BUILDING BRIDGES AMONG DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EDUCATION: A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH

With the aim of solving some of the problems generated by virtual educational university platforms such as the restriction on participation according to predetermined groups, the inherent complexity of use or the lack of interaction among members, this article proposes the utilization of a classic tool, the Blog; though taking it beyond the scope of a mere classroom or institution to a wider education community. Thus, with this tool we particularly intend to connect different levels of the educational community and, more specifically, secondary school and university students (and teachers), with the purpose of generating positive synergies, building areas of common interest and establishing coordination mechanisms that promote an appropriate transition among them. Based on extensive research previously developed by the educational innovation team Econ-Innova of the University of Valencia, in this study we exhaustively describe the applied innovation process, from its conception until its implementation using real data from secondary educational centers. To do so, we analyze the effects of a proposed activity that starts with a participation call to secondary school students. Moreover, we provide guiding for submitting, assessing and publishing such contributions, as well as encouraging debate and improving teaching-learning processes. The results of this work give evidence to support the success of the activity, which is leaded by a well-recognized entity such as the Faculty of Economics of the University of Valencia, highlighting: 1. The great acceptance showed by secondary school students to participate in this interaction/Blog for the impact and usefulness it means for them; 2. The strengthen of the communication strategy of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Valencia in their eagerness to approach potential secondary school students; 3. The motivation of secondary education level students about subjects related to economics, finance and business; and 4. The determination of coordination activities among secondary and university education levels to improve the latent lacks of secondary school students and therefore, avoiding potential future problems in their next level studies.