Beatriz Peña-Acuña

Prof. Beatriz Peña-Acuña

University of Huelva, Huelva, Andalusia, Spain
orcid
Associate Professor. Editor "Linguo didactica" (journal). In...

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

57Years (1970-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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15 January 2022 in Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research
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Journal Article
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ONOscar Navarro
Oscar Navarro
Beatriz Peña-AcuñaBeatriz Peña-Acuña
Beatriz Peña-Acuña
In the last two decades, the great technological advances sweeping society have made inroads into the educational sphere. The use of information and communication technology and social networks has opened up new possibilities for student learning, which require appropriate treatment by family and teachers. This quantitative study takes a new approach to investigating the relationship between Spanish teenage students’ academic success and their use of technology and social networks. It analyses data published in the 2018 PISA report to assess whether the use of these resources is appropriate, and to determine their impact on students’ learning and performance in reading, mathematics and science. The study takes a new approach in terms of the variables selected and the analysis of the data through two statistical measures. The results suggest that excessive use of technology and social networks, both during the week and at weekends, impairs performance. This finding is more acute in the case of male students, as the data indicates that they start at an earlier age and are more likely to use social media for the detrimental activity of online gaming.

20 November 2024 in Frontiers in Education
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Journal Article
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Beatriz Peña-AcuñaBeatriz Peña-Acuña
Beatriz Peña-Acuña
RDRosana Corga Fernandes Durão
Rosana Corga Fernandes Durão
Introduction: Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing English language teaching with personalized assessments and advanced tools, though more studies are needed on its effectiveness and equitable accessibility.Method: A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using articles from Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC to establish theoretical foundations.Results: AI in learning English as a second language offers personalized tools such as chatbots, pronunciation improvement apps, and platforms that adapt content according to student progress.Discussion: The study highlights how AI is revolutionizing English learning by personalizing lessons, improving pronunciation, and promoting cultural understanding.

15 October 2024 in European Journal of Educational Research
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ACAnna Izabela Cislowska
Anna Izabela Cislowska
Beatriz Peña-AcuñaBeatriz Peña-Acuña
Beatriz Peña-Acuña
This comprehensive systematic review delves into the increasing prevalence of integrating chatbots into language education. The general objective is to assess the current landscape of knowledge regarding chatbot utilisation and its influence on three crucial elements: students' skills, attitudes, and emotions. Additionally, the review seeks to scrutinise the advantages linked to incorporating chatbots in foreign language teaching, exploring their potential benefits while considering limitations and potential negative impacts on specific skills or user experiences. Consequently, this research offers valuable insights into the application of chatbots in foreign language education, shedding light on their potential advantages and areas that warrant further exploration and enhancement. The integration of chatbots in language learning, despite certain limitations, generally yields positive outcomes and enhances educational results in students' skills. Its characteristics can also influence a language learner's attitude, impacting factors such as motivation, interest, autonomy in learning, and engagement or even their sense of fun. Additionally, chatbots prove to be helpful in creating emotionally positive learning environments and can contribute to boosting students' self-esteem and self-confidence.

9 May 2019 in Vivat Academia
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Journal Article
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FSFrancisco José Sánchez-Marín
Francisco José Sánchez-Marín
MPMaría Concepción Parra-Meroño
María Concepción Parra-Meroño
Beatriz Peña-AcuñaBeatriz Peña-Acuña
Beatriz Peña-Acuña
El Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES) exige el desarrollo de competencias clave para dar respuesta a las demandas de la sociedad y del mercado de trabajo. La Competencia Social incluye destrezas fundamentales para las relaciones sociales de calidad en el ámbito personal y profesional. Se identifica el Aprendizaje Cooperativo como método apropiado para lograr tal fin. En este artículo se presenta la experiencia de una investigación cualitativa durante los cursos 2009-2015 en la que se vertebra la investigación acción participativa como una técnica adecuada, puesto que investiga a la muestra, se diseña una metodología docente en base a las carencias y se vuelve a investigar la eficacia del aprendizaje debido a la metodología. Exponemos un caso en el que la investigación acción participativa ha sido aplicada al campo de la Educación universitaria en la que se asegura más la adecuación a la diversidad precisamente por la adecuación que otorga al aula investigada. Además, se exponen los resultados del análisis de esta investigación e innovación, en concreto, la percepción expresada por los alumnos acerca del grado en que el trabajo en equipo cooperativo contribuye al desarrollo de su Competencia Social tras participar en una experiencia de Aprendizaje Cooperativo. Se diseña un tipo de investigación aplicada, desde una perspectiva cualitativa, no experimental, en el ámbito de la evaluación de resultados para la toma de decisiones. Participan 126 estudiantes de Grado de primer y cuarto curso. A través de un cuestionario tipo Likert, se recoge su percepción sobre competencias emergentes al desempeño de la Competencia Social: Empatía, Consenso o Participación Democrática y Asertividad. Este estudio aporta novedad en tanto que explora sobre una muestra de estudiantes con perfiles diversos, tomando como punto de partida de manera integrada diversas variables y sobre la percepción que los propios estudiantes expresan de manera explícita. Se confirma que los estudiantes perciben que, a través del Aprendizaje Cooperativo, se desarrolla su Competencia Social. Las habilidades mejor valoradas son las que se relacionan con el ámbito cognitivo y se relega a un segundo plano otras de carácter emocional, axiológico y paradigmático.

