Peer interaction in mixed age groups: a study in the computer area of an early childhood education center in Portugal

The study was developed as a teacher-research project during initial teacher education – Masters Degree of Early Childhood and Primary Education, in Portugal. It analysed the interactions between children of 3 to 6 years old, during the use of the computer as a free choice activity, confronting situations between peers of the same age and situations between peers of different ages. The focus of the analysis was the collaborative interactions. This was a qualitative study. Children could choose the computer, amongst other interest areas, and work for around an hour in pairs. In the computer, children used mainly educational games. During four weeks, the interactions between the pairs were audio recorded. Field notes and informal interviews to the children were also used to collect data. Eleven children were involved in the study with ages ranging from 3 to 6 years old. Baseline data on children’s basic computer proficiency was collected using the Individualized Computer Proficiency Checklist (ICPC) by Hyun. The recorded interactions were analysed using the types of talk offered by Scrimshaw and Perkins and Wegerif and Scrimshaw: cumulative talk, exploratory talk, disputational talk, and tutorial talk. This framework was already used in a study in an early childhood education context in Portugal by Amante. The results reveal differences in computer use and characterize the observed interactions. Seven different pairs of children's interactions were analysed. More than a third of the interactions were cumulative talk, followed by exploratory talk, tutorial talk and disputational talk. Comparing same and mixed age pairs, we observed that cumulative talk is the more present interaction, but in same age pairs this is followed by exploratory talk whereas in the mixed age pairs it is tutorial talk that has the second largest percentage. The pairs formed by the children were very asymmetrical in terms of age and computer proficiency. This lead to the more tutorial interactions, where one children showed the other or directed him/her on how to play. The results show that collaboration is present during the use of a computer area in early childhood education. The free choice of the children means the adults can only suggest pairing suited to specific interactions between the children. Another way to support children in more exploratory talk interactions could be by discussing the way the older children can help the younger ones beyond directing or correcting their work.

Funcionamento cognitivo em idosos

O aumento da população idosa apresenta-se como um desafio quer para os profissionais, quer para as instituições, no que concerne ao entendimento dos seus problemas e limitações e disponibilização de respostas adaptadas. Este é um estudo exploratório descritivo e inferencial que tem como objetivo analisar o funcionamento cognitivo, nomeadamente as funções executivas de 62 idosos institucionalizados tendo em conta variáveis sociodemográficas e a participação em atividades de estimulação cognitiva e o uso do computador. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: Questionário Socidemográfico e Clínico, Mini Mental State Examination , Escala de Depressão Geriátrica, Trail Making Test, Stroop e Wisconsin de Classificação de Cartas -versão computorizada. Os resultados mostram que nas variáveis WCST Categorias Completas e WCST Nº de Erros, os grupos “participa em atividades de estimulação cognitiva” e o que “participa em atividade de estimulação cognitiva e usa o computador/internet”, apresentam melhor resultados respeitantes às variáveis funções executivas, em comparação com o grupo de idosos que não participa em atividades. Por outro lado na variável Índice B:A os resultados são inversamente proporcionais. Quanto às variáveis sociodemográficas sexo e escolaridade, não são verificadas diferenças entre grupos, o mesmo não acontece com a variável idade relativamente à variável WCST Nº Erros, onde idosos mais jovens apresentam pior desempenho que idosos mais velhos.

