University Of Granada Research Articles

Analysis of self-perceived digital competences in future educators: A study at the university of Granada

Digital competence is a key aspect to be taken into account in training at all stages. It is especially necessary to emphasize higher education stages and specifically on initial teacher training, as future teachers have the responsibility to promote these competencies and to be the first to introduce them into their programs. However, for this to happen, they must have previously established a framework of reference on which to train in digital competence, and they must be prepared to transmit this knowledge in this context that framework is DigCompEdu. For this reason, in the present research a correlational study is carried out with a retrospective ex-post-facto design to analyse the digital competencies of future teachers in the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Granada.The main results of the research carried out are that the self-perceived digital competence varies according to the sex of the students, being more positive in the case of men, while other factors such as the course or degree do not have a significant relevance. However, the majority of students at the Faculty of Education of the University of Granada have a self-assessed level of B1 as their level of digital competence, which is insufficient for transmission to future generations. This is also maintained because, according to the students, spaces, and training related to this aspect are not generated, although there are disparities according to the degree of this thinking.

La integración de conocimientos teórico-prácticos desde la experiencia de profesionales del Trabajo Social en la formación del estudiantado a través de metodologías activas y participativas

In undergraduate studies in social work, a series of competency objectives related to the theoretical, methodological and attitudinal knowledge contemplated in the discipline’s educational curriculum are established, as set out in the White Paper on the Degree in Social Work. The incorporation of active and participative methodologies in the teaching-learning processes favours student acquisition of these contents. Likewise, in the teaching-learning processes, the use of didactic resources that connect theoretical knowledge with the exercise of professional practice favours student understanding of the curricular subjects. This study aims to analyse the impact that theory has on social intervention for active social workers in order to create theoretical-practical content for the subject of Introduction to Social Work Models at the University of Granada. The methodology applied incorporates documentary work and the development of three discussion groups, in which 18 active social work professionals participated. The analysis of the speeches generated in these groups has served as a resource for the development of a flipped-classroom with students taking the Introduction to Social Work Models course at the University of Granada. The analysis has been conducted around three categories: the value of theory in professional practice; roles, purposes and theoretical models underlying social work; and the social work of the future. The results show how social work professionals attach great importance to theory as a guide in their professional practice, preferably approaching it from systemic and humanist theoretical models and opting for the recovery of community and critical-transformative theoretical approaches.

Implementation of a coaching training for enhancing empathy and emotional intelligence skills in health science students: a prospective study

BackgroundEmpathy and emotional intelligence are core competencies in the educational curriculum of health science students, both play a significant role in teamwork relationships and in attention patient’s cares; so innovative strategies to enhance these emotional skills are required. We prospectively tested an academic coaching program for improving empathy and emotional intelligence in students of health sciences degrees.MethodsA prospectively single arm intervention study was performed in undergraduate students of nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy of the Faculty of Health Sciences from the University of Granada (Spain). The three groups of students participated in nine sessions of coaching, which included a training program to manage patient’s priorities and communication, adherence to treatment, motivation and satisfaction. Survey data included the Cognitive and Affective Empathy Test (TECA), the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) which were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.ResultsA total of 93 students of 259 (mean age of 21.6 ± 3.2 years) participated in the study and completed the sessions of coaching/surveys. After the intervention, we observed an improvement in the cognitive dimension of empathy among nursing students (p = 0.035) and in the affective dimension of empathy in physiotherapy students (p = 0.044). In addition, an increase on perceived emotional intelligence among students was achieved only in nursing/physiotherapy groups (p ≤ 0.048). Finally, slight improvements were founded in the dimensions “Perspective-Taking” and “Personal Distress” of the occupational therapy group (p ≤ 0.031). No significant differences were found for the rest of variables of TECA (p ≥ 0.052), TMMS-24 (p ≥ 0.06) and IRI (p ≥ 0.12).ConclusionsThis study shows that an academic coaching intervention with students from health sciences degrees improves their empathy skills and self-perceived emotional intelligence. The current findings can be used to determine more effective approaches to implementing academic coaching interventions based in better designs as clinical trial studies.

