Drinking water is a scarce resource and the problems associated with its poor management and conservation are generating significant imbalances in the well-being of society, human health, and the environment. This research paper aims to determine the level of environmental awareness of primary school students in Spain (n = 95) of the management, use, and sustainable care of water, before and after applying a training program that allows working on the contents of water, from the different dimensions and shortcomings of environmental awareness identified in the paper. The study was undertaken from a mixed Research and Development approach (R&D), with an exploratory sequential design [QUAL(quan) → QUAL(quan)], in which, initially, a qualitative content analysis of the students’ drawings was carried out, to subsequently apply a number of complementary quantitative analyses. The qualitative phase involved the elaboration of a mixed category (deductive-inductive) system that allowed for the organization and interpretation of the information obtained. The results of this work reveal low levels of knowledge about the integral water cycle. Primary school students also show a low degree of responsibility towards water issues. The conclusions of this study point to the need to address content related to water care and conservation in the educational curriculum from a multidimensional and interdisciplinary approach, in order to understand the origin and impact of water problems.

Resumen: El aprendizaje basado en competencias ha supuesto una transformación de la Educación Superior para atender las actuales demandas de formación. El uso de la rúbrica en las universidades es considerado un instrumento de innovación docente que favorece la evaluación de competencias. Sin embargo, aún no existe un cuerpo sólido de conocimiento que aporte evidencias del uso que hacen los docentes de la rúbrica como instrumento de evaluación. En este trabajo se analizaron 59 rúbricas de diferentes docentes de tres universidades españolas. El análisis comparado permite conocer cómo se están utilizando las rúbricas para evaluar, o no, competencias. También, se observa el tipo de tareas sobre las que se aplican, así como los aspectos técnicos y pedagógicos considerados por los docentes en su diseño. Los resultados muestran que el enfoque por competencias no forma parte aún de la práctica docente habitual, y que existen relevantes carencias en el diseño y uso de rúbricas para la evaluación. Del mismo modo, las conclusiones permiten detectar necesidades formativas del profesorado que desea utilizar rúbricas para evaluar por competencias. Competency-based learning has produced a transformation of higher education to meet the current demands of training. The use of rubric at universities is considered an innovative teaching tool that promotes a competency evaluation for both students and professors. However, there’s still not a solid field of knowledge to provide evidence of the rubric use made by educators as skills evaluation tool. In this paper, 59 rubrics by several educators and three Spanish universities were analyzed. The comparative analysis lets us know how professors are using rubrics to evaluate or not competencies. Moreover, the type of tasks for its use is considered, as well as technical and pedagogical aspects that professors include in its design. The results show that competency-based learning is not yet integrated into usual teaching practice, and there are relevant gaps in the design and use of rubrics for evaluation. Furthermore, the conclusions can identify training needs of faculty to use rubrics to evaluate competencies.

Competency-based learning requires making changes in the higher education model in response to current socio-educational demands. Rubrics are an innovative educational tool for competence evaluation, for both students and educators. Ever since arriving at the university systems, the application of rubrics in evaluation programs has grown progressively. However, there is yet to be a solid body of knowledge regarding the use of rubrics as an evaluation tool. This study analyzes the use of rubrics by 150 teachers at 5 Spanish universities. The comparative analysis allows us to determine how these rubrics are being used to assess (or not) competencies. This study examines the educators’ intentions and the pedagogical aspects that are considered in the design and application of rubrics. The results and conclusions may lead to suggestions for improvements and strategies that may be implemented by university professors when creating appropriate competency-based scoring rubrics.

Environmental education plays a fundamental role in the fight against climate change and the transformation towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly socio-economic model. This study shows how to evaluate the effectiveness of a program for compulsory education students in Spain. The subject of the program focused on the effects of climate change in relation to our consumption model and the generation of waste. A mixed research methodology is proposed that combines a quantitative (10 items on the Likert scale, n = 714) and qualitative approach (category construction and analysis on open-ended questions). A study of the reliability and validity of the measure was carried out through a categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA). The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) correlates the gender and educational level of the students to the learning acquired in the program. For example, the results show how students are convinced that adopting minimal pro-environmental habits (turning off lights and unplugging electronics, choosing public transport to get around, or using solar and wind power to produce electricity) can help mitigate climate change. The conclusions show the difficulties and challenges of education for responsible consumption, emphasizing the development of environmental education programs for reducing the effects of climate change.

The discharge of hygienic waste down domestic drains has become a socio-environmental problem that is causing serious damage to aquatic ecosystems and wastewater management systems. In this paper, we report the results of our study to determine the effectiveness of an environmental education (EE) program to raise awareness of this problem among primary school students. A longitudinal study was carried out using a survey methodology. A questionnaire, including Likert-scale items, was designed (n = 4362). A study of the reliability and validity of the measure was carried out using validations conducted by experts, Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient, factor analysis, and the categorical analysis of principal components (CATPCA). The analyses showed that there were significant differences between the educational cycles of primary education and two different versions of the program. For example, a second version of the EA program, with a more positive approach, produced an improvement in the acquisition of knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes regarding the development of good habits concerning the use of household drains. The conclusions show the suitability of this cross-sectoral EE program for actively involving students and their families in the proper management of household hygienic waste.