Cloud services, interoperability and analytics within a ROLE-enabled personal learning environment

The ROLE project (Responsive Open Learning Environments, EU 7th Framework Programme, grant agreement no.: 231396, 2009-2013) was focused on the next generation of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs). A ROLE PLE is a bundle of interoperating widgets - often realised as cloud services - used for teaching and learning. In this paper, we first describe the creation of new ROLE widgets and widget bundles at Galileo University, Guatemala, within a cloud-based infrastructure. We introduce an initial architecture for cloud interoperability services including the means for collecting interaction data as needed for learning analytics. Furthermore, we describe the newly implemented widgets, namely a social networking tool, a mind-mapping tool and an online document editor, as well as the modification of existing widgets. The newly created and modified widgets have been combined in two different bundles that have been evaluated in two web-based courses at Galileo University, with participants from three different Latin-American countries. We measured emotional aspects, motivation, usability and attitudes towards the environment. The results demonstrated the readiness of cloud-based education solutions, and how ROLE can bring together such an environment from a PLE perspective

Small Brown Faces in Large White Spaces

In this chapter we will explore how multiculturalism in the field of academic librarianship is mobilized and what the shape of that mobilization can tell us about issues of identity and the body. As former resident librarians of color, we the authors felt unmoored by the expectations put upon us as diversity resident librarians for a multitude of reasons. We had to learn quickly, but not ask too many questions or else we would seem unprofessional; we had to be ambitious, but not be intimidating to our coworkers. Above all, we had to be successful, which allowed little room for error or discord. This is our attempt to pull back that narrative and use our voices to represent our full identity

Comparing Apples to Apples Oranges: An Exploration of the Use of LibGuides in ARL Libraries

The University of Louisville (UofL) Libraries, like thousands of libraries all over the world, use LibGuides content management software from Springshare to create and maintain several hundred subject guide webpages. Although the librarians spend countless hours every year on their guides, a study of guide usage has never been undertaken. As the authors began to look at the usage statistics for their institution, they wondered if examining only statistics from UofL Libraries would be looking at them in a vacuum. The UofL Libraries is a mid-size to large library system with six separate libraries and is a member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The authors decided to use UofL’s statistics as a reference point in asking the following questions: How did UofL’s usage compare to other, similar libraries? What types of guides have libraries created? What guide types are the most heavily used? How does guide placement affect use? The question of how to increase usage was also important given the amount of funding and time spent on the guides. A number of challenges were present as the authors attempted to embark on the research. Since UofL Libraries is a member of ARL, the study was limited to other ARL member Libraries. Although LibGuides are ubiquitous at ARL Libraries, collecting usage data was dependent on the goodwill of those libraries as it was not publicly available. The implementation of the guides at institutions can be radically different and those implementations are affected by internal policies that were not readily available. In addition, LibGuides are more ephemeral in nature than it would first appear. They appear, change, and disappear with a rapidity that makes it difficult to do in-depth, meaningful analysis. Nevertheless, this article will provide a snapshot in time of the use of the software across 27 libraries, demonstrate the wide variation in use of the guides, and provide some practical suggestions for increasing usage based on the authors’ findings

A renorming in some Banach spaces with applications to fixed point theory

AbstractWe consider a Banach space X endowed with a linear topology τ and a family of seminorms {Rk(⋅)} which satisfy some special conditions. We define an equivalent norm ⦀⋅⦀ on X such that if C is a convex bounded closed subset of (X,⦀⋅⦀) which is τ-relatively sequentially compact, then every nonexpansive mapping T:C→C has a fixed point. As a consequence, we prove that, if G is a separable compact group, its Fourier–Stieltjes algebra B(G) can be renormed to satisfy the FPP. In case that G=T, we recover P.K. Lin's renorming in the sequence space ℓ1. Moreover, we give new norms in ℓ1 with the FPP, we find new classes of nonreflexive Banach spaces with the FPP and we give a sufficient condition so that a nonreflexive subspace of L1(μ) can be renormed to have the FPP

Web application for teaching the subject "Preparation for the Defense"

