7 research outputs found
Use of interactive response devices for the improvement of teaching in the degrees of the Faculty of Sciences
La implantación de los nuevos Grados dentro del EEES supone un nuevo enfoque metodológico, pero sobre todo evaluador. El profesor debe esforzarse en ser capaz de valorar no sólo el nivel de conocimientos del alumnado sobre los contenidos, ya que la sociedad actual demanda un perfil de los egresados más completo basado en la formación por competencias. La adquisición de ambas facetas por parte del alumnado se basa principalmente en actividades presenciales y metodologías docentes aplicadas en el desarrollo de las asignaturas, tanto en grupo reducido como en grupo completo. Por tanto, cualquier herramienta adicional que ayude al docente a facilitar esta doble tarea es bien recibida, pues permitirá evaluar el rendimiento académico global del alumnado. Recientemente la Facultad de Ciencias ha puesto en marcha una experiencia piloto mediante la cual un nutrido grupo de profesores ha incorporado en su docencia un sistema de mandos inalámbricos de respuesta. Actualmente, la Facultad de Ciencias dispone de un total de 82 mandos inalámbricos de respuesta y tres antenas receptoras. Esta nueva tecnología ha permitido al docente realizar, de forma interactiva, preguntas colectivas al alumnado y recoger las respuestas individuales de forma inmediata. Los resultados obtenidos en este proyecto nos permiten ser muy optimistas con el uso de esta herramienta y nos animan a continuar en la misma línea. El profesorado participante se ha mostrado dispuesto a continuar empleando esta TIC en su docencia, tratando de abarcar más asignaturas, diversificar el tipo de pruebas, y emplear los mandos de respuesta en grupo completo, cuando el número de alumnos lo permita. La puesta en común de los resultados revela que, de forma general, este tipo de sistemas de respuesta incrementa el nivel de atención del alumnado, ya que se les demanda de forma continuada su participación activa durante la sesión. Se potencia la retención de conceptos, al suministrar en el acto la respuesta correcta a cada pregunta realizada. Permite también al profesorado conocer el nivel previo de conocimientos sobre la materia a impartir, ya que se puede realizar este tipo de preguntas al comienzo de la sesión y enfocar entonces su atención en las debilidades manifestadas. Asimismo se puede testar el grado de adquisición de dichos conocimientos, realizando este tipo de cuestionarios después de la sesión. Además, el tratamiento posterior de los resultados, de forma individualizada, permite gestionar de forma ágil el nivel de conocimientos y adquisición de competencias en lo que es un sistema de evaluación continua, tan necesario en los nuevos enfoques metodológicos nacidos de la implantación del EEES. Por último destacar que el profesorado participante ha considerado que se trata de una herramienta de gran utilidad para la consecución del objetivo de excelencia en la docencia, que además es eficaz y de fácil manejo, y entiende que no debe ser una actividad puntual, sino un proceso transformador en la actividad docente e interacción alumno-profesor, configurándose como una herramienta habitual en los sistemas de enseñanza-aprendizaje.Implementation of the new degrees in the EHEA involve a new methodological approach, but above all evaluation. The teacher should strive to be able to assess not only the level of knowledge of the students on the content, as the current society demands a profile of the most complete graduates based on training by competencies. The acquisition of both facets by students is based mainly on face-to-face activities and teaching methodologies applied in the development of the subjects, both in small group and in whole group. Therefore, any additional tool that helps the teacher to facilitate this double task is well received, since it will allow to evaluate the overall academic performance of the students. Recently the Faculty of Sciences has launched a pilot experience through which a large group of teachers has incorporated into their teaching a system of interactive response devices. Currently, the Faculty of Sciences has a total of 82 wireless response controllers and three receiving antennas. This new technology has enabled the teacher to interact interactively with the students and collect the individual answers immediately. The results obtained in this project allow us to be very optimistic with the use of this tool and encourage us to continue in the same line. The participating teachers have been willing to continue using this ICT in their teaching, trying to cover more subjects, diversify the type of tests, and use the full group response commands, when the number of students allows. The sharing of results reveals that, in a general way, this type of response systems increases the level of attention of the students, since they are continuously demanded their active participation during the session. The retention of concepts is strengthened by providing the correct answer to every question asked. It also allows the faculty to know the previous level of knowledge about the subject to be taught, since this type of questions can be asked at the beginning of the session and then focus their attention on the weaknesses manifested. It is also possible to test the degree of acquisition of this knowledge, performing this type of questionnaire after the session. In addition, the subsequent treatment of the results, in an individualized way, allows to manage in an agile way the level of knowledge and acquisition of competences in what is a system of continuous evaluation, so necessary in the new methodological approaches born from the implantation of the EHEA. Finally, it should be pointed out that the participating teachers have considered that this is a very useful tool for achieving the objective of excellence in teaching, which is also efficient and easy to use and understands that it should not be a specific activity, but a transforming process in the teaching activity and student-teacher interaction, being configured as a habitual tool in the teaching-learning systems
Overexpression of the Aspergillus niger GatA transporter leads to preferential use of D-galacturonic acid over D-xylose
Enzyme production from food wastes using a biorefinery concept
According to Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), one-third of food produced globally for human consumption (nearly 1.3 billion tonnes) is lost along the food supply chain. In many countries food waste is currently landfilled or incinerated together with other combustible municipal wastes for possible recovery of energy. However, these two options are facing more and more economic and environmental stresses. Due to its organic- and nutrient-rich nature, theoretically food waste can be converted to valuable products (e.g. bio-products such as methane, hydrogen, ethanol, enzymes, organic acids, chemicals and fuels) through various fermentation processes. Such conversion of food waste is potentially more profitable than its conversion to animal feed or transportation fuel. Food waste valorisation has therefore gained interest, with value added bio-products such as methane, hydrogen, ethanol, enzymes, organic acids, chemicals, and fuels. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide information on the food waste situation with emphasis on Asia–Pacific countries and the state of the art food waste processing technologies to produce enzymes