The influence of the family educational scenario on internet use of primary and secondary school children / La influencia del escenario educativo familiar en el uso de internet en los niños de primaria y secundaria

Abstract

With the aim of studying the impact of the internet in the home, this paper analyses how the physical component (where and with whom) and attitudinal component (who decides what the child is to see on the internet and motivations for internet use) of the family educational scenario influence the frequency of internet use and diversity of uses, as reported by parents. The participants included 711 parents of children in primary and secondary school. Results showed that being in secondary school, using the internet in privacy at home, without company, internet content under the child’s control, and parental motivations based on the internet being used as a means for the child to relax, predicted higher frequency of internet use. Some of these factors, as well as the presence of peers and new parental attitudes related to the use of the internet for social and learning purposes, predicted a greater variety of uses, suggesting a more appropriate family scenario. The practical implications for parental education on this matter are described.     

Writing practices in Spanish universities / Las prácticas escritas en la universidad española

Abstract

This article examines the different writing practices carried out in Spanish universities and the methodology used to promote and teach the development of writing competences. The data in this study pertain to nine Spanish universities, 280 teachers and 1,044 undergraduate students from these universities. The data also refer to student and faculty perceptions of the importance attached to the writing process, the amount of time spent on it and the dimensions or aspects of the competence they consider the most important. Furthermore, the article examines the writing practices proposed by the teachers as well as the ones identified by and assigned to the students. On some of the variables, the results suggest opposing perceptions between the two groups and at the same time highlight differences depending on the fields of knowledge. This sheds light on different ways to include the writing process in university education.     

Using social networking sites for language learning to develop intercultural competence in language education programs

This article examines the ways a social networking site for language learning (SNSLL) enhances or hinders intercultural communicative competence (ICC). The study identifies the components of intercultural competence that emerge from students’ interactions and reflections about the SNSLL Livemocha. The research was conducted with second-year students of an English class in a Colombian university. Data were collected through screen recordings, students’ logs, surveys, and a focus group. Findings indicate that, of the five dimensions of ICC, the components of Attitudes, Knowledge, Skills of Interpreting and Relating, and Skills of Discovery and Interaction featured strongly on students’ exchanges and reflections. SNSLLs hold potential to enhance intercultural skills; however, pedagogical adjustment and refocusing of some of their activities are required to expand opportunities for intercultural engagement.     

Health and body tensions and expectations for pre-service physical education teachers in Spain

The importance of the Physical Education (PE) teacher’s body, particularly for teaching PE, has been highlighted in literature. PE teachers are expected to be clear role models to students through their acts, behaviours and bodies. However, their strong embodied subjectivities, particularly those related to their teaching practices, may be problematised. This paper explores the ways in which a group of 15 pre-service PE teachers from a Spanish university constructed perspectives about the body and health in relation to their professional practices. Body journals were used to collect data, which were analysed using a Deleuze-Guattarian approach. The findings reveal the significant emphasis participants placed on their own bodies while teaching PE and the pressure they felt to conform to certain expectations of their professional roles. In response, we propose critical reflection on the content of Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programmes and incorporation of alternative pedagogical approaches to alleviate the heavy reliance on pre-service teachers’ bodies.     

Independent and joint associations of physical activity and fitness with fibromyalgia symptoms and severity: The al-Ándalus project

We examined independent and joint associations of objectively measured physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) with pain, fatigue and the overall impact of fibromyalgia in 386 fibromyalgia women aged 51.2 ± 7.6 years. Levels of PA (light, moderate and vigorous) and PF were measured with triaxial accelerometry and the Senior Fitness Test, respectively. We used the Short-Form health survey-36 pain sub-scale and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory to assess pain and multiple dimensions of fatigue, respectively. The impact of fibromyalgia was studied with the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR). Both, total PA and global PF were independently associated with pain pressure threshold, SF-36 pain, reduced activity, reduced motivation and FIQR total score (all, P ≤ 0.027). The associations between total PA and symptoms were weaker than those observed between global PF and symptoms. Overall, unfit patients with low PA showed a worse profile that fit patients with high PA (all, P ≤ 0.001). In summary, PA and PF are independently associated with pain, fatigue and the overall impact of fibromyalgia in women. Although PF presented greater associations with symptoms, the results suggest that both being physically active and keep adequate fitness levels might be convenient for fibromyalgia women.     

The Use of BISAC in Libraries as New Cases of Reader-Interest Classifications

In the recent years, several libraries in the United States have been experimenting with Book Industry Standards and Communications (BISAC), the classification system of the book industry, as an alternative to the Dewey Decimal Classification. Although rarely discussed, these cases of implementation of BISAC arguably resemble other past cases of replacement of traditional classifications that received the name of reader-interest classifications. In this article, a comparison of the BISAC cases to the previous cases of reader-interest classifications is taken in order to determine if the current application of BISAC to libraries is susceptible to the same problems, dangers, and ends as occurred in the past.