Inclusive education in higher education?

The present study provides partial findings from research currently underway at the University of Seville: Hurdles & Help as Perceived by University Students Disabilities. (Directed by Dr. Anabel Mori~na, project funding: MICINN, I+D+I, ref. EDU 2010-16264). How does the university, as an insti- tution, open doors and/or put hurdles in the way of students with special needs? The present study adopts a qualitative methodological approach. More specifically, biographic-narrative methods are employed to give shape to a series of life sto- ries. A wide range of data gathering techniques were used, including discussion groups, in-depth interviews, classroom observation sessions, pho- tographs, biograms, etc. Data analysis was carried out in two phases. In the first, the focus was on individual life stories. The second phase involved applying comparative data analysis methods to transcriptions of documents generated using aforementioned methods, in line with Miles and Huberman (1994). Maxqda10 data analysis soft- ware was the tool of choice. Results will be dis- cussed with the following questions as a backdrop: Is the University inclusive? We will analyse institu- tional barriers and aids, as perceived by the stu- dents themselves. Architectural and structural hurdles affecting access to university classrooms, infrastructures and other spaces will be assessed here. Finally, we will take a closer look at student expectations with respect to their conception of the ideal university. Is the University an institution that opens or closes its doors to students with dis- abilities? Based on the analysis in the previous sec- tion, a number of conclusions can be reached. The first and foremost is the fact that the students coincided in their opinions, independently of the disability they might have and the courses studied, both when identifying help and barriers. Having said that, the number of barriers identified sur- passed the help

Determinantes financieras de la Sustentabilidad Corporativa de Empresas que cotizan en el IPC Sustentable de la BMV

(Financial Determinants of the Corporate Sustainability of Companies listed in the Sustainable IPC of the BMV)The objective of the present research is to observe if the following five indicators from companies listed on the Mexican Sustainability Index (IPCS): return on assests (ROA), Quick-ratio (quickr), total assests (tactivos). Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortization Margin (ebitdam) and z-score (zaltman) have an impact on: environment index (IA), social responsibility index (IS), corporate governance (IGC) and sustainability index (DSC), through panel data model using least squared, fixed effects in crossed sections and periods using EVIEWS 9.  The findings show that tactivos and zaltman were the significative variables, indicating a negative correlation between them and DSC, IA, IS e IGC. The findings suggest that all companies listed should be assessed in the future when more data is available. The limitations of this study are: the small size of the sample and just a single model in consequence the results are inconclusive nevertheless the work is relevant since these variables have not been studied in the Mexican scenario. Another conclusion is that the companies listed have extra costs derived from pertaining to the present index.El objetivo de la investigación es determinar si los indicadores: retorno sobre activos (ROA), Quick-ratio (quickr), tamaño total de activos (tactivos), margen de beneficios antes de intereses, impuestos, depreciación y amortización (ebitdam), z-score (zaltman); de las empresas del IPC sustentable de la BMV, impactan a los índices: ambiental (IA), responsabilidad social (IS), gobierno corporativo (IGC) y su índice general: Desempeño Sustentable Corporativo (DSC). Con un modelo de panel con Mínimos Cuadrados Ordinarios Agrupados y efectos fijos en secciones cruzadas y periodos, con apoyo de EVIEWS 9. Los resultados muestran que las variables significativas fueron tactivos y zaltman, que existe una relación inversa entre ellas y DSC, IA, IS e IGC. Se recomienda analizar todas las empresas del índice, cuando se cuente con mayor historial de datos y aplicar otros modelos estadísticos. Las limitaciones son el bajo número de observaciones y la utilización de un sólo modelo, esto implica resultados no concluyentes; sin embargo, es relevante ya que no se había estudiado el caso mexicano. Se concluye que las empresas tienen un costo extra por formar parte del índice

