RELIEVE – Electronic Journal of Educational Research and Evaluation

Emotion identification by trainee teachers. A descriptive study based on picture books

2024-06-24T10:33:20+00:00

Identification of emotions in the educational environment is fundamental for the development of social competence. The present article presents work conducted with trainee teachers on emotions related with anger, sadness, fear, love and joy. The aim of this work was to examine whether teachers are able to recognise such emotions when exhibited through text and describe the way in which they experience such emotions when they are narrated. Through the use of different picture books illustrating the aforementioned emotions, interactions took place with trainee teachers in order to familiarise them with the texts. Study participants came from the Faculty of Education at the University of Murcia and were undertaking a Primary Education double honours degree. Participants were administered a simple instrument through which they stated whether emotions described in presented texts corroborated their perception of the same emotions and whether, in addition, texts provoked the same emotion in them. Unlike implicitly illustrated emotions, those that were explicitly illustrated in picture books were generally detected by participants. This, therefore, indicates that emotion identification concurs with social awareness of emotions. It appears likely that the critical approach when applied to communication, in this case literary, is not yet well developed. Thus, inclusion of initial teacher training that includes emotions as a component of the communicative competence into the development of teaching and learning processes in the education system presents a challenge.

Attachment styles and emotional intelligence of social educators working in youth centres: Relationship with work engagement

2024-06-24T10:33:22+00:00

The working environment of social educators working at youth centres is highly complex, with an additional challenge being the fact that the children under their care are often presented with a number of challenges. Certain variables related with affective development and emotional competencies are crucial for effective management of social work. The present research explores the relationships between attachment styles, emotional intelligence and work engagement among social educators working at youth centres catering to minors at risk of social exclusion in Andalusia. Present findings revealed significant patterns of association between attachment styles formed during childhood and emotional intelligence in educators working with such minors. It was observed that educators reporting secure attachments perceived themselves as to have a high ability to manage their emotions, whilst those reporting insecure attachments perceived themselves to have less ability. Secure attachment styles did not directly impact levels of work engagement. In contrast, professionals who perceived themselves as having a high ability to intelligently regulate their emotions showed higher engagement in terms of their job functions. Present findings suggest that the relationship of emotional intelligence with attachment and work engagement, plays a crucial role in determining levels of energy, enthusiasm and dedication exhibited by social educators in contexts of care provision for children at risk of social exclusion. This has important implications for the design of socioemotional interventions and support programs in social care provision at youth centres.

Educating for emotional wellbeing in uncertain times: a study from a school counselling perspective

2024-06-24T10:33:26+00:00

Emotional competencies have become a powerful tool for use in counselling practice that pursues high quality standards. Thus, counselling professionals are increasingly aware that emotions play an essential role within their practice. For this reason, the present study strives to identify perspectives of school counsellors working in the autonomous community of Galicia regarding the utility of emotional competencies in their day-to-day practice. A descriptive, non-experimental and quantitative study was conducted. A Likert scale was used to gather information as this tool enables specific and clear data to be collected quickly in order to provide a more complete description of the state of the issue. The quantitative data gathered provides valuable information pertaining to the most effective and useful emotional competencies for use in counselling practice and, therefore, favours efficient assessment of wellbeing.

Emotional education in times of crisis

2024-06-24T10:10:33+00:00

A wealth of evidence exists that highlights that emotional education can be applied in multiple contexts as a means of promoting better mental health. The present study aims to analyse the importance and utility of working on emotional competencies, especially in the educational environment. Further, the study strives to elaborate practical tools for use during crisis situations as a means of preventing or minimising mental health issues. The present study employs a descriptive design in which a literature review, synthetic analysis and content analysis were performed. The work examines research conducted in connection with organisations and institutions that has emphasised policies targeting emotional education and emotional competencies through proactive and preventive interventions. The present research argues that emotional competencies should be included in initial and in-service teacher training as it has a positive impact on educational quality, mental health and general well-being. A grounded approach is presented that could be followed with children, young people, families and teachers. The present paper concludes by highlighting the importance of developing emotional competencies and promoting projects aimed at effective implementation of emotional education during times of crisis, especially, when considering that many crises are permanent.

Validation of the Emotional and Social Parenting Competence Scale for Parents of Adolescents (ECOPES-A)

2024-06-24T10:33:30+00:00

Adolescence is traditionally understood as a developmental stage that challenges family dynamics and coexistence. At present, such challenges may be heightened due to current social and technological challenges. Effective assessment of parental competences for addressing such challenges is desirable to support, were needed, the introduction of further intervention measures, such as parenting programs. The aim of the present study was to validate the Emotional and Social Parenting Competence Scale for Parents of Adolescents (ECOPES-A), given the importance of having up-to-date instruments available to address this issue. A random sample of 1,422 Spanish parents of teenagers participated in the present study. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed following a cross-validation process. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) was applied to test the model’s factorial invariance as a function of the sex of parents. Twelve items explaining 46.26% of the variance were selected. Items were distributed according to four factors, namely, F1-Self-Regulation, F2-Assertiveness and self-esteem in the parenting role, F3–Power assertion for conflict resolution, and F4–Promotion of child’s self-esteem through assertive communication. Adequate reliability was determined for all factors and for the overall scale. The model presented good fit, regardless of the sex of the parent respondent, and MGCFA revealed strict factorial invariance suggesting that the tool is appropriate for both fathers and mothers. The scale may be useful for identifying parental support needs and for evaluating evidence-based parenting programs.

