Search Results (31)

In modern medical education, a robust understanding of statistics is essential for fostering critical thinking, informed clinical decision-making, and effective communication. This paper explores the synergistic value of early and continued statistical education for medical students and residents, particularly in relation to the expanding field of sports supplementation and its impact on athletic performance. Early exposure to statistical principles enhances students’ ability to interpret clinical research, avoid cognitive biases, and engage in evidence-based practice. Continued statistical learning throughout residency further refines these competencies, enabling more sophisticated analysis and application of emerging data. The paper also addresses key challenges in integrating statistics into medical curricula—such as limited curricular space, student disengagement, and resource constraints—and proposes solutions including interactive learning, case-based teaching, and the use of public datasets. A unique emphasis is placed on connecting statistical literacy to the interpretation of research in sports science, particularly regarding the efficacy, safety, and ethical considerations of sports supplements. By linking statistical education to a dynamic and relatable domain like sports performance, educators can not only enrich learning outcomes but also foster lasting interest and competence in quantitative reasoning. This integrated approach holds promise for producing more analytically proficient and clinically capable physicians. Full article

Oral tradition stories hold a vital place in language education, offering rich repositories of linguistic, cultural, and historical knowledge. In the Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) context, their inclusion provides dynamic opportunities to explore diversity, foster critical and creative thinking, and challenge dominant epistemologies. Despite their pedagogical potential, these narratives remain largely absent from formal curricula, with most SFL textbooks still privileging canonical works, particularly those from the Latin American Boom or European literary texts. This article aims to provide practical guidance for SFL instructors on designing effective, culturally responsive materials for the teaching of vocabulary. Drawing on a methodological framework for material design and a cognitive approach to vocabulary learning, I present original pedagogical material based on a Colombian oral tradition story about the witches of La Jagua (Huila, Colombia) to inspire educators to integrate oral tradition stories into their classrooms. As argued throughout, oral narratives not only support vocabulary acquisition and intercultural competence but also offer students meaningful engagement with the values, worldviews, and linguistic diversity that shape Colombian culture. This approach redefines language teaching through a more descriptive, contextualized, and culturally grounded lens, equipping learners with pragmatic, communicative, and intercultural skills essential for the 21st century. My goal with this article is to advocate for teacher agency in material creation, emphasizing that educators are uniquely positioned to design pedagogical resources that reflect their own cultural realities and local knowledge and to adapt them meaningfully to their students’ needs. Full article

Scientific culture in pedagogical work involves the integration of scientific principles, values, and practices into education to promote critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and curiosity. It fosters an environment where students develop as independent learners, problem-solvers, and informed citizens. Teachers play a key role in cultivating this culture, acting as facilitators and guides who equip students with the tools to think critically and engage with the world scientifically. While often associated with STEM disciplines, scientific literacy extends beyond these areas, emphasizing the integration of scientifically grounded knowledge into all subject areas. To achieve this, teachers must continually enhance their own understanding and skills in scientific thinking. Staying updated with the latest scientific discoveries, critically evaluating information, and applying innovative pedagogical methods are essential. Professional development can provide a vital avenue for teachers to acquire these competencies. Approaches such as reading scientific literature, collaborating with colleagues, and attending specialized training programs can improve teaching strategies and promote scientific thinking in the classroom. This study investigated professional development programs provided for in-service teachers to understand how they contribute to fostering a scientific culture. The researchers collected data from municipalities in Latvia and online resources to summarize the information on the professional development programs provided to in-service teachers. This study examined how elements of scientific culture are reflected in teacher professional development programs in Latvia, using Merton’s CUDOS norms as an analytical framework. The acronym CUDOS refers to four foundational principles of scientific ethos: communalism, universalism, disinterestedness, and organized skepticism. These norms guided the evaluation of whether and how scientific inquiry values are embedded in the design and delivery of training programs for in-service teachers. Using quantitative and qualitative methods for data analysis, it was found that in-service teacher training in Latvia is highly eclectic and often lacks alignment with scientifically grounded principles. There are a lot of programs provided to develop transversal competencies, but very few subject-specific programs are available. The findings highlight the need for more structured and cohesive professional development programs to support in-service teachers in developing competence in cultivating scientific inquiry, nurturing curiosity, and empowering students to navigate an increasingly complex and technology-driven society. These insights offer practical implications for education policymakers and program designers aiming to enhance the scientific orientation of teacher training. By identifying specific gaps in content and alignment with scientific culture, this study provides an original contribution to the discourse on evidence-informed teacher development and supports a more conceptually grounded and equitable approach to lifelong professional learning in Latvia. Full article