Educar para la Participación Ciudadana. Un Reto para la Escuela del Siglo XXI

Nuestro mundo tiene graves problemas que deben ser afrontados con la participación de los ciudadanos. Ello exige la construcción de una ciudadanía verdaderamente participativa. La sociedad espera de la escuela que contribuya a educar para este tipo de ciudadanía, pero la escuela actual no puede responder adecuadamente a este requerimiento ni es la única institución responsable de este objetivo. En todo caso, hay interesantes programas y propuestas educativas que, pese a sus dificultades, pueden contribuir a la formación de los alumnos para ser ciudadanos participativos y comprometidos con los problemas sociales

Play-in (Plataforma de Ayuda a la Investigación)

En septiembre de 2009, formando parte de la estructura organizativa y de gestión del IUACC, se ha creado una Plataforma de Ayuda a la Investigación, que tiene como objetivo ofrecer apoyo a los investigadores de los grupos adscritos al IUACC, para impulsar su actividad de investigación e innovación y para estimular la transferencia de conocimientos. Esta iniciativa es consecuencia de la ejecución del actual del Plan Estratégico del IUACC elaborado para el apoyo e impulso de la actividad de sus grupos. La plataforma se crea convencidos de que, en el escenario actual de investigación, son importantes estos soportes para la aplicación de estrategias que mejoren la labor investigadora y de gestión del PDI, y para el impulso de la formación avanzada y doctoral de jóvenes investigadores a través de los másteres y doctorado. Los grupos son los que, en función de sus necesidades específicas, diseñan su interacción con esta plataforma

University teachers facing students with disabilities: Building bridges or erecting barriers?

