Search

The present work empirically examines the validity of Student Self-Assessment (SSA) as an educational assessment in higher education. We briefly review the principle methodological factors that could affect SSA validity, as well as the main findings identified in the literature. One empirical study is presented that compares student-self evaluations on a test with the evaluation made by the course instructor while controlling for students' experience with SSA, criteria, rubric, and scales used by the student and teacher, and that the teacher was blind. Results show a strong correlation overall between the SSA and the instructor's evaluation and show that lower-performing students tend to over-estimate their performance while higher-performing students under-estimate their performance. The results support that SSA is valid for the average student, but less so for those that deviate above and below average in the absence of measurements of potentially mediating variables. The need to consider metacognitive factors in SSA is proposed.

Development and dissemination of innovative pedagogies continues to be one of the challenges of the 21st century. The visible deficiencies in the educational field have highlighted the need for other types of pedagogies that promote complete student development. Gardner's theory about multiple intelligences (MIs) has great potential that has not yet been realised in practice in school contexts. With this research we aimed to analyse the relationship between the intelligences that students develop in primary education and the increase in certain cognitive and academic capacities, and to demonstrate that a pedagogy based on Gardner's theory does more to promote creativity, maturation and school performance than traditional teaching-learning pedagogies. A total of 420 participants from 2 state-funded schools participated in this study (experimental group = EG; control group = CG). The EG (n = 230) was taught using Gardner's theory and the CG (n = 190) was taught according to traditional pedagogy. There was an association between the intelligences developed by the students and their academic, creative, and maturational levels. Finally, significant differences were found between the EG and CG, with the EG obtaining a higher mean in the variables analysed in favour of the EG. In conclusion, using MIs in classrooms allows for a more mature and creative development and greater academic performance.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the learning of primary school students, as assessed by ICT coordinators of the schools in Andalusia (a network already considered by the Spanish Educational Administration as ICT centres). For this, a total of 34 ICT coordinators from various primary education centres in Andalusia participated. With the objective of knowing the scope of the policies that are carried out, as well as determining the true incidence of ICT in the classroom -- not only as a tool, but also as a way of teaching -- a questionnaire was created and validated for the coordinators TIC. The results indicated that (a) the use by ICT teachers in the classroom is still reduced and (b) the lack of training received by teachers, as well as scarce technological resources, are the main barriers to attaining a higher use of ICT in the didactic process. The findings suggest that integral and transversal insertion of ICTs in the classroom should be priority objectives in deriving optimal curricular development in for primary school students.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an aerobics games class on creativity in children during the school day. Participants were 96 students (age = 9.84 ± 1.12 years), 48 girls and 48 boys. The students were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG, n = 48) or the control group (CG, n = 48). The Prueba de Imaginación Creativa-Niños (PIC-N) test was employed to assess narrative and graphic creativity. The EG took part in an aerobic games session lasting 45 min; the CG did not take part in a physical education class on that school day. As for group × time interaction, the EG experienced significant improvements in all creativity variables except in graphic originality, graphic titles, and graphic details. The CG did not improve any creativity variables. The findings suggest that acute aerobic exercise can enhance students' creativity, which could be important for academic achievement.

Context: Plyometric training promotes a highly effective neuromuscular stimulus to improve running performance. Jumping rope (JR) involves mainly foot muscles and joints, due to the quick rebounds, and it might be considered a type of plyometric training for improving power and stiffness, some of the key factors for endurance-running performance. Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of JR during the warm-up routine of amateur endurance runners on jumping performance, reactivity, arch stiffness, and 3-km time-trial performance. Methods: Athletes were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 51) or control (n = 45) group. Those from the control group were asked to maintain their training routines, while athletes from the experimental group had to modify their warm-up routines, including JR (2–4 sessions/wk, with a total time of 10–20 min/wk) for 10 weeks. Physical tests were performed before (pretest) and after (posttest) the intervention period and included jumping performance (countermovement-jump, squat-jump, and drop-jump tests), foot-arch stiffness, and 3-km time-trial performance. Reactive strength index (RSI) was calculated from a 30-cm drop jump. Results: The 2 × 2 analysis of variance showed significant pre–post differences in all dependent variables (P <.001) for the experimental group. No significant changes were reported in the control group (all P ≥.05). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between Δ3-km time trial and ΔRSI (r = −.481; P <.001) and ΔStiffness (r = −.336; P <.01). The linear-regression analysis showed that Δ3-km time trial was associated with ΔRSI and ΔStiffness (R2 =.394; P <.001). Conclusions: Compared with a control warm-up routine prior to endurance-running training, 10 weeks (2–4 times/wk) of JR training, in place of 5 minutes of regular warm-up activities, was effective in improving 3-km time-trial performance, jumping ability, RSI, and arch stiffness in amateur endurance runners. Improvements in RSI and arch stiffness were associated with improvements in 3-km time-trial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]