Nonparametric bounds on the returns to language skills

This paper applies the theoretical literature on nonparametric bounds ontreatment effects to the estimation of how limited English proficiency (LEP)affects wages and employment opportunities for Hispanic workers in theUnited States. I analyze the identifying power of several weak assumptionson treatment response and selection, and stress the interactions between LEPand education, occupation and immigration status. I show that thecombination of two weak but credible assumptions provides informative upperbounds on the returns to language skills for certain subgroups of thepopulation. Adding age at arrival as a monotone instrumental variable alsoprovides informative lower bounds.

TV or not TV? Subtitling and English skills

We study the influence of television translation techniques on the quality of the English spoken across the EU and OCDE. We identify a large positive effect for subtitled original version as opposed to dubbed television, which loosely corresponds to between four and twenty years of compulsory English education at school. We also show that the importance of subtitled television is robust to a wide array of specifications.We then find that subtitling and better English skills have an influence on high-tech exports, international student mobility, and other economic and social outcomes.

Prevalen��a d���artefactes d���amplificaci�� de la corba de pressi�� arterial durant la monitoritzaci�� invasiva. estudi transversal.

Els artefactes en la corba de pressi�� arterial durant la monitoritzaci�� invasiva pot induir errors de diagn��stic i tractaments inadequats. Es presenten els resultats inicials d���un estudi transversal en pacients postoperats on s���observa que la prevalen��a d���artefactes d���amplificaci�� de la corba ��s del 33,3%. Alguns factors que podrien condicionar aquesta aparici�� s��n localitzaci�� radial de la c��nula, canulaci�� major de 48 hores i la monitoritzaci�� mitjan��ant el sistema Vigileo. La conscienciaci�� de l���exist��ncia d���aquests fen��mens, generant estats d���alerta i millories en el manteniment dels circuits de monitoritzaci�� permetrien una millor precisi�� de la monitoritzaci��, condicionant un maneig m��s ��ptim dels pacients.

La comunicolog��a y el estudio transversal del paisaje. Articulaciones conceptuales y propuesta de indicadores comunicativos para la evaluaci��n de los paisajes

La gesti��n y evaluaci��n del paisaje exige la necesaria convergencia de disciplinas en aras de delimitar los valores que la propia sociedad otorga al paisaje. El establecimiento de metodolog��as de an��lisis de tipo cualitativo parece satisfacer, en la mayor��a de los casos, las necesidades de la comunidad cient��fica en relaci��n con la catalogaci��n del paisaje. Las dificultades surgen cuando lo que pretende es clasificar el paisaje a partir de indicadores m��s de tipo cualitativo, lo que implica, sin lugar a dudas, la b��squeda de disciplinas que aporten m��s luz al ya de por s�� complejo estudio de los denominados como valores intangibles del paisaje. La Comunicolog��a representa, en este sentido, un aporte disciplinario novedoso, sobre todo en el sentido de intentar habilitar un lenguaje del paisaje, a partir del cual fijar los cimientos de su interpretaci��n simb��lica e identitaria. As��, las contribuciones te��ricas del interaccionismo simb��lico, de la ecolog��a humana, de la psicolog��a cognitiva o de la semi��tica visual, entre otras, permiten vislumbrar las posibilidades de estudio del paisaje desde un punto de vista comunicol��gico. En este ensayo se sit��an los indicadores de evaluaci��n de los paisajes en la ��rbita de la aportaci��n disciplinar de la Comunicolog��a. De ah�� se abre un horizonte de posibilidades infinitas para el que se podr��a denominar como ���abordaje comunicol��gico del paisaje���, con especiales sinergias en la concepci��n del paisaje como elemento activo de comunicaci��n.

Returns to Foreign Language Skills in a Developing Country: The Case of Turkey

Foreign language skills represent a form of human capital that can be rewarded in the labor market. Drawing on data from the Adult Education Survey of 2007, this is the first study estimating returns to foreign language skills in Turkey. We contribute to the literature on the economic value of language knowledge, with a special focus on a country characterized by fast economic and social development. Although English is the most widely spoken foreign language in Turkey, we initially consider the economic value of different foreign languages among the employed males aged 25 to 65. We find positive and significant returns to proficiency in English and Russian, which increase with the level of competence. Knowledge of French and German also appears to be positively rewarded in the Turkish labor market, although their economic value seems mostly linked to an increased likelihood to hold specific occupations rather than increased earnings within occupations. Focusing on English, we also explore the heterogeneity in returns to different levels of proficiency by frequency of English use at work, birth-cohort, education, occupation and rural/urban location. The results are also robust to the endogenous specification of English language skills.

