Humanos y máquinas : Aspectos epistemológicos de su relación en el debate humanismo-poshumanismo

En la tesis se consideran los procesos de cambio conceptual, teórico y metodológico que modelaron el desarrollo de los estudios sociales de la ciencia desde su emergencia hasta la actualidad, con el objeto de analizar los alcances y límites de las perspectivas humanistas y poshumanistas en la comprensión del vínculo "humano-no humano". Los estudios sociales de la ciencia conforman un campo marginal tanto dentro de los estudios metacientíficos como de la disciplina que les dio origen: la sociología. Si bien en las últimas décadas éstos han dado lugar a un significativo progreso en la comprensión cualitativa y cuantitativa de la ciencia y la tecnología, al responder primordialmente a la inquietud empírico-comparativa de programas de investigación de corte institucionalista han tendido a relegar de sus agendas de investigación el análisis epistemológico de los modelos explicativos considerados. En este sentido, en su afán de dar cuenta del carácter social de la ciencia apenas si han reparado en los nexos que pueden establecerse entre la explicación social de la ciencia y la explicación científica de "lo social". Con el objeto de atender a ello la tesis analiza las implicancias epistemológicas, metodológicas y ontológicas del estudio social de la ciencia considerando a la relación "humano-máquina" o "humano-no humano" como un hilo de Ariadna en la identificación de rupturas y continuidades en la consideración del vínculo "ciencia-sociedad". Desde esta perspectiva se estudia la dinámica de cambio conceptual, teórico y/o metodológico que dio lugar a la emergencia y desarrollo del estudio social de la ciencia en relación con aquella que modeló al estudio científico de "lo social", se identifican los cambios epistemológicos, ontológicos y metodológicos que configuraron a la dimensión no humana como un tópico relevante, cuando no ineludible, en la explicación social de la ciencia, se examinan las implicancias de la incorporación de los objetos naturales y/o tecnológicos a los modelos explicativos del estudio social de la ciencia en el contexto de la crítica poshumanista a las teorías de la acción que han asumido al sujeto como epicentro del análisis, y se analiza el impacto de la mencionada crítica en términos de un reordenamiento de los vínculos entre el estudio social de la ciencia y el estudio científico de "lo social". De este modo se ofrece una faceta de los estudios sociales de la ciencia inadvertida por buena parte de la literatura especializada, más atenta a la confrontación de imágenes sociológicas y filosóficas de la ciencia en el contexto de la denominada "guerra de las ciencias" que a sus implicancias epistemológicas para el estudio científico de "lo social". Enfatizando así el anclaje disciplinar del estudio social de la ciencia no se suscribe una visión "internalista" del progreso epistémico, sino que, por el contrario, se sugiere que la simultánea consideración de factores disciplinares y extra disciplinares resulta una estrategia tan fructífera como innovadora para analizar un campo que, al extender el dominio de la explicación social al ámbito de los fenómenos físico-naturales, ha dado lugar a uno de los más complejos casos de interacción disciplinar.

Forest disturbance map for the Carpathian ecoregion, 1984-2012

Detailed knowledge of forest cover dynamics is crucial for many applications from resource management to ecosystem service assessments. Landsat data provides the necessary spatial, temporal and spectral detail to map and analyze forest cover and forest change processes. With the opening of the Landsat archive, new opportunities arise to monitor forest dynamics on regional to continental scales. In this study we analyzed changes in forest types, forest disturbances, and forest recovery for the Carpathian ecoregion in Eastern Europe. We generated a series of image composites at five year intervals between 1985 and 2010 and utilized a hybrid analysis strategy consisting of radiometric change classification, post-classification comparison and continuous index- and segment-based post-disturbance recovery assessment. For validation of the disturbance map we used a point-based accuracy assessment, and assessed the accuracy of our forest type maps using forest inventory data and statistically sampled ground truth data for 2010. Our Carpathian-wide disturbance map achieved an overall accuracy of 86% and the forest type maps up to 73% accuracy. While our results suggested a small net forest increase in the Carpathians, almost 20% of the forests experienced stand-replacing disturbances over the past 25 years. Forest recovery seemed to only partly counterbalance the widespread natural disturbances and clear-cutting activities. Disturbances were most widespread during the late 1980s and early 1990s, but some areas also exhibited extensive forest disturbances after 2000, especially in the Polish, Czech and Romanian Carpathians. Considerable shifts in forest composition occurred in the Carpathians, with disturbances increasingly affecting coniferous forests, and a relative decrease in coniferous and mixed forests. Both aspects are likely connected to an increased vulnerability of spruce plantations to pests and pathogens in the Carpathians. Overall, our results exemplify the highly dynamic nature of forest cover during times of socio-economic and institutional change, and highlight the value of the Landsat archive for monitoring these dynamics.