[ES] El propósito de este artículo es estudiar, desde la perspectiva del alumnado con discapacidad, cómo el profesorado a través de sus actitudes, proyectos docentes, adaptaciones curriculares, desarrollo de la acción tutorial y formación puede contribuir o no, a la inclusión del alumnado en la Universidad. Los resultados de este trabajo se enmarcan dentro de un Proyecto de Investigación más amplio que se está desarrollando en la Universidad de Sevilla1 . El objetivo global de dicho proyecto es analizar las barreras y ayudas que los estudiantes identifican en su acceso, trayectoria y resultados en la Universidad. Aunque en el estudio se tiene en cuenta tanto la perspectiva institucional como de aula, en este trabajo tan solo nos centramos en la figura del docente universitario, en cuanto a barreras y ayudas identificadas en la respuesta al alumnado con discapacidad. La metodología empleada para el desarrollo del estudio ha sido la biográfico-narrativa, obteniéndose los datos a través de diversas técnicas de recogida de información: grupos de discusión, entrevistas en profundidad, observaciones en las aulas, fotografías, biogramas, etc. Los principales resultados obtenidos se dividen en los siguientes bloques: (1) Actitudes del profesor frente al alumnado con discapacidad (2) Prácticas de inclusión y de exclusión dentro del aula (3) adaptaciones curriculares (4) Tutorías y (5) Formación del profesorado. Dentro de las conclusiones del artículo destaca la idea de que el avance en la respuesta inclusiva al alumnado con discapacidad implica una oportunidad para mejorar las instituciones universitarias, por ello, las Universidades deberían proporcionar respuestas proactivas y no reactivas.[EN] The purpose of this article is to study, from the perspective of disabled students, how teachers may or may not contribute towards the integration of students at University through teacher’s attitudes, teaching projects, curricular adaptations and development of tutorial action and training. The results of this work are part of a broader research project that is being carried out at the University of Seville2 . The overall goal of this project is to analyse the barriers and supports that students identify in their access, experience and results at University. Although the study takes into account both the institutional and the classroom perspective, in this article we only consider the figure of the university teacher, as far as identified barriers and supports in responding to disabled students are concerned.The biographical-narrative methodology has been applied for the development of this study, obtaining data through different techniques of information collection: groups of discussion, indepth interviews, observations in the classrooms, photographs, biograms, etc. The main obtained results are divided into the following blocks: (1) Attitudes of the teacher towards disabled students, (2) Inclusion and exclusion practices in the classroom, (3) curricular adaptations, (4) tutorials and (5) teacher training. The progress in the inclusive response to disabled students as a chance to improve university institutions is a highlighted idea among the conclusions of the article; thus universities should provide proactive answers rather than reactive ones .Moriña Diez, A.; López Gavira, R.; Melero Aguilar, N.; Cortés Vega, MD.; Molina Romo, VM. (2013). El profesorado en la universidad ante el alumnado con discapacidad: ¿Tendiendo puentes o levantando muros?. REDU. Revista de Docencia Universitaria. 11(3):423-442. https://doi.org/10.4995/redu.2013.5537OJS423442113Adams, M. y Holland, S. (2006). Inproving Access to higher education for disabled people. En M. Adams y S. Brown (Eds.). Towards inclusive learning in higher education. London: Routledge, 10-22.Bain, K. (2004). What the best college teacher do. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.Bessant, J. (2009). "Measuring up"? Students, disability and assessment in the university. Assesment inf diferent dimensions. A conference on teaching and learning in Terciary Education. MelbourneBorland, J. y James, S. (1999). The learning experience of students with disabilities in higher education. A case study of a UK university. Disability & Society, 14 (1), 85- 101.Castellana, M. y Sala, I. (2005). Estudiantes con discapacidad en aulas universitarias. Comunicación presentada en I Congreso Nacional de Universidad y Discapacidad.Castellana, M. y Sala, I. (2006). Estudiantes con discapacidad en la universidad. Barcelona: Edición producida y coordinada por la Fundació Blanquerna Assistencial i de ServeisFerni, T. y Henning, M. (2006). From a disabling world to a new vision. En M. Adams y S. Brown (Eds.). Towards inclusive learning in higher education. London: Routledge, 23-31.Frank, A. W. (2011). Practicing Dialogical Narrative Analysis. En J.A. Holstein y J. F. Gubrium (Eds.). Varieties of narrative analysis. Los Ángeles: Sage Publications, 33-52.Fuller, M., Bradley, A. y Healey, M. (2004). Incorporating disabled students within an inclusive higher education environment, Disability & Society, 19: 5, 455 - 468.Gitlow, L. (2001). Occupational therapy faculty attitudes toward the inclusión of students with disabilities in their educational programs. TheOccupational Therapy Journal of Research, 21, 115- 131.Goodley, D. Lawthom, R. Clough, P. y Moore, M. (2004). Researching life stories. London: Routledge.Grimaldi, C. y Goette, T. (1999). The Internet and the Independence of