Background: Undergraduate research is vital for developing critical thinking and academic identity in medical students, yet traditional models often fail to overcome institutional and personal barriers. Peer-led approaches may offer more accessible, supportive environments that promote deeper engagement and leadership in research. Methods: This study evaluated medical students’ experiences in a peer-led research initiative from 2022 to 2024. Students were then invited to complete a qualitative questionnaire reflecting on their perceptions towards research, development in research skills, confidence, and academic identity. Results: Code saturation was achieved after 9 responses (N = 15). Participants reported intrinsic interest, peer encouragement, and opportunities to publish as motivating factors. The peer-led model made research feel more approachable, fostering technical growth and academic confidence. Peer mentorship and a gradual learning structure were especially valued. While challenges such as workload and team dynamics emerged, students reported growth in resilience and self-reflection. Conclusions: Peer-led research initiatives can effectively support academic identity formation by integrating motivation, support, and skill development. Despite obstacles, students gained competence and confidence. Full article

Understanding Earth as a complex, dynamic, and interconnected system is crucial to addressing the contemporary environmental challenges intensified in the Anthropocene. This article reviews foundational Earth System Science (ESS) developments, emphasizing its transdisciplinary nature and highlighting how it has evolved to address critical issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability. Concurrently, Earth System Education (ESE) has emerged as an educational approach to foster holistic a understanding, environmental insights, and geoethical values among citizens. Integrating geoethics into ESE equips citizens with scientific knowledge and the ethical reasoning necessary for responsible decision making and proactive engagement in sustainability efforts. This article identifies system thinking and environmental insight as the key competencies that enable individuals to appreciate the interconnectedness of Earth’s subsystems and humanity’s role within this complex framework. This study advocates for embedding a holistic and geoethical view of the Earth system into formal and non-formal education, promoting inclusive, participatory, and action-oriented learning experiences. This educational shift is essential for empowering citizens to effectively address the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability, thereby fostering resilient, informed, and ethically responsible global citizenship in the Anthropocene. Full article

Higher education institutions have played a central role in building sustainability awareness. However, current models only show an effect on students’ knowledge about sustainable development, with a large gap in transformative solutions that shift from understanding problems towards solutions. This case study explores a new model that integrates sustainability reflections in a Geographic Information Science (GIS) Capstone Project course. Through collaborations with external partners and reflections on sustainability modules, students analyzed complex problems and developed sustainability competencies. The assessment tool adopted in this study combines reflective writing, scenario testing, performance observation, and self-assessment. Based on the set of key competencies in sustainability, half of the students developed systems-thinking and strategies-thinking, while a quarter of the students developed futures-thinking and values-thinking. Their development of sustainability competencies went beyond simply acquiring knowledge, also critically evaluating different perspectives and implementing or integrating the concepts when addressing the problems. Geospatial information tackles three key aspects of sustainability, which are relational, distributional, and directional, making it ideal in analyzing sustainability issues and providing insights for informed decisions. This study fills another important gap of integrating sustainability competency development in GIS education. Full article

In this article, we provide theoretical and empirical reflections on the agency of secondary school students acting as an enabler in cultivating sustainable competencies, with the aim of providing new insights regarding how to reduce skill gaps in people-oriented technical professions. For this study, we used a complex mixed methods research design consisting of three sequential phases. In addition to a bibliometric analysis, a survey was carried out in a group of students aged 16–19 years (n = 219). The results indicate that the individual constructs of agency are developed unequally, where self-efficacy and locus of control are the most pronounced, while maintained motivation and anticipatory thinking are less present. Next, self-efficacy, persistence, strategic thinking and self-regulation are found to contribute significantly to successful sustainable transformations through fostering resilience, leadership, interdisciplinary thinking and adaptive problem solving. The future orientation of students might be especially critical toward the end of their study, while students in the early years of the study require scaffolding to make better sense of their effort in learning. Student agency acts as a powerful enabler, preparing future professionals to not only master technical skills but also understand and value the human element that is central to their work. Schools should therefore give priority to fostering the development of personal transformative agency in every student, especially during key transition periods. Full article