Training referential communicative skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study

Summary. The present study reports the effects of referential communication training in individuals formally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants were 20 children with ASD (M age = 14.3 yr., SD = 4.2; 6 girls, 14 boys) in the role of speakers and 20 control children, who acted as listeners. They were all enrolled in mainstream compulsory education. Inclusion/exclusion criteria were defined according to the clinical diagnosis of ASD, the presence or absence of additional or associated disability, previous training in referential communication, and any drug treatment. Speakers were randomly assigned to one of two groups (trained vs untrained). Linguistic age, cognitive level, and autistic symptoms were analyzed, respectively, with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), the Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISCR or WAISIII), and the Autistic Behavior Checklist (ABC). Communicative abilities were analyzed through two indexes related to message complexity and self-regulation. The trained group was trained in referential communication tasks (task analysis, role taking, and task evaluation), while the untrained group took part in a communicative game but without any specific communicative training. The results showed that the complexity of emitted messages had improved statistically significantly in the trained group as an effect of training. Ecological referential communication is shown to be an appropriate paradigm for studying the communicative process and its products and could be used to develop and implement a training program focused on those skills in which individuals with ASD are most deficient.

Evaluation of transversal competencies: pilot project in a maths course for first-year business

The aim of this communication is to describe the results of a pilot project for the assessment of the transversal competency "the capacity for learning and responsibility". This competency is centred on the capacity for the analysis, synthesis, overview, and practical application of newly acquired knowledge. It is proposed by the University of Barcelona in its undergraduate degree courses,through multidisciplinary teaching teams. The goal of the pilot project is to evaluate this competency.We worked with a group of students in a first-year Business Degree maths course, during the firstsemester of the 2012/2013 academic year. The development of the project was in two stages: (i)design of a specific task to share with the same students in the following semester when the subjectwould be economic history; and (ii) the elaboration of an evaluation rubric in which we defined thecontent, the aspects to evaluate, the evaluation criteria, and the marking scale. The attainment of theexpectations of quality on the specific task was scored following this rubric, which provided a singlebasis for the precise and fair assessment by the instructor and for the students' own self-evaluation.We conclude by describing the main findings of the experience. There particularly stood out the highscore in the students' self-evaluation given to one aspect of the competency ��� their capacity forlearning ��� in stark contrast to their instructor's quite negative evaluation. This means that we have towork both to improve teaching practice and to identify the optimal competency evaluationmethodology.

Trastornos de identidad de g��nero: evaluaci��n de la competencia para el cuidado

En este documento se realiza una descripci��n de los trastornos de identidad de g��nero (TIG) y de su situaci��n a nivel nacional e internacional, teniendo en cuenta la legislaci��n y epidemiolog��a, con el objetivo de consolidar as�� una base te��rica para el estudio. Se diferencian tambi��n otras patolog��as similares para evitar confusi��n o errores. Se propone un estudio cuantitativo, observacional, transversal, descriptivo y correlacional que tiene como objetivos principales evaluar los conocimientos, habilidades y actitudes necesarios del personal de enfermer��a para el cuidado de las personas con TIG y comparar las competencias de la enfermer��a de distintos niveles asistenciales. Como m��todo de recogida de datos se utiliza un cuestionario de elaboraci��n propia, de preguntas cerradas con m��ltiples opciones de respuesta. El an��lisis de los datos ser�� inferencial y descriptivo, ya que el objetivo es realizar una estimaci��n a partir de los resultados obtenidos de la muestra sobre el conjunto total de la poblaci��n con la finalidad de realizar el contraste de la hip��tesis formulada; para ello, se realizar�� la prueba no param��trica de Chi-����� cuadrado.

Cities, skills, and regional change

One approach to urban areas emphasizes the existence of certain immutable relationships, such as Zipf's or Gibrat's Law. An alternative view is that urban changereflects individual responses to changing tastes or technologies. This paper examinesalmost 200 years of regional change in the U.S. and finds that few, if any, growth relationships remain constant, including Gibrat's Law. Education does a reasonable jobof explaining urban resilience in recent decades, but does not seem to predict countygrowth a century ago. After reviewing this evidence, we present and estimate a simple model of regional change, where education increases the level of entrepreneurship.Human capital spillovers occur at the city level because skilled workers produce moreproduct varieties and thereby increase labor demand. We find that skills are associatedwith growth in productivity or entrepreneurship, not with growth in quality of life, atleast outside of the West. We also find that skills seem to have depressed housing supplygrowth in the West, but not in other regions, which supports the view that educatedresidents in that region have fought for tougher land-use controls. We also present evidence that skills have had a disproportionately large impact on unemployment duringthe current recession.

The promotion and assessment of generic skills from interdisciplinary teaching teams

The paper explains a teaching project financed by the University of Barcelona (UB). It focuses on ageneric skill of the University of Barcelona, which is defined as "the learning capability andresponsibility���, and in which analytical and synthesis skills are included. It follows a multidisciplinaryapproach including teachers of Mathematics, World Economics and Economic History. All of us sharethe same students during the first and the second course of the grade in Economics at the Faculty ofEconomics and Business. The project has been developed in three stages. The first one has beendone during the first semester of the course 2012/13, being applied to first year students on thesubjects of Mathematics and Economic History. The second phase is being to be done during thesecond semester only on the Economic History subject. A third stage is going to be done next course2013/14 to second year students on the subject of World Economics. Each different teaching teamhas developed specific materials and assessment tools for each one of the subjects included in theproject. The project emphasizes two teaching dimensions: the elaboration of teaching materials topromote the acquisition of generic skills from an interdisciplinary point of view, and the design ofspecific tools to assess such skills. The first results of the first phase of the project shows cleardeficiencies in the analytical skill regarding to first year students.

