El uso de las TIC en la enseñanza universitaria de la fotografía. Primeros resultados del proyecto de innovación docente de la Universidad de Murcia

The new pedagogical framework arisen since the Bologna Declaration,the Prague Communiquéand the introduction of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), encourages, significantly, the use of new Communication and Information Technology to evolve teaching methodologies. The different ways teachers relate to learners have undergone a staggering change from which educational initiatives have emerged. Many of them are based on contents’ democratization through the use of ICT. The current article is intended to show the results obtained until the 2012/2013 academic course, since the implementation of the teaching innovation project entitled “The use of ICT for the students’ autonomous learning in the university education of the course Photography. Elaboration of a virtual classroom and results’ analysis related to the acquisition of skills and competencies” that has been developed in the course called Draw with light: Photography, belonging to the Fine Arts Degree at the University of Murcia.El nuevo marco pedagógico surgido tras la Declaración de Bolonia, el Comunicado de Praga y la implantación del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, apuesta significativamente por las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación como parte de la evolución de las metodologías docentes. Las maneras de relacionarse e interactuar entre el docente y el discente han experimentado un asombroso cambio del que surgen nuevas iniciativas de enseñanza basadas, muchas de ellas, en la democratización de los contenidos a través del uso de las TIC. El presente artículo pretende mostrar los resultados obtenidos hasta el curso 2012/2013 tras la implantación del proyecto de innovación docente titulado “El uso de las TIC aplicadas al aprendizaje autónomo del alumno en la enseñanza universitaria de fotografía. Elaboración de un aula didáctica virtual para la asignatura y estudio de resultados de mejora en la adquisición de habilidades y competencias” desarrollado en la asignatura Dibujo con Luz. Fotografía, perteneciente al Grado en Bellas Artes de la Universidad de Murcia.empírico

Study and application of machine learning techniques to the deployment of services on 5G optical networks

The vision of the future 5G corresponds to a highly heterogeneous network at different levels; the increment in the number of services requests for the 5G networks imposes several technical challenges. In the 5G context, in the recent years, several machine learning-based approaches have been demonstrated as useful tools for making easier the networks’ management, by considering that different unexpected events could make that the services cannot be satisfied at the moment they are requested. Such approaches are usually referred as cognitive network management. There are too many parameters inside the 5G network affecting each layer of the network; the virtualization and abstraction of the services is a crucial part for a satisfactory service deployment, being the monitoring and control of the different planes the two keys inside the cognitive network management. In this project it has been addressed the implementation of a simulated data collector as well as the study of several machine learning-based approaches. This way, possible future performance can be predicted, giving to the system the ability to change the initial parameters and to adapt the network to future demands

The FANCM:p.Arg658* truncating variant is associated with risk of triple-negative breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a common disease partially caused by genetic risk factors. Germline pathogenic variants in DNA repair genes BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, and CHEK2 are associated with breast cancer risk. FANCM, which encodes for a DNA translocase, has been proposed as a breast cancer predisposition gene, with greater effects for the ER-negative and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtypes. We tested the three recurrent protein-truncating variants FANCM:p.Arg658*, p.Gln1701*, and p.Arg1931* for association with breast cancer risk in 67,112 cases, 53,766 controls, and 26,662 carriers of pathogenic variants of BRCA1 or BRCA2. These three variants were also studied functionally by measuring survival and chromosome fragility in FANCM -/- patient-derived immortalized fibroblasts treated with diepoxybutane or olaparib. We observed that FANCM:p.Arg658* was associated with increased risk of ER-negative disease and TNBC (OR = 2.44, P = 0.034 and OR = 3.79; P = 0.009, respectively). In a country-restricted analysis, we confirmed the associations detected for FANCM:p.Arg658* and found that also FANCM:p.Arg1931* was associated with ER-negative breast cancer risk (OR = 1.96; P = 0.006). The functional results indicated that all three variants were deleterious affecting cell survival and chromosome stability with FANCM:p.Arg658* causing more severe phenotypes. In conclusion, we confirmed that the two rare FANCM deleterious variants p.Arg658* and p.Arg1931* are risk factors for ER-negative and TNBC subtypes. Overall our data suggest that the effect of truncating variants on breast cancer risk may depend on their position in the gene. Cell sensitivity to olaparib exposure, identifies a possible therapeutic option to treat FANCM-associated tumors

