Optical aids for low vision: use of the Internet to guide teachers of the visually impaired

PURPOSES: To describe and interpret teachers' opinions about and responsiveness to guidance on optical aids for low vision. METHODS: It was conducted a cross-sectional analytical study. The convenience, non-random sample consisted of 58 teachers from the public school network of the city of Campinas. It was constructed and applied a structured questionnaire, available online at the assessed website. For qualitative data collection it was conducted an exploratory study using the focus group technique. RESULTS: Responses expressed, for the most part, a marked interest in the website, its easiness of access, and the comprehensive nature of the information provided. Most people reported frequent use of the Internet to seek information, and found it easier to access the Internet at home. Among the qualitative aspects of the evaluation, we should mention the perceived importance of the website as a source of information, despite some criticism about the accessibility and reliability of the information found on the Internet. CONCLUSION: Teachers' need for training to deal with visually impaired students and their positive response to advice and information lead to the conclusion that web-based guidelines on the use of optical aids were considered beneficial to ease the understanding of visual impairment and the rehabilitation of the affected subjects.

Genetic and environmental influences on blood pressure and physical activity: a study of nuclear families from Muzambinho, Brazil

Blood pressure (BP) and physical activity (PA) levels are inversely associated. Since genetic factors account for the observed variation in each of these traits, it is possible that part of their association may be related to common genetic and/or environmental influences. Thus, this study was designed to estimate the genetic and environmental correlations of BP and PA phenotypes in nuclear families from Muzambinho, Brazil. Families including 236 offspring (6 to 24 years) and their 82 fathers and 122 mothers (24 to 65 years) were evaluated. BP was measured, and total PA (TPA) was assessed by an interview (commuting, occupational, leisure time, and school time PA). Quantitative genetic modeling was used to estimate maximal heritability (h²), and genetic and environmental correlations. Heritability was significant for all phenotypes (systolic BP: h² = 0.37 ± 0.10, P < 0.05; diastolic BP: h² = 0.39 ± 0.09, P < 0.05; TPA: h² = 0.24 ± 0.09, P < 0.05). Significant genetic (r g) and environmental (r e) correlations were detected between systolic and diastolic BP (r g = 0.67 ± 0.12 and r e = 0.48 ± 0.08, P < 0.05). Genetic correlations between BP and TPA were not significant, while a tendency to an environmental cross-trait correlation was found between diastolic BP and TPA (r e = -0.18 ± 0.09, P = 0.057). In conclusion, BP and PA are under genetic influences. Systolic and diastolic BP share common genes and environmental influences. Diastolic BP and TPA are probably under similar environmental influences.

O impacto do Programa de Inclusão Social da Universidade de São Paulo no acesso de estudantes de escola pública ao ensino superior público gratuito

Analisa o impacto do Programa de Inclusão Social da Universidade de São Paulo (Inclusp) no acesso de estudantes de escola pública ao ensino superior público gratuito. Os dados foram coletados priorizando-se informações sobre renda, cor e outros aspectos de interesse relacionados aos candidatos oriundos de escola pública, em diferentes etapas do vestibular. Como resultado, foi observada a contribuição significativa do sistema de pontuação acrescida para o ingresso de estudantes de escola pública nos cursos de graduação da USP. Todavia, a contínua e intensa diminuição do percentual desses estudantes no vestibular tem contribuído para a diminuição do impacto das políticas de inclusão social implementadas, indicando a necessidade de maior aproximação entre a Universidade e as escolas públicas, bem como a ampliação das ações de inclusão social em desenvolvimento, visando reverter essa tendência.