Percepções dos professores estagiários sobre a aceitação das tecnologias móveis nos processos de ensino-aprendizagem. Um estudo de caso

The pandemic crisis highlighted the need for a technological and digital transformation of the university, a process that has already begun and that has marked a before and after in the incorporation of technologies in the teaching-learning processes. On the other hand, teachers in training are a privileged group as they are at the end of their training process, in contact with active teachers and will be pillars of social training. For this reason, this study aims to analyze the perceptions of trainee teachers at the University of Granada on the acceptance and inclusion of smartphones in teaching and learning processes, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. A qualitative methodology (focus group) was implemented with a sample of 16 trainee teachers belonging to the area of social sciences. The results showed an incorporation of technologies in future teachers, the need for the implementation of smartphones, as well as mobile literacy for students and teachers. In the same way, generational differences, the relevance of motivation and perception in usefulness and ease of use of devices are highlighted. It is concluded that there is a need for training actions in teachers and educational centers to provide an effective response to social and educational needs. For this reason, universities, educational institutions and teachers must strive to understand the scope of mobile teaching and the possibilities of smartphones in increasing motivation and the acquisition of basic skills. Future studies are needed to broaden the scope of analysis to different areas and contexts

Eduardo García Solá (1845-1922). Profesor, investigador, académico y rector

Eduardo García Solá was an important character at the University of Granada who has been studied by various authors. He was the first professor of Histology and Pathological Anatomy. In this paper we deal with some lesser-known facets, such as: his microbiology work, his membership of the Royal Academy of Medicine, of which he was president, and his work at the head of the University of Granada at the beginning of the 20th century.

Emerging trends and prospects in telerehabilitation for hip fracture: Bibliometric and visualization study.

Telerehabilitation provide distant physical rehabilitation services and help overcome the barriers associated with face-to-face interventions for hip fractures. This study aims to analyse the progress of the application of telerehabilitation in hip fracture and reveal its research profile, hotspots and development trends. The articles and reviews related to telerehabilitation in hip fracture were retrieved from 1992 to 2024. A bibliometric visualization and comparative analysis of countries, institutions, journals, authors, references and keywords were conducted using Java-based CiteSpace and VOSviewer. A total of 79 documents were obtained. Spain was the most academically influential country. The University of Granada was the most prolific institution. The author Ariza-vega P listed first in terms of publications and citations. Most publications were published in high academic impact journals. The major frontier keywords were "older adults," "functional recovery," "reliability," "mortality," "rehabilitation," "mobility" and "quality of life." The most popular keywords from 2020 to 2024 were "geriatric medicine," "family caregiver" and "digital health." The historical and prospective perspective in telerehabilitation following hip fracture were presented. A primary focus in the early years was the impact of telerehabilitation on functional independence for hip fracture patients. Future outcomes are expected to include patient satisfaction, health-related quality of life and psychiatric symptoms. Exercise was also designed to eliminate travel burdens and strengthen self-efficacy, and improve the physical and psychosocial function of hip fracture patients. This work will provide a fundamental reference as well as a directional guide for future research.

LAS PECULIARIDADES DEL LENGUAJE DE VINO y SU TRADUCCIÓN DEL ESPAÑOL AL UCRANIANO

This research presents the results of the analysis of the translations of different information materials (from Spanish into Ukrainian) carried out by the students of the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting of the University of Granada (Spain) under the teaching supervision for the II Conference on the Interpretation of the Language of Wine (24-25 April, 2023). In this article we would like to present the results of that enriching experience in many ways, since it offered us a perfect opportunity to approach the study of the peculiarities of the language of wine. It is a specialized language characterized by a series of unique and singular features that make its texts heterogeneous and hybrid. These texts fulfil multiple functions (informative, appellative, aesthetic, to name but a few) and, as a consequence, they bring together the peculiarities of different registers (legal and artistic, among others). Seen from a translatological perspective, the same relevant features make the translation of this typology of specialized texts a challenge, since their uniqueness is based on the fact that they combine a high percentage of terms specific to the field of wine with the complicated syntax and metaphorization of the text.

