Entornos personales de aprendizaje: un estudio comparativo entre profesores costarricenses en formación y en ejercicio

This research makes a comparative analysis of the frequency of use of various ICT tools that 381 students in Education degrees and 218 Costa Rican teachers incorporate in their Personal Learning Environments (PLE) in order to search for information, generate content, and communicate. An ex post facto study was conducted using the survey method. The results revealed poor integration of technological resources into the PLEs of both groups, although it has been found that it is the students who use the greatest number of tools. It proposes the need to implement measures to enrich the PLEs.Esta investigación analiza comparativamente la frecuencia de uso de diversas herramientas TIC que 381 estudiantes de las carreras de Educación y 218 profesores costarricenses incorporan en sus Entornos Personales de Aprendizaje (PLE) para buscar información, generar contenido y comunicarse. Se realizó un estudio ex post facto utilizando el método de encuesta. Los resultados desvelaron una escasa integración de los recursos tecnológicos en los PLE de ambos colectivos, aunque se ha constatado que son los estudiantes quienes usan un mayor número de herramientas. Se propone la necesidad de arbitrar medidas que contribuyan a enriquecer los PLE

Key components of learning ecologies: a Delphi assessment

This is the accepted version of the following article: González‐Sanmamed, M. , Muñoz‐Carril, P. and Santos‐Caamaño, F. (2019), Key components of learning ecologies: A Delphi assessment. Br J Educ Technol, 50: 1639-1655, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12805. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with the Wiley Self-Archiving Policy (http://www.wileyauthors.com/self-archiving)The educational landscape has changed in recent years, requiring reflection about new pedagogical methods and theories. There are three important perspectives as drivers of pedagogical reflection: lifelong and life‐wide learning, the idea of learning as a social construct in which internal elements and changing external factors converge, and the recognition of technology as a resource that can promote ubiquitous and expanded learning. Learning ecology has been proposed as a conceptual and empirical framework, but its still emergent nature along with its multidimensionality and complexity require further exploration. The Delphi study we present as part of a broader research project aims to identify the components of learning ecologies. Three panel rounds with international experts were carried out, after which two important dimensions emerged in the structure of learning ecologies. The first is related to intrinsic “learning dispositions,” which is made up of three categories: the subject's ideas about learning, their motivations and expectations. The second dimension, called “learning processes,” comprises four components: relationships, resources, actions and context. The identification of the components of learning ecologies and their influence on formal, non‐formal and informal training processes will provide guidance for educational policies and help to better organize training programmesWe thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for their support of our study under a research project entitled “How the best University Teachers Learn: Impact on Learning Ecologies on Quality of Teaching” (ECO4LEARN‐HE) (Reference: EDU2015‐67907‐R)S

Genomic characterization of individuals presenting extreme phenotypes of high and low risk to develop tobacco-induced lung cancer

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may modulate individual susceptibility to carcinogens. We designed a genome-wide association study to characterize individuals presenting extreme phenotypes of high and low risk to develop tobacco-induced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and we validated our results. We hypothesized that this strategy would enrich the frequencies of the alleles that contribute to the observed traits. We genotyped 2.37 million SNPs in 95 extreme phenotype individuals, that is: heavy smokers that either developed NSCLC at an early age (extreme cases); or did not present NSCLC at an advanced age (extreme controls), selected from a discovery set (n=3631). We validated significant SNPs in 133 additional subjects with extreme phenotypes selected from databases including >39,000 individuals. Two SNPs were validated: rs12660420 (p(combined)=5.66x10(-5); ORcombined=2.80), mapping to a noncoding transcript exon of PDE10A; and rs6835978 (p(combined)=1.02x10(-4); ORcombined=2.57), an intronic variant in ATP10D. We assessed the relevance of both proteins in early-stage NSCLC. PDE10A and ATP10D mRNA expressions correlated with survival in 821 stage I-II NSCLC patients (p=0.01 and p<0.0001). PDE10A protein expression correlated with survival in 149 patients with stage I-II NSCLC (p=0.002). In conclusion, we validated two variants associated with extreme phenotypes of high and low risk of developing tobacco-induced NSCLC. Our findings may allow to identify individuals presenting high and low risk to develop tobacco-induced NSCLC and to characterize molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and resistance to develop NSCLC