The graphic replication of architectural examples has long been a prevalent pedagogical method, regardless of educational orientation. The critical reactivity of the mid-20th century, reinforced by ethnographic and anthropological tools, positioned vernacular architecture as a key educational resource—a process widely recognised and extensively studied in Portugal. This article examines the role of fieldwork and surveying techniques in architectural education, extending beyond geometric characterisation to encompass the recognition of technological principles and logics. Through the systematic application of decomposition/composition drawing exercises with first-year students over a decade, this study explores how structured graphical methodologies foster a deeper understanding of buildings, beyond their aesthetics. The findings indicate that perception skills constitute a crucial competence in architectural teaching curricula. The systematisation of hand drawing surveys, applying layering superimposing, is a valuable method to enhance these capacities practically. The results reinforce that early engagement with analytical drawing improves students’ ability to integrate conceptual and technical aspects in design, supporting a progressive transition to digital tools. Additionally, the results highlight the pedagogical value of vernacular studies in promoting adaptive and sustainable design thinking, reinforcing the need for a balanced approach that synthesises traditional and contemporary methodologies in architectural education. Full article

Sustainability requires a holistic perspective beyond technological advancements, integrating relational and socio-emotional dimensions critical for addressing the complexity of contemporary challenges. In this context, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, often referred to as soft skills, emerge as central elements, particularly within the educational domain. This article aims to identify critical soft skills for sustainability and systematize educational practices supporting their development and integration into higher education. Employing a methodological framework grounded in Design-Based Research (DBR) and Design Thinking (DT), this research was conducted in three phases: (i) immersion, (ii) content analysis, and (iii) synthesis. The results identify 19 soft skills, grouped into four main categories: (i) Communication, Collaboration, and Diversity Management; (ii) Self-Awareness and Emotional Management; (iii) Environmental, Cultural, and Social Awareness; and (iv) Ethical Values and Spirituality. For each category, specific educational practices are presented, offering a strategic pathway to integrate these skills into higher education and advance competencies aligned with sustainability. This study highlights the urgent need for a transformative shift in higher education, proposing a structured and adaptable model for integrating critical soft skills into the educational field. This approach aims to equip individuals with the interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies to navigate complex socio-environmental challenges and contribute to a more sustainable future. Full article

The development of critical thinking is essential to the treatment of gender perspective in Primary Education. For this reason, this study focused on determining the critical ability of primary students depending on gender, analysing the possible connections between the participants’ breadth of thought and spelling competence. The methodology was based on a humanistic–interpretative ad hoc approach to categorical organisation. A total of 636 Primary Education students from the Region of Murcia (Spain) participated in a field activity in which they created a written composition based on a pretext that contained an image showing a controversial gender situation; this illustration incited a critical response in the creation of each story. The compositions were analysed individually and qualitatively using the Atlas.Ti software (v.8.4). The most relevant results appear to prove the higher critical ability of the girls who participated in this study, and additionally show connections with the spelling competence of these students. However, the critical thinking and spelling values shown were still far from what would be expected of a developed society. Full article

This exploratory study analyses the level of the development of the eight key competencies in sustainability of 237 students in the 7th–10th grades, when confronted with a real conflict situation associated with the production and consumption of ‘fast fashion’. Their responses were categorised into four levels, representing the degree of development of each competence. The results reflect a low level of competence development, with no significant differences among academic year groups. The competence where the highest level of development was reached was the inter-personal competence, as students recognised that the consumption of fast fashion contributes to the labour exploitation of others. However, this did not prompt students to question the prevailing consumerist values in our society (values-thinking competence), their own practises (implementation competence), or their own contribution to the problem (intra-personal competence). Therefore, it seems necessary to address different socio-environmental issues, critically analyse our daily actions, and thus promote these competencies in sustainability in schools. These will enable students to actively participate in environmental conservation from the perspective of environmental and social justice. Full article

