Diversity of functional groups in the vegetation sandy seashore of the Grande, Anclitas and Caguamas Cays (Jardines de la Reina Archipelago, Cuba)

Sandy shores are known to be extreme ecosystems where the vegetation has evolved many morphological and physiological adaptations for its survival. With the aim of identify possible relationships between the vegetation´s functional diversity with abiotic factors and its corresponding quantification, we collected data on the abundance and richness of the sandy coast vegetation complex in Grande, Anclitas and Caguamas keys. Its flora is largely characterized by the dominance of hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes plants with nanophyllous leaves and displaying dispersal syndromes such as zoochory and anemochory. However, the functional groups�� richness, in the present study, varies from one key to another. Functional diversity is similar between the wet and dry seasons, and its spatial variation is influenced by the interplay of the set of abiotic factors herein studied.

Calibration of assessment instruments – classification in mathematics at the Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano

Item Response Theory, IRT, is a valuable methodology for analyzing the quality of the instruments utilized in assessment of academic achievement. This article presents an implementation of the mentioned theory, particularly of the Rasch model, in order to calibrate items and the instrument used in the classification test for the Basic Mathematics subject at Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano. 509 responses chains of students, obtained in the june 2011 application, were analyzed with a set of 45 items, through eight case studies that are showing progressive steps of calibration. Criteria of validity of items and of whole instrument were defined and utilized, to select groups of responses chains and items that were finally used in the determination of parameters which then allowed the classification of assessed students by the test.

Estudio de la satisfacción de los estudiantes de Interpretación Textual de la Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático de Córdoba

El estudio de la satisfacción de los estudiantes es fundamental para conocer los errores y aciertos de una institución educativa superior con el fin de poner en práctica estrategias que conduzcan a una mejora en la calidad de su enseñanza. Con este fin, en este artículo hemos evaluado el grado de satisfacción de los estudiantes de Interpretación Textual de la Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático de Córdoba “Miguel Salcedo Hierro”. Alejándonos de los modelos habituales de medir la satisfacción, principalmente de carácter cuantitativo, hemos utilizado como eje metodológico la Teoría Fundamentada en Datos, y como técnicas, la entrevista comprehensiva de Kaufmann y los grupos de discusión. Los resultados han sido muy positivos, pues han mostrado que estos estudiantes tienen un alto nivel de satisfacción, lo que resulta muy valioso para conocer la calidad de esta enseñanza en el momento presente, así como para desarrollar planes específicos que conduzcan a su mejora en el futuro cercano.