A Spatially Extended Model for Residential Segregation

In this paper we analyze urban spatial segregation phenomenon in terms of the income distribution over a population, and inflationary parameter weighting the evolution of housing prices. For this, we develop a discrete, spatially extended model based in a multi--agent approach. In our model, the mobility of socioeconomic agents is driven only by the housing prices. Agents exchange location in order to fit their status to the cost of their housing. On the other hand, the price of a particular house changes depends on the status of its tenant, and on the neighborhood mean lodging cost, weighted by a control parameter. The agent's dynamics converges to a spatially organized configuration, whose regularity we measured by using an entropy--like indicator. With this simple model we found a nontrivial dependence of segregation on both, the initial inequality of the socioeconomic agents and the inflationary parameter. In this way we supply an explanatory model for the segregation--inequality thesis putted forward by Douglas Massey.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures. email: [email protected], [email protected]

Analyzing Uncertainty in Complex Socio-Ecological Networks

Socio-ecological systems are recognized as complex adaptive systems whose multiple interactions might change as a response to external or internal changes. Due to its complexity, the behavior of the system is often uncertain. Bayesian networks provide a sound approach for handling complex domains endowed with uncertainty. The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact of the Bayesian network structure on the uncertainty of the model, expressed as the Shannon entropy. In particular, three strategies for model structure have been followed: naive Bayes (NB), tree augmented network (TAN) and network with unrestricted structure (GSS). Using these network structures, two experiments are carried out: (1) the impact of the Bayesian network structure on the entropy of the model is assessed and (2) the entropy of the posterior distribution of the class variable obtained from the different structures is compared. The results show that GSS constantly outperforms both NB and TAN when it comes to evaluating the uncertainty of the entire model. On the other hand, NB and TAN yielded lower entropy values of the posterior distribution of the class variable, which makes them preferable when the goal is to carry out predictions

Faster ASV decomposition for orthogonal polyhedra using the Extreme Vertices Model (EVM)

The alternating sum of volumes (ASV) decomposition is a widely used technique for converting a B-Rep into a CSG model. The obtained CSG tree has convex primitives at its leaf nodes, while the contents of its internal nodes alternate between the set union and difference operators. This work first shows that the obtained CSG tree T can also be expressed as the regularized Exclusive-OR operation among all the convex primitives at the leaf nodes of T, regardless the structure and internal nodes of T. This is an important result in the case in which EVM represented orthogonal polyhedra are used because in this model the Exclusive-OR operation runs much faster than set union and difference operations. Therefore this work applies this result to EVM represented orthogonal polyhedra. It also presents experimental results that corroborate the theoretical results and includes some practical uses for the ASV decomposition of orthogonal polyhedra.Postprint (published version

Los nuevos retos educativos de la Sociedad de la Información

Con este artículo se pretende estimular la reflexión sobre las implicaciones para la educación de los cambios sociales que están dando paso a la denominada Sociedad Postindustrial. En primer lugar se destaca el papel relevante que en ella tiene la información y el conocimiento, así como los retos que este hecho plantea a la intervención educativa. En segundo lugar, partiendo de los distintos niveles cualitativos de la información que se exponen, se señalan algunas aportaciones de la psicología consideradas especialmente relevantes para satisfacer tales demandas educativas. Por último, se concluye con algunas reflexiones acerca del trabajo de Vygotsky en unas circunstancias igualmente revolucionarias con la esperanza de que resulten clarificadoras, estimulantes y alentadoras para el trabajo que los distintos profesionales vinculados a la educación tenemos por delante.This article aims at stimulating the analysis of the educational implications of the social changes involved in the Postindustrial Society. First, the relevant role that information and knowledge play in this new context, together with the challenges this poses to educational intervention, are highlighted. Secondly, based on the different qualitative levels of information that are presented, certain contributions of Psychology that could be considered specially relevant in order to satisfy these educational demands are pointed out. Finally, the paper concludes with a few reflections about Vygotsky=s work in equally revolutionary times with the hope that they could result clarifying, stimulating and encouraging for the task all those related to education must face

