Relations among Topic Knowledge, Individual Interest, and Relational Reasoning, and Critical Thinking in Maternity Nursing

Critical thinking in learners is a goal of educators and professional organizations in nursing as well as other professions. However, few studies in nursing have examined the role of the important individual difference factors topic knowledge, individual interest, and general relational reasoning strategies in predicting critical thinking. In addition, most previous studies have used domain-general, standardized measures, with inconsistent results. Moreover, few studies have investigated critical thinking across multiple levels of experience. The major purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which topic knowledge, individual interest, and relational reasoning predict critical thinking in maternity nurses. For this study, 182 maternity nurses were recruited from national nursing listservs explicitly chosen to capture multiple levels of experience from prelicensure to very experienced nurses. The three independent measures included a domain-specific Topic Knowledge Assessment (TKA), consisting of 24 short-answer questions, a Professed and Engaged Interest Measure (PEIM), with 20 questions indicating level of interest and engagement in maternity nursing topics and activities, and the Test of Relational Reasoning (TORR), a graphical selected response measure with 32 items organized in scales corresponding to four forms of relational reasoning: analogy, anomaly, antithesis, and antinomy. The dependent measure was the Critical Thinking Task in Maternity Nursing (CT2MN), composed of a clinical case study providing cues with follow-up questions relating to nursing care. These questions align with the cognitive processes identified in a commonly-used definition of critical thinking in nursing. Reliable coding schemes for the measures were developed for this study. Key findings included a significant correlation between topic knowledge and individual interest. Further, the three individual difference factors explained a significant proportion of the variance in critical thinking with a large effect size. While topic knowledge was the strongest predictor of critical thinking performance, individual interest had a moderate significant effect, and relational reasoning had a small but significant effect. The findings suggest that these individual difference factors should be included in future studies of critical thinking in nursing. Implications for nursing education, research, and practice are discussed.

Pensar, testar, opinar e construir: a resolução de problemas no jardim de infância e primeiro ciclo

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico

The effects of ICT on school: teachers’ and students’ perspectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on school from teachers’ and students’ perspectives. The focus was on three main subject matters: on ICT use and competence, on teacher and school community, and on learning environment and teaching practices. The study is closely connected to the national educational policy which has aimed strongly at supporting the implementation of ICT in pedagogical practices at all institutional levels. The phenomena were investigated using a mixed methods approach. The qualitative data from three cases studies and the quantitative data from three statistical studies were combined. In this study, mixed methods were used to investigate the complex phenomena from various stakeholders’ points of view, and to support validation by combining different perspectives in order to give a fuller and more complete picture of the phenomena. The data were used in a complementary manner. The results indicate that the technical resources for using ICT both at school and at homes are very good. In general, students are capable and motivated users of new technology; these skills and attitudes are mainly based on home resources and leisuretime use. Students have the skills to use new kinds of applications and new forms of technology, and their ICT skills are wide, although not necessarily adequate; the working habits might be ineffective and even wrong. Some students have a special kind of ICT-related adaptive expertise which develops in a beneficial interaction between school guidance and challenges, and individual interest and activity. Teachers’ skills are more heterogeneous. The large majority of teachers have sufficient skills for everyday and routine working practices, but many of them still have difficulties in finding a meaningful pedagogical use for technology. The intensive case study indicated that for the majority of teachers the intensive ICT projects offer a possibility for learning new skills and competences intertwined in the work, often also supported by external experts and a collaborative teacher community; a possibility that “ordinary” teachers usually do not have. Further, teachers’ good ICT competence help them to adopt new pedagogical practices and integrate ICT in a meaningful way. The genders differ in their use of and skills in ICT: males show better skills especially in purely technical issues also in schools and classrooms, whereas female students and younger female teachers use ICT in their ordinary practices quite naturally. With time, the technology has become less technical and its communication and creation affordances have become stronger, easier to use, more popular and motivating, all of which has increased female interest in the technology. There is a generation gap in ICT use and competence between teachers and students. This is apparent especially in the ICT-related pedagogical practices in the majority of schools. The new digital affordances not only replace some previous practices; the new functionalities change many of our existing conceptions, values, attitudes and practices. The very different conceptions that generations have about technology leads, in the worst case, to a digital gap in education; the technology used in school is boring and ineffective compared to the ICT use outside school, and it does not provide the competence needed for using advanced technology in learning. The results indicate that in schools which have special ICT projects (“ICT pilot schools”) for improving pedagogy, these have led to true changes in teaching practices. Many teachers adopted student-centred and collaborative, inquiry-oriented teaching practices as well as practices that supported students' authentic activities, independent work, knowledge building, and students' responsibility. This is, indeed, strongly dependent on the ICT-related pedagogical competence of the teacher. However, the daily practices of some teachers still reflected a rather traditional teacher-centred approach. As a matter of fact, very few teachers ever represented solely, e.g. the knowledge building approach; teachers used various approaches or mixed them, based on the situation, teaching and learning goals, and on their pedagogical and technical competence. In general, changes towards pedagogical improvements even in wellorganised developmental projects are slow. As a result, there are two kinds of ICT stories: successful “ICT pilot schools” with pedagogical innovations related to ICT and with school community level agreement about the visions and aims, and “ordinary schools”, which have no particular interest in or external support for using ICT for improvement, and in which ICT is used in a more routine way, and as a tool for individual teachers, not for the school community.

