La mirada de Alex.

La aplicación del programa de tablets-pc puesto en marcha por el Departamente de Educación de la diputación General de Aragón en las zonas rurales de los Monegros, ofrece enormes posibilidades de trabajo en el aula y facilita el acceso a la sociedad de la información mediante la conexión a Internet. Un tablet-pc es un ordenador portátil que puede transformarse en una libreta electrónica. Existen argumentos a favor y en contra de su utilización en las aulas, entre los primeros se señala que la tecnología deshumaniza y aísla, y que no debe sustituir a otras tecnologías anteriores que vienen demostrando durante tiempo su efectividad. Por otra parte, es preciso hacer un uso crítico de las nuevas tecnologías para que no se conviertan en un recurso fácil para el entretenimiento de los alumnos. En cuanto a los argumentos a favor se resalta la necesidad de adecuar la realidad del aula a la realidad social tecnológica. Además, las nuevas tecnologías facilitan una mayor coherencia entre lo que los alumnos viven dentro y fuera del aula, así como que suponen una posibilidad de acceso a cualquier información o recurso dondequiera que esté. Finalmente se defienden las nuevas tecnologías afirmando que la utilización de las nuevas tecnologías puede fomentar una cultura solidaria y sirve para acostumbrar a los estudiantes a familiarizarse con las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC).

La competencia en el tratamiento de la información y competencia digital y su desarrollo desde el área de educación física como herramienta normalizadora e integradora.

Proyecto llevado a cabo con alumnos de sexto curso de Enseñanza Primaria. Se pretende concienciar a la comunidad educativa sobre el reto que suponen los cambios tecnológicos, asi como hacer de las TIC una herramienta didáctica e interdisciplinar desde el área de Educación Física, transformarlas en puente de acceso a los alumnos con necesidades educativas especiales hacia una vida escolar normalizada e integrada y convertirlas en elemento innovador y creativo. Se elabora y desarrolla una unidad didáctica a través de un PowerPoint en el que se muestra a los alumnos los contenidos que se desean conseguir. El PowerPoint se envía al correo electrónico de los alumnos, con información sobre los contenidos del tema y enlaces para que, a través del juego, puedan investigar y realizar las tareas propuestas. Las clases se organizan en grupos de tres alumnos rotando cada cinco minutos por una tablet con preguntas y actividades. Al final de cada sesión se realiza una puesta en común de los resultados. El desarrollo de este proyecto ha hecho posible que los alumnos dominen un lenguaje específico (textual, numérico, icónico, visual, gráfico y sonoro), sus pautas de decodificación y transferencia, así como su aplicación en distintas situaciones y contextos.

Tabletas digitales para la docencia del dibujo, dise??o y artes pl??sticas

Monogr??fico con el t??tulo: 'Mujeres y la Sociedad de la Informaci??n'. Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Definiendo las características de un software de apoyo al proceso educativo sobre dispositivos táctiles de última generación.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

Aprender a programar ???apps??? como enriquecimiento curricular en alumnado de alta capacidad

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n.

Animando a la lectura

Se comparte una experiencia en la que se pone en marcha un proyecto de animaci??n a la lectura para la comunidad educativa. Conscientes de las dificultades y faltas de estrategias con que se enfrentaba el alumnado a la lectura, se articulan una serie de actuaciones desde centros de inter??s, vinculados a los ???d??as d???, y desde un enfoque inclusivo, mediante la propuesta de actividades que favorezcan el desarrollo de la competencia lectora y el gusto por la lectura en un clima participativo.

