La visita a campo como metodología para el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje

Dentro de la enseñanza de la geotecnia los viajes a campo son una herramienta útil para superar las limitaciones asociadas a la enseñanza en el aula así como para promover el autoaprendizaje del alumno, el cual se enfrenta en primera persona a la información en estado bruto. Mediante esta comunicación compartimos la experiencia de la visita a las obras de construcción de los Túneles de Sorbas y El Almendral dentro del Máster de "Geología Aplicada a la Obra Civil y los Recursos Hídricos" ofertado por la Universidad de Granada, comentando, con un enfoque docente, la planificación de la actividad en función de los resultados de aprendizaje deseados. Fieldtrips are a good tool to overcome the inherent difficulties associated to teaching engineering geology at the classroom and to encourage student self-learning, when they face raw data. In this paper, we share our recent experience with the organization of a fieldtrip to two tunneling construction site (Sorbas Tunnel and El Almendral Tunnel) for the MSc program of “Applied Geology in Civil Engineering and Water Resources” offered by the University of Granada, discussing, with a educational point of view, the planning and learning outcomes.

Development and implementation of a virtual laboratory for training process improvement in the mechanics of continuous media

The project arises from the need to develop improved teaching methodologies in field of the mechanics of continuous media. The objective is to offer the student a learning process to acquire the necessary theoretical knowledge, cognitive skills and the responsibility and autonomy to professional development in this area. Traditionally the teaching of the concepts of these subjects was performed through lectures and laboratory practice. During these lessons the students attitude was usually passive, and therefore their effectiveness was poor. The proposed methodology has already been successfully employed in universities like University Bochum, Germany, University the South Australia and aims to improve the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition through use by the student of a virtual laboratory. This laboratory allows to adapt the curricula and learning techniques to the European Higher Education and improve current learning processes in the University School of Public Works Engineers -EUITOP- of the Technical University of Madrid -UPM-, due there are not laboratories in this specialization. The virtual space is created using a software platform built on OpenSim, manages 3D virtual worlds, and, language LSL -Linden Scripting Language-, which imprints specific powers to objects. The student or user can access this virtual world through their avatar -your character in the virtual world- and can perform practices within the space created for the purpose, at any time, just with computer with internet access and viewfinder. The virtual laboratory has three partitions. The virtual meeting rooms, where the avatar can interact with peers, solve problems and exchange existing documentation in the virtual library. The interactive game room, where the avatar is has to resolve a number of issues in time. And the video room where students can watch instructional videos and receive group lessons. Each audiovisual interactive element is accompanied by explanations framing it within the area of knowledge and enables students to begin to acquire a vocabulary and practice of the profession for which they are being formed. Plane elasticity concepts are introduced from the tension and compression testing of test pieces of steel and concrete. The behavior of reticulated and articulated structures is reinforced by some interactive games and concepts of tension, compression, local and global buckling will by tests to break articulated structures. Pure bending concepts, simple and composite torsion will be studied by observing a flexible specimen. Earthquake resistant design of buildings will be checked by a laboratory test video.

Definición de un proceso para la creación de perfiles institucionales en redes sociales de acuerdo a su estrategia de Social Media Marketing