Vammaisuus hyvinvointivaltiossa. Invalideiksi, vajaamielisiksi tai kehitysvammaisiksi määriteltyjen kansalaisasema suomalaisessa vammaispolitiikassa 1940-luvun taitteesta vuoteen 1987

Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan vammaisiksi määriteltyjen ihmisten kansalaisasemaa suomalaisessa toisen maailmansodan jälkeisessä vammaispoliittisessa keskustelussa. Analyysissa huomioidaan suomalaisen vammaishuollon molemmista päälinjoista, eli invalidihuollosta sekä vajaamielis- ja kehitysvammahuollosta, käydyt keskustelut. Tutkimuksen aikarajauksena toimii niin kutsuttu invalihuollon kausi, joka ulottui lakisääteisen vammaishuollon tarpeesta 1940-luvun taitteessa virinneestä keskustelusta vuoteen 1987, jolloin säädettiin periaatteiltaan edeltävään lainsäädäntöön verrattuna uudenlainen laki vammaisuuden perusteella järjestettävistä palveluista ja tukitoimista. Vammaisuuden käsitettä lähestytään tutkimuksessa yhtenä modernin sosiaalipoliittisen lainsäädännön kategorioista, jotka ovat vapauttaneet kansalaisen velvollisuudesta itsensä ja perheensä elättämiseen ja oikeuttaneet hänet toimeentulossaan sosiaaliturvaan. Tutkimuksessa pyritään hahmottamaan millaiseksi tutkimuksen kohteena olevien vammaisten ryhmien kansalaisasema tutkimusajankohtana ymmärrettiin. Tarkastelussa keskitytään kansalaisuuden käsitteen niin kutsuttuun aineellisoikeudelliseen sisältöön analysoimalla tutkimuksen kohteena olevissa keskusteluissa esiintyneitä kansalaisuuden ideaaleja ja käsityksiä kansalaisen ja valtion suhteesta. Tutkimusaihetta lähestytään etsimällä vastausta kysymyksiin 1) Mihin yhteiskunnallisiin ongelmiin invalidihuollosta ja vajaamielis- tai 312 kehitysvammahuollosta käydyissä asiantuntijakeskusteluissa haettiin ratkaisuja? 2) Millaisia tavoitteita huollolle asetettiin? 3) Millaiseksi hahmotettiin huollon kohderyhmien asema ja tehtävät yhteiskunnassa? Analyysissa keskitytään huollosta käydyn asiantuntijakeskustelun tarkasteluun. Tutkimuksen keskeisin lähdeaineisto muodostuu tutkimusajankohdan vammaishuoltoa käsittelevästä lainsäädännöstä, sen valmistelun materiaaleista sekä vammaisjärjestöjen ja muiden alan asiantuntijoiden vammaishuollosta julkisuudessa käymästä keskustelusta. Tutkimuksessa esitetään, että suomalaisen vammaispolitiikan ja vammaisten kansalaisaseman kehityksessä on tutkimusajankohtana erotettavissa kolme vaihetta: 1) 1940–1950-lukujen yhteiskunnan rationalisointia ja sosiaalisten ongelmien vähentämistä painottaneella ennaltaehkäisevän huoltopolitiikan kaudella vammaiset ihmiset hahmotettiin yhteiskunnan reunamilla tai ulkopuolella olevaksi erityisryhmäksi, joka tuli pyrkiä huollon toimenpiteillä integroimaan omalle paikalleen yhteiskunnan kokonaisuuteen. 2) 1960-luvun kuntoutusideaalin laajenemisen kaudella vammaishuollon julkilausutuksi tavoitteeksi omaksuttiin yksilön edun ajaminen. 3) 1970–1980-lukujen normalisaation periaatetta painottaneessa vammaispolitiikassa tavoitteeksi otettiin vammaisille tarkoitettujen erityisjärjestelmien purkaminen sekä vammaisten tasa-arvoisen kansalaisaseman turvaaminen heidän osallistumismahdollisuuksiaan parantavilla tukitoimenpiteillä.