Use of the Therapy App Prescinde for Increasing Adherence to Smoking Cessation Treatment.

Tobacco use poses major health risks and is a major contributor to causes of death worldwide. Mobile phone-based cessation apps for this substance are gaining popularity, often used as a component of traditional interventions. This study aimed to analyze adherence to an intervention using a mobile phone application (App-therapy Prescinde (v1)) as a function of sociodemographic variables (age, gender, educational level, and profession) as well as the primary activities supported by the app (reducing tobacco or cannabis use and increasing physical exercise). The participants were recruited through the web pages of the Occupational Risk Prevention Service and the Psychology Clinic of the University of Granada during the COVID-19 confinement period. The application's contents include three components (self-report, motivational phrases, and goal setting). Our findings indicate that being male, being aged between 26 and 62, having a high school education, and being unemployed increase the likelihood of adherence to the Prescinde therapy app three months after usage. Our findings highlight the importance of developing new therapeutic approaches and conducting in-depth studies on the factors associated with adherence to tobacco cessation and cannabis cessation treatments via mobile phone applications.

Scientometrics of Scientometrics Based on Web of Science Core Collection Data between 1992 and 2020

Scientometrics is a quantitative and statistical approach that analyzes research on certain themes. It originated from information/library science but has been applied in various disciplines, including information science, library science, natural science, technology, engineering, medical sciences, and social sciences and humanities. Numerous scientometric studies have been carried out, but no study has attempted to investigate the overall research status of scientometrics. The objective of this study was to investigate the research status of scientometrics based on 16,225 publications archived in the Web of Science Core Collection between 1992 and 2020. The results show that there has been a marked increase in publications on scientometric studies over the past decades, with “Information Science Library Science” being the predominant discipline publishing scientometric studies, but scientometrics has been widely adopted in a variety of other disciplines (240 of 254 Web of Science categories). It was found that Web of Science, Vosviewer, and Scientometrics are the most utilized database, software, and journal for scientometric studies, respectively. The most productive author (Lutz Bornmann from the Max Planck Society, Germany), organization (University of Granada, Spain), and country (USA) are also identified. In addition, high-impact scientometric studies and the research landscape are analyzed through citation networks and the co-occurrence of keywords method.

Optimization of the Polarized Imaging Nephelometer (PI-Neph) for continuous monitoring of multiwavelength aerosol phase functions in support of space polarimetry missions

