Innovative trends in online training: website offers of e-learning and blended learning postgraduate courses in Spain

Este trabajo analiza la oferta de postgrados en e-learning y blended-learning de las principales universidades españolas. Se examina la promoción vía web identificando si la información facilitada refleja una imagen innovadora en cuanto a las principales tendencias en e-learning (MOOCs, mobile-learing, Gamificación, Social Media, Realidad aumentada, OCW, y otras). Para ello se describe la oferta en general y se analizan las páginas webs de 689 programas de postgrado pertenecientes a 27 universidades públicas y privadas. Como resultado se identifican cuatro tipos de universidades y la necesidad de una sistematización en la comunicación en pro de la innovación y la calidad.This paper analyses the range of e-learning and blended learning postgraduate courses on offer at Spain's leading universities. It examines online promotion, identifying whether the information provided reflects an innovative image with regard to the main trends in e-learning (MOOCs, mobile-learning, gaming, social media, augmented reality, OCW, and others). To this end, it describes the general offer available and analyses the webpages of 689 postgraduate programmes offered by 27 public and private universities. As a result, it identifies four types of universities and highlights the need to systematise communication in favour of innovation and quality

La construcción de la ‘Cuestión Gitana Rumana’ en el Área Metropolitana de Barcelona: espacios públicos urbanos, conflictos vecinales y política local.

This paper intends to present a general overview of the situation of the Romanian Roma Population in Barcelona Metropolitan Area and briefly describe and analyse the ways in which their presence is being managed. Methodology used range from media analysis to ethnographic fieldwork. First, I will offer some references as well as a general background of the presence and migratory process of the Romanian Roma population in Spain and Barcelona. Next, I will focus on the local construction of the ‘Roma Issue’, briefly using three different and interrelated examples: public space regulation and marginal economic strategies; settlement policies and the idea of nomadism-mobility; and finally political construction and culturalization of concrete neighbourhood conflicts. Finally, I intend to offer some conclusions as well as some reflections about the possible evolution of these processes both at a local and state level

Piedra, papel y tijera. Vivienda y gestión del asentamiento de la población Rrom / gitana rumana en el área metropolitana de Barcelona (2006-2014)

La población rrom (gitana) rumana en el Área Metropolitana de Barcelona ha sido objeto cíclicamente de atención en relación con la vivienda por parte de los medios (particularmente en los momentos previos a unas elecciones). Dicha población, presente fundamentalmente en Badalona y Santa Coloma de Gramenet vive mayoritariamente en pisos; y es precisamente en este último ámbito en el que se concentran la mayor parte de las problemáticas que sirven como escenario para el conflicto (sobreocupación, acumulación de chatarra, etc.) sea éste más o menos magnificado por los actores políticos y los medios. Sin embargo, pocas veces las narrativas sobre el mismo van más allá de una esencialización cultural, analizando en profundidad los factores que intervienen en el acceso a la vivienda de dicha población. La intención de este texto, además de analizar someramente cómo se están construyendo dichos discursos, es ofrecer una visión concreta de la interrelación de diferentes factores y sus consecuencias sobre la propia población a partir de un trabajo etnográfico realizado en los últimos siete años.Romanian Roma population in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona have cyclically been given visibility by media in aspects related with housing (particularly prior to elections). The majority of this population, residing mainly in Badalona and Santa Coloma de Gramenet municipalities, inhabits in flats; and it is precisely this subject the one that concentrates most of the issues pointed out as conflictive (overcrowding, scrap metal collection, and so on) being it magnified or not by the political actors and the media. However, almost never the narratives about that situation go beyond a cultural essentialism, analyzing in depth the factors that intervene in access to proper housing for that population. The aim of this text, aside of briefly analyze how these discourses are being constructed, is to offer a concrete perspective of the interrelation of different factors and their consequences on the population itself, using data from an ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the last seven years

