Sistemes integrats de gestió (Integrated Management Systems - IMS): Anàlisi empíric a les empreses de Catalunya

Projecte de recerca elaborat a partir d’una estada al Auditing and Integration of Management Systems Research Laboratory de la Universitat d’Alberta, Canadà, des de maig fins a setembre del 2007. Aquest centre porta a terme recerca de caire teòrica i bàsica aplicada a l’assegurament de la qualitat, i més concretament a l’estandardització i integració de sistemes de gestió. En primer lloc, s’han analitzat les dades obtingudes en l’estudi empíric descriptiu realitzat a Catalunya durant l’any 2005, focalitzat en els estàndards de gestió més utilitzats per les empreses catalanes, en que s’hi incloïen les normes ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OSHAS 18001 així com els nous estàndards de suport de la sèrie ISO 10000. En segon terme, i a partir d’aquest anàlisis previ, s’ha iniciat el disseny d’una metodologia flexible per a la integració dels sistemes de gestió basats en estàndards internacionals.

On separation of a degenerate differential operator in Hilbert space

A coercive estimate for a solution of a degenerate second order di fferential equation is installed, and its applications to spectral problems for the corresponding dif ferential operator is demonstrated. The suffi cient conditions for existence of the solutions of one class of the nonlinear second order diff erential equations on the real axis are obtained.

Portafolio selection with skewness: a comparison of methods and a generalized two fund separation result

This contribution compares existing and newly developed techniques for geometrically representing mean-variances-kewness portfolio frontiers based on the rather widely adapted methodology of polynomial goal programming (PGP) on the one hand and the more recent approach based on the shortage function on the other hand. Moreover, we explain the working of these different methodologies in detail and provide graphical illustrations. Inspired by these illustrations, we prove a generalization of the well-known two fund separation theorem from traditionalmean-variance portfolio theory.

Dialogic learning and interactive groups: an IMS LD template integrated in runtime systems

Dialogic learning and interactive groups have proved to be a useful methodological approach appliedin educational situations for lifelong adult learners. The principles of this approach stress theimportance of dialogue and equal participation also when designing the training activities. This paperadopts these principles as the basis for a configurable template that can be integrated in runtimesystems. The template is formulated as a meta-UoL which can be interpreted by IMS Learning Designplayers. This template serves as a guide to flexibly select and edit the activities at runtime (on the fly).The meta-UoL has been used successfully by a practitioner so as to create a real-life example, withpositive and encouraging results

Computational Representation of Collaborative Learning Flow Patterns Using IMS Learning Design

The identification and integration of reusable and customizable CSCL (Computer Supported Collaborative Learning) may benefit from the capture of best practices in collaborative learning structuring. The authors have proposed CLFPs (Collaborative Learning Flow Patterns) as a way of collecting these best practices. To facilitate the process of CLFPs by software systems, the paper proposes to specify these patterns using IMS Learning Design (IMS-LD). Thus, teachers without technical knowledge can particularize and integrate CSCL tools. Nevertheless, the support of IMS-LD for describing collaborative learning activities has some deficiencies: the collaborative tools that can be defined in these activities are limited. Thus, this paper proposes and discusses an extension to IMS-LD that enables to specify several characteristics of the use of tools that mediate collaboration. In order to obtain a Unit of Learning based on a CLFP, a three stage process is also proposed. A CLFP-based Unit of Learning example is used to illustrate the process and the need of the proposed extension.