Insuficiencias del reconocimiento para una apertura cosmopolita al otro

[spa]Axel Honneth ha introducido la necesidad de comprender varios tipos de reconocimiento en las relaciones sociales (afectivo, social, económico) para revisar una teoría social basada en la comunicación como la de Habermas. En este texto, se intenta mostrar las limitaciones de tal concepto hegeliano para la teoría social, para la filosofía y para una política que permitiera realizar una apertura cosmopolita al otro. Desde una teoría de la subjetividad de raíz freudiana y lacaniana, se razona sobre las debilidades de la noción de reconocimiento incluso en las diversas reformulaciones de Honneth. Con el apoyo en algunas ideas de Wellmer, Menke, Benhabib, junto a la tradición de la teoría crítica modulada desde Derrida, se completa una crítica del uso teórico social y político de esa noción, proponiendo una «inclusión del otro» como más interesante teóricamente y que tendría que abarcar a la traducción para mostrar una perspectiva adecuada en la apertura cosmopolita al otro[eng]The Limits of Recognition for a Cosmopolitan Openness to the Other Axel Honneth introduced the need to understand several types of recognition in social relations (affective, social, economic) to revise a social theory based on communication like that of Habermas. This text seeks to show the limitations of such a Hegelian concept for social theory, for philosophy and for a politics that might allow cosmopolitan openness to the other. From a theory of subjectivity rooted in Freud and Lacan, the weaknesses of a notion of recognition are reflected upon, even in Honneth's several reformulations. With recourse to some ideas by Wellmer, Menke and Benhabib, together with the tradition of critical theory as modulated through Derrida, a critique of the social-theoretical and political use of such a notion is formulated, proposing an 'inclusion of the other' as theoretically more interesting, which should also comprise translation in order to provide a suitable perspective for a cosmopolitan openness to the other

Shared thinking: Concept and assessment

The aim of this article is to present the Procedure for the Assessment of Thinking in Interaction (PAT), an instrument for the assessment of shared thinking. Following an introduction of our concept or “shared thinking”, such as appears in contexts of interaction, we present the results and conclusions obtained from its use in a cross-sectional and a longitudinal developmental study

An instrument of open questions for the review of university teaching

Tras una reflexión inicial acerca de los agentes, finalidades, fuentes de información y procedimientos que pueden emplearse en la evaluación de la calidad de la docencia, el objetivo de este artículo es presentar un instrumento de revisión de la docencia universitaria con una clara función formativa. Se trata de un cuestionario de preguntas abiertas dirigido a los estudiantes, que pueda ser utilizado por el propio profesorado para revisar y mejorar la planificación y el desarrollo de su actividad docente Se presenta su estructura y modo de cumplimentación así como la manera de codificar las respuestas obtenidas, cómo se complementa con otros datos y, finalmente el uso que puede hacerse de ellas. Todo ello ejemplificado con resultados de su aplicación en una materia concreta de la titulación de Maestro de Educación Primaria. Se termina con algunas conclusiones y con la propuesta de nuevas investigaciones que deberían ser desarrolladasAfter an initial reflection on the agents, objectives, information sources and procedures that can be used in evaluating the quality of teaching, the aim of this article is to present a tool for reviewing university education with a clear educational function. It is an open-ended questionnaire addressed to students that can be used by the teachers themselves to review and improve the planning and development of their teaching structure and mode of filling as well as how to code the responses is presented obtained, as supplemented by other data and finally the use that can be made of them. All this exemplified results of its application in a particular subject of the degree of Master of Primary Education. It ends with some conclusions and proposals for new research should be developed

How do student teachers value the teaching they receive?

El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar las valoraciones que hacen los estudiantes de magisterio sobre la docencia que reciben. Los datos se han obtenido a partir de una muestra de 61 alumnos pertenecientes a tres grupos de una materia optativa de la mención de Educación Especial de la titulación de Maestro en Educación Primaria que se imparte en el primer semestre del cuarto año; los datos que se presentan corresponden al curso 2016-2017. Para ello se ha utilizado una encuesta de revisión de la docencia formada por 5 preguntas abiertas (AUTOR, en prensa) que los estudiantes respondían antes de realizar el examen final de la asignatura. Los resultados son el producto de un análisis de contenido de las aportaciones recibidas. Aunque dichos resultados están referidos a la asignatura concreta que ha sido objeto de revisión, aportan orientaciones útiles para la planificación de la enseñanza universitaria al tiempo que reflejan características propias de los estudiantesThe objective of this work is to present the assessments that the teaching students do about the teaching they receive. The data were obtained from a sample of 61 students belonging to three groups of an optional subject of the mention of Special Education of the Master's degree in Primary Education that is taught in the first semester of the fourth year that attended this subject in the course 2016-2017. In order to do this, a teacher review survey was made up of 5 open-ended questions (AUTOR, in press) that the students answered before taking the final exam of the subject. The results are the product of a content analysis of the contributions received. Although these results refer to the particular subject that has been reviewed, they provide useful guidelines for the planning of university education while reflecting the characteristics of the student