Search

The assumption of cause-effect relationships in ex post facto research is a widely known issue in the field of research methods in social sciences. To address this important limitation, the use of causal inference techniques has become widespread in recent years. Causal inference establishes a set of statistical procedures for drawing causal conclusions in non-experimental research. Despite its wide popularity and diffusion in the social and health sciences, its use in educational research is still marginal. Thus, this paper introduces the main causal inference techniques available to the educational researcher when observational panel data are available. After addressing the key features and potential of propensity score matching, instrumental variables, and regression discontinuity design, we present an example application of each of these techniques. We used the available databases from the PISA 2018 assessments. We included the mathematical competence as the dependent variable in all the three models implemented. Given the different characteristics of each of these techniques, the independent variable used is different in the three models applied: attendance to early childhood education in propensity score matching; student academic expectations in instrumental variables; and size of the community in which the school is located in regression discontinuity design. The article concludes by discussing the potential of this set of techniques, taking into account the needs and methodological procedures most commonly applied in educational research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional development for teachers is fundamental in the configuration and functioning of smart schools. This paper aims to characterize professional development with the participation of compulsory secondary teachers in Spain and to detect key factors in the functioning and organization of schools associated with higher levels of ongoing teacher training. A cross-cutting non-experimental design was used to conduct a secondary analysis of data from PISA 2018 tests, including over 20,000 teachers and more than 1000 schools in Spain. Descriptive results show great variability in teachers' commitment to their professional development; this variability is not associated with the grouping of teachers by school. The decision tree model completed with data mining tools shows that intensive professional teacher development in schools is associated with a better school climate and higher levels of innovation, cooperation, taking on shared goals and responsibilities, and leadership distributed among the education community. The conclusions highlight the importance of ongoing teacher training and how this improves educational quality in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The levels of Self-Perceived and Observed Information Literacy for a sample of in-service teachers and future teachers of Primary and Secondary Education are analysed as a whole and by its components of Searching for, Evaluating, Processing and Communicating Information. To do so, two validated tools are used which enable us to obtain Self-Perceived Information Literacy levels (through a self-assessment questionnaire) and Observed Information Literacy levels (through performance measures) from 442 in-service teachers and future teachers of 7 educational institutions in 4 provinces of Castile and Leon (Spain). The results of the descriptive and inferential analyses show that the Self-Perceived Information Literacy is overestimated compared to the Observed Information Literacy for all groups, especially among future Primary Education teachers, with the in-service Secondary Education teachers showing the least difference between self-perception and performance. The Observed Information Literacy is at its best level among the Secondary Education teachers and lowest level among the future Primary Education teachers. At each educational level the performance of in-service teachers is always higher than the performance of future teachers, indicating the preponderance of experience versus the generational effect. The components of the Observed Information Literacy with the lowest values for all groups are Searching for and Evaluating Information and, therefore, specific training activities are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to analyse and identify the stages of adoption of the blended learning (BL or b‐learning) methodology in higher education contexts, and to assess the relationship of these stages with a set of variables related to personal and professional characteristics, attributes perceived on BL and contextual variables. About 980 active academic staff from 43 Spanish public universities participated. The technology acceptance model (TAM) was used as a theoretical framework for the operational definition of the variables. Through the use of data mining techniques (clustering and decision trees), groupings were made based on the b‐learning adoption stage and a subsequent predictive model of these stages. The results show that the intention to use BL is the most important predictor variable in all models applied. In addition, the relationship between higher frequency of use and experience in digital educational environments with higher stages of implementation of the BL methodology was verified. Regarding the socio‐demographic variables included in the study, it was observed that they exert effects that are marginal in all cases. Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic Many universities and higher education institutions are designing strategic plans and diverse actions to implement and spread the use of BL methodologies.TAM has been widely used to study the behaviour and the intention of using a wide variety of specific technologies in the classroom.The study of BL from the perspective of TAM has generally been carried out using inferential analysis techniques.What this paper adds Analysis of complex systems such as the BL methodology from the TAM approach.Groups of adopting teachers can be analysed using the TAM approach according to the stage of use of this innovation.In contrast to traditional inferential techniques, this paper proposes a methodological procedure based on decision trees, which facilitates a more refined analysis of the relationship and interactions between the set of TAM predictor variables (PU, PEOU, BI, etc.) and the criterion variable (stages of adoption).The obtaining of more complete and adjusted trees leads to better prediction and identification of the concrete actions that could be implemented by higher education institutions as protective or motivating factors for the diffusion of the BL methodology.Implications for practice and/or policy Interest in focusing attention on a complex system such as the one represented by the BL methodology from the perspective of models of technological acceptance reinforces an interesting line of research that can enrich the approach and scope of the TAM theory and generates knowledge that helps promote strategic actions to optimise the institutional diffusion of the BL training modality in higher education contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to carry out a pilot validation of Affect-GRADIOR, a computer-based emotion recognition test, with older adults. The study evaluated its usability, reliability and validity for the screening of people with Alzheimer´s disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods: The test was administered to 212 participants (76.37 ± 6.20 years) classified into three groups (healthy controls, n = 69; AD, n = 84; and aMCI, n = 59) on the basis of detailed neurological, neuropsychological, laboratory and neuro-imaging evidence. Data on usability were collected by means of a questionnaire and automated evaluation. Results: The validated test comprised 53 stimuli and 7 practice items (one per emotion). Participants reported that Affect-GRADIOR was accessible and user-friendly. It had high internal consistency (ordinal Cronbach's α = 0.96). Test-retest reliability correlations were significant and robust (r = 0.840, p < 0.001). Exploratory factor analysis supported a seven-factor model of the emotions assessed (neutral expression, happiness, surprise, disgust, sadness, anger and fear). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses suggested that the test discriminated healthy older adults from AD and aMCI cases. Correct answer score improved MMSE predictive power from 0.547 to 0.560 (Cox & Snell R2, p = 0.012), and Affect-GRADIOR speed of processing score improved MMSE predictive power from 0.547 to 0.563 (Cox & Snell R2, p = 0.010). Conclusions: Affect-GRADIOR is a valid instrument for the assessment of the facial recognition of emotions in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The statistical multivariate analysis of Likert response scales, given their widespread use, is a controversial issue in the scientific community, mainly from the specification of the problem of measurement. This work aims to study various conditions of these ordinal scales affect the calculation of the product-moment and tetrachoric-polychoric correlation coefficients. For this purpose, a simulation study was applied in which 90 databases with 10 items each were generated. In the estimation of the databases, the following variables were controlled: number of response categories, symmetrical or asymmetric distributions of data, sample size and level of relationship between items. Thus, 90 matrices (10x10) were obtained which included the difference between the product-moment and tetrachoric-polychoric correlations. The graphical and variance analysis show how the product-moment correlation coefficient significantly underestimates the relationship between variables mainly when the number of response categories of the ordinal scale is small and the relationship between the variables is large. On the other hand, the statistical estimation of both coefficients is very similar when the starting relationship between pairs of variables is small and/or when the number of response options of the variables is greater than 5. The study concludes by making a recommendation to the applied researcher on the most appropriate correlation coefficient depending on the type of data available. Finally, the results are discussed from the previous studies, which reach some similar conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed to identify and select high and low-effectiveness schools in Baja California based on ENLACE (Quality of Educational Attainment Exams) scores and context tests. A representative sample of 85 schools and around 7,000 students was obtained for 2010 and 2011. Hierarchical linear models were applied to calculate residual scores at a school level. After adjustment of the 8 final models, which isolate the effect of significant contextual variables, statistical criteria were used to select 15 schools with high and low residual scores. The results show that the distributions of schools selected are similar in both cases to the reference population. The results show the robustness of the selection procedure used and highlight its significance in detecting good practices in high-effectiveness schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the emergence of statistical analysis techniques based on data mining in education sciences, and the potential they offer to detect non-trivial information in large databases, this paper presents a procedure used to detect factors linked to academic achievement in large-scale assessments. The study is based on a non-experimental, cross-sectional design and a sample of 18,935 high school students from 99 educational institutions in Baja California state (Mexico). The information was collected from ENLACE tests and context surveys given to students in Baja Caclifornia. Decision trees were used to apply classification techniques, and the results indicate that personal factors are most indicative of academic performance, followed by school-related and social factors. In conclusion, the paper discusses the similarities between the results obtained and those shown in literature, highlighting how simple decision trees allow a greater explanation and interpretation than other models and techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The multivariate characteristics of the IL-HUMASS scale are studied. This scale is formed by 26 Likert scale items and 4 dimensions and evaluate the information literacy self-perceived level of students. A sample of 402 subjects, all of them Spanish future teachers from secondary education, is obtained. It is implemented a multidimensional scaling technique