Experiencias con iPads en la escuela primaria

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Gymkana TIC

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Facebook e inovação pedagógica : um projeto de autoformação

A investigadora fixou o objetivo de se atualizar a nível profissional, por autoformação. Considera ser relevante para o ensino que se aposte em estratégias /atividades inovadoras sob um ponto de vista pedagógico, assentes nas novas tecnologias. Neste contexto, a questão de partida foi: como pode a docente inovar na sua prática pedagógica com impacto no desenvolvimento das suas competências digitais e profissionais? Pode inovar, explorando, a nível educativo, as caraterísticas de uma rede social como o Facebook, que é intuitiva e permite o acesso por computador. Além disso, aposta na natureza ubíqua, desenhada para Tablet ou telemóvel, em mobilidade. Possibilita a comunicação síncrona e assíncrona. Pode ser rentabilizada em dois níveis: no da Web 1.0, para pesquisa e arquivo; e no da Web 2.0, para criação/cocriação. Nesta investigação, o paradigma da Web 2.0 facultou a conceção de uma Wiki e de outros produtos criativos. Sendo inábil em tecnologia digital, a docente investigadora pretendeu inverter a situação ao começar pelo Facebook, que se revelou uma forma muito pragmática de ir aprendendo, paulatinamente, a operar outras ferramentas digitais e de consolidar uma autoformação em espiral ascendente. O Trabalho de Projeto, de que ora se lavra este relatório, seguiu a metodologia de investigação-ação, pelo modelo de Whitehead (1989). Foram cinco fases distintas: desde a identificação do problema até à sua superação, passando pelas fases intermédias de planificação do trabalho e de implementação. A última fase foi a reformulação, isto é, a planificação do ano letivo seguinte, com base na experimentação anterior e nos resultados obtidos. Dos resultados obtidos, destacam-se os seguintes: os discentes empenharam-se nas inovações digital e pedagógica porque compreenderam que a docente as concebeu para eles e eram adequadas às suas capacidades; elucidaram a docente, quando esta teve dúvidas de ordem digital; aprovaram o método eclético que concilia o tradicional com o moderno, sem exageros; apreciaram que a docente se implicasse, conferindo um cunho pessoal às aulas; aceitaram bem a entrada do Facebook em meio escolar, com a associação do telemóvel, para partilha de informação e de conhecimento; o Facebook ajudou a docente a desenvolver as aprendizagens tecnológicas e a comunicar com os alunos; os intervenientes reconheceram que podem criar produtos propositadamente para exibir na página, entrando portanto, na Web 2.0.

Quality of medicines stored together in multi-compartment compliance aids

Background and Objective: Dispensing medicines into compliance aids is a common practice in pharmacy contrary to manufacturers’ advice and studies have shown the appearance of light-sensitive tablets is compromised by such storage; we previously found evidence of reduced bioavailability at elevated temperature and humidity. Our objective was to examine the physicochemical stability of two generic atenolol tablets in different compliance aids and with aspirin co-storage at room temperature and at 40 °C/75% relative humidity. Methods: The physicochemical stability of atenolol tablets was evaluated after 28 days of storage and compared with controls by examining visual appearance, weight, disintegration, dissolution, friability and hardness to accepted standards and using a previously validated HPLC method for chemical assay. Results and Discussion: The response to storage was brand-dependent and not straightforward. With one make of atenolol (Alpharma), storage in compliance aids even at room temperature impacted on physical stability, reducing tablet hardness, with storage in Dosett® exerting a greater impact than storage in Medidos® (t-test P < 0·001). Co-storage at elevated temperature and humidity also impacted on the appearance of non-coated aspirin tablets (Angette™). The chemical stability of atenolol was not affected and we did not find evidence of changes to bioavailability with either make. Certainly data for one atenolol make (CP Pharmaceuticals) co-stored with aspirin (Angette™ and Nu-Seals) in both compliance aids at room temperature provided evidence of short-term stability. But medicines are dispensed into compliance aids in multi-factorial ways so our study highlights not only the lack of evidence but also a realization that evidence to support real practice may not be accomplished through research. Conclusion: Reassuring practitioners of the continued stability of medicines in compliance aids under the countless condition in which they are dispensed in practice may requires a different approach involving medical device regulators and more definitive professional guidance.