O modelo tridimensional físico e seu papel na educação patrimonial

Este artigo versa sobre uma pesquisa integrante do Núcleo de Apoio à Pesquisa em Estudos de Linguagem em Arquitetura e Cidade (N.ELAC), que desenvolve pesquisas em Linguagem e Representação. Entre as diversas formas de representação em arquitetura, a presente pesquisa traz o modelo tridimensional físico como ferramenta que proporciona maior facilidade de leitura do projeto, sendo mais concreta que os desenhos técnicos. Objetiva-se, assim, destacar a importância do modelo físico como meio de aproximação da população ao patrimônio arquitetônico. Como estudo de caso, foi escolhido o Edifício E1, obra de Ernest Mange e Hélio Duarte. Localizado no campus da USP em São Carlos, é considerado patrimônio da cidade, entretanto, encontra-se praticamente enclausurado no interior do campus, dificultando maior contato da comunidade com o edifício. O projeto do edifício utilizou apenas o desenho como representação, não incluindo nenhum tipo de modelo tridimensional (físico ou digital). A partir de um levantamento das representações gráficas utilizadas pelos projetistas, foi possível fazer uma comparação entre o nível de compreensão do projeto apenas com as peças gráficas dos arquitetos e a partir do modelo físico, produzido pela pesquisadora. Foi realizado um pré-teste em escola pública municipal, despertando o interesse desses alunos pelo edifício em questão.

O uso da maquete física como ferramenta de leitura do patrimônio cultural

O presente artigo vincula-se às pesquisas do Núcleo de Apoio à Pesquisa em Estudos de Linguagem em Arquitetura e Cidade (N.ELAC), que atua na área de Linguagem e Representação. Diante das diversas formas de representação em arquitetura (desenho, maquete, modelos digitais), nesta pesquisa o modelo tridimensional físico é trazido como ferramenta que proporciona maior facilidade de leitura do projeto e tratado como meio de aproximação da comunidade ao patrimônio arquitetônico, envolvendo, sobretudo, a arquitetura moderna paulista. Como estudo de caso, escolheu-se o Edifício E1, obra de Ernest Mange e Hélio Duarte. Localizado no campus da USP em São Carlos, é considerado patrimônio da cidade, entretanto, encontra-se praticamente enclausurado no interior do campus, dificultando maior contato da comunidade com o edifício. Durante sua execução, foi utilizado apenas o desenho como ferramenta de representação de projeto, não incluindo nenhum tipo de modelo tridimensional (físico ou digital). A partir do levantamento das representações gráficas utilizadas, foi possível fazer uma comparação entre o nível de compreensão do projeto apenas com as peças gráficas dos arquitetos e a partir do modelo físico, produzido pela pesquisadora. Realizou-se um pré-teste em escola pública municipal, que indicou um aumento no interesse desses alunos pelo edifício em questão.

Los refuerzos visuales en la educación bilingüe. Experiencias en una escuela de Texas

[ES]Este trabajo presenta tres actividades didácticas y una propuesta de evaluación para mejorar el aprendizaje del vocabulario científico en contextos de educación bilingüe. El presente estudio se basa en la observación realizada en clase por parte de un profesor de Ciencias Naturales y Biología en un programa especial bilingüe para niños mejicanos en una escuela secundaria pública de Texas. [EN] The purpose of this article is to present three teaching activities and an evaluation proposal, in order to enhance science vocabulary learning in bilingual education contexts.The present study is based on the classroom observation made by a Science and Biology teacher in a special bilingual program for Mexican children in a public school in Texas (7th to 9th grade).

Il ruolo delle idee e del loro cambiamento nei processi di policy making universitario nel mondo anglosassone dagli anni ottanta ad oggi. I casi di Inghilterra e Nuova Zelanda in prospettiva comparata