Telehealth system (e-CUIDATE) to improve quality of life in breast cancer survivors: rationale and study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND Breast cancer survivors suffer physical impairment after oncology treatment. This impairment reduces quality of life (QoL) and increase the prevalence of handicaps associated to unhealthy lifestyle (for example, decreased aerobic capacity and strength, weight gain, and fatigue). Recent work has shown that exercise adapted to individual characteristics of patients is related to improved overall and disease-free survival. Nowadays, technological support using telerehabilitation systems is a promising strategy with great advantage of a quick and efficient contact with the health professional. It is not known the role of telerehabilitation through therapeutic exercise as a support tool to implement an active lifestyle which has been shown as an effective resource to improve fitness and reduce musculoskeletal disorders of these women. METHODS / DESIGN This study will use a two-arm, assessor blinded, parallel randomized controlled trial design. People will be eligible if: their diagnosis is of stages I, II, or IIIA breast cancer; they are without chronic disease or orthopedic issues that would interfere with ability to participate in a physical activity program; they had access to the Internet and basic knowledge of computer use or living with a relative who has this knowledge; they had completed adjuvant therapy except for hormone therapy and not have a history of cancer recurrence; and they have an interest in improving lifestyle. Participants will be randomized into e-CUIDATE or usual care groups. E-CUIDATE give participants access to a range of contents: planning exercise arranged in series with breathing exercises, mobility, strength, and stretching. All of these exercises will be assigned to women in the telerehabilitation group according to perceived needs. The control group will be asked to maintain their usual routine. Study endpoints will be assessed after 8 weeks (immediate effects) and after 6 months. The primary outcome will be QoL measured by The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 version 3.0 and breast module called The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. The secondary outcomes: pain (algometry, Visual Analogue Scale, Brief Pain Inventory short form); body composition; physical measurement (abdominal test, handgrip strength, back muscle strength, and multiple sit-to-stand test); cardiorespiratory fitness (International Fitness Scale, 6-minute walk test, International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form); fatigue (Piper Fatigue Scale and Borg Fatigue Scale); anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale); cognitive function (Trail Making Test and Auditory Consonant Trigram); accelerometry; lymphedema; and anthropometric perimeters. DISCUSSION This study investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of a telerehabilitation system during adjuvant treatment of patients with breast cancer. If this treatment option is effective, telehealth systems could offer a choice of supportive care to cancer patients during the survivorship phase. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01801527.

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

Beyond the 'dyad': a qualitative re-evaluation of the changing clinical consultation.

OBJECTIVE: To identify characteristics of consultations that do not conform to the traditionally understood communication 'dyad', in order to highlight implications for medical education and develop a reflective 'toolkit' for use by medical practitioners and educators in the analysis of consultations. DESIGN: A series of interdisciplinary research workshops spanning 12 months explored the social impact of globalisation and computerisation on the clinical consultation, focusing specifically on contemporary challenges to the clinician-patient dyad. Researchers presented detailed case studies of consultations, taken from their recent research projects. Drawing on concepts from applied sociolinguistics, further analysis of selected case studies prompted the identification of key emergent themes. SETTING: University departments in the UK and Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: Six researchers with backgrounds in medicine, applied linguistics, sociolinguistics and medical education. One workshop was also attended by PhD students conducting research on healthcare interactions. RESULTS: The contemporary consultation is characterised by a multiplicity of voices. Incorporation of additional voices in the consultation creates new forms of order (and disorder) in the interaction. The roles 'clinician' and 'patient' are blurred as they become increasingly distributed between different participants. These new consultation arrangements make new demands on clinicians, which lie beyond the scope of most educational programmes for clinical communication. CONCLUSIONS: The consultation is changing. Traditional consultation models that assume a 'dyadic' consultation do not adequately incorporate the realities of many contemporary consultations. A paradox emerges between the need to manage consultations in a 'super-diverse' multilingual society, while also attending to increasing requirements for standardised protocol-driven approaches to care prompted by computer use. The tension between standardisation and flexibility requires addressing in educational contexts. Drawing on concepts from applied sociolinguistics and the findings of these research observations, the authors offer a reflective 'toolkit' of questions to ask of the consultation in the context of enquiry-based learning.

