Background: Innovative methodologies based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are a tested and motivating option for working with people with autism. Their use, however, should not be indiscriminatory and arbitrary, but didactic and appropriate. Objective: We aimed to discover the training in ICT they had, its frequency of use, and the types of digital resources that they used. Methods: We administered the questionnaire, "Demands and Potentials of ICT and Apps for Assisting People with Autism" to 310 educators in the city of Granada (Spain). The participants belonged to schools and associations that worked with people with autism. Adopting a quantitative-type study, we carried out descriptive analyses (frequencies, mean, mode, and standard deviation). Having confirmed that the data did not follow a normal distribution (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for samples of >50 participants), we carried out non-parametric inferential and intrafactorial correlation analyses. We also calculated the effect size. Results: The educators revealed that they had ICT training for working with people with autism, but not enough. This suggests that there is still a need to improve the digital competence of these professionals. Strong, direct and significant correlations were found between ICT training and the frequency with which they were used. There were also statistically significant differences according to sex, gender, age, type of institution, and type of educator. The educators who worked as Therapeutic Pedagogy teachers and those who worked in Special Education schools were shown to be more competent than the rest in educational technology applied to people with autism. Conclusions: The results, which were not wholly positive since ICT training should be better and have achieved higher scores, revealed that there is a foundation in ICT education but it needs to be heightened and improved with greater knowledge and more practical experience.
Information and communication technology (ICT) is a means of learning for people with functional diversity (FD), in the context of both formal and non-formal education. These digital options favor their inclusion, participation and motivation, so having competent professionals in the field of educational technology is crucial for the full development of this population. Within this framework, the opinion, training and requirements regarding ICT of 809 educators in Florence (Italy) and Granada (Spain) were analyzed, following a quantitative study, with a non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional and comparative design. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation and mode) and frequencies were used. After checking the normality of the data (Kolmogórov-Smirnov test), inferential analyses were performed, applying Student's t- test and one-factor ANOVA, calculating the effect size (Cohen's d and eta squared). Statistically significant differences were found according to city of origin, gender, and years of experience with students with FD. The results point to the need for different educators to have sufficient technological training, as despite being aware of the functionalities of ICT and having a favorable opinion of them, resources and knowledge about their use fall short of what is desirable.
BACKGROUND: Studies on the potential of smartphone apps for people with autism are currently increasing in number, given the large digital supply available and the benefits they offer. We analyzed the opinion of educators from Florence (Italy) and Granada (Spain) regarding the benefits and applicability of apps, frequency of their use, and the type of apps used for people with autism. METHODS: The study involved 1261 professionals, of whom 286 worked with apps, using a non-experimental quantitative design, descriptive and frequency statistics, parametric inferential analyses (Student's t and one-factor ANOVA), and calculation of the effect size (Cohen's d and eta squared) and intrafactorial correlations. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed in respect of city, sex, age, years of experience, place of work, and type of teacher. The teachers from Granada found more benefits and applicability in apps, and revealed a slightly higher usage than those from Florence. CONCLUSIONS: It is an arduous but worthy task for professionals from schools and associations that work with people with autism to acquire the necessary knowledge to apply methodologies based on information and communication technology (ICT), as this will help achieve the integrated development of people with different capabilities.
Autistic Disorder , Mobile Applications , Autistic Disorder/therapy , Communication , Humans , Schools , Smartphone , Spain
BACKGROUND: Studies on the writing of students with intellectual disabilities have been scarce and unrepresentative. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to analyse this group of students' abilities to plan their texts METHOD: A collective case study was carried out, with an eminently qualitative approach, although aided by an initial quantitative analysis. Fifteen students with unspecified intellectual disabilities were interviewed using open-ended questions. For data interpretation, content analysis and quantification of responses were used. RESULTS: The results revealed the abilities and limitations of these students regarding the knowledge and use of one of the key processes of written expression (writing planning). CONCLUSION: The cognitive operations of planning, in which these students admitted the greatest problems, were the ordering and recording of ideas, and textual structuring.