THE TITLE OF MY THESIS IS THE ROLE OF THE IDEAS AND THEIR CHANGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY-MAKING PROCESSES FROM THE EIGHTIES TO PRESENT-DAY: THE CASES OF ENGLAND AND NEW ZEALAND IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE UNDER A THEORETICAL POINT OF VIEW, THE AIM OF MY WORK IS TO CARRY OUT A RESEARCH MODELLED ON THE CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY. IT FOCUSES ON THE ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF IDEAS ON THE PROCESSES OF POLICY MAKING BY MEANS OF EPISTEMIC COMMUNITIES, THINK TANKS AND VARIOUS SOCIOECONOMIC CONTEXTS THAT MAY HAVE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DIFFERENT PATHS. FROM MY POINT OF VIEW IDEAS CONSTITUTE A PRIORITY RESEARCH FIELD WHICH IS WORTH ANALYSING SINCE THEIR ROLE IN POLICY MAKING PROCESSES HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY RATHER UNEXPLORED. IN THIS CONTEXT AND WITH THE AIM OF DEVELOPING A RESEARCH STRAND BASED ON THE ROLE OF IDEAS, I INTEND TO CARRY ON MY STUDY UNDER THE PERSPECTIVE OF CHANGE. DEPENDING ON THE DATA AND INFORMATION THAT I COLLECTED I EVALUATED THE WEIGHT OF EACH OF THESE VARIABLES AND MAYBE OTHERS SUCH AS THE INSTITUTIONS AND THE INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS, WHICH MAY HAVE INFLUENCED THE FORMATION OF THE POLICY MAKING PROCESSES. UNDER THIS LIGHT, I PLANNED TO ADOPT THE QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE MORE DIFFICULT AND POSSIBLY REDUCTIVE APPLICATION OF QUANTITIVE DATA SETS. I RECKON THEREFORE THAT THE MOST APPROPRIATE TOOLS FOR INFORMATION PROCESSING INCLUDE CONTENT ANALYSIS, AND IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS TO PERSONALITIES OF THE POLITICAL PANORAMA (ÉLITE OR NOT) WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS OF HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM FROM THE EIGHTIES TO PRESENT-DAY. THE TWO CASES TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION SURELY SET AN EXAMPLE OF RADICAL REFORM PROCESSES WHICH HAVE OCCURRED IN QUITE DIFFERENT CONTEXTS DETERMINED BY THE SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND THE TRAITS OF THE ÉLITE. IN NEW ZEALAND THE DESCRIBED PROCESS HAS TAKEN PLACE WITH A STEADY PACE AND A GOOD GRADE OF CONSEQUANTIALITY, IN LINE WTH THE REFORMS IN OTHER STATE DIVISIONS DRIVEN BY THE IDEAS OF THE NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT. CONTRARILY IN ENGLAND THE REFORMATIVE ACTION OF MARGARET THATCHER HAS ACQUIRED A VERY RADICAL CONNOTATION AS IT HAS BROUGHT INTO THE AMBIT OF HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY CONCEPTS LIKE EFFICIENCY, EXCELLENCE, RATIONALIZATION THAT WOULD CONTRAST WITH THE GENERALISTIC AND MASS-ORIENTED IDEAS THAT WERE FASHIONABLE DURING THE SEVENTIES. THE MISSION I INTEND TO ACCOMPLISH THORUGHOUT MY RESEARCH IS TO INVESTIGATE AND ANALYSE INTO MORE DEPTH THE DIFFERENCES THAT SEEM TO EMERGE FROM TWO CONTEXTS WHICH MOST OF THE LITERATURE REGARDS AS A SINGLE MODEL: THE ANGLO-SAXON MODEL. UNDER THIS LIGHT, THE DENSE ANALYSIS OF POLICY PROCESSES ALLOWED TO BRING OUT BOTH THE CONTROVERSIAL AND CONTRASTING ASPECTS OF THE TWO REALITIES COMPARED, AND THE ROLE AND WEIGHT OF VARIABLES SUCH AS IDEAS (MAIN VARIABLE), INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS AND INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS ACTING IN EACH CONTEXT. THE CASES I MEAN TO ATTEND PRESENT PECULIAR ASPECTS WORTH DEVELOPING AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS, AN OUTLINE OF WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED IN THIS ABSTRACT. ENGLAND THE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT, SINCE 1981, INTRODUCED RADICAL CHANGES IN THE SECTOR OF HIGHER EDUCATION: FIRST CUTTING DOWN ON STATE FUNDINGS AND THEN WITH THE CREATION OF AN INSTITUTION FOR THE PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP OF THE POLYTECHNICS (NON-UNIVERSITY SECTOR). AFTERWARDS THE SCHOOL REFORM BY MARGARET THATCHER IN 1988 RAISED TO A GREAT STIR ALL OVER EUROPE DUE TO BOTH ITS CONSIDERABLE INNOVATIVE IMPRINT AND THE STRONG ATTACK AGAINST THE PEDAGOGY OF THE ‘ACTIVE’ SCHOOLING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION, UNTIL THEN RECOGNIZED AS A MERIT OF THE BRITISH PUBLIC SCHOOL. IN THE AMBIT OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATION THIS REFORM, TOGETHER WITH SIMILAR MEASURES BROUGHT IN DURING 1992, PUT INTO PRACTICE THE CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES THROUGH A SERIES OF ACTIONS THAT INCLUDED: THE SUPPRESSION OF THE IRREMOVABILITY PRINCIPLE FOR UNIVERSITY TEACHERS; THE INTRODUCTION OF STUDENT LOANS FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS AND THE CANCELLATION OF THE CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS. THE POLICIES OF THE LABOUR MAJORITY OF MR BLAIR DID NOT QUITE DIVERGE FROM THE CONSERVATIVES’ POSITION. IN 2003 BLAIR’S CABINET RISKED TO BECOME A MINORITY RIGHT ON THE OCCASION OF AN IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY REFORM PROPOSAL. THIS PROPOSAL WOULD FORESEE THE AUTONOMY FOR THE UNIVERSITIES TO RAISE UP TO 3.000 POUNDS THE ENROLMENT FEES FOR