Neck Muscle Function and Adolescent Headache

Muscular function of the neck region may be of importance for the etiology of headache, especially of tension-type headache. However, very few data exist on the association of neck muscle function with different types of headache in adolescents. The main aim of the study was to examine the association of neck muscle function with adolescent headache. The associations between leisure time activities, endurance strength of the upper extremities (UE endurance) and mobility of the neck-shoulder region and adolescent headache were studied. In addition, the associations of force production, EMG/force ratio, co-activation and fatigue characteristics, and cross-sectional area (CSA) of neck muscles with adolescent headache were studied. The study is part of a population-based cohort study of 12-year-old children with and without headache. The study had five phases (years 1998-2003). At the age of 13 years, a sample of 183 adolescents (183/311) participated in endurance strength and mobility measurements of the neck-shoulder region. In addition, the type and level of physical and other leisure activity were elicited with open and structured questions. At the age of 17 years, a random sample of 89 adolescents (89/202) participated in force and EMG measurements of the neck-shoulder muscles. In addition, at the age of 17 years, a sample of 65 adolescents (65/89) participated in CSA measurements of the neck muscles. At the age of 13 years, intensive participation in overall sports activity was associated with migraine. Frequent computer use was associated both with migraine and tension-type headache. The type of sports or other leisure activity classified them on the basis of body loading was not associated with headache type. In girls, low UE endurance of both sides, and low cervical rotation of the dominant side, were associated with tension-type headache, and low UE endurance of non-dominant side with migraine. In boys, no associations occurred between UE endurance and mobility variables and headache types. At the age of 17 years, in girls, high EMG/force ratios between the EMG of the left agonist sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) and maximal neck flexion and neck rotation force to the right side as well as high co-activation of right antagonist cervical erector spinae (CES) muscles during maximal neck flexion force were associated with migraine-type headache. In girls, neck force production was not associated with headache types but low left shoulder flexion force was associated with tension-type headache. In boys, no associations were found between EMG and force variables and headache. Increased SCM muscles fatigue of both sides was associated with tension-type headache. In boys, the small CSA of the right SCM muscle and, in girls, of combined right SCM and scalenus muscles was associated with tension-type headache. Similarly, in boys, the large CSA of the right SCM muscle, of the combined right SCM and scalenus muscles, of the left semispinalis capitis muscle, of the combined left semispinalis and splenius muscles was associated with migraine. No other differences in the CSA of neck flexion or extension muscles were found. Differences in the neuromucular function of the neck-shoulder muscles were associated with adolescent headache, especially in girls. Differences in the cross-sectional area of unilateral neck muscles were associated with headache, especially in boys. Differences in the neuromuscular function and in the cross-sectional area of the neck muscles also occurred between different types of headache. It remains to be established whether the findings are primary or secondary to adolescent migraine and tension headache. Keywords: adolescent, cross-sectional area, electromyography, endurance strength, fatigue, force, headache, leisure time activity, migraine, mobility, neck muscles, tension-type headache

Nurses’ Acceptance of an Internet-Based Support System in The Care of Adolescents with Depression

The overall goal of the study was to describe nurses’ acceptance of an Internet-based support system in the care of adolescents with depression. The data were collected in four phases during the period 2006 – 2010 from nurses working in adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics and from professionals working with adolescents in basic public services. In the first phase, the nurses’ anticipated perceptions of the usefulness of the Internet-based support system before its implementation was explored. In the second phase, the nurses’ perceived ease of computer and Internet use and attitudes toward it were explored. In the third phase, the features of the support system and its implementation process were described. In the fourth phase, the nurses’ experiences of behavioural intention and actual system use of the Internet-based support were described in psychiatric out-patient care after one year use. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used to structure the various research phases. Several benefits were identified from the nurses’ perspective in using the Internet-based support system in the care of adolescents with depression. The nurses’ technology skills were good and their attitudes towards computer use were positive. The support system was developed in various phases to meet the adolescents’ needs. Before the implementation of the information technology (IT)-based support system, it is important to pay attention to the nurses’ IT-training, technology support, resources, and safety as well as ethical issues related to the support system. After one year of using the system, the nurses perceived the Internet-based support system to be useful in the care of adolescents with depression. The adolescents’ independent work with the support system at home and the program’s systematic character were experienced as conducive from the point of view of the treatment. However, the Internet-based support system was integrated only partly into the nurseadolescent interaction even though the nurses’ perceptions of it were positive. The use of the IT-based system as part of the adolescents’ depression care was seen positively and its benefits were recognized. This serves as a good basis for future IT-based techniques. Successful implementations of IT-based support systems need a systematic implementation plan and commitment from the part of the organization and its managers. Supporting and evaluating the implementation of an IT-based system should pay attention to changing the nurses’ work styles. Health care organizations should be offered more flexible opportunities to utilize IT-based systems in direct patient care in the future.

