A way to facilitating educational transitions

Esta comunicación está basada en el Proyecto de investigación “Escuelas que caminan hacia la inclusión educativa: trabajar con la comunidad local para promover el cambio” desarrollado en A Estrada (Pontevedra). El proyecto tiene como meta promover procesos educativos inclusivos, articulados de manera progresiva desde los centros educativos hasta la comunidad local. En su desarrollo supone avanzar de forma interdependiente en tres ámbitos de intervención: intra-escuela, inter-centros e inter-servicios. En este trabajo, profundizamos en uno de los estudios realizado inicialmente en el nivel inter-centros. Se trata de un estudio participativo sobre las Transiciones educativas en A Estrada que contó con la colaboración de docentes de Educación Infantil, Primaria y Secundaria; alumnado; familias y comunidad local a través de diferentes actividades. Aquí se analiza la información aportada por los docentes de nueve centros sobre los diferentes tipos de Transiciones educativas. Los resultados se presentan en torno a tres focos de interés: preocupaciones y miedos manifestados por el profesorado ante las distintas transiciones educativas; actuaciones para afrontar esos momentos de cambio; y propuestas de mejora planteadas para facilitar dichos procesos.This communication is based on the Research Project “Schools moving towards educational inclusion: working with the local community, students’ voices and educational support for promoting change”, developed in A Estrada (Pontevedra, Spain). The aim of this project is to promote inclusive educational processes, articulated on a gradual basis from the educational centres to the local community . Development of the project is expected to progress in an inter-dependent manner, in three areas of action: intra-school, inter-schools and inter-services. In this work, we take a more indepth look at one of the studies initially conducted at inter-schools level. This is a participatory study on the Educational Transitions in A Estrada, carried out with the collaboration of teachers in Infants, Primary and Secondary Education besides students, families and the local community through different activities. Analysis is made of the information contributed by teachers at the nine educational centres regarding the different types of educational Transitions. Results are presented around three points of interest–concerns and fears expressed by the teaching staff in terms of the different educational transitions; actions to deal with these moments of change; and proposals for improvement put forward in order to facilitate such processes.peerReviewe

Family Quality of Life and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Comparative Diagnosis of Needs and Impact on Family Life

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade da Coruña/CISUG[Abstract] Background: Families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) face ongoing challenges that can affect their family life. Helping those families cope with the impact of ASD and promote more positive family and child outcomes requires research to better understand the differential aspects of quality of life for those families. Aim: This article examined the quality of life of 77 families (n = 45 families with children with ASD aged 0–12 years old, and n = 32 families with other developmental disabilities). Methods and procedure: The Family Quality of Life Scale (FQOL) was applied. Outcomes and results: The relationships between importance and satisfaction were analyzed, contrasting differences between families, and studying the influence of age. Results show the presence of common needs, as the higher ratings in importance versus satisfaction evidenced, but also specific and more evident needs in families of children with ASD, motivated by the differential characteristics of the disorder and their environment. Age was relevant to focus support on priority areas. Conclusion: The need to adapt to family individualities to promote their quality of life was concluded. Implications: Those findings reinforce the importance of bringing together theoretical knowledge and evaluation of professional practice as a framework for converting the latter into good practices and quality actionsFunding for open access charge: Universidade da Coruña/CISU

Family quality of life and autism spectrum disorder: comparative diagnosis of needs and impact on family life

Background: Families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) face ongoing challenges that can affect their family life. Helping those families cope with the impact of ASD and promote more positive family and child outcomes requires research to better understand the differential aspects of quality of life for those families. Aim: This article examined the quality of life of 77 families (n = 45 families with children with ASD aged 0–12 years old, and n = 32 families with other developmental disabilities). Methods and procedure: The Family Quality of Life Scale (FQOL) was applied. Outcomes and results: The relationships between importance and satisfaction were analyzed, contrasting differences between families, and studying the influence of age. Results show the presence of common needs, as the higher ratings in importance versus satisfaction evidenced, but also specific and more evident needs in families of children with ASD, motivated by the differential characteristics of the disorder and their environment. Age was relevant to focus support on priority areas. Conclusion: The need to adapt to family individualities to promote their quality of life was concluded. Implications: Those findings reinforce the importance of bringing together theoretical knowledge and evaluation of professional practice as a framework for converting the latter into good practices and quality actionsFunding for open access charge: Universidade da Coruña/CISUGS

Reflexiones acerca de una escuela para todos: percepciones de familias y maestros respecto a la cultura, po-lítica y práctica de inclusión en Galicia