STUDENTS (WHILE FORMERLY THE CEILING WAS 1.125 POUNDS). BLAIR HAD TO FACE INTERNAL OPPOSITION WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY IN RELATION TO A MEASURE THAT, ACCORDING TO THE 150 MPS PROMOTERS OF AN ADVERSE MOTION, HAD NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE ELECTORAL PROGRAMME AND WOULD RISK CREATING INCOME-BASED DISCRIMINATION AMONG STUDENTS. AS A MATTER OF FACT THE BILL FOCUSED ON THE INTRODUCTION OF VERY LOW-INTEREST STUDENT LOANS TO BE SETTLED ONLY WHEN THE STUDENT WOULD HAVE FOUND A REMUNERATED OCCUPATION (A SYSTEM ALREADY PROVIDED FOR BY THE AUSTRALIAN LEGISLATION). NEW ZEALAND CONTRARILY TO MANY OTHER COUNTRIES, NEW ZEALAND HAS ADOPTED A VERY WIDE VISION OF THE TERTIARY EDUCATION. IT INCLUDES IN FACT THE FULL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME THAT IS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS THE POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION. SHOULD WE SPOTLIGHT A PECULIARITY OF THE NEW ZEALAND TERTIARY EDUCATION POLICY THEN IT WOULD BE ‘CHANGE’. LOOKING AT THE REFORM HISTORY RELATED TO THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SYSTEM, WE CAN CLEARLY IDENTIFY FOUR ‘SUB-PERIODS’ FROM THE EIGHTIES TO PRESENT-DAY: 1. BEFORE THE 80S’: AN ELITARIAN SYSTEM CHARACTERIZED BY LOW PARTICIPATION RATES. 2. BETWEEN MID AND LATE 80S’: A TREND TOWARDS THE ENLARGEMENT OF PARTICIPATION ASSOCIATED TO A GREATER COMPETITION. 3. 1990-1999: A FUTHER STEP TOWARDS A COMPETITIVE MODEL BASED ON THE MARKET-ORIENTED SYSTEM. 4. FROM 2000 TO TODAY: A CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION TOWARDS A MORE COMPETITIVE MODEL BASED ON THE MARKET-ORIENTED SYSTEM TOGETHER WITH A GROWING ATTENTION TO STATE CONTROL FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION. AT PRESENT THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND OPERATES TO STRENGHTHEN THIS PROCESS, PRIMARILY IN RELATION TO THE ROLE OF TERTIARY EDUCATION AS A STEADY FACTOR OF NATIONAL WALFARE, WHERE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTRIBUTES ACTIVELY TO THE GROWTH OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC SYSTEM5. THE CASES OF ENGLAND AND NEW ZEALAND ARE THE FOCUS OF AN IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION THAT STARTS FROM AN ANALYSIS OF THE POLICIES OF EACH NATION AND DEVELOP INTO A COMPARATIVE STUDY. AT THIS POINT I ATTEMPT TO DRAW SOME PRELIMINARY IMPRESSIONS ON THE FACTS ESSENTIALLY DECRIBED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSITY POLICIES IN ENGLAND AND NEW ZEALAND HAVE BOTH UNDERGONE A SIGNIFICANT REFORMATORY PROCESS SINCE THE EARLY EIGHTIES; IN BOTH CONTEXTS THE IMPORTANCE OF IDEAS THAT CONSTITUTED THE BASE OF POLITICS UNTIL 1980 WAS QUITE RELEVANT. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IN BOTH CASES THE PRE-REFORM POLICIES WERE INSPIRED BY EGALITARIANISM AND EXPANSION OF THE STUDENT POPULATION WHILE THOSE BROUGHT IN BY THE REFORM WOULD PURSUE EFFICIENCY, QUALITY AND COMPETITIVENESS. UNDOUBTEDLY, IN LINE WITH THIS GENERAL TENDENCY THAT REFLECTS THE HYPOTHESIS PROPOSED, THE TWO UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS PRESENT SEVERAL DIFFERENCES. THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM IN NEW ZEALAND PROCEEDED STEADILY TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MANAGERIAL CONCEPTION OF TERTIARY EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY FROM 1996 ONWARDS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REFORMATORY PROCESS OF THE WHOLE PUBLIC SECTOR. IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, AS IN THE REST OF EUROPE, THE NEW APPROACH TO UNIVERSITY POLICY-MAKING HAD TO CONFRONT A DEEP-ROOTED TRADITION OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION AND THE IDEA OF EDUCATION EXPANSION THAT IN FACT DOMINATED UNTIL THE EIGHTIES. FROM THIS VIEW POINT THE GOVERNING ACTION OF MARGARET THATCHER GAVE RISE TO A RADICAL CHANGE THAT REVOLUTIONIZED THE OBJECTIVES AND KEY VALUES OF THE WHOLE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR. IDEAS AS EFFICIENCY, EXCELLENCE AND CONTROL OF THE PERFORMANCE BECAME DECISIVE. THE LABOUR CABINETS OF BLAIR DEVELOPED IN THE WAKE OF CONSERVATIVE REFORMS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FOCAL POINT OF THIS STUDY THAT OBSERVES HOW ALSO IN NEW ZEALAND THE REFORMING PROCESS OCCURRED TRANSVERSELY DURING PROGRESSIVE AND CONSERVATIVE ADMINISTRATIONS. THE PRELIMINARY IMPRESSION IS THEREFORE THAT IDEAS DEEPLY MARK THE REFORMATIVE PROCESSES: THE AIM OF MY RESEARCH IS TO VERIFY TO WHICH EXTENT THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE. IN ORDER TO BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYLIS, FURTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTORS WILL HAVE TO BE INVESTIGATED: THE WAY IDEAS ARE PERCEIVED AND IMPLEMENTED BY THE DIFFERENT POLITICAL ELITES; HOW THE VARIOUS SOCIOECONOMIC CONTEXTS INFLUENCE THE REFORMATIVE PROCESS; HOW THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES CONDITION THE POLICY-MAKING PROCESSES; WHETHER INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS PLAY A ROLE AND, IF YES, TO WHICH EXTENT.

