Low-Cost Micromechanically Tunable Optical Devices: Strained Resonator Engineering, Technological Implementation and Characterization

The rapid growth of the optical communication branches and the enormous demand for more bandwidth require novel networks such as dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM). These networks enable higher bitrate transmission using the existing optical fibers. Micromechanically tunable optical microcavity devices like VCSELs, Fabry-Pérot filters and photodetectors are core components of these novel DWDM systems. Several air-gap based tunable devices were successfully implemented in the last years. Even though these concepts are very promising, two main disadvantages are still remaining. On the one hand, the high fabrication and integration cost and on the other hand the undesired adverse buckling of the suspended membranes. This thesis addresses these two problems and consists of two main parts: • PECVD dielectric material investigation and stress control resulting in membranes shape engineering. • Implementation and characterization of novel tunable optical devices with tailored shapes of the suspended membranes. For this purposes, low-cost PECVD technology is investigated and developed in detail. The macro- and microstress of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide are controlled over a wide range. Furthermore, the effect of stress on the optical and mechanical properties of the suspended membranes and on the microcavities is evaluated. Various membrane shapes (concave, convex and planar) with several radii of curvature are fabricated. Using this resonator shape engineering, microcavity devices such as non tunable and tunable Fabry-Pérot filters, VCSELs and PIN photodetectors are succesfully implemented. The fabricated Fabry-Pérot filters cover a spectral range of over 200nm and show resonance linewidths down to 1.5nm. By varying the stress distribution across the vertical direction within a DBR, the shape and the radius of curvature of the top membrane are explicitely tailored. By adjusting the incoming light beam waist to the curvature, the fundamental resonant mode is supported and the higher order ones are suppressed. For instance, a tunable VCSEL with 26 nm tuning range, 400µW maximal output power, 47nm free spectral range and over 57dB side mode suppresion ratio (SMSR) is demonstrated. Other technologies, such as introducing light emitting organic materials in microcavities are also investigated.

Non-University Higher Education and the Relationship of Its Graduates and the World of Work: Colombia

The non-university sector has been part of the Colombian higher education system for more than 50-years. Despite its long years of existence, it has never occupied such an important role within the education system as the one it is having today. Therefore, the aim of this work is to analyze the development of the non-university sector in the framework of the country’s social, educational and economic demands. Likewise, its actual situation and certain aspects of the relationship between its graduates and the world of work, i.e., graduates’ employment characteristics, the relationship of higher education studies and their work, as well as their early career success, are examined. In order to generate the required information, a graduate survey was carried out in Atlántico (Colombia). The target population was graduates from higher education institutions registered in Atlántico who were awarded a technical, technological or professional degree in 2008 from any of the following knowledge areas: Fine Arts, Health Science, Economy-Administration-Accountancy and similar, and Engineering-Architecture-Urban planning and similar. Besides, interviews with academic and administrative staff from non-university institutions were carried out, and higher education related documents were analyzed. As a whole, the findings suggest that the non-university sector is expanding and may help to achieve some of the goals, for which it is widely promoted i.e., access expansion for under-represented groups, enhancement of the higher education system, and the provision of programs pertinent to the needs of the market. Nevertheless, some aspects require further consideration, e.g., the sector’s consolidation within the system and its quality. As for the relationship between non-university higher education and the world of work, it was found to be close; particularly in those aspects related to the use of knowledge and skills in the work, and the relationship between graduates’ studies and their work. Additionally, the analysis of the graduates’ in their early career stages exposes the significant role that the socioeconomic stratum plays in their working life, particularly in their wages. This indicates that apart from education, other factors like the graduates’ economic or social capital may have an impact on their future work perspectives

El Outsourcing en la dinámica de sistemas hacia mercados extranjeros

Este trabajo recopila literatura académica relevante sobre estrategias de entrada y metodologías para la toma de decisión sobre la contratación de servicios de Outsourcing para el caso de empresas que planean expandirse hacia mercados extranjeros. La manera en que una empresa planifica su entrada a un mercado extranjero, y realiza la consideración y evaluación de información relevante y el diseño de la estrategia, determina el éxito o no de la misma. De otro lado, las metodologías consideradas se concentran en el nivel estratégico de la pirámide organizacional. Se parte de métodos simples para llegar a aquellos basados en la Teoría de Decisión Multicriterio, tanto individuales como híbridos. Finalmente, se presenta la Dinámica de Sistemas como herramienta valiosa en el proceso, por cuanto puede combinarse con métodos multicriterio.

