Non-formal education, overeducation and wages

Why do overeducated workers participate in non-formal education activities? Do not they suffer from an excess of education? Using microdata from the Spanish sample of the 2007 Adult Education Survey, we have found that overeducated workers participate more than the rest in non-formal education and that they earn higher wages than overeducated workers who did not participate. This result can be interpreted as evidence that non-formal education allows overeducated workers to acquire new abilities that improve their competence at the job they perform. From this point of view, our results support the European Commission"s view on the need to reinforce lifelong learning among adult population.

The european higher education area at work: Lights and shadows defining continuous assessment

The aim of this paper is to analyse how learning assessment, particularly the Continuous Assessment system, has been defined in the Public Administration and Management Diploma Course of the University of Barcelona (Spain). This course was a pioneering experiment at this university in implementing the guidelines of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and thus represents a good case study for verifying whether one of the cornerstones of the EHEA has been accomplished with success. Using data obtained from the Teaching Plans elaborated by the lecturers of each subject, we are able to establish that the CA system has been progressively accepted to such an extent that it is now the assessment formula used by practically all of the lecturers, conforming in this way to the protocols laid down by the Faculty of Law in which this diploma course is taught. Nevertheless, we find that high dispersion exists in how Continuous Assessment is actually defined. Indeed, it seems that there is no unified view of how Continuous Assessment should be performed. This dispersion, however, seems to diminish over time and raises some questions about the advisability of agreement on criteria, considering the potential which CA has as a pedagogical tool. Moreover, we find that the Unique Assessment system, which students may also apply for, is an option chosen only by a minority, with lecturers usually defining it as merely a theoretical and/or practical test, of little innovation in relation to traditional tests.

Les TIC en la recerca, la interpretació i el procés d'aprenentatge de l'arqueologia

Des de la nostra posició de medievalistes, considerem les fonts històriques com a punt de partida de tota investigació històrica i entenem que la formació dels nostres alumnes ha de dirigir-se no només a l'adquisició de coneixements sinó també al desenvolupament de les habilitats relacionades amb el tractament de las fonts de la Historia. Per altra banda, la nostra experiència en l'ús de les TIC tant per a la difusió com per a la docència de la història i l'arqueologia, ens ha permès constatar la seva validesa com a eina de transmissió de coneixements i d'estímul en el procés d'aprenentatge dels nostres alumnes. Per tot això, des del grup [contra] Taedium d'Investigació i Innovació Docent en Historia Medieval, hem optat per dissenyar i realitzar tot un seguit de materials didàctics en els que recerca i docència es donen la ma amb l'objectiu que els nostres estudiants s'introdueixin en l'ofici i s'impliquin en el seu procés d'aprenentatge. Des de la reproducció virtual en 3D d'un castell dels segles XI-XII fins als materials on line que actualment estem desenvolupant, hem reflexionat i evolucionat en una línia de treball que ens ha de permetre transformar les dinàmiques de l'aula i les formes de comprensió dels processos de transmissió i adquisició de coneixements en l'àmbit universitari.

La pileta del despoblado medieval de Revenga (Burgos): a propósito del lavado ritual de los difuntos y sus evidencias arqueológicas

Las excavaciones en el yacimiento de Revenga dieron a conocer los testimonios arqueológicos correspondientes a la iglesia de este despoblado, así como su extensa área funeraria. Aquellos trabajos localizaron en el interior del espacio litúrgico una enigmática pileta rupestre a la que se atribuyó inicialmente una función de carácter bautismal. Sin embargo, la revisión de los testimonios arqueológicos, así como el avance de las investigaciones, sugieren que dicha cavidad rupestre se debería relacionar, de forma más plausible, con el lavado de los difuntos, una costumbre funeraria muy arraigada en época medieval que estuvo integrada de forma ordinaria entre los ritos que rodeaban las exequias cristianas.

Adaptacion al medio y transformacion artesanal: balance actual de las investigaciones acerca del alfar medieval de Cabrera d'Anoia

Las investigaciones sobre Cabrera d"Anoia (Barcelona) han avanzado de forma considerable en los últimos años. La caracterización de los materiales y el estudio de la documentación arqueológica han logrado definir un particular sistema de producción de cerámica que se desarrolla en un marco rupestre de dimensiones limitadas. Una situación que obliga a la modificación continua del área de trabajo en beneficio de las actividades productivas. Este artículo analiza ese proceso de adaptación y transformación permanente del espacio artesanal a partir de los datos proporcionados por el yacimiento. Se trata, en consecuencia, de esbozar un primer balance de los resultados más recientes tras 20 años de investigación sobre este alfar.