Entwicklung von Interessen und Nicht-Interessen bei Kindern im Kindergarten, in der Grundschule und in der Sekundarstufe I

Zusammenfassung der Dissertation von Barbara Wieder zum Thema: Entwicklung von Interessen und Nicht-Interessen bei Kindern im Kindergarten, in der Grundschule und in der Sekundarstufe I. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Genese und Entwicklung von Interessen und Nicht-Interessen von Kindern im Alter von 4 bis 16 Jahren. Dazu wurden 87 Kinder sowie deren Eltern und Lehrkräfte bzw. Erzieherinnen mittels strukturierter Interviews in einem Längsschnitt etwa alle zwei Jahre wiederholt befragt. Theoretische Grundlage ist die Rahmenkonzeption einer pädagogischen Interessentheorie, die Interesse als einen Bezug zwischen einer Person und einem Gegenstand bestimmt. Dieser Bezug ist charakterisiert durch die Merkmale kognitive Ausprägung, emotionale Tönung und Wertaspekt (SCHIEFELE et al. 1983) sowie durch die Merkmale zur qualitativen Unterscheidung der PG-Bezüge zwischen Vorläufer-Interessen und Individuellen Interessen von VOGT und WIEDER (1999). Nicht-Interesse wird gemäß UPMEIER ZU BELZEN und VOGT (2001) mithilfe theoretischer Merkmale (wie z. B. Kognition, Emotion, Wertbezug) in zwei unterschiedliche Ausprägungsformen – Desinteresse und Abneigung – differenziert. Für die vorliegende Arbeit ergeben sich folgende Untersuchungsfragen: Wie entstehen Interessen und Nicht-Interessen und wie verlaufen qualitative Entwicklungen? Inwiefern werden die Interessen und Nicht-Interessen im Verlauf außerschulisch und schulisch beeinflusst? Für die Datenerhebung wurden im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie „halbstandardisierte“ Interviewleitfäden entwickelt und mithilfe der Grundtechniken der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse von MAYRING (2003) ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen, dass alle befragten Kinder spätestens ab dem Schuleintritt über mindestens ein gemäß der Theorie definiertes Individuelles Interesse verfügten, die bis auf eine Ausnahme im außerschulischen Bereich festgestellt wurden. Ausgelöst wurden die Interessen hauptsächlich durch die Eltern und Peers, wobei der Einfluss der Peers im Entwicklungsverlauf immer mehr an Bedeutung gewann. Mit zunehmendem Alter hatten die Kinder auch Nicht-Interessen, die vor allem durch Erlebnisse ausgelöst wurden. Zusätzlich wurde die Entwicklung der Interessen und Nicht-Interessen durch den Grad der Befriedigung der grundlegenden Bedürfnisse (basic needs gemäß DECI & RYAN 1993) nach Kompetenz, Autonomie und sozialer Eingebundenheit während der Person-Gegenstands-Auseinandersetzungen beeinflusst. Beispielsweise fehlte bei Kindern mit schulischen Nicht-Interessen häufig das Erleben von Kompetenz und Autonomie in der Schule. Um der Entstehung von Nicht-Interessen in der Schule vorbeugen zu können, sollte ein alltagsrelevanter, kognitiv und methodisch differenzierter Unterricht stattfinden, der möglichst allen Kindern ein individuelles, positives Kompetenz- und Autonomieerleben ermöglicht. Dann könnten zukünftig sogar vielleicht auch Interessen in der Schule angestoßen werden.

