seven different aspects of self-construal were employed. Respondents favored predominantly individualistic ways of describing themselves, but also scored high on connection to others. These effects were particularly strong among respondents from Tijuana when compared with those from Mexico City. Depressive mood state was predicted by higher self-reported connection with others, commitment to others, receptiveness to influence and behavioral variability. High self-esteem was predicted by higher self-reported consistency, self-orientation, self-direction and expressiveness.

Estatus de peso, conductas alimentarias de riesgo e insatisfacción corporal en mujeres adolescentes y jóvenes

Objetivo: evaluar la asociación entre conductas alimentarias de riesgo, estatus de peso e insatisfacción corporal en mujeres adolescentes y jóvenes mexicanas. Materiales y métodos: participaron 487 mujeres, de una preparatoria pública (50,3%; Edad: media = 16,5, desviación estándar = 1.0 años) y de una universidad pública (49.7%; Edad: media = 19,7, desviación estándar = 1.4 años), seleccionadas con un muestreo no-probabilístico de tipo intencional. Considerando la edad se formaron dos grupos etarios (adolescentes y jóvenes). Las participantes contestaron una cédula de datos generales donde se reportó peso y estatura, asimismo, contestaron el Test de Actitudes Alimentarias y el Cuestionario de Imagen Corporal, ambos validados para población mexicana. Resultados: se encontró que 11,4% de las adolescentes y 6.6% de las jóvenes reportaron conductas alimentarias de riesgo; las de mayor presencia fueron la dieta restrictiva, evitar alimentos con azúcar y el conteo de calorías. Entre las jóvenes, a mayor índice de masa corporal mayor presencia de conductas alimentarias de riesgo, no así entre las adolescentes. De manera general, las participantes con exceso de peso presentaron cinco veces mayor probabilidad de desarrollar conductas alimentarias de riesgo. Mientras que 18,8% de las adolescentes y 19,8% de las jóvenes presentaron insatisfacción corporal. Finalmente, en ambos grupos las conductas alimentarias de riesgo se asociaron con la insatisfacción corporal, excepto la conducta de vómito. Conclusiones: es necesario implementar medidas preventivas en esta población considerando el estatus de peso y la presencia de insatisfacción corporal.

Intento suicida: veinticinco años de investigación en estudiantes mexicanos de Educación Media Superior

De acuerdo con la Organización Mundial de la Salud el intento suicida representa un desafío para la salud pública. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo describir la investigación que se ha llevado a cabo en estudiantes mexicanos de Educación Media Superior, en quienes se registró o midió el intento suicida, mediante la revisión de las investigaciones publicadas en revistas científicas entre los años de 1993 y 2017. Se identificaron 17 artículos con tres formas diferentes de preguntas además de la no especificación de la manera en que registró o midió el intento suicida. El 76.48% de los artículos no detalló el año en que se llevó a cabo la recolección de sus datos. La edad de los participantes osciló de 12 a 24 años. El 88.23% de las investigaciones emplearon el porcentaje como el indicador de la presencia de intento suicida el cual osciló de 7.20% a 12.50%. Cuatro de los 17 investigaciones (23.52%) reportaron: 1) el porcentaje de la presencia de intento suicida por género: en los varones osciló de 3.10% a 7.70%, y en las mujeres de 9.70% a 15.60%; 2) la razón intento suicida mujer/hombre cuyo valor fue de 2 a 3.

The bilingual adquisition of narrative discourse: The case of mexican students who learn French-L2

El interés de este artículo es entender la adquisición bilingüe y el interlenguaje (IL) – i.e. “el desarrollo de la competencia de la segunda lengua por parte de los estudiantes” que es independiente de la lengua materna (L1) y de la lengua meta y que tiene una lógica propia (Lightbown y Spada, 2013: 220) -, con base en los errores interlinguales que caracterizan al bilingüismo subordinado y compuesto, y en los errores intralinguales y marcas normativas que caracterizan al bilingüismo coordinado. Nuestra mirada se centra específicamente en la adquisición del sistema verbal del pasado y futuro del discurso narrativo del francés lengua extranjera (L2).