Contested and contesting identities: minority languages vs. the teaching of 'world' languages within the global cultural economy

This paper juxtaposes postmodernist discourses on language, identity and cultural power with historical forms of language inequalities grounded in the nation-state. The discussion is presented in three sections. The first section focuses on the mixed legacies of language-state relations within the pluralist nation-state, colonial and postcolonial language policies. The second section examines the concept of linguistic minority rights beyond the nation-state. This incorporates discussion of transmigration, the breaking up of previous power blocs in Eastern Europe and the role of language in the articulation of emergent 'ethnic' nationalisms. The third section examines the concept of multilingualism within the interactive cultural landscape defined by 'informationalism'. Discussing the collective impact of these variables on the shaping of new cultural, economic and political inequalities, the paper highlights the tensions in which the concept of linguistic minority rights exists in the world today.

Cultural policy and cultural politics in Revolutionary Cuba: re-reading the 'Palabras a los intelectuales' (Words to the Intellectuals)

This article re-reads Fidel Castro's speech to Cuban artists and intellectuals at the Biblioteca Nacional José Martí (National Library) in June 1961. Despite extensive discussion of its famous extract, the speech has rarely been examined in depth. This article thus analyses the entire speech, situating it within its co-text and its context and examining its multiple functions, offering as it does an insight into the social and educational implications of cultural revolution in Cuba and the inevitable tensions inherent in these. The article evaluates the negotiations in the text in the light of their relevance to contemporary cultural debates in Cuba.

Young Children's Ability to Engage in Cognitive Therapy Tasks: Associations With Age and Educational Experience

Abstract. In two linked studies we examined children’s performance on tasks required for participation in cognitive therapy. In Study 1 we piloted some new tasks with children aged 5 to 11 years. In study 2 the effects of IQ, age and educational experience were examined in children aged 5 to 7 years. In study 1, 14 children aged 5 to 11 completed three tasks related to cognitive therapy; generating post-event attributions, naming emotions, and linking thoughts and feelings. Study 2 used a between-subjects design in which 72 children aged 5, 6, or 7 years from two primary schools completed the three tasks and the Block Design and Vocabulary sub-tests from the WISC III or WPPSI-R. Children were tested individually during the school day. All measures were administered on the same occasion. In study 2 administration order of the cognitive therapy task and the WISC III/WPPSI-R were randomized. The majority of children demonstrated some ability on each of the three tasks. In study 2, performance was associated with school and with IQ but not with age. There were no gender differences. Children attending a school with an integrated thinking skills programme and those with a higher 1Q were more successful on the cognitive therapy tasks. These results suggest that many young children could engage in cognitive therapy given age-appropriate materials. The effects of training in relevant meta-cognitive skills on children’s ability to use concepts in CBT may warrant further research. Keywords: Cognitive behaviour therapy, young children, cognitive development

Abilities and Cultural Understanding through Literature in the EFL Classroom : - A Literature Review

The English language can be seen as a lingua franca of contemporary times. Its spread and use in the globalized world has affected most levels of society and it can be argued that, in current times, English is synonymous with communication. This need for communication has shaped the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) syllabus, which is evident in the Swedish national steering documents for the educational system. For the upper secondary school these documents show an emphasis on communication, on cultural understanding, and also on the use of literature within the EFL classroom. The need to possess communicative abilities and cultural understanding, in connection with the use of literature, has sparked an interest to investigate if and how literature itself can be used as a tool to develop and improve EFL students’ communicative skills and cultural understanding. This literature review thesis analyzes five international research articles from different geographical parts of the Globe. The findings are categorized, compared, synthesized, and finally discussed in order to answer the research questions asked, and also compared with the English subject syllabus for the Swedish upper secondary school. The findings indicate that the analyzed articles share a consensus, to a varied degree, regarding the positive aspects of literature use in the EFL setting. The arguments are that communicative skills and cultural understanding are intertwined - enabling each other to exist, develop, and improve. One cannot exist fully without the other, and literature is a good tool to use to develop and improve these abilities. Literature can help develop all skills needed to acquire and produce both written and spoken English, and it also enables cultural understanding and a broadening of the mind. Where the articles differ somewhat is in the ideas of why literature is a good tool, how to implement literature in the classrooms, and what some of the negative aspects might be. The thesis also brings the lack of Swedish studies within EFL to the readers’ attention, as well as the need to do more research focusing on the students’ perspectives towards literature use in the EFL setting.

