Grid-connected roof solar plants in educational institutions for testing and electricity generation: a case in Spain.

The use of photovoltaic experimental plants in engineering educational buildings contributes to an increase in acceptance of this technology by future engineers. There are some photovoltaic (PV) systems in educational buildings in Spain, but they are usually limited to buildings in relation to electrical technologies or research areas. They are not common in other educational or official buildings. This paper presents the project of a grid-connected solar plant with two main objectives. First, different PV module technologies will be compared. Second, an emphasis on agronomical areas in educational settings will be reviewed in an attempt to facilitate student engagement in the use of the power plant. The system is grid-connected in order to pay-back the investment in the plant. In fact the electricity generated by the plant will be used by the installations of the building, as it is the closest consumer. This work intends to approximate photovoltaic technology to university degrees not directly related with it and at the same time research in comparison of systems with different technologies. This is a good example of an solar plant for both optimum production and educational purposes.

c&d-learning implementation architecture: Adapting e-learning to developing countries

From the educational point of view, the most widespread method in developing countries is on-site education. Technical and economic resources cannot support conventional distance learning infrastructures and it is even worse for courses in universities. They usually suffer a lack of qualified faculty staff, especially in technical degrees. The literature suggest that e-learning is a suitable solution for this problem, but its methods are developed attending to educational necessities of the First World and cannot be applied directly to other contexts. The proposed methodology is a variant of traditional e-learning adapted to the needs of developing countries. E-learning for Cooperation and Development (c&d-learning) is oriented to be used for educational institutions without adequate technical or human resources. In this paper we describe the c&d-learning implementation architecture based on three main phases: hardware, communication and software; e.g. computer and technical equipping, internet accessing and e-learning platform adaptation. Proper adaptation of educational contents to c&d-learning is discussed and a real case of application in which the authors are involved is described: the Ngozi University at Burundi.

La Esgrima como enseñanza formal en las instituciones educativas públicas de Madrid. Del Real Seminario de Nobles al Instituto de Segunda Enseñanza Cardenal Cisneros (1725-1950).