Litisconsórcio, efeitos da sentença e coisa julgada na tutela dos interesses metaindividuais

A compreensão do fenômeno jurídico como sistema de inclusão é fundamental para a compreensão dos aparatos normativos que regulam a tutela dos interesses metaindividuais. Mais apropriada aos desafios do século XXI, as normas principais deste sistema processual no Brasil, estão expressas na Lei 7.347/85 c/c a Lei 8078/90 e necessária interação com as normas da Constituição Federal que rege a matéria, onde o modelo de Legitimidade ad cansam, deferida e entes sociais públicos e particulares reflete a sua natureza de instrumento de pacificação de conflito social. O fenômeno da pluralidade de partes no processo de tutela coletiva, o destaque à noção processual de terceiro é um pressuposto essencial para a compreensão deste fenômeno em sede de tutela coletiva, cujo litisconsórcio é a expressão maior do fenômeno processual, desprendendo-se a sua construção das relações do direito material que podem originar-se em suas diversas modalidades. O respeito à garantia processual do contraditório e da ampla defesa, como direito e garantia fundamental, importante e necessária ao tecido social, que pode e deve ser exercido sob parâmetros sociais mais elásticos fim onde se inserem as especiais regras do processo de tutela coletiva, criando o legislador pátrio curvaturas de respeito ao seu prisma individual, mas destacando a sua função social, expressas nos parágrafos 1º, 2º e 3º do artigo 103 da Lei 8.078/90. A eficácia da sentença em sede de tutela coletiva, pela sua natureza sempre terá repercussões sobre os interesses de terceiros, aliás destinam-se mesmo à tutela de tais sujeitos, dai se dizer que possuem eficácia ultra partes ou erga omnes, mas distinguem-se dos efeitos erga omnes e ultra partes da coisa julgada, previsto no Capítulo IV do Título III da Lei 8.078/90, que somente excluem-se na forma das curvaturas previstas pelo legislador. Nenhum empecilho haveria da extensão coletiva pro et contra, dos efeitos erga omnes ou ultra partes na coisa julgada na tutela de qualquer dos interesses metaindividuais, sem exceção, porque em nada limitariam a tutela dos interesses individuais dos membros destas coletividades, comunidades ou conjuntos de vítimas pois este não foi o objeto do processo coletivo, mas a cautela exigiu as diversas curvaturas, para deixar a salvo estes interesses individuais no caso de improcedência da ação coletiva, uma vez que no caso de procedência, fixada a responsabilidade global do réu, estando este interesse individual no seu raio de ação, falta-lhe interesse de agir a pretender a tutela particular, basta ser liquidada dentro do processo de execução coletiva.

An overview of positive and negative effects of gender-fair language use

The basic principle of gender-fair language is symmetric linguistic treatment of women and men. Depending on the structure of the respective language, two principle strategies can be deployed to make a language gender-fair. In languages with few gender-differentiating forms, such as English, there is a tendency towards neutralization. Here, gender-unmarked forms such as police officer or chairperson are used to substitute the male-biased policeman or chairman. The second strategy, feminization, implies that feminine forms of human nouns are used more frequently and systematically to make female referents visible.Since the 1970s, gender-fair language has been suggested, if not prescribed, for both scientific and official texts and its positive effects are widely documented. The use of gender-fair language increases the cognitive availability of feminine exemplars. Also in an applied context women responding to job advertisements formulated in gender-fair language feel more motivated to apply for the position. However, "side effects" of gender-fair language have also been observed: For instance, women referred to with a gender-fair title (e.g. chairperson) were evaluated as lower in status than women referred to with a masculine generic (e.g. chairman). Similarily, social initiatives framed with the use of gender-fair language were evaluated less-favourably than initiatives using traditional language. This presentation presents the gender-fair language use in the framework of a social dilemma. In order to protect themselves (or initiatives they stand for) from being ascribed incompetence or a lower status, women may avoid feminine forms and thus contribute to the perpetuation of gender-unfair language, which may be detrimental for women in general. Raising awareness for this social concern, and framing it both in terms of group and individual interest can direct the discussion about gender-fair language into a broader perspective of gender equality.