Universalismos / relativismos y antropología : una aproximación al debate

Este artículo pretende una aproximación inicial al debate universalismo/relativismo en Antropología, en el que se intentan sistematizar algunas de las críticas y contracríticas que se han articulado en la discusión. Sin embargo, más que de una revisión histórica, se ha intentado desarrollar una postura "relativista radical" y contraponerla con diferentes aportaciones, con la intención de explorar algunas de las implicaciones del debate para la práctica antropológica.This paper is intended to be an initial approach to the universalism / relativism debate in Anthropology, trying to systematize some of the critics and counter-critics that have been used in that discussion. However, more than an historical review, it tries to expound a "radical relativist" position and confront it with different contributions, with the objective of exploring some of the implications of the debate for anthropological practice

Social preferences for ecosystem services in a biodiversity hotspot in South America

Identifying which ecosystem services are relevant to different stakeholders and understanding stakeholders’ perceptions of such services is useful for making informed decisions, especially in regions of the world where the achievement of biodiversity conservation goals is threatened by economically productive activities. In this article, we assess social preferences for ecosystem services in a biodiversity hotspot in central Chile. We use a consultative case study to ask local stakeholders (n = 70) from the Campana Peñuelas Biosphere Reserve to identify the most important ecosystem services the area provides for them and inquire about the perceived vulnerability of the services to changes in the future. We also explore the association between the perceived importance of ecosystem services and the sociodemographic and cultural characteristics of the respondents, which allows us to identify contrasting stakeholder perceptions of different ecosystem services. The most important services for local actors were the drinking water, fresh air and climate change control, genetic pool of plant communities in central Chile, and educational value. From the perspective of local actors, the services that could be threatened by negative changes in the future in terms of their provision included the possibilities of developing conservation activities focused on iconic threatened animal and plant species, water regulation, food from agriculture, and drinking water. Contrasting perceptions about the importance of ecosystem services emerged among stakeholders. While small farmers and members of local organizations attributed higher importance values to provisioning services, scientists and rangers and administrators of protected areas as well as teachers, NGO members and local government employees attributed more importance to the regulating and cultural services associated with threatened species. Our results can serve as a source of information for the planning and decision-making processes related to the search for socially and ecologically sustainable solutions for land use managemen

Contract staggering and unemployment during the great recession : evidence from Spain

Una caída de la actividad agregada conlleva una reducción de la demanda de empleo, que es tanto mayor cuanto más rígidos sean los salarios. Este artículo examina el impacto de la rigidez salarial en España sobre la evolución del empleo entre 2009 y 2010. La extensión de los convenios colectivos de sector a todas las empresas en el ámbito negociado permite identifi car a los trabajadores sujetos a salarios mínimos de sector —una fuente de rigidez salarial—. El grado de rigidez salarial varía entre ámbitos de negociación, ya que los convenios negociados tras una caída de la actividad agregada pueden ajustar los salarios pactados, lo que no es posible para los convenios ya firmados. Así, los convenios firmados tras la quiebra de Lehman Brothers pactaron un incremento salarial para 2009 inferior en 1,3 puntos porcentuales al acordado en los convenios firmados antes del 15 de septiembre de 2008. Si se enlazan datos individuales de trabajadores afiliados a la Seguridad Social con registros de convenios, se descubre que los trabajadores cuyo convenio de sector fue pactado antes de la caída de Lehman Brothers tuvieron una probabilidad de perder el empleo en 1 punto por ciento superior a la del resto. Las caídas en el empleo se concentraron en los trabajadores cuyo salario antes de la recesión estaba próximo a la tarifa de convenio. Esta evidencia sugiere que la dificultad para renegociar contratos amplifica el efecto sobre el empleo de las fluctuaciones en la demanda agregada. Finalmente, se discute en qué medida estos resultados se pueden extrapolar a otros períodosWe study the impact of (widespread) downward wage rigidity on the flows from employment to non-employment at the onset of the Great Recession. Downward wage (growth) rigidity is due to the fact that sector-level collective agreements in Spain are automatically extended to all firms, setting wage minima for workers in the same province-industry-skill cell. We identify the impact of wage rigidity on employment because, unlike settled ones, newly bargained contracts can adjust to aggregate shocks. Using the exact dates of bargaining periods of all sector-level contracts in Spain, we find that agreements reached after the fall of Lehman Brothers were for an average wage growth of 1.8%, while agreements signed before 15 September 2008 were for mean wage increases of 3.1%. Matching information on collective agreements with longitudinal Social Security records on workers, we document two findings. Firstly, the probability of job loss between 2009 and 2010 was 1 percent higher among workers covered by agreements signed before the fall of Lehman Brothers than among workers covered by contracts signed afterwards. Secondly, the analysis of a subsample of contracts with information about the exact province-industry-skill level minimum wage suggests that the impact of date of contract signature on wage changes and employment losses is confi ned to workers whose pre-recession earnings were below 1.2 times the contract-specifi c minimum wage. Those findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the staggering of contracts and the inability to renegotiate contracts amplify aggregate shocks. We end with a discussion of whether those results can be extrapolated to other sample period

