Nuevas tecnologías, trabajo y paternidad: Las nuevas formas de flexibilidad laboral y sus efectos sobre la implicación de los hombres en el cuidado de los hijos

Los estudios sobre el uso de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación (TIC) para organizar el trabajo y sobre su incidencia en la conciliación entre vida laboral y familiar arrojan resultados ambiguos o contradictorios. Sin embargo, la aparición y la difusión de TIC inalámbricas están provocando intensos cambios en las prácticassociales, incluidas las relaciones entre vida personal y trabajo. Mediante entrevistas en profundidad, un grupo de padres en situaciones laborales diversas han reflexionado sobre cómo utilizan el potencial de movilidad, conectividad y flexibilidad que les ofrecen las nuevas TIC y sobre cómo modula dicho uso la implicación de los hombres en su rol de padres. En línea con trabajos realizados en otros países, los resultados preliminares sugieren que el papel que se atribuye a las TIC como herramientas para la emancipación del rol de género de los hombres mediante su mayor implicación en el cuidado material y afectivo de los hijos depende muchas veces de factores ajenos al uso de estas tecnologías: motivación personal, actitud y percepción de la pareja respecto a la competencia hombre para ejercer de padre, o macro y micro políticas de conciliación existentes en las organizaciones.

La integración de Internet en la educación escolar española : situación actual y perspectivas de futuro

The main objectives and findings of this first research report are presented in this chapter."The Implementation of the Internet in the Spanish Education System: State of Affairs and Future Prospects" is a large-scale research project that seeks to obtain relevant data about the introduction and dissemination of Information and Communication Technology, particularly the internet, in the practical and organizational general procedures of the Spanish schools and high schools. The project articulates the processes of ICT implementation on the primary and secondary education levels embracing a holistic approach, propped up by an empirical and analytical research methodology. Thus, our survey does not intend to detect which is the impact of ICT on school activities but how all the agents involved in the school community incorporate ICT and what use they make of it. We are especially interested in identifying the teachers' pedagogical and professional uses of ICT, how students use it in their activities and to what extent it contributes in reinforcing teamwork and participation proceedings in the institutions, as well as the relations between the latter and their context. It is also of our interest to know the factors that exert the strongest influence on the way teachers, head teachers and students make use of ICT. Finally, we intend to identify the ways ICT may contribute to the improvementof educational practices.

Innovative milieu, micro firms and local development in Barcelona

Peer-reviewed

Recognition of prior learning in online postgraduate education

The recognition of prior experiential learning (RPEL) involves the assessment ofskills and knowledge acquired by an individual through previous experience, which isnot necessarily related to an academic context. RPEL practices are far from generalisedin higher education, and there is a lack of specific guidelines on how to implement RPLprograms in particular settings, such as management education or online programs. TheRPEL pilot program developed in a Spanish virtual university is used throughout thearticle as the basis for further reflection on the design and implementation of RPEL inonline postgraduate education in the business field. The role of competences as a centraltheoretical foundation for RPEL is explained, and the context and characteristics of theRPEL program described. Special attention is paid to the key elements of the program¿sdesign and to the practical aspects of its implementation. The results of the program areassessed and general conclusions and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Nationalist neoliberalism? Minority Nationalism, competitiveness and the urban question

Presentation at: II IAS Annual Research Programme International ConferenceSession: Governing Regions, Lancaster Setember 17-19 2007

Metadata for describing learning scenarios under European Higher Education Area paradigm

In this paper we identify the requirements for creating formal descriptions of learning scenarios designed under the European HigherEducation Area paradigm, using competences and learning activities as the basic pieces of the learning process, instead of contents and learning resources, pursuing personalization. Classical arrangements of content based courses are no longer enough to describe all the richness of this new learning process, where user profiles, competences and complex hierarchical itineraries need to be properly combined. We study the intersection with the current IMS Learning Design specification and theadditional metadata required for describing such learning scenarios. This new approach involves the use of case based learning and collaborativelearning in order to acquire and develop competences, following adaptive learning paths in two structured levels.

Learning analytics in practice: setting up a laboratory for action research at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

Since its inception in 1994 as a purely online university, the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya(UOC) has been able to position itself among the main universities of the Catalan and Spanish university systems. Most of the students at the UOC (currently more than 60,000) are adults who have a profile that could hardly fit into the traditional university system, thus finding in the UOC an opportunity to start or continue their higher education grades, in a very innovative environment. The intensive use of ICT for both theteaching/learning processes and management allowsresearchers and practitioners to obtain data aboutwhat takes place in the UOC Virtual Campus, which is continuously being improved according to suchfindings.