Building Personal Learning Environments by using and mixing ICT tools in a professional way

This paper reports on a teaching experience of the introduction of ICT to higher education students in a complementary professional approach and a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) development approach, as well as a naturalistic study based on this experience. The central focus of this methodology was the use of hands-on sessions to introduce students to some specific ICT tools, and exploring the building process of an awareness about their Personal Learning environments. In terms of learning, we confirmed that students very much appreciate new ways of developing their tasks and their course work. Even when the great majority of students associates learning with acquiring only information and some of them associate learning with memorizing. In terms of Technology, after this experience we can conclude that students, when arriving at university, have no experience –even knowledge- in the use of ICT tools. In addition, students from the first year of the degree don’t think they use Web 2.0 (awareness), and even more, they don’t believe that they can use ICT tools for learning, even if they actually do. They value, useful tools which help them to plan their tasks, save time, simplify complicated tasks and, definitively, have fun; but also they specially value the ICT tools they discovered, seeing opportunities for Independency, collaboration, selfimportance in the learning process. The vast majority of students have a basic perception of their PLE. Few of them don’t relate tools with themselves but with their tasks, and only some of them go one step further by establishing more complex relationships between tools, contents, tasks and themselves enriching each other

Building Personal Learning Environments by using and mixing ICT tools in a professional way

This paper reports on a teaching experience of the introduction of ICT to higher education students in a complementary professional approach and a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) development approach, as well as a naturalistic study based on this experience. The central focus of this methodology was the use of hands-on sessions to introduce students to somespecific ICT tools, and exploring the building process of an awareness abouttheir Personal Learning environments.In terms of learning, we confirmed that students very much appreciate new ways of developing their tasks and their course work. Even when the great majority of students associates learning with acquiring only information and some of them associate learning with memorizing.In terms of Technology, after this experience we can conclude that students,when arriving at university, have no experience –even knowledge- in the useof ICT tools. In addition, students from the first year of the degree don’t thinkthey use Web 2.0 (awareness), and even more, they don’t believe that theycan use ICT tools for learning, even if they actually do. They value, usefultools which help them to plan their tasks, save time, simplify complicatedtasks and, definitively, have fun; but also they specially value the ICT toolsthey discovered, seeing opportunities for Independency, collaboration, self importance in the learning process.The vast majority of students have a basic perception of their PLE. Few ofthem don’t relate tools with themselves but with their tasks, and only some ofthem go one step further by establishing more complex relationships betweentools, contents, tasks and themselves enriching each other.This paper reports on a teaching experience of the introduction of ICT to higher education students in a complementary professional approach and a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) development approach, as well as a naturalistic study based on this experience. The central focus of this methodology was the use of hands-on sessions to introduce students to somespecific ICT tools, and exploring the building process of an awareness abouttheir Personal Learning environments.In terms of learning, we confirmed that students very much appreciate newways of developing their tasks and their course work. Even when the greatmajority of students associates learning with acquiring only information andsome of them associate learning with memorizing.In terms of Technology, after this experience we can conclude that students,when arriving at university, have no experience -even knowledge- in the useof ICT tools. In addition, students from the first year of the degree don't thinkthey use Web 2.0 (awareness), and even more, they don't believe that theycan use ICT tools for learning, even if they actually do. They value, usefultools which help them to plan their tasks, save time, simplify complicatedtasks and, definitively, have fun; but also they specially value the ICT toolsthey discovered, seeing opportunities for Independency, collaboration, self importance in the learning process.The vast majority of students have a basic perception of their PLE. Few ofthem don't relate tools with themselves but with their tasks, and only some ofthem go one step further by establishing more complex relationships betweentools, contents, tasks and themselves enriching each other