This work deals with the set up and optimization of a commercial multiwavelength polarized imaging nephelometer (PI-Neph, Airphoton PIN100) designed to measure F11 (phase function) and –F12/F11 (polarized phase function) from ambient aerosol samples. Such measurements are critical for the success of upcoming satellite missions based on polarimetry measurements because they will support and validate retrieval techniques. The main novelty of the instrument with respect to previous versions consists of using only one beam instead of a mirror system to fold it, avoiding internal reflections of light and loss of energy within the laser beam. The instrument also includes the automatization of the imaging technique that makes possible continuous measurements in near real time of the aerosol phase functions at different states of linear polarization directly from ambient air. Laser emits at three different wavelengths (405, 515 and 660 nm) and the beam goes through a wire grid polarizer for linearly polarizing the light, followed by two liquid crystal retarders that control the state of linear polarization. The detector is a CMOS camera perpendicular to the beam which allows to obtain final phase functions in the range 5°–175° (losses of some angles by physical limitations and stray light). The calibration of the instrument is discussed and includes geometric calibration (to account for different light paths to the camera) plus absolute calibration (to obtain physical units). Temporal stability of calibrations is observed, and different data quality tests are presented in order to obtain reliable values of F11 and –F12/F11. For an automatic operation of the instrument that permits real time phase matrix measurements, a data quality check algorithm that avoids non-physical measurements and filters outliers has been developed. Validation of the scattering matrix elements based on monodisperse aerosol measurements is also done with polystyrene latex spheres (PSL), showing good agreement with Mie theory. Finally, first results of the instrument operating at the University of Granada (UGR) station from the Andalusian Global ObseRvatory of the Atmosphere (AGORA) since April 2022 are presented. Very good agreements of the integrated scattering coefficients with an integrating nephelometer (TSI, model 3563) were obtained with high correlation coefficients for the three wavelengths (R2 > 0.81). The calculated root-mean-square error (RMSE) reveals that the performance of the PI-Neph in the measurement of the scattering coefficient is better in the 660 nm and 515 nm wavelengths than in the 405 nm one, although differences between datasets are still low. The observed differences in phase functions and especially polarized phase functions (both in shape and spectral differences) under changing atmospheric scenarios (Saharan dust, pollution and background aerosol conditions) indicated that these variables are sensitive and reliable to classify the type of ambient aerosol. Particularly, the combined measurements of F11 and –F12/F11 shows a unique potential of the PI-Neph for aerosol typology.

Asociación entre edadismo y sexismo en estudiantes universitarios

Background and aimsAgeism is the negative perception towards others based on age. The aim of this research was to analyze the levels of ageism and its association with sexism and other factors in university students. Materials and methodsCross-sectional study among the students of the University of Granada. The data was collected through an online survey. Information on sociodemographic and academic variables was collected together with the Negative Stereotypes Questionnaire towards Old Age (CENVE), the Ambivalent Sexism Scale (ASI), the Brief Version of the Big Five Personality Inventory (BFPTSQ), the Anxiety Scale for Aging (AE) and the Contact with the Elderly Scale (CPM). Ageism levels were determined and associations with other variables were analyzed. A logistic regression model explored ageism’ associated factors. ResultsTwo hundred and sixty-three students participated. Most had low or very low levels of ageism (83.3%). The most ageist students showed higher hostile sexism (OR=1.07; p<.01) and higher aging anxiety (OR=1.10; p<.05) than students with high scores in ageism. Graduate students showed protector OR for ageism when compared to postgraduate students (OR=.31; p<.05). ConclusionsHigher hostile sexism and aging anxiety are associated with higher ageism in students from the University of Granada. Universities must include in their study plans knowledge about this problem and develop programs aimed at avoiding discrimination in the elderly.

Indoor acoustic quality of educational buildings in South West Europe: Influence of current ventilation strategies

The quality of the classroom environment has a great impact on the physical and mental health of students and teachers. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for new measures and ventilation strategies to be implemented in educational buildings, to ensure indoor air quality in classrooms and to minimise the risk of airborne virus transmission. However, these ventilation protocols can influence the acoustic quality of classrooms and negatively affect students’ speech perception and learning performance. This study presents the results obtained from a field measurement campaign carried out to assess the acoustic characteristics of classrooms of the Fuentenueva Campus (University of Granada) and Azurém Campus (University of Minho). Different ventilation operating scenarios (active and inactive) were assessed to evaluate their impact on the indoor acoustic conditions. The reverberation time (RT), the only parameter used in both countries' regulations to assess acoustic conditions, was found to be higher on both campuses than the RT limits values. Comparison of the measured Speech Transmission Index (STI) and background noise values in the active and inactive ventilation scenario showed a clear variation of the indoor acoustic conditions. The background noise was higher in the active ventilation scenarios (40–57 dBA) than in the inactive ventilation scenarios (34–48 dBA). The average STI values obtained on both campuses for the inactive and active scenarios were 0.54 and 0.51, respectively. In some classrooms an STI difference of 0.1 was found between scenarios. The results obtained in this study provide a broader understanding of the acoustic conditions in university classrooms in Spain and Portugal. The results evidence the need of consider the synergies between the indoor acoustic and air quality conditions to ensure both: the spaces are safe and the acoustic conditions do not interfere with students' learning. The findings show that compliance with the current RT requirements does not ensure that classroom acoustic conditions do not interfere with student performance, and therefore, regulations need to be revised to include additional factors to ensure proper acoustic performance.

