Uso de WhatsApp para crear un espacio de lenguaje y contenido para estudiantes de Relaciones Internacionales

For language learners of this generation, the smart phone represents a key cul- tural artefact that complements the learning process. Instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp are widely used in personal, professional and, increasingly, academic circles to maintain constant contact among friends, colleagues, or classmates. This study seeks to analyze how a group of 19 International Relations students and their teacher utilized a WhatsApp chat group throughout their semester-long English class. The group was conceived of as being an extension to a Community of Practice. On a basic level, the chat group was to be used as a shared space in which learners could practice their use of new phrases or vocabulary learned within the class in relation to real life issues connected to themes associated with International Relations. The space could also be interpreted as a virtual ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) in which learners were scaffolded by their teacher as well as their classmates. Finally, the group provided a space in which learners could engage dialogically and more openly in a truly collective, recip- rocal, supportive, cumulative, and purposeful manner. This qualitative study analyzed both in- teractions within the group and student re ections on its effectiveness, which served to indicate that such a group space can lead to effective learner scaffolding, increased learner participation, and the formation of an advantageous community of learners.  doi: 10.5294/laclil.2017.10.1.4Para la generación actual, el teléfono inteligente representa un elemento cultural que complementa el proceso de aprendizaje. Los mensajes instantáneos de la aplicación de WhatsApp se usan masivamente en círculos sociales, profesionales, y su uso ha crecido en círcu- los académicos con el n de mantener contacto permanente entre amigos, colegas o compañeros de clase. Este estudio busca analizar cómo 19 estudiantes de Relaciones Internacionales y sus profesores utilizaron un grupo de chat de WhatsApp durante un semestre en clase de inglés. El grupo se concibió como una extensión de una comunidad de práctica. Básicamente, el grupo de chat se usó como un espacio compartido para que los estudiantes practicaran el uso de vocabu- lario nuevo aprendido en clase de inglés, acerca de eventos de la cotidianidad en temas asociados a relaciones internacionales. La práctica también se interpretó como zona de desarrollo próximo (ZPD-Zone of Proximal Development) por medio de la cual los estudiantes recibieron apoyo del profesor y de sus compañeros. Finalmente, el grupo de chat proporcionó un espacio para que los estudiantes pudieran relacionarse dialógicamente y de una forma más abiertamente colectiva, recíproca, enfocada y apoyada mutuamente. Este estudio cualitativo analizó en su efectividad las interacciones de parte y parte al interior de las re exiones de los estudiantes, lo cual sirvió para indicar que este espacio grupal puede conducir a un apoyo de aprendizaje efectivo, incre- mentar la participación del estudiante y formar una provechosa comunidad de estudiantes.

The development and validation of a scoring tool to predict the operative duration of elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: The ability to accurately predict operative duration has the potential to optimise theatre efficiency and utilisation, thus reducing costs and increasing staff and patient satisfaction. With laparoscopic cholecystectomy being one of the most commonly performed procedures worldwide, a tool to predict operative duration could be extremely beneficial to healthcare organisations. Methods: Data collected from the CholeS study on patients undergoing cholecystectomy in UK and Irish hospitals between 04/2014 and 05/2014 were used to study operative duration. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was produced in order to identify significant independent predictors of long (> 90 min) operations. The resulting model was converted to a risk score, which was subsequently validated on second cohort of patients using ROC curves. Results: After exclusions, data were available for 7227 patients in the derivation (CholeS) cohort. The median operative duration was 60 min (interquartile range 45–85), with 17.7% of operations lasting longer than 90 min. Ten factors were found to be significant independent predictors of operative durations > 90 min, including ASA, age, previous surgical admissions, BMI, gallbladder wall thickness and CBD diameter. A risk score was then produced from these factors, and applied to a cohort of 2405 patients from a tertiary centre for external validation. This returned an area under the ROC curve of 0.708 (SE = 0.013, p  90 min increasing more than eightfold from 5.1 to 41.8% in the extremes of the score. Conclusion: The scoring tool produced in this study was found to be significantly predictive of long operative durations on validation in an external cohort. As such, the tool may have the potential to enable organisations to better organise theatre lists and deliver greater efficiencies in care

Uso do WhatsApp para criar um espaço de linguagem e conteúdo para estudantes de Relações Internacionais