Desarrollo de un modelo de evaluación de ciudades basado en el concepto de ciudad inteligente (Smart city)

La presente tesis tiene por finalidad contribuir al conocimiento de los procesos de transformación de las ciudades convencionales en Ciudades Inteligentes o Smart Cities, el nuevo paradigma urbano, que surge como consecuencia de la utilización de las Tecnologías de la Información y de las Comunicaciones, las TIC, para mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas y aumentar la eficiencia y eficacia de los procesos, servicios e infraestructuras de la ciudad. El proceso de urbanización de la población mundial constituye una de las principales tendencias globales. Los retos a los que se enfrentan las urbes actuales para satisfacer las necesidades de sus habitantes, así como la forma en que cada ciudad aborda dichos retos, propician el desarrollo de estudios comparativos y rankings de ciudades. La oportunidad para llevar a cabo esta tesis deriva de: La novedad del concepto de Ciudad Inteligente. La necesidad de establecer estudios comparativos, respecto a dicho concepto, entre ciudades con características socioeconómicas y culturales comunes, dado que la mayoría de los estudios y rankings se desarrollan para conjuntos de ciudades cuyas características son muy dispares, pues, en general son seleccionadas por su condición de capitales de estados o de centros económicos-financieros. El interés de disponer de estudios sobre ciudades con tamaños de población medianos, inferiores al millón de habitantes, las cuales tienen baja presencia en los estudios comparativos. La inexistencia de estudios comparativos entre las ciudades españolas, en relación con el concepto de Ciudad Inteligente. La existencia de la Red Española de Ciudades Inteligentes, que permite disponer de una muestra de ciudades adecuada, para llevar a cabo un estudio comparativo de acuerdo con los puntos anteriores. El objetivo general de la presente tesis es contribuir al conocimiento de los procesos de transformación de la ciudad convencional en Ciudad Inteligente, a través de la formulación y aplicación de un modelo de evaluación, basado en el concepto holístico de Ciudad Inteligente o Smart City y desde la perspectiva del ciudadano. La metodología de trabajo seguida comprende, en primer lugar, la revisión del estado del arte, centrada en tres aspectos: la evolución del concepto Smart City, los estudios comparativos sobre Ciudades Inteligentes y las medidas que las ciudades españolas están implantando en la práctica para llevar a cabo su transformación en Ciudades Inteligentes. A continuación se lleva a cabo el diseño el modelo de evaluación. Este modelo refleja el carácter holístico del concepto de Ciudad Inteligente, para lo cual, de acuerdo con las definiciones que encontramos en la literatura, evalúa la situación de cada ciudad en relación con seis ejes o pilares, comúnmente aceptados por los diferentes autores: e-Gobierno y e-Gobernanza, Movilidad, Sostenibilidad Ambiental, Desarrollo Económico, Capital Intelectual y Calidad de Vida. El trabajo desarrollado implica un análisis, que se desarrolla de forma ordenada para cada uno de los ejes y, dentro de éstos, para sus correspondientes factores. En total se analizan 18 factores. Para cada uno de los ejes se lleva a cabo una revisión de las iniciativas más representativas para, a continuación, analizar y evaluar los correspondientes los factores. De forma complementaria al desarrollo del trabajo, se llevó a cabo una encuesta, dirigida a profesionales de diferentes áreas y sectores, todos ellos en el ámbito de las Ciudades Inteligentes. El objetivo de la encuesta es conocer, de acuerdo con la opinión de los profesionales, la situación actual en materia de despliegue de Ciudades Inteligentes, las actuaciones que consideran de mayor interés para la ciudad y las barreras del proceso de cambio. Una vez definido el modelo, se ha aplicado a las 62 ciudades que forman la Red Española de Ciudades Inteligentes (RECI), valorando los factores y los ejes para cada una de ellas. Así mismo, se ha analizado la influencia de las tres variables siguientes: tamaño de población, densidad de población y presupuesto municipal por habitante, determinando la relación entre el porcentaje de ciudades inteligentes de la muestra, en cada factor. Adicionalmente en el eje Capital Intelectual,se analizó la influencia del porcentaje de habitantes con estudios superiores. Las 