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

Online classes have become one of the main teaching methods in higher education during the pandemic, which has forced students to adapt themselves to keep their motivation in the face of different educational challenges that have not been fully resolved. The objective of the study was to describe the educational challenges and motivational orientations of college nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a descriptive type design, the researchers applied a standardized questionnaire to 300 Mexican university students. As the main discoveries, it was found that students mostly face technological challenges, followed by socio-affective ones. However, the motivational orientation towards learning predominates among students, where the educational context is a determinant of the teaching-learning process. Hence, the authors concluded that motivation (learning orientation) favors learning and acts as an essential intermediary during online learning. Moreover, the transfer from face-to-face education to online teaching has complicated the processes of integration and adaptation for students. The former occurs while educational challenges have become more acute in a pandemic context, and where technological and socio-affective categories represent the elements students must face. Therefore, the researchers recommend a correlational study to provide a better understanding of the possible relationship between the two studied variables. In addition, in the future, different qualitative methods could be used to further explore the meaning of different motivational orientations in online educational environments under different conditions. 

Currently, in basic education, teaching-learning is moving from a content-based approach to a competency-based one. The complexity of this second approach leads to certain weaknesses in its implementation. The above has been evidenced by the unfavorable results of PISA. This is a consequence of multiple factors, one of them being the use of school textbooks that are not yet adjusted to this approach and that warrant further study of this type. Thus, this article aims to analyze to what extent the activities proposed by the Science and Technology textbooks of the second grade of secondary education in Peru promote the acquisition of scientific skills in students. The authors decided to apply the typology of capacities, which consists of a table with 4 categories with their respective subcategories. The findings show that 36.80% of activities are proposed to promote the development of type I capacities, such as identifying characteristics, establishing relationships, comparing, and defining. 33.40% type II, how to use knowledge in specific situations, where they describe what happens, explain how it happens, and theoretically justify why it happens. 19.20% of type III, such as observing, searching for information in different sources, hypothesizing, and proposing their own work strategies, in addition to carrying out experiences to obtain data. 10.60% type IV, such as analyzing information, drawing conclusions, and arguing with a scientific basis in tests and evidence. It concludes by mentioning that, in the school textbooks under study, abilities of lower cognitive demand are promoted as a priority, such as those of type I and II, to the detriment of those of type III and IV, for which there is a need for a transformation of the proposed activities. 

This qualitative study explores the perception of eight seventh-grade teachers from academic schools in the western region of Costa Rica about implementing the action-oriented approach (AOA). As the main objective, the researchers sought to assess the professors' perception of the execution of this approach in order to explore its precision regarding its principles and the guidelines of the Ministerio de Educación Pública de Costa Rica. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview and then coded considering three primary constructs: the participants’ definition of AOA, its strengths and weaknesses, and the continuities, variations, and innovations that arose with the change from the CLT to the AOA. Regarding the coding, the researchers carried it out under the principles of grounded theory to identify commonalities among participants. The results show a favorable perception of the approach, yet the individuals could not clearly define the AOA for they perceived the materials, the student, and the teacher’s roles as strengths; and tests, materials, and planning as weaknesses. The continuities and variations were not tied to the approach and the most salient innovations were the teacher’s guide and the mini-project. The researchers concluded that there exist discrepancies between the participants’ understanding of the AOA and the actual tenets of the approach. 

The Conectar Igualdad Program (PCI) in Argentina was the most significant policy in terms of digital inclusion in the last decades. In order to distribute more than five million netbooks, the PCI management structure was in charge of an executive committee consisting of different state areas. The purpose of this work is to investigate the characteristics of the PCI management structure, identify state areas and intervening subjects within it, and analyze the decision-making network resulting from the interaction between the aforementioned areas and subjects. The present research is interpretative and qualitative since a series of in-depth interviews were carried out. The management structure is characterized as intergovernmental and its flexible decision-making network as the only alternative to the problems and tensions that took place in the articulation of the different government areas involved. For future policies alike, it becomes essential to reconsider the distribution of tasks for each government area to avoid overlapping and scattering of the multiple tasks involved. Along the same line, a variety of programs at work –e.g.: from the technological infrastructure in a school to teacher training or the elaboration of the pedagogical content of the netbooks- will help in the fulfillment of the objectives. Although there is not a single format in the definition of the management structures for this type of program, since it is an educational policy of digital inclusion, it seems appropriate that the National Ministry of Education coordinates the recipients of this program, supported by other organizations that in charge of purchases and contracts. 

