This paper presents some of the results of a broader research project on how formative assessment affects the development of specific and generic competences in teacher training subjects at higher education level. The paper describes and discusses the impact of participatory and non-participatory assessment techniques on the attainment of learning outcomes in four different subjects. The sample was comprised of students (n=118) on teacher training bachelor's degrees at the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia. Data were gathered on the lecturers’ activities in each subject and on the students’ final grades. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to assess the effect of formative assessment on students’ final grades for a subject. Statistical analysis shows that students who took subjects that were assessed by participatory techniques had a significantly (p<0.001) higher average final grade than those who had not been assessed in this way. The discussion of this paper is based on other researches which argue that the improvement of students’ learning outcomes can arise from an improved learning process

El impacto de Twitter se percibe de forma contundente en diferentes ámbitos del desempeño profesional y cotidiano. Combinando métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos se analiza cómo los jóvenes universitarios crean contenidos en Twitter desde el entorno académico, y cómo perciben esta actividad. Para ello se conformó una muestra intencional de tres grupos de estudiantes, se recolectó una muestra de 10 291 tuits publicados y se desarrolló un grupo focal por cada grupo universitario. Entre otros aspectos, el trabajo evidencia que los estudiantes priorizan las exigencias y directrices académicas y señalan que la utilización que hacen de la plataforma varía en función de si se trata, o no, de un encargo académico.

This study investigates the impact of project-based learning (PBL) on the perception of professional competence in Early Childhood Education (ECE) among pre-service teachers in Spain. A total of 586 students from four Spanish universities participated in a pre-post test design using the ECPP-FIM scale to measure the impact of the PBL approach on the perception of professional psychomotor intervention skills of ECE. The PBL approach involved close collaboration with preschools, providing students with hands-on experience designing and implementing movement-based activities in natural contexts. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including ANOVA, were used to analyse the data. Results indicate substantial improvements in the perception of professional competence across all five areas of the ECPP-FIM scale. Moreover, students from vocational education backgrounds showed consistently higher pre-and post-test scores than those from other academic pathways. Findings support the effectiveness of PBL in bridging the theory-practice divide and emphasize the importance of integrating real-world experiences in teacher training. To conclude, this study highlights the key characteristics that an ordinary university subject should incorporate to enhance the perception of professional competence.

Torsional disorders of the lower limb are common in childhood, and they are one of the primary reasons parents seek consultation with healthcare providers. While clinical manoeuvres can assess femoral and tibial torsion, their reliability is medium to low. Various imaging-based techniques, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, fluoroscopy, biplanar radiology and ultrasonography, have been used to evaluate torsional alterations of the lower extremity. Among these, ultrasound assessment offers certain advantages: it is a low-cost, non-irradiating technique, which allows the follow-up of children’s torsional development. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, its validity and reliability have not been summarised in a systematic review. This study aims to analyse the validity and reliability of ultrasonography in determining femoral and tibial torsion in children and adolescents. A search from Medline (via PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus and CINAHL databases were performed from inception to 16 March 2023. No restrictions were placed on the publication year or language. The methodological quality of all eligible studies was independently reviewed by two authors using QUADAS and STARD checklists. Overall, 1546 articles were identified through the searches; 30 were considered eligible for full-text screening; and 8 studies were finally included in this review. The included studies were conducted in Germany, Norway and the UK. Among them, 7 studies analysed the validity of ultrasonography compared with other imaging techniques such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and biplanar X-ray, and 4 studies assessed intra- and inter-observer reliability. All the studies assessed femoral torsion, but only one of them also included tibial torsion.     Conclusion: Ultrasound is a good alternative for routine evaluation and follow-up of femoral torsional alterations in children and adolescents due to its safety, accessibility and immediate results in the clinical examination room. Although ultrasound has good accuracy and reliability for routine evaluations, there is controversy about whether it is sufficient for surgical planning. In cases where greater accuracy is required, magnetic resonance imaging and biplanar radiography are the preferred imaging techniques. What is Known:• Several imaging-based techniques have been described for the assessment of torsional alterations of the lower extremity.• Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, biplanar radiology and ultrasonography are the most used and studied methods. What is New:• Ultrasonography represents a good alternative for the assessment of femoral and tibial torsional alterations in children and adolescents, given its safety, accessibility and immediacy of results in the consultation room.• Its accuracy and reliability are good but not sufficient for surgical planning, in which case MRI and biplanar X-ray will be the preferred choices.

Introduction: Ruptures of the rotator cuff tendon are one of the most common causes of pain and dysfunction in adults, and total rupture affects approximately 20% of the population, with this number increasing significantly after the age of 50. When conservative treatment fails, surgical repair is necessary. Studies show that aquatic rehabilitation improves joint balance early in the initial stages after rotator cuff surgery and that the aquatic environment is a safe and protective environment for the integrity of the sutures. The aim of this study is to present an early, intensive and complementary aquatic rehabilitation protocol for arthroscopy of the rotator cuff. Materials and methods: Consensus was reached by the Delphi method. Twelve experts in aquatic rehabilitation were recruited to evaluate the proposed protocol. They were selected considering their experience in aquatic rehabilitation as well as their knowledge of the subject based on the expert competence coefficient. The questionnaires were completed online through a website created for this study. The questions were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and a minimum threshold of 80% favourable responses was regarded as consensus. Results: Three sessions of 30 minutes of active functional exercises in the water for three weeks will achieve the proposed goals. Conclusions: The experts agreed on the early, intensive and complementary aquatic rehabilitation protocol following arthroscopic repair of the rotator cuff.

This paper presents some of the results of a broader research project on how formative assessment affects the development of specific and generic competences in teacher training subjects at higher education level. The aim of the paper is to describe the impact of formative assessment on the development of learning-to-learn skills, in a sample of 143 students on teacher training bachelor's degrees at the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia. The results are from a quasi-experimental pre-post study, without a control group and follow-up, that used a quantitative method. Formative assessment was implemented in four subjects of the bachelor's degrees in Teacher in Primary Education (MEP) and Teacher in Early Childhood Education (MEI), in the second semester. At the start and end of each subject, students were asked to complete an ad hoc questionnaire to assess the effect of formative assessment on various competences, including learning-to-learn. The degree of independence and awareness that students perceived about what they had to learn increased significantly, but there were no significant differences in the level of demands on themselves. Therefore, the results suggest that formative assessment could increase students’ independence and awareness about learning