62 ciudades RECI que componen la muestra evaluada, representan el 43 % de las ciudades españolas que cuentan con poblaciones superiores a los 50.000 habitantes. La población que abarca la muestra de ciudades estudiada representa el 35% de la población española. Finalmente, se ha determinado el ranking con las ciudades de RECI, de acuerdo con el modelo diseñado. Así mismo se ha llevado a cabo el análisis de sensibilidad, determinado el ranking resultante para la misma muestra de ciudades, aplicando la ponderación de los factores. Las principales aportaciones de la tesis son: Desarrollar un modelo de evaluación de ciudades basada en el concepto holístico de la Smart City y desde la perspectiva del ciudadano. Desarrollar una metodología de trabajo fundamentada en el análisis sistematizado de las web municipales, como medio para conocer la situación de las ciudades, en lugar de los datos estadísticos publicados, que son la fuente de información habitualmente empleada en los estudios comparativos. Disponer de un estudio comparativo específico de ciudades españolas. Llevar a cabo un estudio sobre una muestra de ciudades de tamaño medio, con características socioeconómicas y culturales comparables. Mejorar el conocimiento de los procesos que se están llevando a cabo en ciudades con poblaciones inferiores al millón de habitantes. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the knowledge of the cities and the transformation that is taking part in traditional cities becoming Smart Cities. The Smart City concept is the new urban paradigm that is born from the extensive use of Information Technologies (IT) in order to accomplish better citizen’s quality of life as well as improvements in urban processes, services and infrastructures. Several rankings and benchmarking studies are being conducted globally, in response to the increasing of urban population that is taking part around the world and the subsequent challenges to be confronted by the cities. This thesis aims to contribute to these studies. The opportunity for this thesis comes from: The Smart City concept as a new concept. The need of benchmarking studies focused on the Smart City concept, carried on cities with similar social and economic characteristics. The interest on benchmarking studies on medium size cities (with less than one million inhabitants). The absence of benchmarking studies on Spanish cities. The existence of the Spanish Smart Cities Network that can be considered an appropriate sample for a benchmark study. The main goal of this thesis is to develop a Smart Cities assessment model based on the citizen point of view and taking into account a holistic concept of Smart City. The thesis methodology starts with the state of the art revision, focused on three items: the Smart City concept, the benchmark studies and the projects actually developed by the Spanish cities under processes for becoming Smart Cities. The next step is the assessment model design, in accordance with the six main axes or pillars referred in the academic literature: e-Government and e-Governance, Mobility, Environmental Sustainability, Economic Development, Smart Citizens and Quality of Life. Also, a survey has been conducted and addressed to experts working on the different areas related to the Smart Cities. The aim of this survey is to know their opinion about the deployment of the Smart Cities, the priorities considered by the cities and the barriers that delay the change processes. Once the assessment model was ready, it was applied to the Spanish Smart Cities Network, with 62 member cities. Also, the bearing of three variables: city population, population density and city budget per inhabitant, are studied. The 62 cities studied are 43 % of the Spanish cities with population over 50.000 inhabitants. The population living in these cities is the 35% of total Spanish population. The main contribution of this thesis are: An assessment model for Smart Cities that takes into account the holistic concept of the Smart City as well as the citizen experience. A methodology that comprises municipal web analysis instead of statistics data, which are the usual source of data for current benchmarking studies. A Spanish Smart Cities benchmark. A benchmark on medium size cities with similar social and economic characteristics. A better understanding of the urban processes that are taking part on cities under one million inhabitants.