Older people's experience of utilisation and administration of medicines in a health- and social care context

BACKGROUND: People living at home who lack ability to manage their medicine are entitled to assistance to improve adherence provided by a home care assistant employed by social care. AIM: The aim was to describe how older people with chronic diseases, living at home, experience the use and assistance of administration of medicines in the context of social care. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study. METHODS: Ten participants (age 65+) living at home were interviewed in the participants' own homes. Latent content analysis was used. FINDINGS: The assistance eases daily life with regard to practical matters and increases adherence to a medicine regimen. There were mixed feelings about being dependent on assistance; it interferes with self-sufficiency at a time of health transition. Participants were balancing empowerment and a dubious perception of the home care assistants' knowledge of medicine and safety. Physicians' and district nurses' professional knowledge was a safety guarantee for the medicine process. CONCLUSIONS: Assistance eases daily life and medicine regimen adherence. Dependence on assistance may affect self-sufficiency. Perceived safety varied relating to home care assistants' knowledge of medicine. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: A well-functioning medicine assistance is crucial to enable older people to remain at home. A person-centred approach to health- and social care delivery is efficient and improve outcome for the recipient of care.

As organizações sociais no contexto da reforma do Estado: o caso da associação de Comunicação Educativa Roquete Pinto

Diante da incapacidade do Estado em atender às demandas que lhe são exigidas, o governo federal propôs alterações na máquina pública, através do Plano Diretor da Reforma do Aparelho do Estado, de forma a estabelecer novas formas de gestão e novos modelos para as instituições. O objetivo é possibilitar maior interação entre Estado e Sociedade e ao mesmo tempo atingir níveis maiores de eficiência. Em especial, o projeto das Organizações Sociais (OS) pode representar a primeira tentativa de fomentar uma nova espécie de parceria entre o Estado e a Sociedade. Não obstante, existem defeitos na implementação das OS, pois surgiram na prática por iniciativa do governo e não da sociedade civil; o processo de qualificação mostrou-se extremamente centralizador e a composição do Conselho de Administração fortemente comandada pelo poder público. Portanto, as OS devem ser analisadas como um processo em curso, uma possibilidade de vir ainda a se constituir em alternativa eficiente nas áreas de produção e veiculação de radiofusão educativa e cultural, de saúde, de pesquisa científica, de educação e de cultura. Para que atinja os seus objetivos, não se limitando à maior flexibilidade administrativa conquistada, terão de ser revistas e corrigidas as falhas iniciais e introduzidos mecanismos que possibilitem maior controle social da gestão pública. Esta dissertação está voltada para a experiência piloto das OS: a transformação da extinta Fundação Roquette Pinto em ACERP (Associação de Comunicação Educativa Roquette Pinto), I apontando desafios e dificuldades da mudança organizacional, os objetivos e as metas fixados no contrato de gestão e a busca da concretização da implementação de novos valores de direcionamento ao cliente com qualidade. Há críticas em relação ao processo de mudanças adotado, em especial à ausência de planejamento e à dificuldade de diálogo manifestadas pelos dirigentes da ACERP. A mudança organizacional tem importado valores culturais e buscado, a curtíssimo prazo, a modificação de traços de cultura e de comportamento predominantes na organização, provocando o êxodo dos servidores públicos.

