La presencia de las humanidades en las carreras de odontología de las universidades de Chile y de España / The Presence of Humanities in Dental Studies at Universities in Chile and Spain

Se ha argumentado que la presencia de materias humanísticas permite una formación integral de los alumnos, lo que fomentaría en última instancia una mejor relación con los futuros pacientes y, por tanto, contribuiría a mejorar la salud de la población. El objetivo del presente estudio consistió en investigar la presencia de contenidos humanísticos en los grados de Odontología de las universidades de Chile y de España.Se encontró que en todas las universidades existen materias humanísticas que complementan la formación disciplinar de los graduados. Si bien se encontraron diferencias entre las universidades chilenas y españolas, las materias relacionadas con contenidos éticos, históricos y con el profesionalismo son ofrecidas por la gran mayoría de las universidades de los dos países. Por otra parte, la presencia de materias relacionadas con la literatura o con las artes plásticas, visuales y escénicas fue escasa, muy minoritaria en España y nula en Chile.Se aboga por aumentar la presencia de la formación humanística en los graduados de odontología, no solamente a partir de asignaturas específicas, sino introduciendo contenidos humanísticos en las materias troncales de formación técnica odontológica. (AU)

It has been argued that the presence of humanities in the curriculum, allows for a comprehensive student training. This would ultimately foster a better relationship with future patients and, therefore would contribute to improving the health of the population. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of humanities-related content in dentistry degrees at universities in Chile and Spain.It was found that in all universities there were subjects related to humanities that complemented the disciplinary training of graduates. Although differences were found between the two countries, subjects related to ethical, historical and professional content were offered by the vast majority of universities in both countries. On the other hand, the presence of subjects related to literature or art, such as plastic, visual, and performing arts was scarce, very minor in Spain and nothing in Chile.It is recommended to increase the presence of humanities in students’ dental training, not only specific courses, but also by introducing contents that are related to humanities in the core curriculum of dental technical training. (AU)

Assessing higher education students' critical thinking with the PENCRISAL test - Portuguese short version: a psychometric study.

The development of critical thinking in higher education is fundamental, preparing students to think well, find explanations, make decisions and solve problems. Given the importance of its promotion, its assessment is crucial, since the two are inseparable. Moreover, the number of instruments that are validated to assess critical thinking in the Portuguese language and culture are scarce. We present the validation psychometric study of the PENCRISAL test (short version) to the Portuguese language, a critical thinking assessment test for higher education students, designed and validated in Spain (full and short version), which presents adequate reliability and validity psychometric characteristics to assess key-dimensions of critical thinking. A sample of 225 Portuguese higher education students from three universities (two public and one private) performed a reduced version of the PANCRISAL test. The results obtained allowed replicating the Spanish reduced version in Portugal (only changing one of the six items), and the confirmatory factorial analysis permits to identify two factors intercorrelated, legitimizing the combination of the six items in a global score. This short version can be used as a screening test, and its potential is pointed out to assess students critical thinking to support teaching and research in higher education.

Propuesta para mejorar la formación en profesionalismo y en competencias transversales en los estudios de medicina de las universidades de Cataluña / Proposal to improve training in professionalism and transversal competences in medical studies at the universities of Catalonia

Introducción: En un grupo de trabajo de la Administración de la Generalitat de Cataluña y de los decanos de las facultades con estudios de Medicina de las universidades catalanas se creó una comisión para elaborar una propuesta para fomentar la formación en profesionalismo, en humanidades y en competencias transversales de los graduados en Medicina. Desarrollo: Dicha comisión, compuesta por docentes de todas las facultades, elaboró un documento con tres objetivos específicos: a) mostrar el estado real de dicha formación en los currículos; b) proponer actividades docentes concretas para mejorar dicha formación, considerando las buenas prácticas que se están realizando en las universidades; y c) sugerir criterios y métodos de evaluación de la formación en profesionalismo o de competencias transversales y, también, evaluar competencias específicas que pueden favorecer el desarrollo de las competencias genéricas. Conclusiones: Se espera que las sugerencias presentadas puedan servir para aumentar la formación en valores profesionales, en humanidades y en competencias transversales de los futuros profesionales de la medicina, con el objetivo final de mejorar la salud de la población.(AU)

Introduction: In a working group of the Administration of the regional government of Catalonia and the deans of the faculties with medical studies of the Catalan universities, a commission was created to prepare a document to promote training in professionalism and transversal competences of graduates in Medicine. Development: This commission, made up of teachers from all the faculties, prepared a document with three specific objectives: a) show the real state of said training in the curricula; b) propose specific teaching activities to improve said training, considering those good practices that are being carried out in universities; and c) suggest criteria and methods of evaluation of training in professionalism or of transversal competences and, also, evaluate specific competences that can improve the development of generic competences. Conclusions: It is hoped that the suggestions presented can serve to increase training in professional values, in the humanities and in transversal competences of future medical professionals with the ultimate goal of improving the health of the population.(AU)

How personal values and critical dispositions support digital citizenship development in higher education students.