Alfabetização Quantitativa em Alunos da Terceira Série da Primária por meio de Jogo Sério

The last results of national and international evaluations, show that learning math is complex for Mexican students. Different plans and techniques have been implemented to counter this problem, one of them is the use of different technology in the classroom. During the last two decades, the videogame industry in Mexico has gained great traction among children, teenagers and young people, which is why the advantages of these kind of technologic tools must be harnessed. In this paper, we present a serious game to improve quantitative literacy in children studying the third grade of primary school. To design it, an iterative design model that contemplates four stages was use: planification, development, evaluation and improvement; emphasizing the instruction design. Through a quasi-experiment during a two-month period, the game was tested in a class of 33 morning shift third-grade students. The results obtained demonstrated quantitatively an increase in the students’ skills. It was shown, that out of the three subconstructs that constitute quantitative literacy, two of those (natural numbers and mathematical operations) showed significant improvement after treatment. The students enjoyed and engaged with the serious game, which is why it is expected to use this tool in the future in different Mexican communities.

Multiple pathways to multilingual investment: a collective case study of self-identified Mexican students in the U.S

ABSTRACTThe children of (im)migrants are the fastest growing population in U.S. schools at the same time there is increased anti-(im)migrant discourse, creating a unique linguistic ecology for its students. These multinational, multilingual, and multicultural students often encounter mononational, monolingual, and monocultural ideologies in their schools and communities. The result is that potentially hybridized learning contexts turn into sites of struggle for continued positive multilingual identities and investments. This multiple case study implemented surveys and interviews to explore the factors that contribute to the high multilingual investment of three self-identifying Mexican students residing in the U.S. Findings indicate that strong family relationships, formal coursework in Spanish, as well as a strong ethnic identity as Mexicans are interrelated factors that contribute to their high multilingual investment. In turn, this study suggests there are multiple pathways for Spanish-speakers residing in the U.S. to maintain, develop, and regularly use their Spanish abilities even in English hegemonic contexts. Dual language education is a powerful factor, but formal Spanish courses at the secondary and post-secondary level are also equally strong contributors when dual language education is not available. Furthermore, years of schooling in Mexico can counter monolingual educational contexts that adolescents often encounter. Implications for how educators may further facilitate positive and powerful multilingual identities and investments with their students along the educational pipeline are explored with a specific attention to Spanish language programming and raciolinguistic ideologies.

Desarrollo moral en los estudiantes mexicanos: Un análisis de la visión de justicia de la teoría de Kohlberg

La educación implica cambios profundos generadores de procesos inacabables de construcción del sujeto. Actualmente, la educación recurre a la capacitación para la productividad y la competitividad, mediante un conocimiento memorístico, mecánico y utilitarista. La tarea del Siglo XXI para los ciudadanos es asumir su responsabilidad cívica. El objetivo de la investigación era determinar el desarrollo moral de un grupo de estudiantes mexicanos de acuerdo a la teoría y metodología de Kohlberg. A partir de entrevistas focalizadas se obtuvieron resultados con niveles preconvencionales, donde prevalece el respeto a las leyes, sin importar el bien común, hasta niveles convencionales, en los cuales se respetan las leyes, la justicia y el bienestar general. Con el fin de mejorar esta visión moral y de justicia, precursora del bien común se proponen estrategias educativas para los estudiantes.

Zapotec Identity as a Matter of Schooling

Little research has been dedicated to Indigenous Mexican students’ education and their sociocultural adaptation to U.S. schools, which includes their ethnic identity as significant to their schooling experiences. This study examines Zapotec-origin youth, original to the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, and how their Indigenous identity can positively impact their education. Often, educators have limited knowledge about Mexico’s ethnoracial groups, presume that their Mexican students share indistinguishable characteristics, and are unaware that Indigenous students are ever-present in their classrooms. Through in-depth interviews, this study reveals how Zapotec high school students assert their Indigenous identity as a basis for developing viable approaches for their overall educational success.