Now showing 1 - 10 of 19
No Thumbnail Available
Publication

University Students’ Rejection to Learning Statistics: Research from a Latin American Standpoint

2023 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Ramos V. , Cruz Cárdenas, Jorge , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica

Introduction: Negative beliefs, fear, avoidance behaviors, and superficial attitudes surrounding the learning of statistics create significant problems for university students in Latin America. Objective: To analyze the impact of fearful behavior, superficial work, and avoidance displayed by university students when it comes to statistics. Method: In this article, we give details about a quantitative research project carried out by two independent studies. The first (N = 310) focused on the development of a scale to assess negative beliefs, fears, and avoidance behaviors towards statistics, in which goodness of fit was determined in a 3-factor model. In the second study (N = 250), it was hypothesized that undergraduates perform superficially due to negative beliefs and avoidance behaviors when learning statistics. Findings: The proposed model explained 42% of the variance. In addition, in the analysis of the proposed mediation model, an adequate adjustment was found. In the discussion of this research project, the need to intervene in the negative beliefs, fears, and avoidance behaviors displayed by university students towards statistics is highlighted. Novelty: This research project explains why college students dislike or avoid learning statistics in depth. The findings will allow for a modification in the way statistics is taught so that Latin American professionals achieve better performance in this field. © 2023 by the authors. Licensee ESJ, Italy.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Virtual Tours of Museums to Promote Tourism

2024 , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica

Museums represent a collection of ancient and modern knowledge which must be protected, disseminated, and transmitted in the best viable way. Digital development and technology in recent years have made it possible to transform the way of interacting with museums through virtual tours (Palmieri et al in Springer Series in Design and Innovation, pp 71–82, 2023 [1]), which gained strength in times of pandemic, the products generated for virtual tours range from physical reproductions/faithful virtual images of historical artifacts to digital libraries that can be used by experts and others, in addition to 360º technology which allows a 360° viewing angle to be covered in two axes. That is, we can see everything around the point where it was made the photo or video. In this article, the virtual tours offered by some museums are analyzed, as well as the use of these tours as a tourism marketing strategy, giving the user the opportunity to interact with the place they plan to visit in a new way (Cóndor-Herrera and Ramos-Galarza in Marketing and smart technologies. Smart innovation, systems and technologies, pp 443–449, 2022 [2]). © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

The role of executive functions in academic performance and behaviour of university students

2020 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Acosta-Rodas P. , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica , Lepe-Martínez N.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is fourfold: first, to analyse the relationship between executive functions and academic performance; second, to identify the level of prediction executive functions have on academic performance; third, to determine the correlation between executive functions and academic performance; and fourth, to compare executive functions based on the level of academic performance. Design/methodology/approach: The sample composed of 175 university students aged between 18 and 36 years (M=21.49, SD=3.22). The EFECO scale, the average student grade and a scale based on the diagnostic criteria for ADHD were used as measurement instruments. Findings: Difficulties in executive functions: Difficulties in working memory (r=−0.30, p=<0.01) and difficulties in conscious supervision of behaviour (r=−0.29, p⩽0.01) have an inversely proportional relationship to academic performance (the greater the deficit of executive functions, the lower the academic performance). The regression analysis showed that executive functions explain 31 per cent of the variance of academic performance (χ2(25)=43.81, p <0.001). The study found that there is a relationship between all the executive functions and students’ behaviour in a medium to large magnitude. Research limitations/implications: A limitation of this study was the size of the sample as it is not representative of the country. Nevertheless, the correlation among the variables studied here has the necessary magnitude for the proposed correlations to be found. Nonetheless, it is necessary that we perform a study with a larger number of participants in order to achieve adequate extrapolation of the results. Practical implications: Data found in this study suggest that low academic performance of university students is related to a lower functionality of their executive functions. Originality/value: The originality of the research lies in relating specific concepts of neuropsychology to explain the academic performance of university students. The research findings allow us to project new studies to improve the executive functions for the benefit of the university student. © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Impact of Technological Development on Human Cognitive Functioning

2024 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Patricia García-Cruz , Cruz Cárdenas, Jorge , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica

Human beings have several cognitive functions (memory, attention, language, perception, executive functions and others) that allow them to perform all their daily activities. In the context of the stimulation of human cognitive functions, classic activities based on tangible resources such as pencil and paper have been developed. In this context, there is an opportunity for technological development to make proposals to create games that stimulate human mental abilities. In this context, this article reports a quantitative systematic review of research about games to cognitive stimulation. Among the main results obtained, games that stimulate skills such as perception, attention, memory, executive functions, psychomotor skills and information processing speed were identified. The following are some of the results processed in this systematic review.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

From Face-to-Face Learning to Virtual Learning: Students’ Perspective

2023 , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Cruz Cárdenas, Jorge

This article reports the results found in an investigation which analyzed the perception that students have regarding the virtual learning process developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 38 students from a Latin American institution whose age ranged from 13 to 15 years of age, who carried out their academic activities virtually for a school year, once the school period ended, a survey was applied to collect information on the experience in virtual classes, once the results have been analyzed, it is evident that the vast majority of students issued responses in favor of virtual teaching and that virtual classes served to develop their skills in managing technological resources, on the other hand a number of participants They did not indicate the learning experience as positive or negative. This may be related to the fact that a group of participants did not have good quality internet. In the same way, the results reflect that the students consider that not having adequate equipment and good quality internet quality are a limitation in the learning process virtual lift. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Evaluation of Augmented Reality Applications for the Teaching-Learning Process

