The training in social and solidarity economy. Analysis of the university offer in Spain

This research analyses the importance of the training for the promotion of the social economy in two ways: 1) focusing on the characteristics of the educational offer of Social Economy and 2) analyzing its differences regarding to those studies from the Management, entrepreneurship, and innovations areas. To this aim, it is carried out as a first step a literature review of the contributions that study the relationships that can exist between the education and Economy. Then, being based on this previous analysis, we already center our research on the Social Economy sector and its relations with the education system. To get this objective, it has been developed a database that includes all the postgraduate titles related to the Economics area. Likewise, a questionnaire has been designed with the aim of characterize the training in social Economy. As a conclusion, it is obtained that the training in social economy in postgraduate studies in the Spanish Universities is very poor. On the other hand, there are significant differences between Social Economy degrees and Business Management, entrepreneurship and innovation degrees with regard to different aspects such as: values to transmit, competencies, skills, the way of understanding the Economy, etc. Based on these conclusions, different recommendations are proposed in order to promote and boost this other way of doing Economy through the training and education in postgraduate studies.

Bolsa Familia Program and school enrolment: An analysis of the 2010 Brazilian demographic census

The Bolsa Família Program goal is to promote social development and poverty reduction, through the direct transfer of conditional cash, in association with other social programs. This study aims to analyze whether Bolsa Família had an association with children’s school attendance, which is one of the educational conditions of the program. Our main hypothesis is that children living in households receiving Bolsa Família had greater chances of attending school. Data from the Ministry of Social Development and Combating Famine indicated that children living in households with Bolsa Família had greater school enrolment levels. By using data from the 2010 Demographic Census, collected by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), some descriptive analyzes and binary logistic regression models were performed for different thresholds of household per capita income. These estimates were made by comparing children who lived in households receiving Bolsa Família to those children not receiving the program. We took into consideration characteristics about the household, mothers, and children. The results were clustered by the municipality of residence of the child. In all income thresholds, children benefi ting from Bolsa Família were more likely to be enrolled in school, compared to children not receiving the benefi t.

Impact of the intrinsic motivation on the academic performance through voluntary assignments: An empirical analysis

The students academic performance is a key aspect for all agents involved in a higher education quality program. However, there is no unanimity on how to measure it. Some professionals choose assessing only cognitive aspects while others lean towards assessing the acquisition of certain skills. The need to train increasingly adapted professionals in order to respond to the companies’ demands and being able to compete internationally in a global labour market requires a kind of training that goes beyond memorizing. Critical and logical thinking are amongst written language skills demanded in the field of Social Sciences. The objective of this study is to empirically demonstrate the impact of voluntary assignments on the academic performance of students. Our hypothesis is that students who complete high quality voluntary assignments are those more motivated and, therefore, those with higher grades. An experiment with students from the "Financial Accounting II" during the academic year of 2012/13 at the Business and Economics School of the UCM was carried out. A series of voluntary assessments involving the preparation of accounting essays were proposed in order to develop skills and competencies as a complement to the lessons included in the curriculum of the subject. At the end of the course, the carrying-out or not of the essay together with its critical, reflective quality and style, were compared. Our findings show a relationship between the voluntarily presented papers of quality and the final grade obtained throughout the course. These results show that the students intrinsic motivation is a key element in their academic performance. On the other hand, the teachers role focuses on being a motivating element through the learning process.

Paul Karl Feyerabend Las proyecciones de la proliferación teórica en la relación ciencia-metafísica

La doctrina de la Proliferación teórica de Paul Karl Feyerabend ha sido interpretada por sus especialistas como un intento de salvaguardar el ideal del progreso científico. Aunque tales estudios hacen justicia, en parte, a la intencionalidad de nuestro filósofo no explicitan la crítica fundamental que implica para Feyerabend el pluralismo teórico. La proliferación teórica constituye en sí misma una reductio ad absurdum de los distintos intentos del positivismo lógico y del racionalismo crítico por definir la ciencia a expensas de lo metafísico. Este artículo presenta la proliferación teórica como una reivindicación del papel positivo que ocupa la metafísica en el quehacer científico. Se consigna la defensa que hace Feyerabend de la metafísica en cuanto que ésta constituye la posibilidad de superar el conservadurismo conceptual, aumentar de contenido empírico de la ciencia y recuperar el valor descriptivo de las teorías científicas.

El patrimonio a través de la educación artística en la etapa de primaria

El área de educación artística en el currículum de primaria ha estado ligada a la enseñanza del patrimonio en las tres últimas décadas y, seguida del área de Ciencias Sociales en sus diferentes denominaciones, ha sido la materia que más se ha ocupado del la enseñanza de nuestro legado cultural, desde la LOGSE, pasando por la LOE hasta la actual LOMCE. Sin embargo, con la última reforma educativa ha sufrido una pérdida de presencia que la sitúa como una materia prescindible, en tanto un alumno puede transitar por toda la etapa de Primaria sin recibir una sola hora de educación artística. En efecto, las CCAA y los centros, en el ejercicio de sus competencias (Artículo 3) pueden decidir no ofertarla o, aun ofertándola, puede no ser elegida de entre otras asignaturas específicas como Segunda Lengua Extranjera, Religión o Valores Sociales y Cívicos.Por todo ello, proponemos un análisis del contenido de las tres grandes leyes generales de educación de las tres últimas décadas -LOGSE, LOE y LOMCE- examinando la presencia del patrimonio en la educación artística, para detectar los enfoques y concepciones subyacentes en los diferentes desarrollos curriculares. Todo ello nos situará ante un escenario, el presente, en el que podremos demandar la recuperación de contenidos o competencias perdidas, pero también promover el máximo aprovechamiento de las que sí se han incluido en el currículum vigente. Por todo ello, proponemos un análisis del contenido de las tres grandes leyes generales de educación de las tres últimas décadas -LOGSE, LOE y LOMCE- examinando la presencia del patrimonio en la educación artística, para detectar los enfoques y concepciones subyacentes en los diferentes desarrollos curriculares. Todo ello nos situará ante un escenario, el presente, en el que podremos demandar la recuperación de contenidos o competencias perdidas, pero también promover el máximo aprovechamiento de las que sí se han incluido en el currículum vigente.