Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

This study examines those factors which affect the possibility of using blogs as a tool for continued learning by future infant-school teachers. 222 students participated (3 cohorts spread over 13 class groups) who were in basic infant teacher training classes in a Spanish university. The students, following their experience using blogs throughout the course, responded to a self-administered electronic questionnaire that had been previously validated. A model was created underpinned by various constructs which produced relevant hypotheses based on social-cognitive theory and the technology acceptance model. The partial least squares (PLS) method was used to examine the proposed hypotheses, of which ten were accepted. The results indicated that the variables which significantly contributed to students continuing to use blogs to learn were perceived self-efficacy, personal outcome expectations, perceived support for enhancing social ties, along with perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude and perception of playfulness. The results are discussed and compared with results of other similar research, which allowed the model’s predictive capacity to be replicated and confirmed). Finally, the study provides useful recommendations based on the findings for those teachers who want to use blogs with their university students and want their students to continue using them in their learning.

This article presents an experience of educational innovation in theframework of the initial training of teachers. This innovation consists of theincorporation of techniques from the Theatre of the Oppressed, specificallythe Forum-Theatre, as a didactic strategy of university education. The objective is for students to know, from a critical perspective, the educational reality, to analyze the relations of power and structures of domination in the education centers and to act for transformation in order to construct and to develop a just and democratic education. This experience was carried out during four academic courses with first year students the Degree in Primary Education at the University of Almeria.To undertake this experience, first we approached the origin, the development and the methodology of the Forum-Theatre. Later, we placed this experience of initial training in the framework of critical pedagogy, according to the purposes of the same, and more specifically in the Problemposing of Paulo Freire, approaching the possibilities offered to us by the Forum-Theatre for development. Next, it contextualizes this experience of innovation, specifying the aims of the same, the development and the topics and approached conflicts. Finally, in the paragraph of conclusions, we indicate that the dualities (theory-practice, research-teaching, educationlearning, individual learning-collective learning, etc.) must join a new model for the initial educational training that the Forum-Theatre, as methodological tool, facilitates.

Currently, there is widespread social concern about the use of Information and Communication Technologies among adolescents, specifically regarding devices such as the Smartphone. The use of mobile phones has become popular in this group, having a different impact on their lives. In view of the fascination that this device produces on them, it is possible to carry out a study on its use. The main objective of this work is to know the patterns that are deduced from the informal use of the Smartphone as the starting point in the design and implementation of socio-educative intervention, particularly with adolescents who are part of the child welfare system, taking into account the vulnerability and complexity that surroundsthis collective. This research is framed in the qualitative methodology, andis part of the narrative approach, based on the collection of data with thetechnique of the story and the interview. The results and conclusions revealthe existence of different use patterns of the mobile phone by adolescents. It should be noted that adolescents subject the use of the device to the constant use of certain apps, due to popularity, easy handle and free-of-charge system. The use of instant messaging systems apps is notorious, particularly WhatsApp and Snapchat in any age bracket. Instagram stands out as the social network that most teenagers use. In general, these applications are used for recreational purposes. Despite having playful content, the influence of video games is not relevant to the use of the Smartphone by the collective. Finally, it is important to emphasize the comunicative purpose with which the minors use the Smartphone, with the aim of keeping in touch with colleagues and sentimental partners.

The research based on the analysis of the Tutorial Action Plan forthe different European universities has focused on the improvement of thisguidance service offered by the higher education schools. The aim of thisstudy is to detect the factors and elements that determine quality tutoring as perceived by the professors of European universities. The research is part of the R&D Timonel project for the elaboration of a recommendation system based on the needs of guidance and tutoring of students and graduates.A total of 48 professors from the University of Jaén (Spain), the Universityof Granada (Spain), the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra (Portugal) andthe Queen Mary University of London (United Kingdom) participated innominal groups and SWOT techniques. The results were shown in referenceto three large dimensions included in the project and defined as the maintrends of tutorial action: Academic, Personal and Professional, adding afourth transversal dimension detected by the participants in the analysisof the data. The participants reveal how teacher training in terms oforientation, knowledge and experience of these as well as the involvementand commitment of both the tutor and students in the tutorial action aresome of the factors and elements that determine quality tutoring. Despitethe research, there are many efforts that have to be made so that the tutorial action in European universities acquires the excellence that this university service requires.

The adoption of Organic Law 3/2007, as well as the different regulationsderived from the same, was decisive for the institutionalization of equalitypolicies at Spanish universities, establishing, as a mandatory rule, thecreation of Equality Units and the implementation of Equality Plans as themain tool for the development of equality actions at Spanish universities.However, despite the different regulations and actions undertaken toachieve equality between women and men in the scientific and academicfields, gender inequality continues to be present in Spanish universities.More than ten years after the adoption of the mentioned law, it becomesfundamental to evaluate the effectiveness of the initiatives promoted. Thispaper analyses the existing Equality Plans at Spanish Universities with theaim of evaluating their effectiveness. To do so, a methodological strategythat combines the use of quantitative techniques with the analysis of theplans and academic interviews with those responsible for the equalitystructures has been designed. The results suggest that, after a decade ofdevelopment of equality policies, Spanish Universities have taken strongand decisive actions aimed at gender equality. However, those initiativespresent some shortcomings, especially regarding the characteristics oftheir implementation and the great rigidity that characterizes universitystructures, which continues to show strong resistance to a structural andinstitutional change in keeping with equality.

The construction of specialised mathematical knowledge for teaching time as a magnitude, is a complex activity that has not yet been studied in depth. In this article we present an approach to this problem from the classroom practice, describing and analysing some aspects of the contentand nature of the knowledge of two primary school teachers when workingon the measurement of time with their students.We have adopted a qualitative methodology, and three moments of theteachers’ interventions have been considered as a reflective action research cycle: for practice, in practice and on practice. To this end, planning and intervention sessions have been recorded for two primary school teachers and their actions have been interpreted in consideration of the analytical model Mathematics Teachers’ Specialised Knowledge (MTSK). This analysis has revealed that teachers are aware of the complexity of dealing with the reading and recording of time when they plan their intervention, and therefore they recognize the need to teach how to use the clock. Our first findings point out the need to provide the students with references for the units of time and to emphasize the functioning of the measuring instrument, questioning the usefulness of the analogue clock.

Ficha técnica: Francisco AlbarelloAmpersandBuenos Aires, 2019222 pp.ISBN 978-987-4161-24-6.

Ficha técnica: Bernardo Marín GarcíaTurner MinorMadrid, 201993 pp.ISBN: 978-84-17141-93-6  

Ficha técnica: Juan Orellana, M.ª Ángeles Almacellas, Ninfa WattCEU EdicionesMadrid, 2019217 pp.ISBN: 978-84-17385-31-6

Ficha técnica: Leila GuerrieroLibros del AsteroideBarcelona, 2019196 pp.ISBN: 978-84-17007-99-7