Impact of emotional intelligence and academic self-concept on the academic performance of educational sciences undergraduates.

Over the last few years, the inclusion of psychosocial factors in the teaching and learning processes has become increasingly important due to their proven influence on students' academic performance, especially at the university stage. In this regard, the aim of this study is to analyse the impact of emotional intelligence and academic self-concept on the students' academic achievement. The results obtained revealed some differences according to gender in all the variables considered. Specifically, women presented higher levels of emotional attention, academic self-concept and performance, while men stood out in emotional clarity and emotional repair. The findings obtained show the importance of including psychosocial factors in university training plans.

The interplay between academic performance, emotional intelligence, and self-concept as predictors of violent behavior in higher education: a multi-group structural equation modeling.

Higher education is a focus of increasing violent behavior. The evidence suggests an obsession to achieve the best academic performance in order to access working life. This research aims to develop an explanatory model of violent behavior and its relationship with self-concept and emotional intelligence according to in relation to their academic performance. A sample of 932 Spanish undergraduate students participated in the multi-group structural equation modeling. Findings revealed that students who have a higher academic performance have problems to control and regulate their emotions, showing signs of direct and indirect violence. Moreover, it was found that that emotional intelligence and self-concept have a direct influence on episodes of violent behavior, with academic performance being a key component affecting each variable. The present study provides some implications and suggests some avenues for future research.

Enhancing EFL students' engagement in online synchronous classes: The role of the Mentimeter platform.

The present research aimed to evaluate teachers' attitudes toward the use of the Mentimeter platform in synchronous education. This study also sought to delve into teachers' perspectives on the role of the Mentimeter platform in improving students' engagement in online synchronous classes. To that end, the study was carried out in Palestine in response to the ongoing shift to synchronous online teaching to raise teachers' consciousness about the importance of using online tools to boost students' engagement and make them feel connected in synchronous classes. A quantitative approach was used to collect data, and 44 Palestinian teachers from various educational institutions completed closed-ended questionnaires. The study's outcomes demonstrated that teachers had positive attitudes toward employing the Mentimeter platform in synchronous education. The results also indicated that almost all educators perceived that the Mentimeter platform serves a vital role in increasing student engagement in online synchronous sessions. Teachers asserted that Mentimeter presentation styles decrease the probability of boredom among students, which in turn encourages them to actively participate in online synchronous classes. Enhancing students' engagement in online synchronous classes was still a main challenge for educators. Therefore, to increase students' involvement in synchronous learning environments, it is necessary to regularly train the teaching staff of schools, learning institutions, and colleges in the use of Mentimeter. Future studies in Palestine and other countries are also recommended to simultaneously concentrate on teachers' and students' viewpoints.

The Impact of Service Learning on Academic, Professional and Physical Wellbeing Competences of EFL Teacher Education Students.

In response to the challenges of the 21st century, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has been committed to the development of a training model that focuses on the acquisition of cognitive, physical, and social competences, among others, rather than the mere acquisition of knowledge. This approach has gained momentum in recent years, where the learners are the protagonists of their own learning process. This change of approach requires a change in methodology and involves a renewal of the methodological approach in Spanish universities. Service learning (S-L) is an active methodology that is gaining ground across universities due to its experiential, community-based and reflective characteristics. The present study aimed to provide an overview of the impact of S-L by active programs (physical activities, movement games, active tasks, etc.) on the acquisition of professional, linguistic, pedagogical or intercultural competencies, as well as physical wellbeing skills, on English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher education students. Fourteen Spanish EFL university students carried out an S-L active intervention with a migrant group from the Migrant Temporary Stay Centre in the autonomous city of Melilla (Spain). A qualitative study was designed to evaluate the achievement of these competencies. The results show that even though S-L is a challenging methodology, it favours the development of academic, professional, and physical wellbeing competences to succeed in a competitive and changing world, as well as the improvement of the participant students.

Design and Validation of the Non-Verbal Immediacy Scale (NVIS) for the Evaluation of Non-Verbal Language in University Professors.

Knowledge and awareness of how to use non-verbal language is essential for the educational field. For this reason, the aim of this study was to develop a validation that validly and reliably measures the analysis of non-verbal language in university teachers. Content validation was carried out by applying the Delphi technique and through an exploratory and confirmatory analysis. The validity of understanding is given by the application of the scale to 1316 university teachers between 24 and 67 years of age. The initial data collected through the Delphi technique provided some modifications. The final scale, called Non-verbal immediacy, was composed of a total of 26 items that presented satisfactory adjustments in both comprehension and outcome validity. Confirmatory factor analysis determined three dimensions (kinesics, paralanguage, and proxemics). These factors will be a new element for future lines of research related to the teaching-learning process, as high relationships have been demonstrated between non-verbal language and psychosocial aspects implicit in teaching practice, as well as comprehension and student learning.

Correlation between the Need for Cognitive Closure and Narrative Creativity in Secondary Education.

(1) Background: The present study analyzed the need for cognitive closure and narrative creativity in adolescents. The aim was to demonstrate a strong relationship between narrative creativity and the need for cognitive closure. We analyzed a group of participants by applying a lie scale integrated with the Need for Closure Scale to detect potential relationships between students that entered the lie scale group (discarded) and those that were not discarded by exploring the following variables: gender, school type, group condition, and narrative creativity. (2) Methods: The instruments used were the Need for Closure Scale and the Test of Creative Imagination for Young People, PIC-J. Students of English as a foreign language in the 3rd year of secondary education from two schools were selected based on their availability to participate in the project. The students were aged 14 to 16 with a non-probabilistic sampling value of N = 117. (3) Results: Results show a negative correlation between narrative creativity and the need for cognitive closure. The need for cognitive closure is mainly manifested in two of its five dimensions: order and predictability. In addition, the group analysis of the lie scale revealed a higher tendency of male students to be less likely to respond truthfully. Meanwhile, the percentage of participants in the lie scale group was higher in rural schools. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, students who do not belong to the lie scale group seem to have more creativity than students in the lie scale group, while students in the lie scale group have a lower final course grade than students in the non lie scale group.