Comparative effectiveness of tele-monitoring of pacemaker versus conventional modality: quality of life at the 6 months of follow-up

Cartel presentado en la Segunda Conferencia Internacional de Comunicación en Salud, celebrada el 23 de octubre de 2015 en la Universidad Carlos III de MadridBackground: The use of tele-monitoring (TM) of pacemakers (PM) is limited, and very few studies have focused on their comparative effectiveness. Objectives: Evaluate the effectiveness of TM of PM in comparison with the monitoring performed in hospital (HM). Methods: Controlled, not randomized nor masked clinical trial, with collecting data pre and post-implantation and a follow-up of 6 months. All patients over 18 who were implanted a PM in the study period were selected (n=83), being assigned either to TM (n=30) or to HM (n=53) group. Baseline characteristics and number of visits to the hospital were analysed, and the questionnaires administrated were EuroQol-5D (EQ5D) to evaluate the health-related quality of life and Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) to assess the functional capacity. Results: Groups were similar in baseline characteristics, including EQ5D (TM:0,7299; HM:0,6769) and DASI (TM:21,41; HM:19,99). At 6 months, EQ5D was improved in both groups (EQ5D TM:0,8613; HM:0,8175; p=0,439) still without differences between them. DASI score was similar to baseline. Significant differences were found in number of follow-up transmissions/visits per patient, being lower for TM group (1.57 vs. 1.96; relative reduction 31%; p=0.015). Conclusions: Although tele-monitoring of pacemakers shows a similar effectiveness and safety, it significantly reduces the number of follow-up visits regarding hospital monitoring.This study has been financially supported by the NILS Science and sustainability Program under the European Economic Area Grants

"Estás de siete meses y...¿vienes ahora?" L'atenció a la salut sexual i reproductiva de la població gitana romanesa.

Aquest article pretén senyalar alguns dels factors socials i culturals que intervenen en l’atenció a la salut sexual i reproductiva de la població gitana romanesa, assentada a l'Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona, a partir del treball etnogràfic realitzat en dos col lectius rrom provinents de diferents localitats de Romania. A través del coneixement assolit en diferents contextos, més específicament en unitats domèstiques i acompanyaments a dones embarassades als serveis sanitaris, volem facilitar una mirada més complexa i respectuosa, que ens permeti deconstruir prejudicis negatius, que sovint apareixen en els espais de consulta, vers aquesta població; com també, considerar la interpretació que els rrom fan de determinats processos com la gestació i la seva medicalització. Així doncs, la finalitat és aportar elements que ajudin a trobar respostes. Que obrin finestres de comprensió a la qüestió que encapçala aquest article: “Estás de siete meses y... ¿vienes ahora?”. Abstract:This article aims to highlight some of the social and cultural factors that may influence the sexual and reproductive health of the Romanian gypsy population whohave settled in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. It is based on ethnographic research carried out with two Rrom groups who arrived from different areas in Romania.Thanks to the knowledge acquired from different situations -mainly in domestic units and taking pregnant women to the health centres-, we mean to develop a more comprehensive and respectful approach, not only to remove the negative prejudice -that may often take place in different health centres- against this group, but also to consider the Rrom's own mentality regarding certain processes like the time of pregnancy or their medication.Therefore, our purpose is to offer guidance and advice that could open paths of understanding in the main issue of this article: "Seven-month pregnant ...and is this your first visit?"