Prosocial behavior consists of a set of behaviors that are beneficial to others in the form of sharing and helping. It includes aspects such as solidarity and friendship, and it fosters development and positive psychological functioning; it also improves classroom and school climate. Interactive learning environments may play a crucial role in creating affordances for students to develop prosocial behavior. This study analyzes the impact of two educational interventions based on egalitarian dialogue (Dialogic Literary Gathering and Interactive Groups) on prosocial behavior among fourth grade elementary students. A quasi-experimental design has been carried out, in which measurements have been taken before and after the intervention. Results show that students involved in the Dialogic Literary Gatherings increased significantly their level of prosocial behavior more than those in the control groups. However, no significant differences have been found between students in the experimental and control condition, when considering Interactive Groups. These results have important educational implications for creating conducive learning environments for the development of prosocial behavior.

Background: There is growing evidence and awareness regarding the magnitude of mental health issues across the globe, starting half of those before the age of 14 and have lifelong effects on individuals and society. Despite the multidimensional nature of this global challenge, which necessarily require comprehensive approaches, many interventions persist in seeking solutions that only tackle the individual level. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic review of evidence for positive effects in children and adolescents' mental health resulting from interventions conducted in schools and communities in which interaction among different agents is an integral component. Methods: An extensive search in electronic databases (Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, ERIC, and PsycINFO) was conducted to identify interventions in which interactions between peers, teachers, families or other community members or professionals played a role. Their effects on children and adolescents' mental health were also reviewed. We carried out a systematic review of papers published from 2007 to 2017. Eleven studies out of 384 met the inclusion criteria. Seven of the articles reviewed focus on interventions conducted in schools and promote supportive interactions involving students, teachers, families and mental health professionals. Four of the articles develop interventions that engage community members in dialogic interactions with children and adolescents. Results: Interventions in schools and communities implement strategies that foster supportive interactions among diverse actors including teachers, parents, community members, and other professionals. The effects of the mental health interventions reported on children and adolescents' problems include a decrease in disruptive behaviors and affective symptoms such as depression and anxiety, together with an increase in social skills, as well as an improvement in personal well-being. Conclusions: There is evidence of a positive effect on the mental health of children and adolescents, both in decreasing symptoms of mental disorder and in promoting emotional well-being. Whereas, interactions among different actors seem to be a relevant aspect across the interventions, more research is needed to conclude its effect on the outcomes of the studies reviewed.

The purpose of this article is to illuminate the conceptualisations and applications of the Belmont Report's key ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice based on a document analysis of five of the most relevant disciplinary guidelines on internet research in the social sciences. These seminal documents are meant to provide discipline-specific guidance for research design and implementation and are regarded as key references when conducting research online. Our analysis revealed that the principles of respect and beneficence were explicitly conveyed in the documents analysed, offering nuanced interpretations on issues of informed consent, privacy, and benefits and risks as well as providing recommendations for modifying traditional practices to fit the online setting. However, the invocations of the principle of justice were rather implicit and reflect an important shift from the Belmont Report's protectionist ethical position towards more situational and dialogic approaches. With the rapidly evolving nature of internet technologies, this analysis is projected to contribute to the ongoing developments in research ethics in the social sciences by outlining the tensions and implications of the use of the internet as a methodological tool. We also seek to provide recommendations on how disciplinary associations can proceed to facilitate ethically sensitive internet research.

The risk for many young children from minority backgrounds of being excluded from a quality education might be reduced through the creation of a positive classroom climate. A systematic review was conducted to gain a better understanding of the pedagogical and structural aspects that foster a positive classroom climate in multicultural early childhood education settings. Following a systematic review procedure, 14 articles were selected and included in the analysis. The findings indicate that eight aspects contribute to a positive climate in these settings: on the one hand, pedagogical practices, including increased instructional time, teacher-student supportive interactions, peer interactions and friendship, child engagement, teacher training on emotionally supportive environments and teacher-family trust-based relationships, and on the other hand, structural aspects, including small peer groups and materials shared among children. This evidence may be used to foster a classroom climate that enhances learning processes and social development in multicultural preschool groups. However, more research is needed to better understand the particular role that cultural diversity plays in the classroom climate.

