Critical thinking and its importance in the present days for social workers

Critical thinking is multidimensional, it encompasses the intellectual (logic, rationality), psychological (self-awareness, empathy), sociological (in terms of socio-historical context), ethics (norms and moral evaluation) and philosophical (meaning of nature and the human being). As a competency, or set of competencies, critical thinking can be developed and assessed. In this sense, the exploratory study that we intend to present aims to contribute to the evaluation of the importance that students attribute to critical thinking, as well as to the evaluation of critical thinking as a competence in the present situation. Before the pandemic situation we conducted a study with a universe of the 1st year social work students recently graduated, whose training included the critical thinking curricular unit in their study plan, we used as a data collection technician, a questionnaire with likert scale to measure the students opinions. The results were very positive and students admit that it helped them to analyze information (the importance of details), to practice curiosity and skepticism (to ask questions and compare with other sources) and to question (particularly, their own beliefs), including problem solving or decision making. With this recent challenge, consequence of Covid-19, it was necessary to alter all the previous model and adjust it to the pandemic situation through distance learning. Due to the characteristics of this curricular unit, we understand that in addition to the contents and usual dynamic, it was important to support students in adapting to the new methods and use this situation in favor of the benefits of thinking critically. Being a new situation for all (teachers and students) systematic evaluations were made to perceive if the results of the changes introduced were promoting the desired effect. Subsequently, in a total of 6 classes, with about 35 students each, we selected a non-probabilistic sample of 2 students of each class and each student was asked to make a critical assessment of the impact of this curricular unit in their learning process. Among other results that we intend to present, the key was to achieve a balance between the need for security and the need to know other ways of doing or thinking and classifying the critical thinking skills acquired as potentialities to support the uncertainty of the moment. This is where critical reflection (especially involving others) can play a key role in building trust by analyzing strengths-based practice, but it also allows considering alternative options, points of view, increase their ability to assess and position themselves in different contexts and learn to be prepared for unexpected situations.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Vorton Formation

In this paper we present the first analytic model for vorton formation. We start by deriving the microscopic string equations of motion in Witten's superconducting model, and show that in the relevant chiral limit these coincide with the ones obtained from the supersonic elastic models of Carter and Peter. We then numerically study a number of solutions of these equations of motion and thereby suggest criteria for deciding whether a given superconducting loop configuration can form a vorton. Finally, using a recently developed model for the evolution of currents in superconducting strings we conjecture, by comparison with these criteria, that string networks formed at the GUT phase transition should produce no vortons. On the other hand, a network formed at the electroweak scale can produce vortons accounting for up to 6% of the critical density. Some consequences of our results are discussed.Comment: 41 pages; color figures 3-6 not included, but available from authors. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Modulation Theory and Systems

Contains research objectives and reports on three research projects

High-field Electron Spin Resonance of Cu_{1-x}Zn_{x}GeO_{3}

High-Field Electron Spin Resonance measurements were made on powder samples of Cu_{1-x}Zn_{x}GeO_{3} (x=0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.05) at different frequencies (95, 110, 190, 220, 330 and 440 GHz) at low temperatures. The spectra of the doped samples show resonances whose positions are dependent on Zn concentration, frequency and temperature. The analysis of intensity variation of these lines with temperature allows us to identify them as originating in transitions within states situated inside the Spin Peierls gap. A qualitative explanation of the details of the spectra is possible if we assume that these states in the gap are associated with "loose" spins created near the Zn impurities, as recently theoreticaly predicted. A new phenomenon of quenching of the ESR signal across the Dimerized to Incommensurate phase-boundary is observed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 ps figures in the text, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Renormalization group trajectories from resonance factorized S-matrices

We propose and investigate a large class of models possessing resonance factorized S-matrices. The associated Casimir energy describes a rich pattern of renormalization group trajectories related to flows in the coset models based on the simply laced Lie Algebras. From a simplest resonance S-matrix, satisfying the ``$\phi^3$-property'', we predict new flows in non-unitary minimal models.Comment: (7 pages) (no figures included

Curvas de dessorção e calor latente de vaporização para as sementes de milho pipoca (Zea mays).

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar as curvas de umidade de equilibrio higroscopico e o calor latente de vaporizacao para as sementes de milho pipoca (Zea mays). O teor de umidade inicial das sementes era 23% b.u. As sementes foram submetidas e dessorcao, sob diversas condicoes de temperatura (20, 30, 40 e 50oC) e umidade relativa do ar (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 e 90%) com tres repeticoes, ate atingirem a umidade de equilibrio. A temperatura e a umidade relativa do ar foram controladas por meio de uma unidade condicionadora de ar "Aminco-Air". Os seguintes modelos matematicos foram ajustados aos dados experimentais. Henderson, Henderson modificado, Chang-Pfost, Copace e Sigma-Copace; as constantes dessas equacoes foram por regressao, enquanto o calor latente de vaporizacao foi calculado utilizando-se a equacao de Henderson modificada, estimando-se uma equacao empirica para calcular o calor latente de vaporizacao para o milho pipoca, em funcao da temperatura e do teor de umidade do grao. De acordo com os resultados obtidos concluiu-se que as equacoes de Copace e Sigma-Copace foram as que melhor se ajustaram aos dados experimentais, em todas as faixas estudadas de temperatura e umidade relativa do ar, podendo ser utilizadas para se calcular a umidade de equilibrio das sementes de milho pipoca. A equacao empirica determinada para calcular o calor latente de vaporizacao da agua dos graos do milho pipoca mostrou-se adequada

Numerical Simulation of Magnetic Interactions in Polycrystalline YFeO3

The magnetic behavior of polycrystalline yttrium orthoferrite was studied from the experimental and theoretical points of view. Magnetization measurements up to 170 kOe were carried out on a single-phase YFeO3 sample synthesized from heterobimetallic alkoxides. The complex interplay between weak-ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions, observed in the experimental M(H) curves, was successfully simulated by locally minimizing the magnetic energy of two interacting Fe sublattices. The resulting values of exchange field (H_E = 5590 kOe), anisotropy field (H_A = 0.5 kOe) and Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya antisymmetric field (H_D = 149 kOe) are in good agreement with previous reports on this system.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figure