Learning from human teaching strategies

Recent works in the area of adaptive education systems point out the importance of aumenting the student model to improve the personalization and adaptation to the learner by means of several aspects such as emotions, user locations or interactions. Until now the study of interactions has been mainly focused on the student-learning system flow, despite the fact that the most successful and used way of teaching are the traditional face-to-face interactions. In this project, we explore the use of interactions among teachers and students, as they occur in traditional education, to enrich the current student models, with the aim of providing them with useful information about new characteristics for improving the learning process. At a first step, in this paper we present the formal process carried out to obtain information about teachers’ expertise and necessities regarding the direct interactions with students.

Obtaining teaching expertise from F2F learning interactions

Learning environments are commonly used nowadays, but they exclude face-to-face interaction among teachers and students what is a successful basis of traditional education. On the other hand, in many cases teachers are imposed to use technology, what they do in an intuitive way. That is, teachers “learn by doing” and do not fully exploit its potential benefits. Consequently, some questions arise: How do teachers use F2F interaction to guide learning session? How can technology help teachers and students in their day by day? Moreover, are teachers and students really opened to be helped by technology? In this paper we present the formal process carried out to obtain information about teachers’ expertise and necessities regarding the direct interactions with students. We expose the possibilities to cover those necessities and the willingness that teachers show to be helped.

Teaching how to Look at and View Bodies within Literature

[EN] This paper focuses on how to initiate discussions of the regulatory gaze in primary school classrooms through the study of characters in literature. It specifically focuses on two renowned characters in Spanish literature: Xola (Bernardo Atxaga) and Iholdi (Mariasun Landa). These characters are composed of a chorus of looks which in turn also look. We shall carefully reflect upon these looks and discuss how we see others, how others see us, and how we would like others to see us.

Design of an optimised wheel profile for rail vehicles operating on two track gauges

This paper sets out an optimum synthesis methodology for wheel profiles of railway vehicles in order to secure good dynamic behaviour with different track configurations. Specifically, the optimisation process has been applied to the case of rail wheelsets mounted on double gauge bogies, that move over two different gauges, which also have different types of rail: the Iberian gauge (1668 mm) and the UIC gauge (1435 mm). Optimisation is performed using Genetic Algorithms and traditional optimisation methods in a complementary way. The objective function used is based on an ideal equivalent conicity curve which ensures good stability on straight sections and also proper negotiation of curves. To this end the curve is constructed in such a way that it is constant with a low value for small lateral wheelset displacements (with regard to stability), and increases as the displacements increase (to facilitate negotiation of curved sections). Using this kind of ideal conicity curve also enables a wheel profile to be secured where the contact points have a larger distribution over the active contact areas, making wear more homogeneous and reducing stresses. The result is a wheel profile with a conicity that is closer to the target conicity for both gauges studied, producing better curve negotiation while maintaining good stability on straight sections of track. The paper shows the resultant wheel profile, the contact curves it produces, and a number of dynamic analyses demonstrating better dynamic behaviour of the synthesised wheel on curved sections with respect to the original wheel.

Interdisciplinary experience in the Teacher Training College of Vitoria-Gasteiz: teaching profession module

[EN] The higher education regulation process in Europe, known as the Bologna Process, has involved many changes, mainly in relation to methodology and assessment. The paper given below relates to implementing the new EU study plans into the Teacher Training College of Vitoria-Gasteiz; it is the first interdisciplinary paper written involving teaching staff and related to the Teaching Profession module, the first contained in the structure of the new plans. The coordination of teaching staff is one of the main lines of work in the Bologna Process, which is also essential to develop the right skills and maximise the role of students as an active learning component. The use of active, interdisciplinary methodologies has opened up a new dimension in universities, requiring the elimination of the once componential, individual structure, making us look for new areas of exchange that make it possible for students' training to be developed jointly.

Behavioral profile of adults with Prader-Willi syndrome : correlations with individual and environmental variables

Background: Maladaptive behavior has been reported as a phenotypical feature in Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS). It severely limits social adaptation and the quality of life of children and adults with the syndrome. Different factors have been linked with the intensity and form of these behavioral disturbances but there is no consensus about the cause. Consequently, there is still controversy regarding management strategies and there is a need for new data. Methods: The behavior of 100 adults with PWS attending a dedicated center was assessed using the Developmental Behavior Checklist for Adults (DBC-A) and the PWS-specific Hyperphagia Questionnaire. The DBC-A was completed separately by trained caregivers at the center and relatives or caregivers in a natural setting. Genotype, gender, age, degree of obesity and cognitive impairment were analyzed as variables with a hypothetical influence on behavioral features. Results: Patients showed a relatively high rate of behavioral disturbances other than hyperphagia. Disruptive and social relating were the highest scoring DBC-A subscales whereas anxiety/antisocial and self-absorbed were the lowest. When hospital caregiver and natural caregiver scores were compared, scores for the latter were higher for all subscales except for disruptive and anxiety/antisocial. These effects of institutional management were underlined. In the DBC-A, 22 items have descriptive indications of PWS behavior and were used for further comparisons and correlation analysis. In contrast to previous reports, rates of disturbed behavior were lower in patients with a deletion genotype. However, the behavioral profile was similar for both genotypes. No differences were found in any measurement when comparing type I and type II deletions. The other analyzed variables showed little relevance. Conclusions: Significant rates of behavioral disorders were highlighted and their typology described in a large cohort of adults with PWS. The deletion genotype was related to a lower severity of symptoms. Some major behavioral problems, such as hyperphagia, may be well controlled if living circumstances are adapted to the specific requirements of individuals with PWS.

Using the system dynamics paradigm in teaching and learning technological university subjets

2nd International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies