Esteban Vázquez-Cano’s research while affiliated with National University of Distance Education and other places

This study evaluates the impact of GAUBI, a gamified app designed for Spanish spelling practice in primary education, using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with 114 fourth-grade students. Participants were divided into three groups: traditional methods (control group), app use in classrooms (experimental group 1), and app use at home (experimental group 2). The app featured levels of arcade, research, and interactive fiction gameplay, scaling cognitive challenges to enhance learning. The intervention spanned three weeks, with participants engaging in structured app-based or traditional spelling exercises. Results showed that the group using the app at home achieved significantly higher spelling accuracy than those using traditional methods or app-only classroom approaches. Statistical analyses confirmed the superior effectiveness of home-based app use. The Binomial Effect Size Display highlighted notable improvements in specific spelling categories, such as complex letter combinations and accent rules. Discussion centered on the benefits of integrating gamification and ubiquitous learning tools in education, emphasizing the app’s adaptability and immediate feedback, which encouraged independent learning and sustained motivation. The study advocates for blending traditional and gamified approaches to foster comprehensive spelling competence, supporting educators with analytics-driven insights. The research underscores the app's potential to address broader curricular goals, including sustainable development objectives.

Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar el impacto de una aplicación móvil especialmente diseñada, GAUBI, en la competencia ortográfica del español por estudiantes de Educación Primaria. Utilizando un diseño cuasi-experimental, se plantea la hipótesis de que GAUBI mejoraría significativamente el rendimiento ortográfico. Además, examinamos la relación entre el tipo y la duración del juego, específicamente los juegos arcade, de investigación y de ficción, y las mejoras en la competencia ortográfica. El estudio involucró a 114 estudiantes españoles de Educacion Primaria, quienes completaron un pretest para establecer su nivel de competencia ortográfica. Tras un período de uso de la aplicación, se administró una prueba posttest para evaluar los cambios en el rendimiento. El contenido de las pruebas pretest y posttest se alinearon con el currículo de Educación Primaria en español. Las pruebas t de muestras emparejadas compararon las puntuaciones de los resultados del pretest y posttest, revelando mejoras estadísticamente significativas en el rendimiento ortográfico, con un tamaño del efecto grande (d de Cohen = 0.80). Los coeficientes de correlación de Pearson exploraron la asociación entre el tipo de juego y los resultados ortográficos, identificando correlaciones positivas significativas para los juegos de "Investigación" y "Ficción", mientras que los juegos "Arcade" no mostraron una relación clara. Estos hallazgos sugieren que los juegos basados en narrativas e investigación son particularmente efectivos para mejorar las habilidades ortográficas. Los resultados apoyan el uso de la gamificación, especialmente a través de juegos colaborativos y ricos en narrativas, como una estrategia beneficiosa para practicar la ortografía en español.

This research aims to study the psycho-social impact of video games on K12 students. For this, a probabilistic topic modelling analysis method based on text mining approach has been performed. This process is based on nodes’ connectivity and it has been developed through K Means approach; by launching the Jenks-Breaks algorithm. The sex differences are calculated according to a nonlinear dynamics approach based on Hurst exponent and multifractal function and the influence of time with the application of the Sobel test. The results show which are the most used video games by K12 and their psycho-social impact on students based on four categories: (1) boredom and sadness, (2) happiness and socialization, (3) immersion, and (4) families' conflicts. There are significant differences between boys and girls depending on the games they use, a factor that increases when playing more than two hours a day. For boys, games like FIFA and Fortnite produce higher levels of immersion and family conflict, while for girls, games are perceived as sources of greater happiness and a means to reinforce friendship and camaraderie, particularly with games like Brawl Stars, Rocket League, and PKXD.

This research study performs a bibliometric review of the field of artificial intelligence and education, with the goal of understanding the extent of the incursion of technological evolution in the educational field. The bibliometric review is conducted using the keywords: "artificial intelligence" and "education," limiting the results to the field of social sciences on the Scopus database. The search is conducted in English and the analysis examines the following aspects: topic, publication types, thematic area, country, publication, author, and year. The keywords thematic concurrence is assessed using the software VosViewer. The results show that most publications are distributed among 103 countries, although six are highlighted for having more than 100 publications: USA (25%), China (13%), the United Kingdom (8%), Spain (5%), Canada and India (4%). Overall, 98% of the publications are written in English. In conclusion, there is a remarkable increase of artificial intelligence systems in education with their inclusion in administrative tasks and teaching-learning processes.

The aim of this research was to assess the learning efficacy and level of satisfaction of university students as they adapted to the online teaching model amid the restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19. The sample consisted of 467 students attending a public University of Spain. The study applied a structural equations methodology with a triangulated approach. The results show that the most influential factor in student online learning satisfaction is teacher-student interaction. On the other hand, student learning efficacy mainly depends on their attitude towards the use of technology; this makes it essential to understand which elements of the online learning system facilitate and incentivize the creation of a good learning environment. Moreover, the design quality of the system and the tools that make it function, and how they link to content and competences, all directly influence perceived ease-of-use and student satisfaction with online teaching.Key words: COVID-19; e-learning; satisfaction; structural equations; university.---Sažetak Cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je procijeniti učinkovitost učenja i razinu zadovoljstva studenata tijekom privikavanja na online nastavu uslijed ograničenja nametnutih zbog pandemije bolesti COVID-19. Uzorak ispitanika sastojao se od 467 studenata državnoga sveučilišta u Španjolskoj. U istraživanju je primijenjena metodologija strukturnih jednadžbi i pristup triangulacije. Rezultati pokazuju da je najutjecajniji faktor zadovoljstva učenjem u online okružju interakcija između studenta i nastavnika. S druge strane, učinkovitost učenja najviše ovisi o njihovim stavovima prema korištenju tehnologije. Zbog toga je nužno razumjeti koji elementi učenja u online okružju pomažu i potiču stvaranje dobroga okružja za učenje. Štoviše, kvaliteta dizajna sustava, alati koji im omogućuju rad te kako se oni povezuju sa sadržajem i kompetencijama zajedno izravno utječu na percepciju lakoće korištenja i na zadovoljstvo studenata online nastavom. Ključne riječi: COVID-19; e-učenje; strukturne jednadžbe; sveučilište.

Plain Language Summary Exploring mobile learning approaches for better second language vocabulary learning Mobile devices have emerged as promising tools for facilitating vocabulary learning, offering the flexibility to present learning materials in various formats known as Learning Content Representation (LCR) types. However, the question of which LCR type is most effective in enhancing L2 vocabulary acquisition in mobile learning remains unanswered. This study aimed to investigate the influence of two distinct LCR types, each promoting different learning strategies, on students’ academic performance in vocabulary learning tasks. To accomplish this, a mobile application featuring two LCR types was developed and tested. The first LCR type, Self-Regulated Learning (SRL), encouraged learners to employ self-regulation strategies, while the second LCR type, Non-Self-Regulated Learning (NSRL), guided learners through a non-self-regulated approach. Quantitative analyses of the data revealed a significant relationship between LCR types and word recall in vocabulary learning. Notably, the SRL-based LCR type demonstrated effectiveness in improving students’ word recall abilities, resulting in significantly better academic performance for the experimental group. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating LCR-SRL types in mobile learning environments to enhance L2 vocabulary acquisition. Future research should delve deeper into the integration of these strategies within mobile learning platforms and explore their broader impact on students’ vocabulary acquisition. This study underscores the potential for optimizing mobile learning tools to foster effective language acquisition strategies in educational contexts.

The aim of this research was to know how widespread the activities were, and to what extent they were being implemented, in relation to data protection and digital sustainability in Primary Education schools. This study also analyzed whether teachers’ age, gender and years of experience in the profession influenced the development of this type of practices among students. To this end, the GAUBIPRO (4150516/6) questionnaire, registered at the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, was sent out to 308 Spanish teachers in Primary Education in Spain. The investigation was conducted by applying three multivariate statistical procedures: chi-squared with Kendall’s Tau-c coefficient, variance analysis using a single-factor ANOVA, and the HJ-Plot method, to find patterns of group behavior among the variables studied. The results showed that age, gender and years of experience were significant variables in the development of strategies for data protection and digital sustainability in Primary Education. For years of experience, the results showed that teachers with the highest mean number of years in the teaching profession were the least likely to apply data protection protocols. Male teachers were found to promote more general data protection strategies, while female teachers were more active in the design and use of activities in the classroom. In terms of age, the results clearly demonstrated that the higher the mean age of the teachers, the lower the rate of application of actions to promote data protection and digital security among young students, in three variables in particular: “foster strategies”, “advise students” and “inform families”.

The objective of this study was to identify university student profiles with different levels of predisposition and usage of digital competences in social communication and collaborative learning (CSCCL) as well as technology use in information search and treatment (CSTI). The sample comprised 383 students from three state universities in Spain. The study employed a questionnaire called “basic digital competences 2.0 in university students” (COBADI). Chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) algorithm was used for data analysis due to its capability to handle both quantitative and qualitative variables, enabling profiling and the generation of predictive models with easily interpretable graphical representations (decision trees). The results revealed a high level of digital competence in socialization and execution of tasks online, managing digital tools for planning study time, and using resources for information searching and browsing. These findings align with previous works on collaborative writing on the Internet and digital competence. However, students demonstrated low digital competence in data analysis processes and image production using social software apps, which has been linked to task complexity and heavy workload in other studies. Interestingly, the students’ sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, and university attended) did not influence their predisposition towards the analyzed digital competences. In conclusion, enhancing effective digital teaching in higher education can be achieved by incorporating the teaching of critical analysis of information, addressing information overload, providing instruction on social software apps, and emphasizing collaborative learning. These strategies aim to help students acquire and apply knowledge relevant to the current job market.