Assessment of research competences using e-portfolio

The challenges posed by the assessment of distance learning is a topic that requires, on the one hand, evolution with new trends and, on the other improving evaluative processes, to promote good practices. This demand becomes more imperative when we are dealing with a formativescenario based on distance assessment of competence-based learning.The Open University of Catalonia has begun to work with these formative tools, promoting new practices for online education. A very clear example of these educational practices is the assessment of research competences using the e-portfolio system. To meet this aim a profound and solid process has been developed over recent years, with the intention of making this tool an assessment alternative, and providing the opportunity to use it in a formative context. The objective is to study its strengths and limitations keeping in mind the final goal of offering the higher education community a validated assessment system.

Metadata for describing learning scenarios under European Higher Education Area paradigm

In this paper we identify the requirements for creating formal descriptions of learning scenarios designed under the European HigherEducation Area paradigm, using competences and learning activities as the basic pieces of the learning process, instead of contents and learning resources, pursuing personalization. Classical arrangements of content based courses are no longer enough to describe all the richness of this new learning process, where user profiles, competences and complex hierarchical itineraries need to be properly combined. We study the intersection with the current IMS Learning Design specification and theadditional metadata required for describing such learning scenarios. This new approach involves the use of case based learning and collaborativelearning in order to acquire and develop competences, following adaptive learning paths in two structured levels.

The practical application of e-Portfolio at the Open University of Catalonia : assessment of competence based learning

The paper presents the results of the piloting or pilot test in a virtual classroom. This e-portfolio was carried out in the 2005-2006 academic year, with students of the Doctorate in Information Society, at the Open University of Catalonia. The electronic portfolio is a strategy for competence based assessment. This experience shows the types of e-portfolios, where students show their work without interactions, and apply the competence-based learning theories in an interactive portfolio system. The real process of learning is developed in the competency based system, the portfolio not only is a basic bio document, has become a real space for learning with competence model. The paper brings out new ideas and possibilities: the competence-based learning promotes closer relationships between universities and companies and redesigns the pedagogic act.

Interactive Calculus in a Virtual Learning Environment

The teaching of higher level mathematics for technical students in a virtual learningenvironment poses some difficulties, but also opportunities, now specific to that virtuality.On the other hand, resources and ways to do now manly available in VLEs might soon extend to all kinds of environments.In this short presentation we will discuss anexperience carried at Universitat Oberta deCatalunya (UOC) involving (an on line university), first, the translation of LaTeX written existent materials to a web based format(specifically, a combination of XHTML andMathML), and then the integration of a symbolic calculator software (WIRIS) running as a Java applet embedded in the materials, intending to achieve an evolution from memorising concepts and repetitive algorithms to understanding and experiment concepts and the use of those algorithms.

Simulation of a Virtual Campus at the Open University of Catalonia

Peer-reviewed

Expanding the Customer Relationship Management scope to the non-profit organizations : an analysis focused on the e-university domain

Peer-reviewed

Combining Generic Programming and Service-Oriented Architectures for the Effective and Timely Development of Complex e-Learning Systems

Peer-reviewed

An Experimental Study on Peer Selection in a P2P Network over PlanetLab

Peer-reviewed

Argumentos para los futuros maestros en torno al conocimiento matemático

Departing from initial training on Mathematics teaching, this article analyses several beliefs held by future teachers regarding mathematical knowledge. Some of these beliefs are an authentic obstacle for an advance towards quality Mathematics teaching, therefor, the autors reproduce five arguments given to groups of future teachers in order to tackle some of their beliefs on Mathematics and making them build, modify or consolidate a more complex imatge of mathematical knowledge and Mathematics work in the classroom

Prácticas de gestión del conocimiento en los grupos de investigación: estudio de un caso

La gestión del conocimiento es una práctica organizativa que se está extendiendo a todo tipo de organizaciones, incluidas las universidades. Su estudio cuenta con distintos marcos basados en alguno, o en todos los procesos del ciclo de gestión del conocimiento. La presente investigación centra su atención en las prácticas de gestión del conocimiento dentro de los grupos de investigación de una universidad colombiana, así como en las características de dichos grupos, tomando como base el marco holístico del ciclo de gestión del conocimiento. Para captar el contexto de dichas prácticas, la metodología sigue la teoría fundamentada, por lo que se realizan entrevistas en profundidad dirigidas a los coordinadores de los grupos de investigación, de una muestra seleccionada aleatoriamente. Los resultados apuntan la necesidad de desarrollar en los grupos de investigación actividades que incidan en la identificación, el almacenamientoy el uso del conocimiento. Para ello se requiere, entre otras cosas, cualificar y asesorar a los investigadores en la planificación de las acciones de gestión del conocimiento cuando investigan y gestionan proyectos. Es preciso profundizar en el estudio de las etapas del ciclo vinculado con las dinámicas de los grupos de investigación, para fortalecer las capacidades de generación y transferencia de conocimiento.

Percepciones del profesorado ante la incorporación de las competencias genéricas en la formación universitaria

What are the mindsets of teachers regarding the incorporation of generic competencies into university education within the framework of the European space for higher education? After clarifying the concept of competency and generic competencies, we selected a reference set of ten generic competencies and delimited the possible ways or strategies of intervention.A sample of 277 teachers in the University of Girona completed a questionnaire in which they evaluated the importance of each one of the competencies selected for the education profile and the preferred courses of action. There was a general acceptance on the part of the teaching staff of the need for the development of generic competencies. However, it is obvious they were reticent to incorporate them into the academic curriculum, which can be attributed to gaps in their teacher training. In order to make progress on this interesting aspect of higher education, a number of possible steps are put forward

Entre la discapacitat i la diversitat funcional: El professional davant dels canvis de paradigmes i no només de paraules

En qualsevol disciplina els canvis en el vocabulari són importants pel fet que hi ha una evolució en la disciplina mateixa. Pel que fa a la discapacitat i la diversitat funcional no només hi ha un canvi de paraules sinó un canvi conceptual que genera substitucions de vocabulari però no com a sinònims. Els canvis de paradigma als quals fem referència en la darrera dècada comencen a prendre rellevància a molts nivells, com l’acadèmic, el social i el polític, com si fossin un engranatge en què, quan hi ha canvis en una peça, convé també plantejar-los en les altres. Des d’aquest punt de vista alteracions de la concepció de discapacitat i diversitat funcional generen canvis significatius en la manera de generar serveis si calgués. Però a més adquireixen molta importància les novetats a nivell actitudinal i de relació que estableixen els professionals de l’educació social o del treball social sobre les persones amb diversitat funcional.

Propuestas pedagógicas para la introducción de la educación para el desarrollo en las enseñanzas científico-técnicas (edición digital)

Peer Reviewed