La promozione dell'inclusione nei sistemi scolastici attraverso l'intervento di cooperazione internazionale: l'esperienza di El Salvador

La ricerca si colloca all’interno di un complesso intervento di cooperazione internazionale realizzato in El Salvador tra il 2009 e il 2014. Il Progetto di cooperazione è stato promosso dal Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Educazione dell’Università di Bologna e finanziato dalla Cooperazione Italiana. L’esperienza studiata rappresenta un esempio di promozione dell’inclusione nei sistemi scolastici di Paesi del Sud del mondo e si propone due obiettivi: 1) analizzare il processo di cambiamento della prospettiva di intervento promossa dalla cooperazione internazionale, evidenziando la dimensione educativa che sostiene processi di empowerment e ownership delle istituzioni locali; 2) contribuire al dibattito sull’ “inclusive education”, sostenendo processi di inclusione scolastica e sociale rivolti a tutti coloro che si trovano in situazione di svantaggio psico-fisico e/o socio-culturale. Le politiche locali del Ministero dell’Educazione dal 2009 hanno promosso un modello educativo con l’obiettivo di garantire il diritto all’educazione per tutti nella scuola pubblica. Lo studio costituisce un'indagine di tipo valutativo sul processo di sviluppo della scuola inclusiva in El Salvador, supportato dall’intervento di cooperazione internazionale. La ricerca utilizza in modo integrato strumenti di natura quantitativa (questionari) e qualitativa (interviste). Dai dati raccolti emerge come il processo di cooperazione sia stato caratterizzato dal principio della pari dignità tra esperti internazionali e autorità politiche e tecniche locali. Inoltre, la ricerca ha consentito di verificare come la cultura dell'inclusione si sia radicata in modo diffuso nella percezione della missione della scuola e il suo ruolo tra i protagonisti del sistema scolastico. Alla luce dei risultati, appare fondamentale continuare a investire sulla formazione tecnica delle figure chiave del sistema educativo; facilitare il processo di inclusione dei disabili nelle scuole regolari con una parallela trasformazione delle scuole speciali in centri di supporto all’integrazione; promuovere una sinergia di azione formativa tra il ministero, mondo accademico e della formazione professionale.

