The aim of this research was to analyze the typologies of primary education students with regard to possession and use of video games, and the possible psycho-emotional and educational implications. To identify the different typologies, a latent class model using Latent Gold v4.5 software was applied in order to model relations between the variables observed, assuming that the structure of underlying relations was explained by a latent categorical variable (not observed). The results revealed two clearly differentiated clusters: one formed of boys who get better marks in Mathematics, usually play video games with gaming consoles for the TV screen, usually play video games online with friends, play video games for more than two hours at weekends, feel very happy when playing video games, and whose first choice of free-time activity is to play video games; the other consisted of girls who get better marks in Spanish Language and Literature, usually play video games on a tablet, usually with a family member, play video games for more than two hours at weekends, feel very happy playing video games, though to a slightly lesser extent than boys, and whose first choice of free-time activity is not usually to play video games.

This article describes an investigation into the level of satisfaction among students at Spain’s National Distance Education University (UNED) regarding use of Facebook groups as an environment for learning. Based on a structural equation methodology, the research analyzed the most relevant personal and socio-educational factors that affect satisfaction. The sample consisted of 418 undergraduate and master’s degree students at UNED’s Faculty of Education; participants were consulted in three semesters between September 2019 and January 2021. The results showed that students who participated in Facebook study groups achieved better results than those who did not, and that they interacted more frequently in these groups than in UNED’s official learning management system. The main latent variables that influenced satisfaction with Facebook study groups were the perception of efficacy they elicited as a complement to distance learning by enabling greater interaction with other students, and the feeling of course companionship they provided. The absence of teacher control also influenced student satisfaction, which allowed students to focus on learning and achieving better results in tests and exams.

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La enseñanza de lenguas a través de cursos masivos (LMOOC) tiene características distintivas del resto de propuestas formativas en línea. Los cursos que funcionan en la actualidad tienen criterios evaluativos más cercanos a métodos tradicionales que suponen la asociación de éxito con la compleción del curso, lo que desemboca en una preocupación por el propio formato masivo al no reflejar altos niveles de compleción. También ofrecen tareas evaluativas que no promueven la práctica real del idioma. Mediante el estudio de perfiles socio-económicos y de comportamiento en línea se comprueba que los participantes no se involucran en el curso, pero son activos durante el tiempo que permanecen en él. Los resultados implican que es necesaria la adquisición de un conocimiento más amplio del participante que muestre si consigue sus propósitos de aprendizaje y así permitir una posible disociación entre el binomio compleción-éxito. Por otra parte, se sugieren alternativas para un diseño del contenido que prime la práctica de la lengua meta.

Language MOOC research has evolved over the last three years to a more mature stage in which researchers have gained a deeper comprehension of the theories that enable effective language learning in this format. The application of these theoretical advances should be reflected in the instructional design of the courses. This study is based on this premise and monitors the quality of the design of communication and discussion forums considering the different levels of engagement in a LMOOC, the accessibility, ease of navigation, assessment of learning processes, and support to participants in in the development of self-determination strategies. This is done by analysing the content of the forums and applying two instruments created upon the research needs. The results show the relevance of the instructional design of the forums in LMOOCs, and subsequently a suitable analytical framework is put forward, which can be easily replicated due to its simplicity and concreteness. This is the main contribution of this paper, since the elaboration of common analytical frameworks in LMOOC research strengthens the field and reinforces the significance of instructional design in successful language learning in these online courses.