Influence of presence of ammonium in the hydrothermal illitization of smectite

During diagenesis, several reactions induce changes both in phyllosilicates and organic matter, which in basins associated to the production of hydrocarbons leads to ammonium fixation in illite and micas [1] and to dissolution induced by organic acids [2] [3]. Dissolution processes may contribute to the smectite-to-illite transformation, stabilized by fixation of K (and NH4 +). Ammonium is a weak acid in solution. Under neutral conditions where the concentration of hydronium is very low (<10-7 M), ammonium contributes to smectite dissolution. The effect of organic acid on silicates dissolution is partially known, but the potential role of ammonium is completely novel.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Looking for students' enthusiasm: flipped classroom

The “flipped classroom” is a pedagogical model that consists of putting certain learning processes outside the classroom so that the teacher can devote more class time to students’ acquisition of practical skills, for example. In this way, the teacher is not limited to the transmission of course content, but in addition assumes the role of a mediator in the cognitive process, allowing students to actively construct their own knowledge. In this role, the teacher’s main task is to encourage students to become independent learners. This paper describes the implementation and initial results of the application of the flipped classroom in higher education. This study is part of a larger research project to improve our students’ motivation through the use of the flipped learning. The sample consisted of about 3000 students taking 17 different subjects, in Management and Administration Business, Finance and Accounting, Marketing and Market Research, and Chemistry, at the University of Málaga, and in Accounting and Administration, Business Communication and Marketing at the Polytechnic of Porto. According to our results, students’ motivation and class attendance increased with the application of this model; a comparison of the final exam results from two years with traditional classes and from two years with flipped learning shows that the proportion of students failing the exam decreased, which confirms that the use of this pedagogic model improves student learning.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. This project is financed by Educational Innovation Projects 2017-2019 from Malaga University

Gamificacion in education and active methodologies at Higher education

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in applying Gamification in Education, which can be defined as the application of game design elements to learning activities. Its purpose is to motivate students by creating an engaging learning experience that can keep students focused on the learning task and its application in the classroom, is still in its emergent stages. Gamification is a great challenge for education, particularly in Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in such a traditional context, as is the case with courses like Management and Administration Business, Finance and Accounting, Marketing and Market Research, Chemistry, Accounting and Administration and Business Communication. This paper presents a study, applied in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 academic years, in which the teaching method focuses on a blended learning approach, through the implementation of a flipped classroom model and also through the introduction of online gamification activities such Kahoot! application. Kahoot is a game-based learning platform, used as educational technology that can easily be used for initial, formative and summative assessment of students’ knowledge using individual or collaborative team work mode, adding vitality, student engagement, and also meta-cognitive supports to higher education classrooms with limited instructor or student training required. The participants, in the study, were about 3 000 students of 17 different subjects from the aforementioned courses, of the Malaga University and Polytechnic of Porto. The results of this study suggest that this model improves student learning and are of relevance to researchers, educators and game-based learning designers.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Caracterización de tobelita obtenida mediante síntesis hidrotermal de caolinita a 200ºC

El objetivo de este trabajo es la caracterización mediante difracción de rayos X (DRX), espectroscopía infrarroja (FTIR), espectroscopía Raman, y microscopía electrónica de transmisión (HRTEM-AEM) de tobelita formada a partir de caolinita a menor temperatura que en trabajos previos (200ºC) y a la presión equivalente a la del vapor de agua a esa temperatura (15.54 MPa). Este trabajo forma parte de una investigación más extensa sobre la tobelita sintética en diferentes sistemas químicos, para analizar la posible laguna de miscibilidad en la serie tobelita-moscovita y la capacidad de la tobelita sintética para alojar cationes divalentes en la capa octaédrica.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Rapport in distance education

