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Nowadays, digital culture affects all levels of society. However, differences exist between individuals, commonly named as the “digital divide,” which impedes the equal access to the benefits of new technologies. The Usability and Accessibility (UA) module is a core, first-semester module during the first year of the Multimedia Engineering degree at the University of Alicante. The UA module’s main objective is to provide students with the necessary concepts and tools to design and develop products with usability and accessibility features, thus achieving end products that are more usable and accessible, regardless of the end users’ status, ability or situation. This paper presents a new learning methodology aimed at making students become everyday users of their own digital products. Daily use of these products improves the UA learning process, since students can appreciate their accessibility and usability in everyday life conditions for a better understanding of how their own design decisions affect potential users. A non-equivalent control group design with pre- and post-test control groups was used to test the research hypothesis. The results of this study showed a significant improvement in their academic performance compared to the control group. This work was supported in part by the I3CE Network Program of research in university teaching at the Institute of Educational Sciences of the University of Alicante (ICE call 2018-19)., Ref. 4331.

El rendimiento académico es una variable considerada en la dimensión de calidad educativa en las universidades, y su consecución se vincula a múltiples factores, algunos de los cuales están orientados a las condiciones del ambiente o clima de aula. El presente trabajo es de naturaleza documental y tiene el propósito de disertar sobre algunos apuntes teóricos que abordan la vinculación entre el clima de aula y el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes en contextos universitarios. Partiendo del acercamiento conceptual polisémico y muldimensional del clima de aula, se entiende el rendimiento académico desde una condición subjetiva individual y colectiva, de allí que en atención al “comportamiento” de variedad de factores, tales como la comunicación, la participación, la motivación, la confianza, la planificación académica, el liderazgo y la creatividad del docente, el clima de aula puede ser positivo o poco favorecedor de los logros de aprendizaje. A manera de conclusión se destaca el significado del rol del docente, y la necesidad de prestar atención a otros factores como la gestión institucional universitaria y a la motivación personal del estudiante. Academic performance is a variable considered in the dimension of educational quality in universities, and its achievement is linked to multiple factors, some of which are oriented to the conditions of the classroom environment or climate. This work is documentary in nature and has the purpose of discussing some theoretical notes that address the link between the classroom climate and the academic performance of students in university contexts. Starting from the polysemic and multidimensional conceptual approach of the classroom climate, academic performance is understood from an individual and collective subjective condition, hence, in attention to the “behavior” of a variety of factors, such as communication, participation, motivation, Confidence, academic planning, leadership and creativity of the teacher, the classroom climate can be positive or unfavorable to learning achievements. By way of conclusion, the meaning of the teacher’s role is highlighted, and the need to pay attention to other factors such as university institutional management and the student’s personal motivation.

In recent decades, efforts have been made to achieve a positive coexistence among adolescents in secondary schools and create a healthy environment to prepare them to face the present-day challenges. Therefore, this study highlights the educational purpose of improving emotional management and social skills as well as decreasing antisocial and criminal behaviour among secondary education students through an educational training programme. Accordingly, to verify the effectiveness of the project, a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test structure and a control group was adopted. To achieve this, a total of 141 Spanish secondary school students participated in this study and were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions. The first (experimental) group (n = 55) participated in the training programme, correspondingly, the second group (control) (n = 57) followed the usual mentoring activities planned for the entire educational centre. Of the total number of participants, 52.7% of the sample were men and 47.3% were women. The mean age of the participants was 13.01 years old (SD = 0.935). The results showed improvements in the environment with adequate training and the correct application of a programme involving emotional intelligence (EI) among secondary education students. Furthermore, a decrease in conflicts and enhanced relations between the members of the educational community was evidenced. Finally, the practical implications for improving coexistence in secondary schools are discussed.

In Ecuador, affirmative action policies enable students from vulnerable groups to preferentially enter universities. However, these policies are limited to admission and do not include academic or socio-economic support mechanisms that, according to the literature, promote student insertion in the higher education system. In this study, the effects of socio-academic intervention on the academic performance of vulnerable students are presented. For this, 41 students were selected among 164 vulnerable students entering the Escuela Politécnica Nacional in the second term of 2019. The 41 students attended a socio-academic intervention course for one term, while the remaining 123 attended the Escuela Politécnica Nacional levelling course directly. Once both groups of students finished the levelling course, their performance in each of the course subjects was compared. The results showed that the academic performance of the students in the intervention was significantly higher in mathematics and geometry compared to the students who had no intervention. These results show that the socio-academic intervention promotes the real insertion of vulnerable students in the university system. This research was supported by the Secretaría Nacional de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SENESCYT; PIC-18-INE-EPN-002).

espanolLa adquisicion de la escritura requiere de la intervencion de procesos cognitivos de gran complejidad, lo que origina dificultades en su aprendizaje desde las primeras edades. La puesta en comun de los conocimientos, ideas e hipotesis personales que va construyendo cada estudiante a traves de propuestas que potencien la reflexion cognitiva sobre el proceso de construccion de la escritura puede ser una estrategia de gran utilidad para el dominio de este aprendizaje. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar el efecto que la intervencion de un programa centrado en el desarrollo de las habilidades que favorecen el acceso al sistema de la escritura mediante dinamicas que potencien la capacidad de pensar a traves de las rutinas de pensamiento presenta en el proceso de adquisicion de la escritura. Se empleo un diseno cuasi-experimental de comparacion entre grupos con medidas pretest y postest. En el estudio participaron 356 estudiantes con edades entre los 5 y 6 anos. Los resultados ponderan el valor potencial del programa y apoyan el desarrollo de modelos de ensenanza que integren las habilidades del pensamiento en la practica del aula para la mejora del sistema de la escritura en los primeros niveles escolares. EnglishThe learning of writing requires the intervention of cognitive processes of great complexity, which causes difficulties in their acquisition from early ages. The sharing of knowledge, ideas, and personal hypotheses that each student is building through proposals that enhance cognitive reflection on the process of construction of writing can be a very useful strategy for mastering this learning. The objective of this work was to analyze the effect that the intervention of a program focused on the development of skills that favor access to the writing system through dynamics that enhance the ability to think and reason in a shared way through the routines of thought presents in the process of acquisition of writing. A quasi-experimental design of comparison between groups with pretest and posttest measurements was used. The study involved 356 students aged between 5 and 6 years. The results weigh the potential value of the program and support the development of teaching models that integrate thinking skills into classroom practice for the improvement of the writing system in the first school levels.