Introducción: la formación en entornos virtuales constituye una de las puntas de lanza en muchas propuestas de innovación para la educación superior actual. Los objetos de aprendizaje, diseñados con su empleo, son probablemente la tendencia más importante en el ámbito mundial en lo que respecta a la producción de contenidos educativos como apoyo adicional al proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje.Objetivo: desarrollar una aplicación Web para el proceso enseñanza aprendizaje de la disciplina Preparación para la Defensa, para elevar la calidad de la preparación militar en la formación del profesional de la salud en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas Dr. Ernesto “Ché” Guevara de la Serna de Pinar del Rio.Métodos: la investigación se basó en el enfoque dialéctico, el cual se asumió como base filosófica de los elementos tratados en la tesis, se utilizaron los métodos de investigación, tanto teóricos como empíricos, dentro de los que se encontraron: histórico lógico, análisis y síntesis, inducción y deducción, la modelación y el análisis documental.Resultados: se visualizan recursos acordes a las carreras donde se estudia esta disciplina, tanto en pregrado como en el postgrado, a través de interfaz gráficas amigables y sencillas.Conclusiones: La elaboración de esta aplicación web resuelve problemas de limitaciones de recursos, espacio y tiempo necesarios para contribuir a la calidad de la enseñanza y el aprendizaje.Introduction: training in virtual environments constitutes one of the spearheads in many innovation proposals for current higher education. Learning objects, designed with their use, are probably the most important trend in the world regarding the production of educational contents as an additional support to the teaching-learning process.Objective: to develop a Web application for the teaching-learning process of the Defense Preparation discipline, in order to improve the quality of military preparation in the training of health professionals at the Dr. Ernesto "Ché" Guevara de la Serna School of Medical Sciences in Pinar del Rio.Methods: the research was based on the dialectical approach, which was assumed as the philosophical basis of the elements dealt with in the thesis, research methods were used, both theoretical and empirical, among which were: historical-logical, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, modeling and documentary analysis.Results: resources are visualized according to the careers where this discipline is studied, both undergraduate and graduate, through friendly and simple graphic interfaces.Conclusions: The development of this web application solves problems of resource, space and time limitations necessary to contribute to the quality of teaching and learning

Plan prospectivo y estratégico para los almacenes agropecuarios El Toro, al año 2023.

El objetivo de la presente investigación fue generar un plan prospectivo y estratégico al año 2023, para la empresa almacenes agropecuarios El Toro, ubicados en la ciudad de Palmira Valle del cauca, que en la actualidad sufre un cambio en su mercado objetivo, debido a que en su modelo de negocio actual ha tomado relevancia las nuevas tendencias de consumo de productos y servicios para mascotas, mercado de alta especialización y proyección. Con base en la información obtenida en el estado de arte y tendencias a nivel mundial, se planteó la aplicación de herramientas prospectivas, que incluyeron: Una encuesta a expertos y clientes, los datos tabulados y analizados se sometieron a la matriz MicMac, calificándolas dependiendo de su influencia y dependencia entre si dando como resultado 8 variables estratégicas, con las cuales bajo la teoría de Peter Schwartz se planteó un escenario apuesta que busca que los almacenes en mención puedan atender este nuevo mercado teniendo como estrategia principal generar un nuevo modelo de negocio cuya característica sea un cambio de cultura corporativa con elementos innovadores que permitan la satisfacción total del cliente. Se recomendó que la compañía debe alinear todos sus recursos humanos, físicos y tecnológicos en la consecución del objetivo con el fin de alargar la vida de la empresa en el mediano plazo.The objective of this research was to generate a prospective and strategic plan by 2023, for the El Toro agricultural warehouses company. El Toro is located in the city of Palmira Valle del Cauca, which currently undergoes a change in its target market, because in its current business model, new trends had appeared in the consumption of products and services for pets. The pets market is highly specialized and varied which is why it has become necessary a new prospective plan. Based on the information obtained in the state of art and trends worldwide, the application of prospective tools was raised, and included: A survey of experts and clients, the tabulated and analyzed data were submitted to the MicMac matrix, qualifying them depending on its influence and dependence on each other resulting in 8 strategic variables, with which under the theory of Peter Schwartz a betting scenario was proposed that seeks that the stores in question can attend this new market having as main strategy to generate a new business model whose characteristic is a change of corporate culture with innovative elements that allow total customer satisfaction. It was recommended that the company should align all its human, physical and technological resources for achieving the objective in order to extend the life of the company in the medium term

