Faculty members from the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO) participated on the July 23rd and 24th virtual international conference on innovation and educational trends EDUTRENDS 2026.
The conference was created as a forum for discussion and reflection for teachers, researchers, institutional leaders, and other stakeholders in education, with the aim of critically and constructively analyzing the major pedagogical, technological, social, and organizational trends that are shaping the present and future of education.
This initiative provides a space for interdisciplinary dialogue, the exchange of knowledge, and the collective development of proposals aimed at strengthening the role of education as a driver of social transformation.
Below is a summary of the presentations given by the university’s faculty members.
Generative Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Developing Critical Thinking
The presentation “Developing Critical Thinking Through the Analysis of Responses Generated by Language Models in University-Level Mathematics”, delivered by Dr. Jorge Crespo, addresses the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools as a teaching resource to strengthen critical thinking among university-level mathematics students.
The activities carried out as part of the study have shown that a critical evaluation of GAI results leads to an immediate technical improvement in students’ competencies. However, the psychological dimension of confidence is more resistant to change, requiring a longer period of metacognitive maturation to align self-efficacy with actual ability.
This research was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Cristina Mazas, Dr. Josep Alemany, and Professor Samuel Allende.
The presentation is available at the following link.
Optimizing Learning with NotebookLM
The session “Optimizing Cognitive Load and Personalizing Learning in the Subject on Didactics, Curriculum Design, and Program Development through the Integration of NotebookLM,” presented by Dr. Josep Alemany, presents an innovative teaching experience that uses NotebookLM, an artificial intelligence tool from Google, to enhance learning in a university subject.
The students responded very positively to NotebookLM as a teaching resource, highlighting its ease of use, usefulness, and potential for optimizing cognitive load and personalizing learning.
This research was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Jorge Crespo, Dr. Cristina Mazas, and Professor Samuel Allende.
The presentation is available at the following link.
Educational Innovation in the Face of Statistical Anxiety
The presentation “Reducing Statistical Anxiety Through Active Methodologies and Digital Tools: An Experience in Instructional Innovation with Jamovi” by Dr. Cristina Mazas presents an educational approach designed to reduce the anxiety many students feel about statistics by combining active learning methods with the use of the open-source software Jamovi.
The results conclude that the integration of Jamovi, combined with active learning methodologies such as project-based learning, constitutes an effective strategy for improving the teaching of statistics in higher education.
This research was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Jorge Crespo, Dr. Josep Alemany, and Professor Samuel Allende.
The presentation is available at the following link.
The Use of Educational Podcasts as a Didactic Strategy
Dr. Lucía Sánchez Bejerano presented the session “Podcasts as Tools for Developing Critical Thinking and Communication Competencies in the Training of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language”, which analyzes the use of educational podcasts as a teaching strategy to strengthen the initial training of future English teachers.
The use of podcasts has been confirmed as an effective strategy for developing critical thinking and communication competencies in the training of future EFL teachers. Its implementation also makes it possible to address current challenges, such as ensuring the authenticity of assessments, given the emergence of artificial intelligence tools.
The presentation can be viewed at the following link.
The Role of Individual Factors in Language Learning
The presentation “Exploring Individual Factors in Foreign Language Learning: A Research Experience in the University Classroom” by Dr. Lucía Sánchez Bejerano presents a research project conducted with university students to analyze how various individual factors influence language learning.
The objective of this project is twofold: on the one hand, to foster research literacy among university students; on the other, to promote critical reflection on the influence of affective and behavioral variables on foreign language learning.
The presentation is available at the following link.
Nutrition-Sensitive Education: The Experience of the European Erasmus + MAHINE Project
The presentation “Nutrition-Sensitive Education in Dietetics Programs: “A Theoretical Review to Support Curriculum Innovation in Higher Education,” presented by Dr. Thomas Prola as part of the European Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) project “Simulation-Based Training and Digital Technologies Combined with a Service-Learning Approach for Experiential and Reflective Learning in Nutrition and Dietetics Education” (MAHINE) presents a theoretical review on how to integrate a nutrition-sensitive education approach into university programs in nutrition and dietetics in Angola. Its goal is to identify the key concepts, competencies, and teaching strategies needed to update curricula and prepare future professionals to address current challenges related to food, public health, and sustainability.
The session can be viewed at the following link.
Clinical Simulation-Based Learning with Nursing Students in Angola
Dr. Thomas Prola gave a second presentation, “Active Learning through High-Fidelity Clinical Simulation for Nursing Education: “The CLINICALSIM Experience in Angola” presenting the experience of the European project “Clinical Simulation Practice-Based Learning in Nursing” (CLINICALSIM), which aims to strengthen the practical training of nursing students in Angola through active learning methodologies based on high-fidelity clinical simulation.
This study presents the first evidence regarding the implementation of the simulation model at two universities in Angola: José Eduardo dos Santos University (UJES) and the Universidade Internacional do Cuanza (International University of Cuanza, UNIC). The study aimed to assess nursing students’ perceptions of simulation-based learning after participating in high-fidelity simulation activities.
Students reported high levels of satisfaction with the simulation methodology, greater self-confidence in clinical practice, positive perceptions of their learning, and improvements in clinical reasoning and professional competencies.
The session is available at the following link.