Examining Recommendations for Artificial Intelligence Use with Integrity from a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Lens

2023-11-13T11:30:56+00:00

New developments in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) field allowed the development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), capable of creating text resembling what humans can produce. As a result, educators’ concerns in the higher education sector quickly emerged. Many organizations and experts have addressed these concerns through recommendations. In this conceptual paper, we draw from the Integrated Model for Academic Integrity through a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Lens to examine and stimulate discussion from eleven documents that focus on using GenAI with integrity. We identified recommendations suitable for the individual (micro), the departmental/program (meso), the institutional (macro), and the interinstitutional/ national/ international (mega) levels concerning two core elements of the model: “high-impact professional learning for individuals and groups” and “local-level leadership and microcultures.” Suggestions around the core element “scholarship, research and inquiry” were lacking at the micro and meso levels; likewise, recommendations for the core element “learning spaces, pedagogies, and technologies” were also absent at the meso, macro, and mega levels. We acknowledge that these recommendations focus on learning, involve various stakeholders, and go beyond student conduct, which aligns with current approaches to academic integrity. However, some gaps need further exploration. We highlight the need to develop more specific and practical guidance and resources for educational stakeholders around GenAI issues related to academic integrity, explore how to better support networks and leaders in higher education in creating the conditions for ethical GenAI use, and emphasizing the need for an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion lens on GenAI.

An International Comparison of Discipline Integration of the Commercial Contract Cheating Industry

2023-11-13T08:32:35+00:00

Commercial contract cheating, the act of requesting a third party to complete an assignment for payment, is a growing industry and poses a problem that academic institutions are trying to tackle internationally. The reach of the industry in nine fields of education and across four locations – Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States – are analysed through an automated data-gathering process on a total of 4032 Google searches and with the help of a machine learning model trained to identify which results are essay mills. 49% of all results are found to be essay mills, 3247 of which results are found to be paid advertisements despite this being against Google’s advertising policies. The fields of Arts and Humanities and Education are found to be at the highest risk of further exploitation by the industry. The paper concludes by recommending that the educational community continues to monitor the reach of the contract cheating industry and that it considers solutions to further promote academic integrity.

The impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence in higher education: a focus on ethics and academic integrity

2023-11-13T08:34:16+00:00

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) has revolutionized the field of higher education, and sparked debates on the potential of tools such as ChatGPT, Humata.ai or Sudowrite in teaching, learning and assessment processes. While their integration in this context offers numerous opportunities (e.g., instant feedback, generation of resources and teaching materials, adaptive learning, interactivity, etc.), it also poses significant challenges that raise ethical and academic integrity concerns, such as the reliability of information, transparency regarding the sources used, or data privacy and security. The aim of this article is to examine the ethical implications of GAI in higher education from a three-fold perspective (students, faculty, and institutions). Additionally, it aims to analyze its impact on aspects related to security, accessibility, sustainability and even new forms of plagiarism and academic fraud that involve impersonation of authorship. Based on the literature review conducted, and in accordance with the ideas proposed by some authors, possibilities for integrating GAI into university classrooms will be explored. This will be achieved through pedagogical practices that guide students in the proper use of GAI and enable faculty to seek new educational approaches. This transformation process will require the establishment of clear guidelines that align with ethical codes and integrity policies of higher education institutions. Ultimately, the reflection on how to combine education, innovation, and academic integrity will provide these three groups with a new opportunity to drive improvements in university education.

Perceptions and effectiveness of plagiarism detection mechanisms in Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Social Sciences journals

2023-10-26T09:26:56+00:00

One of the greatest challenges faced by the editorial boards of scientific journals is related to the detection of plagiarism in the manuscripts received. This study addresses this issue based on the perception of the members of editorial committees of 166 journals in the field of Social Sciences in the Ibero-American context indexed in Scopus. The responses were collected through a digital questionnaire, and a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the information provided was conducted. The results show that most of the journals consulted have plagiarism detection software, with numerous reasons for and against its use. Most of the articles discarded in the reception processes include self-plagiarism and covert plagiarism through paraphrasing. In cases of plagiarism, most journals reject manuscripts in the reception process, although it is noteworthy that more than 15% give authors the opportunity to correct the error and resubmit the paper. This study concludes that, despite taking preventive measures, these do not guarantee the eradication of such a problem.