La integración de Internet en la educación escolar española : situación actual y perspectivas de futuro

The main objectives and findings of this first research report are presented in thischapter. "The Implementation of the Internet in the Spanish Education System: State of Affairsand Future Prospects" is a large-scale research project that seeks to obtain relevant data about the introduction and dissemination of Information and Communication Technology, particularly the internet, in the practical and organizational general procedures of the Spanish schools and high schools. The project articulates the processes of ICT implementation on the primary andsecondary education levels embracing a holistic approach, propped up by an empirical and analytical research methodology. Thus, our survey does not intend to detect which is the impact of ICT on school activities but how all the agents involved in the school community incorporate ICT and what use they make of it. We are especially interested in identifying the teachers' pedagogical and professional uses of ICT, how students use it in their activities and to what extent it contributes in reinforcing teamwork andparticipation proceedings in the institutions, as well as the relations between the latter and their context. It is also of our interest to know the factors that exert the strongest influence on the way teachers, head teachers and students make use of ICT. Finally, we intend to identify the ways ICT may contribute to the improvement of educational practices.

Evaluation of Implementation of BSc IT Curriculum at Tumaini University

In Tanzania computer knowledge is vital to supplement the pace fast growing economic and development activities, which demands high and reliable level of expertise in com- puting field. In 2006, a research carried out at Tumaini University with purpose to design and implement a contextualized curriculum that can supplement for such needs hence facilitate development in Tanzanian context. A contextualized curriculum took advantage of six principles namely curriculum contex- tualization, projects, practical, interdisciplinary orientation, international recognition and continuous research for the program’s formative and development. Implementation of the curriculum followed the CATI (Contextualize, Apply, Transfer, and Import) model with emphasis on students to identify societal expectations at the early stage in learning process, in which case the graduates will potentially cater for societal expertise needs on ICT. This study adopts an emergent exploratory cross-section research design, while employ- ing a qualitative approach. This study was conducted at Tumaini University in Iringa where by purposeful sampling was used to obtain participants such as students, teach- ers, administrators and employers who participated in several focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and participant observation. The study reveals that six principles are satisfactorily met,despite of bottlenecks such as incompatibility in pedagogical thinking and technology availability for e-learning, learning attitudes, insufficient experts with actual skills and experience,in academic field among the others. The study recommends that iterative longitudinal study should be car- ried out to design for proper intervention in response to these problems which will help in improving and stabilize the curriculum.

Väylävirastojen hankkeen ja hankesalkun hallintaprosessien sovittaminen toiminnanohjausjärjestelmään

Tiehallinto ja Ratahallintokeskus (väylävirastot) ovat hankkineet yhteisen toiminnanohjausjärjestelmän. Työn tavoitteena on kuvata väylävirastojen hankkeen ja hankesalkun hallintaprosessit ja selvittää, onko väylävirastoille löydettävissä Sampo-järjestelmään yhtenäiset toimintamallit prosesseille, sekä määrittää virastoille yhteinen sanasto. Lisäksi työn tavoitteena on tutkia, millaisia menetelmiä ja malleja on olemassa toiminnanohjausjärjestelmän käyttöönottoprojektin läpiviemiseksi. Teoriaosuudessa tarkastellaan toiminnanohjausjärjestelmiä ja niiden käyttöönottoprosessimalleja sekä prosesseja ja niiden kuvaamista. Empiriaosuuden alussa tarkastellaan toteutus- ja käyttöönottoprojektin etenemistä teoriassa esitetyn mallin mukaisesti. Työssä kuvataan hankkeen ja hankesalkun hallintaprosessien nykytila, tavoitetila sekä järjestelmään sovittaminen. Väylävirastot löysivät yhtenäisen tavoitetilan. Prosessien sovittaminen järjestelmään on vielä kesken. Kesällä 2008 näytti siltä, että väylävirastojen yhtenäiset tavoitetilan prosessit saadaan sovitettua pienillä muutoksilla järjestelmään. Järjestelmä tuo toimintaan paljon muutoksia ja vaikutuksia. Kevään aikana yhtenäisen sanaston tärkeys korostui.