30 páginasFor language learners of this generation, the smart phone represents a key cul- tural artefact that complements the learning process. Instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp are widely used in personal, professional and, increasingly, academic circles to maintain constant contact among friends, colleagues, or classmates. This study seeks to analyze how a group of 19 International Relations students and their teacher utilized a WhatsApp chat group throughout their semester-long English class. The group was conceived of as being an extension to a Community of Practice. On a basic level, the chat group was to be used as a shared space in which learners could practice their use of new phrases or vocabulary learned within the class in relation to real life issues connected to themes associated with International Relations. The space could also be interpreted as a virtual ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) in which learners were scaffolded by their teacher as well as their classmates. Finally, the group provided a space in which learners could engage dialogically and more openly in a truly collective, recip- rocal, supportive, cumulative, and purposeful manner. This qualitative study analyzed both in- teractions within the group and student re ections on its effectiveness, which served to indicate that such a group space can lead to effective learner scaffolding, increased learner participation, and the formation of an advantageous community of learners.Para la generación actual, el teléfono inteligente representa un elemento cultural que complementa el proceso de aprendizaje. Los mensajes instantáneos de la aplicación de WhatsApp se usan masivamente en círculos sociales, profesionales, y su uso ha crecido en círculos académicos con el fin de mantener contacto permanente entre amigos, colegas o compañeros de clase. Este estudio busca analizar cómo 19 estudiantes de Relaciones Internacionales y sus profesores utilizaron un grupo de chat de WhatsApp durante un semestre en clase de inglés. El grupo se concibió como una extensión de una comunidad de práctica. Básicamente, el grupo de chat se usó como un espacio compartido para que los estudiantes practicaran el uso de vocabulario nuevo aprendido en clase de inglés, acerca de eventos de la cotidianidad en temas asociados a relaciones internacionales. La práctica también se interpretó como zona de desarrollo próximo (ZPD-Zone of Proximal Development) por medio de la cual los estudiantes recibieron apoyo del profesor y de sus compañeros. Finalmente, el grupo de chat proporcionó un espacio para que los estudiantes pudieran relacionarse dialógicamente y de una forma más abiertamente colectiva, recíproca, enfocada y apoyada mutuamente. Este estudio cualitativo analizó en su efectividad las interacciones de parte y parte al interior de las reflexiones de los estudiantes, lo cual sirvió para indicar que este espacio grupal puede conducir a un apoyo de aprendizaje efectivo, incrementar la participación del estudiante y formar una provechosa comunidad de estudiantes

Perspectivas de estudiantes y docentes sobre materiales pertinentes para el AICLE creados en conjunto y centrados en el pensamiento crítico y la ciudadanía activa

The International Relations English program at a university in the north of Colombia is a CLIL-based program. Students share an interest in issues related to rights and politics, both locally and globally. Colombia arrived at a historical juncture with the signing of the peace accords between the government and FARC guerrillas in 2016. However, this coincided with an extreme polarisation of political discourse. This polarisation was evident throughout the 2016 plebiscite on the peace agreements and further intensified in the build-up to the 2018 presidential elections. In response, teachers and students created a web series where students outlined the candidates’ critical proposals without revealing the candidates’ identities. Students researched the proposals and worked with a teacher to prepare English transcripts of the proposals. Eight videos were created, shared via social media, and made available to local English teachers at secondary and university levels. The project’s purpose was to encourage active citizenship and foment a more critical analysis of the candidates’ proposals. To achieve this, students utilised the anonymity of the candidates and English as the chief medium of communication. This project allowed teachers to use authentic and relevant student-generated materials to encourage more critical discussion. The students involved in the project reported feelings of political efficacy and civic engagement. Teachers expressed satisfaction at having contextually rich language materials. This project indicates the potential for student-generated materials to provide contextually relevant and highly motivating educational materials.El programa de Inglés para las Relaciones Internacionales de una universidad en el norte de Colombia se fundamenta en el AICLE. Allí, los estudiantes comparten el interés en temas relacionados con los derechos y la política, tanto a nivel local como mundial. Colombia alcanzó una coyuntura histórica con la firma de los acuerdos de paz entre el gobierno y la guerrilla de las FARC en 2016, pero coincidió con una polarización extrema del discurso político, la cual se evidenció durante el plebiscito sobre los acuerdos de paz de 2016 y se intensificó aún más en la campaña para las elecciones presidenciales de 2018. En respuesta a esto, se creó una serie web en la que los estudiantes del programa investigaron y describieron las propuestas importantes de los candidatos sin revelar sus identidades; además, trabajaron con un docente para preparar las transcripciones en inglés. Se generaron ocho videos, los cuales se compartieron a través de las redes sociales y se pusieron a disposición de los profesores locales de inglés a nivel de bachillerato y educación superior. El proyecto tenía como objetivo fomentar la ciudadanía activa y un análisis más crítico de las propuestas de los candidatos. Para lograr esto, los estudiantes aprovecharon el anonimato de los candidatos y el inglés como principal medio de comunicación. Por otra parte, este proyecto permitió a los docentes usar materiales auténticos y pertinentes generados por los estudiantes para fomentar una discusión más crítica. Los estudiantes involucrados en el proyecto informaron sentimientos de eficacia política y de compromiso cívico, mientras que los docentes expresaron su satisfacción por contar con materiales lingüísticos ricos en contexto. Por lo tanto, este proyecto indica el potencial de que los estudiantes generen materiales educativos pertinentes para el contexto y altamente motivantes

