Web 2.0+ educación: colaboración y recursos abiertos

Con la llegada de la web 2.0, ha sido posible para todos los usuarios participar y colaborar en la construcción del conocimiento, además de servir al dominio público gracias al intercambio libre y legal de los contenidos y a su reutilización. Además los recursos educativos abiertos, son un concepto reciente en lo que respecta a la organización del mundo de intercambio de variedad de materiales y herramientas educacionales, e instituciones como la UNESCO están interesadas en el desarrollo de estos, para ser utilizados en una escala tan amplia y global como sea posible. Sin embargo los REA están teniendo algunas dificultades para alcanzar su eficacia, ya que hay algunas diferencias cruciales en la organización y en la interacción de estas redes abiertas. Este artículo intenta realizar un análisis del intercambio libre y legal de los contenidos y su reutilización utilizadas como apoyo para el aprendizaje en diferentes espacios en línea, aprovechando las posibilidades tecnológicas que permiten conformar nuevas estructuras de socialización-colaboración en línea.

Sampling and TDR probe insertion in the determination of the volumetric soil water content

Volumetric soil water content (theta) can be evaluated in the field by direct or indirect methods. Among the direct, the gravimetric method is regarded as highly reliable and thus often preferred. Its main disadvantages are that sampling and laboratory procedures are labor intensive, and that the method is destructive, which makes resampling of a same point impossible. Recently, the time domain reflectometry (TDR) technique has become a widely used indirect, non-destructive method to evaluate theta. In this study, evaluations of the apparent dielectric number of soils (epsilon) and samplings for the gravimetrical determination of the volumetric soil water content (thetaGrav) were carried out at four sites of a Xanthic Ferralsol in Manaus - Brazil. With the obtained epsilon values, theta was estimated using empirical equations (thetaTDR), and compared with thetaGrav derived from disturbed and undisturbed samples. The main objective of this study was the comparison of thetaTDR estimates of horizontally as well as vertically inserted probes with the thetaGrav values determined by disturbed and undisturbed samples. Results showed that thetaTDR estimates of vertically inserted probes and the average of horizontally measured layers were only slightly and insignificantly different. However, significant differences were found between the thetaTDR estimates of different equations and between disturbed and undisturbed samples in the thetaGrav determinations. The use of the theoretical Knight et al. model, which permits an evaluation of the soil volume assessed by TDR probes, is also discussed. It was concluded that the TDR technique, when properly calibrated, permits in situ, nondestructive measurements of q in Xanthic Ferralsols of similar accuracy as the gravimetric method.

Audit report on the Office of Treasurer of State, Iowa Educational Savings Plan Trust for the year ended June 30, 2009

Audit report on the Office of Treasurer of State, Iowa Educational Savings Plan Trust for the year ended June 30, 2009

Entornos e-learning como soporte de aprendizaje a la asignatura educación musical en infancia

La música es una asignatura obligatoria dentro de la etapa educativa de primaria. Hemos detectado varios profesores de distintas áreas educativas, entre ellas el área de música, que utilizan plataformas de e-learning y herramientas web como apoyo para enseñar el currículum que marca el “Departament d‟Educació de la Generalitat de Catalunya”. A partir del cuerpo de análisis se ha dibujado el panorama en plataformas de e-learning, analizando las tipologías y usos. A través de la muestra de plataformas de e-learning en educación musical se han detectado cuatro escuelas con plataformas de e-learning en fase avanzada. Se realiza un estudio de caso sobre una de estas plataformas para hacer el análisis de contenidos y validar el formato de entrevista utilizado, esto nos ha servido para crear un modelo que pueda ser utilizado en otros centros con plataforma de e-learning para la asignatura específica de música.

FY 09 Recycle Content Plastic Bag and Soy Inks Report

As required by Iowa Code section 307.21, figures for Fiscal Year 2009 for purchasing activity for soy-based inks and recycled content trash bags.

Glycogen content in the cerebral cortex increases with sleep loss in C57BL/6J mice.

We hypothesized that a function of sleep is to replenish brain glycogen stores that become depleted while awake. We have previously tested this hypothesis in three inbred strains of mice by measuring brain glycogen after a 6h sleep deprivation (SD). Unexpectedly, glycogen content in the cerebral cortex did not decrease with SD in two of the strains and was even found to increase in mice of the C57BL/6J (B6) strain. Manipulations that initially induce glycogenolysis can also induce subsequent glycogen synthesis thereby elevating glycogen content beyond baseline. It is thus possible that in B6 mice, cortical glycogen content decreased early during SD and became elevated later in SD. In the present study, we therefore measured changes in brain glycogen over the course of a 6 h SD and during recovery sleep in B6 mice. We found no evidence of a decrease at any time during the SD, instead, cortical glycogen content monotonically increased with time-spent-awake and, when sleep was allowed, started to revert to control levels. Such a time-course is opposite to the one predicted by our initial hypothesis. These results demonstrate that glycogen synthesis can be achieved during prolonged wakefulness to the extent that it outweighs glycogenolysis. Maintaining this energy store seems thus not to be functionally related to sleep in this strain.