Communally Living the Positive Alternative

Downshifting and other ‘resistance’ consumer behaviors have been examined according to varied perspectives, including political consumption (Shaw 2007; Shaw, Newholm and Dickinson 2006; Dickinson and Carsky 2005; Micheletti 2003), consumer activism and movements (Hermann 1970; Hilton 2003; Kozinets and Handelman 2004; Lang and Gabriel 2005) and resistance to consumer culture, the marketplace or marketing more broadly (Kozinets 2002; Giesler and Pohlmann 2003). Indeed, communities of alternative consumption involving radical forms of downshifting and/or ethical consumer behaviour have been largely positioned as anti- consumer culture and anti-marketing (Kozinets 2002; Giesler and Pohlmann 2003; Dobscha and Ozanne 2002; Dobscha 1998). But Juliet Schor (1998:23) suggests that past movements such as the “hippies” were “much more self-consciously anti-consumerist than most of today’s downshifters”; that downshifters today “are not dropping out. They are not back-to-the-land types. They don’t live together. And they don’t share a religion.” In this chapter we examine whether downshifting behaviour is possible within alternative community lifestyles, how it is manifested, and whether it may be considered a form of resistance to consumer culture in such a context. To do so, we review a diverse body of cross-disciplinary literature on the question of resistance to consumer culture, comprising the perspectives mentioned above. We also examine six UK communities of consumers who at a first glance could be seen as current embodiments of the ‘anti-’ and/or ‘resistance’ phenomenon, but which instead have shown communally-held ‘positive alternative’ approaches to discourses and practices encompassing downshifting and ethical consumption. We consider the communities’ relationships with the market and wider society from both the community position and the views of individuals within, presenting the everyday realities of downshifting in a communal context. We (re)present the communities through data from three years of ethnographic research comprising participant-observation, depth interviews, websites, print documents, broadcast material, informal conversations and experience stories with participants in what we have termed New Consumption Communities (Szmigin, Carrigan and Bekin 2007; Szmigin and Carrigan 2003). New Consumption Communities are presented as beneficial in terms of consumer re-enablement; they have been conceptualized as communities providing alternative ways of engaging in consumption and negotiating with the marketplace to an increasingly varied range of individuals (Szmigin, Carrigan and Bekin 2007). New Consumption Communities are formed around a sense of community through consumers’ reconnection to production, and maintained through engagement in boycotts, voicing of concerns and positive choices (Szmigin and Carrigan 2003). The six distinct cases are presented throughout the text in order to diversely illustrate our arguments in this chapter. The first of these is Hockerton Housing Project (HHP), the UK’s first ecologically sound, energy-efficient, earth-sheltered housing complex, launched in 1998. It was built by five resident families who produce 100% of their own wind energy, grow organic food, and manage their own sewage, water collection and filtering systems. Members are committed to a community business that comprises guided tours, educational and specialist workshops. HHP considers itself a best practice example and catalyst for sustainable living. The second community is Fallowfields (pseudonym). Founded in 1950 as an educational trust, Fallowfields had eighteen members at the time of research (2004). Their values comprise learning to live life peacefully and in community. Some members live in shared and others in independent accommodation within the community. During fieldwork, Fallowfields was undergoing an ethos-searching period, with environmental causes gaining prominence. The third community is Spiritual (pseudonym), a pioneering, holistic enterprise whose aim is spiritual (non-religious) education. It comprises an eco-village with several communal buildings for workshops, housing, ethical shops and a hall used for conferences and performances. Spiritual is an inspirational example to other communities. It had around five hundred permanent and volunteer members at the time of research, and thousands of people visit them each year. It is set up as a non-profit charity with a body of trustees, and is holistically devoted to sustainability through its energy windmills, organic sewage system, eco-housing and local exchanges fostered through its own community currency and bank. Stone-Hall (pseudonym) is also committed to holistic education. Its education centre is run by a resident cooperative group and administered by a trust. They are committed to environmental goals, rear livestock, grow vegetables, recycle, have their own water spring, reed-bed sewage, composting system and wood burners. All members work full-time for the community. Sunny-Valley Community (pseudonym) and its eleven members celebrated the community’s 10th anniversary in 2004. It is also a co-housing cooperative based in a shared house on rural land with members sharing maintenance responsibilities. Their ethos has a strong ecological focus and respect for diversity. They have good links with the local village, organize the local composting scheme and take part in the local community currency scheme. Finally, Woodland (pseudonym) is a rural co-housing initiative formed some thirty years ago. It had fifty-eight members at the time of research, and volunteers supplement the community. Spaces were communal with shared kitchen, laundry, library and other social rooms. Common values included self-sufficiency, cooperative living and low environmental impact