Perspectivas de estudiantes y docentes sobre materiales pertinentes para el AICLE creados en conjunto y centrados en el pensamiento crítico y la ciudadanía activa

The International Relations English program at a university in the north of Colombia is a CLIL-based program. Students share an interest in issues related to rights and politics, both locally and globally. Colombia arrived at a historical juncture with the signing of the peace accords between the government and FARC guerrillas in 2016. However, this coincided with an extreme polarisation of political discourse. This polarisation was evident throughout the 2016 plebiscite on the peace agreements and further intensified in the build-up to the 2018 presidential elections. In response, teachers and students created a web series where students outlined the candidates’ critical proposals without revealing the candidates’ identities. Students researched the proposals and worked with a teacher to prepare English transcripts of the proposals. Eight videos were created, shared via social media, and made available to local English teachers at secondary and university levels. The project’s purpose was to encourage active citizenship and foment a more critical analysis of the candidates’ proposals. To achieve this, students utilised the anonymity of the candidates and English as the chief medium of communication. This project allowed teachers to use authentic and relevant student-generated materials to encourage more critical discussion. The students involved in the project reported feelings of political efficacy and civic engagement. Teachers expressed satisfaction at having contextually rich language materials. This project indicates the potential for student-generated materials to provide contextually relevant and highly motivating educational materials.El programa de Inglés para las Relaciones Internacionales de una universidad en el norte de Colombia se fundamenta en el AICLE. Allí, los estudiantes comparten el interés en temas relacionados con los derechos y la política, tanto a nivel local como mundial. Colombia alcanzó una coyuntura histórica con la firma de los acuerdos de paz entre el gobierno y la guerrilla de las FARC en 2016, pero coincidió con una polarización extrema del discurso político, la cual se evidenció durante el plebiscito sobre los acuerdos de paz de 2016 y se intensificó aún más en la campaña para las elecciones presidenciales de 2018. En respuesta a esto, se creó una serie web en la que los estudiantes del programa investigaron y describieron las propuestas importantes de los candidatos sin revelar sus identidades; además, trabajaron con un docente para preparar las transcripciones en inglés. Se generaron ocho videos, los cuales se compartieron a través de las redes sociales y se pusieron a disposición de los profesores locales de inglés a nivel de bachillerato y educación superior. El proyecto tenía como objetivo fomentar la ciudadanía activa y un análisis más crítico de las propuestas de los candidatos. Para lograr esto, los estudiantes aprovecharon el anonimato de los candidatos y el inglés como principal medio de comunicación. Por otra parte, este proyecto permitió a los docentes usar materiales auténticos y pertinentes generados por los estudiantes para fomentar una discusión más crítica. Los estudiantes involucrados en el proyecto informaron sentimientos de eficacia política y de compromiso cívico, mientras que los docentes expresaron su satisfacción por contar con materiales lingüísticos ricos en contexto. Por lo tanto, este proyecto indica el potencial de que los estudiantes generen materiales educativos pertinentes para el contexto y altamente motivantes

Functional Network Mapping Reveals State-Dependent Response to IGF1 Treatment in Rett Syndrome

Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with mutations in the gene MeCP2, which is involved in the development and function of cortical networks. The clinical presentation of RTT is generally severe and includes developmental regression and marked neurologic impairment. Insulin-Like growth factor 1 (IGF1) ameliorates RTT-relevant phenotypes in animal models and improves some clinical manifestations in early human trials. However, it remains unclear whether IGF1 treatment has an impact on cortical electrophysiology in line with MeCP2’s role in network formation, and whether these electrophysiological changes are related to clinical response. We performed clinical assessments and resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in eighteen patients with classic RTT, nine of whom were treated with IGF1. Among the treated patients, we distinguished those who showed improvements after treatment (responders) from those who did not show any changes (nonresponders). Clinical assessments were carried out for all individuals with RTT at baseline and 12 months after treatment. Network measures were derived using statistical modelling techniques based on interelectrode coherence measures. We found significant interaction between treatment groups and timepoints, indicating an effect of IGF1 on network measures. We also found a significant effect of responder status and timepoint, indicating that these changes in network measures are associated with clinical response to treatment. Further, we found baseline variability in network characteristics, and a machine learning model using these measures applied to pretreatment data predicted treatment response with 100% accuracy (100% sensitivity and 100% specificity) in this small patient group. These results highlight the importance of network pathology in RTT, as well as providing preliminary evidence for the potential of network measures as tools for the characterisation of disease subtypes and as biomarkers for clinical trials

Perspectivas de estudiantes y docentes sobre materiales apropiados de CLIL creados conjuntamente y centrados en el pensamiento crítico y la ciudadanía activa

38 páginasThe International Relations English program at a university in the north of Colombia is a CLIL-based program. Students share an interest in issues related to rights and politics, both locally and globally. Colombia arrived at a historical juncture with the signing of the peace accords between the government and FARC guerrillas in 2016. However, this coincided with an extreme polarisation of political discourse. This polarisation was evident throughout the 2016 plebiscite on the peace agreements and further intensified in the build-up to the 2018 presidential elections. In response, teachers and students created a web series where students outlined the candidates’ critical proposals without revealing the candidates’ identities. Students researched the propos-als and worked with a teacher to prepare English transcripts of the proposals. Eight videos were created, shared via social media, and made available to local English teachers at secondary and university levels. The project’s purpose was to encourage active citizenship and foment a more critical analysis of the candidates’ proposals. To achieve this, students utilised the anonymity of the candidates and English as the chief medium of communication. This project allowed teachers to use authentic and relevant student-generated materials to encourage more critical discussion. The students involved in the project reported feelings of political efficacy and civic engagement. Teachers expressed satisfaction at having contextually rich language materials. This project in-dicates the potential for student-generated materials to provide contextually relevant and highly motivating educational materials.El programa de Inglés de Relaciones Internacionales en una universidad en el norte de Colombia es un programa basado en CLIL. Los estudiantes comparten un interés en temas relacionados con los derechos y la política, tanto a nivel local como global. Colombia llegó a una coyuntura histórica con la firma de los acuerdos de paz entre el gobierno y la guerrilla de las FARC en 2016. Sin embargo, esto coincidió con una extrema polarización del discurso político. Esta polarización fue evidente durante el plebiscito de 2016 sobre los acuerdos de paz y se intensificó aún más en la preparación para las elecciones presidenciales de 2018. En respuesta, profesores y alumnos crearon una serie web en la que los alumnos describían las propuestas críticas de los candidatos sin revelar las identidades de los candidatos. Los estudiantes investigaron las propuestas y trabajaron con un maestro para preparar transcripciones en inglés de las propuestas. Se crearon ocho videos, se compartieron a través de las redes sociales y se pusieron a disposición de los profesores de inglés locales de nivel secundario y universitario. El propósito del proyecto era fomentar la ciudadanía activa y fomentar un análisis más crítico de las propuestas de los candidatos. Para lograr esto, los estudiantes utilizaron el anonimato de los candidatos y el inglés como principal medio de comunicación

Far from Home: Life as an LGBT Migrant in Ireland

Data from Burning Issues 2, Ireland’s largest national consultation of the LGBT community to date, suggested that more needs to be done to make Ireland a welcoming place for LGBT migrants. To explore this issue further, the National LGBT Federation sought and received funding from the Community Foundation for Ireland to carry out research on the experiences and needs of LGBT migrants in Ireland. The research element of this project was designed in collaboration with a diverse group of people who have migrated to Ireland and identify as LGBT. A survey with a mix of open and closed questions was distributed online and 231 people contributed to this project by completing it. A wide range of nationalities were represented, with participants from 48 different countries. The most commonly represented countries were Brazil, the US, Poland, the UK and Germany. Twelve participants were living in direct provision centres at the time. Roughly 90% of participants identified as cisgender (205), with 10% identifying as transgender (20). They shared their experiences of coming to Ireland, making social connections, stigma, integration and acceptance. The participants also discussed their health, the level of opportunity they felt they had in Ireland, and whether they planned to stay long-term.The Community Foundation of Irelan