Optimal protection of stabilised dry live bacteria from bile toxicity in oral dosage forms by bile acid adsorbent resins

We previously found that dried live bacteria of a vaccine strain can be temporarily sensitive to bile acids and suggested that Bile Adsorbing Resins (BAR) can be used in oral vaccine tablets to protect dried bacteria from intestinal bile. Here, we report a quantitative analysis of the ability of BAR to exclude the dye bromophenol blue from penetrating into matrix tablets and also sections of hard capsule shells. Based on this quantitative analysis, we made a fully optimised formulation, comprising 25% w/w of cholestyramine in Vcaps™ HPMC capsules. This gave effectively 100% protection of viability from 4% bile, with 4200-fold more live bacteria recovered from this formulation compared to unprotected dry bacteria. From the image analysis, we found that the filler material or compaction force used had no measurable effect on dye exclusion but did affect the rate of tablet hydration. Increasing the mass fraction of BAR gave more exclusion of dye up to 25% w/w, after which a plateau was reached and no further dye exclusion was seen. More effective dye exclusion was seen with smaller particle sizes (i.e. cholestyramine) and when the BAR was thoroughly dried and disaggregated. Similar results were found when imaging dye penetration into capsule sections or tablets. The predictions of the dye penetration study were tested using capsules filled with dried attenuated Salmonella vaccine plus different BAR types, and the expected protection from bile was found, validating the imaging study. Surprisingly, depending on the capsule shell material, some protection was given by the capsule alone without adding BAR, with Vcaps™ HPMC capsules providing up to 174-fold protection against 1% bile; faster releasing Vcaps Plus™ HPMC capsules and Coni Snap™ gelatin capsules gave less protection.

Turmeric extract may improve irritable bowel syndrome symptomology in otherwise healthy adults: a pilot study

Objectives: To assess the effects of turmeric (Curcuma longa) extract on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptomology in otherwise healthy adults. Design: Partially blinded, randomized, two-dose, pilot study. Subjects: Five hundred (500) volunteers were screened for IBS using the Rome II criteria. Two hundred and seven (207) suitable volunteers were randomized. Interventions: One or two tablets of a standardized turmeric extract taken daily for 8 weeks. Outcomes measures: IBS prevalence, symptom-related quality of life (IBSQOL) and self-reported effectiveness. Results: IBS prevalence decreased significantly in both groups between screening and baseline (41% and 57%), with a further significant drop of 53% and 60% between baseline and after treatment, in the one- and two-tablet groups respectively (p < 0.001). A post-study analysis revealed abdominal pain/discomfort score reduced significantly by 22% and 25% in the one- and two-tablet group respectively, the difference tending toward significance (p = 0.071). There were significant improvements in all bar one of the IBSQOL scales of between 5% and 36% in both groups, approximately two thirds of all subjects reported an improvement in symptoms after treatment, and there was a favorable shift in self-reported bowel pattern. There were no significant differences between groups. Conclusions: Turmeric may help reduce IBS symptomology. Placebo controlled trials are now warranted to confirm these findings.

On-line handwritten segmentation in linear drawings

This paper addresses the problem of tracking line segments corresponding to on-line handwritten obtained through a digitizer tablet. The approach is based on Kalman filtering to model linear portions of on-line handwritten, particularly, handwritten numerals, and to detect abrupt changes in handwritten direction underlying a model change. This approach uses a Kalman filter framework constrained by a normalized line equation, where quadratic terms are linearized through a first-order Taylor expansion. The modeling is then carried out under the assumption that the state is deterministic and time-invariant, while the detection relies on double thresholding mechanism which tests for a violation of this assumption. The first threshold is based on an approach of layout kinetics. The second one takes into account the jump in angle between the past observed direction of layout and its current direction. The method proposed enables real-time processing. To illustrate the methodology proposed, some results obtained from handwritten numerals are presented.