The virtual environment's expansion and role in young people's lives accentuate the need for developing transversal competences such as digital citizenship. The process may be supported by personal resources like personal values and critical thinking dispositions. With this study on 536 young students' students aged 18 to 26 (M = 20.85, SD = 1.60), we analysed the relationship between two adjacent personal values, universalism and self-direction, and students' digital citizenship. Moreover, we examined the role of critical thinking dispositions, namely learning orientation, and cognitive integrity in supporting digital citizenship development. Following structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses, the results show that universalism and learning orientation significantly positively influence digital citizenship, whereas cognitive integrity has a negative effect. Further, personal values positively associate with critical thinking dispositions.

Digital literacy in the university setting: A literature review of empirical studies between 2010 and 2021.

The impact of digital devices and the Internet has generated various changes at social, political, and economic levels, the repercussion of which is a great challenge characterized by the changing and globalized nature of today's society. This demands the development of new skills and new learning models in relation to information and communication technologies. Universities must respond to these social demands in the training of their future professionals. This paper aims to analyze the empirical evidence provided by international studies in the last eleven years, related to the digital literacy of university students, including those pursuing degrees related to the field of education. Our findings highlight the fact that the digital literacy that is offered in universities to graduate/postgraduate students, in addition to treating digital literacy as a central theme, also focuses on perceived and developed self-efficacy. This is done by strengthening competencies related to digital writing and reading, the use of databases, the digital design of content and materials, and the skills to edit, publish or share them on the web, or applications aimed at treating digital literacy as emerging pedagogies and educational innovation. Secondly, we found studies related to digital competencies and use of the Internet, social networks, web 2.0, or the treatment of digital risks and their relationship with digital literacy. Thirdly, we found works that, in addition to focusing on digital literacy, also focused on different psychological constructs such as motivation, commitment, attitudes, or satisfaction. Systematic review registration: https://www.scopus.com/home.uri; https://www.recursoscientificos.fecyt.es/.

Competencias transversales en los tres primeros años de la carrera de medicina malla 2015: una aproximación desde la percepción de los actores clave / Transversal competences development in the first three years of the 2015 curriculum of the school medical sciences: an approach from the perception of the key actors

Introducción: Las competencias transversales son aquellas que marcan y modelan el perfil del nuevo tipo de médico que se quiere formar en la malla innovada 2015 de la carrera de Medicina de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción, por lo que es fundamental que sean implementadas en los tres primeros años de la carrera, acorde a lo explicitado en la visión y misión de la misma. Objetivos: El objetivo fue describir e interpretar la implementación de estas competencias transversales, según la percepción de los actores clave, estudiantes y docentes. Materiales y métodos: Se trata de un estudio de tipo cualitativo con enfoque hermenéutico, pues nos permitió aproximarnos a las opiniones y vivencias de estudiantes y docentes, agrupadas en categorías (ética, humanismo, trabajo en equipo, liderazgo y responsabilidad ambiental) y acercarnos a una interpretación de dicha información. Resultados: La ética y el humanismo son percibidas en mayor medida en las actividades extramuros, el trabajo en equipo esta visualizado en todas las asignaturas, pero requiere de ajustes en la metodología y finalmente tanto la responsabilidad ambiental como el liderazgo no son percibidas como intencionadas en las asignaturas y espacios del nuevo currículum. Conclusión: Esta investigación nos ha permitido conocer información profunda y valorar el grado de implementación de las competencias transversales, dadas las contundentes declaraciones de los sujetos informantes sobre las categorías investigadas debiendo ser replanteada la forma de inserción de las mismas en el nuevo currículum