In this study, a scale was designed to measure the level of application of Cooperative Learning in Higher Education. The Cooperative Learning Application Scale (CLAS) comprises seven dimensions: Positive interdependence, interaction, social skills, group reflection, heterogeneity, assessment and tutoring. The sample consisted of a total of 1470 students from two Universities: the University of Deusto (Spain) and the Catholic University of Temuco (Chile). The results show that CLAS is a valid and reliable tool to gauge the level of application of this methodology in university classrooms.Keywords: Cooperative learning, higher education, validation, scale, group work. ResumenEn este estudio se diseñó una escala para valorar el grado de aplicación del Aprendizaje Cooperativo en la Universidad (CLAS). El instrumento consta de 7 dimensiones: Interdependencia positiva, interacción, habilidades sociales, reflexión grupal, heterogeneidad, evaluación, y tutoría. La muestra estuvo formada por un total de 1470 estudiantes de dos Universidades: la Universidad de Deusto (España) y la Universidad Católica de Temuco (Chile). Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el CLAS es un instrumento válido y fiable para conocer el grado de aplicación de esta metodología en las aulas universitarias.

Taking a communicative approach in a qualitative inquiry entails including people’s voices through dialogues that are egalitarian and oriented toward transformation. This approach aligns with the transformative paradigm in the pursuit of ensuring the inclusion of the most vulnerable groups. This article explores the role of the communicative approach when conducting a case study in an elementary school to study the impact of dialogic literary gatherings (DLGs) on students’ relationships, particularly for those students most at risk of being marginalized. For that purpose, dialogic encounters with teachers and students occurred in the school to jointly develop the research. During the DLGs, researchers engaged in egalitarian dialogues with the students, and these dialogues facilitated getting to know each other and building relationships of trust. The communicative approach in this study allowed us to establish a profound dialogue with 9-year-old girls to grasp the transformative impact they experienced in their relationships with others. Students’ voices are considered essential in communicative research to provide socially useful results and to measure transformative social impacts beyond the educational establishment.

Family participation and involvement in schools has been reported to be crucial for improving academic achievement and social cohesion, especially among those systematically excluded such as migrants or the Roma population. However, these families often participate less in school life. This hinders any attempt to reverse the cycle of inequality experienced in Europe by the Roma and migrant population, among others. This study focuses on a specific school that has successfully engaged Roma and migrant families. Particularly, this case study aims to identify the characteristics of the relationship that the Roma and migrant families have with the school and the way that parents' involvement in the education of their children has been promoted. The main results show that the participation of these families has been fostered by a strong collaboration constructed with egalitarian dialogue, trust and confidence-based relationships, and having a shared purpose of ensuring high-quality education for all children.

Introducción. El objetivo de esta investigación es, por un lado, conocer las concepciones incorrectas que los maestros en formación de Educación Infantil presentan sobre la educación de la creatividad y, por otro, desarrollar un programa formativo de tipo práctico, basado en técnicas de juego libre, que puedan aplicar en su futuro profesional.Método. Para ello, 36 estudiantes de tercer curso de Grado de Maestro en Educación Infantil fueron evaluados, antes y después del entrenamiento, mediante una encuesta de 16 ítems que incluía conocimientos teóricos y aplicados sobre el proceso creativo.Resultados. Los resultados evidenciaron un gran número de creencias incorrectas iniciales, sobre todo de tipo práctico, relacionadas con estrategias de diseño de la situación de juego libre para potenciar la creatividad, que fueron modificadas tras haber experimentado dicho programa formativo. Discusión y Conclusión.Los datos enfatizan la necesidad de incorporar en el curriculum de los maestros un bagaje de conocimientos aplicados que les permitan educar correctamente la creatividad en la infancia.Palabras Clave: educación en creatividad, formación de maestros, creencias falsas, juego infantil, escucha empática no participativa. Recibido: 05/06/12Aceptación inicial: 08/07/12 Aceptación final: 13/11/12Educar en creatividad: un programa formativo para maestros de Educación Infantil basado en el juego libre