Dolores Villena-Martínez

Transversal competences are essential for the sustainability of higher education degrees, particularly programmes which prepare students to serve as educators at critical developmental stages. This study aimed to determine the empathic profiles of 206 university teachers in Early Childhood and Primary Education degrees at a Spanish university. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index scale was used to measure empathy whilst data was also collected on sociodemographic and work-related information. The results revealed that the participants showed high empathy values across all dimensions except for empathic stress, indicating signs of healthy empathy. Additionally, differences were observed according to gender. The implications of the results are discussed in terms of the benefits of fostering empathy as a transversal competence in both teachers and students in teacher education programmes Keywords: Empathy, higher education, teacher education, transversal competencies

In this empirical study, we address the relationship between the dimensions of learning in higher education (i.e., student engagement, approaches to learning, and satisfaction with learning) and sustainability (i.e., austerity altruistic, pro-ecological and equitable behavior). The results demonstrate that there is a positive linear relationship between engagement with learning and deep and strategic approaches, motivation and strategies, and altruistic, equitable and pro-ecological behavior. Austerity, however, only correlated with high dedication to learning. Satisfaction with learning was associated with altruistic and equitable behavior and an overall measure of sustainability, and was independently associated with austerity and pro-ecological behavior. Engagement with learning was associated with sustainable behavior, especially with altruistic and pro-ecological behavior in its three expressions, namely, vigor, absorption and dedication. In contrast, austerity was found to be only associated with engagement with learning. As a whole, and in line with Bronfenbrenner’s theory, the results of this study suggest that the aforementioned systems are interconnected and mutually influence each other.

Although previous research projects have highlighted the pro-environment and pro-sustainability attitudes of traditional spirituality and religions, there is a lack of studies that explore the way in which expressions of different types of religion and spirituality, as well as measures of belief and non-belief, are related to the evocation of sustainable behaviors. This study, conducted with emerging adults, analysed the relationships between measures of the image of God, religious orientation, the importance of religion and spirituality, religious/spiritual experience, paranormal beliefs and non-belief (religious, spiritual and atheism), as well as altruistic, frugal, environmentally-friendly and equitable behaviors. The results were found to be consistent with the pro-environment character attributed to religion, as well as non-traditional forms of spirituality, indicating their link with sustainable behavior, particularly the measures focusing on belief/non-belief. They also highlighted an effect of the measures of religion/spirituality, indicating the benefit of using multivariate approaches of a qualitative and quantitative nature.

Although some research has suggested means of promoting spiritual development in higher education, no systematic studies or literature reviews have been conducted to know what sources are most used for the spiritual growth of university students. This aspect was studied in a sample of 309 Spanish university students (Mean age = 21.40, range 18–25). The used sources were (in descending order) as follows: the practice of a virtuous behavior, cognitive-reflexive, nature-based, cultural, and religious sources. Women showed a higher use of cognitive-reflective and virtuous behavior-based sources. Age was related only and negatively to the use of religious sources. These results are consistent with previous studies indicating a greater religiosity in women and a lesser importance of religion in contemporary society and, particularly, in the life of young adults. However, taken as a whole, they indicate the importance of sociological and cultural aspects, in particular of the movement from traditional religiosity to religious indifference and dissatisfaction with institutional religion and/or toward spiritual movements linked to humanistic religions and spiritualities of life. It also points out the need to use a variety of strategies to foster the spiritual development of students.

La Universidad española viene experimentando cambios profundos en todos sus ámbitos y facetas que cuestionan las formas habituales de abordar la docencia y el aprendizaje, y también la tutoría y orientación universitarias, haciendo de éstas últimas una necesidad incapaz de ser atendida desde fórmulas tradicionales. La creación de unidades de orientación a nivel de centro universitario constituye una iniciativa todavía no muy extendida. Éstas implican una planificación, diseño y posterior ejecución de acciones de orientación dirigidas a todos los estudiantes y profesores de un centro universitario. El apoyo al profesorado, la coordinación entre los distintos agentes universitarios que pueden estar relacionados con un mismo tipo de acciones, y el aprovechamiento óptimo de los recursos disponibles caracterizan este modo particular de organizar la orientación. En el presente artículo se describe la Unidad de Orientación de Centro de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad de Granada, el contexto legal, político, conceptual/ideológico e institucional en el que surge, su estructura organizativa y las acciones llevadas a cabo mediante un modelo de funcionamiento por programas. Por último, se realiza una valoración de las limitaciones y potencialidades encontradas durante los dos primeros años de su implantación concluyendo la importancia de la dinamización de la orientación en el centro, del trabajo coordinado del profesorado y la satisfacción de necesidades emergentes del alumnado, la necesidad afrontar resistencias diversas propias de la vida universitaria, y el valor de las unidades de orientación de centro como elemento de calidad de la educación superior.