Interfaz gráfica de usuario para la detección de microcalcificaciones mediante análisis de mamografía digitalizada

The graphical user interface (GUI) are all graphic elements that help to communicate with a system. The design of a GUI allow to land the central idea of a draft information technology. Today technology has become one of the largest and most useful tools to automate and facilitate processes for that reason fit into any kind of productive sectors, for example, in the health sector. The CAD systems (Systems Computer Aided Diagnosis) are the type of technology used in the health sector, in order to automate online modular learning environment with a fast placed in service. In the present paper the use of a Learning Management Systems (LMS) as continuous education tool is proposed.

A INFLUÊNCIA DAS PRÁTICAS PEDAGÓGICAS DOCENTES E DAS BARREIRAS DISCENTES SOBRE O DESENVOLVIMENTO DA CRIATIVIDADE DO FUTURO ADMINISTRADOR

As empresas que almejam garantir e melhorar sua posição dentro de em um mercado cada vez mais competitivo precisam estar sempre atualizadas e em constante evolução. Na busca contínua por essa evolução, investem em projetos de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento (P&D) e em seu capital humano para promover a criatividade e a inovação organizacional. As pessoas têm papel fundamental no desenvolvimento da inovação, mas para que isso possa florescer de forma constante é preciso comprometimento e criatividade para a geração de ideias. Criatividade é pensar o novo; inovação é fazer acontecer. Porém, encontrar pessoas com essas qualidades nem sempre é tarefa fácil e muitas vezes é preciso estimular essas habilidades e características para que se tornem efetivamente criativas. Os cursos de graduação podem ser uma importante ferramenta para trabalhar esses aspectos, características e habilidades, usando métodos e práticas de ensino que auxiliem no desenvolvimento da criatividade, pois o ambiente ensino-aprendizagem pesa significativamente na formação das pessoas. O objetivo deste estudo é de identificar quais fatores têm maior influência sobre o desenvolvimento da criatividade em um curso de graduação em administração, analisando a influência das práticas pedagógicas dos docentes e as barreiras internas dos discentes. O referencial teórico se baseia principalmente nos trabalhos de Alencar, Fleith, Torrance e Wechsler. A pesquisa transversal de abordagem quantitativa teve como público-alvo os alunos do curso de Administração de uma universidade confessional da Grande São Paulo, que responderam 465 questionários compostos de três escalas. Para as práticas docentes foi adaptada a escala de Práticas Docentes em relação à Criatividade. Para as barreiras internas foi adaptada a escala de Barreiras da Criatividade Pessoal. Para a análise da percepção do desenvolvimento da criatividade foi construída e validada uma escala baseada no referencial de características de uma pessoa criativa. As análises estatísticas descritivas e fatoriais exploratórias foram realizadas no software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), enquanto as análises fatoriais confirmatórias e a mensuração da influência das práticas pedagógicas e das barreiras internas sobre a percepção do desenvolvimento da criatividade foram realizadas por modelagem de equação estrutural utilizando o algoritmo Partial Least Squares (PLS), no software Smart PLS 2.0. Os resultados apontaram que as práticas pedagógicas e as barreiras internas dos discentes explicam 40% da percepção de desenvolvimento da criatividade, sendo as práticas pedagógicas que exercem maior influencia. A pesquisa também apontou que o tipo de temática e o período em que o aluno está cursando não têm influência sobre nenhum dos três construtos, somente o professor influencia as práticas pedagógicas.

Conocimiento tecnológico, pedagógico y disciplinario del profesorado: el caso de un Centro Educativo Inteligente

En este estudio se analiza la integración de las TIC en un escenario de aprendizaje específico: un centro público de Alicante catalogado como Centro Educativo Inteligente [CEI], según el programa de pilotaje homónimo de la Comunidad Valenciana. Se pondera detenidamente, mediante una investigación mixta el conocimiento tecnológico, pedagógico y disciplinar de los docentes a partir del Modelo TPACK. Como instrumentos de evaluación se han utilizado encuestas, entrevistas y grupos de discusión. Entre los resultados alcanzados, destaca la constatación de la inseguridad del profesorado al aplicar los conocimientos tecnológico-pedagógicos en sus clases, si bien se trata de un CEI. Se analiza detenidamente la paradoja establecida entre tal percepción del profesorado y la opinión del equipo directivo, que postula lo contrario.