Impact des TIC sur le sentiment d’auto-efficacité des enseignants du secondaire au Niger et leur processus d’adoption d’une innovation

Cette recherche porte sur le renforcement des sentiments de compétence professionnelle et d’auto-efficacité des enseignants du secondaire envers les habiletés techniques dans la formation aux TIC. Elle fait suite à un projet d’intégration pédagogique des TIC au lycée initié par le Campus numérique de Niamey. Après une formation des enseignants de lycée participant au projet d’alphabétisation informatique, notre étude est venue par la suite pour apprécier l’impact de cette formation aux TIC, via le CNF, sur le processus d’adoption de ces technologies par les enseignants. Les objectifs de la recherche sont les suivants : 1) évaluer l’impact de la formation aux TIC des enseignants du secondaire sur le processus d’adoption de ces technologies ; 2) décrire et analyser le cheminement parcouru par les enseignants ayant atteint un niveau élevé d’adoption des TIC ; 3) mieux comprendre l’impact de la formation aux TIC sur le sentiment de compétence professionnelle des enseignants (sentiments de compétence personnelle et générale) ; 4) Valider le Computer Self-Efficacy Scale (CSE) en français ; 5) Comprendre l’impact de la formation aux TIC sur le sentiment d’auto-efficacité à l’égard de l’utilisation de l’ordinateur des enseignants. Une enquête par questionnaires auprès de 69 enseignants représentant l’ensemble des enseignants de trois lycées de Niamey, et par des entrevues semi-dirigées auprès de six enseignants a permis de réaliser les objectifs de recherche. La thèse se fonde sur un mode de présentation par articles. Chaque article est en lien avec un ou deux objectifs de la recherche, suivant l’ordre précité. Les résultats révèlent une absence de relation entre la formation aux TIC des enseignants dispensée par le Campus numérique et les niveaux de l’innovation technologique en milieu scolaire de la typologie de Hall et Hord (1987). Les disparités dans les utilisations que font les enseignants des TIC témoignent de ce manque d’association. Par ailleurs, il apparaît que l’adoption des TIC dans l’éducation est embryonnaire au Niger. Cela fait que seuls quelques-uns de nos participants ont atteint les niveaux de sensibilisation et d’utilisation professionnelle constituant les deux premiers stades de l’usage pédagogique de la typologie de Raby (2005) qui en compte quatre. À la lumière des résultats, le sentiment de compétence personnelle est différent dans les deux groupes (enseignants formés et non formés), mais celui de compétence générale est apprécié de la même façon. Entre les enseignants formés aux TIC par les soins du campus numérique de Niamey et les autres, les résultats montrent une différence significative dans les niveaux d’habiletés techniques à l’égard de l’usage de l’ordinateur. Les forces et les limites de la recherche sont analysées et différentes recommandations sont proposées aux responsables éducatifs.

L’incidence de l’utilisation de l’ordinateur à des fins personnelles sur la motivation et l’engagement scolaire