Teaching socio-emotional skills among primary school students is the key to creating a climate of cooperation in classrooms and reducing disruptive or aggressive behaviors among students. The primary goal of this research is to present an educational proposal for imparting socio-emotional competencies among primary school students. We attempt to impart socio-emotional competencies based on: (1) fostering self-knowledge, self-esteem, and respect for others among students; (2) developing behaviors that allow them to perceive and express feelings and self-regulating emotions; and (3) developing assertive communication skills aimed at improving conflict resolution. This program has been designed in such a way that it is implemented throughout the academic year by organizing bi-monthly sessions of 45 min each, held until the completion of 15 sessions. The sample consists of 100 students in the third grade, with the control and experimental groups having an equal number of students (50 each). The instruments used for this research are: (a) BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory (Youth Version [BarOn EQ-i:YV]): used for measuring emotional and social functioning; (b) the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY): used for assessing social skills; and (c) Questionnaire for the Assessment of School Violence in Preschool and Primary School Questionnaire. To check the effectiveness of the educational intervention, a quasi-experimental design, along with pretest-posttest control group design, is used in accordance with the general linear model. Its effectiveness is also checked using repeated measures analysis of variance. The results show that the program is useful in preventing violent behaviors in the educational field and promoting the development of socio-emotional skills among third grade students. Finally, the applicability of the program to other educational contexts is discussed to enhance students' personal development and decrease the levels of violence found in primary school. This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (EDU2015-64562-R).

The general purpose of this work is 2-fold, to validate scales and to present the methodological procedure to reduce these scales to validate a rating scale for the student evaluation of teaching in the context of a Polytechnic Higher Education Institution. We explored the relationship between the long and short versions of the scale; examine their invariance in relation to relevant variables such as gender. Data were obtained from a sample of 6,110 students enrolled in a polytechnic higher education institution, most of whom were male. Data analysis included descriptive analysis, intraclass correlation, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), confirmatory factorial analysis, correlations between the short and long form corrected for the shared error variance, gender measurement invariance, reliability using congeneric correlated factors, and correlations with academic achievement for the class as unit with an analysis following a multisection design. Results showed four highly correlated factors that do not exclude a general factor, with an excellent fit to data; configural, metric, and scalar gender measurement invariance; high reliability for both the long and short scale and subscales; high short and long-form scale correlations; and moderate but significant correlations between the long and short versions of the scales with academic performance, with individual and aggregate data collected from classes or sections. To conclude, this work shows the possibility of developing student evaluation of teaching scales with a short form scale, which maintains the same high reliability and validity indexes as the longer scale. This research was supported by the Secretaría Nacional de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Ecuador, (SENESCYT; PIC-18-INE-EPN-002).

Universities are committed to offering quality education, however, a high rate of academic failure is often observed in the first year of studies. Considering the impact that motivation and emotional aspects can have on students&rsquo, commitment to study and therefore on their academic performance, achievement, and well-being, this study aims to identify the factors associated with academic success or failure in 1071 students entering the National Polytechnic School (Quito, Ecuador). The data were compiled from the existing computer records of the university with the permission of the responsible administrative staff. A predictive model has been used and a binary logistic regression analysis was carried out through the step-forward regression procedure based on the Wald statistic to analyze the predictive capacity of the variables related to emotional intelligence, motivational and self- regulated socio-cognitive skills, goal orientation, and prior academic achievement (measured by university entrance marks and through a knowledge test carried out at the beginning of the university academic year). To determine the cut-off point for the best discriminatory power of each of the variables, a Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analysis has been used. The results indicate that the variables that are significant in the prediction of academic success or failure are the two academic performance measures: the emotional attention variable, and the performance-approach goals and the motivational self-efficacy variable. Additionally, the highest predictive power is displayed by the prior academic performance measure obtained through the knowledge test conducted at the beginning of the university course.

Overcoming the impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on primary schools is an emerging need and priority in the current social welfare system. Accordingly, this study presents an empirical learning package to support teachers, who perform frontline work in schools, in coping with stress, preventing burnout, improving their information and communications technology (ICT) competency, and introducing the principles of emotional intelligence (EI) in the classroom. The participants included 141 primary school teachers (M = 38.4 years, SD = 6.84, 54.6% women). They were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in the 14-week teacher training program, whereas the control group did not participate in the program or receive any other training during the intervention. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (time x group) was performed to identify the effects of the teacher training program. Teachers who participated in the training program evaluated it positively and showed significant differences compared to the control group in their abilities to cope with stress and avoid burnout, their ICT competency, and their introduction of EI in the classroom. Implications for supporting teachers are discussed.

Through this study we tried to evaluate and improve the level of emotional competence of the students of a primary school. Emotional competence was evaluated by the teacher in 135 students using the Teacher Child Rating Scale of Hightower et al. [1986. The Teacher- Child Rating Scale: A brief objective measure of elementary children’s school problem behaviors and competencies. School Psychology Review, 15]. A programme to improve the emotional competence of the students was designed based on the data obtained in the initial evaluation and implemented with an experimental group (n = 72, 35 girls and 37 boys). Sessions were given one hour per week for 20 weeks. Using a quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent control group and pre-test post-test measures, the effectiveness of the programme for the improvement of emotional competence was checked. The results showed improvements in the variables of Sociability and Disturbing Behaviours within the experimental group. In addition, assessment of the participants’ satisfaction yielded very positive results. This work was supported by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain) under Grant number EDU2015-64562-R.

This study was designed to examine academic self-concept as a potential mediator to better understand the relations between academic attitudes and academic achievement in early adolescence. A total of 1398 high school students from Alicante, Spain (47% female, M = 12.5 years), participated in the study. Multilevel mediation analyses with Monte Carlo confidence intervals were used to measure within-subject effects at the student level (L1) and between-subject effects at the class level (L2). Academic attitudes (attitudes towards teachers and attitudes towards school) and academic self-concept were measured with validated scales, whereas academic achievement was assessed using the end-of-term grades obtained by the students in nine subjects. The results show, first, significant effects of the academic attitude constructs on the mediational and dependent variables at both the within and between levels. Second, academic self-concept was an important mediator for all academic attitude constructs at both levels of analysis. These results highlight the importance of academic self-concept during early adolescence and suggest that academic attitudes are crucial for the future development of educational models. Con el fin de tener un mejor entendimiento de la relación existente entre las actitudes académicas y el rendimiento académico en la adolescencia inicial, se lleva a cabo el presente estudio teniendo en cuenta el autoconcepto académico como mediador relevante. Un total de 1398 estudiantes de la provincia de Alicante, España (47% mujeres, M = 12. 5 años), participan en el estudio. Se emplean análisis de mediación multinivel para medir los efectos intra-sujetos al nivel del estudiante (L1), e inter-sujetos al nivel de la clase (L2). Las actitudes académicas (actitudes hacia el profesorado y actitudes hacia la escuela) y el autoconcepto académico se miden mediante escalas validadas, mientras que el rendimiento académico se mide a partir de las calificaciones que obtienen los estudiantes en nueve asignaturas. Los resultados muestran, en primer lugar, efectos significativos de las actitudes académicas sobre la variable mediacional y la variable dependiente en los niveles intra e inter. Además, se aprecia un efecto indirecto significativo del autoconcepto como mediador de las actitudes académicas en ambos niveles de análisis. Estos resultados muestran la importancia del autoconcepto académico durante la adolescencia inicial, y señalan la necesidad de considerar las actitudes académicas como variables fundamentales en el desarrollo y puesta en práctica de modelos educativos.