Uma perspectiva pós-fordista na operação de sistemas elétricos

O objetivo deste trabalho é mostrar através de um estudo de caso que a implantação de um modelo de organização da produção e do trabalho baseado na gestão por processos pode acenar com uma perspectiva pós-fordista para a atividade de operação de sistemas de energia elétrica. As grandes empresas brasileiras do setor de energia elétrica adotaram, desde a sua criação, um modelo organizacional com base nas funções gerenciais propostas por Henri Fayol, sendo estruturadas de forma vertical e hierárquica. Por outro lado, as tarefas realizadas nas salas de controle dos Centros de Operação dessas empresas se processam de acordo com a forma preconizada pelo sistema de Administração Científica de Frederick Taylor e pelos princípios propostos por Henry Ford. Porém, em decorrência da mudança do modelo institucional do setor de energia, ocorrida em meados da década de 90, além da maior conscientização da sociedade a respeito dos seus direitos de cidadania e também da busca dos trabalhadores pela democratização nas relações sociais em seu ambiente de trabalho, as empresas de energia elétrica foram compelidas a buscar novas formas de gestão mais adequadas ao novo cenário cultural, político, social e econômico. Em FURNAS, como nova forma de organização da produção e do trabalho, o Departamento de Operação do Sistema resolveu adotar um sistema baseado na gestão por processos que respeita a estrutura funcional da Empresa, formando, assim, uma estrutura organizacional matricial. Por outro lado, observou-se que, dependendo da forma de implantação e dos mecanismos de gestão adotados, esse novo sistema podia acenar com uma perspectiva pós-fordista para a atividade de operação de sistemas elétricos de grande porte que, tipicamente, no Brasil, é desenvolvida por empresas fayolistas, segundo uma perspectiva taylorista-fordista. Para verificar se essa possibilidade se concretizou foi realizada uma pesquisa que abrangeu os cinco Centros de Operação do Departamento de Operação do Sistema de FURNAS Centrais Elétricas S.A., tomando como elemento-chave a seguinte caracterização do paradigma do pós-fordismo: diferenciação integrada da organização da produção e do trabalho sob a trajetória de inovação tecnológica em direção à ~ democratização das relações sociais nos sistemas-empresa. O trabalho apresenta a percepção da evolução nos relacionamentos interpessoais e a percepção das ações gerenciais empreendidas visando a implantação do novo sistema, bem como também mostra as transformações ocorridas no tocante à democratização das relaçõe~ sociais no Departamento, entre outros fatores que substanciam a pesquisa, cujo resultado aponta para uma nova forma de gestão do trabalho e da produção em que essas relações sociais tendem a ser pautadas por ações gerenciais dialógicas que caracterizam a perspectiva pós-fordista.

Relationship of Coca-Cola Brazil and the communities participant of the social projects: (im) possibilities

Five years ago, Coca-Cola Brasil launched a program named “Coletivo Project”, with the purpose to enjoy an opportunity of increase on the potential consumption power of the low-income pyramid population that lived on the “favelas”. At the same time, it had the objective to offer to them a social and financial impact, which is a trust on the future, the first job for the young adults’ participant of this program and an increase on their family source of revenues, through salaries. This was possible because through Coletivo Project, Coca-Cola identified the assets they have through its value chain, focusing on its competencies, such as retail, merchandising and logistics to apply them on courses to teach the young people of the communities and, as a result, form them to be able to find their new jobs. Internal indicators followed in a monthly basis by Coca-Cola demonstrated that the communities that had the presence of Coletivos, in comparison to those without Coletivos, had social and financial impacts. The social was the fact that the young formed started to have more confidence on their future and felt with a higher self-stem to apply for and obtain their first job. On the financial aspect, they were benefit through the increasing of their revenues and also their families and Coca-Cola had an increase on sales, when compared to a community without a Coletivo Project installed. This dissertation seeks to identify the current relationship between Coca-Cola and the communities, through the Coletivo Project classes performed on the NGOs located at this places, in order to identify opportunities for improvement the benefits and the impacts (financial and social) on the NGOs, communities and all stakeholders of this project. This dissertation examines this relationship, through presence interviews performed on four NGOs selected, and located on four of the twenty communities, that are participants of the Coletivo Project on Rio de Janeiro city. These interviews performed with the students, representatives and educators of these NGOs. The covered period of the interviews ranges from April 2014 to August 2014. This dissertation draws on first-hand qualitative empirical evidence gathered through extensive fieldwork. The main findings among possibilities for improvement by Coca-Cola are: • Implement new courses, beyond those existent at Coca-Cola (Retail, Logistics, etc.). • Increase the content of the employment module of Coletivo classes, focusing on improving educational, cultural, economic, political, social and professional life. • Increase the scale, through the quantity of positions on the Retail Coletivo classes. • Develop cultural and sports events with the communities. • Support the points of sales, participant of the practical classes of the Coletivo Retail, with refrigerators and furniture with the Coca-Cola logo. • Provide coffee breaks and meals during the Coletivo classes, using Coca-Cola beverages and partners for food items, developing the nutrition platform of the company and filling a need of the students. • Perform a research with all stakeholders related to this Project, including those students and mothers that are not participant of the Coletivo, in order to listen to them, understand their needs, and offer solutions to fulfill these gaps. and on the side of the • Perform partnerships with educational institutions to make viable other type of courses, more technical, but that have a relation with the core business of Coca-Cola Brasil, such as marketing. • Implement the Coca-Cola University, already existed at the Company. • Create courses or activities focused on the children. Regarding the impossibilities, the findings are: • Improve the basic sanitation of the communities. • Improve the safety on the communities. • Provide a home to those do not have. • Implement courses that have no relationship with Coca-Cola business and expertise, such as gastronomy. However, Coca-Cola can influence stakeholders on that. The results suggest to executives of Coca-Cola that a deep and a qualitative research on the communities of Brazil, in order to listen young people, educators, mothers, partners that offer jobs, from Coletivo and out of the project, is mandatory, to understand their needs, dreams, complains and offer valuable solutions to all.