The Amplifier - v. 2, no. 13

In this issue...Mine's Baseball, Glee Club, Emerson Public School, Butte, Montana, Maiden Rock, Y.M.C.A., Marcus Daly, Fraternity Dance, Museum Building

Oral hygiene indirect instruction and periodic reinforcements: effects on index plaque in schoolchildren

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the indirect instruction and the influence of the periodic reinforcement on the plaque index in schoolchildren. Forty schoolchildren aged from 7 to 9 years old were selected from a public school. After determining the initial O'Leary Plaque Index all schoolchildren were submitted to a program for oral hygiene through indirect instruction -"The Smiling Robot". The schoolchildren were divided into 2 groups: with and without motivation reinforcement. The index plaque exam was performed in both groups after 30, 60 and 90 days of the educational program. Comparing the groups, the plaque index decreasing could be observed in the group with reinforcement with statistically significant difference. For the group with reinforcement, statistically significant difference among the evaluations was found. For the group without reinforcement, significant decrease in the plaque index was found after 30 days when compared to the first, third and fourth evaluations. The indirect instruction with "The Smiling Robot "promoted a positive initial impact on the decrease of plaque index in the schoolchildren. The periodic reinforcements showed more suitable results and significant reduction of the plaque index in the course of the evaluations.

Executive functions and their differential contribution to sustained attention in 5- to 8-year-old children

ABSTRACT Everyday routine in general and school settings in particular make high demands on children's abilities to sustain their focus of attention over longer time periods. School tasks thus require the child to accomplish the task on an appropriate level of performance while maintaining the focus of attention even under repetitious or distracting conditions. However, sustained attention (SA) may be a more heterogeneous construct than commonly assumed as it requires the individual not only to sustain attentional capacities but also to store and maintain the task rule (working memory), to inhibit inappropriate responses (inhibition), and to switch according to requirements (switching). It might thus involve processes counted among executive functions (EF). In the present study, performance in EF tasks (covering the core components inhibition, switching, and working memory) and in a SA task was assessed in 118 children, aged between 5;0 and 8;11 years. Similar age-dependent performance trajectories were found in EF components and SA, indicating ongoing performance improvements between 5 until at least 8 years of age in SA and in EF. Interrelations between single EF components and SA showed to be small to moderate. Finally, different patterns of SA performance predictions were found in age-homogeneous subgroups with inhibition being crucial for SA performance in the youngest and switching in the oldest age group. Taken as a whole, even though similarities in assumed developmental trajectories and substantial interrelations point to common underlying processes in EF and SA, age-dependent patterns of explained variance indicate clear discriminability.

