Metacognition is a construct that is noteworthy for its relationship with the prediction and enhancement of student performance. It is of interest in education, as well as in the field of cognitive psychology, because it contributes to competencies, such as learning to learn and the understanding of information. This study conducted research at a state school in the Community of Madrid (Spain) with a sample of 130 students in Grade 3 of their primary education (8 years old). The research involved the use of a digital teaching platform called Smile and Learn, as the feedback included in the digital activities may have an effect on students’ metacognition. We analyzed the implementation of the intelligent platform at school and the activities most commonly engaged in. The Junior Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (Jr. MAI) was the measuring instrument chosen for the external evaluation of metacognition. The study’s results show a higher use of logic and spatial activities. A relationship is observed between the use of digital exercises that have specific feedback and work on logic and visuospatial skills with metacognitive knowledge. We discuss our findings surrounding educational implications, metacognition assessment, and recommendations for improvements of the digital materials.

Diversas investigaciones destacan la importancia de la motiva-ción en el rendimiento cognitivo y también la importancia de la motivación en la metacognición. El objetivo de esta investigación es indagar en las va-riables motivacionales que influyen en el rendimiento de tareas cognitivas y en la metacognición. La investigación se ha realizado en un colegio público de la Comunidad de Madrid. La muestra de este estudio corresponde a 354 alumnos de educación primaria, entre los 8 y 11 años de edad. Los instru-mentos de medida seleccionados son: el cuestionario de Motivación hacia el Aprendizaje (MAPE-I), para las variables motivacionales; el Junior Meta-cognitive Awareness Inventory (Jr. MAI), para las variables metacognitivas y la batería de pruebas de Evaluación Neuropsicológica de las Funciones Ejecutivas en Niños (ENFEN), para la evaluación del rendimiento cogniti-vo. Los resultados obtenidos muestran efecto de la motivación de orienta-ción al aprendizaje en relación con el rendimiento cognitivo en las pruebas que implican inhibición, flexibilidad y memoria operativa. También se ob-serva efecto significativo entre la disposición al esfuerzo y la regulación del conocimiento. Igualmente, se analizan las relaciones entre las variables por curso para determinar el efecto de la edad. Se valoran las implicaciones educativas de los resultados.

Smile and Learn is an intelligent platform with more than 4500 educational activities for children aged 3–12. The digital material developed covers all courses of primary education and most of the subjects with the different topic-related worlds with activities in the field of logics and mathematics, science, linguistics and tales, visual-spatial and cognitive skills, emotional intelligence, arts, and multiplayer games. This kind of material supports active learning and new pedagogical models for teachers to use in their lessons. The purpose of this paper is to explore the usage of the platform in three pilot groups schools from different regions of Spain, outlining future directions in the design of such digital materials. Usage is assessed via descriptive analysis and variance analysis, with data collected from users interacting with the intelligent platform. The results show a high use of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activities among all the activities that could be chosen. Cross-curricular activities are also used. Continuation in the development of such materials is concluded necessary, focusing integration of different fields, accentuating games over quizzes, and the value of teacher training for improving their use in schools.

The use of digital educational material in classrooms has increased in recent years, now constituting a major market for publishers and companies. The present research addresses a digital material assessment in two different areas. First, the study through an evaluation of internal data collected on the platform shows an analysis of the use and implementation of digital material into the school. Secondly, it exposes an external examination of the effect of using digital material at school on students’ executive functions. The sample consisted of 168 children aged 8–11 from a state school in the Community of Madrid (Spain). The instrument selected for the external assessment of academic progress was the Evaluación Neuropsicológica de las Funciones Ejecutivas en Niños (ENFEN) [Neuropsychological Assessment of Executive Functions in Children]. The Learning Analytics system of the Smile and Learn platform recorded the students’ use during class. According to the usage analysis, the results obtained show preference of using activities from Logic and Spatial worlds. In the external analysis of the effect of the learning material, the results record a significant effect using activities in Logic and Spatial worlds with the Gray Trails task, which involves spatial perception, processing speed, and working memory, among others. A second analysis to contrast the results with a post hoc design approaches relationships among executive functions as involved in tasks like Gray Trails, Interference, and Ring Tasks within the usage of Spatial and Logic activities. The need for further research to improve these materials for enhanced learning and the extrapolation of training from executive functions to other tasks is discussed. Likewise, limitations of the implementation and design of these materials are pointed out.

The education sector has been confronted with different challenges due to the situation caused by the pandemic, when families were asked to be confined at home as well as return when schools were opened. This lockdown situation presented both a challenge for the EdTech sector and for teachers and families. Consequently, this study analyzes the importance of online methodologies, usage of an educational resource example, and the impact of the lockdown. Thus, these objectives are assessed from different perspectives such as users’ consumption, technical challenges of cloud architecture and experience from teachers who have used the platform during the lockdown. In this way, to understand the challenges of Cloud architecture, the structure of the Pre-COVID-19 platform and the changes implemented to adapt to the new needs are described. An increase in schools’ subscriptions was observed when home lockdown was decreed, the differences in usage with the return to the classroom are also discussed. The research methodology entailed an assessment instrument developed for teachers. Teachers highlight the contents of Smile and Learn platform and their motivational characteristics for the students’ learning. The assessment points out the limitations that many teachers face while using these resources.

Introduction: The rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence in education is transforming schools faster than our ability to understand whether they are truly prepared for it. Despite growing policy attention, explicit institutional policies for AI remain scarce globally, with schools often relying on individual teachers' discretion, resulting in inconsistent practices. This study examines the institutional readiness of Spanish secondary and vocational education centers for AI adoption through the development and statistical validation of an instrument designed to capture two critical dimensions: institutional policies and technological resources. Methods: During the 2024-2025 academic year, data were gathered through an online questionnaire administered by pre-service teachers during their school placements, who consulted school leadership teams to obtain accurate organizational information. A total of 80 centers from 14 Spanish autonomous communities participated, representing diverse school ownership types (public, state-funded private, and fully private) and educational modalities (secondary, vocational training, and adult education). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a two-factor model with strong psychometric properties (CFI = .955; TLI = .938; Cronbach's α ≥ .86). Results: Results reveal moderate institutional readiness overall: while ethical awareness regarding AI use is relatively established, the development of formal policies, specialized support roles, and sustained teacher training remains limited. Pronounced differences emerged between school types and modalities, with public schools and adult education centers showing the lowest readiness levels. Discussion: These findings expose structural vulnerabilities that may compromise the responsible and equitable adoption of AI in education and highlight the need for targeted interventions. The validated instrument offers a comprehensive tool for identifying institutional strengths and weaknesses and provides evidence to support strategic decisions aimed at building robust, future-ready schools.