Explorando el flujo que experimentan los estudiantes para maestro de primaria al enfrentarse a tareas en grupo

Cuando un estudiante experimenta flujo, esto es, está plenamente concentrado en la resolución de una tarea y disfruta con ello, aumenta el rendimiento alcanzado y el deseo por continuar realizando tareas similares. Investigaciones realizadas con estudiantes con talento afirman que para experimentar flujo es necesario proponer desafíos acordes a las habilidades del estudiante, establecer metas claras y proporcionar retroalimentación inmediata. Esta investigación pretende contrastar si esta afirmación es válida en el caso de estudiantes de maestro de primaria con habilidades medias, al trabajar en grupo para resolver tareas matemáticas. Para ello, se comparó el comportamiento de dos grupos de estudiantes al resolver dos tareas matemáticas. Los resultados confirman la importancia de establecer metas claras, proporcionar retroalimentación inmediata, de que el estudiante confíe en su capacidad para superar las dificultades y se sienta útil.

Ideación gráfica revertida

Este artículo continúa la investigación de una propuesta de innovación docente, parcialmente abordada en el último Congreso EGA bajo el planteamiento de un ‘viaje imaginario a la mente del diseñador´. Se pretende desarrollar mecanismos vinculados al pensamiento gráfico y fomentar un dibujo desinhibido, eficaz y de respuesta rápida como recurso característico de la ideación. Desde hace años la ideación protagoniza diferentes propuestas docentes en el ámbito académico de E.G.A. generalmente vinculadas al dibujo inespecífico. Intencionalmente, se trata aquí de revertir el proceso de ideación, de ponerse en la piel de quien diseñó un edificio y, a partir de lo edificado –referente directo– tratar de reconstruir los bosquejos de ideación que debieron realizarse para concebirlo y darle forma. En esta nueva investigación hemos confrontado los dibujos originales de los arquitectos –muchos inéditos– con dibujos de indudable atractivo e innegable desparpajo de estudiantes sobre dichos edificios, analizándolos dialécticamente para validar la pertinencia del enfoque pedagógico.

Social determinants of self-perceived discrimination in Spain

Objectives: To analyse the association between self-perceived discrimination and social determinants (social class, gender, country of origin) in Spain, and further to describe contextual factors which contribute to self-perceived discrimination. Methods: Cross-sectional design using data from the Spanish National Health Survey (2006). The dependent variable was self-perceived discrimination, and independent and stratifying variables were sociodemographic characteristics (e.g. sex, social class, country of origin, educational level). Logistic regression was used. Results: The prevalence of self-perceived discrimination was 4.2% for men and 6.3% for women. The likelihood of self-perceived discrimination was higher in people who originated from low-income countries: men, odds ratio (OR) 5.59 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.55–6.87]; women, OR 4.06 (95% CI 3.42–4.83). Women were more likely to report self-perceived discrimination by their partner at home than men [OR 8.35 (95% CI 4.70–14.84)]. The likelihood of self-perceived discrimination when seeking work was higher among people who originated from low-income countries than their Spanish counterparts: men, OR 13.65 (95% CI 9.62–19.35); women, OR 10.64 (95% CI 8.31–13.62). In comparison with Spaniards, male white-collar workers who originated from low-income countries [OR 11.93 (95% CI 8.26–17.23)] and female blue-collar workers who originated from low-income countries (OR 1.6 (95% CI 1.08–2.39)] reported higher levels of self-perceived discrimination. Conclusions: Self-perceived discrimination is distributed unevenly in Spain and interacts with social inequalities. This particularly affects women and immigrants.

The Spanish version of the Prenatal Breast-feeding Self-efficacy Scale: Reliability and validity assessment

Background: Only a minority of infants are exclusively breastfed for the recommended 6 months postpartum. Breast-feeding self-efficacy is a mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed and is predictive of breastfeeding behaviors. The Prenatal Breast-feeding Self-efficacy Scale (PBSES) was developed among English-speaking mothers to measure breastfeeding self-efficacy before delivery. Objectives: To translate the PBSES into Spanish and assess its psychometric properties. Design: Reliability and validity assessment. Setting: A public hospital in Yecla, Spain. Participants: A convenience sample of 234 pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: The PBSES was translated into Spanish using forward and back translation. A battery of self-administered questionnaires was completed by participants, including a questionnaire on sociodemographic variables, breastfeeding experience and intention, as well as the Spanish version of the PBSES. Also, data on exclusive breastfeeding at discharge were collected from hospital database. Dimensional structure, internal consistency and construct validity of the Spanish version of PBSES were assessed. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis suggested the presence of one construct, self-efficacy, with four dimensions or latent variables. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency was 0.91. Response patterns based on decision to breastfeed during pregnancy provided evidence of construct validity. In addition, the scores of the Spanish version of the PBSES significantly predicted exclusive breastfeeding at discharge. Conclusions: The Spanish version of PBSES shows evidences of reliability, and contrasting group and predictive validity. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated marginal fit and further studies are needed to provide new evidence on the structure of the scale. The Spanish version of the PBSES can be considered a reliable measure and shows validity evidences.