This paper constitutes a literature review to explore the concepts related to the task-based language teaching approach and critical thinking; this way, it would be possible to clearly understand what they are and their roles in the learning environment. Education stakeholders are tasked with seeking best practices to optimize education while helping students think critically and learn holistically. Therefore, from a qualitative perspective, the researcher analyzed articles and documents that allowed describing the position of different authors on the proposed topics. In addition, the context of the educational system was investigated to describe its current state and the difficulties it faces, since 2018, education had faced obstacles in the way content is taught and skills practiced. Therefore, it is highly relevant to analyze the learning environment, the importance of tasks, the role of the teacher, the role of the student, and critical thinking. As a result, this paper can function as a basis for a deeper analysis and an open discussion among stakeholders about the importance of developing CTS in young learners.  

Providing a superior educational service implies the effort of administrative directors and teachers who aim to offer quality basic education services for the sake of the complete formation of students. Therefore, this paper seeks to highlight the available evidence on administrative management in educational management units. Regarding the methodology, the researchers reviewed the scientific literature present in Scielo, Scopus, Redalyc, and Latindex databases taking into account articles whose context have been developed in Latin American countries. As a result, the investigators obtained a total of 10 articles: 4 from Scielo, 3 from Latindex, and 3 from Redalyc. These papers not only contain the most relevant ideas but also fulfilled the objectives of this review. Likewise, 20% of the selected articles were carried out in Costa Rica, 20% in Colombia, 10% in Ecuador, and 50% in Peru. The researchers concluded that adequate administrative management helps to lead, communicate, and make full use of human resources to achieve quality education and job satisfaction among teachers. It is hoped that this review article will contribute to future research. 

In the Mexican educational system, the Ley General para la Inclusión de las Personas con Discapacidad [LGIPD] establishes the integration of students with disabilities into the regular education classroom without distinction. This requirement has generated in the teaching staff an increase of ethical, personal, and professional demands that in the end can cause discomfort, that is, provoke permanently negative effects in the professors that besides altering their physical and psychological state, deteriorate their performance. The objective of the research was to characterize the factors associated with teacher discomfort in a preschool educator during her work with a child diagnosed with microcephaly. The study was qualitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive given the case study modality. Moreover, the participating teacher was observed in the regular classroom and the information was recorded in a field diary followed by a semi-structured interview. Regarding the elaboration of the data collection instruments and the subsequent interpretation of the results, units of analysis were elaborated within the framework of the theoretical formulations of Esteve (2003) and Cordié (2007). The results show that the working conditions faced by the professor to perform her inclusive work demand a greater physical and psychological effort, which, together with the lack of material resources, teaching assistants, and inclusion training, place her in situations of constant stress and difficulty in assuming the new roles required by the reality she faces in the classroom. In this context, these results offer for further studies the characterization of those discomforts teachers face in response to the provisions of the LGIPD of the Mexican Educational System and for which they are not professionally or personally trained. As a recommendation, it is urgent to review the implementation mechanisms of the LGIPD, mainly in basic education, and to train regular education teachers in inclusion issues and in the adequate management of their emotions. 