En el presente trabajo de investigación se ha analizado la presencia de la Esgrima como materia de enseñanza dentro de diversas Instituciones educativas formales de Madrid, abarcando un rango temporal de 225 años (1725-1950). Para la realización de la investigación se elaboró un esquema de trabajo basado en la metodología de la investigación histórica, la historiografía. La búsqueda de la información se llevó a cabo, fundamentalmente en el Archivo Histórico Nacional el Archivo General de la Administración, el Archivo Regional de Madrid, el Archivo General de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, el Archivo del Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid, el Archivo General de Palacio, el Archivo de la Villa y la Biblioteca Nacional. La investigación presentada abarca cinco Instituciones educativas en las que se estudia la presencia de la Esgrima como enseñanza formal, siendo estas el Real Seminario de Nobles de Madrid, la Escuela Central de Profesores y Profesoras de Gimnástica, el Real Conservatorio de Música y Declamación y los Institutos de Segunda Enseñanza del Cardenal Cisneros y de San Isidro. Se analizaron las diferentes Constituciones de formación, Planes de Estudios, Reglamentos Interinos de funcionamiento, Leyes de fundación, libros, Programas de asignaturas y todos aquellos documentos, tanto oficiales como internos de cada uno de los Centros tratados. Así mismo, se estudiaron las figuras de los Maestros encargados de impartir la Esgrima como materia formal en las diversas Instituciones, alcanzando la mayor relevancia D. Manuel Antonio de Brea, D. Francisco de la Macorra y Guijeño, D. Ángel Lancho Martín de la Fuente, D. Afrodisio Aparicio Aparicio y D. José Carbonell. De la investigación realizada se concluye la presencia de la Esgrima como una materia perfectamente sistematizada en cada uno de las Instituciones analizadas así como la importancia que alcanzaba la figura del Maestro de Esgrima en todas ellas, siendo en algunos casos “Maestro Mayor del Reyno” y en otros convirtiéndose en Catedráticos de Esgrima, al tiempo que todos ellos contaban con una titulación que les capacitaba para el ejercicio de su profesión. Así mismo encontramos la presencia de la mujer en una de las Instituciones, el Real Conservatorio de Música y Declamación, con los mismos derechos que sus compañeros varones para matricularse y estudiar la Esgrima. Los Maestros estudiados, fundamentalmente D. Ángel Lancho, D. Afrodisio Aparicio y D. José Carbonell, contribuyeron a popularizar la Esgrima y a su desarrollo como deporte, organizando torneos para sus alumnos y compitiendo ellos mismos en multitud de asaltos. A lo largo de los 225 años que abarca esta investigación, la Esgrima evolucionó de Destreza a Habilidad y más tarde a Deporte, sin perder en ningún momento su importancia, extendiéndose a sectores de la sociedad a los que nunca habría llegado de no ser por la labor de los Maestros de Esgrima encargados de su formación. ABSTRACT. In this research work, the presence of Fencing as an educational subject within different formal educational Institutions in Madrid, over a period of 225 years (1725-1950), has been analysed. In order to carry out this research, a work schedule was drawn up, based on the methods of the historical research, historiography. The search for the information was primarily carried out in the Archivo Historico Nacional, the Archivo General de la Administración, the Archivo Regional of Madrid, the Archivo General de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, the Archivo del Real Conservatorio Superior de Música of Madrid, the Archivo General de Palacio, the Archivo de la Villa and the Biblioteca Nacional. The research presented covers five educational Institutions, where the presence of Fencing as a formal education is studied. These Institutions are: the Real Seminario de Nobles de Madrid, the Escuela Central de Profesores y Profesoras de Gimnástica, the Real Conservatorio de Música y Declamación and the Cardenal Cisneros and the San Isidro Secondary Schools. The different Academic formation, Syllabuses, Temporary working Regulations, founding Law, books, subject Plans and all the documents, official or internal, of each of the Centres dealt with, were analysed. Moreover, the roles of the Masters in charge of teaching Fencing as a formal subject in different Institutions were studied, and Mr. Manuel Antonio de Brea, Mr. Francisco de la Macorra y Guijeño, Mr. Ángel Lancho Martín de la Fuente, Mr. Afrodisio Aparicio Aparicio and Mr. José Carbonell were the most prominent. The conclusion of the research carried out, is that the presence of Fencing is a subject perfectly organised in each one of the Institutions analysed, as well as the importance that the role of the Fencing Master reached in every Institution, in some cases being “Maestro Mayor del Reyno” and in others becoming Fencing Professors, while all of them had a qualification that enabled them to practice their profession. Similarly, we can find the presence of women in one of the Institutions, the Real Conservatorio de Música y Declamación, where they had the same rights as her male classmates to enrol and study Fencing. The Fencing Masters who were studied, principally Mr. Ángel Lancho, Mr. Afrodisio Aparicio and Mr. José Carbonell, all contributed to making Fencing popular and also towards its development as a sport, by organising tournaments for their students and by competing themselves in a number of assaults. Over the 225 years which the research covers, Fencing evolved from Skill to Ability and later on to a Sport, without, at any moment, losing its importance, spreading to parts of society that it would never have reached if it were not for the work of the Fencing Masters in charge of teaching it.

Toward a planning model for the peruvian university system as a competitive strategy.

University education in Peru is based on models of teacher-centered teaching and a conception of knowledge which is closed and static and under the dominance of an information model now overwhelmed by multiple factors hastened by international change. The worlds most prestigious universities have chosen cultural diversity as a sign of quality and are hence interested in the mobility of teachers and students through exchange and cooperation with foreign educational institutions. These universities respond more effectively to pressure from the international business sector, better satisfy training demands, introduce new information and communication technologies into education and research and have improved administration and management structures. While there is progress, the university system in Peru is a planning model defined "as a discipline that seeks to respond to the needs of an organization defined by new cultural and social models" (A. Cazorla, et al 2007).This paper studies the non-Euclidean thinking of planning and development of John Friedmann (2001). Based on the four domains of social practice, it proposes a planning model for Peruvian universities that meets international requirements.

