Faculty members from the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO), an institution that is part of the International University Network of the Ibero-American University Foundation (FUNIBER), participated virtually on July 23 and 24 in the international conference on innovation and educational trends EDUTRENDS 2026.
The conference was created as a space for teachers, researchers, institutional leaders, and other stakeholders in education to meet and reflect, 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 offers 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 College Mathematics”, delivered by Dr. Jorge Crespo, addresses the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools as a teaching resource to strengthen critical thinking among college mathematics students.
The findings of the study have shown that the critical evaluation of GAI results leads to an immediate technical improvement in students’ competencies. However, the psychological dimension of confidence shows greater resistance 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 Prof. Samuel Allende.
The presentation is available at the following link.
Optimizing Learning with NotebookLM
The session “Optimizing Cognitive Load and Personalizing Learning in the Course on Didactics, Curriculum Design, and Programming through the Integration of NotebookLM,” presented by Dr. Josep Alemany, showcases an innovative teaching experience that uses NotebookLM, an artificial intelligence tool from Google, to enhance learning in a university course.
The use of NotebookLM as a pedagogical resource was very well received by students, who highlighted 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 Prof. Samuel Allende.
The presentation is available at the following link.
Teaching Innovation to Address Anxiety About Statistics
The presentation “Reducing Anxiety About Statistics Through Active Methodologies and Digital Tools: An Experience in Teaching Innovation with jamovi” by Dr. Cristina Mazas presents an educational experience aimed at reducing the anxiety many students experience when faced with statistics by combining active methodologies with the use of the open-source software jamovi.
The results conclude that the integration of jamovi, combined with active 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 Prof. Samuel Allende.
The presentation is available at the following link.
The Use of Educational Podcasts as a Teaching Strategy
Dr. Lucía Sánchez Bejerano presented the paper “The Podcast as a Tool for Developing Critical Thinking and Communicative Competence 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 is confirmed as an effective strategy for developing critical thinking and communicative competence in the training of future EFL teachers. Their implementation also makes it possible to address current challenges, such as authenticity in assessment, with 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 study 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: Experience from the European Erasmus+ MAHINE Project
The presentation “Nutrition-Sensitive Education in Dietetics Programs: A Theoretical Review to Support Curriculum Innovation in Higher Education,” delivered by Dr. Thomas Prola as part of the European Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) ‘Simulation-based training and digital technologies combined with a service-learning approach for experiential and reflective learning in nutrition and dietetic education’ (MAHINE), presents a theoretical review on how to integrate the nutrition-sensitive education approach into university nutrition and dietetics programs in Angola. Its objective is to identify the key concepts, competencies, and pedagogical strategies that will enable the updating of 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 delivered 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 seeks 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 on the implementation of the simulation model at two universities in Angola: the José Eduardo dos Santos University (UJES) and the International University of Cuanza (UNIC). The study aimed to assess nursing students’ perceptions of simulation-based learning after participating in high-fidelity simulation activities.
The students reported high levels of satisfaction with the simulation methodology, greater self-confidence in clinical practice, positive perceptions of learning, and improvements in clinical reasoning and professional competencies.
The session is available at the following link.
The participation of UNEATLANTICO faculty members in EDUTRENDS 2026 reinforces the academic and research profile of the FUNIBER University Network, as well as its commitment to innovative, international higher education that is connected to contemporary challenges. Through these contributions, the Foundation continues to promote spaces for academic collaboration that foster knowledge transfer, improve teaching practices, and develop educational solutions aimed at social impact.