University Of Extremadura Research Articles

Assessing the impact of micro-credential training in higher education: A pilot study supporting BA dissertations

Introduction: Micro-credentials, endorsed by the European Union for enhancing lifelong learning and employability, offer targeted, flexible learning experiences. This pilot study investigates the impact of integrating micro-credential training into the BA dissertation process for English Studies students at the University of Extremadura. Methodology: The study involved a two-week, in-person micro-credential course, divided into modules on time management, research techniques, and writing skills, supplemented by pre- and post-training surveys to assess students’ needs and the training’s short-term and long-term impact. Seven fourth-year students participated in the study, providing feedback through surveys. Results: The training improved students’ preparedness, confidence, and motivation. Key areas of development included time management, research skills, and emotional resilience. Students reported sustained benefits, applying the skills and strategies learned throughout their dissertation process. Discussion: Findings highlight the training’s positive short-term and long-term impacts, including increased motivation and practical skill application. However, it identifies areas for improvement, such as more training in citation techniques and writing clarity. Conclusions: Micro-credential training effectively addresses gaps in traditional curricula, enhancing students’ readiness for their BA dissertations. Further research with larger cohorts and diverse disciplines is recommended to generalise the findings and refine the microlearning approach.

Desde la periferia

Archives on Food, Culture and Nutrition (AFOCUN) was sponsored by the International Commission on Anthropology of Food and Nutrition (ICAF) with the firm commitment of a small Spanish university – the University of Extremadura – to what can be seen as an affirmation of its counter-current spirit. It is born in some way in the subalternity, located on the periphery of the great centers of knowledge dissemination, alien to the flows of exchange of broad academic capital. And it also did so with the aim of clarifying the category of Open Access (OA), offering researchers a space to disseminate their findings free of charge and without restriction of any kind. This assumption of subalternity as a political ethos also refers to the delimitation of the objects of study that can be addressed in this publication. In the first place, because of a firm commitment to interdisciplinarity, given that the journal is open to publications that address the food issue from different perspectives. But also, because of the firm commitment to offer a space for contexts of subalternity that have not been addressed with due attention. This issue largely addresses all these foundational ethos of the publication with which it intends to carve out a path. It combines research by authors of recognized prestige in the academic and cultural fields with incipient authors; It caters to different languages, such as English and Spanish, while opening its doors to European, but also Asian and American researchers. But, above all, this second issue of AFOCUN provides a space for multidisciplinary expression and reflection on food and nutrition, addressing classic topics such as indigenous ways of eating with other more innovative ones such as reflection on the "cultural sustainability" of food systems.

Digital reading in English for Business Management and Tourism: The importance of micro-skills for the curriculum

An optimal reading performance is key in university degrees, and yet, the research focus on digital academic reading is much smaller than on writing skills (Boulton & Cobb, 2017; Pérez-Paredes, 2019; Curado-Fuentes, 2023). This paper focuses on analyzing learners’ development of digital reading skills in English at university. The study has been conducted as a mixed-methods analysis in two consecutive academic years (2021 and 2022) with first-year students in the double degree of Business Management and Tourism at the University of Extremadura. The two groups used different digital tools along 4-week reading sessions and were tested on their reading comprehension before and after the sessions. Additionally, students answered various questionnaires about the activities. Learners’ use of digital data-driven learning (DDL) techniques was combined with other types of online tools. Some face-to-face interviews with students were also conducted at the end of one course. The results from the tests indicated significant reading comprehension improvements in both years, whereas no significant difference between the two years was found. In the second academic year, the DDL tool was favored much more, in addition to online dictionaries, and students were more open to reading comprehension work. Overall, it is found that the reading of academic texts can be fostered by empowering learners with meta-cognition via specific digital reading micro-skills.

Educational experience, university satisfaction and institutional reputation: Implications for university sustainability

The evolution of the labour market requires students to be better prepared for their professional insertion. In response to this demand, universities must offer an educational experience that is perceived as useful for the future. This study highlights a gap in the literature about university students' perception of the acquisition of employability skills, and how this affects the degree of satisfaction and loyalty towards the university. With the main objective of obtaining theoretical and managerial implications for the universities, a structural equation model has been developed that takes into account the antecedents of satisfaction; previous recommendations, expectations and perceived quality; as well as consequents such as reputation, loyalty and word-of-mouth intention. Through a quantitative study with 515 students from the economics and business studies branch at the University of Extremadura (Spain), it has been demonstrated the significant influence of the perceived professional development on student satisfaction and university reputation, directly affecting their willingness to recommend the institution and their loyalty towards it. This study provides an expanded view of the main requirements that universities should address in order to optimise strategies aimed at attracting new students, improving the educational experience, and building the reputation of the institution, ensuring its sustainability.