by ALSCAL based on the distance matrix from the data. The results detected two empirical dimensions, which accounted for 95.9% of the variance. The first dimension is related to the level of familiarity with the content of the item and the second dimension is related to cognitive or instrumental aspect of the item. In the conclusions, two dimensions obtained are connected with the original scale, in relation to the four theoretical dimensions. On the other hand, the conclusions highlight the importance of considering the two dimensions obtained, in addition to the classical dimensions, in the design of assessment scales of the construct information literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Teaching in the EHEA requires varied teaching methodologies. [•] Attitudes towards ICTs are a determining factor in their integration in teaching. [•] A one-dimensional scale was designed for evaluation of attitudes towards ICT use. [•] The scale designed has adequate psychometric characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study is to test the influence of ability and frequency of use of computer tools in the prediction of information skills in subjects aged between 14 and 16 years in Spain. The starting point is a representative sample of 1162 secondary education students from schools in the Spanish region of Castilla y León. Results achieved with structural equation modelling indicate a good overall fit. Individual relationships show that, while the ability to manage these tools and frequency of handling in non-formal education contexts (home) are key variables exercising a direct positive impact on the dependent variable, frequency of use in formal education contexts (school) has no significant effect on the prediction of information skills. Discussion is presented about the difficulties for schools to educate effectively in information skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilingual education currently faces the challenge of improving teacher training to meet the linguistic and didactic demands of a content and language integrated approach. Our paper analyses what Spanish in-service primary school teachers consider the key training priorities for their involvement in bilingual programmes. Using content data analysis, we have detected the most frequently used terms in the teachers' answers to an open-ended question. 2,830 words were examined, and the net of relations among the training priorities emerging from their discourse was established. Our results confirm that teachers prioritise the need to be proficient in English over methodological issues, which prevail once language proficiency has been achieved. They highlight investment as being crucial both to implement school bilingual programmes and to provide training opportunities for their professional development. Our study concludes that only concerted personal and administrative efforts will bridge the gap between global educational agendas and classroom performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central objective of schooling processes at the international level is reading skills development. Unfortunately, many students in the European Union underperform at this, and these low performances can be more pronounced in countries with lower Human Development Index (HDI) values. This study analysed the contextual effect of school socioeconomic status (SES) on reading performance using PISA data from 27 countries. We found that school SES had a positive contextual effect on student reading performance, especially countries with lower HDI values, via reading self-competence. However, in middle and higher HDI countries, the contextual effect was smaller, and we did not observe an indirect effect via reading self-competence. We conclude that school SES, rather than student SES, matters the most. Therefore, the modification of school composition and resources might act as a buffer for low student SES, particularly in lower HDI countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Decision trees enable the detection of factors that predict school effectiveness. • The predictive model is more accurate for low effectiveness schools. • A single negative factor at school escalates the risk of low effectiveness. With the main goal of identifying the process factors associated with school effectiveness in secondary education, this work presents an innovative methodological proposal. Based on secondary data from the Spanish sample of PISA 2015, high- and low-effectiveness schools were selected by analysing the residuals of the school level (level 2) in multilevel models. Subsequently, decision trees were used to identify the process variables with a greater predictive power for the identification of high- and low-effectiveness schools. While the hierarchical linear models obtained show inter-school variance scores greater than 10%, decision trees achieve a precision greater than 90%. We conclude by analysing the suitability of using decision trees in data originating from large-scale assessments, and examining the obtained factors associated with school effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The studied variables affect achievement, with some gender and country differences. • Male achievement tends to be more affected by the variables in Finland and the UK. • All correlations yielded significant results except the feeling of belonging in Spain. • Parent support, belonging and motivation reduce gender differences in achievement. The aim of this study is to define the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between academic achievement and some explanatory factors, according to the PISA 2015 results in the United Kingdom, Finland and Spain. Based on an exploratory correlational study, multivariate statistical techniques were applied with moderate regression analysis in these countries, which were considered relevant examples for understanding the current situation. The results obtained suggest that gender is a variable that, at a general level, moderates the relationship between the explanatory factors studied, with the exception of anxiety, and academic achievement, mainly in the Finnish student population. Ultimately, the relevance of gender as a moderating variable for the improvement of student achievement and educational quality