Towards reusability and tailorability in collaborative learning systems using IMS-LD and grid services

CSCL applications are complex distributed systems that posespecial requirements towards achieving success in educationalsettings. Flexible and efficient design of collaborative activitiesby educators is a key precondition in order to provide CSCL tailorable systems, capable of adapting to the needs of eachparticular learning environment. Furthermore, some parts ofthose CSCL systems should be reused as often as possible inorder to reduce development costs. In addition, it may be necessary to employ special hardware devices, computational resources that reside in other organizations, or even exceed thepossibilities of one specific organization. Therefore, theproposal of this paper is twofold: collecting collaborativelearning designs (scripting) provided by educators, based onwell-known best practices (collaborative learning flow patterns) in a standard way (IMS-LD) in order to guide the tailoring of CSCL systems by selecting and integrating reusable CSCL software units; and, implementing those units in the form of grid services offered by third party providers. More specifically, this paper outlines a grid-based CSCL system having these features and illustrates its potential scope and applicability by means of a sample collaborative learning scenario.

Reusing IMS-LD formalized best practices in collaborative learning structuring

Designs of CSCL (Computer Supported Collaborative Learning)activities should be flexible, effective and customizable toparticular learning situations. On the other hand, structureddesigns aim to create favourable conditions for learning. Thus,this paper proposes the collection of representative and broadlyaccepted (best practices) structuring techniques in collaborative learning. With the aim of establishing a conceptual common ground among collaborative learning practitioners and softwaredevelopers, and reusing the expertise that best practicesrepresent, the paper also proposes the formulation of these techniques as patterns: the so-called CLFPs (CollaborativeLearning Flow Patterns). To formalize these patterns, we havechosen the educational modelling language IMS Learning Design (IMS-LD). IMS-LD has the capability to specify many of the collaborative characteristics of the CLFPs. Nevertheless, the language bears limited capability for describing the services that mediate interactions within a learning activity and the specification of temporal or rotated roles. This analysis isdiscussed in the paper, as well as our approaches towards thedevelopment of a system capable of integrating tools using IMSLDscripts and a CLFP-based Learning Design authoring tool.

Integració de googlemaps i qüestionaris IMS QTI

La utilització de mapes a l'ensenyament de la geografia esdevé de capitalimportància. En concret, els mapes també són sovint utilitzats en el procésd'avaluació dels alumnes. En aquest projecte es proposa una aproximació quedesenvolupa un middleware per a connectar un motor que genera qüestionaris ipreguntes definits segons l'especificació IMS QTI (APIS), amb un servei que ensproporciona mapes (GoogleMaps). La finalitat és aconseguir que treballin demanera conjunta, introduint els mínims canvis al motor. S'han modelat algunesinteraccions contemplades a l'especificació, a més d'obrir noves formesd'interacció més naturals i intuïtives. L'aproximació és genèrica, i es podriafàcilment estendre per a altres serveis externs.

Integración de plantillas para la creación de soluciones de aprendizaje siguiendo los estándares IMS LD e IMS CP en LdShake

Des de fa alguns anys les tecnologies educatives han anat evolucionant y revolucionant el món pedagògic. En aquest sentit, son molts els grups de treball que participen en la investigació i producció de nous estàndards educatius. Alguns d’aquests estàndards son IMS Learning Designi IMS Content Packaging. L’adopció d’aquests estàndards per part de la comunitat educativa depèn en gran mesura de l’accessibilitat a les eines de producció per part dels membres d’aquesta comunitat. En aquest projecte es fa patent la necessitat d’una aplicació que permeti la generació d’unitats d’aprenentatge de forma assistida mitjançant plantilles.D’altre banda, ELGG és un sistema gestor de continguts open-source que permet crear xarxes socials de forma senzilla i amb la possibilitat d’afegir nous mòduls per augmentar així la seva funcionalitat. Per aquest motiu, aquest projecte es basa en la plataforma col·laborativa de recolzament als professors LdShake, utilitzada per la Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), quetreballa sobre el Framework de ELGG.Sobre aquests dos conceptes descansa la idea general del projecte – a saber, el disseny iposterior desenvolupament d’un sistema de generació d’unitats d’aprenentatge basat enplantilles seguint els estàndards IMS LD i IMS CP sobre LdShake.Per tant, en aquest projecte ens hem centrat en el desenvolupament i avaluació preliminar d’un mòdul integrat en LdShake, centrat en el subconjunt necessari de característiques bàsiques dels estàndards de la IMS Global Consortium, que ens permet la generació d’unitats d’aprenentatge, així com la seva distribució i reproducció en sistemes de gestió d’aprenentatge o LMS, gràcies al’ús de plantilles que son en si mateixes una solució coneguda, provada i exitosa.