Caminhos de sobrevivência institucional: a gestão do núcleo de oficinas e artes profissionalizantes laís aderne

The object of this study is the organizational management, particularly the relational processenvironment organization focused on the survival of the space Department of the Arts and Crafts Mestre Raimundo Cardoso linked to the structural arrangement of the Liceu do Paracuri.. Aimed to understand the ways of organizational survival, from the actors' perception of the Center for Arts Career Workshops and Lais Aderne, with investments that discuss the theoretical models of management, institutional theory, cultural organization and institutionalization of public education requirement of the municipal light LDB. (1996) used a qualitative approach with a view to RICHARDSON (1985). The data generated were analyzed based on the technique of content analysis, the thematic type [categorical] Bardin (1977). The results indicate that the institutionalization of the arrangement of the Liceu do Paracuri emerges meet the legal requirement of the autonomy of municipal educational administration under the aegis of sustainable development, quality of life and basic education from the municipal Hélio Gueiros (1993-1996 ). More specifically the Center for Arts and Crafts Laís Aderne, the unit of analysis, the subjects said that this space is designed as a link between the demands of school and community searching through interdisciplinary activities educate and train manpower mainly potter. They did mention the existence of institutional factors (history, culture, habits, values) represent a strong socio-cultural element to the actors belonging to the core that guides behavior and actions of these individuals, fueled by a sense of hope, inclusion of future artisans in culture ceramist. It made a shared management, the existence of a unique work through cultural revival. However, over the course of time, the core is faced with dilemmas of managing transitions mainly regarding governmental, technological beyond endurance by the craftsmen for the optimization of their work. The conclusion - that the paths chosen for the organizational survival of the core meaning and guiding their actions in the systematization of conduct, representations, memories and traditions through habits and choices of consensus, the viewpoint of the actors

Educational Java applets get in power electronics labs

This paper presents Java applet programs for a WWW (world wide web)-HTML (hypertext markup language)-based multimedia course in basic power electronics circuits. These tools make use of the benefits of Java language to provide a dynamic and interactive approach to simulate steady-state idealized rectifiers (uncontrolled and controlled; single-phase and three-phase). In addition, this paper discusses the development and the use of the Java applet programs to assist the teaching of basics rectifier power electronics circuits, and to serve as a first design tool for basics power electronics circuits in the experiments of the laboratories. In order to validate the developed simulation applets, the results were confronted with results obtained from a well-know simulator package PSPICE. © 2005 IEEE.

Mathematical optimisation techniques applied to power system operation and planning

Nowadays, power system operation becomes more complex because of the critical operating conditions resulting from the requirements of a market-driven operation. In this context, efficient methods for optimisation of power system operation and planning become critical to satisfy the operational (technical), financial and economic demands. Therefore, the detailed analysis of modern optimisation techniques as well as their application to the power system problems represent a relevant issue from the scientific and technological points of view. This paper presents a brief overview of the developments on modern mathematical optimisation methods applied to power system operation and planning. Copyright © 2007 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

O novo ensino médio e o exercício da cidadania: controvérsias e desafios

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC