Research Skills in Education: Challenges and Opportunities Vol. 19, No. 2 (July-December 2024)

Posted on 2023-10-04

CALL FOR PAPERS 
Vol. 19, No. 2 (July-December 2024)

Monographic Section

Research Skills in Education: Challenges and Opportunities

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Thematic Editors:

  • Dr. José Sánchez-Santamaría, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)
  • Dr. Brenda Boroel Cervantes, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Mexico)
  • Dr. Gabriela de la Cruz Flores, IISUE-Universidad Autónoma Nacional de México (Mexico)

Focus

Education is geared to the contribution of democratic and critical citizenship in the framework of human rights, with direct implications for the economic, cultural, and social development. The quality of this promotion and social dynamization depends, among other factors, on the competence of educational professionals, where there are key aspects such as initial training in competencies and their relationship with professional performance.

Nowadays, it is increasingly important to conduct educational interventions informed by scientific evidence, because it is necessary to provide answers as adjusted and adapted as possible to the complexity of social challenges, and to do so with real and evident impact from an educational equity perspective, i.e., creating contexts, promoting processes and using training resources for successful learning of all university students (Boroel Cervantes and Sánchez-Santamaría, 2021; Sánchez-Santamaría, 2021), as well as of education professionals. In all this, artificial intelligence opens new implications already influencing the way of teaching and learning the research competence in education (Sánchez-Santamaría and Olmedo-Moreno, 2023).

Among the competencies that involve the training and professional profile in education, research competence is undoubtedly one of the most important in this intervention approach (Gess, Geiger and Ziegler, 2019; Sánchez-Santamaría, 2023). It is a competition that allows the activation of capacities and skills linked to systematic observation, planned inquiry, complex analyzes and critical reflection of educational reality (Sánchez-Santamaría, 2013; Sánchez-Santamaría and Morales, 2014; Alvarado, León and Colon, 2016; Ain, Sabir and Willison, 2019; Huddleston and Bomd, 2019; Salmento, Murtonen and Kiley, 2021; Calí, Martínez-Fernández, París-Mañas, Sánchez-Martí and García-Ravidá 2022). In this regard, it can be defined as “the ability to conduct rigorous research in the field of education, including the formulation of research questions, the identification and use of appropriate research methods and techniques, the collection and analysis of data, the interpretation of results and the effective communication of findings to various audiences” (Bates and Sandra 2021, p. 3). Its transversal character, and in a more synthetic and applied way to education, implies understanding it as “the ability to raise and solve research problems through the rigorous application of the scientific method and the use of appropriate tools and techniques” (Villa and Poblete, 2016, p. 35). From this position, research can be considered as an instrument at the service of understanding and transforming educational phenomena (Lagunes Domínguez, Flores García, Torres Gastelú and Ortiz Muñoz, 2019; Sabariego-Puig, Cano, Gros and Pique, 2020), from evidence that inform decision-making to adjust the intervention to the real demands and needs of the citizenry, and to improve professional practice in interdisciplinary, complex work contexts and under ethical criteria (De los Ángeles and Flores, 2023).

Training, updating, and improving research skills can contribute to professional development and have implications on the design of public policies and their implementation in innovative educational programs and actions (Leyva-Aguilar, 2023; Sánchez-Santamaría, 2023). Thus, the ability of education professionals to develop research skills and apply scientific approaches is a key aspect to promote equity and improve educational quality, while promoting the advancement of educational knowledge from an educational equity perspective.

This monographic edition aims to gather and disseminate original research, case studies and literature reviews on research competence in education from various methodological approaches and educational contexts. It seeks to offer a space for debate and scientific reflection to share innovative approaches, successful practices and challenges related to the development and strengthening of research competence among education professionals, both from initial training and lifelong learning.

Among the topics that can be presented to this monographic edition are:

  • Epistemological and conceptual references on research competence.
  • States of the art and systematic reviews and meta-analysis of research competence from the initial and permanent training of education professionals.
  • Evaluation of research competence in education and training professionals.
  • Impact of training in research methods on the performance of professional.
  • Effective strategies for training in research competence in the initial training of educational professionals.
  • The sense, function, and implications of research competence in education training and practice.
  • Factors that influence the development of research competence in the educational field.
  • Collaboration between teachers and other educational actors to strengthen the research competence.
  • Measurement and evaluation of research competence in career management.
  • Good practices in the development of curricular competence in the initial training of teachers and education professionals.
  • The role attributed to ethics in teaching and learning of research competence in education.
  • Experiences of innovation and educational transformation based on research competence.
  • The impact of artificial intelligence and computation in the development of research competence.
  • The limits and possibilities of research competence within the current plans of university and professional training.
  • The continuities and discontinuities of research competence in the relationship between theory and practice.
  • Conceptions, uses, valuations and impact of research competence in the practice of students and educational professionals.
  • Innovative proposals for the didactic approach through methodologies, strategies and resources for teaching and learning of research competence in education.