Pharmaceutical cost control in primary care: opinion and contributions by healthcare professionals

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Strategies adopted by health administrations and directed towards drug cost control in primary care (PC) can, according to earlier studies, generate tension between health administrators and healthcare professionals. This study collects and analyzes the opinions of general practitioners (GPs) regarding current cost control measures as well as their proposals for improving the effectiveness of these measures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A qualitative exploratory study was carried out using 11 focus groups composed of GPs from the Spanish regions of Aragon, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. A semi-structured guide was applied in obtaining the GPs' opinions. The transcripts of the dialogues were analyzed by two investigators who independently considered categorical and thematic content. The results were supervised by other members of the team, with overall responsibility assigned to the team leader.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>GPs are conscious of their public responsibility with respect to pharmaceutical cost, but highlight the need to spread responsibility for cost control among the different actors of the health system. They insist on implementing measures to improve the quality of prescriptions, avoiding mere quantitative evaluations of prescription costs. They also suggest moving towards the self-management of the pharmaceutical budget by each health centre itself, as a means to design personalized incentives to improve their outcomes. These proposals need to be considered by the health administration in order to pre-empt the feelings of injustice, impotence, frustration and lack of motivation that currently exist among GPs as a result of the implemented measures.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Future investigations should be oriented toward strategies that involve GPs in the planning and management of drug cost control mechanisms. The proposals in this study may be considered by the health administration as a means to move toward the rational use of drugs while avoiding concerns about injustice and feelings of impotence on the part of the GPs, which can lead to lack of interest in and disaffection with the current measures.</p

Meta-analysis of the research about MOOC during 2013-2014

The first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) was launched in 2008 in Canada. Since then these new model of online education has proliferated around the world and sparked many interesting and often heated discussions regarding their benefits and implications in the field of education. In order to understand and contribute to the debate surrounding MOOCs and their educational possibilities it is necessary to go beyond opinion, intuition or isolated experiences. It is necessary to have evidence that allows for systematic, detailed and contrastive evaluation. Following the methodology used in an earlier investigation that analyzed publications from the first five years of MOOC delivery, this article looks at studies that focus on MOOCs between 2013-2014. Through a systematic search of the available literature, we found 228 investigative works, published in peer reviewed journals. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of these publications is presented. Classification was based on the year of publication, the type of publication and eleven distinct categories we found of interest. We found that increases in the number of publications and, to a lesser extent, presentations at conferences. Pedagogical strategies are the most common focus as well as learner motivation, presentence and implications for higher education systems. The reach/scope of the MOOC phenomenon for online teaching has sparked and challenged both institutions (their structure, pedagogical model, management and business) as well as instructors (their roles and competencies). In order for answers to be able to settle in what the evidence in the investigation has been building, it is necessary to agree on a common set of topics and research methodologies. © 2015, Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia. All rights reserved.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Violencia de género en las universidades españolas

La violencia de género ya no es un tema relegado a la esfera privada. Gracias al esfuerzo de los colectivos de mujeres se ha conseguido trasladar al ámbito público permitiendo que se introduzca en las agendas políticas de varios países. Este es el caso por ejemplo de España con Ley Integral contra la Violencia de Género, la primera legislación en Europa en abordar esta temática de forma específica. En la presente comunicación vamos a presentar los resultados preliminares de la investigación Violencia de género en las universidades españolas (2005-2008), proyecto I+D+I coordinado por CREA y subvencionado por el Instituto de la Mujer, que se centra en analizar la violencia de género en el ámbito universitario. Una de las líneas de investigación de CREA está dirigida al estudio del género y de la violencia de género de la que destacan diferentes investigaciones . En el ámbito universitario español no existe información concreta sobre violencia de género. No obstante si que se encuentran datos que muestran que la generación de 18 a 29 años presenta unos porcentajes de maltratos considerables. En el año 1999 este dato era de un 15,6% para este grupo de edad (Instituto de la Mujer, 2000). En otros países, sin embargo, sí que se han desarrollado investigaciones específicas sobre esta problemática. Es el caso de The International Dating Violence Study de Murray A. Straus de la Universidad de New Hampshire, Estados Unidos .En dicha investigación, desarrollada en 30 países con características diferentes, se observa que cerca del 30% de los chicos universitarios han realizado algún tipo de agresión en la relación con su pareja. En este contexto se enmarca la investigación Violencia de género en las universidades españolas . Su objetivo general es el de analizar situaciones de violencia de género en seis universidades españolas (Universidad Jaume I, Universidad de Barcelona, Universidad de Sevilla, Universidad de Valladolid, Universidad de Murcia y Universidad del País Vasco) para posteriormente efectuar propuestas que puedan contribuir a la articulación de acciones orientadas a la superación de la misma. Para ello se está diseñando una encuesta que se implementará en diferentes universidades y cuyos datos nos han de permitir identificar situaciones en las que el alumnado haya vivido violencia de género, haciendo especial hincapié en cómo se ha configurado esta violencia, a quiénes ha ido dirigida y qué acciones se podrían diseñar para superarl