Macroscopic study of the collection of human fetuses from Granada University

The anatomical collections of fetuses are a valuable element of study and research in universities. At the University of Granada, the Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology has a collection of 283 fetuses. The purpose of this article has been to carry out an exhaustive study on these fetuses to present data related to the malformations they presented. Regarding the results, it is worth noting the presence of a higher frequency of aborted fetuses between 4.5 and 6 months of development and the presence of macroscopically evident malformations in 56% of them. In conclusion, this study assesses the usefulness for teaching and research of this anatomical material and the results provide data of interest on fetal development and the etiology of spontaneous abortions.

Thixotropic Hydrogels Based on Laponite® and Cucurbituril for Delivery of Lipophilic Drug Molecules.

Invited for this month's cover are the collaborating groups of Prof. Serena Riela at University of Catania, Prof. César Viseras at University of Granada and Dr. Ignacio Sainz-Diaz at Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra. The cover picture shows the possible application of the developed system. In particular, flufenamic acid, anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic drug, was complexed into cucurbituril cavity and the supramolecular system obtained was used as filler for laponite® hydrogel for its topical delivery. More information can be found in the Research Article by Viseras-Iborra, Riela, and co-workers.

Biological sex estimation with femoral dimensions: a study of an adult sample from the osteological collection of Granada (Spain)

ABSTRACT Estimating the biological sex is one of the key objectives in a forensic investigation involving unidentified human skeletal remains. The femur is sexually dimorphic and has been extensively employed for the assessment of sex in different populations. The purposes of this article include a detailed macroanatomical characterization of the femur in a modern reference sample of the Spanish population (N = 226; Cemetery of San José in Granada, housed in the Physical Anthropology Laboratory of the University of Granada), based on 15 measurements of the proximal, distal and diaphyseal regions, and the development of univariable and multivariable models that enable the prediction of sex from complete or fragmentary femora. Univariable models were developed with C4.5, a decision-tree algorithm. Furthermore, univariable and multivariable models were generated through logistic regression (LR) with stepwise selection procedures. The models were able to correctly estimate sex in up to 91.2% of the individuals, providing high classification accuracy and low bias under cross-validation. Logistic regression models provide a probabilistic estimate of sex, that acknowledges both the Daubert standard and the fact that biological sex is not strictly dichotomous.

Medical students’ interest in research: changing trends during university training

IntroductionResearch is an important aspect of medical training and plays a vital role in the advancement of evidence-based medicine. However, little is known about medical students’ attitudes towards research. So, the aim of this study was to assess the opinion of medical students on scientific research.MethodsA cross-sectional study was designed that included students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain. A survey was distributed to assess their interest about research during undergraduate studies (1) and following graduation (2), participation in research activities (3), barriers towards research (4), expectation values and self-perceived skills (5). The opinions of students who had not taken clinical subjects (2nd year students) and students who had taken clinical subjects (4th and 6th year students) were compared.Results91 students were included in the study (32 were 2nd year students and 59 were 4th and 6th year students). More 4th and 6th year students showed no interest in research (50.4% vs. 28.1%, p = 0.042) or in pursuing a doctoral thesis (75% vs. 50.9%, p = 0.079) than 2nd year students. In addition, more 4th and 6th year students felt that they did not have sufficient skills to engage in scientific research (52.4% vs. 18.9%, p = 0.002). Likewise a greater number of 4th and 6th year students considered that the professors did not encourage scientific research activities (74.6% vs. 40.6%, p = 0.002). Generally, students do not participate in scientific dissemination events. The main barriers to research identified were lack of funding and lack of awareness of opportunities.ConclusionInterest in research among medical students seems to decrease as the academic years progress. More research promotion could be implemented during the years of university studies.