An integrated cognitive model of panic disorder: The role of positive and negative cognitions

One reason for the neglect of the role of positive factors in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) may relate to a failure to develop cognitive models that integrate positive and negative cognitions. Bandura [Psychol. Rev. 84 (1977) 191; Anxiety Res. 1 (1988) 77] proposed that self-efficacy beliefs mediate a range of emotional and behavioural outcomes. However, in panic disorder, cognitively based research to date has largely focused on catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations. Although a number of studies support each of the predictions associated with the account of panic disorder that is based on the role of negative cognitions, a review of the literature indicated that a cognitively based explanation of the disorder may be considerably strengthened by inclusion of positive cognitions that emphasize control or coping. Evidence to support an Integrated Cognitive Model (ICM) of panic disorder was examined and the theoretical implications of this model were discussed in terms of both schema change and compensatory skills accounts of change processes in CBT. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The changing nature and role of the head of department

There is little doubt that devolution of responsibility to schools and the growth of school-based management have impacted upon the role and workload of school leaders. Not only Principals have been affected by these changes as Welch (1996) argues that Principals of public secondary schools have passed responsibility down to Deputy-principals and to Heads of Department. As such, the Head of Department role, like other school administration positions, has undergone significant change. Of interest to this paper is the changing role of Heads of Department in secondary schools. This study reports on the findings of semi-structured interviews with eight Heads of Department from four public secondary schools and Principals from each of these schools in South East Queensland. Four years after the first set of interviews, two heads of department were reinterviewed. Both sets of interviews focused upon the role, change, and the importance of leadership. The research generated eight specific themes each of which was considered consistent with the nature of the role in a period of significant cultural change. These were the difference in perceptions regarding the Head of Department role, held by Principals and Heads of Department; Head of Department leadership in terms of a curriculum framed department or whole school leadership; how individuals perceived leadership, and how they learned of leadership; the impact of the changing culture upon the individual Head of Department; the growing influence of situational factors upon the role; the impact of managerialism; the changing nature of a secondary school department; and a growing and more complex workload, and the need for different skills. Furthermore, the findings pointed towards the need for effective change processes and a reconceptualized head of department role. The paper concludes with some implications for the ongoing professional development needs of Heads of Department.

Women into Non-Traditional Sectors: Addressing Gender Segregation in the Northern Ireland Workforce

The horizontal segregation of the workforce along gender lines tends to assign women to lower paid, lower status employment. Consequently, schemes to address segregation have focused on preparing women to enter non‐traditional occupations through training and development processes. This article examines models to encourage women into non‐traditional employment, focusing on the Women into Non‐Traditional Sectors (WINS) project in Belfast, Northern Ireland. However, changing women to suit a hostile work environment assumes women to be the problem, whereas it is the barriers that women face in undertaking non‐traditional jobs that need to be changed. It is concluded, therefore, that while models such as WINS can be successful in assisting women into non‐traditional sectors, change processes to make workplaces more accessible are a more pressing and appropriate approach to de‐segregating the workforce.

“It’s the People That Drive It”: Motivating and Supporting Collaborative Data Use Practices in Three Teacher Education Programs

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Coevolução e as práticas isomórficas de gestão: um estudo sobre os processos de mudanças institucionais no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do RN