The european higher education area at work: Lights and shadows defining continuous assessment

The aim of this paper is to analyse how learning assessment, particularly the Continuous Assessment system, has been defined in the Public Administration and Management Diploma Course of the University of Barcelona (Spain). This course was a pioneering experiment at this university in implementing the guidelines of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and thus represents a good case study for verifying whether one of the cornerstones of the EHEA has been accomplished with success. Using data obtained from the Teaching Plans elaborated by the lecturers of each subject, we are able to establish that the CA system has been progressively accepted to such an extent that it is now the assessment formula used by practically all of the lecturers, conforming in this way to the protocols laid down by the Faculty of Law in which this diploma course is taught. Nevertheless, we find that high dispersion exists in how Continuous Assessment is actually defined. Indeed, it seems that there is no unified view of how Continuous Assessment should be performed. This dispersion, however, seems to diminish over time and raises some questions about the advisability of agreement on criteria, considering the potential which CA has as a pedagogical tool. Moreover, we find that the Unique Assessment system, which students may also apply for, is an option chosen only by a minority, with lecturers usually defining it as merely a theoretical and/or practical test, of little innovation in relation to traditional tests.

La pileta del despoblado medieval de Revenga (Burgos): a propósito del lavado ritual de los difuntos y sus evidencias arqueológicas

Las excavaciones en el yacimiento de Revenga dieron a conocer los testimonios arqueológicos correspondientes a la iglesia de este despoblado, así como su extensa área funeraria. Aquellos trabajos localizaron en el interior del espacio litúrgico una enigmática pileta rupestre a la que se atribuyó inicialmente una función de carácter bautismal. Sin embargo, la revisión de los testimonios arqueológicos, así como el avance de las investigaciones, sugieren que dicha cavidad rupestre se debería relacionar, de forma más plausible, con el lavado de los difuntos, una costumbre funeraria muy arraigada en época medieval que estuvo integrada de forma ordinaria entre los ritos que rodeaban las exequias cristianas.

Adaptacion al medio y transformacion artesanal: balance actual de las investigaciones acerca del alfar medieval de Cabrera d'Anoia

Las investigaciones sobre Cabrera d"Anoia (Barcelona) han avanzado de forma considerable en los últimos años. La caracterización de los materiales y el estudio de la documentación arqueológica han logrado definir un particular sistema de producción de cerámica que se desarrolla en un marco rupestre de dimensiones limitadas. Una situación que obliga a la modificación continua del área de trabajo en beneficio de las actividades productivas. Este artículo analiza ese proceso de adaptación y transformación permanente del espacio artesanal a partir de los datos proporcionados por el yacimiento. Se trata, en consecuencia, de esbozar un primer balance de los resultados más recientes tras 20 años de investigación sobre este alfar.

Radiation protection education and training in several ionising radiation applications

Ionising radiation (IR) applications are quiet common among several areas of knowledge, medicine or industry. Medical X-rays, Nuclear Medicine, Xrays used in non-destructive testing or applications in research are a few examples. These radiations originate from radioactive materials or radiation emitting devices. Radiation Protection education and training (E&T) is of paramount importance to work safely in areas that imply the use of IR. TheTechnical Unit for Radiation Protection at the University of Barcelona has anextensive expertise in basic, initial and refresher training, in general or specificareas, as well as in courses validated by the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council orto satisfy specific needs with bespoke courses. These specific customer needsare evaluated and on-site courses can also be carried out.

Les dones prenen la paraula : Una alenada femenina per la narrativa medieval des de Tirant lo Blanc

En aquest treball s'analitza el paper que Joanot Martorell assigna a les dones en la seva novel·la Tirant lo Blanc i, en concret, les diferències que aporta respecte de la narrativa anterior. El punt d'interès s'ha centrat en la versemblança dels personatges femenins del Tirant amb la realitat de l'època de l'autor i en quina manera es reflecteix a la novel·la la misoginia que imperava durant l'epoca medieval.

Do more educated leaders raise citizens’ education?

This paper looks at the contribution of political leaders to enhance citizens education and investigate how the educational attainment of the population is affected while a leader with higher education remains in office. For this purpose, we consider educational transitions of political leaders in office and find that the educational attainment of population increases when a more educated leader remains in office. Furthermore, we also observe that the educational attainment of the population is negatively impacted when a country transitions from an educated leader to a less educated one. This result may help to explain the previous finding that more educated political leaders favor economic growth. Key Words: Political leaders, Primary Education, School Achievement, Political institutions. JEL classification: I21,I25,I28.

Effects of math anxiety on student success in higher education

This study examines whether math anxiety and negative attitudes toward mathematics have an effect on university students" academic achievement in a methodological course forming part of their degree. A total of 193 students were presented with a math anxiety test and some questions about their enjoyment, self-confidence and motivation regarding mathematics, and their responses were assessed in relation to the grades they had obtained during continuous assessment on a course entitled"Research Design". Results showed that low performance on the course was related to math anxiety and negative attitudes toward mathematics. We suggest that these factors may affect students" performance and should therefore be taken into account in attempts to improve students" learning processes in methodological courses of this kind.

Impact of Duration of Primary Education on School Enrollment, Graduation and Drop-outs: A Cross- Country Analysis

Using a panel data for non-OECD countries covering the period 1970-2012, this chapter analyzes the impact of the duration of primary education on school enrollment, drop-out and completion rates. The empirical results show that for children in elementary school one ad- ditional grade of primary education have a negative impact on the enrollment rate, while the e ect on drop-outs is positive. Analogously, it is obtained that an additional grade in primary education reduces the enrollment rate in secondary education. These results are in line with the fertility model approach, that is, in developing and underdeveloped countries parents do not have incentive to send children to school given the high perceived economic value of children.