One of the most universally recognized mechanisms in the sociology of education is the Pygmalion effect: the expectations and prejudices of teachers (from a position of power), projected onto the students, have the potential to become a self-fulfilled prophecy--either positive either stigmatizing. But what elements are used to build these…

This paper examines the question of how to use project-based learning to increase student performance and satisfaction in a power electronics course addressing the topics of dc/dc and dc/ac converters, the assembly of a dc/dc converter, and the use of a commercial speed drive. A detailed presentation of the methodology is shown, and the results…

Research has consistently shown that young people with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) are likely to experience increased anxiety during new social situations; yet, studies have been regionally and culturally bound. The aim of this study was to explore how higher education students with AS experienced attending university in two European countries: the…

This work describes an experience conducted by a group of professors from different departments at the University of Girona (Catalonia, Spain) which arose from the need for interdisciplinary work in university classrooms in order to promote competences relevant to the professional sector. As part of this experience, students from different degree…

Students' learning is the result of a large number of interactions in all areas. Consequently, with an increasing number of intercultural students, we need to bring to the classrooms successful educational actions that enhance interactions and that have an impact on improving education. Based on the CONEXITO project, this article shows how…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of stakeholder engagement in the context of sustainability reporting (SR) for higher education institutions (HEIs), together with the materiality principle and stakeholder expectations. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses an exploratory approach based on content…

Despite the growing tendency to introduce a foreign language in early years settings, little guidance is provided for practitioners in government steering documents or in the published literature. This article aims to bridge this gap by presenting a study which considers the importance of deploying the holistic approaches used in early years…

The aim of this article is to examine how school principals perceive cultural diversity and management. To this end, qualitative research was carried out for one semester in four secondary schools in Andalusia (Spain). Through interviews and discussion groups, triangulated with other qualitative research techniques, we explored the mindset and…

Our research is a comparative qualitative study. The material has been gathered from the cities of Helsinki and Catania. The target cities showcase varied successes and models of smart cities. In the cities, key people involved in the smart city concept--with different kinds of professional backgrounds--were interviewed, both individually and in…

The paper we present is a biographical qualitative study on the school experience and its repercussions on the lives of young people. The paper has two aims: (1) to understand the repercussions of school experiences on the construction of personal identity, and (2) to incorporate the voices of alumni into a reflection on the present and future…

The Holocaust was one of the most significant events of contemporary history and still has great relevance for current times. This paper analyses the portrayal of the Holocaust in secondary education history textbooks in Spain. As this type of research has grown in the international arena, the need to review critically this event in Spanish…

The most innovative reading practices currently rely on the paradigm of dialogic reading. Book clubs, literary gatherings and study circles are emerging in different social spaces to promote reading and literary discussion amongst adults, and libraries, bookshops, cultural centres, etc. are increasingly developing strategies in this direction.…

In this paper, we study the phenomenon of linguistic mudes or transformations in linguistic practices, in the case of highly proficient speakers of Irish, Basque and Catalan and we investigate the extent to which speakers in the three contexts share ideologies and experiences related to the process. Such an investigation will deepen understanding…

This paper presents an international comparison of Australian and Spanish secondary teachers' perceptions about the effectiveness of their pre-service education and their learning as in-service teachers. It aims to identify, firstly, the extent to which beginning teachers believe they are prepared for their careers through their teacher training…

Motivational factors play an important role in (language) learning processes and research indicates that this is also true for telecollaboration exchanges (Jauregi, de Graaff, van den Bergh, & Kriz, 2012; Melchor-Couto, 2017; in press). This short paper will introduce a study into how motivational factors play a role in telecollaboration…