Le but du présent projet de thèse est d’étudier le lien entre les habitudes à l’endroit des technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) et la motivation à apprendre. Bien que l’utilisation de l’ordinateur en contexte scolaire ait été étudiée en profondeur au cours des dernières années, la majorité des études présentent la même perspective : elles examinent l’effet de l’utilisation des technologies à l’école sur le rendement et la motivation scolaire des élèves. Cependant, on connaît mal l’effet de l’utilisation des technologies à des fins personnelles sur le vécu scolaire. Il apparait que les élèves n’ont pas tous les mêmes opportunités en ce qui a trait à l’utilisation des TIC et n’acquièrent donc pas tous les mêmes compétences dans ce domaine. Quelques recherches se sont intéressées aux effets de l’ordinateur (sa présence et son utilisation à la maison) sur le rendement à l’école. Bien qu’en majorité, les auteurs s’entendent sur les bénéfices que pourrait générer l’ordinateur, ils restent prudents sur les rapports de cause à effet (Beltran, Das et Fairlie, 2008; OCDE, 2006). Nous avons voulu aborder la question différemment : déterminer les possibles liens entre les habitudes d’utilisation de l’ordinateur à des fins personnelles et la motivation à apprendre à l’école. À cet égard, la motivation pour les sciences a été retenue puisque cette matière scolaire fait souvent appel à des compétences associées à l’utilisation des TIC. Pour répondre à nos objectifs, 331 élèves du cours ordinaire de sciences et technologie au premier cycle du secondaire ont remplis un questionnaire autorapporté, composé de sept échelles motivationnelles et d’un questionnaire lié à l’utilisation des TIC. Nous avons d’abord dégagé des profils d’utilisateurs à partir des différentes utilisations de l’ordinateur. Ensuite, nous avons examiné ces profils en lien avec leurs caractéristiques motivationnelles (le sentiment de compétence, l’anxiété, l’intérêt et les buts d’accomplissement) et l’engagement pour le cours de sciences. Finalement, nous avons déterminé la valeur prédictive de l’utilisation de l’ordinateur sur les variables motivationnelles retenues. Nos résultats montrent que l’utilisation personnelle des TIC ne se fait pas nécessairement au détriment de l’école. Nous avons trouvé que les élèves qui utilisent davantage les TIC dans leurs temps libres, et ce, avec des utilisations diversifiées, ont des caractéristiques motivationnelles plus positives. Toutefois, nous constatons que le type d’usage est lié à un effet médiateur positif ou négatif sur la motivation à apprendre. Les élèves qui limitent leurs utilisations de l’ordinateur à la communication et aux jeux ont des caractéristiques motivationnelles plus négatives que ceux avec des utilisations variées. Les usages centrés sur la communication semblent être ceux qui sont le plus susceptibles d’être liés négativement à la motivation à apprendre alors que ceux orientés vers les usages à caractère intellectuel s’avèrent plus positifs. Les résultats suggèrent que la clé ne réside pas dans le temps d'utilisation mais plutôt dans l'utilisation judicieuse de ce temps. En favorisant des usages à caractère intellectuel, tout en laissant des temps libres aux jeunes, nous augmentons leurs chances de développer de bonnes habitudes technologiques qui seront essentielles dans la société de demain.

Propuesta de un modelo de prevención de lesiones osteomusculares y su relación con los factores de riesgo psicosociales para una empresa productora de flores de la sabana de Bogotá

Es difícil lograr la eliminación total de las causas osteomusculares, teniendo en cuenta que para la aparición de desordenes incide no solo la parte laboral, sino también los aspectos sociales, entre los que se encuentran, los hábitos del comportamiento como: Practicas deportivas, alimentación, chequeos médicos, etc. y desde luego, los factores metabólicos y fisiológicos propio de cada ser. Sin embargo, a través, de la intervención se pretende gestionar el impacto que la actividad económica y las tareas ejercen sobre la salud de los operarios. Para ello fue necesario realizar un análisis de las condiciones del trabajador desde cuatro categorías: todo lo referente a la parte organizacional, técnica, productiva, y personal de la empresa. Con técnicas especificas de recolección de información para cada una de las categorías, entre la cuales se incluyeron observaciones a la población, entrevistas para un grupo de trabajadores seleccionados bajo criterios específicos y para la parte técnica incluyendo los agrónomos y el medico de la Organización.

Métodos de análisis de las comunidades de clientes mediante la relación estratégica comunitaria y el marketing.