Project-based learning: Student performance and perceptions in a food industry engineering degree course

The project-based learning (PBL) methodology was applied in a Food Technology course during the third year of a Food Industry Engineering degree at the University of Extremadura. The purpose of the research was to assess the effectiveness of PBL in this specific teaching field, evaluate the utility of rubrics, and determine the level of student satisfaction. A total of 22 students were tasked with participating in a group activity where they had to formulate, design, prepare, and present a food product to their peers and teacher. The students produced multiple deliverables and received feedback from the teachers. They also completed a final report and an oral presentation. The project was evaluated by teachers, peers (peer evaluation), and through self-evaluation using rubrics. A satisfaction survey and an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were conducted after the completion of the PBL activity. The main findings indicated that PBL and rubrics were effective teaching and evaluation methodologies, respectively, enabling students to achieve scores above 8. Teacher evaluations were higher than the self-assessments, which were close to peer evaluations, indicating a high level of commitment on the part of students. Effective communication skills need improvement. Students viewed the activity positively, as it helped them comprehend the subject matter and proved valuable for improving teamwork, autonomy, and overall learning. In conclusion, PBL resulted in an engaging and effective learning experience that enhanced the understanding of food processing content and fostered the development of the skills and competencies necessary for a professional food engineer.

Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in University Students at the University of Extremadura: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide. The aim of our study was to detect people susceptible to DM among a university population aged 18 to 45 years and analyze the existence of modifiable risk factors in order to implement prevention programs, in addition to analyzing BMI data related to the variables under study. We proposed a descriptive, cross-sectional study following the recommendations of cross-sectional studies (STROBE), with a sample of 341 subjects, students enrolled at the University of Extremadura, carried out by two researchers. The research protocol was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the University of Extremadura (165/2021). The study considered the Findrisk questionnaire in Spanish, validated by the Blackboard Study, a stadiometer to measure height, a bioimpedance meter to evaluate weight and body composition parameters, and a blood pressure monitor to measure blood pressure. The results indicated that the participants had a low risk of suffering T2DM. The highest Findrisk test scores were found in those with a BMI value above 25, lower physical activity, poor dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, and increased fat mass. Our future research will be the implementation of T2DM prevention programs, acting on modifiable factors.

Development of a utility model to optimize precision training in padel

Recent research highlights that one of the main criteria for success in padel is the ability of players to direct the hits towards a desired and optimal area of the court, therefore, the objective is to design an invention that allows contributing to the training of these variables in an innovative and effective way. For the development of the invention, the protocol established by the Research Results Transfer Management Service of the internal valuation unit of the University of Extremadura and the Spanish office of the patents and brand (OEPM) was followed. The resulting invention is a device to optimize padel training, which was granted and published as a Utility Model with reference number ES1269754U. The concession grants authors official protection for 10 years from the date of concession on 09/24/2021, after that date, said authorship will pass into the public domain. After the process of development and acceptance of the invention, it can be affirmed that this invention is an innovative alternative to optimize training in padel.

Belbin’s Team Role Theory and Shared Leadership for Universities Employment Services: New Bridges Between Graduates and Employers

Nowadays, higher education institutions are required to have a more significant role in society, especially by leading mediation among stakeholders and transferring their research results. In Spain, universities still do not have a substantial role in linking potential employers and graduates. In this indispensable context of transferability and collaboration, The University of Extremadura and the state Employment Office of the region of Extremadura signed an agreement with the aim of becoming bridges between students, former students and employers. To do so, the Internship and Employment Office (SEPYE) was launched to develop actions and projects that will increase the employability of students. In order to optimize the SEPYE, a diagnosis and capacitation process that allowed the training of the service’s staff was developed. This process was designed under a shared leadership perspective using Belbin’s team roles theory as a diagnosis tool. In this article, the description of the creation of the service, the training of its staff and the results of the strategy using Belbin’s theory will be described with the idea that this common leadership collaboration can be transferred to similar contexts.

University students´ emotions in forced remote education.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, universities had to suddenly and forcefully implement remote education. The study had three objectives: to explore and compare university students´ emotions; to analyze the associations between emotions and socio-educational factors; and to understand, from the student's perspective, emotions and experiences lived during remote education. The study was exploratory and comparative. The analyses were quantitative and qualitative. Five hundred and eighty students from the University of Extremadura (Spain) and the University of Río Cuarto (Argentina) participated. Data collection was carried out between May and September 2020. Two data collection instruments were used: self-administered online questionnaire and focus groups. The results indicated concern about connectivity and lack of technological resources. The predominance of negative emotions and communication difficulties was observed in both quantitative and qualitative data. However, we also found flexible and adaptive practices that had allowed students to cope with communication difficulties, and unfavorable emotional states.