Aplicaciones digitales con software libre para City Branding de Valledupar

El uso de las TIC se ha masificado dentro del ámbito del turismo convirtiéndose en herramienta fundamental y un aliado para llegar a conquistar turistas para los diferentes destinos que se promocionan a través de aplicaciones moviles o de website.Cada vez más las entidades turísticas o las empresas recurren a las tecnologías de la información, en particular Internet, como medio para promocionar sus productos y servicios turísticos. Estas nuevas tecnologías han cambiado el concepto de vida de personas en cuanto a la consulta de precio y rapidez de información de los diferentes servicios turísticos.En Valledupar se debe: aprovechar la tendencia mundial al rescate de los valores auténticos, el medio ambiente y las comunidades indígenas a través de diferentes modalidades de turismo: Ecoturismo, etnoturismo, agroturismo, cultural, religioso, compras, aventura, salud, deportivo, ciudad capital. Se debe ampliar el conocimiento del territorio municipal y de los valores autóctonos. Mediante uso de software libre y de código abierto se pueden crear soluciones para fortalecer la promoción del sector turístico de la ciudad de Valledupar.

Kunnallisen palveluyksikön toimintojen kehittäminen ja kustannusten

Työn tavoitteena on sisäisen palveluyksikön prosessikuvauksien kautta kehittää nykyistä toimintaa, laskea tuotettujen palveluiden yksikkökustannuksia ja arvioida palkitsemisen vaikutusta sisäisten tukipalveluiden tuottamisen tehostamiseen Nurmijärven kunnassa. Toimintolaskennalla saadaan aikaiseksi tuotetuille palveluille kustannukset ja tuotehinnoittelu. Tällä saadaan aikaan lähes aiheuttamisperiaatteen mukainen kustannusten kohdistaminen. Lisäksi työssä arvioidaan kustannusten kautta saavutettavaa toiminnan tehokkuutta. Työssä haastateltiin yksikön henkilökuntaa, minkä tuloksena saatiin toiminnasta prosessikuvaukset. Toimintolaskennassa tiedot kerättiin eri järjestelmistä ja yksikössä mitattiin työtehtävien hoitoon käytettyä aikaa. Kannusteiden vaikutuksista järjestettiin kolmen organisaation tietotekniikkayksiköiden henkilökunnalle kysely sekä yksikön esimiehet haastateltiin. Haastattelun avulla selvitettiin palkitsemisen nykytilannetta ja tulevaisuuden kehittämismahdollisuuksia. Tuloksena saatiin tukipalveluhinnasto, jolla toteutettiin sisäisten kustannusten kohdistaminen organisaatiossa. Tukipalveluprosessien kuvaamisen tuloksena saatiin toimenpide-ehdotuksia toteutukseen ja lisäkehittämishankkeita. Työntekijöiden kannustekyselyn tuloksena rahapalkitsemisen lisäksi nousi esiin esimiehen antaman palautteen arvostus sekä oman osaamisen kehittäminen.

Digitaalisen sisältöliiketoiminnan ja viestinnän klusterin synty ja menestystekijät

Kiinnostus digitaalista sisältöliiketoimintaa ja viestintää kohtaan on kasvanut suuresti viimeisten kymmenen vuoden aikana. Niin alan yritysmäärä kuin tuotteet ovat lisääntyneet entisestään viestinnän siirtyessä yhä enemmän tietoverkkoihin. Myös Suomen valtion ja Euroopan unionin tasolla tähän kehitykseen on reagoitu voimakkaasti eri ohjelmien ja hankkeiden kautta. Suomi on tehnyt kolmannen tietoyhteiskuntastrategiansa ja Euroopan unionillakin on laadittuna omat strategiansa ja tavoitteensa tuleville vuosille. Kouvolan kaupunki on nostanut digitaalisen sisältöliiketoiminnan ja viestinnän yhdeksi tulevaisuuden kärkialueikseen, minkä vuoksi tämä tutkimus on tilattu. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin digiklusterin nykytilaa, mahdollisuuksia ja menestystekijöitä. Tutkimusmenetelminä käytettiin syvähaastatteluita avaintoimijoille sekä vertailua aiemmin menestyneisiin ICT- ja sisältöliiketoiminnan klustereihin. Tutkimuksessa perehdytään ensin aihealueeseen teoriatiedon ja aiempien tutkimustulosten kautta. Tämän jälkeen tarkastellaan tutkittavaa aluetta tilastotiedon, hankkeiden ja haastatteluiden kautta. Lisäksi alueen osaamispääomaa on kartoitettu haastatteluiden ja selvitysten perusteella. Tutkimustuloksena havaittiin, että menestyäkseen klusterin tulee panostaa olemassa olevaan yrityskantaan sekä houkutella alueelle erityisesti kasvuvaiheen yrityksiä. Lisäksi kävi ilmi, että klusterikehitys on mahdollista vain yhteisten päämäärien ja tavoitteiden kautta. Mukana kehittämisessä tulee olla niin alueen yrittäjät kuin julkisen hallinnon edustajat. Kehitys onnistuu parhaiten, mikäli hankkeissa kiinnitetään huomiota yritysnäkökulmaan ja toimijat tietävät oman roolinsa. Korkean osaamisen klusterissa keskeisellä sijalla on alueen koulutus- ja tutkimuslaitosten, yritysten ja julkisen hallinnon saumaton yhteistyö.

