Conflicto, colaboración y consenso en la enseñanza de las ciencias sociales = Conflict, collaboration and consensus in the teaching of the Social sciences

This article suggests the study of the key concept of conflict as a means of implementing a critical and communicativecurriculum based on the study of relevant social themes. To this end we put forward the principal characteristics of thecritical/communicative curriculum. We offer a didactic proposal about conflict and explain the results of its application intwo Secondary Education classrooms

Determination of management zones from normalized and standardized equivalent produtivity maps in the soybean culture

Through the site-specific management, the precision agriculture brings new techniques for the agricultural sector, as well as a larger detailing of the used methods and increase of the global efficiency of the system. The objective of this work was to analyze two techniques for definition of management zones using soybean yield maps, in a productive area handled with localized fertilization and other with conventional fertilization. The sampling area has 1.74 ha, with 128 plots with site-specific fertilization and 128 plots with conventional fertilization. The productivity data were normalized by two techniques (normalized and standardized equivalent productivity), being later classified in management zones. It can be concluded that the two methods of management zones definition had revealed to be efficient, presenting similarities in the data disposal. Due to the fact that the equivalent standardized productivity uses standard score, it contemplates a better statistics justification.

Working capital management in the small and medium-sized enterprises Case: Project-based business environment in Flowrox Oy

This Master´s thesis illustrates how growing a business ties up the company´s working capital and what the cost of committed capital. In order to manage a company´s working capital in rapid business growth phase, the thesis suggests that by monitoring and managing the operating and cash conversion cycles of customers´ projects, a company can find ways to secure the required amount of capital. The research method of this thesis was based on literature reviews and case study research. The theoretical review presents the concepts of working capital and provides the background for understanding how to improve working capital management. The company in subject is a global small and medium-sized enterprise that manufactures pumps and valves for demanding process conditions. The company is expanding, which creates lots of challenges. This thesis concentrates to the company´s working capital management and its efficiency through the supply chain and value chain perspective. The main elements of working capital management are inventory management, accounts receivable management and accounts payable management. Prepayments also play a significant role, particularly in project-based businesses. Developing companies´ working capital management requires knowledge from different kind of key operations´ in the company, like purchasing, production, sales, logistics and financing. The perspective to develop and describe working capital management is an operational. After literature reviews the thesis present pilot projects that formed the basis of a model to monitor working capital in the case company. Based on analysis and pilot projects, the thesis introduces a rough model for monitoring capital commitments in short time period. With the model the company can more efficiently monitor and manage their customer projects.

Management of Bidens pilosa and Commelina benghalensis in organic corn cultivation under no-tillage

Mowing is one of the most important methods used to control weeds in organic farming, under the no-tillage system. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of three weed management techniques on weed development, using the weeds Bidens pilosa and Commelina benghalensis, in competition with organic corn {mowing at the three-leaf stage (14 days after corn emergence - DACE), mowing at the three- and six-leaf stage (14 and 25 DACE), and no mowing. Single cultivation with no mowing was also evaluated for these weeds. Mowings performed at 14 and 25 DACE prevented the production of B. pilosa seeds, ensuring efficient control of this species. However, the use of this technique was shown to be inefficient in the control of C. benghalensis.

Big Data Processing in the Cloud: a Hydra/Sufia Experience

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Testing Accrual-Based Model for Detecting Earnings Management: Comparison of Finland and France

The aim of this study is to test the accrual-based model suggested by Dechow et al. (1995) in order to detect and compare earnings management practices in Finnish and French companies. Also the impact of financial crisis of 2008 on earnings management behavior in these countries is tested by dividing the whole time period of 2003-2012 into two sub-periods: pre-crisis (2003-2008) and post-crisis (2009-2012). Results support the idea that companies in both countries have significant earnings management practices. During the post-crisis period companies in Finland show income inflating practices, while in France the opposite tendency is noticed (income deflating) during the same period. Results of the assumption that managers in highly concentrated companies are engaged in income enhancing practices vary in two countries. While in Finland managers are trying to show better performance for bonuses or other contractual compensation motivations, in France they avoid paying dividends or high taxes.