Desde el 23 de febrero de 2004 la ETS Ingenieros Informáticos posee un perfil en dos redes sociales: Twitter y Facebook. Desde un primer momento el departamento de Unidad de Imagen y Comunicación, encargado de dichos perfiles, ha tenido claro que este era solo el primer paso para aprovechar al máximo las ventajas de las redes sociales en un contexto educativo universitario. En este trabajo se quiere dar forma a esa aspiración desarrollando una expansión del uso de las redes sociales. En este trabajo se analizan los seis primeros meses de trabajo con el perfil de Twitter y la página de Facebook con el objetivo de averiguar qué ha funcionado y qué ha fallado en la estrategia inicial prevista. Primero, se plantea un acercamiento desde el punto de vista estadístico con los datos que arrojan diferentes herramientas de análisis social y después, desde el punto de vista personal con las respuestas de la propia comunidad de la Escuela a una encuesta de satisfacción con los nuevos canales de comunicación. Además, de cara a la creación de nuevos perfiles se analiza el trabajo que realizan en ellas otras universidades y escuelas de informáticas. Con todos los datos sobre el trabajo previo se construyen una serie de buenas prácticas para instituciones universitarias en redes sociales que servirán para desarrollar los planes editoriales de dos nuevos perfiles: un canal de YouTube y una página de LinkedIn. Para terminar, se deja constancia de todo el proceso realizado en una metodología propia que servirá para poder seguir aumentando la red social de la escuela en el futuro con un enfoque en el alumno y que se fundamentará en el análisis y la mejora constante. Se espera que esta metodología pueda servir de modelo para la creación de perfiles sociales en otras universidades o para mejorar las ya existentes.---aBSTRACT---Since February 23rd of 2014, ETS Ingenieros Informáticos had a profile in two of the most popular social networks: Twitter and Facebook. From the beginning, the Communication Department in charge of these profiles knew that this was only a starting point to take advantage of all the advantages that social networks can bring to a higher education context. Thus, this paper aims at developing an expansion of the use of social networks. The present paper analyses the first sixth months of the use of the Twitter profile and the Facebook page to determine the aspects of the initial strategy that worked successfully and those that needed improvement. Firstly, I present a statistical approach the data from a statistical point of view taking into account all the information provided by the different social analysis tools. Then, I complement this first approach with a more personal point of view including the answers of the university community to a satisfaction survey regarding the new communication channels. Finally, in order to create new profiles, other universities’ work is reviewed and examined in depth. Taking into account the previous work, a series of good practices for university institutions is developed in order to be used as the basis of the new social plan to include two new social networks: a YouTube channel and a LinkedIn page. Finally, the whole process is described in a methodology that could be used to increase the School’s social network in the future. This procedure is student-centred and based on the constant analysis and improvement of the results. It is hoped that this methodology could be used as an example of a social network profile creation or improvement for other universities’ strategy.

Design of online practical lessons in colorimetry

Applied colorimetry is an important module in the program of the elective subject "Colour Science: industrial applications”. This course is taught in the Optics and Optometry Degree and it has been used as a testing for the application of new teaching and assessment techniques consistent with the new European Higher Education Area. In particular, the main objective was to reduce the attendance to lessons and encourage the individual and collective work of students. The reason for this approach is based on the idea that students are able to work at their own learning pace. Within this dynamic work, we propose online lab practice based on Excel templates that our research group has developed ad-hoc for different aspects of colorimetry, such as conversion to different colour spaces, calculation of perceptual descriptors (hue, saturation, lightness), calculation of colour differences, colour matching dyes, etc. The practice presented in this paper is focused on the learning of colour differences. The session is based on a specific Excel template to compute the colour differences and to plot different graphs with these colour differences defined at different colour spaces: CIE ΔE, CIE ΔE94 and the CIELAB colour space. This template is implemented on a website what works by addressing the student work at a proper and organized way. The aim was to unify all the student work from a website, therefore the student is able to learn in an autonomous and sequential way and in his own pace. To achieve this purpose, all the tools, links and documents are collected for each different proposed activity to achieve guided specific objectives. In the context of educational innovation, this type of website is normally called WebQuest. The design of a WebQuest is established according to the criteria of usability and simplicity. There are great advantages of using WebQuests versus the toolbox “Campus Virtual” available in the University of Alicante. The Campus Virtual is an unfriendly environment for this specific purpose as the activities are organized in different sectors depending on whether the activity is a discussion, an activity, a self-assessment or the download of materials. With this separation, it is more difficult that the student follows an organized sequence. However, our WebQuest provides a more intuitive graphical environment, and besides, all the tasks and resources needed to complete them are grouped and organized according to a linear sequence. In this way, the student guided learning is optimized. Furthermore, with this simplification, the student focuses on learning and not to waste resources. Finally, this tool has a wide set of potential applications: online courses of colorimetry applied for postgraduate students, Open Course Ware, etc.

