University Of Chile Research Articles

Validation of a self-assessment questionnaire of clinical competencies acquired in intrahospital simulated clinical practice

Introduction: in-hospital simulated clinical practice is essential in the training of health career students, since it allows them to develop technical and non-technical skills for effective interprofessional collaborative practice. However, there are not many validated instruments that evaluate the development of these competencies. The objective of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of a self-assessment questionnaire of clinical skills acquired in simulated in-hospital clinical practice in an interdisciplinary group of students. Method: a quantitative descriptive study was carried out. The sample included 312 students from 6 health programs at a private Chilean university, who completed 25 hours of simulated interprofessional internships. A 14-item self-assessment questionnaire with 5 response categories was applied, validated by experts. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed. Results: the factor analysis confirmed a structure of 4 dimensions: ethical values, roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication and teamwork. The response averages were very high, close to 5 (totally agree). Pearson correlations were high (>0,6) for most items. The overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0,94. Conclusions: the questionnaire showed adequate psychometric properties to evaluate the self-perception of clinical skills acquired in interprofessional simulated practice

Reputational crisis at a Chilean University, resulting from a post on social media X (Twitter) about the controversial theses in the School of Philosophy and Humanities

Reputational crisis at a Chilean University, resulting from a post on social media X (Twitter) about the controversial theses in the School of Philosophy and Humanities

Teacher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Tensions and Challenges of Initial Teacher Training Practices

The objective of the study is to characterize the ways of understanding and functioning of the formative triads of pedagogical practices, based on the decisions, tensions, and challenges faced by the initial teacher training programs in times of pandemic. The research used a qualitative-phenomenological perspective, inquiring into natural situations experienced by the formative triads of the pedagogical careers of 23 Chilean universities with recognized trajectories in teacher training. The interviews were conducted when the country was in a health emergency, that is, when schools and universities were carrying out remote teaching. The results show that the pandemic transformed the collaborative links between schools and universities, some links were broken, and others were strengthened, showing that the functioning of the triads is more declarative than real. In addition, the trainers (university tutor teacher and school guide teacher) faced two disconnected scenarios (school and university) that did not provide them with clear guidelines and concrete support for the development of their roles. This research has relevance for teacher training programs because it stresses the design of action plans to give continuity to practices in emergency situations and orients the evaluation of practice models to decide if they have the conditions to implement a model based on the formative triad.

Reasons for university dropout in Chile: does student gender play a role?

ABSTRACT Students who drop out of university cite various reasons for their decision. Female enrolment has significantly increased over the past few decades and is now higher than male enrolment. In terms of performance, it is recognised that women perform better than males do, and fewer women drop out of university than men do. However, the relationship between specific reasons for dropping out and students' gender is unknown. This study explores a variety of dropout factors and how they relate to student gender in Chilean universities. The investigation uses information from a survey conducted in 2021 among former students from 11 universities. The survey was applied to 707 students who left their university studies and belonging to the entry cohorts of 2010, 2016 and 2017. Different entry cohorts were considered in order to make a comparative analysis based on the existent data. To ascertain the degree of associativity between reasons for dropouts and the gender of the students, statistical significance tests were utilised in the second step. Subsequently, ten logistic regression models were fitted, the results of which are presented using the odds ratio. The results show that gender has a statistically significant link, mostly with dropouts due to vocational reasons. The findings of this research allow us to reflect on the effectiveness of gender equity actions and policies that favour women.

State of the Art on Forensic Bridge Engineering in Chile. A Management and Technical Overview