Con el fin de tener un mejor entendimiento de la relación existente entre las actitudes académicas y el rendimiento académico en la adolescencia inicial, se lleva a cabo el presente estudio teniendo en cuenta el autoconcepto académico como mediador relevante. Un total de 1400 estudiantes de la provincia de Alicante, España (47% mujeres, M = 12.5 años), participan en el estudio. Se emplean análisis de mediación multinivel con intervalos de confianza Monte Carlo para medir los efectos intrasujetos al nivel del estudiante (L1), e intersujetos al nivel de la clase (L2). Las actitudes académicas (actitudes hacia el profesorado y actitudes hacia la escuela) y el autoconcepto académico se miden mediante escalas validadas, mientras que el rendimiento académico se mide a partir de las calificaciones que obtienen los estudiantes en nueve asignaturas. Los resultados muestran, en primer lugar, efectos significativos de las actitudes académicas sobre la variable mediacional y la variable dependiente en los niveles intra e inter. Además, se aprecia un efecto indirecto significativo del autoconcepto como mediador de las actitudes académicas en ambos niveles de análisis. Estos resultados muestran la importancia del autoconcepto académico durante la adolescencia inicial, y señalan la necesidad de considerar las actitudes académicas como variables fundamentales en el desarrollo y puesta en práctica de modelos educativos. This study was designed to examine academic self-concept as a potential mediator to better understand the relations between academic attitudes and academic achievement in early adolescence. A total of 1400 high school students from Alicante, Spain (47% female, M = 12.5 years), participated in the study. Multilevel mediation analyses with Monte Carlo confidence intervals were used to measure within-subject effects at the student level (L1) and between-subject effects at the class level (L2). Academic attitudes (attitudes towards teachers and attitudes towards school) and academic self-concept were measured with validated scales, whereas academic achievement was assessed using the end-of-term grades obtained by the students in nine subjects. The results show, first, significant effects of the academic attitude constructs on the mediational and dependent variables at both the within and between levels. Second, academic self-concept was an important mediator for all academic attitude constructs at both levels of analysis. These results highlight the importance of academic self-concept during early adolescence and suggest that academic attitudes are crucial for the future development of educational models.

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) has often been linked to improvements in professional performance. Indeed, generic competencies related to EI have been included in university curricula. However, learning EI involves significant time and effort on the part of students, and this may hinder the acquisition of specific content for each degree. In this study, an intervention to develop EI in higher education students is described and evaluated. Methods: The intervention consisted of eight group sessions performed in a regular course aiming to increase EI. The sessions included strategies and training on perceiving and understanding one’s own emotions and others’ emotions, identifying and understanding the impact one’s own feelings in adopting decisions, expressing one’s own emotions and the stress experienced, and managing both one’s own emotions and emotions of others. Participants were 192 students studying for a Master of Primary Education degree. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was adopted. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated using multi-level analyses. Results: The results showed a significant improvement in the EI of students in the experimental group compared with the control group. Conclusions: This research demonstrates that it is possible to develop EI in higher education students, without hindering the acquisition of specific content competencies and, therefore, without interfering with their academic performance and without overburdening students with work outside the classroom. Trial registration: The experiment has been registered in the Initial Deposit of the Spanish Center for Sociological Research (CIS). 7/6/2015. http://www.cis.es/cis/opencms/ES/index.html. This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under Grant number EDU2015-64562-R.

A positive school climate can directly influence the relationships and social interactions among students while also contributing to the development of socio-emotional skills. Simultaneously, the school climate depends on these said skills. Despite this close relationship, emotional education and school climate improvement programmes have traditionally been studied separately. This study describes and evaluates the effectiveness of a new programme, OKAPI (Organisation, Cooperation, Positive Environment, Participation and Emotional Intelligence), for the development of socio-emotional skills and the improvement of classroom climate for primary school students using a cooperative learning methodology. The total sample comprised 86 students aged 9–11 years. A quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures with a control group was used. The results show that the program’s implementation is effective both for the improvement of the classroom climate and the acquisition of training in the field of emotional intelligence, as well as for the development of cooperative competences. Among the fundamental pillars of the OKAPI programme are its simplicity and transversality, so that teachers are responsible for its application and monitoring; thus, the programme becomes an agent of change in their educational practice. This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (EDU2015-64562-R).

Several studies have documented the benefits of emotional intelligence particularly in the workplace. The main objective of universities is to educate in terms of acquiring capacities, abilities, competencies, and values, with the ultimate aim of promoting employment. In some Spanish universities, High Academic Performance Groups (HAPs) have been launched to strengthen the potential of the most outstanding students. This study is aimed to know the differences in the emotional intelligence profile of the HAP students. The study shows no significant differences, being recommendable to consider providing aid and support for HAP students in the development of this type of intelligence. This work was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España), through Reference EDU2015-64562-R Project, and the University of Alicante through Reference GRE14-16.

This paper addresses the relationship between student evaluation of teaching (SET) and academic achievement in higher education. Meta-analytic studies on teaching effectiveness show a wide range of results, ranging from small to medium correlations between SET and student achievement, based on diverse methodological approaches, sample size studies, and contexts. This work aimed to relate SET, prior academic achievement, and academic achievement in a large sample of higher education students and teachers, using different methodological procedures, which consider as distinct units of analysis the group class and the individuals, the variability between students within classes, and the variability between group-class means, simultaneously. The data analysis included the calculation of group-class means and its relationship with the group-class mean academic achievement, through correlation and hierarchical regression techniques; additionally, a multilevel path analysis was applied to the relationship between prior academic achievement, SET, and their academic achievement, considering the variability among group classes. A multisection analysis was also carried out in those course disciplines in which there was more than one class group (section). The results of individual and group-class analysis revealed that SET was moderately low but related to academic achievement in a significant way once the effect of previous academic achievement was controlled. In addition, multilevel path analysis revealed the effect of SET on achievement, both within and between group-class levels. The results of the analysis carried out in the course disciplines with different sections, according to a multisection design, yielded similar results to the individual and aggregated data analyses. Taken together, the results revealed that SET was low related to academic achievement, once the effect of previous academic achievement was controlled. From these results, it follows that the use of SET as a measure of teachers’ effectiveness for making administrative decisions remains controversial. This research was supported by National Secretariat of Higher Education, Science and Technology, SENESCYT (PIC-18-INE-EPN-002).