Rapport has been recognized as important in learning in general but little is known about its importance in distance education (DE). The study we report on in this paper provides insights into the importance of rapport in DE as well as challenges to and indicators of rapport-building in DE. The study relied on interviews with 42 Canadian high-school DE teachers. Findings revealed that rapport is necessary in DE because of the absence of face-to-face communication. Challenges to building rapport relate to the geographic dispersion of students, the asynchronous nature of DE, teacher workload, limits of the software, teachers and students not seeing the need for rapport, and DE traditions. We identified six categories of rapport-building in DE as follows: Recognizing the person/individual; Supporting and monitoring; Availability, accessibility, and responsiveness; Non text-based interactions; Tone of interactions; Non-academic conversation/interactions. We break the categories into subcategories and provide indicators for each one. The indicators might also be used in contexts of DE teacher professional development as a springboard for discussion, or, more prescriptively, as guides to DE teacher behaviour. A follow-up study using a more fine-grained focus on specific indicators might provide insights into specific rapport-related behaviours

Solución sólida en micas sintetizadas hidrotermlamente a partir de caolinita a 400ºC

La transformación de caolinita en mica dioctaédrica ha sido descrita y sintetizada en diferentes condiciones de temperatura, pH y ambientes químicos (Chermark y Rimstidt, 1990; Huang, 1993; Bauer et al., 1998; Bentabol et al., 2003, 2006a). Sin embargo, la transformación de la caolinita en micas trioctaédricas no ha sido estudiada. No obstante, la biotita se ha sintetizado a partir de geles a altas temperaturas (Hewitt y Wones, 1975; Frank-Kamenetskii et al., 1990; Papin et al., 1997; Boukili et al., 2015). El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido investigar la sustitución de Al por Mg en la capa octaédrica de las micas sintetizadas a 400ºC a partir de caolinita, utilizando soluciones con diferente contenido en Mg2+ y en Na+ y/o K+. Los resultados obtenidos mediante DRX y TEM son coherentes y complementarios, ya que el TEM permite, además, discriminar aspectos composicionales y confirma que en la asociación mica+serpentina- Al+caolinita-Mg obtenida a partir de la caolinita a 400 ºC, las micas neoformadas se caracterizan por una composición muy variada (Tabla 2). El incremento del contenido en Mg2+ en solución causó un incremento de la relación serpentina/mica en los productos de las reacciones, sin embargo, parece que no afecta de manera importante a las composiciones de la mica ni de la serpentina. El aumento de la relación Na/K en los sistemas ensayados con Na+K causó un relativo descenso en la presencia de los términos ricos en K.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Aplicación de la mezcla de la mercadotecnia en el “El Mesón Italiano” Matagalpa, II semestre, 2013

Esta investigación fue creada con el propósito de valorar el uso e importancia de la mezcla de mercadotecnia en la empresa de servicio “El Mesón Italiano” Matagalpa, II semestre, 2013. Se abarco fundamentalmente los elementos básicos de la mezcla de mercadotecnia y como el Mesón italiano hace uso de de las cuatro P (producto precio plaza y promoción). Esta investigación tiene como objetivo comparar los conocimientos teórico, con la práctica real y la importancia de su aplicación, que permitan a las empresas matagalpinas conservar su posición dentro de los diversos mercados especialmente al restaurante de comida italiana “Mesón italiano”. Para ello se realizó una investigación de tipo descriptiva ya que ella se describe ambientes y sucesos de forma cualitativa con alcances cuantitativos según la amplitud es de corte transversal ya que para ello realizamos recolección de información en un solo momento, a través de herramientas como encuesta, entrevista observación directa al gerente propietario, clientes esporádicos activos según la naturaleza del servicio. El universo es igual a la muestra ya que la población es pequeña, la aplicación equivalió a 30 encuestados. La empresa matagalpina de servicio de comida italiana, la cual nos permitió el presente estudio, utiliza la mezcla de mercadotecnia como una herramienta competitiva, sin embargo cabe mencionar que la publicidad es insuficiente, la luz es muy baja por lo tanto se debe incrementar la iluminación, esto con el fin de brindar un servicio de excelencia a la altura de la expectativas de los consumidore