Generación de cursos virtuales adaptativos en SCORM e IMS-LD

The use of virtual learning environments it’s more and more frequent in all education levels. However, this increasing use of such environments also implies that the different stages now used in the processes of teaching-learning need to be considered. Student users in a virtual learning environment are faced, not only to the problems related to acquire the knowledge of their course, but also to technological problems as information overloading, getting used to web surfing, computer use, etc. One way to minimize the impact caused by heterogeneity existing in virtual learning environments is to adapt several aspects to the specific characteristics from the user and his context. From this point of view, this work shows a model for an integral user that has been used to generate a virtual course that can interoperate between ELearning platforms. This course has been created using the SCORM reference model and the IMSLD specification

The effects of electron-hole separation on the photoconductivity of individual metal oxide nanowires

The responses of individual ZnO nanowires to UV light demonstrate that the persistent photoconductivity (PPC) state is directly related to the electron¿hole separation near the surface. Our results demonstrate that the electrical transport in these nanomaterials is influenced by the surface in two different ways. On the one hand, the effective mobility and the density of free carriers are determined by recombination mechanisms assisted by the oxidizing molecules in air. This phenomenon can also be blocked by surface passivation. On the other hand, the surface built-in potential separates the photogenerated electron¿hole pairs and accumulates holes at the surface. After illumination, the charge separation makes the electron¿hole recombination difficult and originates PPC. This effect is quickly reverted after increasing either the probing current (self-heating by Joule dissipation) or the oxygen content in air (favouring the surface recombination mechanisms). The model for PPC in individual nanowires presented here illustrates the intrinsic potential of metal oxide nanowires to develop optoelectronic devices or optochemical sensors with better and new performances.

Effects of domain morphology in phase-separation dynamics at low temperature

We present numerical results of the deterministic Ginzburg-Landau equation with a concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient, for different values of the volume fraction phi of the minority component. The morphology of the domains affects the dynamics of phase separation. The effective growth exponents, but not the scaled functions, are found to be temperature dependent.

Magnetic phase separation in ordered alloys

We present a lattice model to study the equilibrium phase diagram of ordered alloys with one magnetic component that exhibits a low temperature phase separation between paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases. The model is constructed from the experimental facts observed in Cu3-xAlMnx and it includes coupling between configurational and magnetic degrees of freedom that are appropriate for reproducing the low temperature miscibility gap. The essential ingredient for the occurrence of such a coexistence region is the development of ferromagnetic order induced by the long-range atomic order of the magnetic component. A comparative study of both mean-field and Monte Carlo solutions is presented. Moreover, the model may enable the study of the structure of ferromagnetic domains embedded in the nonmagnetic matrix. This is relevant in relation to phenomena such as magnetoresistance and paramagnetism

Phase separation dynamics under stirring

Phase separation dynamics in the presence of externally imposed stirring is studied. The stirring is assumed independent of the concentration and it is generated with a well-defined energy spectrum. The domain growth process is either favored or frozen depending on the intensity and correlation length of this advective flow. This behavior is explained by analytical arguments.

Noise-induced phase separation: Mean-field results

We present a study of a phase-separation process induced by the presence of spatially correlated multiplicative noise. We develop a mean-field approach suitable for conserved-order-parameter systems and use it to obtain the phase diagram of the model. Mean-field results are compared with numerical simulations of the complete model in two dimensions. Additionally, a comparison between the noise-driven dynamics of conserved and nonconserved systems is made at the level of the mean-field approximation.