This work validates a teaching evaluation instrument applied to professors in engineering, sciences and higher technological level programs of the Escuela Politécnica Nacional, using the method of Factor Analysis with extraction of principal components. The database used for the research was previously examined and refined due to inconsistency, eg. outliers, out of range values, etc. The result of the method described above was a reduced survey of 15 items, which was obtained from an original study of 33 items. This new questionnaire clearly identifies the four main dimensions or aspects required: teaching development and planning, teacher-student relationship, evaluation, and a global assessment question. The reduction of the evaluation scale will allow to improve the process of integral teaching performance evaluation of the faculty at Escuela Politécnica Nacional, and this method could serve as a benchmark for the teaching evaluation process of other universities that belong to the higher education system of Ecuador. RESUMEN Este trabajo valida un instrumento de evaluación docente aplicado a profesores de las carreras de ingeniería, ciencias y de nivel tecnológico superior de la Escuela Politécnica Nacional, utilizando el método de Análisis Factorial con extracción de componentes principales. La base de datos utilizada en la investigación fue examinada previamente y refinada por inconsistencia - por ejemplo, valores atípicos, valores fuera de rango, etc. El resultado del método descrito anteriormente fue una encuesta reducida de 15 ítems, que se obtuvo de un estudio original de 33 ítems. Este nuevo cuestionario identifica claramente las cuatro dimensiones o aspectos: planificación y desarrollo de la docencia; relación profesor-alumno; evaluación; y una pregunta de valoración global. La reducción de la escala de evaluación permitirá mejorar el proceso de la evaluación integral del desempeño docente del personal de la Escuela Politécnica Nacional, y este método podría servir de referencia para el proceso de evaluación de la enseñanza de otras universidades que pertenecen al sistema de educación superior del Ecuador.

This paper examines the role of emotional intelligence (EI) as a mediator in the relationship between salary at early career and personality. The longitudinal data was collected from a selected sample of 130 university graduates, who were in the early stages of their professional careers. The results of a path analysis indicated that salary was indirectly predicted by personality traits, as measured by the Big Five model. Salary was predicted by neuroticism (both positively and negatively), extraversion (positively), and openness (positively) via the EI dimensions following the causal chain: perception, understanding and emotional regulation. Our findings have suggested the advantages of using EI measures as a complement to more dispositional measures, such as ability or personality measures, for personnel selection and people development in organizations and have provided real practice with clear suggestions for improving HRM. This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [PSI2009-12696].

Background: In recent decades, the amount of research on social and emotional learning programs in schools has increased significantly, showing a great number of positive student outcomes, including greater ability to perceive, understand and manage emotions, better attitudes about self and others, less aggressive and/or disruptive behavior, higher levels of psychological well-being and improvement in academic performance among others. The purpose of this research was the design and implementation of the OKAPI emotional education program. A multidimensional program based on cooperative learning methodology. Methods: 86 students of Primary Education, from 3rd to 5th grade (45 students in the experimental unit and 41 in the control group). Results: The implementation of the OKAPI has a positive impact on academic achievement. Conclusion: This program shows the convenience of incorporating programs that can be integrated into school life and can be applied by the teaching staff using both social emotional learning and school climate approaches. This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (EDU2015-64562-R).

The school-dropout problem is a serious issue that affects both a country&rsquo, s education system and its economy, given the substantial investment in education made by national governments. One strategy for counteracting the problem at an early stage is to identify students at risk of dropping out. The present study introduces a model to predict student dropout rates in the Escuela Polit&eacute, cnica Nacional leveling course. Data related to 2097 higher education students were analyzed, a logistic regression model and an artificial neural network model were trained using four variables, which incorporated student academic and socio-economic information. After comparing the two models, the neural network, with an experimentally defined architecture of 4&ndash, 7&ndash, 1 architecture and a logistic activation function, was selected as the model that should be applied to early predict dropout in the leveling course. The study findings show that students with the highest risk of dropping out are those in vulnerable situations, with low application grades, from the Costa regime, who are enrolled in the leveling course for technical degrees. This model can be used by the university authorities to identify possible dropout cases, as well as to establish policies to reduce university dropout and failure rates.

The purpose of this study is to train an artificial neural network model for predicting student failure in the academic leveling course of the Escuela Politécnica Nacional of Ecuador, based on academic and socioeconomic information. For this, 1308 higher education students participated, 69.0% of whom failed the academic leveling course; besides, 93.7% of the students self-identified as mestizo, 83.9% came from the province of Pichincha, and 92.4% belonged to general population. As a first approximation, a neural network model was trained with twelve variables containing students’ academic and socioeconomic information. Then, a dimensionality reduction process was performed from which a new neural network was modeled. This dimension reduced model was trained with the variables application score, vulnerability index, regime, gender, and population segment, which were the five variables that explained more than 80% of the first model. The classification accuracy of the dimension reduced model was 0.745, while precision and recall were 0.883 and 0.778, respectively. The area under ROC curve was 0.791. This model could be used as a guide to lead intervention policies so that the failure rate in the academic leveling course would decrease. This research was supported by Escuela Politécnica Nacional.

Purpose: This article presents the results of a training program in emotional intelligence. Design/methodology/approach: Emotional Intelligence (EI) involves two important competencies: (1) the ability to recognize feelings and emotions in oneself and others, and (2) the ability to use that information to resolve conflicts and problems to improve interactions with others. We provided a 30-hour Training Course on Emotional Intelligence (TCEI) for 54 senior managers of a private company. A pretest-posttest design with a control group was adopted. Findings: EI assessed using mixed and ability-based measures can be improved after training. Originality/value: The study’s results revealed that EI can be improved within business environments. Results and implications of including EI training in professional development plans for private organizations are discussed. This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (EDU2015-64562-R) to R.G-C.

Using various identification methods, differences between underachieving and non-underachieving gifted students in personal, familial, social, and school variables were analyzed in a sample of 164 gifted students with IQs of 120 or higher; the sample was drawn from a larger sample of 1,400 compulsory secondary education students. Three procedures for identifying underachieving students were used: the standardized difference method, the regression method, and the Rasch method. The different profiles of underachieving and non-underachieving students in the personal, familial, social, and school variables were compared using MANOVA and ANOVA tests. Results revealed that underachieving gifted students scored significantly lower in learning strategies, goal orientations, self-concept, attitudes toward teachers, and perceived parent involvement in school variables. These results have clear educational implications as a result of identifying differences in non-cognitive factors. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (award number: EDU2012-32156).

