Attitudes towards technology are preconceived notions that have an effect on the teaching-learning process and on the academic-professional performance of students, in particular those who use technology as a means of study. This investigation has two objectives: on the one hand, to test the measuring properties (reliability, factorial structure) of an instrument to measure attitudes and, on the other hand, to propose and validate a model that hypothesizes that digital competence and frequency of use of technologies have a positive impact on same. 1251 students of the Madrid Open University participated. It is a non-experimental, explanatory study using structural equation methodology. The results show adequate psychometric properties for the test and good adjustment of the proposed model (χ²=163.91, df=37, p<.001) allowing for further exploration of the relationship between use, skill and attitudes in the distance education context and improving the properties of measuring instruments proposed in Spanish.

The present research aimed to study the psycho-motor performance of five-year-old children with different body mass indices (BMI). A total of 694 pre-school children in the province of Albacete-Spain participated. Their performance in motor, perceptual, and social-emotional skills was analyzed using a standardized observation sheet (Checklist of Psychomotor Activities—CPA) and then compared according to their BMI using non-parametric statistical methods (Mann-Whitney test). Separate comparisons were made for girls and boys. Results indicated significant differences in performance amongst the groups of girls in all the motor and perceptual activities, and in the social relationships component of the social-emotional factor. These differences seemed to penalize motor activities, perceptual skills, and social relationships in overweight and obese girls compared to normal weight girls. In the case of boys, there were significant differences in laterality and visual-motor coordination (favoring overweight boys). Differences in respiratory control were also found, but in this case, penalizing obese boys compared to normal weight boys. Knowledge of possible psychomotor limitations in obese children could allow psychologists and healthcare professionals to design more focused interventions.

In early childhood education, there is a great interdependence among motor, affective, and cognitive development. A better understanding of psychomotor development and its variables by pediatricians and those who oversee educational tasks at this stage of development, such as teachers, psychologists, counselors, and parents themselves, can influence the design of educational intervention proposals. To that effect, the present study aims to analyze the influence of some family characteristics such as the condition of being an only child or having siblings and whether the child carries out extracurricular activities linked to physical activities and sports. To achieve this objective, a Checklist of Psychomotor Activities (CPA) assessment instrument was used based on the observation of a sample of 694 children aged 5 years who were enrolled in the second cycle of child education in the province of Albacete. The results show that those children who performed extracurricular activities related to physical activities and sports had a greater development of laterality and postural tonic control than those who did not attend this type of activities. At the same time, differences were found in the affective and relational levels and in the perceptual-motor aspects in favor of children who have siblings compared with children who are only children. There is no other research that addresses both issues in the same study, and this is a strength of the present study.

Introducción: la Competencia Digital (CD) es una característica necesaria en la práctica docente, más aún en la situación actual de pandemia. Analizarla de acuerdo con variables que puedan influir en su desarrollo resulta fundamental para poder realizar propuestas de intervención y formación focalizadas en perfiles de docentes que así lo requieren. El objetivo principal de esta investigación es conocer, describir y analizar la CD (habilidades y actitudes hacia el uso pedagógico de la tecnología) de docentes españoles de diversos niveles educativos. Método: se han aplicado dos cuestionarios elaborados “ad hoc” para la presente investigación a una muestra de 241 profesores españoles de diversos niveles educativos. Se ha estudiado mediante estadística no paramétrica si existen diferencias en la CD según el género y el nivel educativo y mediante análisis de correlaciones su relación con la edad y los años de experiencia. Resultados: se ha encontrado que la CD autopercibida es mayor en hombres que en mujeres, aunque la actitud es más favorable en las mujeres. Respecto al nivel se ha encontrado que la habilidad autopercibida es similar en los docentes de primaria, secundaria y universidad, sin embargo, la actitud es más favorable en estos últimos. Finalmente hay correlación negativa entre la edad y los años de experiencia con la habilidad en el manejo de dispositivos digitales y aplicaciones multiplataforma. Discusión: se encuentra una buena valoración por parte de los docentes respecto a sus habilidades para usar la tecnología, considerando que tienen mejor habilidad en los dispositivos digitales que en las aplicaciones multiplataforma.

Diagnosis of attitudes towards ICT of university students: analysis of differences according to gender and study modality

The present research aimed to develop the Checklist of Psychomotor Activities (CPA) to measure psychomotor development in 5-6 year old children. We recruited 694 preschool children in the province of Albacete; their teachers were trained to use and complete this instrument to gather data for testing its psychometric properties (reliability, and content, construct, and discriminant validity). The CPA is composed of three subtests measuring children’s performance in motor, perceptual, and emotional–social aspects of psychomotor functioning. To gather evidence of content validity, we applied the Delphi method, based on the comments of seven judges. We assessed construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis, and we tested discriminant validity by comparing the scores of premature and typically developing children and separate groups of children defined by their body mass index. We found adequate item consistency on each scale and evidence of validity from the various methods outlined. We conclude that the CPA is an effective and comprehensive tool for the assessment of psychomotor skills in children at this important stage of development.