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Teresa Pozo-Rico, Rosa Poveda, Raúl Gutiérrez-Fresneda, Juan-Luis Castejón, Raquel Gilar-Corbi Department of Developmental Psychology and Didactics, University of Alicante, Alicante, 03080, SpainCorrespondence: Teresa Pozo-Rico, University of Alicante, Department of Developmental Psychology and Didactics, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, Alicante, 03080, Spain, Tel +34 690 954 264, Fax +34 96 590 3464, Email teresa.pozo@ua.esPurpose: This study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate a teacher training program to improve the quality and innovation of teaching practice. The program was designed to protect teachers’ mental health and well-being, and increase their resilience and emotional competence while introducing innovative educational methodologies.Participants and Methods: An experimental design using a control group and pre-/post-test empirical data was adopted to determine the effects of the 14-week teacher training program. The sample comprised 141 teachers with mean teaching experience of 13.1 years (SD = 6.84, 54.6% women).Results: The program had a positive impact on teacher well-being, resilience, emotional competence, and self-efficacy, linked to the innovative and effective teacher methodologies included in the training.Conclusion: More research is needed to expand on the findings and optimize teacher training implementation. The training provided in this study is evidence of the commitment to overcoming current educational framework challenges. The training contributes to teacher empowerment and provides knowledge, strategies, and resources for greater innovation and quality in the classroom – key to creating educational synergies for the emergence of stronger teachers in the face of adversity. We discuss future research directions for a better understanding of teacher training in the 21st century.Keywords: teacher education programs, emotional resilience, teacher well-being, stress management, teacher empowerment

The failure and dropout of university studies are issues that worry all nations due to the personal, social, and economic costs that this they entail. Because the dropout phenomenon is complex and involves numerous factors, to reverse it would involve a comprehensive approach through interventions aimed at the factors identified as key in the decision to drop out. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to determine the profile of students who enter the EPN (STEM higher-education institution) to analyze the characteristics that differentiate students who drop out early in their career and those who stay in school. A sample of 624 students who accessed the EPN leveling course (a compulsory course at the beginning of their studies) participated in the study. A total of 26.6% of the participants were women. A total of 50.7% of the participants passed the course. Data referring to social, economic, and academic variables were analyzed. Comparison techniques, as well as artificial neural networks, were used to compare characteristic profiles of students who passed the leveling course and those who dropped out. The results showed significant differences between the profiles of the students who passed and those who dropped out with regard to the variables related to previous academic performance and motivational and attributional aspects. The artificial neural networks corroborated the importance of these variables in predicting dropout. In this research, the key variables predicting whether a student continues or leaves higher education are revealed, allowing the identification of students at possible risk of dropping out and thus promoting initiatives to provide adequate academic support and improve student retention. This research was supported by National Secretariat of Higher Education, Science and Technology, (SENESCYT;PIC-18-INE-EPN-002).

Análisis del comportamiento a vuelco del vehículo Geo Metro de acuerdo con la norma de transporte estadounidense FMSS216, comparando entre diferentes tipos de aceros para comprobar como se comporta cada uno de ellos cuando el vehiculo queda sometido a una carga de vuelco y deducir asi cual es el mas adecuado para la seguridad y la reducción de peso del mismo.

Resumen tomado de la publicación Título, resumen, palabras clave en español e ingles Se presenta una propuesta colaborativa entre universidad y escuela para diseñar e implementar en el aula un programa de fluidez lectora basado en evidencias. Participaron 36 alumnos de 2º de Educación Primaria, sus maestras y dos profesores de universidad que actuaron como asesores, constituyendo todos un grupo de trabajo. Se formó a las maestras en contenidos de fluidez y se realizó una evaluación inicial para identificar los grupos de riesgo, emergente y establecido en fluidez lectora. Se diseñó e implementó durante 7 meses un entrenamiento ajustado a cada nivel basado en la lectura repetida de palabras y frases. Los resultados reflejan una mejoría en la competencia de las maestras por la integración del entrenamiento de la fluidez en su sistema de respuesta, adaptándolo a distintos niveles de enseñanza. En el alumnado se constató una mejoría en la fluidez. Se plantea la necesidad de acercar a las escuelas las aportaciones de la investigación educativa y de ayudar a los docentes a desarrollar intervenciones basadas en la misma y ajustadas al nivel del grupo de clase. ESP