Chile is a country highly affected by natural hazards, especially scour and seismic phenomena. Therefore, throughout the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first, total or partial collapses of bridges have been evidenced, particularly those that occurred in the 1960 and 2010 earthquakes. From these experiences, the Chilean Highway Administration has promoted a series of management activities in order to reduce the number of collapsed structures. In this context, since 2019 the Ministry of Public Works of Chile (MOP) supported by the Chilean universities started a program to develop the subject of forensic engineering on bridges, in order to include the methodology in the technical codes and provide a standardization of protocols for the implementation of activities in the case of the collapse of structures. The aspects included in this methodology are: Determination of volatile and non-volatile information; Actions for intervention on the structure and protection of users; Gathering of technical information through the application of tests; Review of stress–strain states through Finite Element Method (FEM); Elaboration of hypotheses and review of them through a decision tree; and, finally, Conclusions and recommendations from a technical and contractual perspective. This paper presents a detailed description of the current forensic engineering methodology in Chile and its first application in the Cancura Bridge case study. In addition, a historical compilation of Chilean bridge collapses is presented, in each case identifying the typology of the structure, the causes of collapse and the main inspection techniques used. Finally, a statistical review is carried out analyzing aspects such as stages of the life cycle where collapse has occurred: design, construction or operation, and the incidence of natural hazards in these phenomena. From this analysis, the cases of Loncomilla, Cancura and Huasco bridges are highlighted. Since the collapse of these bridges occurred without the implementation of current methodology, the article concludes on the advantages and disadvantages of the methodology, providing a comparative analysis with the inspection activities in these structures.

Infusing Sustainability

Design for Sustainability has evolved rapidly over the last decades as a response to unprecedented global challenges. Several models have been developed to address the need to design more sustainable products, services, and policies. These strategies are oriented towards more sustainable ways of living. The Compass, developed by the Index Project in Denmark, is a method that offers a framework to structure the design process while considering social, environmental, and economic sustainability aspects. This article presents an exploratory case study to infuse sustainability in design education using this method in interdisciplinary teams. The context is a master’s degree offered by a design school in a Chilean university. The study's outcomes reveal that The Compass method is a dynamic and flexible structure for design in interdisciplinary teams. To strengthen its applicability, it could incorporate links to sustainability methods from various areas of knowledge that specifically address economic, environmental, or social aspects. Complementing The Compass with these sustainable approaches to confront the complexity of the challenges may facilitate the move from good ideas to feasible, sustainable design solutions in design and other fields.

Determinants of study motivation of undergraduate university students in Chile

ABSTRACT Students’ academic motivation is a critical factor in understanding the choices that they make over the course of their educational careers. The purpose of this research is to identify the factors that determine students’ motivation to complete their undergraduate studies. Working with a sample of 2032 undergraduate students from 11 universities in Chile, an ordinal logistic regression model was constructed to estimate the effect of students’ sociodemographic characteristics, their academic performance and the characteristics associated with the university and the degree program they were pursuing, on their academic motivation. The results show that students’ motivation to complete their studies is determined primarily by their socioeconomic status, the allocation of financial aid, their relationship with professors, and their level of integration into the social and academic environment of the university. Students with low socioeconomic status have higher levels of academic motivation compared to those with higher level of status. However, there is no difference in the level of motivation among students in different fields of study. The paper concludes that the significance of socioeconomic status as a factor influencing motivation may be due to the promise of social mobility associated with obtaining a university degree, which provides access to better jobs and salaries. Additionally, a high degree of integration in the university and good relationships with professors can increase motivation by alleviating anxiety during the transition from university to the labor market.

Enhancing Sustainable Development Goal Integration in Chilean Citizenship Education: A Thematic Analysis of Textbook Content and Instructional Strategies

This study examines the integration level of the three dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (social, economic, and environmental) in Chilean citizenship education textbooks for third and fourth grades’ students in high schools, aiming to identify gaps and propose a comprehensive model for thematic instruction. Utilizing the citizenship education student textbook designed by the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the San Sebastián University in Chile, this research employs thematic analysis to assess the representation of the SDGs within the educational content. The results reveal a positive aspect: the textbooks showcase all three SDG dimensions, highlighting their potential to foster comprehensive SDG comprehension. However, the emphasis predominantly lies on social inclusion, with economic and environmental dimensions receiving less attention. This imbalance could impede the provision of holistic sustainability education, especially as critical ecological issues and certain goals (SDGs 2, 7, 12, 14, and 15) remain under-represented. The proposed thematic instruction model merges sustainability with citizenship education through concept mapping, structured lesson plans, and active collaboration, enhancing SDG literacy. This research contributes to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by providing a comprehensive framework that transforms sustainability education globally, cultivating knowledgeable and proactive individuals prepared to address and resolve pressing global challenges.

