The Impact of Tourette’s Syndrome in the School and the Family: Perspectives from Three Stakeholder Groups

This article analyzes the perceptions of Spanish health professionals, children with Tourette’s Syndrome (TS) and their parents about social, school and family problems related to the disorder. A qualitative research methodology was used involving Focus Groups (FGs) made up of children with TS (× 2 FGs), parents/caregivers of persons with TS (× 2 FGs) and health professionals (× 1 FG). The study highlights many of the principal areas of concern for persons with TS, parents/caregivers and health professionals that directly and indirectly add to the burden of living with the disorder. The results of the study point out that the stigma and social maladjustment in children with TS is caused in large part by a misunderstanding of the disorder by teachers and peers. Parents of children with TS especially emphasize tics, considering them to be the main cause of social maladaptation. The results suggest that interventions among parents, teachers and peers should be implemented towards a greater understanding of the disorder and its symptoms.     

Actividad conjunta y habla: una aproximación al estudio de los mecanismos de influencia educativa

Resumen

El artículo presenta las principales opciones teóricas y metodológicas de un proyecto de investigación cuyo objetivo principal es el estudio de algunos mecanismos de influencia educativa que se manifiestan en, o actúan a través de, la interacción profesor/grupo de alumnos y adulterino. Utilizando como punto de partida el concepto de interactividad, término acuñado para designar las formas de organización de la actividad conjunta en torno al contenido o tarea que están llevando a cabo los participantes, se analizan dos mecanismos de influencia educativa: la cesión y el traspaso progresivos del control y la responsabilidad y la construcción progresiva de sistemas de significados compartidos.     

Cómo no impedir que los niños aprendan inglés

Se revisan en este artículo los problemas que un enfoque comunicativo basado en el adulto presentan para el diseño curricular del inglés para niños y se propone pasar a un diseño basado en actividades (más que en contenidos lingüísticos), alertando a la vez de las condiciones (que hoy no se cumplen) necesarias para aplicarlo con eficacia, como la formación de los docentes o los recursos en el centro.     

The returns to UK degrees for foreign‐educated graduates

Exploiting information on foreign qualifications for the first time, we estimate the returns to obtaining UK higher degrees for foreign graduates who migrated to the UK in their 20s. Accounting for direct measures of foreign and UK qualifications and country‐of‐origin fixed effects, we find substantial returns to obtaining UK (higher) degrees on hourly wages and occupational attainment for both genders, working mainly through occupational attainment. However, there is strong evidence that the effect of the high returns is driven by immigrants from countries where English is not a dominant language. Moreover, returns to UK (higher) degrees are more pronounced for graduates from low‐HDI/GDP countries, suggesting an important role for the incompatibility of education and skills between home and destination countries. We further examine the robustness of our results by using a partial identification method, and our findings suggest that the extent of selection on unobservables required to eliminate a positive treatment effect is too large to be plausible, especially for men. Our study extends previous research with the first evidence from the UK, by showing large positive effects of post‐migration investments in human capital acquisition on labour market outcomes. Obtaining UK higher degrees appears to reduce the informational uncertainty associated with foreign credentials, facilitate cultural and economic assimilation, and boost economic opportunities for foreign graduates, especially for those developing/poor country immigrants.     

E-learning and market orientation in higher education

Technology is modifying the way companies do business all over the world. The education sector is no exception; virtual education has emerged as a basic tool to satisfy the changing needs of traditional and newly incorporated students, as well as meet the new requirements of educational institutions. This article therefore tries to achieve a double objective: to analyze what drives the development of online education within the Universities of the European Union and to design a theoretical framework that permits to obtain responses to que question of why students continue their estudies at the same educational institution. Thus, first, the analysis of external factors identifies social, political and technological capacity as issues that explain the rise of e-learning within the field of European higher education. Second, the empirical work shows the design of a cause-effect model with relationships between different variables in which market orientation of Universities and usability play an important role in the future intentions of use for students.     

Student-designed games in secondary education. Effects and perspectives from students and teachers

Abstract

The goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the extended use of student-designed games. 207 students (grades: eight, nine, eleven) from one school participated. They were randomly divided in Experimental (student-designed games) and Equivalent group (traditional instruction). Both experienced the same learning units (two, 12 sessions) over the same time (six weeks). The study followed a pretest, post-test, quantitative-qualitative research design. Data was obtained through questionnaire, diary and open-ended question. Quantitative results showed statistically significant differences at post-test in Autonomy and Important role favoring the Experimental group. Students’ qualitative data produced positive: student empowerment, innovation, fun and learning, and negative themes: lack of flow, boring and no democracy. From the teacher’s diary also emerged positive: student empowerment and increased participation and negative themes: lack of flow. Student-designed games can empower students, increasing their autonomy and important role, but they also have limitations.     

Higher education in Albania: developing third mission activities

Tertiary Education and Management - The national strategy for higher education of the Albanian government (2008–2013) stated the urgent need for universities to increase their role in the...     

Health-related messages about physical activity promotion: an analysis of photographs on social networking sites of universities

The main aim of this study was to examine how different physical activity domains are represented on the official social media sites of Spanish universities, through a content analysis of the photographs. Our results show that the representation of different physical activity domains is not balanced. While the analysed images do promote a message of gender equality in sedentary and leisure time physical activity behaviour, pictures illustrating active commuting and disabled groups were under-represented. We conclude that Internet-based physical activity promotion in university settings must to be guided by the principles of ‘health-promoting universities’ in the sense of promoting a comprehensive view on healthy behaviours in every action carried out with the university community, and in particular including diversity as a norm rather than the exception. Professionals should be aware of their responsibility in the design of the built online environment and their influence on the welfare of the university community.