Introduction: The transversal competences are those that shape and model the profile of the new type of doctor we wanted to train in the innovative 2015 curriculum of the course of studies of Medicine of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the National University of Asunción, so it is essential that they are implemented in the early years of the course of studies, according to the statement in the vision and mission of it. Objectives: The objective was to describe and interpret the implementation of these transversal competencies, according to the perception of key actors: students and teachers. Materials and methods: This was a qualitative research, with a hermeneutic approach, because it allowed us to get in touch with the opinions and experiences of students and teachers. We grouped the information into 5 main categories: ethics, humanism, teamwork, leadership and environmental responsibility. Doing so lead us to an interpretation of such information. Results: Ethics and humanism are mostly perceived in extramural activities; teamwork is visualized in all subjects but requires adjustments in methodology and finally, both environmental responsibility and leadership are not perceived as intentional in any subject and/or other issues of the new curriculum. Conclusion: This research has allowed us to know in-depth information and assess the degree of implementation of transversal competencies, given the strong statements of the reporting subjects on the categories investigated. The way to insert transversal competences in the new curriculum should be reconsidered

University Social Responsibility, Service Learning, and Students' Personal, Professional, and Civic Education.

The long-standing vision of universities as the "alma mater" of students and graduates is a demonstration of its role as sustaining the person, the expert/professional, and the citizen. This role has persisted in the face of rising global challenges such as the emergence of new learning spaces, the growing diversity of publics, the call for productivity and performativity, and the hope for a significant engagement with the community and the public good. These sometimes conflicting tendencies have also stimulated higher education institutions to further pedagogical strategies that articulate in novel ways the classical elements of learning: action/experience and reflection/theory. In this context, service learning received a new impetus, particularly in the post-Bologna European Higher Education Area, as universities were looking for ways in which to articulate the social dimension of HEI and their "third mission" as institutions not only committed to addressing and solving societal problems, but also committed to fostering public-minded alumni through powerful experiences of engagement for both the students and the community. This paper is based on the experience of Erasmus+project ESSA, a service earning based project focused on University social responsibility (USR). ESSA engaged four groups of students from three European universities (Edinburgh, Porto, and Kaunas) in conducting a 1-week on-site USR audit based on an ecologic and situated concept of social responsibility. We will consider the perceived impact of ESSA on 44 students through a thematic analysis of focus group discussions and student self-assessment reports produced during and after their participation in the USR audit.

The relevance of transversal competences in vocational education and training: a bibliometric analysis.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes have included the acquisition of transversal competences in their curricula as a tool to increase employability. The number of researches has exponentially grown in the last years, emphasizing its relevance and the multiple approaches and factors involved in the learning process. The present bibliometric study aims to provide an overview of the scientific research carried out during the last 10 years and to shed some light on several relevant topics in this field. The results indicate the need to improve students' transversal competences in order to meet the demands of the labour market, the importance of the collaboration of all the actors involved in the process (policy makers, industry and educators) and from a pedagogical point of view, the necessity of introducing new teaching approaches to implement and assess the acquisition of transversal competences. However, and despite the surge of interest in the study of transversal competences in the last decade, further empirical research is needed, especially at Vocational Education and Training level, to understand how transversal competences develop and what kind of initiatives have an impact of their acquisition.

De la evaluación a la formación de competencias genéricas: aproximación a un modelo / Da avaliação à formação de competências genéricas: aproximação de um modelo / An evaluation model to guide a general competence model

Este artículo teórico, de ensayo psicopedagógico, trata de explicar que se puede trasladar un modelo de evaluación de competencias a otro modelo, paralelo de formación de las mismas. La autora inicia su discurso con una introducción que justifica el interés internacional por el desarrollo de la competencia laboral en el mundo del trabajo, presenta algunas definiciones del término “competencia”, introduce un modelo clasificatorio entre varios de los que existen, pasa a relatar los métodos para evaluar competencias y, finalmente, expone un modelo de formación de las siete competencias genéricas más significativas y demandadas en el mundo del trabajo.

Este artigo teórico, de ensaio psicopedagógico, objetiva demonstrar que se pode transpor um modelo de avaliação de competências a outro modelo, paralelo, de formação das mesmas. A autora inicia seu discurso com uma introdução que justifica o interesse internacional pelo desenvolvimento da competência laboral no mundo do trabalho, apresenta algumas definições do termo competência, introduz um modelo classificatório entre os vários que existem, relata os métodos para avaliar competências e, finalmente, expõe um modelo de formação de sete competências genéricas mais significativas e demandadas no mundo do trabalho.

This psychopedagogical theoretical essay aims at showing that it is possible to apply a model of competence evaluation to propose a model to develop those competences. The author justifies her proposal as based on the international demand for development of job competences. She presents some definitions of competence, proposes a classification model, describes some competence evaluation methods and proposes a model to develop the seven more demanded general competences in the job market.