Teacher attitudes and best practices with ICT faculty Adult Continuing Education in Andalusia

The present paper reports the results of a study aiming to describe the attitudes of teachers in adult continuous education in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia (Spain) towards the use and integration of information and communication technologies (ITC) in the educational centres they work in, while identifying those factors that favour the development of good practice. It is a mixed methods descriptive research, and information collection techniques include a questionnaire and in-depth interviews. A total number of 172 teachers were surveyed, as well as 18 head teachers and coordinators, in adult education. For questionnaire validation the expert judgment technique was used, as they were selected by the «expert competence coefficient» or «K coefficient» procedure. To improve its psychometric properties, construct validity was determined by means of Varimax factor analysis and maximum likelihood extraction (two factors were extracted). Confidence was set by Cronbach's alpha (0.88). The interview guide was also validated by this group of experts. Results point out, on one hand, that teachers hold positive attitudes towards ICT regarding both ICT's role in professional development and their ease of use and access. On the other hand, among the most important factors for ICT-supported good educational practices lies in ICT's capacity to favour personalized work.

Students perceptions about attention to diversity in Secondary Education Teachers Initial Training

This work aims to analyze the perceptions of students enrolled in the Master's Degree in Secondary Education Teaching, Training and Language Teaching at the University of Jaen, about the initial training received on attention to diversity. A descriptive methodology has been followed using an ad hoc questionnaire as data collection instrument. The results show favorable attitudes of future secondary teachers for diversity, having received an adequate training in curricular and organizational aspects, making it able to fully achieve inclusion of students with special educational needs in the classroom.

Predictors of attitudes toward inclusion of students with special educational needs in future education professionals

One of the main pillars in the development of inclusive schools is the initial teacher training. Before determining if it is necessary to make changes (and of what type) in training programs or curriculum guides related to the attention to diversity and inclusive education, the attitudes of future education professionals in this area should be analyzed. This includes the identification of the relevant predictors of inclusive attitudes. The research reported in this article pursued this objective, doing so with a quantitative survey methodology based on the use of cross-sectional structured data collection and statistical analyses related to the quality of the attitude questionnaire (factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha), descriptive statistics, correlations, hypothesis tests for difference of means, and regression analysis in order to predict attitudes towards inclusion in education. Firstly, the results show that the participants held very positive attitudes toward the inclusion of students with special educational needs. Particularly, older respondents, those with a longer training and, to a lesser extent, women and those who had been in touch with disabled people stood out within this attitude. Secondly, it is evidenced that self-transcendence values ​and, more weakly, contact, function as robust predictors of attitudes of future practitioners towards the inclusion of students with special needs. Some applications for the initial professionalization of educators are suggested in the discussion.

Community Relations in Northern Ireland: a shift in Attitudes?

The paper presents an analysis of Northern Ireland Social Attitudes data available at the time of writing. Its significance lay in emerging disparities in the responses, over time, of Protestants and Catholics to key social issues such as integrated education. The data, made public just one year after the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, generated intense media interest. Findings were reported in 400 outlets worldwide (UU media monitoring). Hughes was also interviewed for local and national news programmes (including BBC World Service). The data informed a decision by Government to undertake a major review of community relations policy, and Hughes was invited to advise the Head of the Northern Ireland review team. She was also invited to Chair the Community Relations Panel of the ESRC Devolution