Art and human nature

This article presents a visual artist’s point of view about art. This view confronts the Eurocentric traditional cannon with some ignored, but valuable traditions, thus proposing a contra-canon. These ideas are examined on the light of a variety of sources, including prehistoric, pre-Columbian, and 20th century art expressions, in a variety of media, from sculpture to literature. Recent art expressions are characterized by their incorporation of minority values and perspectives that challenge “universal” views. Using samples of works from Latino and African American artists, the author shows that, even today, art is a means to know the world and its people, to exhibit personal life, to create personal symbolism, and to show one’s identity or the search for it. Like the human nature it represents, art has multiple faces.

Art and crafts with children.

Proporciona a los niños una manera de aprender el lenguaje al mismo tiempo que desarrollan habilidades creativas y toman conciencia del mundo que hay a su alrededor. Tiene actividades creativas e imaginativas, que no requieren muchos recursos y no necesitan experiencia artística especial por parte del profesor.

Complete Technology and Design.

Proporciona a los alumnos del último ciclo de secundaria, es decir, de la etapa 4 (key stage 4)los conocimientos requeridos en esta asignatura: diseño, comunicación y proyectos de diseño, materiales y sistemas electrónicos, sistemas mecánicos, ordenadores, microprocesadores y sistemas neumáticos. También, introduce a los alumnos en programas de diseño asistido por ordenador y en las técnicas de representación gráfica.

Practical intelligence : the art and science of common sense.

El autor se basa en las inteligencias múltiples para explicar cómo la inteligencia práctica es una habilidad clave de la vida y ofrece una estructura conceptual para definir y describir el sentido común. Expone cómo las personas con inteligencia práctica pueden emplear los conocimientos lingüísticos para adoptar hábitos de lenguaje semánticamente buenos, tomar decisiones mejores, pensar en términos de opciones y posibilidades, aceptar la ambigüedad y la complejidad, articular problemas con claridad y trabajar a través de soluciones. Muestra que las habilidades de inteligencia práctica se pueden mejorar con la educación y el entrenamiento adecuado y desafía a todos para mejorar sus destrezas y ayudar a otros a desarrollar sus propias capacidades de inteligencia práctica.

Rock art and social life - Revisiting the Neolithic transition in Mediterranean Iberia

This article revisits the Neolithic transition in Mediterranean Iberia taking into account an aspect usually neglected in the archaeological discourse: the rock art styles that emerged in this context. These distinct styles have been generally attributed to different populations, according to a historicist point of view that equates stylistic variability and ethnic identity. However, the recent recognition that they were developed by the same social group requires the formulation of an alternative explanation. My proposal is based on the exploration of the social context of production and consumption of the rock art, through the analysis of the patterns of location of the sites within the landscape and the definition of their archaeological context.

Modelling: promoting creativity whilst forging links between science education and design and technology education

Educational reforms in many countries currently call for the development of knowledge-based societies. In particular, emphasis is placed on the promotion of creativity, especially in the areas of science education and of design and technology education. In this paper, perceptions of the nature of creativity and of the conditions for its realization are discussed. The notion of modelling as a creative act is outlined and the scope for using modelling as a bridge between science education and design and technology education explored. A model for the creative act of modelling is proposed and its major aspects elaborated upon. Finally, strategies for forging links between the two subjects are outlined.

Clinical potential and design of programmable mechanical impedances for orthotic applications

A person with a moderate or severe motor disability will often use specialised or adapted tools to assist their interaction with a general environment. Such tools can assist with the movement of a person's arms so as to facilitate manipulation, can provide postural supports, or interface to computers, wheelchairs or similar assistive technologies. Designing such devices with programmable stiffness and damping may offer a better means for the person to have effective control of their surroundings. This paper addresses the possibility of designing some assistive technologies using impedance elements that can adapt to the user and the circumstances. Two impedance elements are proposed. The first, based on magnetic particle brakes, allows control of the damping coefficient in a passive element. The second, based on detuning the P-D controller in a servo-motor mechanism, allows control of both stiffness and damping. Such a mechanical impedance can be modulated to the conditions imposed by the task in hand. The limits of linear theory are explored and possible uses of programmable impedance elements are proposed.