This study compares the statistical methods employed for detecting underachievement, specifically the simple difference method, the regression method and the Rasch method. A sample of 1182 first- and second-year secondary students from 8 high schools in the province of Alicante participated in the study. The results showed a percentage of underachieving students that varies from 14.55% to 30.37%, depending on the statistical method employed. The Rasch method identified the highest number of underachieving students. Statistically significant differences were found between gender and type of student-underachieving and non-underachieving; however, no significant differences were detected between the course and type of student. This study confirms the importance of knowing the measurement properties of the statistical methods, how they affect the detection of underachieving students, and the main educational implications. El presente estudio realiza una comparación de los métodos estadísticos más empleados en la detección del alumnado con rendimiento menor al esperado; concretamente el método de diferencias estandarizadas, el método de residuales de regresión y el método Rasch. Se empleó una muestra de 1182 alumnos de primer y segundo curso de Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria de 8 centros educativos de la provincia de Alicante. Los resultados muestran un porcentaje que oscila entre el 14.55% y el 30.37% de alumnos con rendimiento menor al esperado detectados en función del método estadístico empleado, siendo el método Rasch el que más alumnos identifica. Asimismo, se detectaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el género y el tipo de alumnado (con rendimiento normal y con rendimiento menor al esperado), mientras que no se detectaron diferencias en función del curso y el tipo de alumnado. Este estudio confirma la importancia de conocer cómo afectan las propiedades de distintos métodos estadísticos en la detección del alumnado con rendimiento menor al esperado, así como sus principales implicaciones educativas. The present work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Award number: EDU2012-32156) and the Vice Chancelor for Research of the University of Alicante (Award number: GRE11-15). The corresponding author is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Reference of the grant: BES-2013-064331).

Introducción: Este trabajo presenta los resultados obtenidos en el contexto de un proyecto, el Programa de Capacitación Avanzada en Competencia Emocional (ATPEC), para la mejora de las habilidades emocionales en estudiantes de Educación Superior. Desde la introducción del proceso de Bolonia, el objetivo de una educación completa no es solo enseñar habilidades técnicas, sino también otras competencias, como el trabajo en equipo, habilidades de comunicación eficaces, gestión de proyectos y tiempo y la capacidad de coordinar nuestras emociones en pos de ese fin. La inteligencia emocional (IE) ha sido vinculada con frecuencia a mejoras en el desempeño profesional. De hecho, las competencias genéricas relacionadas con la IE han sido incluidas en el currículum universitario. Metodología: En el presente trabajo se diseñó e implementó un Curso de Capacitación Avanzada de 30 horas sobre inteligencia emocional. La muestra estuvo formada por 651 estudiantes de Educación Superior, de 3 países, España (n = 193), Moldavia (n = 302) y Argentina (n = 156). Resultados: Los resultados muestran una mejora significativa en todas las habilidades emocionales evaluadas, demostrando así la eficacia del programa de intervención propuesto independientemente de la cultura/país en el que se desarrolle y de la carrera que cursen los estudiantes. Conclusiones: De esta manera, la posibilidad de trabajar en grupos para resolver casos aplicados, la capacidad de aprender de forma autónoma o el uso de la plataforma e-learning, convierten este programa en algo novedoso y eficaz para la mejora de la competencia emocional. Se discuten las implicaciones de estos resultados para la incorporación de programas de mejora de la IE en la Educación Superior. Introduction: This study presents the results obtained from the Advanced Training Program in Emotional Intelligence (ATPEC) on the planning and managing of emotions, and the emotional intelligence experience in Higher Education. Since the beginning of the Bologna process, the objective of a complete education does not only address the teaching of technical abilities, but also of another competences such as team work, effective communication skills, project management, and time and capability to coordinate our emotions. Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been frequently related to the improvement of professional development. In fact, the general competences related to EI have been included in university curricula. Method: The present work aims to design and implement an advanced EI training course for 30 hours. The sample was obtained by 651 higher education students from 3 countries, Spain (n = 193), Moldova (n = 302) and Argentina (n = 156). Results: The results showed a significant improvement in all of the emotional abilities assessed, confirming the efficacy of the intervention program, regardless of the culture/country in which it is developed, and of the undergraduate degrees. Conclusions: the possibility to work in groups to solve study cases, the capability to learn independently or to use an e-learning platform make this program a unique and efficient tool for the improvement of emotional competences. Implications of these results for the application of EI programs in Higher Education are discussed. Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, dentro del Programa Estatal de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad , Con el Proyecto I+D+I Ref. EDU2015-64562-R.

This work aimed to test the invariance of a causal structural model of the determinants of academic achievement in underachieving and non-underachieving students. A theoretical model of the relationships between personal, social, and familial variables and academic performance was derived empirically using data from a large sample obtained in a previous study, prior to testing for invariance across the two student groups. Underachieving students were identified using the Rasch model procedure. The sample comprised 259 underachieving and 258 non-underachieving students. The latter were selected randomly from a large non-underachieving sample of Spanish secondary education students. For model comparisons between groups, multiple-group causal structural analyses were performed, following a sequence of nested models with increasing constraints. The results showed a good fit of the model in both groups, although about half of the parameters were not invariant across groups. Underachieving students were characterized by their lack of learning strategies, an academic self-concept that exerted less influence on achievement, and a positive effect of the parent-school relationship on academic performance/achievement. Non-underachieving students were characterized by their use of metacognitive strategies, which led to higher academic achievement, a greater effect of self-concept on their achievement, the perception of parental support leading to higher performance, and the positive effects of peer acceptance on academic achievement. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [Grant number: EDU2012-32156].

The present work analyzes the effectiveness of a program to develop emotional intelligence in secondary education. The Training Course on Emotional Intelligence (TCEI) offers the opportunity for secondary students to develop their emotional intelligence cooperatively applying their new knowledge to solve real-world problems. A total of 158 secondary education students participated in this educational experience. A combination of both in-person classes and online classes was used in this program in a virtual campus according to the flipped classroom methodology. The TCEI prepares students to think critically and analytically, to learn about one’s own feelings and other people’s emotions, and to find and use appropriate emotional learning resources. The results indicate that improvement in emotional intelligence is possible using our program. The implications of these results for incorporating emotional competencies into secondary education curriculum are discussed.

Using a sample of 339 university graduates from the University of Alicante (Spain) three years after completion of their studies, we studied the relationships between general intelligence (GI), personality traits, emotional intelligence (EI), academic performance, and occupational attainment and compared the results of conventional regression analysis with the results obtained from applying regression mixture models. The results reveal the influence of unobserved population heterogeneity (latent class) on the relationship between predictors and criteria and the improvement in the prediction obtained from applying regression mixture models compared to applying a conventional regression model. Mediante una muestra de 339 graduados universitarios de la Universidad de Alicante, Espa˜na, tres años después de acabar los estudios, hemos estudiado la relación entre inteligencia general (IG), rasgos de personalidad, inteligencia emocional (IE), rendimiento académico y consecución de empleo, comparando los resultados del análisis de regresión tradicional con los resultados obtenidos aplicando los modelos mixtos de regresión. Los resultados muestran la influencia de una heterogeneidad poblacional no observada (clase latente) en la relación entre predictores y criterios y la mejoría en la predicción a partir de la aplicación de los modelos mixtos de regresión en comparación con la aplicación del modelo convencional de regresión.&nbsp