The global challenge of reducing pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions has forced the development of alternatives to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, such as electric or hybrid vehicles. Electric engines are the most efficient for delivery trucks or city buses. Their acceleration and deceleration patterns make them inefficient for the use of internal combustion engines. However, their range and purchase cost are the main factors limiting their use in these applications. The range and acquisition cost of an electric vehicle are mainly related to the energy storage system. Therefore, the optimal size of the battery pack should be considered as a design objective when its application is known. This paper presents a methodology to optimize the battery pack of an electric vehicle based on a given travel distance in a target time. Therefore, it would be applicable to delivery vehicles, buses and any vehicle whose route and travel time are known in advance. The proposed methodology allows minimizing energy consumption by determining the optimal gear ratio for a given route, setting the travel time as a target. A complete vehicle model and a multi-objective genetic algorithm are used for this purpose.

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.

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.

El presente trabajo se enmarca en el seno del Programa de Redes de investigacion en docencia universitaria del Vicerrectorado de Calidad e Innovacion Educativa-Instituto de Ciencias de la Educacion de la Universidad de Alicante (convocatoria 2015-16), ref.: 3478. Ademas, los autores desean hacer constar su agradecimiento a la financiacion recibida del Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad en el marco del Plan Estatal de I+D+i, ref. CSO2014-55780-C3-2-P.

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 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].

The present study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the Goal orientation Scales (GOS; Skaalvik, 1997) in a sample of 2,170 Ecuadorian undergraduate students (M = 21. 97, SD = 3.61; 61.6% female). The Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the four-factor structure of the GOS, and the scale exhibited an adequate factorial invariance for gender. The multidimensional Rasch analysis revealed that one item showed misfit, and the distribution of items did not correspond well with the levels of achievement goals. The current research addresses a formal gap related to the validation of the GOS in a Latin American country and provides advanced psychometric information to further improve the scale for its application to Spanish-speaking samples.

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).

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between sociometric types, behavioral categories, and intellectual abilities in a sample of 1349 (51.7% boys) Spanish adolescents, ranging in age from 12 to 16 years. The students' sociometric nomination was performed by the Programa Socio and academic self-concept was measured by the Primary Mental Abilities Test (PMA; Thurstone, 1938; TEA, 1996). The hypotheses of the study suggest, firstly, that students positively nominated by their peers will present significantly higher scores on different scales of the PMA than students negatively nominated by their peers and, secondly, that intellectual skills will be a predictor variable statistically significant of sociometric types and behavioral categories. Results show that students nominated positively obtained significantly higher scores on the different intellectual abilities that nominees negatively. Intellectual abilities were a significant predictor of sociometric types because with increasing the score on the different intellectual abilities students were more likely to be nominated by their peers positively.

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.

Word reading fluency is a key component in the process of reading. In order to understand its acquisition it is crucial to conduct longitudinal studies. The aim of this work was to describe the development of word recognition in Spanish, considering accuracy and speed, from a longitudinal perspective. A group of 31 children were followed for six years. Reading performance was assessed with a list of 72 stimuli in which lexicality, frequency and length were manipulated. Results show that initial gains in reading accuracy occurred very rapidly. However, the growth of reading speed was found to be more difficult and complex, and automatic word recognition remains low at the end of Grade 6. Low frequency, long words were the most difficult stimuli. High stability in reading speed was observed and it was a relevant indicator that differentiates between good and poor readers. The findings also highlighted the need to develop training programs with the specific aim of improving word reading fluency throu...

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 underachievement of gifted students is a serious problem in gifted education. Although analytic research strategies have identified many causes of underachievement, this kind of approach still needs to be complemented by synthetic research strategies. The actiotope model of giftedness, for example, suggests that the effect of educational capital on achievement is mediated by learning capital. In an empirical study with a sample of 143 gifted Spanish secondary school students, educational capital was characterized by various forms of parental involvement aimed at the learning successes of children. Learning capital was represented by two types of learning strategies: metacognitive strategies and elaboration strategies. Following the method developed by Baron and Kenny, the hypothesized mediation of learning capital between educational capital and school achievement was confirmed. This work has been developed thanks to an academic stay of the corresponding author at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany), which was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (reference of the grants: EEBB-I-16-11228).