6 June 2024 in Heliyon
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Journal Article
Open access
JRJuan Ramón Rico-Juan
Juan Ramón Rico-Juan
Beatriz Peña-AcuñaBeatriz Peña-Acuña
Beatriz Peña-Acuña
ONOscar Navarro
Oscar Navarro
The intricate relationship between teenagers' literacy and technology underscores the need for a comprehensive understanding, particularly in the Spanish context. This study employs explainable artificial intelligence (AI) to delve into this complex interplay, focusing on the pivotal role of reading comprehension skills in the personal and career development of Spanish teenagers. With a sample of 22,400 15-year-olds from the PISA dataset, we investigate the impact of socioeconomic factors, technology habits, parental education, residential location, and school type on reading comprehension skills. Utilizing machine learning techniques, our analysis reveals a nuanced connection between autonomy, technological proficiency, and academic performance. Notably, family oversight of technology use emerges as a crucial factor in managing the impact of digital technology and the Internet on reading comprehension skills. The study emphasizes the necessity for a balanced and supervised introduction to technology from an early age. Contrary to current trends, our findings indicate that online gaming may not contribute positively to reading comprehension skills, while moderate daily Internet use (1-4 h) proves beneficial. Furthermore, the study underscores the ongoing nature of acquiring reading comprehension and technological skills, emphasizing the need for continuous attention and guidance from childhood. Parental education levels are identified as partial predictors of children's performance, emphasizing the importance of a holistic educational approach that considers autonomy and technological literacy. This study advocates for addressing socio-economic and gender inequalities in education and highlights the crucial role of cooperation between schools and families, particularly those with lower educational levels.

12 January 2022 in Porta Linguarum Revista Interuniversitaria de Didáctica de las Lenguas Extranjeras
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Journal Article
Open access
Beatriz Peña-AcuñaBeatriz Peña-Acuña
Beatriz Peña-Acuña
AMAlba-María Martínez-Sala
Alba-María Martínez-Sala
Los formatos digitales combinados con estrategias docentes adecuadas estimulan la adquisición de las competencias asociadas al aprendizaje de lengua extranjera en el caso de niños inmigrantes en Educación Primaria. La indagación parte de un ensayo en el que los estudiantes de Grado de Educación Primaria experimentan los cuentos de realidad aumentada mediante el diseño de una estrategia docente que los integre con el fin de conocer sus posibilidades educativas y poder evaluarlos. Para ello se lleva a cabo un estudio cualitativo y cuantitativo con el objetivo de conocer la valoración individual de los estudiantes acerca de estas herramientas en sí y para el aprendizaje de la lengua materna o segunda a través de las correspondientes reflexiones en un portafolio y mediante una entrevista semiestructurada online (cuantitativa y cualitativa). El tratamiento de los datos se ha realizado mediante el programa cualitativo QDA Miner 4.1. Los resultados confirman las ventajas de estas herramientas digitales respecto de la adquisición de competencias de lectoescritura, así como de la motivación del alumnado. El conjunto de estudiantes demuestra una inclinación favorable significativa considerando estos formatos como herramientas para el aprendizaje de la lengua después de haberlas experimentado en el aula, así como un mayor interés en