Older consumers adopting information and communication technology: Evaluating opportunities for health care applications

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyse older consumers' adoption of information and communication technology innovations, assess the effect of aging related characteristic, and evaluate older consumers' willingness to apply these technologies in health care services. This topic is considered important, because the population in Finland (as in other welfare states) is aging and thus offers a possibility for marketers, but on the other hand threatens society with increasing costs for healthcare. Innovation adoption has been under research from several aspects in both organizational and consumer research. In the consumer behaviour, several theories have been developed to predict consumer responses to innovation. The present dissertation carefully reviews previous research and takes a closer look at the theory of planned behaviour, technology acceptance model and diffusion of innovations perspective. It is here suggested that there is a possibility that these theories can be combined and complemented to predict the adoption of ICT innovations among aging consumers, taking the aging related personal characteristics into account. In fact, there are very few studies that have concentrated on aging consumers in the innovation research, and thus there was a clear indent for the present research. ICT in the health care context has been studied mainly from the organizational point of view. If the technology is thus applied for the communication between the individual end-user and service provider, the end-user cannot be shrugged off. The present dissertation uses empirical evidence from a survey targeted to 55-79 year old people from one city in Southern-Carelia. The empirical analysis of the research model was mainly based on structural equation modelling that has been found very useful on estimating causal relationships. The tested models were targeted to predict the adoption stage of personal computers and mobile phones, and the adoption intention of future health services that apply these devices for communication. The present dissertation succeeded in modelling the adoption behaviour of mobile phones and PCs as well as adoption intentions of future services. Perceived health status and three components behind it (depression, functional ability, and cognitive ability) were found to influence perception of technology anxiety. Better health leads to less anxiety. The effect of age was assessed as a control variable, in order to evaluate its effect compared to health characteristics. Age influenced technology perceptions, but to lesser extent compared to health. The analyses suggest that the major determinant for current technology adoption is perceived behavioural control, and additionally technology anxiety that indirectly inhibit adoption through perceived control. When focusing on future service intentions, the key issue is perceived usefulness that needs to be highlighted when new services are launched. Besides usefulness, the perception of online service reliability is important and affects the intentions indirectly. To conclude older consumers' adoption behaviour is influenced by health status and age, but also by the perceptions of anxiety and behavioural control. On the other hand, launching new types of health services for aging consumers is possible after the service is perceived reliable and useful.

Market Potential of Northwest Russia for Telemedicine Applications

The level of health care in Russia is mostly still below the western standards, but lately it has been developing quite positively. Many ICT solutions (telemedicine applications) have been developed for health care in Finland, but since the domestic market is so small, it’s necessary to expand to foreign markets to make the Finnish R&D projects more profitable. Telemedicine applications are not yet widely used in Russia, but since the health care system is going through fast changes, leapfrog effects can be expected and new modern applications and technologies will be implemented. This will open numerous business opportunities for Finnish technology developers. This thesis aims to be the first evaluation of the market and form an outlook of the health care system and telemedicine applications already utilized in Russia. The results of this study can be used for focusing further research ultimately aiming at technology implementation. The study showed that there is potential for many types of telemedicine solutions, e.g. electronic patient records and home monitoring systems; providing that further research in this field is needed.