The Federal Institution for Education, Science and Technology, in its historical path, has been living different changes. The transformations occurred along the way have been determined by coercive forces from the institutional environment, which has became more and more broad and complex throughout the time, obtaining diverse characteristics and new elements such as non institutional factors1 which started to contribute with the other changes. In this context, this work aims to study the isomorphic practices of the managers in the institutional changes process of the IFRN in 1998 and 2008, as of a theoretical coevolutionary perspective (CHILD; RODRIGUES; LEWIN; CARROL; VOLBERDA, 2003). This theory brings a new point of view for the organization analysis to the organizational studies, since it offers a non deterministic and non linear lection of the evolution process, which means, a coevolution. Thus, the organizations and their institutional and non institutional environment auto evolve, auto organize and auto reproduce. Therefore, the institutional and non institutional factors of the macro environment keep a continuous interdependence relationship with the organizations. For the means of this study, it is important to understand that is impossible to comprehend the object, the isomorphic practices, without considering that the previous institutional changes and its evolutions, its continuations and discontinuations, important in the coevolution process. As such, to call upon the institutional historical track is a fundamental aspect to materialize this study, for the recursive movement is indeed present in the coevolution. Another important point to make this research effective is that it is not possible to abdicate from the hologramatic view2 of this study, which considers the object, the isomorphic practices, part of the whole and this whole is also in the parts, therefore it is impossible to comprehend the object of study outside the context where it belongs. With this, as of the objective previously proposed, it is necessary to describe the characteristics of coevolution of the institutional changes related in 1998 and 2008; analyze the dynamic of the isomorphic mechanisms in its respective institutional change process; and describe the lessons learned which the isomorphic practices left to the IFRN, regarding its benefits and difficulties. All these transformations happened through coercive forces3 of the institutional environment. As of the Nineties, these forces became stronger, the environment became broader and more complex, with the emergency of new environmental factors. This study proposed to study the managing process and its practices, related to the micro environment, although it is required to articulate these actions, the demands and requirements from the macro environment. To make this research effective, semi structured interviews have been conducted with the managers who participated in both institutional change processes. In the results analysis, it has been possible to verify the particularity of each change, the one from 1998 with a strong normative action of the managers against coercive forces from the government for the search of recognition and the institutional legitimation and the one in 2008, which has been characterized by the normative action by managers in agreement with the coercive forces from the government, in favor of the government policy for the technological professional education. However, the results analysis it is possible to notice the evidence of a belonging feeling from the interviewed managers

Coevolução e as práticas isomórficas de gestão: um estudo sobre os processos de mudanças institucionais no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do RN

The Federal Institution for Education, Science and Technology, in its historical path, has been living different changes. The transformations occurred along the way have been determined by coercive forces from the institutional environment, which has became more and more broad and complex throughout the time, obtaining diverse characteristics and new elements such as non institutional factors1 which started to contribute with the other changes. In this context, this work aims to study the isomorphic practices of the managers in the institutional changes process of the IFRN in 1998 and 2008, as of a theoretical coevolutionary perspective (CHILD; RODRIGUES; LEWIN; CARROL; VOLBERDA, 2003). This theory brings a new point of view for the organization analysis to the organizational studies, since it offers a non deterministic and non linear lection of the evolution process, which means, a coevolution. Thus, the organizations and their institutional and non institutional environment auto evolve, auto organize and auto reproduce. Therefore, the institutional and non institutional factors of the macro environment keep a continuous interdependence relationship with the organizations. For the means of this study, it is important to understand that is impossible to comprehend the object, the isomorphic practices, without considering that the previous institutional changes and its evolutions, its continuations and discontinuations, important in the coevolution process. As such, to call upon the institutional historical track is a fundamental aspect to materialize this study, for the recursive movement is indeed present in the coevolution. Another important point to make this research effective is that it is not possible to abdicate from the hologramatic view2 of this study, which considers the object, the isomorphic practices, part of the whole and this whole is also in the parts, therefore it is impossible to comprehend the object of study outside the context where it belongs. With this, as of the objective previously proposed, it is necessary to describe the characteristics of coevolution of the institutional changes related in 1998 and 2008; analyze the dynamic of the isomorphic mechanisms in its respective institutional change process; and describe the lessons learned which the isomorphic practices left to the IFRN, regarding its benefits and difficulties. All these transformations happened through coercive forces3 of the institutional environment. As of the Nineties, these forces became stronger, the environment became broader and more complex, with the emergency of new environmental factors. This study proposed to study the managing process and its practices, related to the micro environment, although it is required to articulate these actions, the demands and requirements from the macro environment. To make this research effective, semi structured interviews have been conducted with the managers who participated in both institutional change processes. In the results analysis, it has been possible to verify the particularity of each change, the one from 1998 with a strong normative action of the managers against coercive forces from the government for the search of recognition and the institutional legitimation and the one in 2008, which has been characterized by the normative action by managers in agreement with the coercive forces from the government, in favor of the government policy for the technological professional education. However, the results analysis it is possible to notice the evidence of a belonging feeling from the interviewed managers