Violencia de género en las universidades españolas

La violencia de género ya no es un tema relegado a la esfera privada. Gracias al esfuerzo de los colectivos de mujeres se ha conseguido trasladar al ámbito público permitiendo que se introduzca en las agendas políticas de varios países. Este es el caso por ejemplo de España con Ley Integral contra la Violencia de Género, la primera legislación en Europa en abordar esta temática de forma específica. En la presente comunicación vamos a presentar los resultados preliminares de la investigación Violencia de género en las universidades españolas (2005-2008), proyecto I+D+I coordinado por CREA y subvencionado por el Instituto de la Mujer, que se centra en analizar la violencia de género en el ámbito universitario. Una de las líneas de investigación de CREA está dirigida al estudio del género y de la violencia de género de la que destacan diferentes investigaciones . En el ámbito universitario español no existe información concreta sobre violencia de género. No obstante si que se encuentran datos que muestran que la generación de 18 a 29 años presenta unos porcentajes de maltratos considerables. En el año 1999 este dato era de un 15,6% para este grupo de edad (Instituto de la Mujer, 2000). En otros países, sin embargo, sí que se han desarrollado investigaciones específicas sobre esta problemática. Es el caso de The International Dating Violence Study de Murray A. Straus de la Universidad de New Hampshire, Estados Unidos .En dicha investigación, desarrollada en 30 países con características diferentes, se observa que cerca del 30% de los chicos universitarios han realizado algún tipo de agresión en la relación con su pareja. En este contexto se enmarca la investigación Violencia de género en las universidades españolas . Su objetivo general es el de analizar situaciones de violencia de género en seis universidades españolas (Universidad Jaume I, Universidad de Barcelona, Universidad de Sevilla, Universidad de Valladolid, Universidad de Murcia y Universidad del País Vasco) para posteriormente efectuar propuestas que puedan contribuir a la articulación de acciones orientadas a la superación de la misma. Para ello se está diseñando una encuesta que se implementará en diferentes universidades y cuyos datos nos han de permitir identificar situaciones en las que el alumnado haya vivido violencia de género, haciendo especial hincapié en cómo se ha configurado esta violencia, a quiénes ha ido dirigida y qué acciones se podrían diseñar para superarl

Relevance of MIA and S100 serum tumor markers to monitor BRAF inhibitor therapy in metastatic melanoma patients

BRAF V600 mutation has been reported in more than 50% of melanoma cases and its presence predicts clinical activity of BRAF inhibitors (iBRAF). We evaluated the role of MIA, S100 and LDH to monitor iBRAF efficiency in advanced melanoma patients presenting BRAF V600 mutations. This was a prospective study of melanoma patients harboring the BRAF V600 mutation and treated with iBRAF within a clinical trial (dabrafenib) or as part of an expanded access program (vemurafenib). MIA, S100 and LDH were analyzed in serum at baseline, and every 4–6 weeks during treatment. Eighteen patients with melanoma stages IIIc–IV were enrolled with 88.8% of response rate to iBRAF. Baseline concentrations of all the tumor markers correlated with tumor burden. MIA and S100 concentrations decreased significantly one month after the beginning of treatment and, upon progression, their concentrations increased significantly above the minimum levels previously achieved. MIA levels lower than 9 μg/L one month after the beginning of treatment and S100 concentrations lower than 0.1 μg/L at the moment of best response were associated with improved progression-free survival. In conclusion, MIA and S100 are useful to monitor response in melanoma patients treated with iBRA