Explaining Scholarship Addressing Hispanic Children’s Issues

The purpose of this essay is to explain the dearth of scholarship in Hispanic and Latino children’s issues. To answer this question, a data set of all the scholarship addressing Hispanic and Latino children was created. This data set was used to test two hypotheses. The first of these is that scholarship on Hispanic children is created by Hispanic scholars. The second is that government incentives lead scholars to produce scholarship. This article will show that interest in Hispanic and Latino children can be explained by the existence of Hispanic and Latino scholars, the size of the Hispanic population and the existence of monetary incentives that encourage scholars to conduct research with a focus on this population.

A FUNÇÃO SOCIAL DA ESCOLA NO OLHAR DOS DIFERENTES SEGMENTOS DA EQUIPE ESCOLAR

O objetivo deste trabalho é levantar os diversos entendimentos que se tem sobre a função social da escola e como os diversos segmentos da equipe escolar a percebem. Procede-se a um levantamento da evolução da instituição escolar ao longo dos períodos históricos, define-se a escola como espaço socialmente destinado à transmissão do conhecimento acumulado pela sociedade humana para as novas gerações, busca-se em Libâneo e Mizukami caracterizar, para cada uma das tendências/abordagens pedagógicas, a sua função social entendendo-a nos níveis micro, meso e macro, e como uma teia de relações caleidoscópicas . Busca-se no pensamento de Gramsci os referenciais teóricos e corpo conceitual que possibilitem a leitura e compreensão dos elementos analisados e presentes na fala dos sujeitos pertencentes a segmentos da equipe escolar pesquisada. Procedeu-se a um estudo qualitativo do tipo etnográfico, através de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, observação de campo e análise documental. Verificou-se que a escola apresenta em seu Projeto Pedagógico uma forte tendência tradicional liberal, e nas falas dos sujeitos nvolvidos na pesquisa: alunos, pais/mães, colaboradores e professores uma forte crença na escola como possibilitadora de sucesso e ascensão social aos educandos, depositando nela todas as expectativas nesse sentido. O entendimento da função social da escola é percebida no nível do individual, não demonstrando preocupações com o coletivo, nem tampouco com o diploma sem saberes aprendidos , a personalidade do educando ou seu nível para o acesso ao capital cultural. Os professores partilham dessa esponsabilidade com a formação e sucesso do indivíduo educando. Buscou-se a partir dessa reflexão, um entendimento sobre a função social da escola contemporânea.

A FUNÇÃO SOCIAL DA ESCOLA NO OLHAR DOS DIFERENTES SEGMENTOS DA EQUIPE ESCOLAR

O objetivo deste trabalho é levantar os diversos entendimentos que se tem sobre a função social da escola e como os diversos segmentos da equipe escolar a percebem. Procede-se a um levantamento da evolução da instituição escolar ao longo dos períodos históricos, define-se a escola como espaço socialmente destinado à transmissão do conhecimento acumulado pela sociedade humana para as novas gerações, busca-se em Libâneo e Mizukami caracterizar, para cada uma das tendências/abordagens pedagógicas, a sua função social entendendo-a nos níveis micro, meso e macro, e como uma teia de relações caleidoscópicas . Busca-se no pensamento de Gramsci os referenciais teóricos e corpo conceitual que possibilitem a leitura e compreensão dos elementos analisados e presentes na fala dos sujeitos pertencentes a segmentos da equipe escolar pesquisada. Procedeu-se a um estudo qualitativo do tipo etnográfico, através de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, observação de campo e análise documental. Verificou-se que a escola apresenta em seu Projeto Pedagógico uma forte tendência tradicional liberal, e nas falas dos sujeitos nvolvidos na pesquisa: alunos, pais/mães, colaboradores e professores uma forte crença na escola como possibilitadora de sucesso e ascensão social aos educandos, depositando nela todas as expectativas nesse sentido. O entendimento da função social da escola é percebida no nível do individual, não demonstrando preocupações com o coletivo, nem tampouco com o diploma sem saberes aprendidos , a personalidade do educando ou seu nível para o acesso ao capital cultural. Os professores partilham dessa esponsabilidade com a formação e sucesso do indivíduo educando. Buscou-se a partir dessa reflexão, um entendimento sobre a função social da escola contemporânea.