is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to report on a contrastive analysis between the perceptions of novice and expert teachers on four key dimensions of implementing CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) in primary and secondary schools in Spain. To this end, we applied a non-experimental research design with an ex-post-facto methodology using questionnaire studies. The instrument employed was an adaptation of a previous questionnaire, which was completed by 151 in-service teachers. From the data analysis, statistically significant differences were obtained in the criteria variables when they concerned the teaching experience in CLIL projects. Our data confirm that expert CLIL teachers prioritize methodological competencies and the ability to integrate language and content over subject knowledge and language proficiency, exhibit a more critical view of published course materials, value cooperation and innovation as integral components of CLIL teaching more highly than novice teachers and are more aware of the benefits of bilingual programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computer-based programs have been implemented from a psychosocial approach for the care of people with dementia (PwD). However, several factors may determine adherence of older PwD to this type of treatment. The aim of this paper was to identify the sociodemographic, cognitive, psychological, and physical-health determinants that helped predict adherence or not to a "GRADIOR" computerized cognitive training (CCT) program in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. Method: This study was part of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) (ISRCTN: 15742788). However, this study will only focus on the experimental group (n = 43) included in the RCT. This group was divided into adherent people (compliance: ≥60% of the sessions and persistence in treatment up to 4 months) and non-adherent. The participants were 60–90 age and diagnosed with MCI and mild dementia. We selected from the evaluation protocol for the RCT, tests that evaluated cognitive aspects (memory and executive functioning), psychological and physical health. The CCT with GRADIOR consisted of attending 2–3 weekly sessions for 4 months with a duration of 30 min Data analysis: Phi and Biserial-point correlations, a multiple logical regression analysis was obtained to find the adherence model and U Mann–Whitney was used. Results: The adherence model was made up of the Digit Symbol and Arithmetic of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) and Lexical Verbal Fluency (LVF) -R tests. This model had 90% sensitivity, 50% specificity and 75% precision. The goodness-of-fit p-value of the model was 0.02. Conclusions: good executive functioning in attention, working memory (WM), phonological verbal fluency and cognitive flexibility predicted a greater probability that a person would be adherent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computer-based cognitive training programs have been developed with promising results on the maintenance/improvement of cognitive performance in people with dementia.Objective: The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the cognitive rehabilitation program "GRADIOR" in people with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia.Method: This study was a single-blind multicenter randomized clinical trial. Participants were recruited from hospitals/day centers. The experimental group (EG) and control group (CG) received computer-based cognitive training (CCT) and routine daily care, respectively. Outcome measures at T0: baseline, T1: at 4 months, T2: at 12 months were compared within and between-groups.Results: Significant differences or important effect sizes were detected at the intragroup and intergroup level for most variables, observing a trend of improvement and/or maintenance at 4 months by Visual Reasoning of Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG), Digit and Arithmetic of WAIS-III, Semantic Verbal Fluency, Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), Trail Making Test (TMT)-A-Mistakes and at 12 months by Visual Reasoning of CAMCOG, Digit Symbol of WAIS-III, TMT-B-mistakes, Visual Memory of Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test, Lexical Verbal Fluency-P, Yesavage's Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), TMT-A-time scales whose objective was to evaluate some executive functions and/or the memory. The CG presented a worsening trend for most of the measures towards 12 months. There was also a significant interaction between "time and group" for MMSE (F = 8.971; p = 0.03; η2 = 0.019) and the GDS (F = 3.414; p = 0.04; η2 = 0.041), as well as small effect sizes for TMT-A-time (F = 1.641; p = 0.21; η2 = 0.021) and TMT-A-mistakes (F = 0.908; p = 0.41; η2 = 0.019).Conclusion: CCT with GRADIOR has been proved to benefit cognitive functions (ISRCTN:15742788). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive rehabilitation is a highly individualised, non-pharmacological intervention for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, which in recent years has also been developed for various IT platforms.Methods: In this study, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the cognitive rehabilitation software GRADIOR in a multi-centre, single-blinded randomised controlled trial with people with MCI and mild dementia. A total of 400 people with MCI and mild dementia will be randomly allocated to one of four groups. This trial will compare the cognitive rehabilitation treatment using the GRADIOR programme with a psychosocial stimulation intervention (PSS) using the ehcoBUTLER platform, with a combined treatment consisting of GRADIOR and ehcoBUTLER, and with a group receiving treatment as usual during a period of 1 year.Discussion: The outcomes of this clinical trial will be to determine any relevant changes in cognition, mood, quality of life, activities of daily living and quality of patient-carer relationship after 4 months and 1 year of intervention in a cross-sectional group comparison. Participants will be followed-up for 1 year to investigate potential long-term effects of the conducted treatments.Trial Registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN, ID: 15742788 . Registered on 12 June 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]