The influence of an in-service programme on primary teachers conceptions about practical work

The purpose of this study was to investigate how an in-service programme influenced primary teachers’ conceptions about practical work. Ten elementary teachers participated in a Portuguese city in an one-year professional development programme, which aimed to promote the use of practical activities in classroom. Semi-structured interviews and classroom observations were both used to examine changes in teachers’ conceptions about science teaching and in their classroom pratices. Data also included written artefacts, such as teachers’ written reflections, lesson plans, activity sheets, assessment items and student work samples. Based on the analysis of the data, the changes in teachers’ conceptions were organized into four categories: student and learning, teacher and teaching, science teaching, and teaching context. Throughout their participation in the programme, teachers pointed out several constraints related to planning and implementing practical activities. Results indicate that most teachers were able to overcome their initial difficulties and progressively gained more confidence in using student-centered pratices. However, one year after the end of the programme, teachers reported that their actual practices did not changed significantly, particularly with regard to inquiry-based practical and collaborative activities, which remained absent or rare. Implications for professional development and further research are discussed.

A PROMOÇÃO DE SAÚDE EM SALA DE AULA NA PERSPECTIVA DE ESTUDANTES UNIVERSITÁRIOS

Essa dissertação de mestrado aborda as temáticas de saúde, promoção de saúde e o lúdico na sala de aula do estudante universitário durante a aprendizagem. O objetivo geral foi verificar a partir do ponto de vista dos universitários a existência da promoção de saúde na sala de aula. Optou-se por um método descritivo e exploratório com emprego de análise de conteúdo. O autor utilizou as entrevistas de 15 alunos dos cursos de pedagogia, direito e administração de empresas de vários semestres dos cursos. Os resultados permitem afirmar que os entrevistados possuem uma percepção acerca dos conceitos de promoção de saúde, sobretudo no que diz respeito à saúde como a conjugação de bem estar e a boa manutenção dos aspectos que configuram a saúde física e mental. Alguns entrevistados afirmaram que o lúdico seria passível de utilização apenas em cursos que visam à formação para a prática docente. A sala de aula pode ser entendida como um espaço de promoção de saúde e disparador dos processos criativos na aprendizagem. Apontou-se também a possibilidade de se manter abertos os canais que possibilitam a melhora da saúde por meio da realização de atividades lúdicas sabendo que essas trazem benefícios não somente no processo de socialização necessário ao enfrentamento das situações cotidianas que permeiam o universo escolar, mas, acima de tudo, na manutenção de um ambiente relacional que pode trazer benefícios em todas as dimensões do convívio escolar.

Интегрированный Комплекс по Моделированию Пользователя и Адаптации СДО

В статье описываются вопросы интеграции системы моделирования пользователя и адаптивной обучающей системы. Основу адаптивной обучающей системы составляет технология LOM, реализующая управление обучающими объектами и поддержанная инструментом VITA-II. Ключевой компонентой процесса адаптации является модель обучающегося. Построение модели производится при помощи инструмента моделирования пользователя Trivium. Задача заключается в интеграции двух средств поддержания адаптивного дистанционного обучения. Кратко рассматриваются архитектуры инструментов VITA-II и Trivium. Рассматривается схема их взаимодействия и возможности интеграции.