Extractivismo, Estado y naturaleza: Una mirada desde la economía política a la dinámica del capitalismo en Puerto Gaitán-Meta

Los desarrollos del capitalismo en Colombia, a partir de un modelo colonial extractivista, puede ser entendido por sus formas particulares de territorialización en contextos geográficos donde la construcción del estado se adapta según las necesidades producción económica. Este trabajo aborda una disertación desde la economía política, donde la región de la Altillanura, en específico el municipio de Puerto Gaitán-Meta, se emplaza en una serie de sucesos productivos y sociales, que determinan los elementos diferenciadores de la historia que construye un tipo particular de territorio, naturaleza, sociedad y economía. A partir de un análisis histórico contextual desde distintos ejes, se exponen tres estudios de caso (petróleo, agroindustria y producción agroecológica) siendo las principales formaciones socioeconómicas en el territorio. Junto con una aproximación etnográfica y entrevistas a actores relacionados con estos contextos productivos, se analizan las tres dinámicas económicas abordadas en este estudio, permitiendo ver los puntos de encuentro, contradicciones y oposiciones entre los 3 casos expuestos. A su vez las conclusiones no finalizan el estudio, siendo desde la economía política una forma de proponer nuevos elementos de análisis teórico, que enriquecen el debate, mas no finalizan la lectura y entendimiento sobre el movimiento de este sistema.Abstract: The developments of capitalism in Colombia, based on a colonial extractivist model, can be understood by its particular forms of territorialization in geographical contexts where the construction of the state is adapted according to the needs of economic production. This paper deals with a dissertation from the political economy, where the Altillanura region, specifically the municipality of Puerto Gaitán-Meta, is located in a series of productive and social events, which determine the differentiating elements of the history that builds a type particular of territory, nature, society and economy. Based on a contextual historical analysis from different axes, three case studies are presented (oil, agribusiness and agroecological production), being the main socioeconomic formations in the territory. Along with an ethnographic approach and interviews with actors related to these productive contexts, the three economic dynamics addressed in this study are analyzed, allowing us to see the meeting points, contradictions and oppositions among the 3 exposed cases. At the same time the conclusions do not end the study, being from the political economy a way of proposing new elements of theoretical analysis, that enrich the debate, but do not finish the reading and understanding about the movement of this system.Maestrí

The Stories We Tell: Engaging with Authority in Critical Health Pedagogy

This Innovative Practices piece details the design of a scaffolded project in a public health course that paired a narrative inquiry assignment with an empirical health literature review assignment to highlight both the positivist and constructivist epistemologies of critical health research in public health. The authors discuss and reflect on the five parts that constitute the project, student learning outcomes, and the benefits of engaging with critical information literacy in an undergraduate public health course. The goal of this article is to provide practical applications of critical information literacy to librarians in the health sciences who work with undergraduate students

Lignocellulosic agroindustrial waste in Peru: potential for bioethanol, energy, and reduction of CO2 emission

ABSTRACT The residues from agricultural and agroindustrial activities are not adequately valorised and at best they are destined for animal consumption or else they are inadequately disposed of. The objective of the present work was to estimate and highlight the energy (calorific and electric) potential of second-generation bioethanol production using lignocellulosic waste from the most important crops in Peru. In addition, the reduction of CO2 emissions by using bioethanol produced from those lignocellulosic wastes was estimated. The biomass considered in this study was from the harvest and processing of sugarcane, rice, banana, yellow corn, oil palm and asparagus. It was determined that the annual lignocellulosic biomass availability was ~22 million tons, from which, 33.03% correspond to banana waste, 28.56% correspond to sugarcane waste. The potential of bioethanol production and energy generation was obtained using a theory conversion of cellulose, hemicellulose of each biomass. It was calculated 3.51 million tons of bioethanol/year, which total energy corresponds to 2.16 million toe/year with an electric energy potential of 8.81 GWh/year. This quantity could be enough to supply 9.11% and the total national energy demand and 0.02% of the electric energy demand, besides, it could help reduce in about 19.86% the CO2 emissions

A sgllabus and a work book for the subject "Directed research project"

This graduction work presents a syllabus anda workbook for the subject "Directed Research Project" as partial solution to one of the most acute problems of the students of the University of El Salvador in general andof the "licenciatura en Idioma Ingles" specificalls