individuals with disabilities. Internet Research: Electronic Networking Application and Policy, 9 (4), 272-280.Hadjikakou, K. y Hartas, D. (2008). Higher education provision for students with disabilities in Cyprus. Higher Education, 55, 103-119.Hall, J. y Tinklin, T (1998). The experiences of disabled students in higher education, Glasgow: The Scottish Council for Research in Education.Higbee, J.L., Siaka, K. y Bruch, A.L. (2007). Student perceptions of their multicultural learning environment: a closer look. In J.L. Higbee, D.B. Lundell, and I.M. Duranczyk (Eds.). Diversity and the postsecondary experience. Minnesota: Centre for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, 3-24.Holloway, S. (2001). The experience of higher education from the perspective of disabled students. Disability & Society, 16 (4), 597-615.Hopkins, D. y Sterns, D. (1996) Quality teachers, quality school: international perspectives and policy implications, Teaching and Teacher Education, 12 (5), 501-517.Hopkins, L. (2011). The path of least resistance: a voice-relational analysis of disabled students'experiences of discrimination in English universities, International Journal of Inclusive Education, 15 (7), 711-727.Marcelo, C. y Estebaranz, A. (2002). Marco general de investigación sobre la enseñanza en la Universidad. En C. Mayor (Coord.). Enseñanza y aprendizaje en la Educación Superior. Barcelona: Octaedro, 7-26.Martín, E. (2009). Profesorado competente para formar alumnado competente: el reto del cambio docente. En J.I. Pozo y M. P. Pérez (Coords.). Psicología del aprendizaje universitario: la formación en competencias. Madrid: Morata, 199- 215.Miles M. B. y Huberman, A. M. (1994) Qualitative data analysis (USA: Sage Publications).Moswela, E. y Mukhopadhyay, S. (2011). Asking for too much? The voices of students with disabilities in Botswana, Disability & Society, 26 (3), 307 - 319.Murray, M.; Lombardi, A. y Wren, C. T. (2011). The Effects of Disability-Focused Training on the Attitudes and Perceptions of University Staff. Remedial and Special Education, 32 (4), 290-300.Nielsen, J. A. (2001). Successful University Students with Learning Disabilities, Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 15 (4), 37-48.O'Connor, U. y A. Robinson (1999). Accession or exclusion? University and the disabled student: A case study of policy and practice. Higher Education Quarterly 53 (1), 88-103.Oliver, M. y Barnes, C. (2010). Disability studies, disabled people and the struggle for inclusión, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 31 (5), 547-560Pearson, E. J. (2001). Strategies for developing inclusive online courses. Paper presented at WebCT Asia-Pacific Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 10 April.Pearson, E. y Koppi, T. (2006). Supporting staff in developing inclusive online learning. En M. Adams y S. Brown (Eds.). Towards inclusive learning in higher education. London: Routledge, 56-66.Pozo, J. I. y Monereo, C. (2009). Introducción: la nueva cultura del aprendizaje universitario o por qué cambian nuestras formas de enseñar y aprender. En J.I. Pozo y M. P. Pérez (Coords.). Psicología del aprendizaje universitario: la formación en competencias. Madrid: Morata, 9-28.Pozo, J. I. y Pérez, M. P. (2009). Aprender para comprender y resolver problemas. En J.I. Pozo y M. P. Pérez (Coords.). Psicología del aprendizaje universitario: la formación en competencias. Madrid: Morata, 31-53.Prowse, S. (2009). Institutional construction of disabled students, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 31 (1), 89-96.Reindal, S. M. (1995). Some problems encountered by disabled students at the University of Oslo-whose responsibility? The European Journal of Special Needs, 10(3), 227-241.Riessman, C. K. (2008). Narrative methods for the human sciences. LA: Sage Publications.Riddell, S, Wilson, A y Tinklin, T. (2002). Disability and the wider access agenda: supporting disabled students in different institutional contexts. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 4: 12-26.Riddell, S.; Tinklin, T. y Wilson, A. (2005). Disabled students in Higher Education. London: Routledge.Ryan, J. yStruhs, J. (2004). University education for all? Barriers to full inclusion of students with disabilities in Australian universities, International Journal of Inclusive Education, 8:1, 73-90.Sánchez Palomino, A. (2009). Integración educativa y social de los estudiantes con discapacidad en la Universidad de Almería. Almería: Editorial Universidad de Almería.Shevlin, M., Kenny, M. y Mcneela, E. (2004). Participation in higher education for students with disabilities: an Irish perspective', Disability & Society, 19:1, 15-30.Shaw, J. (2009). The diversity paradox: does student diversity enhance or challenge excellence?, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 33 (4), 321-331.Slee, R. (2011). The irregular school. Exclusion, schooling and inclusive education. NY: Routeledge.Tinklin, T. y Hall, J. (1999). Getting round obstacles: disabled students' experiences in higher education in Scortland, Studies in Higher Education, 24: 183-194.Tinklin, T.; Riddell, S. y Wilson, A. (2004). Policy and provision for disabled students in higher education in Scotland and England: The current state of play. Studies in Higher Education, 29 (5), 637-657.Warren, D. 2002. Curriculum design in a context of widening participation in higher education. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education 1, no. 1: 85-99