Complex thinking is a cognitive skill that focuses on the integrated analysis and synthesis of information with a systemic and critical perspective that enables creative decision-making in the face of complex realities or challenges. At the educational level, it is valued as a transdisciplinary competency, meaning it is relevant for individuals regardless of their profession or field of study. This article presents the results of measuring the perceived achievement of complex thinking among 830 graduating students from a technological university in Mexico, aiming to identify possible significant differences based on their discipline or major. Methodologically, a multivariate descriptive statistical analysis was performed using R and RStudio software, including calculation of means and standard deviations, violin plots, boxplot and ANOVA significance analysis, and t-test. The results show that the differences were not statistically significant in all the disciplines, although it is possible to note significant differences, which reveals a differentiated behavior in the process of formation and development of complex thinking according to the discipline of study. In conclusion, the present study shows that the students’ areas of training are associated with differences in perception of complex thinking and its associated sub-competencies, thus differentiating this ability in their graduation profile. This article contributes to the existing literature on the formation and development of complex thinking and its sub-competencies as relevant professional skills for lifelong learning. Full article

The fragmentation and narrowness of research on critical thinking in the labour market and the lack of critical thinking analysis in the context of the interplay between lifelong learning, education and the labour market presuppose the relevance of this article. The article analyses the views of employers and employees, highlighting their attitude toward the importance and manifestation of critical thinking in the labour market and the need for improving critical thinking competency. The article aims to answer the following problematic questions: (1) How important are critical thinking skills and dispositions in the labour market? (2) How do employers’ and employees’ opinions vary regarding critical thinking in professional activities? (3) What need is there to improve critical thinking skills and dispositions? Quantitative research methodology was chosen for data collection using a questionnaire. It was found that both employers and employees consider inference and argumentation to be the most important critical thinking skills in the modern labour market; however, their attitude toward self-regulation, which is highly regarded by employees, but not by employers, is fundamentally different. Both employers and employees understand the importance of dispositions and value them similarly. Both groups have the least regard for having scepticism. The assessment of critical thinking skills and dispositions in specific professional activities differs from the assessment in the labour market in general. In professional activities, substantiated decisions, flexibility and unbiased decisions are especially valued by both groups, and the skills listed as being in most need of improvement are the same ones that were given as being important. The attitudes of both groups were distinguished by assigning value to dispositions that need improvement. Employees are more likely than employers to work on dispositions that denote operational autonomy. The study also revealed correlations between various groups of critical thinking skills and dispositions, demonstrating both employers’ and employees’ deliberate choice in assessing one or other constituent of critical thinking competence and the perception of their interrelationships. Full article

To respond to the challenges posed by sustainability, students increasingly need new competencies, including systems thinking, critical thinking, anticipatory thinking, integrated problem-solving competence, collaboration, and self-awareness. While the literature predominantly focuses on students’ knowledge and awareness of sustainability, attention to students’ enactment of agency to develop such competencies for sustainability remains insufficient. The present study explores university students’ perceptions of their enactment of agency for sustainability while studying in a systemic problem- and project-based learning (PBL) environment. Driven by a proposed conceptual framework embracing three interrelated dimensions of student agency—personal values, agentic behaviors, and contexts of action—the study included an analysis of 87 responses to an online qualitative survey and follow-up interviews with six participants. While the study identified multiple sources of student agency regarding personal values such as motivation and efficacy beliefs, a gap emerged between students’ awareness and their actual engagement in sustainability practices. Several contextual factors were shown to constrain their engagement. The study offers practical implications for supporting students’ actions towards sustainability. Full article

This study was established as an interpretive or phenomenological approach, based on a content analysis of the vision of future primary education teachers for education for sustainable development and its relationship with professional sustainability competencies. The sample consisted of 367 people—113 men, 247 women, and 7 who preferred not to say—with an average age of 21.82 ± 2.56, all of whom were studying for a Primary Education teaching degree at the Universities of Zaragoza and Granada in Spain. The content analysis process followed the phases proposed by Bardin: pre-analysis, based on an adaptation of the Cebrián and Junyent questionnaire; exploitation of the material, wherein the fragments to be coded were selected and coded one by one, by consensus between the three researchers; data processing and interpretation, using the QRS NVIVO 11 software. The main results show that respect, coexistence, and collaboration are the normative principles that regulate behavior and that the competencies related to education for sustainability have to do with managing emotions, critical thinking, clarifying values, and contextualizing problems. Furthermore, there is a lack of pragmatism that shows the need to develop the field of education for sustainable development through experiential, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and critical educational plans and projects. Full article