Intellectual Disability , Humans , Students/psychology , Writing
Más allá de las repercusiones neurobiológicas, cognitivas y académicas que acarrea la dislexia, se conocen poco las consecuencias en otras dimensiones del desarrollo humano, como las emocionales y de comportamiento socioemocional. Niños y adolescentes con dislexia (n = 41) fueron comparados con compañeros de su misma clase sin dificultades (n = 25), mediante pruebas estandarizadas que evaluaban la autoestima, la ansiedad y los problemas de comportamiento socioemocional. Los resultados, derivados del análisis estadístico con t de Student, mostraron que los alumnos con dislexia manifestaban un nivel menor de autoestima y mayor en problemas de comportamiento que sus iguales sin dificultades. Si bien presentaron más ansiedad en general, las diferencias resultaron significativas únicamente en ansiedad social y de separación. Por su repercusión a nivel escolar urge considerar las medidas para remediar las secuelas asociadas a las dificultades de aprendizaje, trabajando directamente las dimensiones emocionales afectadas y reduciendo las dificultades académicas de estos escolares, así como reflexionando sobre las metodologías didácticas en el grupo clase
Most research about dyslexia and comorbid learning difficulties has focused on neurobiological, cognitive, and academic effects. However, less is known about the dyslexia impact on other aspects of human development, as socioemotional or affective dimensions (i.e., self-esteem, anxiety, or socioemotional behavior). These dimensions were tested in students with dyslexia (n = 41), compared to students without learning difficulties (n = 25). Standardized measures of self-esteem, anxiety, and socioemotional behavior were used. Results of the analysis with Student's t indicated higher scores in the control group than in students with dyslexia in both self-esteem and socioemotional behavior. Results regarding anxiety showed that students with dyslexia would present more anxiety, particularly in social anxiety and separation anxiety. This study highlights the need for intervention measures to be applied at school, working in parallel learning difficulties with affective and socioemotional dimensions in students with dyslexia
Humans , Male , Female , Child , Adolescent , Students/psychology , Psychology, Educational , Dyslexia/psychology , Self Concept , Anxiety/psychology , Case-Control Studies
Se presenta una investigación cuyo principal objetivo fue conocer las competencias comunicativas de futuros docentes de Educación Física. Se empleó un cuestionario ad hoc, que se aplicó a alumnos de primer y tercer curso de Magisterio, para valorar el progreso en dimensiones esenciales de la destreza comunicativa docente. Obtenidos los datos mediante un diseño transversal de investigación se realizaron análisis cuantitativos de tipo descriptivo. Los resultados muestran un avance general en la competencia comunicativa global de los alumnos de tercer curso con respecto a los de primero, pero que se antoja insuficiente para desempeñar las exigencias comunicativas del puesto docente
Perception of university students of Physical Education about their communicative competence Abstract: The main objective of this research was to know the communicative competences of the university students of Physical Education. It was used an "ad hoc" questionnaire which was applied to students in their first and third course of Educational Practice, in order to analyze their progress in essential areas of the teachers communicative competence. With the information obtained via a transverse design of investigation, quantitative analyses were made. The results show a general progress in the communicative global competences of the third level students compared to the first level students, although insufficient to practice the activities of the teachers
Percepção dos estudantes universitários de Educação Física sobre as suas competências comunicativas Resumo: A pesquisa teve como principal objetivo avaliar as habilidades de comunicação de futuros professores de educação física. Um questionário ad hoc foi aplicado aos alunos do primeiro e terceiro ano do Magistério para avaliar o progresso na habilidade comunicativa. Os dados foram analisados usando estudos transversais e análises quantitativas descritivas. Os resultados mostram um avanço geral em competência comunicativa global de alunos da terceira série sobre o primeiro, mas que parece insuficiente para atender as demandas de comunicação do cargo de professor
Humans , Physical Education and Training , Professional Competence , Communication
