Multimedia Games for Fun and Learning English in Preschool

Based on the assumption that educational software addressing Primary school learners must comprise a set of features to encourage children’s creativity and development, the appropriate design of second language hypermedia adaptive games for Primary School children can pose a wide range of challenges for both the language teacher and computer specialist alike. Factors such as the educational context, cognitive abilities, linguistic constraints, conceptual and psychomotor restrictions, and so on, contribute to challenging professionals with linguistic, content and technology adaptation queries to be coped with. Based on the results from multi-factorial analysis, this paper aims firstly to demonstrate that the design of hypermedia tasks can be optimally implemented by following previous phases of data collection on preferred items, questioning approach for the creation of a hypermedia system which has led us to analyze learning factors in order to deal with the possible linguistic, conceptual and technological demands in the children’s learning environment. General results in the preliminary phases of the study indicate the need to veer the path towards a more adapted means of communicating with children, findings from which we have devised a set of hypermedia tasks which provide the adaptation of the information presented to the student according to individual objectives, interests and/or knowledge

Evaluación de prácticas de programación mediante rúbricas en Moodle

En este trabajo presentamos una herramienta utilizada para evaluar varias prácticas de programación dentro de una asignatura de informática básica del primer curso de dos ingenierías. Nuestro objetivo es utilizar la misma herramienta en todas las prácticas y que ésta sea conocida por los estudiantes para que puedan ser conscientes de su aprendizaje. La herramienta consistirá en una rúbrica y tendrá en cuenta varios aspectos del desarrollo de una práctica: funcionamiento, resolución, documentación, etc. De esta manera, los alumnos podrán ver en qué grado han completado cada aspecto y aprender de los errores para tenerlos en cuenta en el desarrollo de las siguientes prácticas, y consecuentemente, poder obtener una mayor calificación. A lo largo del documento vamos a ver cómo se ha diseñado nuestra rúbrica y para qué se ha utilizado. Finalmente, veremos algunos datos obtenidos de las evaluaciones realizadas con la rúbrica y también las opiniones de nuestros alumnos sobre el diseño de la rúbrica y su utilidad para realizar evaluaciones.SUMMARY -- In this work, we show a tool used to assess a set of programming practices within a subject dealing with basic computing in the first course of two engineering degrees. Our goal is to use the same tool in several practices and this tool should be known by students, thus they will be aware of their learning. The tool consists in a rubric which will take into account some aspects of the development of a practice: working, resolution, software documentation, etc. In this way, students will be able to see in what grade they have completed each aspect and learn from their mistakes in order to take them into account for future practice developments, and, in consequence, getting better marks. Along this document we will see how our rubric has been designed and its use. Finally, we present some assessment data with the rubric and our students’ opinions about the rubric design and its use for assessing

Lorentz violation in nucleon electromagnetic moments

Yukawa couplings from the Lorentz- and $CPT$-violating Standard Model Extension induce quantum contributions to the magnetic and electric moments of quarks, which are calculated in the present paper. Then we take advantage of the high sensitivity measurements of the proton and neutron electromagnetic moments (EMM), suitable to search for tiny effects of new physics, to constrain coefficients parametrizing Lorentz violation, reaching bounds as restrictive as $10^{-23}$.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl

Actividad neurotóxica y cambios ultraestructurales en musculos causados por el veneno de la araña viuda marrón Latrodectus geometricus

Brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus) venom (BrWSV) produces few local lesions and intense systemic reactions such as cramps, harsh muscle pains, nausea, vomiting and hypertension. Approximately 16 protein bands under reducing conditions and ~ 14 bands under non-reducing conditions on a 12.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were observed. Neurotoxic clinical manifestations were confirmed in vivo, while proteolytic activity was demonstrated on gelatine film. Severe ultrastructural damages in mice skeletal muscles were observed at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h postinjection with at total of 45 µg of venom protein. Infiltration of eosinophils and ruptures of the cellular membranes were observed in the muscles along with swelling of the nuclear cover and interruption of the collagen periodicity. Altered mitochondrias and autophage vacuoles, nuclear indentation and mitochondria without cristae, slight increment of intermyofibrillar and subsarcolemic spaces and myelinic figures formation were also observed. In the capillary, endothelial membrane unfolding into the lumen was noticed; along with myelinic figures compatible with a toxic myopathy. Swollen sarcotubular systems with lysis of membrane, intense mitochondria autophagia and areas without pinocytic vesicles were observed. Swollen mitochondria surrounded by necrotic areas, myofibrillar disorganization and big vacuolas of the sarcotubular system, degenerated mitochondrium with formation of myelinic figure was seen. Glycogenosomes with small particulate, muscle type glycogen was noticed. Autophagic vacuole (autophagolysosomes) and necrotic areas were also noticed. These damages may be due to interactive effects of the multifactorial action of venom components. However, Latrodectus geometricus venom molecules may also be utilized as neuro therapeutic tools, as they affect neuronal activities with high affinity and selectivity. To our knowledge, the present study is the first ultrastructural report in the literature of muscle injuries and neurological and proteolytic activities caused by BrWSV.El veneno de la araña viuda marrón (Latrodectus geometricus) produce pocas lesiones locales pero intensas reacciones sistémicas, tales como calambres, dolores musculares severos, nauseas, vómitos e hipertensión arterial. Se observaron ~ 16 bandas de proteina bajo condiciones reducidas y ~14 bandas bajo condiciones no reducidas en electroforesis en geles de poliacrilamida al 12.5%. Las manifestaciones neurotóxicas clínicas fueron confirmadas in vivo, mientras que la actividad proteolítica fue demostrada en una placa de gelatina. Los músculos de ratón se estudiaron durante las 3, 6, 12 y 24 horas después de ser inyectados con 45 µg de proteina de veneno. Los músculos fueron seriamente dañados por este veneno. Se demostró una infiltracción de células eosinofílicas y rupturas de membranas celulares en tejido muscular, al mismo tiempo un fuerte incremento de la membrana nuclear y una interrupción de la periodicidad del colágeno. Se observaron daños en la mitocondria y sin cristaes, vacuolas autofágicas e indentación nuclear. Se notó un aumento de la luz de los espacios intermiofibrilares y subsarcolemicos. En los capilares fue visible un desdoblamiento de la membrana endotelial hacia el lúmen vascular. Del mismo modo, fue visto un hinchamiento del sistema sarcotubular con lisis de las membranas; intensa autofagia de mitocondrias y áreas sin vesículas pinocíticas. Fue además observado, glucogenosomas con glucogeno particulado. Se observaron vacuolas autofágicas (autofagolisosomas) y áreas de necrosis. Estos daños podrían ser atribuídos a los efectos interactivos de una acción multifactorial de los componentes del veneno

A Transitional Year Level to Higher Education: Challenges, Experiences and Self-regulatory Strategies during the Final Year of the University Preparatory Level

Final Year level of the University Preparatory cycle (FYUP) –in Spanish 2º Bachillerato– is one of the most challenging academic courses. It is extremely demanding academically in itself and by the end of it students must also pass the university entry exam. Yet research has not investigated how students experience this year. We thus explored, using in-depth interviews with 75 students from two public high schools, their attitudes toward this academic year. Our results showed that (a) the participants struggled greatly during FYUP, experiencing high levels of academic stress (that affects their general well-being, mostly because of the high academic demands); (b) students were looking forward to their university experience but were concerned about failing or not finding their place; and (c) they reported a narrow range of learning, motivational, and emotional strategies. This study shows that students face significant learning and academic challenges during FYUP. A clear educational implication is that interventions should be implemented in earlier years to help the students be better prepared

Contrast of a Quality Control Model for Sustainability in a Mexican Organization in Central Mexico

Often, the total quality has been instrumented before being weighted. The strategies even precede a diagnosis in Mexican organizations, but in an opposite sense, the present work set out to establish the reliability and validity of an instrument to measure the perception of total quality based on three indicators related to management. , production and transfer of knowledge. A nonperimental study was carried out with a non-probabilistic selection of 124 administrative staff and employees from an organization in central Mexico. From a structural model ⌠X2 = 123,24 (23df) p = 0,010; GFI = 0,990; CFI =,991; IFI = 0,993; RMSEA = 0,007⌡, it was found that management affects production (0,38) and this about the total perceived quality (0,35), although there are lines of research concerning empathy, commitment, entrepreneurship, satisfaction and happiness in relation to the implementation of continuous improvements to the quality of processes and products

Hacia la convergencia europea. Nuestros indicadores de calidad y su mejora

La convergencia hacia el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior nos obliga a la modificación de nuestras titulaciones y la Ley Orgánica de Universidades, a que estas nuevas enseñanzas sean de calidad. Por lo tanto nos enfrentamos a un proceso de revisión y evaluación para el que quizás no estemos preparados. Analizando los criterios de calidad dictados por la Agencia Nacional de Evaluación de la Calidad y Acreditación (ANECA) y por el borrador del Libro Blanco del título de Grado en Ingeniería Informática, realizamos un análisis de la situación en la que se encuentran las titulaciones de Informática en la Universidad de Extremadura. Buscamos un punto de referencia para comenzar a mejorar y prepararnos para una nueva situación a punto de llegar