The Impact of a Challenge-Based Learning Experience in Physical Education on Students' Motivation and Engagement.

The present study investigated how challenge-based learning (CBL) in physical education (PE) may affect students' basic psychological needs (BPNs), motivational regulations, engagement, and learning in comparison with a traditional teaching (TT) methodology. A quasiexperimental study with experimental and control groups was carried out. In total, 50 participants (16 boys and 34 girls) between 13 and 15 years old (Mage = 13.35, SD = 0.62) were involved in the experience for 6 weeks (ncontrol = 24; nexperimental = 26). Validated questionnaires were administered both before and after the intervention in both groups. Furthermore, theoretical knowledge and badminton-specific motor skill tests were carried out in both groups after the intervention. An analysis showed that after the intervention, students in the CBL condition improved their autonomy (Mbefore = 3.15 vs. Mafter = 3.39; ES = 0.26 *), competence (Mbefore = 4.01 vs. Mafter = 4.18; ES = 0.33 *), and relatedness satisfaction (Mbefore = 3.86 vs. Mafter = 4.06; ES = 0.32 *). As for behavioural engagement measures, students in the CBL condition exhibited higher scores after than those from before (Mbefore = 4.12 vs. Mafter = 4.36; ES = 0.35 *). No significant changes were observed for motivational regulations or agentic engagement. On learning outcomes, students in the experimental group achieved higher scores in both theoretical knowledge (Mcontol = 6.48 vs. Mexperimental = 6.79) and badminton-specific motor skills (Mcontol = 6.85 vs. Mexperimental = 7.65) than the control group did. The present study findings highlight that CBL might be a valid and effective methodological approach for students in PE to achieve adaptive motivational, behavioural, and learning outcomes.

Propuesta de intervención de gamificación en educación física basada en el universo de Harry Potter / Gamification intervention proposal in physical education based on the Harry Potter universe

En el presente trabajo se elabora y desarrolla una propuesta de innovación docente en el área de Educación Física para el primer curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria en la que se utilizó la metodología de gamificación para trabajar los deportes alternativos. La gamificación es una metodología que consigue aumentar uno de los aspectos más relevantes para el aprendizaje del alumnado, como es la motivación. A través de esta intervención se pretende, ofrecer un recurso educativo que ayude a mejorar la motivación e implicación del alumnado en las clases de Educación Física de acuerdo con los antecedentes de investigación existentes sobre la gamificación. En esta propuesta se trabajaron los deportes alternativos “Juego de Palas” y “Ultimabola” a través de una unidad didáctica gamificada basada en el universo de Harry Potter, con los objetivos de mejorar los elementos técnico-tácticos propios de estos deportes y mostrar habilidades y actitudes de respeto, trabajo en equipo y deportividad. La propuesta fue dividida metodológicamente en cuatro partes interconectadas que incluyen, a su vez, los instrumentos necesarios para evaluar al alumnado acerca de los contenidos trabajados, siendo estas partes el desempeño mágico individual, el desempeño mágico colectivo, la actitud mágica y el diario mágico. Los resultados indican que se produce buenos resultados de aprendizaje así como una gran implicación de los estudiantes tanto en los desempeños individuales como colectivos. (AU)

In the present article, a teaching innovation proposal in the area of Physical Education was elaborated and developed, in which the innovative methodology of gamification was used to work on alternative sports in the first year of secondary education. Gamification is a methodology that manages to improve one of the most important aspects for the students learning, such as motivation. Through this intervention it is intended to offer an educational resource that helps to improve the motivation and involvement of the students in Physical Education classes in accordance with the existing research background on gamification. In this proposal, the alternative sports "Juego de Palas" and "Ultimabola" were worked through a gamified didactic unit based on the Harry Potter universe, with the aim of improving the technical-tactical elements of these sports and showing skills and attitudes of respect, teamwork and sportsmanship. The proposal was methodologically divided into four interconnected parts that include, in turn, the necessary instruments to evaluate the students about the contents worked on, these parts being the individual magical performance, the collective magical performance, the magical attitude and the magical diary. The results indicate that good learning results were obtained as well as a great involvement of the students in both individual and collective performances. (AU)

An innovative protocol to select the best growth phase for astaxanthin biosynthesis in H. pluvialis.

H. pluvialis is a green unicellular microalgae and it is the first producer of natural astaxanthin in the world if subjected to stress conditions such as high light, high salinity and nutrient starvation. Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant used in many fields, such as aquaculture, pharmaceutical, food supplements and cosmetic. To obtain a large amount of astaxanthin, researcher focused on the optimisation of H. pluvialis growth. H. pluvialis has four different size growth stage (macrozooids, microzooids, palmelloid and "red non-motile astaxanthin accumulated encysted"), and astaxanthin production occur in the last phase. Recent studies shown that non-motile cells can produce more astaxanthin than motile cells if subjected to light stress. For these reasons, the aim of this study is to find a new and innovative methodology to select and recovery H. pluvialis in his last growth phase thanks to an electrophoretic run, and optimize, in this way, astaxanthin production.

Teaching skills to resolve conflicts with acute confusional syndrome patients in nursing using the Case Method (CM).

OBJECTIVE: This study sets out to design and implement a teaching sequence that offers students the opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to deal with a confrontational patient. When designing the teaching methodology, we chose an active teaching strategy, commonly entitled the Case Method. METHOD: The case was developed during the 2011-2012 academic year and implemented across the curriculum in the 2012-2013 academic year, in the "Relations and Communications in Nursing Care" and "Geriatric Nursing" subject modules, in the second year undergraduate nursing course at the University of the Basque Country. RESULTS: Implementation results indicate that the Case Method is a satisfactory tool to facilitate acquisition of the chosen skills, as well as being a learning method that is well received by students. At the end of the process, 72.8% of them shared the opinion that "this methodology has helped me more or much more than traditional 'chalk and talk' expository methodology". Moreover, 93% of the students successfully achieved at least the minimum learning results required. Nevertheless, students said that they felt overwhelmed on more than one occasion. IMPLICATIONS: The study has provided evidence that the Case Method contributes to acquiring skills that every nurse will need during their career. This should spur us on to continue extending the range of possibilities offered by active methodologies.