Processing, physicochemical, and sensory analyses of ostrich meat hamburger

The objective of this study was to assess the potential utilization of ostrich meat trimming in hamburger preparation, as well as its physicochemical and sensory characterization. Using ostrich meat trimmings from the legs and neck, four different formulations were prepared with varied amounts of bacon and textured soybean protein. Physical analysis of yield, shrinkage percentage, and water retention capacity and chemical analysis of proximate composition, cholesterol levels, and calories were performed. The formulations underwent sensory analysis by 52 potential ostrich meat consumers, who evaluated tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and purchase intent. The formulations containing textured soybean protein showed the highest yield, lowest shrinkage percentage, and highest water retention capacity. Lipid content varied from 0.58 to 4.99%; protein from 17.08 to 21.37%; ash from 3.00 to 3.62%; moisture from 73.87 to 76.27%; cholesterol from 22.54 to 32.11 mg.100 g-1; and calorie from 87.22 to 163.42 kcal.100 g-1. All formulations showed low cholesterol and calorie levels, even that containing 10% bacon and 3.5% textured soybean protein, which achieved the best scores and acceptance by the panelists.

Management of freezing rate and trehalose concentration to improve frozen dough properties and bread quality

Abstract Bread is one of the most consumed foods in the world, and alternatives have been sought to extend its shell life, and freezing is one of the most popular methods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of freezing rate and trehalose concentration on the fermentative and viscoelastic properties of dough and bread quality. Dough was prepared and trehalose was added at three concentrations (0, 400, 800 ppm); dough was pre fermented and frozen at two freezing rates then stored for 42 days. Frozen dough samples were thawed every two weeks. CO2 production and elastic and viscous modulus were determined. In addition, bread was elaborated and specific volume and firmness were evaluated. High trehalose concentrations (400 and 800 ppm) produced dough with the best viscoelastic and fermentative properties. Greater bread volume and less firmness were observed when a slow freezing rate (-.14 °C/min) was employed.

Data analysis tools and methods for DNA microarray and high-throughput sequencing data

The recent rapid development of biotechnological approaches has enabled the production of large whole genome level biological data sets. In order to handle thesedata sets, reliable and efficient automated tools and methods for data processingand result interpretation are required. Bioinformatics, as the field of studying andprocessing biological data, tries to answer this need by combining methods and approaches across computer science, statistics, mathematics and engineering to studyand process biological data. The need is also increasing for tools that can be used by the biological researchers themselves who may not have a strong statistical or computational background, which requires creating tools and pipelines with intuitive user interfaces, robust analysis workflows and strong emphasis on result reportingand visualization. Within this thesis, several data analysis tools and methods have been developed for analyzing high-throughput biological data sets. These approaches, coveringseveral aspects of high-throughput data analysis, are specifically aimed for gene expression and genotyping data although in principle they are suitable for analyzing other data types as well. Coherent handling of the data across the various data analysis steps is highly important in order to ensure robust and reliable results. Thus,robust data analysis workflows are also described, putting the developed tools andmethods into a wider context. The choice of the correct analysis method may also depend on the properties of the specific data setandthereforeguidelinesforchoosing an optimal method are given. The data analysis tools, methods and workflows developed within this thesis have been applied to several research studies, of which two representative examplesare included in the thesis. The first study focuses on spermatogenesis in murinetestis and the second one examines cell lineage specification in mouse embryonicstem cells.

Governance of Healthcare Data: International Standards and Recommendations

In the global phenomenon, the aging population becomes a critical issue. Data and information concerning elderly citizens are increasing and are not well organized. In addition, these unstructured data and information cause the problems for decision makers. Since we live in a digital world, Information Technology is considered to be a tool in order to solve problems. Data, information, and knowledge are crucial components to facilitate success in IT service system. Therefore, it is necessary to study how to organize or to govern data from various sources related elderly citizens. The research is conducted due to the fact that there is no internationally accepted holistic framework for governance of data. The research limits the scope to study on the healthcare domain; however, the results can be applied to the other areas. The research starts with an ongoing research of Dahlberg and Nokkala (2015) as a theory. It explains the classification of existing data sources and their characteristics with the focus on managerial perspectives. Then the studies of existing frameworks at international and national level organizations have been performed to show the current frameworks, which have been used and are useful in compiling data on elderly citizens. The international organizations in this research are selected based on their reputations and the reliability to obtain information. The selected countries at national level provide different point of views between two countries. Australia is a forerunner in IT governance while Thailand is the country which the author has familiar knowledge of the current situation. Considered the discussions of frameworks at international and national organizations level illustrate the main characteristics of each framework. At international organization level gives precedence to the interoperability of exchanging data and information between different parties. Whereas at national level shows the importance of the acknowledgement of using frameworks throughout the country in order to make the frameworks to be effective. After the studies of both international and national organization levels, the thesis shows the summarized tables to answer the fitness to the proposed framework by Dahlberg and Nokkala whether the framework help to consolidate data from various sources with different formats, hierarchies, structures, velocities, and other attributes of data storages. In addition, suggestions and recommendations will be proposed for the future research.