Genealogy of Depopulation Processes in Spain: A Case Study of Emigration among Young University Students

In the mid-20th century, the region of Extremadura suffered an important exodus of unskilled young people in search of work opportunities that would allow them to survive. Nowadays, the phenomenon is repeating itself, but with certain differences. The current emigrant is somewhat more adult, more qualified and without a specific job in the place of destination. The current study focuses on a survey carried out at the University of Extremadura among students in the areas of social sciences, humanities, legal sciences and economics in order to understand their intention to emigrate abroad once they have finished their studies. We found that there is no distinction between genders and that most of the students have direct or indirect cases of international mobility in their environment, which encourages them to take this option into account if, once they have finished their studies, their job aspirations are not satisfied in their place of origin. This reflects certain similarities with the migratory movement that took place in the mid-20th century; however, today, the objectives pursued with this mobility are quite different.

Expanding the use of flow cytometry in semen analysis: The rise of flow spermetry.

Cytometry Part AAccepted Articles ORIGINAL ARTICLE Expanding the use of flow cytometry in semen analysis: the rise of flow spermetry Fernando J. Peña, Corresponding Author Fernando J. Peña [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-1311-2947 Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain Correspondence Dr. FJ Peña, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Laboratory of Equine Spermatology and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Extremadura Avd. de la Universidad s/n 10003 Cáceres Spain. Email: [email protected], phone + 34 927-257167Search for more papers by this author Fernando J. Peña, Corresponding Author Fernando J. Peña [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-1311-2947 Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain Correspondence Dr. FJ Peña, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Laboratory of Equine Spermatology and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Extremadura Avd. de la Universidad s/n 10003 Cáceres Spain. Email: [email protected], phone + 34 927-257167Search for more papers by this author First published: 29 April 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/cyto.a.24736 This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi: 10.1002/cyto.a.24736. AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Accepted ArticlesAccepted, unedited articles published online and citable. The final edited and typeset version of record will appear in the future. RelatedInformation

Bilingual Science Lexicon of Pre-Serviced Primary School Teachers

Bilingual teaching has experienced rapid growth in the Spanish educational panorama and numerous university programmes have emerged with the aim of training future CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) teachers. However, there is little research assessing the level of linguistic competence in Spanish and foreign languages of future teachers, especially those who are studying for a bilingual degree. Although this work is part of a broader project that analyses bilingual lexical competence in subjects related to the Social Sciences and Experimental Sciences, we focus on the analysis of lexical availability of content related to the teaching of science. The sample consisted of 46 students of the Degree in Primary Education at the University of Extremadura. Using a lexical availability test, lexical production in Spanish and English is analysed and compared to determine whether the fact of studying in English affects the acquisition and consolidation of lexical knowledge in Spanish. The results show that there are no significant differences in lexical production between Spanish and English. In addition to the quantitative data, results from the qualitative analysis are presented, analysing the most available words and the organisation of the lexicon in both languages.

Comprehensive educational model based on Challenge-Based Learning for the improvement of competency performance

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". This phrase, attributed to Albert Einstein, contains a message that sums up what is happening in education systems. Fortunately, an increasing number of "madmen" are choosing to do something different to "innovate" in the teaching-learning process. This paper shows the influence of innovating in four key aspects that influence learning: instruction, methodology, space and time, if we want to improve competence performance and start to make the objectives of the Bologna Declaration a reality, through experiences carried out in the School of Industrial Engineering (EII) of the University of Extremadura.

Student Teachers’ Classroom Impact during Their Practicum in the Times of the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted societal structures worldwide. In the educational realm, the forced closure, and subsequent reopening of school settings disrupted the personal and professional lives of administrators, teachers, parents, and students. Two groups of Spanish stakeholders affected by the return to face-to-face instruction during the pandemic were the University of Extremadura’s student teachers and their mentors during the practicum, as student teaching is known in Spain. This study investigated 28 student teachers’ and 26 mentors’ responses to a questionnaire enquiring on the main challenges resulting from the pandemic, as well as student teachers’ contributions to the classroom during this difficult time. Cualitative software was used to analyze participants’ responses allowed us to identify four main themes: attitudes; classroom management issues; adaptations and restrictions; and academic–experiential modifications. Overall, the findings revealed student teachers’ and mentors’ positive opinions about their joint work experience and about student teachers’ logistical and technological support.