Composition and cross-sectional area of muscle fibre types in relation to daily gain and lean and fat content of carcass in Landrace and Yorkshire pigs

Selostus: Lihassolutyypin ja lihassolun poikkipinta-alan yhteys sian kasvuun ja ruhon koostumukseen maatiaisessa ja yorkshiressa

Relationship between electrical conductivity and water content in peat growth medium

Tiivistelmä: Turvekasvualustan sähkönjohtavuuden ja vesipitoisuuden riippuvuus mitattuna TDR-käsimittarilla

Maize response to nitrogen fertilization timing in two tillage systems in a soil with high organic matter content

No-tillage systems, associated to black oat as preceding cover crop, have been increasingly adopted. This has motivated anticipated maize nitrogen fertilization, transferring it from the side-dress system at the stage when plants have five to six expanded leaves to when the preceding cover crop is eliminated or to maize sowing. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of soil tillage system and timing of N fertilization on maize grain yield and agronomic efficiency of N applied to a soil with high organic matter content. A three-year field experiment was conducted in Lages, state of Santa Catarina, from 1999 onwards. Treatments were set up in a split plot arrangement. Two soil tillage systems were tested in the main plots: conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT). Six N management systems were assessed in the split-plots: S1 - control, without N application; S2 - all N (100 kg ha-1) applied at oat desiccation; S3 - all N applied at maize sowing; S4 - all N side-dressed when maize had five expanded leaves (V5 growth stage); S5 - 1/3 of N rate applied at maize sowing and 2/3 at V5; S6 - 2/3 of nitrogen rate applied at maize sowing and 1/3 at V5. Maize response to the time and form of splitting N was not affected by the soil tillage system. Grain yield ranged from 6.0 to 11.8 t ha-1. The anticipation of N application (S2 and S3) decreased grain yield in two of three years. In the rainiest early spring season (2000/2001) of the experiment, S4 promoted an yield advantage of 2.2 t ha-1 over S2 and S3. Application of total N rate before or at sowing decreased the number of kernels produced per ear in 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 and the number of ears produced per area in 2001/2002, resulting in reduced grain yield. The agronomic efficiency of applied N (kg grain increase/kg of N applied) ranged from 13.9 to 38.8 and was always higher in the S4 than in the S2 and S3 N systems. Short-term N immobilization did not reduce grain yield when no N was applied before or at maize sowing in a soil with high organic matter content, regardless of the soil tillage system.

Bitàcoles i sindicació de continguts: dues eines per difondre informació

The article describes blogs and content syndication as tools for disseminating information in libraries and other information centres, as well as in educational and research environments. The authors begin by defining each of these tools, followed by a review of their history and a discussion of how they have been used. Finally, possible applications are suggested for library environments and research spaces, while offering considerations about what activities the library community might carry out in order to convert these tools into an effective means of communication

Bitácoras y sindicación de contenidos: dos herramientas para difundir información

The article describes blogs and content syndication as tools for disseminating information in libraries and other information centres, as well as in educational and research environments. The authors begin by defining each of these tools, followed by a review of their history and a discussion of how they have been used. Finally, possible applications are suggested for library environments and research spaces, while offering considerations about what activities the library community might carry out in order to convert these tools into an effective means of communication

Web content accessibility guidelines: from 1.0 to 2.0

This poster explains the changes introduced in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 from WCAG 1.0 and proposes a checklist for adapting existing websites. Finally, it describes the most common criticisms of the WCAG and places them in the context of its origin and initial aims.

Audit report on the Office of Treasurer of State, Iowa Educational Savings Plan Trust for the year ended June 30, 2010

Audit report on the Office of Treasurer of State, Iowa Educational Savings Plan Trust for the year ended June 30, 2010

Addressing elementary school teachers' professional stressors: Practical suggestions for schools and adminstrators

Purpose: Given the preponderance of education reform since the No Child Left Behind Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2001), reform efforts have shaped the nature of the work and culture in schools. The emphasis on standardized testing to determine schools' status and student performance, among other factors, has generated stress, particularly for teachers. Therefore, district and school administrators are encouraged to consider the contextual factors that contribute to teacher stress to address them and to retain high-performing teachers. Research Methods/Approach: Participants were recruited from two types of schools in order to test hypotheses related to directional responding as a function of working in a more challenging (high-priority) or less challenging (non-high-priority) school environment. We employed content analysis to analyze 64 suburban elementary school teachers' free-responses to a prompt regarding their stress as teachers. We cross-analyzed our findings through external auditing to bolster trustworthiness in the data and in the procedure. Findings: Teachers reported personal and contextual stressors. Herein, we reported concrete examples of the five categories of contextual stressors teachers identified: political and educational structures, instructional factors, student factors, parent and family factors, and school climate. We found directional qualities and overlapping relationships in the data, partially confirming our hypotheses. Implications for Research and Practice: We offer specific recommendations for practical ways in which school administrators might systemically address teacher stress based on the five categories of stressors reported by participants. We also suggest means of conducting action research to measure the effects of implemented suggestions.

FY10 Recycled Content Plastic Bag and Soy Inks Report

As required by Iowa Code section 37.21, the following is a summary of purchasing activities for soy-based inks and recycled content plastic trash bags. The figures are for Fiscal Year 2010. The department currently has no equipment which will operate with soy ink. Iowa Code section 8A.315 required that a minimum of 50 percent of garbage can liner purchases shall be recycled content plastic garbage can liners. The department purchased $51.478.04 worth of recycled content plastic garbage can liners. The represents 93.9 percent of garbage can liners purchased.