Nesting Behavior, Phenology, and Bionomics of the High Andean Leaf-Cutter Bee Megachile (Cressoniella) amparo.

Megachile amparo (González, Revista Colombiana De Entomología 32(1):93-96,2006)is the only high Andean leaf-cutter bee reported in Colombia and is possibly endemic to the Colombian Andes. Although it is frequently observed, even in urban areas, its biology and ecology remain unknown. The present study aimed to describe detailed aspects of its bionomy. Trap-nests were installed on the Campus of the Nueva Granada University (Cajicá, Colombia) from June/2018 to March/2020. The trap-nests were wooden blocks (25 × 15 × 14cm) with 30 cavities of Ø = 1cm and different lengths (50mm, 75mm, and 100mm) lined with waxed paper straws. During the observations, an increasing number of trap-nests were installed, increasing from 250 to 720 cavities. The trap-nests were monitored three times a week, recording both the date the start and end building by female. Most of the nest were maintained in the field to estimate the sex ratio, cell survival, and total development time under natural conditions. Thirty-two nests were removed at different times of the observation period to establish number of cells per nest, and cells built per female per day. We incubated 20 cells from different nests at 18°C, 22°C, 26°C, and 32°C to estimate the base temperature, thermal constant k (developmental time in degree days), and cell survival. Young cells of different positions were dissected and weighed to characterize food provision and brood cells. Computerized tomography-CT scans were performed in 30 brood cells to determine if diapause occurred during prepupal stage. Females nested 7- and 10-cm-long cavities and the number of cells per nest varied with cavity length. The brood cells had a length of 1.23 ± 0.12cm and a diameter of 0.92 ± 0.05cm. The female spends 1.17 ± 0.29days to build a brood cell. Food provision varied according to the position of the brood cell in the nest. The adults of M. amparo present a marked seasonality being more active during dry months. Base temperature and thermal constant k were different for males and females. The sex ratio is female biased (1.9:1), and cell survival in the field was 89% with no cleptoparasites or predators recorded.

Application of Fuzzy and Conventional Forecasting Techniques to Predict Energy Consumption in Buildings

This paper presents the implementation and analysis of two approaches (fuzzy and conventional). Using hourly data from buildings at the University of Granada, we have examined their electricity demand and designed a model to predict energy consumption. Our proposal was conducted with the aid of time series techniques as well as the combination of artificial neural networks and clustering algorithms. Both approaches proved to be suitable for energy modelling although nonfuzzy models provided more variability and less robustness than fuzzy ones. Despite the relatively small difference between fuzzy and nonfuzzy estimates, the results reported in this study show that the fuzzy solution may be useful to enhance and enrich energy predictions.

The panoramic portrait: Educational strategies to create a distorted self-portrait

In art education, students reflect on and explore their identity. In the course ‘Plastic Arts Education’, required for a Primary Education degree at the University of Granada, Spain, students create a panoramic photographic self-portrait to engage in an exploration of self. The main purpose of this visual strategy is to experiment with visual identity using the self as creative subject and resource. Through the creation of these panoramic self-portraits, art education majors work creatively with different images to develop their visual identities and become conscious of constructing a self-image that will be projected on social media. This arts-based research approach allows students to be inspired by artists and discover visual and conceptual resonances between images.

FIP Pharmacy Practice Research summer meeting for PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and supervisors conference abstracts 2023

&#x0D; &#x0D; We are pleased to publish the abstracts of the FIP Pharmacy practice research summer meeting for PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and supervisors in 2023. The research summer meeting was hosted by the FIP Pharmacy Practice Research Special Interest Group (PPR SIG) in collaboration with the University of Granada on 3 and 4 July 2023 in Granada, Spain.&#x0D; &#x0D;