Aprender conociendo a las personas usuarias de los servicios

Se presentan tres experiencias de innovación docente realizadas en la asignatura de Iniciación a las Habilidades Profesionales, primer curso del Grado en Trabajo Social, Universidad de Alicante. Objetivos: 1) Implicar en la docencia a las personas usuarias de los servicios, considerándolos expertos por su experiencia personal con Trabajadores Sociales y con la sociedad en general. 2) Proporcionar un contexto de aprendizaje que permita conocer, comprender y aprender a comunicarse profesionalmente con personas usuarias de servicios. Metodología: Aprendizaje significativo basado en la interacción con personas usuarias de los servicios con tres modalidades: a) Diseño conjunto de actividades de enseñanza-aprendizaje entre una entidad social y el profesorado de la asignatura Iniciación a las Habilidades Profesionales del Grado en Trabajo Social de la Universidad de Alicante; b) Diseño con enfoque multidisciplinar (profesorado de Trabajo Social con el profesorado de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y Deporte) y la entidad social; c) Diseño internacional con participación de las universidades Queen’s University, Belfast (Northern Ireland) (coordinadora del proyecto) junto con las universidades de Ljubljana (Slovenia) y Alicante. Los resultados proporcionan evidencias sobre la pertinencia de la colaboración docente de personas expertas por su experiencia y de la utilización de una metodología docente basada en el aprendizaje significativo para la adquisición de competencias.

Evaluación del Entorno de Aprendizaje Clínico con la versión española de la escala CLES+T: el antes y el después de la Declaración de Bolonia

En esencia la enfermería es una profesión basada en la práctica, y consecuentemente, la formación durante las prácticas clínicas de las y los estudiantes, resultan un componente esencial del curriculum de pregrado en el conjunto de países vinculados al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior. La firma de la Declaración de Bolonia, supuso para los países europeos la implicación en la restructuración del sistema educativo, la adecuación de los programas educativos a la legislación comunitaria, y la promoción de la movilidad de discentes y de docentes entre los mismos. Acontecidos los principales cambios y desarrollados e implantados los programas de pregrado, nos hemos propuesto en este trabajo determinar cómo evalúan los estudiantes del grado en Enfermería de la Universidad de Alicante el entorno de aprendizaje clínico hospitalario, y comparar estos resultados con las evaluaciones emitidas por las/los anteriores estudiantes de la diplomatura. Para tal fin se realiza un estudio transversal en el que se utiliza como instrumento la versión española de la escala CLES+T (Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher).

Construction of Structures I in Moodle: a new teaching methodology in the Degree of Building Engineer