Sistemas de aprendizaje colaborativo móvil en realidad aumentada

La realidad aumentada educativa es una tecnología que actualmente está mejorando la calidad de enseñanza, la utilización de dispositivos móviles permite que el estudiante sea protagonista de su aprendizaje sin estar confinado a un espacio o tiempo específico para aprender. Aplicaciones colaborativas con realidad aumentada están siendo empleadas cada vez más en la educación, de tal forma que fomentan el trabajo en grupo donde los estudiantes comparten conocimiento, dudas, opiniones logrando un mejor nivel cognitivo que trabajando individualmente. En este trabajo se presenta el estado de la cuestión de Aplicaciones Educativas con Realidad Aumentada en dispositivos móviles, y Aplicaciones Educativas colaborativas con Realidad Aumentada, desarrolladas desde el 2002 e implementadas en instituciones educativas. Así mismo se realiza un estudio sobre la Realidad Aumentada, Realidad Aumentada móvil y Aprendizaje Móvil. Además, a partir de las características del estudio de las aplicaciones con Realidad Aumenta, se realiza un análisis y diseño de una Aplicación Móvil para el proyecto de inicio de los alumnos de nuevo ingreso de la UPM. Así como también una herramienta de autoría para las gestiones de las actividades propuestas por los docentes de la UPM. Finalmente se presenta un caso de prueba en el que se implementa parte de la propuesta de este trabajo, logrando construir un parte funcional para el proyecto inicial denominado PIANI – UPM. ---ABSTRACT---Educational Augmented reality is a technology that is improving the quality of teaching, use of mobile devices enables the student to be protagonists of their learning without being confined to a specific space or time to learn. Collaborative augmented reality applications applied in education are being used gradually encourage group work where students share knowledge, doubts, opinions so they achieve better cognitive level than working individually. In this paper the description of educational applications is presented with Augmented Reality using mobile devices, and collaborative educational Augmented Reality applications, developed since 2002 and implemented in educational institutions. Also a study on Augmented Reality, Mobile Augmented Reality and Mobile Learning is performed. Furthermore, from the study of the characteristics of Reality applications increases, an analysis and design of a mobile application for the proposed start of new students of UPM is performed. As well as an authoring tool for the efforts of the activities proposed by the teachers of the UPM. Finally a test case is presented in which part of the proposal of this work is implemented, obtaining building an initial prototype called PIANI - UPM.

University Networking in Developing Countries based on C4D-Learning

In recent years, the establishment of cooperation networks between universities is one of the most important trends in higher education all over the world. Well recognized local and international university networks have been implemented in most educational institutions. It is common to find associations of various prestigious universities collaborating in a high-­‐technology research project including a very specialized teaching as well. This is the most common cooperation networks among higher education institutions in developed countries. An increasingly common type of networking between developed and developing universities is related to cooperation for development. This is the case of many universities in Africa that are needed for external help in order to improve its capabilities. Numerous memorandums of understanding regarding first world institutions that collaborate with universities in developing countries describe contributions of eventual visiting professors, teaching material and courses. But probably there exist another type of more important, but less explored association, such as networking among developing universities. The new goal, in this case, is not only the excellence but also the mutual development.

Thin Client Technology in the Academic Environment

From research groups at the universities of developed countries there is a growing interest in providing solutions to problems of developing countries. In this context we have studied typical problems in many (educational) institutions, such as the lack of technicians who repair the computers, the administration of the machines, and also the difficulty to maintain and configure the old hardware available due to the variety of characteristics of the different machines and the amount of hardware breakdowns and software issues (viruses, administration issues) that the local staff has to face up to with their equipments. We propose a thin client approach that takes into account the human, hardware and software characteristics of developing institutions to provide a complete service for a computer network. The network administration is reduced to the administration of one server only. The maintenance of the machines is simplified and old computers can simulate the running of a powerful computer. Our proposal results in a cheap, simple (from the support point of view) and powerful (in terms of achieved functionalities) design.

Education Planning Evolution for Forest Engineering in Spain

Forest engineering in Spain has a long tradition and active presence in the engineering field. It is also one of the first educational institutions that shaped the Spanish technological panorama in the mid nineteenth century. The actual situation of the forest systems in Spain is the result of 166 years of observation, research, education and the application of specific techniques and principles that forest engineers acquired with the successive study plans that were implanted in educational institutions. In this paper, the planning historical process of education in Forest engineer is analyzed, differentiating between four historical periods. The analysis of the stages focuses on the contents of the study plans, the orientation towards educational objectives, the duration of the studies and the causes for the modifications that had an impact on the evolution through time within the framework of the acquired experience and the technological advances