Factors that influence university graduates’ choice of postgraduate study

ABSTRACT Enrolments in university certificate and postgraduate programmes have grown considerably during recent decades. This study assesses the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics, characteristics of the university trajectory and the salary received after graduation and the decision to pursue postgraduate studies. Data for the analysis were obtained from a survey of graduates of 11 Chilean universities during 2021. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to estimate the effect of the various characteristics. The decision to enrol in a certificate or graduate programme was associated primarily with the field of the undergraduate degree programme, family income and current salary. The decision to enrol in a postgraduate degree programme was associated with parents’ education level, field of undergraduate study and academic performance, and current wage level. First-generation university graduates and those from low-income families were less likely to continue postgraduate studies. Overall social inequality among university graduates was reproduced in postgraduate education and increased in Education and Social Sciences programmes.

Biometrics of the Hand's Middle Finger to Determine Stature in Chilean University Students

Biometrics of the Hand's Middle Finger to Determine Stature in Chilean University Students

ENSEÑANZAS DE LA PANDEMIA COVID-19. EXPERIENCIA DE UN COMITÉ ÉTICO-CIENTÍFICO UNIVERSITARIO

This presentation communicates the lessons learned by the COVID-19 epidemic during the op­eration of the Human Research Ethics Committee,Faculty of Medicine,University of Chile during the first three years of the pandemic. Between 2020 and 2022 we received 806 projects,which meant an increase of 20% compared to the 672 projects of the pre-pandemic triennium (2017­2019). Additionally, it was necessary to keep the committee operating completely telematically to avoid contagion and giving priority to COVID-19 projects,without affecting the rigor of its analysis. To this end, the length and frequency of the sessions were increased,adapting instru­ments and procedures. Among the lessons learned from this operation,the following stand out: 1) Management of digital document, telematic and recorded sessions, approval certificates and proceedings of sessions sent by email and use of electronic signatures. 2) Adaptation of procedures to prevent contagion: application of remote informed consent, dispatch of docu­ments via the internet, replacement of visits by video-calls, use of individualized transport and personal protection elements in face-to-face activities. 3) Improvement in computer capacity and security, to safeguard the confidentiality of meetings, resolutions and communications. 4) Increase of the memory of the computers,to increase the storage capacity of the committee. 5) Implementation of an electronic platform for the management of processed projects. Most of these changes implemented in pandemic are durable and can be expected to become mastered over the course of their repeated application.

INTERINSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF APS, THE EXPERIENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM OF HEALTH AND FAMILY MEDICINE

Chile faces the challenge of responding to the complexities in addressing and managing issues arising from the current demographic, epidemiological, social, and cultural profile. The country’s public health policies have followed the guidelines of Alma Ata Primary Health Care (PHC), Renewed PHC, Astana PHC, Universalization of PHC, and have enabled the sustained devel­opment of care networks by implementing a model of comprehensive family and community health care, with a focus on promotion, prevention, and anticipatory management of harm within networks. Throughout these processes, in line with the Mission and Social Responsibility of the University and the Global Consensus on the Social Responsibility of Medical Schools, institu­tions responsible for training health professionals and specialists have played a supportive and facilitating role, with particular emphasis on developing human resources within and through practical experiences and supporting teams in the territorial implementation of health policies. The presented experience aims to share the contributions and lessons learned from an alliance of diverse academic institutions that, through collaboration and the formation of a community of learning and practice, are shaping a process of social innovation, a rhizomatic learning initia­tive, and a good formative practice: the Chilean University Consortium of Family Health and Medicine from 2004 to 2014. Its development, progress, results and projections are analyzed.

Implications of losing a need- and merit-based scholarship on the educational trajectory: a curricular analytics approach

AbstractUnderstanding how students with low socioeconomic status finance their tuition over time can help us comprehend the impact of students’ decisions on their subsequent curricular progress, graduation, or dropout. This work presents a curricular analytics approach using process mining techniques to study educational funding trajectories as processes. Specifically, the SCHOLARSHIP-LOAN-SELF-FUNDED model is designed to reveal educational funding trajectories and obtain aggregate information. Academic and tuition records of 2484 undergraduate students from a private Chilean university who started their programs with a government need- and merit-based tuition aid were analyzed. Students who lost their scholarships were more likely to drop out, whereas students who maintained this aid were more likely to graduate on time. Curricular progress per semester was slower after scholarships ended or after the students lost them and stayed. Financial aid was associated with students’ curricular progress and linked to their permanence and graduation time. Higher education institutions should consider the eligibility criteria and maintenance requirements of financial assistance when designing their curricula.