Regulation of nap Gene Expression and Periplasmic Nitrate Reductase Activity in the Phototrophic Bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides DSM158

Bacterial periplasmic nitrate reductases (Nap) can play different physiological roles and are expressed under different conditions depending on the organism. Rhodobacter sphaeroides DSM158 has a Nap system, encoded by the napKEFDABC gene cluster, but nitrite formed is not further reduced because this strain lacks nitrite reductase. Nap activity increases in the presence of nitrate and oxygen but is unaffected by ammonium. Reverse transcription-PCR and Northern blots demonstrated that the napKEFDABC genes constitute an operon transcribed as a single 5.5-kb product. Northern blots and nap-lacZ fusions revealed that nap expression is threefold higher under aerobic conditions but is regulated by neither nitrate nor ammonium, although it is weakly induced by nitrite. On the other hand, nitrate but not nitrite causes a rapid enzyme activation, explaining the higher Nap activity found in nitrate-grown cells. Translational nap′-′lacZ fusions reveal that the napK and napD genes are not efficiently translated, probably due to mRNA secondary structures occluding the translation initiation sites of these genes. Neither butyrate nor caproate increases nap expression, although cells growing phototrophically on these reduced substrates show a very high Nap activity in vivo (nitrite accumulation is sevenfold higher than in medium with malate). Phototrophic growth on butyrate or caproate medium is severely reduced in the NapA(−) mutants. Taken together, these results indicate that nitrate reduction in R. sphaeroides is mainly regulated at the level of enzyme activity by both nitrate and electron supply and confirm that the Nap system is involved in redox balancing using nitrate as an ancillary oxidant to dissipate excess reductant

Indice de revistas de Urbanismo en España. 1978-1986

[EN] Monographic of "CEUMT, la revista municipal" containing the index of 8 journals edited in Spain (Alfoz, Arquitectura, CAU, CEUMT, City and Territory, Territorial Studies, Quaderns and Revista de Derecho Urbanístico) with relevant information about the Spanish territories and cities. This bibliographical index organizes by subjects the articles published between 1978 and 1986. Its for this that It constitutes an important instrument for the reconstruction of urban and country planning, urban development and urban history of Madrid, Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain in general in the years of the Spanish democratic transition .[ES] Monográfico de “CEUMT, la revista municipal” que contiene un índice de revistas españolas de urbanismo que presenta el vaciado de 8 publicaciones periódicas (Alfoz, Arquitectura, CAU, CEUMT, Ciudad y Territorio, Estudios Territoriales, Quaderns y Revista de Derecho Urbanístico) editadas en España con información relevante acerca del territorio y las ciudades españolas. Este índice bibliográfico organiza temáticamente los artículos aparecidos en dichas revistas entre 1978 y 1986. Constituye un instrumento importante para la reconstrucción del urbanismo, la ordenación del territorio, el desarrollo urbano y la historia urbana de Madrid, Barcelona, Cataluña y España en general en los años de la transición democrática española.Peer reviewe

Study of the critical points in combined matrix tablets containing both inert and swelling excipients

This work estimates for the first time critical points in combined matrices containing varying concentrations of the hydrophilic polymer Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) K100 M CR in presence of a constant percentage of the inert matrix forming polymer Eudragit RS-PO as well as varying concentrations of the inert polymer in presence of a constant percentage of the hydrophilic excipient. Drug release assays, water uptake studies and calculation of the Exicipient Efficiency (EE) have been carried out to study the interaction between the polymers. Surprisingly, an increase in the drug release rate occurs as the percentage of the hydrophobic polymer increases in the formulations. This fact is supported by the EE values which indicate a negative interaction between the two excipients. Moreover the HPMC percolation threshold estimated is higher than the one observed in pure HPMC matrices. It can be concluded that the HPMC creates pores in the inert skeleton, destabilizing the system. Moreover, the inert excipient destabilizes the gel layer formed by HPMC, changing its critical point. This information is essential for a rational estimation of the Design Space of a formulation and provides new knowledge on the behavior of the polymers in combined matrices, which contributes to the science based design