2024 , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica , Clemencia Marcayata-Fajardo

Different studies show that A.R. has been implemented in several areas of education with positive and encouraging results, for example, in the teaching of anatomy [1] in the literature [23] for reading comprehension, immersive learning [1], preschool education, creation of educational video games to name a few examples. Therefore, the present research project aimed to evaluate 3 augmented reality applications used in the learning of human body systems, the applications evaluated were: Virtualiti Tee, Merge Object Viewer and Humanoid 4d. The evaluation of the platforms focused on determining which one offered the best augmented reality animations, the quality of information on the subject, the design of each application, the best application from the students’ perspective, among other aspects evaluated. The population consisted of 81 people made up of 36 men and 45 women whose age varies between 13 and 16 years of age (Mage=14,074), the exogenous variables were controlled: gender, socioeconomic level, age and academic level, so these characteristics were homogeneous in all participants. The intervention project was worked on in 8 sessions with a duration of 40 min each, in the last session the data collection instrument was applied which consisted of a survey, once the instrument was applied, we proceeded with the analysis and processing of the data from which the following results are derived, according to 42% of the students, the best application to study the systems of the body 43% of students consider that the application that has the best animations with augmented reality is Virtualiti Tee and 53% indicated that the application that provides the most complete information on the subject is HUMANOID 4D.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Executive functions in university students from Chile and Ecuador: Dataset

2025 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Diego D. Díaz-Guerra , Marena de la C. Hernández-Lugo , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica , Yunier Broche-Pérez

Executive functions are high-level cognitive abilities that enable individuals to regulate their behavior and thought processes consciously. In the university setting, students must effectively utilize these functions to achieve success in both their personal and academic development. The key executive functions relevant to the university context include: the supervisory attentional system, deliberate emotional regulation, conscious monitoring of responsibilities, behavior verification for learning, task organization, conscious behavior regulation, and decision-making. This dataset comprises 1373 surveys from university students in Ecuador and Chile, aged between 17 and 33 years (Mage = 20.53, SD = 2.34). It includes descriptive statistical values for the sample, item responses, and detailed descriptions of each evaluated variable. This database is designed to facilitate further analysis of the Executive Functions Scale and the role of these cognitive skills in the university environment.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

The role of inhibitory control in the ability to solve problems of university students

2020 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Acosta-Rodas P. , Ortiz-Granja D. , Lepe-Martínez N. , Valle M.D. , Ramos V. , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica

The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of inhibitory control in the ability to solve problems of university students. The sample consisted of 90 young people with typical development (Mage= 20.58, SD= 1.27), 39 females (43.33%) and 51 males (56.7%). The Stroop and the Anillas' Test tasks were applied as instruments. As results, it was found a directly proportional and predictive relationship between inhibitory control and problem-solving of university students (correlation between: r= .34 and .47, p= <.01; prediction: r2= .14, F(1,88)= 13.88, p= <.01). It concludes by reflecting on the contribution of conscious control to solve problems faced by the university student on a day-to-day basis in an efficient way and invites future research in order to train inhibitory control. © 2020 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All rights reserved.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Systematic Review of Executive Function Stimulation Methods in the ADHD Population

2024 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Deyaneira Brito , Brayan Rodríguez , Brenda Guerrero , Cruz Cárdenas, Jorge , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica

Background/Objectives: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by elevated motor activity, impulsivity, and attention deficit. Approximately 5% of the population suffers from this disorder. Among the key explanations of ADHD, executive functions play an important role in understanding the symptomatology present in this disorder and in determining the main treatment strategies for affected patients. We present a systematic review that seeks to identify the treatment methods developed to support executive functions in individuals with ADHD. Methods: Articles were analyzed in the SCOPUS, PUBMED, and Science Direct databases. Initially, 739 articles were found. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 articles remained and were included in the data extraction process. Results: Among the primary treatments identified, 14 studies propose psychological training for executive functions, 9 studies recommend medication, 5 studies suggest digital interventions, and 1 study advocates for sports as beneficial for executive functions. Conclusions: The data are discussed around the need to develop new proposals to enhance the executive functions of individuals with ADHD, thereby improving their performance in educational, personal, social, and family activities impacted by this disorder.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Serious Games Created for Cognitive Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review

2024 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Patricia García-Cruz , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica

Cognitive rehabilitation is a process by which people who have suffered some type of brain impairment recover their mental abilities. This type of treatment has classically been carried out with concrete materials of pencil and paper, however, currently the use of technology has provided a significant contribution to improve the motivation and interest of patients involved in this process. In this research, a systematic review of the main studies that have generated some type of technology for the cognitive stimulation and rehabilitation process was carried out. In the collection of studies, 24 published articles were found that allowed understanding aspects such as sample size, age, gender, countries, continents, type of interventions and the main technological developments that have been developed in recent years in favor of cognitive stimulation and rehabilitation. The results are discussed in relation to the importance of conducting this type of studies in favor of the treatment processes and the need to improve the quality of the treatment process