Factors contributing to the (un)fulfilment of employment aspirations of recent Chilean university graduates

ABSTRACT The benefits of growth in university enrolments are contingent on the articulation of university expansion with changes in other areas, particularly the economy. The costs of a mismatch are felt at the societal level, but especially by individual graduates. This article describes problems faced by professionals in one country that has experienced very rapid expansion of higher education in a highly privatised market economy. While not uniformly generalisable to other countries, the results are illustrative of what can occur. The study is based on subjective information provided by Chilean university graduates who have recently sought employment. The graduates’ narratives can be aligned along three major dimensions of dissatisfaction: labour force entry; earnings; and working conditions. The themes are linked and combine to describe a difficult transition from university to work in a context of low salaries and unstable and uncertain employment. Among factors contributing to unfulfilment of aspirations are the graduates’ social capital and socioeconomic status, the geographic location of the job, the university from which they graduated, and activities while a student. Unsynchronised expansion of different social institutions can reduce social equity and cohesion.

"We are not being taught sustainable citizenship!"

Education on sustainability is a crucial goal that requires a transformative shift in teacher education to drive meaningful changes oriented to action. A cross-sectional study with an exploratory design investigated preservice science teachers' perceptions regarding teaching sustainable citizenship, specifically focusing on the climate crisis and earthquakes-tsunamis. The study was conducted in two Chilean universities with similar teacher preparation programs. The team designed a podcast series, which was used and evaluated by the 13 participants through action research. Three group discussions explored their perceptions of the resources, as well as the aims and challenges of teaching sustainable citizenship and the podcasts. We used Grounded Theory steps, including triangulation by the researchers to ensure reliability, to qualitatively analyse the data. The results reveal a constraint on teaching in areas where the participants lacked the necessary preparation and background knowledge as students and preservice teachers. The main challenges were related to interdisciplinarity, the social dimension of socio-scientific issues and context-responsive teaching methods. The perceived aims were the development of students' critical thinking, informed positioning, and encouraging active citizen participation. Preservice teachers found the podcast series to be a valuable new epistemic and pedagogical resource that can support their efforts to teach sustainable citizenship and implement pedagogical strategies. The autonomous usage of the device triggered reflection processes, particularly regarding the human rights perspective, which unveiled the socio-political dimensions inherent in science education. It promoted personal re-positioning as active citizens and educators and empowered them to seek out and pursue the changes needed to reshape future classrooms. We discuss these findings in the context of teacher preparation and the use of educational technology in teacher education.

Healthy Lifestyle Related to Executive Functions in Chilean University Students: A Pilot Study.

A negative lifestyle is reported to be related to cognitive problems. However, there is little information about this in relation to university students. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between executive functions (EFs) and lifestyle parameters (i.e., physical activity (PA), sleep duration, screen time (ST), and food habits) among Chilean university students. This cross-sectional study included a total of 150 university students (94 females and 56 males, aged 21.28 ± 3.15 and 22.18 ± 2.90 years, respectively). Cognitive outcomes were measured using the CogniFit assessment battery. Lifestyle was measured through validated questionnaires. Across the total sample, attention exhibited a positive association with PA h/week (β: 24.34 95% CI: 12.46 to 36.22, p = 0.001). Additionally, coordination was positively associated with PA h/week (β: 15.06 95% CI: 0.62 to 29.50, p < 0.041). PA h/week was positively linked with reasoning (β: 20.34 95% CI: 4.52 to 36.17, p = 0.012) and perception (β: 13.81 95% CI: 4.14 to 23.49, p = 0.005). Moreover, PA h/week was significantly linked to memory (β: 23.01 95% CI: 7.62 to 38.40, p = 0.004). In terms of the EFs, PA h/week showed a positive association with cognitive flexibility (β: 45.60 95% CI: 23.22 to 67.69, p = 0.001). In conclusion, lifestyle (PA h/week) was positively associated with EFs. Therefore, an increase in PA levels among these students should be a target for community- and university-based interventions in order to promote cognitive development such as attention, coordination, reasoning, perception, memory, and cognitive flexibility.