The subject of Construction of Structures I studies, from a constructive point of view and taking into account current legislation, reinforced concrete structures used in buildings, through the acquisition of knowledge and construction criteria required in the profession of a Technical Architect. The contents acquired in this course are essential for further professional development of technicians and are closely related to many of the subjects taught in the same or other courses of the Degree in Technical Architecture at the University of Alicante. The aim of this paper is to present, analyze and discuss the development of a new methodology proposed in the mentioned subject, as it supposed an important change in the traditional way of teaching Construction and Structures I. In order to incorporate new teaching tools in 2013-2014, the course has been implemented by using a Moodle software tool to promote blended learning with online exercises. Our Moodle community allows collaborative work within an open-source platform where teachers and students share a new and personalized learning environment. Students are easily used to the interface and the platform, value the constant connection with teachers or other fellows and completely agree with the possibility of making questions or share documents 24 hours a day. The proposed methodology consists of lectures and practical classes. In the lectures, the basics of each topic are discussed; class attendance, daily study and conducting scheduled exercises are indispensable. Practical classes allow to consolidate the knowledge gained in theory classes by solving professional exercises and actual construction problems related to structures, that shall be compulsorily delivered online. So, after the correction of the teacher and the subsequent feedback of students, practical exercises ensure lifelong learning of the student, who can download any kind of material at any time (constructive details, practical exercises and even corrected exams). Regarding the general evaluation system, goals achievement is assessed on an ongoing basis (65% of the final mark) along the course through written and graphic evidences in person and online, as well as a individual development of a workbook. In all cases, the acquisition of skills, the ability to synthesize, the capacity of logical and critical thinking are assessed. The other 35 % of the mark is evaluated by a complementary graphic exam. Participation in the computing platform is essential and the student is required to do and present, at least 90% of the practices proposed. Those who do not comply with the practices in each specific date could not be assessed continuously and may only choose the final exam. In conclusion, the subject of Construction of Structures I is essential in the development of the regulated profession of Technical Architect as they are considered, among other professional profiles, as specialists in construction of building structures. The use of a new communication platform and online teaching allows the acquisition of knowledge and constructive approaches in a continuous way, with a more direct and personal monitoring by the teacher that has been highly appreciated by almost 100% of the students. Ultimately, it is important to say that the use of Moodle in this subject is a very interesting tool, which was really well welcome by students in one of the densest and important subjects of the Degree of Technical Architecture.

Projeto – sustentabilidade e matemática

A disciplina matemática e o tema sustentabilidade podem ser muito bem trabalhados pelos docentes da área de exatas. Pois, saber quantificar, calcular e associar o consumo e o impacto ambiental através de dados numéricos é uma possibilidade que pode ser desenvolvida em sala de aula. Saber interpretar e construir gráficos de colunas são outras competências e habilidades presentes na ciência da matemática. Compreender conceitos, estratégias e situações matemáticas numéricas para aplicá-los a situações diversas no contexto das ciências, da tecnologia e da atividade cotidiana se faz necessário. E também, reconhecer, pela leitura de textos apropriados, a importância da Matemática na elaboração de proposta de intervenção solidária na realidade. Dessa forma, conhecer o ambiente em que vivemos, verificar a influência do homem na Natureza e quais ações deverão ser tomadas pensando nas futuras gerações é um despertar para o consumo consciente. O que acarreta como possibilidade o retorno à natureza de recursos utilizados de maneira correta. Conhecer uma conta de luz detalhada, aprender a calcular o consumo mensal de Kwh e diminuir o consumo de energia elétrica através da mudança de hábitos são exemplos cotidianos em que a matemática se faz presente. Relacionar a matemática ao estudo do meio ambiente proporciona através dos números mensurar os prejuízos e projetar soluções, torna a aprendizagem construtiva, podendo se constituir num comportamento cotidiano ou numa ação educativa para formar uma consciência ecológica dentro de indicadores reais. A aprendizagem se torna significativa quando relacionada ao cotidiano do aluno no sentido de mostrar o meio ambiente a que estão inseridos para que possam ser agentes transformadores, através da mudança de hábitos e principalmente desenvolvendo suas habilidades matemáticas. Sendo assim, o processo de ensino aprendizagem matemática-meio ambiente é realizado no sentido de oportunizar o conhecimento do mundo e domínio da natureza, com base nas linguagens matemáticas, criando-se condições de melhorar a capacidade de agir na sociedade, assumindo ações permanentes concentradas em um desenvolvimento sustentável para a continuidade da vida na Terra. Nesse diapasão, é possível desenvolver trabalhos pedagógicos “na trilha da matemática: do raciocínio ao meio-ambiente”. A resolução de situações problemas e assuntos referentes ao meio ambiente fazem com que os alunos tomem os cuidados necessários para com o meio ambiente, aos recursos por ele oferecidos e as consequências das ações errôneas causadas pelo homem.