[Abstract] The aim was to understand their reality from an inclusive perspective and, subsequently, being able to establish some course of action for improvement. Within the framework of participatory, descriptive, exploratory, and explanatory research, an adaptation of the Index for Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2015) was applied to a sample of 158 families and 85 teachers. The results showed that both groups advocated for an inclusive education, but there were some discrepancies between the intentions and the reality of schools. Differences between culture and practice were probably the element that most brought those contradictions to light. So far, some steps have been taken towards educational inclusion, generating a debate on how to improve it. But it has not included a joint analysis of the voices of all families and teachers, key agents to promote a school for all. What has been found have been isolated initiatives, promoted by edu-cation administrators, teachers, or families of students with special educational needs. Hence the need to stimulate the joint reflection on how to move toward total inclusion.[Resumen] Este trabajo examina, por primera vez en Galicia (España), las percepciones acerca de la cultura, política y práctica del profesorado y familias de seis escuelas primarias. El objetivo fue comprender su realidad desde una perspectiva inclusiva para, posteriormente, proponer acciones de mejora. Bajo una modalidad de investigación participativa, descriptiva, exploratoria y explicativa, se aplicó una adaptación al español del Index for Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2015) a una muestra de 158 familias y 85 docentes. Los resultados mostraron que ambos grupos abogaron por una educación inclusiva, pero existieron discrepancias entre las intenciones y la realidad de las escuelas. Las diferencias entre cultura y práctica fueron, probablemente, el elemento que más sacó a la luz esas contradicciones. Hasta ahora se han dado algunos pasos hacia la inclusión educativa, generando un debate sobre cómo mejorarla. Pero no se ha incluido un análisis conjunto de las voces de todas las familias y docentes, agentes clave para impulsar una escuela para todos. Lo que se han en-contrado han sido iniciativas aisladas, promovidas por administradores educativos, por docentes o por familias de alumnos con necesi-dades específicas de apoyo educativo. De ahí la necesidad de estimular la reflexión conjunta sobre cómo avanzar hacia la inclusión total

Cytoskeletal Proteins of Actinobacteria

Although bacteria are considered the simplest life forms, we are now slowly unraveling their cellular complexity. Surprisingly, not only do bacterial cells have a cytoskeleton but also the building blocks are not very different from the cytoskeleton that our own cells use to grow and divide. Nonetheless, despite important advances in our understanding of the basic physiology of certain bacterial models, little is known about Actinobacteria, an ancient group of Eubacteria. Here we review current knowledge on the cytoskeletal elements required for bacterial cell growth and cell division, focusing on actinobacterial genera such as Mycobacterium, Corynebacterium, and Streptomyces. These include some of the deadliest pathogens on earth but also some of the most prolific producers of antibiotics and antitumorals

How do future teachers of Early Childhood Education perceive the diversity?

El presente trabajo da cuenta de una investigación en proceso que se está desarrollando con alumnado de la materia de Escuela Inclusiva y Necesidades Educativas Especiales que se imparte en el 2º curso del Grado de Maestro y Maestra de Educación Infantil, en el campus de Lugo de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Con este proyecto se pretende estudiar los conocimientos y las ideas previas que este alumnado tiene acerca de la Inclusión y las Necesidades Educativas Especiales (NEE), además de sus creencias en relación a las diferentes discapacidades. A pesar de no contar con los datos definitivos, los resultados actuales muestran la necesidad de trabajar en la formación de los maestros con el fin de desterrar falsas creencias con respecto a la diversidad y así garantizar que el concepto escuela inclusiva sea una realidad en manos de los futuros profesionales de la educación.This work reports a research process that is being developed with students of the course “Inclusive School and Special Needs Education”, taught in the 2nd year of the Early Childhood Education Degree in the Lugo branch of the University of Santiago de Compostela. This project aims to study the knowledge and preconceptions that these students have about Inclusion and Special Educational Needs (SEN), and their beliefs regarding different disabilities. Despite not having definitive data, the present results show the need to work in the training of teachers in order to banish false beliefs about diversity and thus ensure that the inclusive school concept is a reality in the hands of future professionals in education.peerReviewe

Participatory Research with Young People with Visual Disabilities: When the Exclusion and Inclusion Stories Take to the Streets