En este proyecto analizaremos como las organizaciones se relacionan con el medio y marketing. La idea es determinar cuáles son los métodos de análisis de las comunidades de clientes mediante la relación estratégica comunitaria y el marketing. Por medio del mercadeo se puede conocer el entorno y determinar qué métodos de análisis utilizar para conocer a la comunidad de clientes. Las personas de mercadeo se ocupan de todo lo que ocurre en el entorno, de estar al tanto para saber cuándo hay oportunidades que puedan ser provechosas para la organización o por otro lado cuando hay amenazas de las que debe tener cuidado. Dependiendo del entorno, la organización diseña sus actividades de mercadeo enfocadas en satisfacer las necesidades del consumidor. Las actividades del consumidor se conceptualizan en producto, precio, promoción y plaza que se definen y diseñan basados en la comunidad en la que este inmersa la organización. Es importante buscar información confiable sobre el grupo objetivo al cual se le va ofrecer el producto o servicio, ya que toca analizarlos y comprender a estas personas para diseñar una buena oferta que satisfaga sus necesidades y deseos. Esta persona que recibe el producto o servicio por parte de la organización es el cliente. Los clientes son las personas que llegan a una organización en búsqueda de satisfacer necesidades a través de los bienes y servicios que las empresas ofrecen. Es esencial determinar que los clientes viven en comunidad, es decir comparten ideas por la comunicación tan estrecha que tienen y viven en conjunto bajo las mismas costumbres. Debido a estos es que hoy en día, los consumidores se conglomeran en comunidades de clientes, y para saberles llegar a estos clientes, toca analizarlos por medio de diversos métodos. El uso de las estrategias comunitarias es necesario ya que por medio del marketing se analiza el entorno y se buscan los métodos para analizar a la comunidad de clientes, que comparten características y se analizan en conjunto no por individuo. Es necesario identificar los métodos para relacionarse con la comunidad de clientes, para poder acercarnos a estos y conocerlos bien, saber sus necesidades y deseos y ofrecerles productos y servicios de acuerdo a éstos. En la actualidad estos métodos no son muy comunes ni conocidos, es por esto que nuestro propósito es indagar e identificar estos métodos para saber analizar a las comunidades. En este proyecto se utilizara una metodología de estudio tipo teórico-conceptual buscando las fuentes de información necesarias para llevar a cabo nuestra investigación. Se considera trabajar con El Grupo de Investigación en Perdurabilidad Empresarial y se escogió la línea de gerencia ya que permite entrar en la sociedad del conocimiento, siendo capaces de identificar oportunidades gerenciales en el entorno. Es interesante investigar sobre estos métodos, ya que los clientes esperan un servicio excelente, atento y que se preocupe por ellos y sus necesidades.

Impacto del Internet en el ingreso laboral: análisis del lugar y manejo del Internet

Este estudio analiza el efecto del uso de Internet sobre el ingreso laboral, eliminado el problema de endogeneidad que existe por motivos de selección. También se analizan los efectos seg un el lugar de acceso y las actividades realizadas en Internet. Para esto se utiliza Propensity Score Matching, tomando información para Colombia entre el año 2009 a 2011. Los resultados muestran que existe un efecto positivo, significativo y heterogéneo entre trabajadores asalariados y cuenta propia, siendo los últimos los más beneficiados. Con respecto al lugar de uso se encuentra un impacto positivo del uso del Internet en el trabajo y/o en el hogar, con una mayor magnitud en el primer sitio de acceso. Para el tema del manejo del Internet, no se encuentra efecto cuando se utiliza en actividades de entretenimiento, pero si cuando se usa en tareas educativas diariamente. Esto siguiere que usar este servicio aumenta la productividad y el capital humano, lo que se transforma en un incremento en los ingresos. Por tanto, se encuentra que el lugar de uso es una señal informativa para el mercado laboral, mientras que el impacto del manejo de esta herramienta depende de la frecuencia con que se realicen las actividades.

Correlación de las condiciones de iluminación, ángulo visual, agudeza visual y contraste con y síntomas visuales en trabajadores de un call center en Bogotá, Colombia