However, this monographic edition aims to provide a comprehensive view of research competence in education, both from a theoretical and practical perspective, emphasizing its importance to contribute to promote educational processes based on equity (Boroel Cervantes and Sánchez-Santamaría, 2021). It seeks to promote dialogue and exchange of ideas, as well as evidence and quality experiences among all those interested in research competence, with the ultimate aim of deepening their knowledge and understanding of their meaning and implications on successful educational processes for all (Sánchez-Santamaría and Aliaga, 2021).

References

Ain, C. T., Sabir, F., & Willison, J. (2019). Research skills that men and women developed at university and then used in workplaces. Studies in Higher Education, 44(12), 2346–2358. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1496412

Alvarado, F. C., León, M. P., & Colon, A. M. O. (2016). Design and validation of a questionnaire to measure research skills: Experience with engineering students. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 6(3), 219–233. https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.227

Bates, R. J., & Sangra, A. (2021). Competency-Based Education and Research in University Settings. In J. E. Miller & K. L. Stomberg (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Competency-Based Education in University Settings (pp. 1-13). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-6873-2.ch001

Boroel Cervantes, B., & Sánchez-Santamaría, J. (2021). Educación exitosa para todos y todas: experiencias y prácticas en Educación Superior.  Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. 

Calí, A. C., Martínez-Fernández, J. R., Mañas, G. P., Martí, A. S., & García-Ravidá, L. B. (2022). The research competence: Acquisition and development among undergraduates in Education Sciences. Frontiers in Education, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.836165

De Los Ángeles Sánchez Trujillo, M., & Flores, E. A. R. (2023). Estrategias para mejorar las competencias investigativas en un contexto virtual de aprendizaje. Human Review, 18(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.37467/revhuman.v18.4860

Gess, C., Geiger, C., & Ziegler, M. (2019). Social-scientific research competency validation of test score interpretations for evaluative purposes in higher education. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 35(5), 737–750. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000451

Huddleston, B., & Bomd, J. (2019). Faculty Perspectives on Undergraduate Research Skills. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 59(2), 118–130. http://bit.ly/45T8iQb

Lagunes Domínguez, A., Flores García, M. A., Torres Gastelú, C. A., & Ortiz Muñoz, A. F. (2019). Red RIMCI para mejorar la competencia investigadora en estudiantes universitarios en Iberoamérica. Revista RELEP 2, 17–23. https://doi.org/10.46990/relep.2019.2.1.402

Leyva-Aguilar, G. (2023). Development of research competence in education: systematic review of literature. Russian Law Journal, 11(4), 125-136. https://bit.ly/3t4951Q

Sabariego-Puig, M., Cano, A. B., Gros, B., & Piqué, B. (2020). Competencia investigadora e investigación formativa en la formación inicial del docente. Contextos Educativos. Revista De Educación, 2(26), 239–259. https://doi.org/10.18172/con.4326

Salmento, H., Murtonen, M., & Kiley, M. (2021). Understanding teacher education students’ research competence through their conceptions of theory. Frontiers in Education, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.763803

Sánchez-Santamaría, J. (2013). Diseño y validación de un cuestionario sobre el desarrollo de competencias de investigación educativas. Congreso Internacional sobre Investigación e Innovación Educativa al Servicio de Instituciones y Comunidades Globales, Plurales y Diversas (págs. 1695-1703). Universitat d'Alacant.

Sánchez-Santamaría, J. (2021). Capital profesional y la educación informada por la evidencia en lineamiento con los retos de la escuela para la transformación social. 8º Congreso Internacional de Educación Inclusiva y Familia. CRESUR. 2021. México.

Sánchez-Santamaría, J. (2023). La competencia investigadora en Educación Social. UCLM.

Sánchez-Santamaría, J. y Morales, C. (2014). Desarrollando competencias de investigación a través de metodologías activas. Contextos Educativos. Revista de Educación, 17(1), 23-44. https://bit.ly/46dailV

Sánchez-Santamaría, J., & Aliaga, F. (2021). Una docencia universitaria en transformación en tiempos de COVID-19: la XV Reunión del área MIDE (Cuenca, 20+1). Aula Magna 2.0. Revistas Científicas de Educación en Red [Blog], 1-10. https://bit.ly/44WSA52

Sánchez-Santamaría, J., & Olmedo-Moreno, E. (2023). El despertar de la inteligencia artificial: implicaciones para la competencia investigadora en educación. Aula Magna 2.0. Revistas Científicas de Educación en Red [Blog], 1-14. https://bit.ly/3sR0Ztq

Villa, A., & Poblete, M. (2016). Competencias en investigación científica: una propuesta desde la formación inicial de docentes en Chile. Perspectiva Educacional, 55(2), 27-42. https://doi.org/10.4151/07189729-2016-02-002

 

Descriptors

  1. Research competence.
  2. Initial Teacher Training.
  3. Lifelong Learning.
  4. Competencies.
  5. Educational research.
  6. Methodological training.
  7. Research Designs.
  8. Ethics of research.
  9. Qualitative methods.
  10. Quantitative methods.
  11. Mixed methods.
  12. Education professionals.
  13. Academic competencies.
  14. Gender perspective.
  15. Reflective practice.