Caminhos para a avaliação da formação em odontologia: desenvolvimento, validação e aplicação de critérios

The need for universal access to health and the failure of the pedagogical model centered on the transmission of knowledge has led to changes in the training of health professionals. The objective of this study was to provide a new alternative for evaluating dental students through the development, validation and application of evaluation criteria based on the National Curriculum Guidelines (DCN in Brazil). Therefore, the study was conducted in three phases: development and validation of evaluation criteria of Dentistry courses based on the DCN; a pilot study to verify the applicability of the validated criteria and evaluation of the dentistry courses in the Northeast. In the first stage, a logical model was formulated, allowing for the construction of a criteria matrix, validated by a modified Delphi consensus technique. The validated matrix has the following dimensions: Profile of graduates, health care guidance, teaching and service integration, and pedagogical approach. The pilot study was conducted in five dental courses through a documentary study of the pedagogical project course (PPC), and application of validated questionnaires and interviews with course coordinators. The results of the pilot study indicate the possibility of being verified by means of validated criteria and using different methodological proposals, advances and curricular limitations facing the proposed reorientation of training recommended by DCN. The evaluation of Northeast Dentistry courses was carried out by applying a questionnaire validating a matrix of 30 course coordinators, including public and private institutions. The data were submitted to descriptive analysis, and also tested the difference between means and the correlation between the assessment of the coordinators in the dimensions and sub-dimensions with each other, among the general evaluation of courses and between the following variables: administrative category, time since last curriculum updating, participation in reorienting the training of health professionals programs, ENADE and CPC (Preliminary Concepts of the Course) scores in the year 2013. Positive correlation (p <0.01) was found between the means obtained by the perception of the coordinators in most dimensions, and also between them and the overall performance of the course. There were no significant differences between the coordinators’ perception about course performance and the administrative category (public / private). This difference is slightly higher when the average performance is compared with respect to time due to the last curriculum update, getting better performance in courses with the latest updated curriculum, even with there not 11 being this significant difference between dimensions. Better averages of performance were obtained in courses that do not participate in reorientation programs of professional training, with a significant difference (p<0.05) for the overall score and for all dimensions except the dimensions of teaching-service Integration (p = 0.064). There was no significant correlation between the assessment of coordinators in all dimensions, in the overall assessment or ENADE and CPC scores in 2013. The final instrument proposed in this study is a different alternative assessment for health training of both dentists and other professionals, considering that the DCN providing for the training and graduation of professionals is focused on the health needs of the population, integrated with the SUS (the National Brazilian Health System) and based on student-centered learning.

The Evolution of 'Design Build Fly' Led Teaching in Aerospace Engineering

This paper describes the evolution of a ‘Design - Build-Fly’ (DBF) approach to the delivery and assessment of a Stage Three Aircraft Design module. It focuses on the primary learning outcomes around the design and manufacturing functions associated with the development of a remotely controlled aircraft. The work covers a six year period from 2011 to present mapping the transformation of the module from report based assessment to a more hands on approach resulting in a fully functioning remotely controlled aircraft. Results show that both the staff and student experience improved across key performance metrics including student feedback, learning and competency development. Challenges still remain in methods of placing students within teams and maintaining technical rigour in reporting as students develop vocational skills and more reflective writing styles.