Agricultural Engineering Students’ Segmentation in Relation to Their Attitudes towards English-Medium Instruction

The School of Agricultural Engineering has been involved in English-medium instruction (EMI) within the framework of the internationalization strategy of the University of Extremadura (Spain). Several years after these actions were initiated, it has become necessary to analyze them, with the main objective of researching the attitude of the students towards it, keeping the focus on finding common trends. With this aim, a segmentation of the students was carried out based on a questionnaire that included aspects related to their attitudes towards English-medium instruction, their socio-demographic characteristics and the program they were enrolled in. A total of 251 students were surveyed, and the data were analyzed by performing a multiple correspondence analysis and a cluster analysis. They revealed three typologies of students with clearly different underlying features, especially related to the program and year in which they were enrolled, their age and English level, and their perceived skills. The main conclusion is that the multivariate techniques applied are useful tools to identify groups of students with different features in the EMI frame, which may facilitate the launch of specific actions focused on the needs and expectations of each group to ensure that EMI programs and students achieve their goals.

Práticas literárias na rede de futuros professores do ensino primário

Abstract The increased presence of adolescents and young people on the Internet has led to an interest in analysing their reading and multimodal practices, which sometimes involve the creation of spaces for reading socialisation in this context and the development of vernacular practices on the Internet ( CASSANY, 2012). In this paper, we want to explore this question in greater depth, considering their reading practices on the web and the knowledge that teacher trainees in Primary Education at the University of Extremadura have about the new genres developed in this media context. For this purpose, an ad hoc questionnaire was designed in which the students reported on their reading habits and practices. The results show a scarce knowledge of the genres mentioned and very little consolidated reading habits, which makes it necessary to carry out specific work to reinforce this habit and their knowledge of the different practices.

Labour Relations and Human Resources: Students’ Perceptions of Their Training in Digital Competences

Nowadays, the acquisition of a high level of digital competence has become a real need for professional development in any field. Future graduates in Labour Relations and Human Resources should achieve an advanced level of this skill. The main aim of this research is to determine the level of acquisition of digital competence in Labour Relations and Human Resources students. The second purpose is to check whether there is a link between gender and digital competence achievement. This paper is based on the application of a questionnaire on digital competences which is organized around 5 aspects, and mainly based on the basis of Likert-type scale questions. The data collected belong to 26 undergraduates studying at the third year of Degree in Labour Relations and Human Resources at the University of Extremadura. The results obtained show that a large majority of students (65.4%) have an advanced level of digital competence, nevertheless, it would be advisable for the rest to achieve the same level before they graduate and exercise their profession. The second important conclusion is that the level of acquisition of digital competence is not conditioned by gender aspects.

Well-Being at Work: Burnout and Engagement Profiles of University Workers

The main objective of this study is to analyze well-being at work, considering burnout and engagement distributed in profiles, and to observe how they relate to well-being outside work. The data came from a representative sample of workers (n = 565) at the University of Extremadura (Spain), both teaching and research academic staff (TRAS) and service and administrative staff (SAS). We performed the data analysis by using latent profile analysis, and the results show evidence that workers from both groups were distributed across four profiles. As expected, we verified that workers in the profile with high burnout and low engagement had lower well-being outside work than workers in the profile with high engagement and low burnout. We also observed that engagement mitigated the negative effects of burnout on workers in profiles with moderate levels of burnout, who showed better well-being outside work when they had higher engagement. These differences are discussed, and their practical implications and suggestions for future research are provided.

Predictor Variables of Mental Health in Spanish University Students

There is currently great concern over the increase in the cases of university students with mental health problems as the numbers have doubled over recent years. Nevertheless, there is also total agreement concerning the relationship between positive psychological variables and mental health. The objective of this study was to know the relationship between the risk of mental health disorders and the variables of gender, affects, academic engagement, satisfaction with life, health perception and the perception of happiness, as well as predict the risk of suffering mental health disorders. The sample comprised 461 students from the Science Faculty of the University of Extremadura (Spain), of whom 50.3% were women. We used the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) to assess mental health, The results indicate that 65.6% of the students showed a risk of suffering from mental health disorders. A greater number of negative affect is related to a greater risk of suffering mental health disorders; while the perception of both health and happiness are related to a lower risk. Similarly, it should be said that the results demonstrate that being a woman increases the risk of suffering mental health disorders by 63.7%.

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