Background Different studies reveal an association between parent involvement, metacognition, and academic achievement; however, the majority analyse the developmental process of acquisition in experimental or quasi-experimental designs with students enrolled in child education. Adolescence is an important stage in personal and academic development. Given the complexity of learning, and according to the metacognitive and affective model of self-regulated learning (Efklides, 2011, Educational Psychologist, 46, 6), different types of metacognitive processes are relevant for the optimal development of individuals in academic contexts. At the same time, individuals need stimuli from the environment, based on observation of their own and other's behaviour, as well as through communication and interaction with others. Aim The present study examined the relations among parent involvement, metacognitive strategies, and academic achievement to investigate the mediational role of metacognition in the relation between parent involvement and academic achievement. Sample The participants were 1,398 high school students from Spain (47% female, M = 12. 5 years). Method Multiple multilevel mediation analyses with Monte Carlo confidence intervals were used for measuring within-subjects effects at the student level and between-subjects effects at the class level. Parent involvement (perception of support, organization, and interest in the educational process; expectations; school relationship; time of support with homework) and metacognition were measured by questionnaires, whereas academic achievement was assessed using the end-of-term grades obtained by students for nine subjects. Results First, there was a significant direct effect of most parent involvement constructs on the mediational and dependent variables at both the within and between levels. Expectations had the highest predictive power on academic achievement. On the other hand, metacognitive strategies were an important mediator for all parent involvement constructs at both levels of analysis. Conclusions These results highlight the importance of metacognition during early adolescence and suggest that parent involvement is crucial for the future development of educational models.

Since the introduction of the Bologna Process, the goal of education has been not only to acquire technical skills but also to master other skills, such as teamwork, effective communication skills, time optimization, and the ability to manage one's emotions. The present work describes a program to develop emotional intelligence in higher education, the “Emotional Intelligence Training Program,” with a multimethodological approach that offers the opportunity for university students to develop their emotional intelligence. A total of 192 higher education students participated in this educational experience. Of the participants, 66% were women, and 34% were men; the average age of the sample was 18.83 years with a standard deviation of 2.73. The results indicate that our program can help improve emotional intelligence through three proposed methodologies: online, in the classroom, and coaching. It has been demonstrated that the program is effective in the three methodological modalities presented, offering a range of possibilities to future users because it is possible to select the most appropriate modality based on the resources and possibilities available in each situation. Finally, Future research should focus on the application of this program to assess the acquisition of emotional competences at the postgraduate level. This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (EDU2015-64562-R).

The present study, based on the construct comparability approach, performs a comparative analysis of general points average for seven courses, using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the Partial Credit model (PCM) with a sample of 1398 student subjects (M = 12.5, SD = 0.67) from 8 schools in the province of Alicante (Spain). EFA confirmed a one-factor model which explains 74.44% of the variance. Cronbach’s alpha value for this factor was .94. The PCM supported the one-factor model, and an optimal fit was achieved in all of the courses. The analysis of differential item functioning showed no significant differences in any course. Equitable distribution was observed in the evolution of the difficulty indices along the measurement scale for each course. This type of analysis confirms the measurement of a single latent construct in the different topics analysed, despite addressing various theoretical and procedural contents. The present work was supported by the Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of Alicante [GRE11-15] and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [EDU2012-32,156]. The corresponding author is funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Reference of the grant: BES-2013064331).

The emotional profile of university students has been related to both academic performance and professional success. Such evidence has led higher education professionals to ask whether students can be trained in emotional skills at university stage. However, learning specific emotional skills requires a considerable investment of time from students. This paper presents an intervention aimed at developing emotional skills through interdisciplinary teamwork, without adding specific courses that could decrease the time that students devote to their core studies. The results indicated that working in interdisciplinary teams improved the level of emotional skills without hindering the attainment of academic objectives. This work was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España), through Reference EDU2015-64562-R Project, and the University of Alicante through Reference GRE14-16.

The School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised (SAAS-R) was developed by McCoach and Siegle (2003b) and validated in Spain by Miñano, Castejón, and Gilar (2014) using Classical Test Theory. The objective of the current research is to validate SAAS-R using multidimensional Rasch analysis. Data were collected from 1398 students attending different high schools. Principal Component Analysis supported the multidimensional SAAS-R. The item difficulty and person ability were calibrated along the same latent trait scale. 10 items were removed from the scale due to misfit with the Rasch model. Differential Item Functioning revealed no significant differences across gender for the remaining 25 items. The 7-category rating scale structure did not function well, and the subscale goal valuation obtained low reliability values. The multidimensional Rasch model supported 25 item-scale SAAS-R measures from five latent factors. Therefore, the advantages of multidimensional Rasch analysis are demonstrated in this study. El School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised (SAAS-R) fue desarrollado por McCoach y Siegle (2003b) y validado en España por Miñano, Castejón, y Gilar (2014) a través del Modelo Clásico de Test. El objetivo del presente estudio es validar el SAAS-R a partir del análisis de Rasch Multidimensional. Los datos se obtuvieron de 1398 estudiantes que asistían a diferentes institutos de Educación Secundaria. El Análisis de Componentes Principales apoyó el modelo Rasch multidimensional. Se calibraron los parámetros de dificultad de los ítems y habilidad de los sujetos a partir de la misma escala latente. Se eliminaron 10 ítems por mostrar desajuste al modelo de Rasch. El Funcionamiento Diferencial del Ítem no mostró diferencias significativas de género con los 25 ítems restantes. La estructura escalar de 7 categorías no mostró un funcionamiento óptimo, y la subescala Valoración de Logro obtuvo niveles bajos de fiabilidad. El modelo Rasch multidimensional apoyó la escala SAAS-R con 25 ítems y 5 factores latentes. De esta forma, se demuestran las ventajas del modelo de Rasch multidimensional en el presente estudio. The present work was supported by the Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of Alicante [GRE11-15] and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [EDU2012-32156]. The corresponding author is funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Reference of the grant: BES-2013064331).

The objective of this research is twofold: first intending to assess the level at which students prioritize happiness; and second discerning how the experience of happiness affects the formation of their identity and their relationship with their environment, taking into account the values deduced from their perceptions, and understanding from where these values come, as well as how they are applied in their daily life. The findings indicate that students in fifth or sixth grade value happiness as a necessary aspect of life, derived from criteria such as health, and friends and family. The concept of happiness, however, is learned at home with parents and families.

The aims of this work were to identify and establish differential characteristics in learning strategies, goal orientations, and self-concept between overachieving, normal-achieving and underachieving secondary students. A total of 1400 Spanish first and second year high school students from the South-East geographical area participated in this study. Three groups of students were established: a group with underachieving students, a group with a normal level of achievement, and a third group with overachieving students. The students were assigned to each group depending on the residual punctuations obtained from a multiple regression analysis in which the punctuation of an IQ test was the predictor and a measure composed of the school grades of nine subjects was the criteria. The results of one-way ANOVA and the Games-Howell post-hoc test showed that underachieving students had significantly lower punctuations in all of the measures of learning strategies and learning goals, as well as all of the academic self-concept, personal self-concept, parental relationship, honesty, and personal stability factors. In contrast, overachieving students had higher punctuations than underachieving students in the same variables and higher punctuations than normal-achieving students in most of the variables in which significant differences were detected. These results have clear educational implications. The present work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and competitiveness (Award number: EDU2012-32156) and the Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of Alicante (Award number: GRE11-15). The third author is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Reference of the grant: BES-2013-064331).