The Development of Coaching Knowledge

Coaches are known to fulfill many different roles including leader, psychologist, friend, teacher, personnel manager, administrator, fundraiser and role model. The papers presented in this special issue emphasize these different roles by highlighting how coaches learn and how they foster an optimal learning environment. In the first section of this discussion article, I will briefly summarize the main issues covered in the five target papers. I will then propose that the learning environment of coaches needs to be put into a larger conceptual framework that would allow one to account for the variability of experiences that coaches go through before becoming a coach. The third section of this paper will describe three different settings in which coaches learn their skills. Finally, I will offer some concluding remarks and briefly outline directions for future studies.

Gestionnaire de vie privée : un cadre pour la protection de la vie privée dans les interactions entre apprenants

L’évolution continue des besoins d’apprentissage vers plus d’efficacité et plus de personnalisation a favorisé l’émergence de nouveaux outils et dimensions dont l’objectif est de rendre l’apprentissage accessible à tout le monde et adapté aux contextes technologiques et sociaux. Cette évolution a donné naissance à ce que l’on appelle l'apprentissage social en ligne mettant l'accent sur l’interaction entre les apprenants. La considération de l’interaction a apporté de nombreux avantages pour l’apprenant, à savoir établir des connexions, échanger des expériences personnelles et bénéficier d’une assistance lui permettant d’améliorer son apprentissage. Cependant, la quantité d'informations personnelles que les apprenants divulguent parfois lors de ces interactions, mène, à des conséquences souvent désastreuses en matière de vie privée comme la cyberintimidation, le vol d’identité, etc. Malgré les préoccupations soulevées, la vie privée en tant que droit individuel représente une situation idéale, difficilement reconnaissable dans le contexte social d’aujourd’hui. En effet, on est passé d'une conceptualisation de la vie privée comme étant un noyau des données sensibles à protéger des pénétrations extérieures à une nouvelle vision centrée sur la négociation de la divulgation de ces données. L’enjeu pour les environnements sociaux d’apprentissage consiste donc à garantir un niveau maximal d’interaction pour les apprenants tout en préservant leurs vies privées. Au meilleur de nos connaissances, la plupart des innovations dans ces environnements ont porté sur l'élaboration des techniques d’interaction, sans aucune considération pour la vie privée, un élément portant nécessaire afin de créer un environnement favorable à l’apprentissage. Dans ce travail, nous proposons un cadre de vie privée que nous avons appelé « gestionnaire de vie privée». Plus précisément, ce gestionnaire se charge de gérer la protection des données personnelles et de la vie privée de l’apprenant durant ses interactions avec ses co-apprenants. En s’appuyant sur l’idée que l’interaction permet d’accéder à l’aide en ligne, nous analysons l’interaction comme une activité cognitive impliquant des facteurs contextuels, d’autres apprenants, et des aspects socio-émotionnels. L'objectif principal de cette thèse est donc de revoir les processus d’entraide entre les apprenants en mettant en oeuvre des outils nécessaires pour trouver un compromis entre l’interaction et la protection de la vie privée. ii Ceci a été effectué selon trois niveaux : le premier étant de considérer des aspects contextuels et sociaux de l’interaction telle que la confiance entre les apprenants et les émotions qui ont initié le besoin d’interagir. Le deuxième niveau de protection consiste à estimer les risques de cette divulgation et faciliter la décision de protection de la vie privée. Le troisième niveau de protection consiste à détecter toute divulgation de données personnelles en utilisant des techniques d’apprentissage machine et d’analyse sémantique.

