Schools In Spain Research Articles

A Transcultural Approach to EIL Teaching and its Impact on Learners’ National Identities

This article reports on an initiative characterised by a transcultural approach to English Language Teaching (ELT) which may be seen as an instance of Internationalisation at Home (IAH). Participants were ninety-five learners of English from three secondary schools in Spain and Poland who stayed in touch throughout the project through Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC). The article explores the impact of this particular IAH experience on the participants’ national identities through a combination of qualitative and quantitative data. Data point to national identity discourses being perceived very differently by the Spanish and Polish participants in the sample, and show how the participants’ positions with regard to such discourses change during the programme. The results challenge the notion that transcultural competence may result in the individual perceiving him/herself as culturally closer to members of other imagined communities. Instead, they point to the gradual erasure of national imagined communities as transcultural competence develops, thus opening up a new avenue of research.Keywords: Internationalisation at Home; national identity; transcultural pedagogy; English as an International Language; Computer-Mediated Communication; ethnocentrism

Movimiento por la educación transformadora y la ciudadanía global

En este artículo presentamos al movimiento por la educación transformadora y la ciudadanía global, un movimiento que intenta contribuir a la reflexión y al debate para generar nuevos modelos de ciudadanía y que está dirigido a las personas que desde los centros educativos se enfrentan a la retadora tarea de educar para la ciudadanía global. Asimismo, compartimos reflexiones y experiencias de algunos de estos centros que en España vienen incorporando esta línea en sus centros educativos.

EFL learners’ speaking proficiency and its connection to emotional understanding, willingness to communicate and musical experience

One of the main reasons for studying a foreign language is communicating with others, but many students do not feel confidently enough when trying to develop their speaking skills. Among adolescents’ frequent activities are that of listening to music while paying attention to song lyrics. We hypothesize that these musical experiences could influence their speaking skills. The present study aims to consider different factors that could influence students’ speaking proficiency. Among these factors, students’ emotional understanding, their willingness to communicate in a FL and their musical experience are considered. One hundred and twenty-four students of English as a foreign language (EFL) in the fourth year of Secondary Education from three different high schools in Spain took part in the study. Oral data were collected through individual interviews and three scales were administered to measure the different factors. Students’ musical experience and emotional response to music were measured through The Absorption in Music Scale, their emotional understanding of verbal texts through The Situational Test of Emotional Understanding – Brief, and their willingness to communicate in the EFL class through Willingness to Communicate Scale. Although no direct connection was found between students’ musical experience and their speaking proficiency, results demonstrate that students with high emotional understanding show better speaking skills and that students with musical experience exhibited higher emotional understanding. We detected a significant positive connection between emotional understanding and all the five parameters considered to assess students’ speaking proficiency. The connection between willingness to communicate in the EFL class and students’ speaking skills is even greater.

Attachment Picture Story (APS)

Abstract. The Attachment Pictures Story (APS) is an adaptation of the Patte Noire thematic projective test to evaluate internal representations of attachment in adolescents. It consists in analyzing the responses to the stories in seven selected pictures, which elicit attachment experiences. The purpose of this study is to describe the development and verification of the reliability and validity parameters of the APS based on a sample of 77 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years ( M = 14.71; SD = 2.07) who were enrolled in schools in Spain. The results show evidence of the instrument’s psychometric properties. Satisfactory content validity through inter-rater agreement of four experts for pictures and items as well as suitable reliability indexes were found. The exploratory factory analysis confirms the five pre-established categories based on theory (secure/insecure avoidant, insecure fearful, insecure resistant, and unresolved). The APS appears to be a psychometrically suitable instrument for evaluating attachment patterns in adolescents in a quantitative and qualitative way. Having a specific projective test that helps us understand adolescents may be useful in facilitating the expression of early and sometimes adverse attachment relationships, which are difficult to externalize.

Parental involvement in Spanish schools: The role of Parents’ Associations (AMPAs)

The involvement of families in Spanish schools is a legally recognised right, a social demand, an educational need and a permanent challenge. However, there are limited opportunities for families to become engaged with schools in Spain. Their primary avenues for involvement are Parents’ Associations ( Asociaciones de Madres y Padres de Alumnos, known as AMPAs), but there has been little research on them to date. This article describes a qualitative study carried out in collaboration with 36 AMPAs from Spanish state schools, aimed at understanding how their members describe, interpret and assess their current situation. The findings showed that AMPAs foster activities to galvanise schools, but that they demanded increased decision-making powers, additional training and support in managing the association. It can be concluded that AMPAs are a means of promoting significant parental involvement, which merits further study and a wider social dissemination.

Inclusión social y los centros de educación de adultos en Europa

Lifelong learning has become an emerging phenomenon that influences a large part of European education policies. This European project deals how the adult education promotes the employment and the social inclusion, especially for people in their multiple situations of vulnerability. This work is developed under the leadership of the University of Oviedo and it analyzes the action of several adult schools in Spain and Italy. The project brings together synergies internationally in order to improve the work of teachers of these schools, since this is where is located one of the main public access routes to the normalization of these people in society. Our main objective is to show these methodologies and the characteristics of these systems. We use a descriptive methodology from the perspective of the teacher training. The analysis of these centers was carried out through a questionnaire to quantify each component and the educational variables of these schools. The analysis highlights their characteristics, and the results detect their tasks, their methodologies, and a large unknown action. In essence, the activity focuses on offering, those over eighteen years old, the possibility of acquiring and developing skills aimed at facilitating employment and their active participation in social dynamics. The breadth and variety of its teachings makes these centers a representation of the diversity in our society. The project discovers how are the teachers, their academic profile, and the challenges to provide each student with the answer to his/her needs, with the aim of developing their capabilities to the fullest.

Promoting Shared Strategic Reflection in a Spanish Network of Schools: A Case Study

ABSTRACT Schools face social, economic, cultural and technological change that makes the need to address the process of strategic reflection relevant for leaders. Compared to a traditional model of strategic planning, this article proposes a new approach in which the future emerges through the construction of a shared vision. The objective of this study is the development of a framework to promote, in a school or network of schools, a shared reflection about the future based on the Theory U developed by Scharmer. This theory helps make organizations aware of the environment, define the desired future and select projects to achieve it. In addition, it emphasizes the participation of all members of the organization (or network) in the reflection process. This paper presents the case study of the shared reflection process of “Kristau Eskola” (an educational network of schools in Spain), in which 93 school directors participated. The conclusions of the study reveal the usefulness of Theory U to support strategic reflection processes; they highlight the advantages of being part of a network; reveal the generation of a shared mission, vision and values; and finally, point out specific projects to be addressed by the leaders for building the desired future.

Philosophy at Secondary Schools in Spain

Philosophy at Secondary Schools in Spain

Pedro Pérez de Albéniz: Fortepiano Fantasies

I have always felt curious about the time periods between composers such as Antonio Soler or Domenico Scarlatti, belonging to the first half of the 18th century, and others like Enrique Granados, Isaac Albeniz or Manuel de Falla, who were active between the end of the 19th-century and the first half of the 20th-century. During the last decades, research has been done about some of the most important composers of this period. Among all of them, Pedro Pérez de Albéniz (1795-1855) stands out. His importance as a composer and, above all, as a teacher was fundamental in creating a solid and successful piano school in Spain. His pianism is inspired, in order of increasing importance, by Spanish folklore, Italian opera and the pianistic writing and resources used in 19th-century Paris, and is influenced by two capital figures: Friedrich Kalkbrenner (1785-1849) and Henri Herz (1803-1888). Finally, his fantasies are the most ambitious works of his catalog. They are the ones that best exhibit the characteristics of his pianistic language. They are essential to understanding where Pedro Albéniz can be placed within the Spanish piano literature and illustrate how deep Romanticism had come at this time in the context of the Spanish piano.

Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption, Personality, and Cybervictimization among Adolescents.

Cyberbullying has emerged as a public health problem. Personality may play an important role in substance use and cybervictimization. The aim of this study was to examine whether tobacco and alcohol consumption and personality traits are associated with cybervictimization in Spanish adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 765 secondary students (aged 14–16) from 16 secondary schools in Spain. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics; tobacco and alcohol consumption; cybervictimization (Garaigordobil Scale); and personality traits (Big Five Questionnaire). A logistic regression model controlling for sex, age, parental education and personality traits was used to determine the independent associations and interactions between tobacco and alcohol consumption and cybervictimization. The results indicate that a total of 305 adolescents (39.9%) reported that they were cyberbullied in the past year. Girls were more likely to be cyberbullied than boys. Cybervictims had a significantly greater monthly alcohol consumption (OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.05–2.15), higher scores for extraversion (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.06–1.63) and emotional instability (OR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.27–1.83); as well as lower scores for conscientiousness (OR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.63–0.95). These results suggest that personality traits and alcohol consumption are independently associated with cybervictimization. Our study suggests the existence of underlying common personality factors for cybervictimization and alcohol and tobacco use.