Balancing act: Navigating the tensions between patenting practices and open science in Chilean academic research

This study aims to understand the relationship between academic patenting and secrecy in three key areas: the delay in publishing patentable results, the refusal of requests for research outcomes, and the perception of patent clarity drafting. Based on a dataset of Chilean university researchers, we conduct logistic regression models to understand the propensity to delay the publishing of patentable results, the probability of denying requests for research outcomes, and the likelihood of researchers perceiving their patents as clearly drafted. Controls used relate to the seniority of the researcher, the scientific field, whether the university is private or public, and whether the researcher previously worked with industry. Additionally, some constructs reflecting the researcher's perception regarding the patenting system within academic research were obtained through exploratory factor analysis and then incorporated as controls. The analysis reveals a positive correlation between prior patenting experience and publication delay. However, we found no correlation between previous patenting and the propensity to reject requests for research results. Both behaviors were negatively correlated to researcher seniority, gauged by the h-index, and positively correlated to forestry and agricultural technology sciences activity. Researchers who experienced denial of their requests were more likely to reciprocate refusal. Notably, a negative perception of the patent system within academic research was associated with a belief in drafting clearer patents. These findings suggest an environment of selective openness in academic networks, with researchers balancing full disclosure and secrecy. The paper studies three dimensions of secrecy in academic patenting through the novel data set. This study deepens our understanding of academic patenting practices, uncovering some complex dynamics shaping knowledge diffusion within universities.

Relationship between risky alcohol consumption and academic performance in students in the health area at a Chilean University

Introduction: the phenomenon of alcohol consumption among university students, particularly in the field of health, is the subject of growing concern due to its potential impact on public health and academic performance.Objective: analyze the relationship between risky alcohol consumption and the academic performance of students studying in the health area at a Chilean university in the second semester of 2023.Methods: the study with a descriptive and transversal quantitative approach, with a sample of 361 students who responded to the AUDIT questionnaire. Academic performance was characterized using the university's grading system.Results: regarding alcohol consumption, 81,7 % (295 participants) showed low-risk consumption, 16,3 % (59 participants) high-risk consumption, and the remaining 1,9 % a possible consumption or dependence problem. Furthermore, a trend is observed in which students with problematic consumption are distributed between the categories of "good" (note 5) and "very good" (note 6), while risk and low-risk consumption are distributed between the categories of "very good", "good" and "sufficient".Conclusions: the findings of this study show that, in general, alcohol consumption does not appear to have a significant negative impact on the academic performance of health students. Although approximately 20 % of those surveyed reported problematic or risky consumption

Digital Scholarship from the Periphery: Insights from Researchers in Chile on Academia.edu and ResearchGate

The digitization of academic practices has transformed how research output is shared and discussed, with academic social network sites (ASNS) like Academia.edu and ResearchGate emerging as pivotal platforms. However, their uptake and implications in contexts like Latin America still need to be explored. This study examines the emerging tensions related to using ASNS (Academia.edu and ResearchGate). As such, it offers a qualitative data analysis from 28 interviews with Chilean university researchers. It focuses on three emerging and overlapping tensions: the quantification of research via altmetrics, reputation building, and self-promotion. The findings underscore that altmetrics -despite providing a broader view of research impact- can mirror and perpetuate the problematic aspects of academic capitalism. Digital reputation, tied to high scores, conflicts with more qualitative aspects. The observed ambivalence towards self-promotion exposes a tension between the traditional scientific ethos and academic capitalism. Ultimately, this research unveils the multifaceted implications and paradoxes introduced by these platforms in the Chilean academic milieu.

Adapted Physical Education Course Content Devoted to Inclusion in Chile: A Content Analysis

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to analyze faculty selections of course content in introductory-adapted physical education courses syllabi pertaining to content on inclusion at three universities in Chile. In this content analysis, course syllabi from three different Chilean physical education teacher education programs were analyzed. From the course syllabi, we analyzed: (a) selected content, (b) disability-specific content, (c) evaluations selected, and (d) bibliographical sources. Overall, the findings of this content analysis reveal several approaches that might influence the professional preparation of future physical educators in teaching students with disabilities in Chilean schools. We concluded the need to increase course content and critical discussions devoted to inclusion in physical education in Chile. Additionally, there is a need to incorporate the views and opinions of persons with disabilities to inform future content that is relevant and appropriate.