Bioexploration of wild Alaskan berries: From field screening to functional food

Wild berries are fundamental components of traditional diet and medicine for Native American and Alaska Native tribes and contain a diverse array of phytochemicals, including anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, with known efficacy against metabolic disorders. Bioexploration represents a new paradigm under which bioactive preparations are screened in coordination with indigenous communities, to prepare for subsequent in-depth chemical and biological analysis. The inclusive, participatory philosophical approach utilized in bioexploration has additional benefits that could be realized in seemingly disparate areas, such as education and economics. Five species of wild Alaskan berries (Vaccinium uliginosum, V. ovalifolium, Empetrum nigrum, Rubus chamaemorus, and R. spectabilis) were tested using “Screens-to-Nature” (STN), a community-participatory approach to screen for potential bioactivity, in partnership with tribal members from three geographically distinct Alaskan villages: Akutan, Seldovia, and Point Hope. Berries were subsequently evaluated via HPLC and LC-MS2, yielding significant species and location-based variation in anthocyanins (0.9-438.6 mg eq /100g fw) and proanthocyanins (73.7-625.2 mg eq /100g fw). A-type proanthocyanidin dimers through tetramers were identified in all species tested. Berries were analyzed for in vitro and in vivo activity related to diabetes and obesity. R. spectabilis samples increased preadipocyte-factor-1 levels by 82% over control, and proanthocyanidin-rich fractions from multiple species reduced lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, extracts of V. uliginosum and E. nigrum (Point Hope) reduced serum glucose levels in C57bl/6j mice up to 45%. The same precepts of bioexploration, especially the inclusion of indigenous community perspectives and knowledge, have relevance in other areas of study, such as education and economics. Studies have established the apathetic, low-motivational environment characteristic of many introductory science laboratory classes is detrimental to student interest, learning, and continuation in scientific education. A primary means of arresting this decline and stimulating the students’ attention and excitement is via engagement in hands-on experimentation and research. Using field workshops, the STN system is investigated as to its potential as a novel participatory educational tool, using assays centered around bioexploration and bioactive plant compounds that hold the potential to offset human health conditions. This evaluation of the STN system provided ample evidence as to its ability to augment and improve science education. Furthermore, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was employed as a theoretical framework to review the potential benefits and hurdles associated with developing a wild Alaskan berry commodity. Synthesizing various sources of information – including logistics and harvest costs, sources of initial capital, opportunities in the current superfruit industry, and socioeconomic factors – the development of a berry commodity proves to be a complex amalgam of competing factors which would require a delicate balance before proceeding.

Demonstração de fórmulas matemáticas no ensino médio

The objective of this study is to analyze the validity of working with proofs in the classroom and to present a partial list of proofs of mathematical formulae of the Brazilian secondary/high school curriculum. The adaptation of the proofs into the knowledge and abilities of a secondary school student should also be considered. How the teaching of proofs is treated in official publications in Brazil and other countries is also described. Working with proofs provides a number of benefits to the students, including: the development of logical reasoning, argumentative capacity, analytical skills on a daily basis, as well as motivation and a better understanding of mathematics as a science. The convenience of including the teaching of proofs in Brazilian secondary school curriculum and the need of a balance between the abstraction of proofs and contextualization of the school programmes is discussed. The approach of the proof teaching in the classroom can become a motivating factor or, conversely, a discouraging one. The conclusion is that it would be very useful to create a reference list covering the mathematical expressions of school programmes with their respective proofs that can be understood by secondary school students.

Movimiento estudiantil en Chile, aprendizaje situado y activismo digital. Compromiso, cambio social y usos tecnológicos adolescentes

A partir del movimiento estudiantil que surge en Chile en 2011 el artículo reflexiona sobre la escuela como espacio de aprendizaje situado de tecnologías digitales audiovisuales y el modo en que este proceso puede impactar sobre la dimensión político-comunicacional de un movimiento social. Para ello, se describe y analiza el caso de una escuela donde la educación formal en lenguajes y tecnologías digitales se imbrica con el uso que hacen, estudiantes secundarias que se convierten en dirigentas estudiantiles, de aplicaciones y recursos de la web social y los llamados “social media” (youtube, blogs, redes sociales). Se trabaja con datos generados a través de entrevistas a informantes claves y una selección de videos creados por el estudiantado y subidos a internet. El contenido de las entrevistas es abordado desde el concepto de aprendizaje situado (Lave y Wenger, 1991) y los videos desde el concepto de videoactivismo (Askanius, 2013; Mateos y Rajas, 2014). Los resultados muestran que el uso concreto de herramientas digitales obtenidas en contextos educativos formales y dentro de procesos de movilización, genera a su vez nuevas experiencias de aprendizaje no-formal, que permiten tanto a estudiantes como docentes reflexionar sobre sus prácticas y mejorar su potencial comunicativo. Asimismo, muestran un uso acrítico de las herramientas digitales, lo cual constituye un llamado de atención respecto a la necesidad de incorporar los tópicos de privacidad y autocuidado en internet dentro de los contenidos a desarrollar por la escuela como espacio de aprendizaje digital.