Let the kids play: gamification as a CPR training methodology in secondary school students. A quasi-experimental manikin simulation study

ObjectiveGamification is a non-evaluation and competition-based training methodology with high emotional involvement. The goal of this study was to evaluate gamification methodology as compared with other existing methodologies when teaching...

Análisis de la implantación de la metodología BIM en los grados de ingeniería industrial en España bajo la perspectiva de las competencias.

Every day, the BIM Methodology (Building Information Modeling) is getting closer to the companies and other members of the AEC sector (Architecture, Engineering and Construction), as well as to educational institutions that are starting to train new professionals on this matter. The roadmap set by the es.BIM Commission establishes the mandatory use of BIM for all public construction tenders as of December 17th, 2018 and for infrastructure tenders as of July 26th, 2019. The purpose of this paper is to make public and share the results of the research work concerning the state of implementation of BIM at different universities and Industrial Engineering Schools in Spain. However, are Spanish universities prepared for the challenge? Are teachers prepared for this? And what about the situation in Latin America? The study undertook a bibliographical review and analysis of publications addressing this topic, and talks given in specialized conferences. Different teaching experiences were analyzed and compared among several Spanish universities, and the problems encountered, the results obtained, future improvements and needs detected in relation to their implementation processes and procedures, have been taken into account

Razones de desagrado en las chicas en el primer ciclo de educación primaria

El objetivo de esta investigación fue obtener las opiniones de los niños pequeños con respecto a sus razones por las que una compañera no les gusta.Para lograr este objetivo, realizamos un estudio cualitativo en el contexto de la investigación de construcción teórica utilizando una metodología de análisis basada en la teoría fundamentada. La información recopilada se extrajo mediante entrevistas individuales semiestructuradas de una muestra de 853 niños (430 chicos y 423 chicas) de 5 a 7 años de edad, escolarizados en 13 escuelas públicas urbanas.Los niños proporcionaron 3,009 razones por la que no les gustaba un compañero de clase. Del análisis cualitativo emergieron siete categorías de razones. Identidad personal, identidad social, falta de familiaridad, comportamientos sociales y escolares problemáticos, perturbación del bienestar, conductas dominantes y conductas agresivas. Las nominaciones negativas entre compañeros del mismo sexo son menos numerosas que entre compañeros de distinto género. Tanto niños como niñas emiten más razones de desagrado hacia los niños, en especial las chicas, lo cual provoca quelos niños sean quienes reciben más nominaciones negativas (64.1%).Las conductas de agresión son las que más frecuentemente nombran ambos sexos, en especial las agresiones físicas. El orden de frecuencia de las categorías de razones de desagrado es muy similar en niños y en niñas, si bien las niñas emiten más razones de agresión verbal, intimidación y perturbación del bienestar que los niños, y menos de falta de familiaridad y de agresión física. Sin embargo, hay notables diferencias entre niñas y niños en las razones que reciben. Las razones que expresan relaciones aversivas o falta de relación y las conductas dominantes son motivos más frecuentes en el rechazo de las chicas que en el de los chicos, mientras que en estos son las conductas agresivas físicas, las conductas problemáticas y las perturbaciones del bienestar.

Acoustic Comfort in Learning Spaces: Moving Towards Sustainable Development Goals

The association between learning spaces and new pedagogical approaches is a current issue. Research shows that the classical, more silent, master class is being bypassed by student centered methods with participative classes and active methodologies. Major efforts in teacher training are taken to help teachers implement these new approaches in their lessons. The conditions of the learning space are also influential. The following question is raised: Can acoustic comfort facilitate innovation and consequently help in the progress towards SDG? We have focused on public high schools in Spain (IES), in the Valencian Community. Data has been gathered from the visit to thirty high schools. International scientific studies and valid guidelines referring to noise have been reviewed. Findings on the research conclude that acoustic comfort is essential in education and is directly related with the implementation of emerging pedagogies. Likewise, the outcomes of the investigation hope to raise awareness among authorities and civil society that improvement of sound quality in learning spaces facilitates the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDG), particularly those concerning goal 3 (health and wellbeing), goal 4 (quality education) and goal 9 (sustainable infrastructures).