La crisis de la COVID-19: impacto en los hogares de familias gitanas

The aim of this study is to analyse the impact that COVID-19 has had on the Roma population in Spain, showing results of a telephone interview on a sample of 592 Roma households in the more restrictive phase of lockdown (phase 0 of the de-escalation period to gradually lift confinement). This study has been developed by means of an alliance in which researchers from the public universities of Alicante and Navarre and the Health Institute Carlos III have participated, as well as several Roma associations. The results reflect the significant impact that the pandemic has caused in households that were already affected by social exclusion and inequality. Thus, a worsening of self-perception of health and a high rate of anxiety or depression problems were detected, the impact of which goes beyond health and affects all dimensions of social inclusion. In education, half of the households refer to minors having difficulties continuing their studies from home. A similar percentage have had their jobs affected and have seen a significant reduction in income. In addition to the aforementioned problems, perceived discrimination is also added.El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el impacto que ha tenido el COVID-19 en la población gitana en España, mostrando los resultados de una entrevista telefónica a una muestra de 592 hogares gitanos en la fase más restrictiva del confinamiento (fase 0 del período de desescalada para levantar gradualmente el confinamiento). Este estudio se ha desarrollado mediante una colaboración en la que han participado investigadores de las universidades públicas de Alicante y Navarra y del Instituto de Salud Carlos III, así como varias asociaciones gitanas. Los resultados reflejan el impacto significativo que la pandemia ha causado en hogares que ya estaban afectados por la exclusión social y la desigualdad. Así, se detectó un empeoramiento de la autopercepción de la salud y una alta tasa de problemas de ansiedad o depresión, cuyo impacto va más allá de la salud y afecta a todas las dimensiones de la inclusión social. En educación, la mitad de los hogares se refieren a menores con dificultades para continuar sus estudios desde casa. Un porcentaje similar ha visto afectados sus trabajos y ha visto una reducción significativa en los ingresos. Además de los problemas antes mencionados, también se suma la discriminación percibida

COVID-19 Crisis: Impact on Households of the Roma Community

The aim of this study is to analyse the impact that COVID-19 has had on the Roma population, showing results of a telephone interview on a sample of 592 Roma households in phase 0 of confinement. This study has been developed by means of an alliance in which researchers from the public universities of Alicante and Navarre and the Health Institute Carlos III have participated, as well as several Roma associations. The results reflect the significant impact that the pandemic has caused in households that were already affected by social exclusion and inequality. This impact goes beyond health and affects all dimensions of social inclusion, from employment to education, including income, meeting basic needs and discrimination

Why (Not) Desalination? Exploring Driving Factors from Irrigation Communities’ Perception in South-East Spain

Desalination for sustaining agricultural production is conceived as an alternative water source in some Mediterranean countries faced with climatological and hydrological constraints. Although high costs are often cited as limiting factors, how farmers discern desalinated water has not been discussed in-depth in the literature. This paper aims to deepen how desalination is perceived by irrigators, what driving factors are affecting irrigation communities’ decision-making processes, and what learnings can be drawn from their experiences regarding desalination acceptance or rejection. Eleven irrigation communities have been selected from Alicante and Murcia regions (South-East Spain), which account for more than 60,000 irrigators and 120,000 ha. Questionnaires were conducted between March and December 2019. Results highlighted the main advantages (water availability and supply security) and disadvantages (high price affecting profitable crop options, high-energy consumption, water quality standards, the production capacity of desalination plants, no seasonal variation in water production, and shortages due to technical problems) of using desalinated water. Additionally, through the analysis of regional and national press news, it can be concluded that socio-political aspects, such as corruption, cost overruns, and political disputes are also considered.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (PLUVIRESMED research project, reference CSO2015-65182-C2-2P); by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación postdoctoral grant to S.G., reference IJCI-2016-29016) and by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (predoctoral fellowship to R.V., reference FPU15/01144)