With respect to intervention related to gifted students, numerous studies highlight the need for teachers to recognise different types of high-ability students and to be aware of the differences in these students' cognitive and motivational characteristics such that they can provide better assistance. A latent class cluster analysis was performed to analyse the unobserved heterogeneity in a group of 358 gifted secondary students. Moreover, a multi-variate analysis of variance, and a univariate analysis of variance of repeated measures were performed to determine whether there were differences in the profiles of the cognitive and motivational variables between the identified classes. The results revealed the existence of four latent clusters, with different profiles, within the gifted student population: a) gifted achievers; b) cognitive gifted; c) creative gifted; d) high achievement and cognitive gifted. This work was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España) through the Reference EDU2012-32156 project.

Interdisciplinary projects in the industry typically require collaboration between professionals from various fields. However, this relationship is not generally addressed in the training offered by university programs, which often ignore this interdisciplinary approach. This paper offers an example of interdisciplinary interaction through joint laboratory activities in the curricula of two very different degree programs, i.e., Multimedia Engineering and Teacher Training in Primary Education. The programs' students formed an interdisciplinary team of multimedia engineers and trainee teachers to develop a Web product for children's cognitive development. The complexity of the task required students to engage in close and strong interdisciplinary cooperation and communication; in turn, they benefited from the synergy offered by collaborative work. The results of this paper, presented from the perspective of the multimedia engineering students, demonstrate a significant increase in their academic performance compared to the control group. This paper shows that university studies can incorporate an interdisciplinary perspective to engineering education without the need to introduce a specific course on the topic, thus avoiding further demands on the curriculum schedule. This work was supported in part by the University of Alicante under Grant GRE14-16.

We examined the psychometric properties of the School Attitude Assessment Survey–Revised in a Spanish population (n = 1,398). Confirmatory factor analysis procedures supported the instrument’s five-factor structure. The results of discriminant analysis demonstrated the predictive power of the School Attitude Assessment Survey–Revised scales as regards academic performance. Implications for education and assessment are discussed. The present work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Award number: EDU2012-32156) and the Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of Alicante (Award number: GRE11-15). The last co-author is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Reference of the grant: BES-2013-064331).

There are very few studies in Spain that treat underachievement rigorously, and those that do are typically related to gifted students. The present study examined the proportion of underachieving students using the Rasch measurement model. A sample of 643 first-year high school students (mean age = 12.09; SD = 0.47) from 8 schools in the province of Alicante (Spain) completed the Battery of Differential and General Skills (Badyg), and these students' General Points Average (GPAs) were recovered by teachers. Dichotomous and Partial credit Rasch models were performed. After adjusting the measurement instruments, the individual underachievement index provided a total sample of 181 underachieving students, or 28.14% of the total sample across the ability levels. This study confirms that the Rasch measurement model can accurately estimate the construct validity of both the intelligence test and the academic grades for the calculation of underachieving students. Furthermore, the present study constitutes a pioneer framework for the estimation of the prevalence of underachievement in Spain. The present work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Award number: EDU2012-32156) and the Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of Alicante (Award number: GRE11-15). The corresponding author is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Reference of the grant: BES-2013-064331).

El término underachievement hace referencia a la discrepancia entre la capacidad potencial y el rendimiento académico observado en el alumnado. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es la identificación del alumnado con rendimiento académico menor de lo esperado con base en su capacidad, así como establecer los factores diferenciales que les caracterizan en comparación con el alumnado con rendimiento acorde con su capacidad. Por una parte, se trata de profundizar en la definición conceptual y operativa de lo que se entiende por alumnado con capacidad mayor a su rendimiento académico, a la vez que se comparan los resultados del empleo de diferentes procedimientos de identificación. Por otra, se trata de identificar los factores motivacionales y actitudinales que caracterizan a este alumnado y lo diferencian del alumnado con rendimiento mayor del esperado y al alumnado con rendimiento acorde a lo esperado. A partir del conocimiento de estos perfiles y sus características diferenciales se pueden establecer implicaciones educativas precisas para el alumnado, los padres y el profesorado, con el objetivo final de revertir su menor rendimiento académico. The term underachievement refers to the discrepancy between students’ potential ability and their observed academic performance. The main objective of this work is to identify students with lower than expected academic performance based on their ability, and to establish the differential factors that characterise them, compared to students whose performance is commensurate with their ability. An in-depth analysis is to be conducted of the conceptual and operational definition of students whose ability is greater than their actual academic performance, and the results obtained using different identification procedures will then be compared. A further objective is to identify the motivational factors that characterise these students and distinguish them from students whose performance is higher than expected, and consistent with expectations. Lastly, the study aims to establish precise educational implications for students, parents and teachers, based on knowledge of these profiles and differential characteristics with the ultimate goal of reversing the lower academic performance of these students. Este trabajo se deriva del Proyecto con referencia EDU2012-32156, subvencionado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España. El último autor recibe una ayuda predoctoral del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad con referencia BES-2013064331.

The present study examined the predictive effects of intellectual ability, self-concept, goal orientations, learning strategies, popularity and parent involvement on academic achievement. Hierarchical regression analysis and path analysis were performed among a sample of 1398 high school students (mean age = 12.5; SD =.67) from eight education centers from the province of Alicante (Spain). Cognitive and non-cognitive variables were measured using validated questionnaires, whereas academic achievement was assessed using end-of-term grades obtained by students in nine subjects. The results revealed significant predictive effects of all of the variables. The model proposed had a satisfactory fit, and all of the hypothesized relationships were significant. These findings support the importance of including non-cognitive variables along with cognitive variables when predicting a model of academic achievement.

In this paper, we examine the effects of general mental ability (GMA) and the personality traits defined in the big five model on extrinsic and intrinsic indicators of career success, in a sample of 130 graduates who were in the early stages of their careers. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that GMA does not predict any of the success indicators. In contrast, the combination of GMA and three of the Big Five Personality traits, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness, is significantly associated with greater early career success and has incremental predictive validity.

