The article “La educación en valores en revistas académicas hispanoamericanas (2001-2020)”, written by Maria Rosa Buxarrais and Levy Farías Navarro, has been recently published in Márgenes, Revista de Educación de la Universidad de Málaga.

Abstract
“The exponential increase of publications requires new approaches for reviewing academic literatures. With reflexive criteria and digital tools this study reviewed 200 articles about values education, published in Spanish, online and with open access in the last 20 years, obtained through the “Red Iberoamericana de Innovación y Conocimiento Científico”, REDIB©. Method: The main analysis was performed with the “topic modelling LDA” application, available in the open code software Orange© (3.32). Results: Close reading showed a substantial increase of empiric studies from the first to the second decade, but distant reading, by way of topic modelling, did not show other clear chronological trends. However, once the corpora were reorganized according to geographical criteria (Spain, Cuba and Other Spanish-speaking countries), more easily interpretable differences were noted. As complementary procedure, the five resultant corpora were automatically scored according to the presence of some disciplinary denominations, and a few selected authors, mainly from the evolutive-cognitive tradition of moral psychology. Cuban texts, on average, differed from the rest due to their political rather than academic perspectives, and their more frequent references to medical sciences. Discussion: Overall, the study shows several reasons for concern, about the unequal participation in values education studies across the region, insufficient levels of theoretical substantiation, and scarce international dialogue. Finally, some reflections are made about the distant reading procedures employed, and also about the need of counteracting the current marginalisation of values education and other intrinsically humanistic related fields “.

The article “Hybrid Education in Catalan Secondary Schools: Digital Competence as a Key Factor”, written by Núria Castells Gómez, Juan Llanes Ordóñez, Marc Fuertes-Alpiste, Marta Gràcia Garcia, Carles Lindín and Maria Rosa Buxarrais, has been recently published in Revista de Investigación Educativa.

Abstract
“The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on compulsory formal education and various responses were given to the lack of face-to-face attendance: from the most improvised (emergency remote teaching model) to more informed practices of digital education, such as the hybrid educational model. This non-experimental, descriptive-inferential study aims to investigate whether the self-perceived digital teaching skills (SDTS) by teachers (n=346) and the self- perceived digital skills (SDS) by students (n=1322) and families (n=531) from 15 secondary education schools in Catalonia are related to variables of virtual/online education in the model of hybrid education: teaching and learning activities; assessment proposals; aid provided and received to promote learning. A specific online questionnaire was prepared for each group of participants. The results indicate that a high level of SDTC by teachers is related to more inno- vative methodological and assessment proposals, and, in the case of students, their SDS are related with a better predisposition to learn online, while in families we found no relationship between the SDS and the help received and provided to their children. The conclusions point to the need to promote a higher level of digital teaching skills in teachers to guarantee more suitable hybrid education practices and to foster digital competences in students”.

The article is available, free of charge, in the Articles Section.

The article “Work-family balance in times of COVID-19: survey-study”, authored by Maria Rosa Buxarrais (UB), Juan Llanes Ordóñez (UB) and Angelina Sánchez-Martí (UAB) has been recently published in the journal Cogent Education.

Abstract

“The COVID-19 pandemic has led transformative changes worldwide, significantly affecting work-family balance. This cross-sectional survey study conducted during the early stages of the global pandemic (April-to-May 2020) presents findings from a snowball convenience sample of 383 employed adults with children in Spain. It delves into the evolving dynamics of work-family conciliation during confinement. The study findings unveil two distinct family profiles: those grappling with substantial work-family challenges (63.9%) and those experiencing minimal disruptions (36.3%). Noteworthy are the significant gender-related differences, family size, and the perception of personal freedom as pivotal factors shaping these profiles. The current study underscores the urgency of democratizing family life and elevating work-family conciliation as a core element of values education in a post-pandemic world“.

The article is available, free of charge, in the Articles Section.

The article “Towards a post-democratic era? Moral education against new forms of authoritarianism“, authored by Dr. Maria Rosa Buxarrais (Univ. of Barcelona), Dr. Vicent Gozálvez (Univ. of Valencia) and Dr. Cruz Pérez (Univ. of Valencia), was published online yesterday in The Journal of Moral Education.

Abrastract

“Educating in a convulsed political context demands a detailed analysis of the new circumstances of our times, especially the current democracy crisis. According to the latest reports issued by international evaluation organisations, one of the greatest challenges for democratic citizenship is the emergence and rise of authoritarianism within the framework of the so-called post-democracy, and also in the manifestations known as illiberal democracy. Moral and civic education has to respond to this challenge. With this in mind, we propose revitalising a participative and deliberative democracy model, rethinking the basic values in citizens’ education, redefining the relation between what is public and what is private, and empowering sensitivity and free creation in the new maker culture“.

The article is available, free of charge, in the Articles Section.
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Last month, the book The International Handbook of Teacher Ethos, edited by Fritz Oser, Karin Heinrichs, Johannes Bauer and Terence Lovat has been published by Springer. Among its 27 chapters, the handbook includes “Teacher’s Ethos and Moral and Professional Identity“, authored by Dr. Buxarrais.

From the Introduction of the handbook:

This volume is the first handbook that brings together cutting-edge international research on teacher ethos from a broad array of disciplines. The main focus will be on research that illustrates current conceptualizations of ethos and its importance for acting effectively and responsibly in and out of the classroom. Research will encompass updated empirical and philosophical work that points to the difference in learning when teaching is practised as a moral activity instead of a merely functional one. Authors are among the world’s foremost researchers whose work crosses over from moral education into psychology, neuroscience, sociology, philosophy, pedagogy, and curriculum, drawing on these various fields of research.

Abstract of Dr. Buxarrais’ chapter: “Teacher’s Ethos and Moral and Professional Identity“

The professional identity of teachers and the moral dimensions of their work and authority are issues increasingly challenging in contemporary, global and diverse societies. This chapter addresses them, at first in theoretical terms, discussing the tension between the initial idealism of novice teachers versus the growing realism of experienced teachers, the tension between vocation and profession, and teacher’s ethos. Secondly, in empirical terms, based upon 19 face-to-face semi-structured interviews with experienced professionals, from public and private schools in Catalonia, pointed out by their peers as examples of good teachers. Their responses about the features that define a “good teacher” are analysed according to the attributed: (a) personal characteristics; (b) capacities; (c) ethical values; and (d) competences. Overall, their views underscore the importance of establishing positive and caring relations with pupils, fostering mutual trust among them, and educating them in values and morals, at least implicitly, by example. Also considered are variables such as the moral leadership of teachers in the classroom, their social and emotional skills, and their self- knowledge. Finally, the implications of the study are put in the context of the Model of Moral Personality Construction, which integrates key elements of other approaches to Character Education.