Putting Up a Big Front: Car Design and Size Affect Road-Crossing Behaviour

Previous research suggests that people tend to see faces in car fronts and that they attribute personality characteristics to car faces. In the present study we investigated whether car design influences pedestrian road-crossing behaviour. An immersive virtual reality environment with a zebra crossing scenario was used to determine a) whether the minimum accepted distance for crossing the street is larger for cars with a dominant appearance than for cars with a friendly appearance and b) whether the speed of dominant-looking cars is overestimated as compared to friendly-looking cars. Participants completed both tasks while either standing on the pavement or on the centre island. We found that people started to cross the road later in front of friendly-looking low-power cars compared to dominant-looking high-power cars, but only if the cars were relatively large in size. For small cars we found no effect of power. The speed of smaller cars was estimated to be higher compared to large cars (size-speed bias). Furthermore, there was an effect of starting position: From the centre island, participants entered the road significantly later (i. e. closer to the approaching car) and left the road later than when starting from the pavement. Similarly, the speed of the cars was estimated significantly lower when standing on the centre island compared to the pavement. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that car fronts elicit responses on a behavioural level.

Gestionnaire de vie privée : un cadre pour la protection de la vie privée dans les interactions entre apprenants

L’évolution continue des besoins d’apprentissage vers plus d’efficacité et plus de personnalisation a favorisé l’émergence de nouveaux outils et dimensions dont l’objectif est de rendre l’apprentissage accessible à tout le monde et adapté aux contextes technologiques et sociaux. Cette évolution a donné naissance à ce que l’on appelle l'apprentissage social en ligne mettant l'accent sur l’interaction entre les apprenants. La considération de l’interaction a apporté de nombreux avantages pour l’apprenant, à savoir établir des connexions, échanger des expériences personnelles et bénéficier d’une assistance lui permettant d’améliorer son apprentissage. Cependant, la quantité d'informations personnelles que les apprenants divulguent parfois lors de ces interactions, mène, à des conséquences souvent désastreuses en matière de vie privée comme la cyberintimidation, le vol d’identité, etc. Malgré les préoccupations soulevées, la vie privée en tant que droit individuel représente une situation idéale, difficilement reconnaissable dans le contexte social d’aujourd’hui. En effet, on est passé d'une conceptualisation de la vie privée comme étant un noyau des données sensibles à protéger des pénétrations extérieures à une nouvelle vision centrée sur la négociation de la divulgation de ces données. L’enjeu pour les environnements sociaux d’apprentissage consiste donc à garantir un niveau maximal d’interaction pour les apprenants tout en préservant leurs vies privées. Au meilleur de nos connaissances, la plupart des innovations dans ces environnements ont porté sur l'élaboration des techniques d’interaction, sans aucune considération pour la vie privée, un élément portant nécessaire afin de créer un environnement favorable à l’apprentissage. Dans ce travail, nous proposons un cadre de vie privée que nous avons appelé « gestionnaire de vie privée». Plus précisément, ce gestionnaire se charge de gérer la protection des données personnelles et de la vie privée de l’apprenant durant ses interactions avec ses co-apprenants. En s’appuyant sur l’idée que l’interaction permet d’accéder à l’aide en ligne, nous analysons l’interaction comme une activité cognitive impliquant des facteurs contextuels, d’autres apprenants, et des aspects socio-émotionnels. L'objectif principal de cette thèse est donc de revoir les processus d’entraide entre les apprenants en mettant en oeuvre des outils nécessaires pour trouver un compromis entre l’interaction et la protection de la vie privée. ii Ceci a été effectué selon trois niveaux : le premier étant de considérer des aspects contextuels et sociaux de l’interaction telle que la confiance entre les apprenants et les émotions qui ont initié le besoin d’interagir. Le deuxième niveau de protection consiste à estimer les risques de cette divulgation et faciliter la décision de protection de la vie privée. Le troisième niveau de protection consiste à détecter toute divulgation de données personnelles en utilisant des techniques d’apprentissage machine et d’analyse sémantique.