El propósito de este estudio es visibilizar la realidad de personas con discapacidad visual, se lleva a cabo una Biblioteca Humana o Human Library como una estrategia metodológica de carácter innovador y participativo. Participan en la misma un grupo de adolescentes con alguna discapacidad visual, quiénes a través de sus narraciones comparten con distintos agentes sociales sus experiencias y vivencias vinculadas a la discapacidad y la respuesta social a la misma. En este trabajo, se analizan las voces de dos de esos jóvenes que eligen para su relato oral la narración de su trayectoria escolar desde la infancia hasta la enseñanza post-obligatoria. Las estrategias de investigación participativa utilizadas durante la celebración de la Biblioteca Humana, así como los registros de los grupos de discusión previos y la observación participante. El análisis permite identificar las barreras educativas más recurrentes de los jóvenes, relacionadas con el clima de los centros, las metodologías y el papel de los docentes, pero también permite identificar algunas palancas de cambio que invitan a repensar las prácticas educativas de inclusión y exclusión escolarIn order to visibilize the reality of people with visual disabilities, a Human Library is carried out as an innovative and participatory methodological strategy. A group of adolescents with some visual disability, participate sharing through their narratives their experiences and experiences related to disability and the social response. In this work, the voices of two teenagers with blindness who choose for their oral story the narration of their school career from childhood to postcompulsory education are analyzed. The participatory research strategies used during the celebration of the Human Library as well as the records of the previous discussion groups and the participant observation. The analysis make possible to identify the more recurrent educational barriers in the history of young people related to the climate of the educational centers, the methodologies and the role of teachers, but also makes possible identify levers of change that invite us to rethink the educational practices of school inclusion and exclusionS

Characterization of the promoter region of ftsZ from Corynebacterium glutamicum and controlled overexpression of FtsZ

Of the five promoters detected for the ftsZ gene in Corynebacterium glutamicum, three were located within the coding region of the upstream ftsQ gene and two within the intergenic ftsQ-ftsZ region. The most distant ftsZ promoter showed activity in Escherichia coli and controlled high-level transcriptional expression of ftsZ in C. glutamicum. Quantitative Western blotting showed that all five promoters were active during the exponential growth phase and down-regulated during stationary phase. This tightly controlled expression of ftsZ in C. glutamicum indicated that small changes in the amount of FtsZ protein strongly affect bacterial cell viability. The controlled overexpression of ftsZ in C. glutamicum, using the promoter of the gntK gene (PgntK), resulted in approximately 5-fold overproduction of FtsZ, an increase in cell diameter, and a highly variable localization of the protein as spirals or tangles throughout the cell. These results suggest that the intracellular concentration of FtsZ is critical for productive septum formation in C. glutamicum. Our observations provide insight into the mechanisms used by the coryneform group, which lacks actin homologs and many regulators of cell division, to control cell morphology. [Int Microbiol 2007; 10(4): 271-282

Essential lessons about inter-school networking

El propósito de este artículo es analizar con un enfoque retrospectivo el origen y desarrollo de una red inter-escolar desde la perspectiva del profesorado participante en la misma. Se trata de una red integrada por 7 centros escolares de Educación Infantil (EI) y Educación Primaria (EP) de una misma localidad gallega. Las raíces teóricas del estudio se enmarcan en un enfoque comunitario de la inclusión social y educativa; en las comunidades de colaboración e indagación, y en el modelo de investigación inclusiva y participativa. Las fuentes de datos utilizadas para documentar el desarrollo de la red han sido de dos tipos, datos producidos ex profeso para analizar las percepciones de las docentes (tertulia pedagógica, entrevistas y mesa redonda) y, como apoyo secundario, datos recogidos durante las acciones de la red. La información fue analizada a través de un análisis de contenido en torno a diversas categorías consensuadas con quienes participan. Los resultados del estudio identifican los procesos implicados en el desarrollo de la red, el contenido y actividades de la misma, los patrones de colaboración desarrollados, y su valor para el profesorado. El artículo concluye planteando 10 lecciones esenciales que conforman los elementos fundamentales en la construcción, mantenimiento y trabajo en la red inter-escolar estudiada.The purpose of this article is to analyze with a retrospective approach the origin, development and activities undertaken in a network from the point of view of participant teachers. It was an inter-school network made up of 7 pre-school and primary schools of the same locality in Galicia. A community approach to social and educational inclusion; the communities of collaboration and inquiry and the so-called inclusive and participatory research are the theoretical roots of the study. Data sources used to document the inter-school network were of two types, data produced ex profeso to analyze the perceptions of teachers (pedagogical discussion, interviews and round table), and as a secondary source, data collected during the actions developed in the network (audiovisual récords ofmeetings, minutes, etc.) The information was analyzed through a content analysis on various categories, agreed upon with the participants. The results of the study identify the processes involved in the development of the network, the content and activities of the same, the patterns of collaboration developed, and its value to the teachers. The article concludes by raising 10 essential lessons that make up the fundamental elements in the construction, maintenance and work on the network inter-school studied