Garrido Martín, Joaquín, Die historische Rechtsschule in Spanien? Puchtas Begriff des Gewohnheitsrechts und seine Rezeption in der spanischen Rechtswissenschaft

Abstract The German Historical School in Spain? Puchta’s concept of customary law and its reception in Spanish Jurisprudence. During the 19th century, German Jurisprudence, through the work of the Historical School of Law and the Pandectist Studies, had a decisive influence on Spanish legal science as well as in other surrounding countries. However, the introduction of the doctrines of the Historical School in Spain has generally been regarded with skepticism by legal historians: the common conclusion is that in Spain there is no reception of the Rechtsschule. After a critical review of this traditional understanding of the reception of the School, I offer an analysis of the mid-century introduction of the concept of customary law developed within the Historical School, based on the doctrine of the Überzeugungstheorie (Puchta). The German doctrine of customary law was well received by the jurists who, from the first codification projects, privileged legal custom as the primary source of law. I maintain that one can speak on the one hand of the ‘projection’ in Spain of a philosophy – the vague legal historicism condensed in the notion of the Volksgeist –, and on the other hand of a clearer ‘reception’ of the doctrinal concept of legal custom elaborated within the Historical School.

Public and Household Spending in Private, Publicly-Funded Private and Public Schools in Spain during the Economic Crisis (2007-2012)

In Spain, the economic crisis was characterised by cut-backs in public spending on education services and a reduction in households’ purchasing power. This article aims: (1) to analyse public spending per student in private, publicly-funded private and public schools from 2007 to 2012; (2) to determine whether household spending on education per student rose in that period; and (3) to ascertain whether the differences among types of school by their students’ socio-economic backgrounds varied in the period studied. Public spending for public and publicly-funded private schools was cut back and increased for private schools. Household spending rose in public and in private institutions and was stable in publicly-funded private schools. Inter-category differences in the breakdown of student bodies by socio-economic background were not observed to change.

English language in the classroom: A text dramatization experience in Galicia

Learning English as a Foreign Language has become a key objective to be achieved over the last years. In Primary Education schools in Spain, they are many the teachers who direct their efforts to this issue. From Galicia, a dynamic, entertaining and inclusive educative response in the English classroom has been proposed. The experience has been based on a text dramatization.

Descriptive and comparative analysis of School Inclusion through Index for Inclusion

Aligning the paradigm of inclusive education, the main objective that promoted this study presented below was to evaluate the approach and inclusive measures implemented to 430 education professionals from different centres educational primary school in Spain. The questionnaire assesses the three dimensions that Booth & Ainscow (2011) define inclusive education (Cultures, Policies and Practices). In this study, it is performed a descriptive and comparative analysis of the questionnaire to analyse the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of inclusive educational approaches. The type of school (public, rural or private), schools are learning communities, number of teachers, results that analyse the content of the items of the instrument and turn relate the degree of inclusion as contributing variables support, number of pupils with special educational needs, type of school grouping, family involvement, coexistence and expectations.

Rationale and design of the school-based SI! Program to face obesity and promote health among Spanish adolescents: A cluster-randomized controlled trial

The main goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of the SI! Program educational intervention on adolescent lifestyle behaviors and health parameters. The study was designed as a cluster-randomized controlled intervention trial and enrolled 1326 adolescents from 24 public secondary schools in Spain, together with their parents/caregivers. Schools and their students were randomly assigned to the intervention group (the SI! curriculum-based educational program over 2 or 4 academic years) or to the control group (usual curriculum). The primary endpoint will be the change from baseline at 2-year and 4-year follow-up in the composite Ideal Cardiovascular Health (ICH) score, consisting of four health behaviors (body mass index, dietary habits, physical activity, and smoking) and three health factors (blood pressure, total cholesterol, and glucose). Secondary endpoints will include 2-year and 4-year changes from baseline in ICH score subcomponents, the Fuster-BEWAT health scale, adiposity markers (waist circumference and body composition), polyphenol and carotenoid intake, and emotion management. The overarching goal of the SI! Program is to instill healthy behaviors in children and adolescents that can be sustained into adulthood. The SI! Program for Secondary School is a comprehensive health-promotion intervention targeting 12-16-year-old adolescents and their immediate environment. The present study addresses the optimal timing and impact of the educational intervention on health in adolescence.

Primary Education schools and pedagogical renewal: Reviewing experiences

Objective: In this article we review the support of several representative Primary Education schools in Spain (2015-16) for a pedagogical renewal that move away from the traditional model. Method: The methodology focuses on the study of outstanding bibliography, interviews with significant members, observation of centres and analysis of the content of educational projects. Results: The centers selected for analysis show multiple common pedagogical aspects, such as the participation of the educational community, the promotion of creativity among the students, as well as curricular, methodological and organizational flexibility. Discussion and Conclusion: Despite the uniqueness of each project, all show multiple common pedagogical aspects. This is due to the direct influence of the Spanish pedagogical renewal developed throughout the 20th century which has shaped the current renewing map of which this article analyses specific examples