Crossing the Chasm: from Cutting Edge to Practical Application

Presentation to the Capital District Library Council, Albany New York. Audience was public, school, academic, and special librarians. Topics covered: * Trends & buzzwords - Based on LITA's recent Top Tech Trends * Blogging - What is it? Who's using it? See examples of cool library blogs! * RSS - What is it? Why do we care? See examples of how to use it * Wikis - What the heck is a wiki? Why should you care (again)? See examples of how to use wikis * Information Overload - How can I keep up?! Wiki for presentation is available at http://crossingchasm.pbwiki.com/ ; this includes links to all sites shown in presentation.

Conversaciones sustantivas en el aula

En este ensayo se procura conceptualizar acerca de cómo los niños, niñas y docentes construyen interpretaciones compartidas en el aula. Desde el análisis dialógico (Bajtin), entendemos el aprendizaje de los alumnos desde sus “respuestas" en relación con las voces de los maestros, textos y pares. Distinguimos el tratamiento unívoco del lenguaje, propio del recitado; de su tratamiento como instrumento de pensamiento, en el intercambio dialógico y en el discurso interactivo. Se analiza como se guía a un grupo de escolares en una institución pública de educación especial; centrando la mirada en las interacciones conversacionales del debate y preguntándonos qué patrones contribuyen más eficazmente a sus aprendizajes. El diseño supone la búsqueda de lo cualitativo, lo irrepetible y lo singular; incorporando el paradigma “indiciario" (Guinzburg). En la sistematización registramos, que las preguntas auténticas indican que el maestro otorga prioridad al razonamiento por sobre la memorización. Se caracteriza la interacción cercana al debate, como apuntes colaborativos. Esta construcción dialógica de sentido promueve el aprendizaje, porque genera respuestas con argumentación y facilita el diálogo entre lo nuevo y lo ya conocido. Así, el modo en que los alumnos piensan y lo que pueden aprender está relacionado a la modalidad que los docentes desarrollan para responder a sus preguntas.

La educación media superior en México ante el reto de su universalización

En México, se legisló en octubre del 2011 la universalización de la educación media superior. En este contexto el artículo aborda los retos que presenta esta decisión desde la perspectiva de la oferta educativa en sus diferentes modalidades pero también los sentidos del bachillerato para los estudiantes, el nuevo público rural y los problemas de abandono escolar. Discute el tema de la diversificación necesaria y la desigualdad que la acompaña. Caracteriza la Reforma de la Educación Media Superior y la instauración del Sistema Nacional de Bachillerato desde un enfoque administrativo de la gestión y termina apuntando aspectos que habría que fortalecer desde una perspectiva pedagógica y de los sujetos. El escrito se sustenta por un lado en documentos oficiales y en datos del Instituto Nacional para la Evaluación de la Educación y por el otro en hallazgos de la línea de investigación cualitativa "Jóvenes y bachillerato"

Tiempo libre y espacio público : Marcas de una civilización

El presente artículo procede de la investigación titulada "Tiempo libre, espacio público e identidad. Análisis del caso Parque Plaza Líber Seregni". El mismo pretende problematizar las nociones de tiempo libre y espacio público, y su papel en los procesos civilizatorios de Uruguay moderno, para pensar las configuraciones que adquieren tales conceptos en la actualidad. Para tal cometido, se realizarán aproximaciones teóricas desde la perspectiva de Milner, así como desde el abordaje histórico que propone Barrán. Uruguay, entre fines del siglo XIX y principios del XX, experimenta una serie de transformaciones políticas, económicas, sociales y culturales propiasde la "modernización". Un proyecto civilizador reorganizaría la vida social de la población, en relación a un territorio y una producción. La aprobación de la ley de las 8 horas, como señal de establecimiento de la frontera entre un tiempo de trabajo y un tiempo libre; así como la invención y fomento de los espacios públicos, dan lugar a las dicotomías tiempo de trabajo-tiempo libre y espacio público-espacio privado. Cabe preguntarse, ¿qué configuraciones adquieren estos binomios en la actualidad? ¿Bajo qué supuestos se asienta la popularización de estos términos?