A FUNÇÃO SOCIAL DA ESCOLA NO OLHAR DOS DIFERENTES SEGMENTOS DA EQUIPE ESCOLAR

O objetivo deste trabalho é levantar os diversos entendimentos que se tem sobre a função social da escola e como os diversos segmentos da equipe escolar a percebem. Procede-se a um levantamento da evolução da instituição escolar ao longo dos períodos históricos, define-se a escola como espaço socialmente destinado à transmissão do conhecimento acumulado pela sociedade humana para as novas gerações, busca-se em Libâneo e Mizukami caracterizar, para cada uma das tendências/abordagens pedagógicas, a sua função social entendendo-a nos níveis micro, meso e macro, e como uma teia de relações caleidoscópicas . Busca-se no pensamento de Gramsci os referenciais teóricos e corpo conceitual que possibilitem a leitura e compreensão dos elementos analisados e presentes na fala dos sujeitos pertencentes a segmentos da equipe escolar pesquisada. Procedeu-se a um estudo qualitativo do tipo etnográfico, através de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, observação de campo e análise documental. Verificou-se que a escola apresenta em seu Projeto Pedagógico uma forte tendência tradicional liberal, e nas falas dos sujeitos nvolvidos na pesquisa: alunos, pais/mães, colaboradores e professores uma forte crença na escola como possibilitadora de sucesso e ascensão social aos educandos, depositando nela todas as expectativas nesse sentido. O entendimento da função social da escola é percebida no nível do individual, não demonstrando preocupações com o coletivo, nem tampouco com o diploma sem saberes aprendidos , a personalidade do educando ou seu nível para o acesso ao capital cultural. Os professores partilham dessa esponsabilidade com a formação e sucesso do indivíduo educando. Buscou-se a partir dessa reflexão, um entendimento sobre a função social da escola contemporânea.

Individual predictors of adolescents' vocational interest stabilities

The study investigated the predictive utility of interest profile differentiation, coherence, elevation, congruence, and vocational identity commitment and career maturity (career planning and exploration) on the 10-month interest stability of 292 Swiss eighth-grade students: profile, rank, and level stabilities were assessed. Controlling for socio-demographic and vocational interest type variables, measures of differentiated and coherent vocational interests were significant predictors of profile stability. Interest elevation predicted more rank and level stability. The career development variables explained only a non-significant additional amount of variance in the different stability measures.

Overview: Individual and organizational perspectives on emotion management and display

As reported in Volume 1 of Research on Emotions in Organizations (Ashkanasy, Zerbe, & Härtel, 2005), the chapters in this volume are drawn from the best contributions to the 2004 International Conference on Emotion and Organizational Life held at Birkbeck College, London, complemented by additional, invited chapters. (This biannual conference has come to be known as the “Emonet” conference, after the listserv of members.) Previous edited volumes (Ashkanasy, Härtel, & Zerbe, 2000; Ashkanasy, Zerbe, & Härtel, 2002; Härtel, Zerbe, & Ashkanasy, 2004) were published every two years following the Emonet conference. With the birth of this annual Elsevier series came the opportunity for greater focus in the theme of each volume, and for greater scope for invited contributions. This volume contains eight chapters selected from conference contributions for their quality, interest, and appropriateness to the theme of this volume, as well as four invited chapters. We again acknowledge in particular the assistance of the conference paper reviewers (see the appendix). In the year of publication of this volume the 2006 Emonet conference will be held in Atlanta, USA and will be followed by Volumes 3 and 4 of Research on Emotions in Organizations. Readers interested in learning more about the conferences or the Emonet list should check the Emonet website http://www.uq.edu.au/emonet/.

Individual pension information: Recommendations for the case of Spain based on the experiences of other countries

The aim of this paper is to establish some basic guidelines to help draft the information letter sent to individual contributors should it be decided to use this model in the Spanish public pension system. With this end in mind and basing our work on the experiences of the most advanced countries in the field and the pioneering papers by Jackson (2005), Larsson et al. (2008) and Sunden (2009), we look into the concept of “individual pension information” and identify its most relevant characteristics. We then give a detailed description of two models, those in the United States and Sweden, and in particular look at how they are structured, what aspects could be improved and what their limitations are. Finally we make some recommendations of special interest for designing the model for Spain.