Developing asset management in district heating and cooling business in a large energy company

The purpose of this Master´s Thesis is to develop asset management and its practices in case company. District heating and cooling systems operated by case company around Finland, Sweden, Poland and the Baltics form an enormous-sized asset base where some parts are starting to reach their end of life-cycles. Large-sized asset renewal actions are under discussion and maintenance spending is increasing. Financially justified decisions in changing business environment are needed. Asset management is one of the most important concepts for production organization which operates with capital-intensive production assets. Organizations profitability is highly dependent on assets´ performance. Such assets, like district heating and cooling systems, should be utilized as efficiently as possible within their life-cycles but also maintained and renewed optimally. In this qualitative thesis, empirical interview study was conducted to describe the current situation on how the assets are managed in the case company and to examine the readiness to implement a new, risk-based solution. Asset management revealed to be a very well-known concept. From proposed risk-based asset management point of view, several key observations were made. It was seen as a suitable solution, but further development will be needed. Based on the need and findings, several key processes and frameworks were created and also tested with a case study. Assets` condition monitoring should be improved, which would have a positive impact on event probability assessment. Risk acceptance is also a thing to be discussed further. When the evaluation becomes fluent in single investment cases, portfolio-level expansion should be considered and started. As a result, thesis proposes a solution how risk-based asset management could be performed practically in a capital-intensive case company in order to optimize the maintenance spending in a long run. Created practical framework is made universal: similar principles can be applied into multiple cases in case company but also in other energy companies. Risk-based asset management`s benefits could be utilized best in portfolio-level optimization where the capital would be invested to the most important objects from total risk point of view. Eventually, such approach would allow case company to optimize capital spending in a situation where funds are not adequate to cover all the mandatory needs and prioritization between the investment alternatives will truly be needed.

Partnership for arts integration : exploring the experiences of teachers and artists working with integrated arts programs

This research acknowledges the difficulties experienced by teachers presenting integrated arts curricula. Instructional support is offered by arts organizations that provide arts partnerships with local schools boards. The study focuses on the experiences of 8 teachers from a Catholic school board in southern Ontario who participated in integrated arts programs offered by The Royal Conservatory of Music's Learning Through the Arts™ (LTTATM) program and a local art gallery's Art Based Integrated Learning (ABIL) program and examines their responses to the programs and their perception of personal and professional development through this association. Additionally, questions were posed to the . "aftisfs"from-tneSe]Jfograrrrs;-and"they liiscus·sed·how"participating in-collaboration with teachers in the development of in-school programs enabled them to experience personal and professional development as well. Seven themes emerged from the data. These themes included: teachers' feelings of a lack of preparedness to teach the arts; the value of the arts and arts partnerships in schools; the role of the artists in the education of teachers; professional development for both teachers and artists; the development of collegiality; perceptions of student engagement; and the benefits and obstacles of integrating the arts into the curriculum. This document highlights the benefits to both teachers and artists of arts partnerships between schools and outside arts organizations.

An after-school literacy program : investigating the experiences of students with literacy difficulties, their volunteer tutors, and the tutors' transition into the teaching profession

