Teaching methodologies at university and their relationship with the development of transversal competences / Metodologías de enseñanza en la universidad y su relación con el desarrollo de competencias transversales

This paper aims to understand the use of different methodologies and their relationship with the development of transversal competencies within higher education. A total of 1,137 final-year undergraduate students from the University of Murcia participated in this study, and the data collection instrument used is the CECTGRA questionnaire designed ad hoc. Among the most noteworthy results is the prevalence of lectures compared with other more active methodologies and the perception that the development of transversal competencies could be improved. A positive correlation is obtained between the use of active methodologies and the successful development of different types of competencies. This work invites reflection on the methodologies used by university teachers to develop transversal competencies and the reconsideration of their educational practice.     

A Didactic Sequence of Elementary Geometric Optics Informed by History and Philosophy of Science

The concepts and instruments required for the teaching and learning of geometric optics are introduced in the didactic process without a proper didactic transposition. This claim is secured by the ample evidence of both wide- and deep-rooted alternative concepts on the topic. Didactic transposition is a theory that comes from a reflection on the teaching and learning process in mathematics but has been used in other disciplinary fields. It will be used in this work in order to clear up the main obstacles in the teaching-learning process of geometric optics. We proceed to argue that since Newton’s approach to optics, in his Book I of Opticks, is independent of the corpuscular or undulatory nature of light, it is the most suitable for a constructivist learning environment. However, Newton’s theory must be subject to a proper didactic transposition to help overcome the referred alternative concepts. Then is described our didactic transposition in order to create knowledge to be taught using a dialogical process between students’ previous knowledge, history of optics and the desired outcomes on geometrical optics in an elementary pre-service teacher training course. Finally, we use the scheme-facet structure of knowledge both to analyse and discuss our results as well as to illuminate shortcomings that must be addressed in our next stage of the inquiry.     

A mathematical model for decision-making in the classification of para-footballers with different severity of coordination impairments

Classification is a defining feature of Para-sport, and sports-specific classification systems determined through multidisciplinary scientific research are required, i.e., evidence-based and focused on the relationship between the impairment and the key performance determinants. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) was applied as a classification tool using a directional distance function (DDF) model. The aim of the study was to test the DEA as a possible classification tool in cerebral palsy football. We analyse the performance of 56 international para-footballers with hypertonia, ataxia or athetosis, who completed a 20-test battery with DEA models. Five of the tests are included in the model (change of direction: Illinois agility test; jumping: standing broad jump, four bounds for distance, and triple hop with the non-dominant leg; 10-m sprint/acceleration; and ball dribbling, both in a straight line and following a trajectory), showing that players with less impairment exhibit the highest efficiency. This outcome suggests that DEA models might be feasible for detecting and discriminating the performance and magnitude of impairment in cerebral palsy football, with an objective ranking of the athletes in relation to different physical performance tests. This study also provides reference scores for decision-making during classification and guidance for further research in team Paralympic sports.     

Sincretismo y pensamiento categorial: génesis y diferencias socioculturales

Resumen

El estudio de la representación del mundo en el niño es una de las vías que permiten acercarse a la génesis del pensamiento infantil, a su progresiva estructuración. Interesados en la evolución del sincretismo y del pensamiento categorial, los diálogos con los niños en torno a las ultra-cosas nos han permitido detectar distintos niveles evolutivos dentro del pensamiento sincrétn o y del categorial y nos han puesto en la pista de posibles diferencias socioculturales ligadas con la pertenencia al medio rural o urbano.