Mudança de rota

Fundado num estudo de caso sobre a TAP Air Portugal, a empresa pública nacional do sector da aeronáutica, este artigo pretende comunicar o binómio constituído por processos planeados e emergentes na gestão da mudança organizacional. Nas últimas décadas, a TAP Air Portugal vinha acumulando prejuízos constantes, desmotivação nos seus colaboradores e instabilidade laboral permanente. Com a chegada de uma nova equipa de gestão liderada por Fernando Pinto em 2000, o cenário parece ter-se invertido. O papel do líder, o estilo de gestão, as tácticas de negociação e o fomento de uma visão corporativa são debatidos. Através de um plano minuciosamente projectado e comunicado a toda a organização, observou-se uma mudança cultural alicerçada em objectivos comummente partilhados. Restaurada a confiança dos colaboradores, a empresa retomou a rota desejada.

Los desafíos del diseño organizacional e institucional en un medio ambiente globalizador

Este trabajo tiene por objetivo analizar los desafíos de diseño organizacional e institucional en un medio ambiente globalizador. Este análisis se inicia a partir de las consideraciones de la emergencia de las nuevas asimetrías del poder en los procesos de globalización económica y su impacto en los procesos de cambio organizacional, institucional, del Estado y las políticas públicas y el diseño intergubernamental. La información y el conocimiento son insumos de las comunidades de aprendizaje y para la formación de redes Una característica de los arreglos institucionales y nuevas formas organizacionales es la creación del poder en los individuos (empoderamiento).

Participación comunitaria y legislación en El Salvador. Análisis de la legislación identificada

Community participation has been considered strategic in order to achieve effectiveness in political, economical, social, educational and cultural change processes as a mean of guarantying effectiveness, quality and sustainability in social policy. Accordingly, this participation must be stimulated and promoted through national legislation since it has traditionally and historically been imposed and undemocratic. Education, as an essentially human act, is a first order instrument that societies must take advantage of in order to develop and stimulate democratic participation. Therefore, education may represent a new culture: one of democratic participation as a fundamental way to empower and develop a Peace culture.

Proposal for Academic Achievement and Permanence of Students in the 7th Grade (1)

This paper analyzes the impact of change processes experienced by many student populations when completing primary education (1st-6th grade) and starting secondary education (7th-11th grade). Based on the research conducted, this paper describes situations and aspects that may result in conditional factors for the student’s adjustment at this level: time-space changes, as well as organizational and dynamic changes that would set the new educational environment and social context in which this new stage will be developed. Such conditional factors that affect learning in incoming students: programs, teaching methodology, learning styles and new evaluation methods will be discussed. As a result of this research, a proposal is presented to facilitate transition from primary to the secondary education. This proposal includes guidelines for awareness and strengthening of pedagogical mediation, which would contribute to the permanence of students from all types of institutions in the education system.  (1) [Translator’s note: The Costa Rican education system is composed of primary education (1st-6th grade) and secondary education (7th-11th grade).]

Influence of land-use change on near-surface hydrological processes: Undisturbed forest to pasture

Soil compaction that follows the clearing of tropical forest for cattle pasture is associated with lower soil hydraulic conductivity and increased frequency and volume of overland flow. We investigated the frequency of perched water tables, overland flow and stormflow in an Amazon forest and in an adjacent 25-year-old pasture cleared from the same forest. We compared the results with the frequencies of these phenomena estimated from comparisons of rainfall intensity and soil hydraulic conductivity. The frequency of perched water tables based on rainfall intensity and soil hydraulic conductivity was expected to double in pasture compared with forest. This corresponded closely with an approximate doubling of the frequency of stormflow and overland flow in pasture. In contrast, the stormflow volume in pasture increased 17-fold. This disproportional increase of stormflow resulted from overland flow generation over large areas of pasture, while overland flow generation in the forest was spatially limited and was observed only very near the stream channel. In both catchments, stormflow was generated by saturation excess because of perched water tables and near-surface groundwater levels. Stormflow was occasionally generated in the forest by rapid return flow from macropores, while slow return flow from a continuous perched water table was more common in the pasture. These results suggest that deforestation for pasture alters fundamental mechanisms of stormflow generation and may increase runoff volumes over wide regions of Amazonia. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.