This research responds to a pervasive call for our educational institutions to provide students with literacy skills, and teachers with the instructional supports necessary to facilitate this skill acquisition. Questions were posed to gain information concerning the efficacy ofteaching literacy strategies to students with learning difficulties, the impact of this training on their volunteer tutors, and the influence of this experience on these tutors' ensuing instructional practice as teacher candidates in a preservice education program. Study #1 compared a nontreatment group of students with literacy difficulties who participated in the program and found that program participants were superior at reading letter patterns and at comprehending the elements of story grammar. Concurrently, the second study explored the experiences of 19 volunteer tutors and uncovered that they acquired instructional skills as they established a knowledge base in teaching reading and writing, and they affirmed personal goals to become future teachers. Study #3 tracked 6 volunteer tutors into their pre-service year and identified their constructions, and beliefs about literacy instruction. These teacher candidates discussed how they had intended to teach reading and writing strategies based on their position that effective teaching ofthese skills in the primary grades is integral to academic success. The teacher candidates emphasized the need to build rapport with students, and the need to exercise flexibility in lesson plan delivery while including activities to meet emotional and developmental requirements of students. The teacher candidates entered their pre-service education with an initial cognition set based on the limited teaching context of tutoring. This foundational ii perception represented their prior knowledge of literacy instruction, a perception that appeared untenable once they were immersed in a regular instructional setting. This disparity provoked some of the teacher candidates to denounce their teacher mentors for not consistently employing literacy strategies and individualized instruction. This critical perspective could have been a demonstration of cognitive dissonance. In the end, when the teacher candidates began to look toward the future and how they would manage the demands of an inclusive classroom, they recognized the differences in the contexts. With an appreciation for the need for balance between prior and present knowledge, the teacher candidates remained committed to implementing their tutoring strategies in future teaching positions. This document highlights the need for teacher candidates with instructional experience prior to teacher education, to engage in cognitive negotiations to assimilate newly acquired pedagogies into existing pedagogies.

Creativity and the working artist/teacher : the relationships

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the relationships between creativity and the working artist/teacher employed by an art college. The topic emerged from my job as an instructor at The Ontario College of Art which was used as the primary data resource and provided the highest caliber of professionals to chose from. Existent data were used to facilitate the study generated by the research of Cawelti, Rappaport, and Wood (1992). The data were generated by a group of 5 faculty members from The University of Northern Iowa, recognized for their expertise in the arts (a painter, a poet, a sculptor, a novelist, and a photographer). They were asked to respond to the following statement: "In as much detail as you like, list the things that you did, thought, or felt the last time you created an artistic product. II Cawelti, Rappaport, and Wood (1992) produced three models of the creative process, each building on the previous, with the resultant third,being in my opinion, an excellent illustration (text/visual) of the creative process. Model three (Appendix D) presented a "multi-dimensional view of the creative process: time, space, observatility, and consciousnessll (p. 90). Model three utilized a visual mapping device along the bottom of the page linked to text segments above. Both the visual and the text were interrelated so that they harmonized into a comprehensive "picture." The parti'cipants of this qualitative study were asked to consider model three from their professional perspective as artist/teachers. The interpretive sciences directed the methodology. The hermeneutic circle of continuous reflection from the whole to the part and back to the whole was an important aspect of the data analyses. Four members of the Foundation Department at The Ontario College of Art were the key participants. A series of conversational interviews was the primary source of data collection, this was augmented by observation, fie,ldnotes, and follow up telephone interviews. Transcripts of interviews were returned to participants for reflection and the telephone was used to discuss any additional -points raised. Analysis consisted of coding and organizing data according to emerging themes. These themes formed the basis for the narrative stories. The text of the narrative stories were given back to each participant for further comment. Revisions were made until both the researcher and the participants felt that the stories reflected reality. The resultant whole was critiqued from the researcher's perspective. The significance of this study was discussed as it pertains to the working artist/teacher and areas in need of further study are pointed out.

Exploring the relationship between professional and organizational commitment : the attitudes of Ontario chartered accountancy students

This study was undertaken to investigate the attitudes of chartered accountancy (CA) students toward professional commitment and organizational commitment. The focus of the study was to discover if a relationship between these two constructs existed and determine which situational and individual characteristics facilitate or impede commitment. The sample included those CA students who wrote the 1995 UFE (n=423). Four instruments were used for data collection: Job Diagnostic Survey, Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, Career Commitment Questionnaire, Career Facilitation Survey, and individual demographic inquiry. The study found a significant relationship between professional commitment and organizational commitment. Situational characteristics tended to influence organizational commitment, while individual characteristics more often governed professional commitment. Specific satisfactions, general satisfaction, growth satisfaction, and satisfaction with compensation, co-workers, and supervision were found to facilitate organizational commitment. Organizational commitment was also influenced by supplemental job characteristics, internal work motivation, career facilitation, and autonomy. Implications for practice involved the cooperation and collaboration of the governing body for the CA profession and the CA firms in activities addressing pertinent issues that influence commitment. Implications for future research were also discussed.