Both technological advances and the context of the pandemic have positioned virtual mediation as a strong alternative for the transit and projection of higher education institutions and their adaptability to new demands, contexts, and changes. The implementation of remote virtual mediation as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the sense of belonging and student commitment in higher education with face-to-face modality. However, the question arises as to how the behavior of these variables is consolidated in higher education institutions in which remote virtual mediation has always been their methodological hallmark. Seeking to establish the profile of the students of the National Open and Distance University (UNAD) in these contexts and to analyze the interaction of the variables of student commitment and sense of belonging, in this order of ideas and in a random manner, the investigators took a sample of 312 students from the aforementioned university. In this way, the study was developed from a positivist paradigm, with a descriptive-inferential level of depth, with a prospective, cross-sectional and non-experimental record. In addition, the authors used 2 instruments for data collection. The first one was focused on the measurement of the degree and the orientation of the student commitment, while the second one identified determinant factors in the sense of belonging. Finally, the investigators concluded that there is a tangible difference between the profile of the distance education student and that of face-to-face education. Likewise, it is recommended to delve into research focused on the processes of a sense of belonging and student commitment, even more so in distance Higher Education, which has not been sufficiently explored. 

Background. Since 2001, the pedagogical series From University to School has been developed; it compiles innovative teaching activities that include scientific education and dissemination in Argentine primary and secondary schools. Objective. To create an innovative teaching activity that expands those previously reported and includes related theoretical and practical work in school laboratories. Focus and activities. In a context related to infections, the areas of biology and chemistry were associated jointly with the first, second, and fourth-year students of a municipal school from Buenos Aires (Argentina). A review, selection, and integration of knowledge were carried out. Later on, information from the university disciplines of pharmacology and microbiology was added. The central theme covered common infections in adolescents, particularly those caused by the fungus Candida albicans. The problem of the resistance of this microorganism to drugs, its medical relevance, and the search for new medicines was raised. As examples of potential antifungal drugs of plant origin to combat azole-resistant Candida albicans, curcumin and 8PP were taken in comparison, due to their similar bioactivities, the physical aspect, and previous students' knowledge. The researchers started with a food material of plant origin commonly known as seasoning. It is turmeric or saffron from India, which contains curcumin, a substance under scientific study. 8PP, extracted from the roots of Dalea elegans, continues to be investigated in Argentina regarding pharmacological strategies. Both theoretical and practical interactive works were designed and developed, adapted to the topics covered and the school laboratory. Results. An innovative teaching proposal that integrates and updates different scientific knowledge related to health care was developed. Conclusions. This experience broadens and enriches the teaching curriculum at the secondary level, both in scientific criteria and in data from Argentine and foreign fields, following recommendations derived from its recognized and valued originality. 

The student body of the new generation has a shorter attention span and a preference for technology. The objective of the research was to elaborate a proposal for the implementation of 3D modeling and printing in the Civil Engineering career of the University of Costa Rica (UCR), based on the use of non-industrial printers, to improve the retention of concepts and three-dimensional understanding. The methodology consisted of a research phase with a qualitative approach to the courses of the civil engineering curriculum, the objectives, and didactic activities. The state of the art in 3D modeling and printing was reviewed, especially regarding its use for educational purposes, and interviews were conducted with related professionals. Subsequently, key concepts were defined in different courses of the Civil Engineering plan, whose teaching could be improved by using 3D modeling and printing. In this way, the courses of the plan were categorized according to their implementation capacity. The proposal exposes a way to apply technology to engineering courses and complement this implementation with transversal activities not linked to the courses, which promote interaction, union, and participation between people from different levels of the career. The proposal was validated with a group of related professionals and advanced-level students of the degree through a questionnaire and validation session, which produced improvements that were incorporated into the final proposal. The implementation is conceptualized in three stages: the first is a process of awareness, motivation and training; the second includes the implementation of the technology on a small scale in classrooms, laboratories and projects, and, in the third phase, the technology begins to be used on a large-scale using materials regularly used in construction. It is concluded that it is feasible and it is recommended to incorporate 3D modeling and printing in the Civil Engineering curriculum through the use of the study plan courses most related to said technology and apply the designed proposal.