Are the kids alright? Relating to representations of youth

Initiatives aimed at promoting young people's well-being potentially conflict with more traditional modes of adult/youth relationship privileging adult authority. For example, teaching practice has shifted from teacher to student-centred, a move that can be attributed at least in part to the acknowledged importance of empathetic teacher-student relationship to the well-being of students. This discussion considers an area of sociocultural practice with the potential to inform understandings of youth and their relationships with adults: How youth have been discursively represented in a sample of popular music spanning the five decades from the 1960s to the 2000s. The analysis, in the first instance, demonstrates how popular culture supports and maintains discernible social relationships, sustaining what is identified here as a normative control-contest binary. A direct challenge to commonplace notions of authority and well-being follows, offering opportunities to theorise a different kind of psychosocial action.

Transition: improved literacy outcomes research study

This paper reports on the Transition: Improved Literacy Outcomes Research Study established by the Department of Education and Training (DET). The purpose of the study was to identify the most useful and usable data for educators to access in order to ensure that student literacy learning is maximised during the transition from Primary to Secondary school.1. The research followed a mixed-methods approach, combining a statistically defensible sample of schools selected to represent school types (primary, secondary, combined), locations (rural, regional, urban) and all regions with a survey and follow- up interviews.2. The results are presented as a mixture of statistics, case studies and discussion. The case studies were developed from both survey data and interview data.3. Leaders and teachers overwhelmingly valued teacher judgement (through AusVELS) as the most useful data in understanding students’ strengths and weaknesses, followed by On-Demand testing.4. NAPLAN results were frequently transferred between schools, but were found to be less useful than other data by teachers.5. School leaders and teachers are currently using data for ability streaming, or for tailoring curriculum for individual student needs. A number of schools use the Literacy data for achieving a balance of student abilities within classes.6. Support for access to, and use of, data is mainly manual, with some use of spreadsheets.7. As the number of feeder Primary schools to a single Secondary school increases, data management becomes a much larger burden on the Secondary staff concerned.8. In Secondary schools, there was a clear demand for Literacy data, but these data were not always those that were being provided by their feeder Priamary schools. This mis-match appears to lead to some frustration among Literacy transition staff at both levels of schooling.9. A gap that needs filling is around the nature of the pedagogies at the two school levels. Not knowing, or misunderstanding, the approaches and needs of each level of schooling leads to the passing on of irrelevant Literacy data in some instances.10. The need for a common template for transition data was expressed by many Transition staff, both Primary and Secondary. In some instances the secondary school had set up a local template for this11. It would be advantageous for data to be directly up-loaded or transferred into a system via electronic tools already in use, such as an Excel spreadsheet.12. We would recommend that the capacity to provide some visualisation of data, and the compilation of internal Literacy data such as teacher judgements and AusVELS levels, or additional testing carried out by the school.13. Student background data was seen by many Secondary transition staff as being equally as valuable as more formal Literacy data for determining student needs.

Field ‘work’ vs ‘feel’ trip : approaches to out-of-class experiences in geography education

Fieldwork is viewed as integral to geography teaching and acclaimed benefits often include holistic, student-driven learning, where all the senses are engaged and the impacts are more than cognitive. While these benefits are often assumed, in this paper, I argue that geography fieldwork in schools is often teacher-led and focused on the intellectual task of knowledge acquisition and skill development. Based on a qualitative content analysis of examples of fieldwork in a state geography teachers’ journal, I assert that the affective and sensory dimensions, are often used to promote the benefits of fieldwork, but seldom explicitly addressed through fieldwork pedagogy and learning activities in school geography. I contend that this is a missed opportunity for a deeper, more embodied and critical engagement with, and response to, the places visited.