Design of homogeneous territorial units : a methodological proposal

One of the main questions to solve when analysing geographically added information consists of the design of territorial units adjusted to the objectives of the study. This is related with the reduction of the effects of the Modificable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP). In this paper an optimisation model to solve regionalisation problems is proposed. This model seeks to reduce disadvantages found in previous works about automated regionalisation tools

Design of homogeneous territorial units : a methodological proposal

One of the main questions to solve when analysing geographically added information consists of the design of territorial units adjusted to the objectives of the study. This is related with the reduction of the effects of the Modificable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP). In this paper an optimisation model to solve regionalisation problems is proposed. This model seeks to reduce disadvantages found in previous works about automated regionalisation tools

Modelling diffusion of innovations in a social network

A simple model of diffusion of innovations in a social network with upgrading costs is introduced. Agents are characterized by a single real variable, their technological level. According to local information, agents decide whether to upgrade their level or not, balancing their possible benefit with the upgrading cost. A critical point where technological avalanches display a power-law behavior is also found. This critical point is characterized by a macroscopic observable that turns out to optimize technological growth in the stationary state. Analytical results supporting our findings are found for the globally coupled case.

Social reciprocity measures based on dyadic discrepancies: Methodological review and software development

This paper examines statistical analysis of social reciprocity at group, dyadic, and individual levels. Given that testing statistical hypotheses regarding social reciprocity can be also of interest, a statistical procedure based on Monte Carlo sampling has been developed and implemented in R in order to allow social researchers to describe groups and make statistical decisions.

Posicionamientos metodológicos de REUNI+D

[spa] El presente texto intenta recoger las principales aportaciones de los grupos de investigación integrantes de REUNI+D, en torno al posicionamiento metodológico frente a los proyectos de investigación educativa que llevan a cabo estos grupos. El debate se desarrolló a través de un foro virtual, abierto a la participación de todos los miembros de la Red. Los objetivos de este foro de debate se focalizan en conocer la diversidad que existe entre los diferentes grupos de investigación, compartiendo los enfoques metodológicos utilizados, los autores y modelos de referencia y las claves para utilizar un determinado posicionamiento y si es posible llegar a consensuar posicionamientos en la Red.

Nonequilibrium phase transition in a model for the propagation of innovations among economic agents

We characterize the different morphological phases that occur in a simple one-dimensional model of propagation of innovations among economic agents [X. Guardiola et al., Phys. Rev E 66, 026121 (2002)]. We show that the model can be regarded as a nonequilibrium surface growth model. This allows us to demonstrate the presence of a continuous roughening transition between a flat (system size independent fluctuations) and a rough phase (system size dependent fluctuations). Finite-size scaling studies at the transition strongly suggest that the dynamic critical transition does not belong to directed percolation and, in fact, critical exponents do not seem to fit in any of the known universality classes of nonequilibrium phase transitions. Finally, we present an explanation for the occurrence of the roughening transition and argue that avalanche driven dynamics is responsible for the novel critical behavior.

A methodological approach to identify teacher's ICT competencies in online learning environments in Higher Education

Aquest article pretén descriure el procés metodològic d'identificació i mesurament de les competències TIC dels professors i com a formadors en les TIC en un entorn d'aprenentatge en línia en l'Educació Superior portat a terme en el marc del Projecte Europeu Elene-TLC.La revisió de la recerca en les competències en línia del professor demostra que, en primer lloc, el mètode més utilitzat per a identificar aquestes competències és el focus group. En segon lloc, la tècnica Delphi és la tècnica més utilitzada per reunir el consens d'experts sobre quines són les competències principals per al professor en línia entre els que s'indiquen.La proposta metodològica descrita en aquest document consisteix en la creació de 7 grups de discussió en línia, l'objectiu dels quals era identificar les competències formatives dels professors en línia i les dels professos en línia. La llista de competències obtingudes posteriorment es va oferir als experts europeus que participaven en l'aplicació de la tècnica Delphi. A aquests experts se'ls va demanar que ordenessin les competències d'acord amb el seu grau d'importància.Els resultats mostren que els grups de discussió en línia i el mètode Delphi són les metodologies apropiades per a identificar les competències TIC dels professors universitaris en els entorns d'aprenentatge en línia.

Evaluating teaching and management innovations in an online university: the case of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) is an online university that has innovation as a transversal feature in all its activities and processes. Therefore, innovation is present in the annual objectives of all the academic and management departments in order to increase student satisfaction. UOC stimulates innovation by funding strategic projects as well as organizing regular internal calls for small projects which brings about innovative academic and management proposals. In this paper we present the method for evaluating teaching and management innovations through internal calls (APLICA), by selecting which initiatives are suitable to become strategic innovative projects (INNOVA) or which features should compose any application available at the OpenApps platform. Besides, general indicators used by the Innovation Program to evaluate the activities carried out are also reported.

Managing innovations in biotechnology

Estudi de la situació, estratègies i tendències de la gestió de les innovacions en biotecnologia. El projecte es desenvolupa amb participants de Polònia, França, Holanda i Espanya. Per tant, l'anàlisi té una perspectiva internacional, principalment centrada en els països esmentats. L'expliació teòrica contrasta amb un projecte de gestió real en una empresa de biotecnologia, amb les dades i la informació obtinguda en una visitat a una empresa de biotecnologia a Polònia

No androcentric perspective in studies of one parent families. Relections and methodological implications

This paper presents a discussion on the process that led us to a progressively developing of a specific methodological approach for research on one parent families. This process has been systematized and built from the contributions of feminist epistemologies to the methodological design and participatory forms of work. From it derives a scientific and technical contribution, internationally unpublisheduntil now: Single Parenthood and family diversity Survey (EMODIF), which we propose as a not androcentric measuring tool of single parenthood, their profiles,experiences, expectations and realities. With this article we want to offer a systematization of the implications that has had our implementation of the feminist perspective in studies of one parent families.

The methodological criteria of counterpropositions within the Roman social legal framework

Partiendo de la difundida distinción, entre unos ordenamientos jurídicos abiertos, como el derecho inglés y el anglo americano, que se vinculan en el pasado al Derecho Romano, y otros cerrados o codificados, como los derechos del continente europeo, y tras detenernos en el origen terminológico de ambos sistemas y en su rígida contraposición, se procura destacar en este trabajo que Roma y su Derecho tampoco abrazan en toda su pureza, un sistema abierto.

Consideraciones metodológicas para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje del deporte escolar = Methodological considerations for the teaching and learning of school sport

Sport is a fundamental content in the teaching and learning of Physical Education independently of whether it is seen assuch by some authors. In whichever case according to the treatment that we give it, it will have sufficient educationalpotential without forgetting that it is the student who is the important figure in the process. To achieve the objectives wemust facilitate practices that are in agreement with the indispensable ethical principles to try to bring about a meaningfuland functional learning. The methodological criteria that we present in this article have this intention helped by examplesthat make it easier to understand the teaching learning process