Issues

The key issues of this paper are: 

  • What concepts of research competence exist? What are their points of union, tension or conflict that boost the scientific debate on this issue?
  • What are the positions or discourses around methodological training in research skills?
  • What skills, knowledge and attitudes are being used to develop research competence in the training of educational professionals?
  • What is the impact of the initial and continuing training programs for male and female education professionals?
  • What is the impact of training in research methods on the performance of students and professionals in their pedagogical practices?
  • What teaching and learning strategies promote the development of research competence between university and pre-university students?
  • What are the main challenges and barriers that education professionals face in developing their research skills, and how can they be overcome?
  • How do institutional and contextual factors influence the development of teachers' research competence?
  • What are the differences in research competence between professionals from different areas or educational levels?
  • What is the role of collaboration between teachers and other educational actors in strengthening research competence in education?
  • What implications does artificial intelligence have for training in research competence?

About the Thematic Editors

Dr. José Sánchez-Santamaría, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), (jose.ssantamaria@uclm.es)  

Bachelor and Doctor of Education. Master in Social Education and Expert Diploma in University Teaching. Professor of Educational Equity at the University of Castilla-La-Mancha (UCLM-Spain). Coordinator of the Research Group on Guidance, Quality and Equity in Education of the UCLM. His research interest includes educational equity, competency training, educational evaluation and reflective practice. He is committed to working for an evidence-informed pedagogical practice from an equity perspective. He has spent time researching and teaching in Portugal, Finland, Belgium and Mexico. He has more than 70 articles published in international and national journals, as well as more than 80 book chapters and books. He has also participated in more than 110 international and national congresses on the topics of research. He has managed several research and educational transfer projects. Since 2018, he is associate editor of RELIEVE - eJournal of Educational Research and Evaluation indexed in Scopus (Q2), previously has been associate editor of the Spanish Journal of Orientation and Psychopedagogy (REOP) indexed in Scopus (Q2) since 2014-2018). He has been guest editor of Revista de Docencia Universitaria (2014), REALIA (2014) and Education Forum (2023).

Dr. Brenda Boroel Cervantes, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Mexico), (brenda.boroel@uabc.edu.mx)  

Doctorate in Educational Sciences. Research Professor of the Faculty of Administrative and Social Sciences - UABC. Profile PRODEP, Member of the Academic Council in Consolidation: Evaluation, School Relations and Health. Member of GRIOCE Research Group. Member of the National System of Researchers Level C. Research lines: Assessment of the professional profile in higher education, Educational equity and processes of school accompaniment, and professional competences.

Dr. Gabriela de la Cruz Flores, IISUE-Universidad Autónoma Nacional de México (Mexico), (gabydc@unam.mx)  

Doctorate in Psychology with emphasis in Education graduated by the Faculty of Psychology, UNAM. Full-time Senior Researcher A at the University and Education Research Institute (IISUE-UNAM) for an open competition. She has participated in projects related to the evaluation of teaching and tutoring in higher education, as well as in the design of instruments for evaluating performance. From 2016 to 2018 she conducted the project “Educational Equity: Inclusion and Exclusion in Higher Secondary Education” (PAPIIT, IN30016). Currently, she is co-responsible of the project “The continuous transformation of teachers in high school in the context of the National System of Educational Evaluation: Interinstitutional Comparative Study (289207), financed with the Sectoral Fund CONACyT-INEE (2018-2019). In addition, she participates in the inter-institutional project entitled “Analysis of academic regimes to favor teaching and learning in higher secondary education (PAPIIT, IG300619) effective from 2019 to 2021. She has more than 50 participations in national and international congresses on education and psychology. She has published as first author in peer-reviewed journals and is the author of several chapters. She is a member of the Mexican Council for Educational Research (COMIE) and since 2009 she has been part of the National Researchers System (Level I). At the international level, she is a member of the Spanish Society of Pedagogy (SEP), belongs to the Ibero-American research group called Educative Technology and Social Research (TEIS) and to the Network of Educational Research and Innovation (REDINE). She has participated as an evaluator of the Iberoamerican Graduate University Association (AUIP). Tutor in the postgraduate programs of Medical, Dental and Health Sciences, Pedagogy and MADEMS at UNAM. At the bachelor's level she is a professor of final A in the Faculty of Psychology. She is currently director of the University and Education Research Institute of UNAM (Mexico). 

Instructions and submission of proposals

“Alteridad” preferentially publishes results of empirical research, written in Spanish, English or Portuguese; studies and selected state-of-the-art are also admissible. For the Miscellaneous section there are permanent contributions within the educational subject.

Articles must be sent exclusively through the journal's website. The procedure requires all authors to register, but only one will be responsible for correspondence. Two files must be submitted simultaneously:

      1. The article in accordance with the guidelines of “Alteridad”.

      2. Cover page and cover letter according to the attached model.

Links

Website of «Alteridad»
Register of authors
Guidelines of «Alteridad»
Cover page and cover letter
Revission protocol

Important dates

Deadline for submitting the files: April 01, 2024
Date of publication: July 01, 2024