Objetivo: Establecer la correlación entre condiciones de iluminación, ángulo visual, discriminación de contrastes y agudeza visual en la aparición de síntomas visuales en operarios de computador. Materiales y métodos: Estudio de corte transversal y correlación en muestra de 136 trabajadores administrativos de un “call center” perteneciente a una entidad de salud en la ciudad de Bogotá, utilizando un cuestionario con el que se evaluaron las variables sociodemográficas y ocupacionales; aplicando la escala de síntomas visión – computador (CVSS17), realizando evaluación médica y midiendo iluminación y distancia operario pantalla de computador y con los datos recolectados se realizó un análisis estadístico bivariado y se estableció la correlación entre las condiciones de iluminación, ángulo visual, discriminación de contrataste y agudeza visual; frente a la aparición de síntomas visuales asociados con el uso del computador. El análisis se llevó a cabo con medidas de tendencia central y dispersión y con el coeficiente de correlación paramétrico de Pearson o no-paramétrico de Spearman, previamente se evaluó la normalidad con la prueba de Shapiro-Wilk. Las pruebas estadísticas se evaluarán a un nivel de significancia del 5% (p<0.05). Resultados: El promedio de edad de los participantes en el estudio fue de 36,3 años con un rango entre los 22 y 57 años y en donde el género predominante fue el femenino con el 79,4%. Se encontraron síntomas visuales asociados al uso de pantalla de computador del 59,6%, siendo los más frecuentes la epifora (70,6%), fotofobia (67,6%) y ardor ocular (54,4%). Se reportó una correlación inversa significativa entre niveles de iluminación y manifestación de fotofobia (p=0.02; r= 0,262). Por otra parte no se encontró correlación significativa entre los síntomas referidos con ángulo de visión y agudeza visual y discriminación de contrastes. Conclusión: Las condiciones laborales de iluminación del grupo de estudio están relacionadas con la manifestación de fotofobia, Se encontró asociación entre síntomas visuales y variables sociodemográficas, específicamente con el género, fotofobia a pantalla, fatiga visual y fotofobia

Natural resources, redistribution and Human capital formation

How do resource booms affect human capital accumulation? We exploit time and spatial variation generated by the commodity boom across local governments in Peru to measure the effect of natural resources on human capital formation. We explore the effect of both mining production and tax revenues on test scores, finding a substantial and statistically significant effect for the latter. Transfers to local governments from mining tax revenues are linked to an increase in math test scores of around 0.23 standard deviations. We find that the hiring of permanent teachers as well as the increases in parental employment and improvements in health outcomes of adults and children are plausible mechanisms for such large effect on learning. These findings suggest that redistributive policies could facilitate the accumulation of human capital in resource abundant developing countries as a way to avoid the natural resources curse.

O computador na escola: um exame de uma prática

Este estudo objetivou contribuir para um melhor entendimento do processo de informatização em nossas escolas, enfatizando uma vertente ainda pouco explorada pelos pesquisadores: as possíveis mudanças organizacionais decorrentes da utilização do microcomputador. Esta temática foi introduzida, nesta dissertação, a partir da contextualização de algumas das inúmeras dimensões pedagógicas, históricas, econômicas, políticas e sociais, que entremeadas, formam o intrincado tecido da informatização da educação. Para seu desenvolvimento, tornou-se necessário adaptar-se a proposta de Robert Shirley (1976) para o exame de mudanças organizacionais e utilizou-se de algumas categorias de análise sugeridas por Sheingold e outras (1983). Realizou-se uma pesquisa, em estabelecimento educacional localizado na zona oeste da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, que pode ser classificada como um estudo de caso de caráter exploratório. Nesta pesquisa foram empregadas a observação não participante, entrevistas padronizadas e não padronizadas, questionários e análise documental. Em relação às estratégias de mudança, não se constatou o aparecimento dos novos papéis, a preparação formal dos professores não atingiu a maior parte do corpo docente e o acesso aos microcomputadores, restrito aos alunos do primeiro segmento do 12 grau, viu-se bastante limitado. Os sistemas de coordenação revelaram-se bastante centralizados e a distribuição de pOder mostrou-se hierarquizada, com forte submissão à autoridade da família proprietária. Diante de tal quadro, a participação dos professores, apesar de solicitada pela coordenação de informática, era na verdade imposta pela direção. O software adotado pela instituição foi o LOGO, utilizado ao lado da análise do discurso da criança. A síntese dos resultados evidenciou o crescente processo de mercantilização do ensino em nosso país e do uso da informática como um novo atrativo para a matrícula de novos alunos. Como conseqOência disto, surge a necessidade de novos estudos para se confirmar a relevância pedagógica da informatização do ensino ou para constatar-se, em escolas preocupadas apenas com o faturamento, sua importância comercial.