The promotion and assessment of generic skills from interdisciplinary teaching teams

The paper explains a teaching project financed by the University of Barcelona (UB). It focuses on ageneric skill of the University of Barcelona, which is defined as "the learning capability andresponsibility���, and in which analytical and synthesis skills are included. It follows a multidisciplinaryapproach including teachers of Mathematics, World Economics and Economic History. All of us sharethe same students during the first and the second course of the grade in Economics at the Faculty ofEconomics and Business. The project has been developed in three stages. The first one has beendone during the first semester of the course 2012/13, being applied to first year students on thesubjects of Mathematics and Economic History. The second phase is being to be done during thesecond semester only on the Economic History subject. A third stage is going to be done next course2013/14 to second year students on the subject of World Economics. Each different teaching teamhas developed specific materials and assessment tools for each one of the subjects included in theproject. The project emphasizes two teaching dimensions: the elaboration of teaching materials topromote the acquisition of generic skills from an interdisciplinary point of view, and the design ofspecific tools to assess such skills. The first results of the first phase of the project shows cleardeficiencies in the analytical skill regarding to first year students.

The promotion and assessment of generic skills from interdisciplinary teaching teams

The paper explains a teaching project financed by the University of Barcelona (UB). It focuses on ageneric skill of the University of Barcelona, which is defined as "the learning capability andresponsibility���, and in which analytical and synthesis skills are included. It follows a multidisciplinaryapproach including teachers of Mathematics, World Economics and Economic History. All of us sharethe same students during the first and the second course of the grade in Economics at the Faculty ofEconomics and Business. The project has been developed in three stages. The first one has beendone during the first semester of the course 2012/13, being applied to first year students on thesubjects of Mathematics and Economic History. The second phase is being to be done during thesecond semester only on the Economic History subject. A third stage is going to be done next course2013/14 to second year students on the subject of World Economics. Each different teaching teamhas developed specific materials and assessment tools for each one of the subjects included in theproject. The project emphasizes two teaching dimensions: the elaboration of teaching materials topromote the acquisition of generic skills from an interdisciplinary point of view, and the design ofspecific tools to assess such skills. The first results of the first phase of the project shows cleardeficiencies in the analytical skill regarding to first year students.

Univers de Comunicaci�� Audiovisual: un projecte transversal de socialitzaci��

L���Univers de la Comunicaci�� Audiovisual ��s el primer projecte d���innovaci�� docent realitzat pels estudis de Comunicaci�� Audiovisual de la Universitat Pompeu Fabra que incideix en les possibilitats transversals de les xarxes virtuals. Contemplant aquestes xarxes com entorns on tamb�� es poden definir i treballar compet��ncies generals, l���Univers... es defineix com un espai on l���alumnat i professorat comparteixen i poden visualitzar aquells referents ���autors, obres i conceptes- que els propis estudiants i professors han considerat imprescindibles per definir l�����mbit referencial dels Estudis, i per extensi��, del propi camp de coneixement. L���Univers... es presenta als usuaris en dos nivells de profunditat clarament diferenciats; un primer, el mapa de l���Univers, on es mostren de forma visual els ��tems que conformen la constel��laci�� d���autors, obres i conceptes que professorat i alumnat han proposat. I un segon nivell format per fitxes din��miques que amplien les dades dels ��tems m��s significatius del mapa. Aquestes fitxes din��miques recuperen i ordenen la informaci�� que d���aquell ��tem concret es pot resseguir en els materials i Guies Docents de totes les assignatures dels Estudis.

Proyecto Universo de la Comunicaci��n Audiovisual: una representaci��n visual, transversal y participativa en la red

Con el nombre de Universo de la Comunicaci��n Audiovisual presentamos un proyecto que tiene, como elemento m��s significativo, la representaci��n en la red de un mapa conceptual formado por las referencias (autores, obras, conceptos) que el profesorado y alumnado hemos propuesto para definir nuestro campo de estudio. El Universo... incluye, adem��s del mapa conceptual, un espacio para el debate y un conjunto de fichas que interrelacionan el mapa con las asignaturas de la licenciatura. El proyecto busca acercar y potenciar la participaci��n del alumnado en el reconocimiento y lectura cr��tica de aquellos elementos referenciales que, de forma significativa, permiten acotar e identificarse con el propio ��mbito de conocimiento, dando visibilidad al procedimiento y haci��ndolo p��blico. Desde el Universo... proponemos una nueva aproximaci��n a la competencia general descrita como capacidad cr��tica de naturaleza multidisciplinaria que dote al alumnado de capacidad de investigaci��n acad��mica y aplicada. Entendemos esta capacitaci��n cr��tica como un proceso que va desarrollando el alumnado durante todo el grado. Este proceso supone, en una dimensi��n individual, alcanzar objetivos como el reconocimiento, localizaci��n y configuraci��n de un marco referencial propio, y que permite, en su dimensi��n colectiva, participar en la definici��n, concreci��n y trazado de un marco referencial com��n.