Investigaciones sobre los efectos de la institucionalización en los retrasados mentales

Resumen

La revisión bibliográfica de estudios comparativos y longitudinales de niños, normales y retrasados mentales, en instituciones y en familias, no presta mucho apoyo a la idea tradicional de que la institucionalización como tal, por sí misma y en si misma, trae consigo ciertos males duraderos e irreparables en la evolución de la personalidad del niño. Con todo, tales estudios presentan serias limitaciones y no ban explorado más que ciertos géneros de conducta social y adaptativa, por lo que se sugiere la necesidad de estudios empíricos más amplios que, con parecida metodología, pongan a prueba categorías clínicas más amplias acerca de los posibles trastornos de personalidad y/o del aprendizaje.     

Should I use co-assessment in higher education? Pros and cons from teachers and students’ perspectives

Co-assessment is a type of participatory assessment in which the teacher and student jointly discuss, negotiate and assess the student’s task or performance. Although the literature on co-assessment is scarce, some authors highlight the benefits for students of participating in co-assessment in higher education, including learning, improved communication, and greater assessment literacy. This study has a double objective: on the one hand, to analyse the strengths and limitations perceived by students participating in co-assessment practices; on the other hand, to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats perceived by professors participating in the experience. The study was developed in 8 class groups with the participation of 470 students and 4 teachers. The qualitative analysis of the data obtained from the questionnaires and focus groups indicates that the students acknowledged several strengths, among which learning from mistakes was prominent. Students also noted some limitations, particularly the lack of adjusted scoring. Professors offered another perspective that complemented the vision of their students, noting that co-assessment presents opportunities as well as risks that may jeopardise its implementation.     

Performing mundane materiality: Actor-Network Theory,global student mobility and a re/formation of ‘social capital’

ABSTRACT

Social capital is a puzzling actor; made real by its allies. It has been ‘out-there’ in the form of scientific publications for decades. Although some characteristics are common to all elaborations of this theory (networks, trust, and norms), there remains confusion in determining a ‘coherent concept’ of social capital. In this paper, we make use of such ‘incoherence gap’ to open an experimental theoretical and, subsequently, analytical space. Based on empirical research with mobile students and assemblages of non-human actors, the paper offers two investigative gatherings. First, the Bourdieusian approach to ‘social capital’ is discussed, allowing relational ontologies to enter the scene. Second, consideration is given to issues of performativity and the relevance of materiality for empirical social capital investigations. Despite the degree of ontological security social capital has managed to achieve, we question the disregard for the performative role of non-human entities in the context of global student mobility.     

English language learners who struggle with reading: language acquisition or LD?

We review empirical research on English language learners (ELLs) who struggle with reading and who may have learning disabilities (LD). We sought to determine research indicators that can help us better differentiate between ELLs who struggle to acquire literacy because of their limited proficiency in English and ELLs who have actual LD. We conclude that more research is warranted to further elucidate the strengths and learning needs of subgroups of underachieving ELLs, to help us determine who should qualify for special education, and to clarify why some ELLs who do not have LD still struggle with language and literacy acquisition. Future research should account for the complexities involved in becoming literate in another language and focus more on cultural and contextual factors that affect student achievement.     

Effects of social isolation and crowding upon active-avoidance performance in the rat

Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats reared in social isolation and in crowded conditions were tested on their active-avoidance performance. Only males appeared to be affected by the treatments; no housing-condition effect was found on the performance of females. The most severe housing-condition effect was that of social isolation; the isolated males showed impaired acquisition of the avoidance response. We have previously reported diminished adrenocortical flexibility in male isolates, which might account for the present results. A possible failure of the inhibition mechanisms of isolates is also taken into account.     

Review by (non)peers as an opportunity for learning: a case study on the editorial process of papers by junior researchers / La revisión por (im)pares como instancia de aprendizaje: un estudio de casos del proceso editorial de artículos de investigadoras noveles

Abstract

We analysed the editorial process of the four articles authored by junior researchers published in the special issue The peer review process as an opportunity for learning. Our aims were to study the unfolding of the main critiques and suggestions made by reviewers in the different review rounds, as well as to explore how both authors and reviewers experienced and valued the review process. Data sources include all review reports and letters where the authors explained the changes made, and questionnaires completed by all the authors and some reviewers. The most commonly identified critiques in the reports were related to content selection and elaboration (coherence and relevance), the own author’s voice (critical positioning and caution) and attention to the reader (precision and consistency in terms and concepts, methodological clarity, writing style, legibility and formal adequacy). All four authors stated that being part of this process was rewarding and educational, highlighting the development of academic writing skills. Some reviewers emphasized the importance of reading other reviewers’ reports. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of providing junior researchers with resources that support them in communicating their research to the academic community.