Real leadership and the U.S. Army : overcoming a failure of imagination to conduct adaptive work /

This monograph begins with a case study that provides a means for analyzing the complexity of organizational leadership in the contemporary security environment. As such, it presents a high stakes problem-set that required an operational adaptation by a cavalry squadron conducting combat operations in Baghdad. This problematic reality triggered the struggle to find a creative response to a very deadly problem, while cultural norms served as barriers that prevented the rejection of previously accepted solutions that had proven successful in the past, even though those successful solutions no longer fit in the context of the reality of the present. The case study highlights leaders who were constrained by deeply-held assumptions that inhibited their ability to adapt quickly to a changed environment. The case study then moves on to provide an example of a successful application of adaptive leadership and adaptive work that was performed by the organization after a period of reflection and the willingness to experiment and assume risk. The case study serves as a microcosm of the challenges facing the U.S. Army, and the corresponding leadership framework presented in this monograph can be used as a model for the Army as it attempts to move forward in its effort to make adaptation an institutional imperative. The paper presents a more holistic approach to leadership where the leader transcends that of simply being an authority figure and becomes a real leader who provides a safe and creative learning environment where the organization can tackle and solve adaptive challenges. The paper concludes by recommending that U.S. Army leaders apply Harvard Professor Dean Williams's theory to the challenges confronting the Army's leader development process thereby fostering a culture of adaptive leaders.

Beliefs, practices, and interactions of teachers in a Japanese high school English department

This study reveals the school culture and the teachers' professional development activities in a Japanese high school learning environment. Furthermore, it documents the relationships among the context, teachers' beliefs, practices, and interactions. Using multiple data sources including interviews, observations, and documents of teachers from an English department, this yearlong study revealed these English as a Foreign Language teachers lacked many teacher learning opportunities in their context. The study revealed that teacher collaboration only reinforced existing practices, eroding teachers' motivation to learn to teach in this specific context. The study provides evidence to teacher educators about inservice teachers and their learning environment and the significance of the relationships between the two entities. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Peanut farmers experience with FARMSCAPE in peninsular India

Researchers and extension officers collaborated with farmers in addressing peanut cropping and sowing decisions using on-farm experiments and cropping systems simulation in the Pollachi region of Tamil Nadu, India. The most influential variable affecting the peanut productivity in this irrigated region regard sowing date. During the 1998-1999 rabi (post rainy) season, three farmers fields in villages in Pollachi region were selected and monitored. The APSIM model was used to simulate the effect of sowing date. The APSIM-Peanut module simulation demonstrated close correspondence with the field observation in predicting yield. The model predicted that December sowing resulted in higher yield than January sowing due to longer pod filling period, and this was confirmed by farmer experience. The farmers and extension officers became comfortable with their role as owners of the collaborative experiments and custodians of the learning environment.

A reflexive course for Masters students to understand and plan their own continuing professional development

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is seen as a vital part of a professional engineer’s career, by professional engineering institutions as well as individual engineers. Factors such as ever-changing workforce requirements and rapid technological change have resulted in engineers no longer being able to rely just on the skills they learnt at university or can pick up on the job; they must undergo a structured professional development with clear objectives to develop further professional knowledge, values and skills. This paper presents a course developed for students undertaking a Master of Engineering or Master of Project Management at the University of Queensland. This course was specifically designed to help students plan their continuing professional development, while developing professional skills such as communication, ethical reasoning, critical judgement and the need for sustainable development. The course utilised a work integrated learning pedagogy applied within a formal learning environment, and followed the competency based chartered membership program of Engineers Australia, the peak professional body of engineers in Australia. The course was developed and analysed using an action learning approach. The main research question was “Can extra teaching and learning activities be developed that will simulate workplace learning?” The students continually assessed and reflected upon their current competencies, skills and abilities, and planed for the future attainment of specific competencies which they identified as important to their future careers. Various evaluation methods, including surveys before and after the course, were used to evaluate the action learning intervention. It was found that the assessment developed for the course was one of the most important factors, not only in driving student learning, as is widely accepted, but also in changing the students’ understandings and acceptance of the need for continuous professional development. The students also felt that the knowledge, values and skills they developed would be beneficial for their future careers, as they were developed within the context of their own professional development, rather than to just get through the course. © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education