As a result of studies examining factors involved in the learning process, various structural models have been developed to explain the direct and indirect effects that occur between the variables in these models. The objective was to evaluate a structural model of cognitive and motivational variables predicting academic achievement, including general intelligence, academic self-concept, goal orientations, effort and learning strategies. The sample comprised of 341 Spanish students in the first year of compulsory secondary education. Different tests and questionnaires were used to evaluate each variable, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to contrast the relationships of the initial model. The model proposed had a satisfactory fit, and all the hypothesised relationships were significant. General intelligence was the variable most able to explain academic achievement. Also important was the direct influence of academic self-concept on achievement, goal orientations and effort, as well as the mediating ability of effort and learning strategies between academic goals and final achievement. En el estudio de los factores que intervienen en el proceso de aprendizaje, se han desarrollado distintos modelos estructurales con el fin de ofrecer una explicación de los efectos directos e indirectos que se producen entre el conjunto de variables contempladas en los mismos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue contrastar un modelo estructural de variables cognitivo-motivacionales, predictoras del rendimiento académico, entre las que se incluyeron la inteligencia general, el autoconcepto académico, las orientaciones de meta, el esfuerzo y las estrategias de aprendizaje. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 341 alumnos españoles de primer curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Se emplearon distintas pruebas y cuestionarios para la evaluación de cada una de las variables y se aplicó SEM para contrastar las relaciones del modelo inicial. El modelo propuesto obtuvo un ajuste satisfactorio, siendo significativas todas relaciones hipotetizadas. La inteligencia general fue la variable con mayor poder explicativo sobre el rendimiento académico. También destacó la influencia directa del autoconcepto académico sobre el rendimiento, las orientaciones de meta y el esfuerzo, así como la capacidad mediadora del esfuerzo y de las estrategias de aprendizaje entre las metas académicas y el rendimiento final.

In recent years, several explanatory models have been developed which attempt to analyse the predictive worth of various factors in relation to academic achievement, as well as the direct and indirect effects that they produce. The aim of this study was to examine a structural model incorporating various cognitive and motivational variables which influence student achievement in the two basic core skills in the Spanish curriculum: Spanish Language and Mathematics. These variables included differential aptitudes, specific self-concept, goal orientations, effort and learning strategies. The sample comprised 341 Spanish students in their first year of Compulsory Secondary Education. Various tests and questionnaires were used to assess each student, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to study the relationships in the initial model. The proposed model obtained a satisfactory fit for the two subjects studied, and all the relationships hypothesised were significant. The variable with the most explanatory power regarding academic achievement was mathematical and verbal aptitude. Also notable was the direct influence of specific self-concept on achievement, goal-orientation and effort, as was the mediatory effect that effort and learning strategies had between academic goals and final achievement. En los últimos años se vienen desarrollando diversos modelos explicativos que tratan de analizar el valor predictivo de distintos factores en relación al rendimiento escolar, así como los efectos directos e indirectos que se producen entre ellos. Nuestro objetivo es contrastar un modelo estructural que integra algunas variables de tipo cognitivo y motivacional que influyen en el rendimiento de los alumnos en las dos áreas instrumentales básicas de nuestro curriculo: Lengua Española y Matemáticas. Entre estas variables incluimos las aptitudes diferenciales, el autoconcepto específico, las orientaciones de meta, el esfuerzo y las estrategias de aprendizaje. La muestra está compuesta por 341 alumnos españoles de primer curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Empleamos distintas pruebas y cuestionarios para la evaluación cada una de ellas y aplicamos SEM para contrastar las relaciones del modelo inicial. El modelo propuesto obtiene un ajuste satisfactorio en las dos áreas estudiadas, siendo significativas la totalidad de las relaciones hipotetizadas. La aptitud matemática y verbal es la variable con mayor poder explicativo sobre el rendimiento académico. También destaca la influencia directa del autoconcepto específico sobre el rendimiento, las orientaciones de meta y el esfuerzo, así como la capacidad mediadora del esfuerzo y de las estrategias de aprendizaje entre las metas académicas y el rendimiento final.

El objetivo de este trabajo es demostrar que el uso de técnicas de aprendizaje colaborativo en el aula permite a los alumnos utilizar estrategias mediante las cuales aprenden a afrontar situaciones problemáticas derivadas de las relaciones interpersonales que se producen en el espacio educativo, especialmente entre iguales. Participaron 50 niños y niñas de primer curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (edad media 12.4 años) distribuidos en dos grupos: experimental y control. En el primer grupo, se utilizó un programa basado en el aprendizaje individual asistido por un equipo; en el segundo, se utilizó una metodología de corte tradicional. Para probar las hipótesis formuladas, utilizamos un diseño de grupo de control pretest-postest con grupo de control no equivalente. Consideramos la inteligencia como covariable para mantener constantes sus efectos sobre los resultados independientemente del efecto del programa. Empleamos un análisis de varianza split-plot univariado como procedimiento estadístico. Los resultados muestran que los alumnos que siguen un programa de aprendizaje colaborativo utilizan más y mejores estrategias de afrontamiento que aquellos que no lo hacen. Los participantes de los grupos experimental y control parten de una situación de igualdad para separarse en la situación postest: el grupo experimental aumenta significativamente sus puntuaciones con respecto al grupo de control en lo que se refiere al uso de las estrategias de afrontamiento, y sus participantes tienden a compartir sus problemas con los demás en mayor medida que los miembros del grupo de control, todo ello independientemente del CI. The purpose of this work is to show that the use of collaborative learning techniques in the classroom allows students to use strategies through which they learn to cope with problematic situations derived from the interpersonal relations that take place at school, especially among peers. The participants have been 50 boys and girls, in first year of compulsory secondary education (average age, 12.4) distributed into two groups: experimental and control. In the first group Team Assisted Individualization has been used. In the second group a traditional methodology has been adopted. A pretest-posttest control group design with non-equivalent control group has been used to test the hypotheses. Intelligence has been used as covariable to keep its effect on the results constant, independently of the effects of the program. A univariate split-plot analysis has been used as statistic procedure. The results show that those students on a collaborative learning program use more and more effective coping strategies than those who are not on a collaborative program. The participants in both the experimental and the control groups set out from a situation of equality to move farther away from each other in the posttest situation: the experimental group noticeably increases scores over the control group as regards the use of coping strategies, and the participants in the experimental group tend to share their problems with their peers in a greater scale than the participants in the control group, independently of the IQ.

This work presents the main theories and models formulated with the purpose of offering a global overview on the acquisition of knowledge and skills involved in the initial development of expert competence. Setting from this background, we developed an empirical work whose main purpose is to define those factors in a complex learning situation such as chapter-sized in a knowledge-rich domain. The results obtained in a sample of Master students reveal that the several variables intervening, such as the qualitative organization of knowledge, intellectual ability, motivation, the deliberate use of strategies, and a rich learning environment, contribute in an independent way to provide an explanation for the acquired knowledge. Este trabajo presenta las principales teorías y modelos formulados con el propósito de ofrecer una perspectiva global sobre los factores que influyen en la adquisición del conocimiento y las habilidades que forman parte del desarrollo inicial de la competencia experta. A partir de este contexto teórico se desarrolla un trabajo empírico cuyo principal objetivo es el de definir los factores implicados en el aprendizaje de amplia información significativa en un dominio de conocimiento. Los resultados, obtenidos en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios, ponen de manifiesto que la habilidad de organización del conocimiento, la capacidad intelectual, la motivación, el uso deliberado de estrategias y un ambiente rico de aprendizaje, contribuyen de forma independiente a la explicación del conocimiento adquirido.