Foreign language anxiety on a massive open online language course

This paper examines learner attitudes, self-efficacy beliefs, and anxiety in a beginners’ Spanish Language Massive Open Online Course (LMOOC) by answering three research questions: (1) how do learners feel about acquiring speaking skills on an LMOOC?; (2) do they experience anxiety with regards to speaking?; and (3) do their self-efficacy beliefs remain unchanged during the LMOOC? Data was collected from over 900 participants registered on two Spanish for Beginners programmes offered by The Open University (UK). Quantitative data was collected through reflective questionnaires (11 items) and participants’ comments were obtained on two discussion forums. Results indicate that learners have positive attitudes towards LMOOCs and present higher speaking self-efficacy beliefs by the end of the course. Although spoken interactions in this environment are not synchronous, most participants report feeling intimidated by the idea of posting their recordings on the course forum

Wage flexibility and local labour markets: homogeneity of the wage curve in Spain

In this paper we analyse wage flexibility in Spain and its regional differences, departing from the estimation of wage curves. Specifically, and using as the main data source the Wage Structure Survey, we proceed to estimate for each Spanish region a wage equation, which explains observed wage received by workers to a group of personal and job characteristics, as well as the unemployment rate. This analysis allows to test hypothesis concerning the possible changes that may have occurred in each region in the degree of wage flexibility between the two years considered in the Survey. Also, we test the existence of regional differences in the degree of wage flexibility, which may have an important influence in the evolution of regional unemployment, given its impact on the ability of the local labour market to absorb negative shocks. The paper also allows to analyse the variability of the wage flexibility estimation with respect to the dependent variable, which could explain opposite results in the existing literature

Regional Unemployment in Spain - Disparities, Business Cycle and Wage Setting

The existence and persistence of regional disparities is a common problem of many European economies. However, in Spain this fact exhibits a characteristic feature: a strong positive relationship with the business cycle. The analysis in this paper investigates the relationship between this distinguishing feature of the Spanish economy with the wage bargain system, and how changes in this system may have influenced the aggregate Spanish labour market performance in the recent past. The empirical findings of an important imitation effect in wage bargainings may explain both the persistence of disparities and their positive relationship with the cycle. This result has a direct implication to employment policies, which must take into account the regional dimension of the unemployment problem.

Educación con móviles y entornos digitales

Los móviles son herramientas cuyas funcionalidades nos recuerda a las conocidas "navajas suizas", que además del filo de corte original, se acompaña de otras muchas herramientas (sacacorchos, lima, palillo, tijeras...) que la convierten en un elemento práctico y multiusos. Del mismo modo, los smartphones se acompañan de diversas herramientas (navegación web, linterna, acelerómetro...) que hacen nuestra vida digital más fácil, y que superan los iniciales usos de la comunicación por voz. La educación es uno de los entornos en los que se hace conveniente aprovechar esta multifuncionalidad que ofrecen los teléfonos inteligentes: compartir información, realizar proyectos audiovisuales, navegar en entornos de realidad aumentada, leer códigos de información cifrada o colaborar en entornos de aprendizaje digital, son algunas de las ventanas que se nos abren con la integración de este dispositivo en los procesos formativos. En el seminario se pretende delimitar los diferentes recursos y tecnologías que incorporan los móviles, conocer las posibilidades educativas que estos recursos ofrecen y aprender a seleccionarlos e incorporarlos como una herramienta más del entorno del aula es una necesidad para los docentes (actuales y futuros). Hablaremos de aplicaciones móviles educativas, Realidad Aumenta en el aula, entornos digitales de aprendizaje colaborativo y recursos multimedia móviles.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Los Sistemas de Investigación en México

En el artículo Los sistemas de investigación educativa en México se cuestiona la vigencia del sistema de investigación Hipotético Deductivo que se utiliza en nuestro país y que no sólo se presenta como método sino como el Método Científico. Se reconoce que, en nuestro país, los procesos de investigación social no tienen el impulso necesario para propiciar la formación de profesionales con posibilidades de contribuir, diferencialmente, a la generación de conocimiento científico y que, generalmente, se confunde la investigación con las propuestas para resolver problemas inmediatos. A partir del reconocimiento de que en la mayoría de los centros de investigación se desconoce que, en nuestro país, actualmente están coexistiendo otros dos sistemas de investigación, conocidos como Dialéctico y Hermenéutico, respectivamente, se proporcionan algunos elementos que caracterizan al sistema de investigación Dialéctico-Crítico

Els pictogrames: una ajuda per a la comunicació i expressió en l´educació infantil de 3 anys

Dotzenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 2006-2007)El treball d´investigació tracta els problemes de comunicació oral i conseqüentment els problemes en l´inici de la lectoescriptura, d´un grup d´alumnes de 3 anys. Sha incorporat en l´aula una nova estratègia de treball que afavorisca, ajude i en alguns casos reforce la comunicació oral i lectoescriptura en els alumnes de 3 anys. Sha emprat un sistema de comunicació no vocal, com són els pictogrames, destinat a alumnes de N.E.E, però en aquest cas adaptat al contexte i circunstàncies concretes i, modificat per a que siga accesible al grupclasse. Aquesta metodología s´inclourà en l´aula per diverses raons: -El grup de nens/es presenten certes limitacions en quant a l´expressió i comprensió oral. -La gran majoria no tenen un vocabulari mínim i concret que els permitisca desenvolupar tasques quotidianes com demanar coses, explicar,… -Altres xiquets/es encara no han assolit un nivell de comunicació oral propi de la seva edat i presenten un retràs considerable en l´estructuració d´oracions simples. -Per altra banda, alguns presenten problemes de dicció i mala expressió i pronunciació de paraules. El material de treball usat és molt manipulatiu, fàcil d´usar, atractiu i motivador per als nens/es de forma que s´han pogut assolir nous aprenentatges en un contexte habitual, de manera funcional i significativa; propiciant la generalització dels coneixements. Però, no s´ha d´oblidar que el treball ha sigut desenvolupat seguint la línia, principis i metodología propis de l´escola inclusiva, ja que promouen actituts de comunicació interactiva, cooperativa i de treball en grup

Wolf spider burrows from a modern saline sandflat in central Argentina: Morphology, taphonomy and clues for recognition of fossil examples

Pavocosa sp. (Lycosidae) burrows found in an open sparsely vegetated area on the edge of the Gran Salitral saline lake, in central Argentina, are described. Burrows were studied by capturing the occupant and casting them with dental plaster. The hosting sediments and vegetation were also characterized. Inhabited Pavocosa sp. burrows display distinctive features as open, cylindrical, nearly vertical, silk lined shafts about 120 mm long, subcircular entrances, a gradual downward widening, and a particularly distinctive surface ornamentation in the form of sets of two linear parallel marks at a high angle to the burrow axis. Instead, casts of vacated Pavocosa sp. burrows showed some disturbances caused either by the reoccupation by another organism or by predation of the dweller. Two morphologies are related to reoccupation of burrows: those with a structure in form of an ``umbrella'' and another with smaller excavations at the bottom of the burrow. Predation by small mammals produces funnel-shaped burrows. Both active and abandoned Pavocosa sp. burrow casts are compared with existing ichnogenera and inorganic sedimentary structures, highlighting its distinction. It is argued that key features like the presence of a neck, a downward widening and the described surface texture will allow recognition of wolf spider burrows in the fossil record. However, the putative spider burrows described in the literature either lack the necessary preservational quality or do not show ornamentation similar to the modern wolf spider burrows. Fossil wolf spiders are recorded since the Paleogene (possibly Late Cretaceous), therefore Cenozoic continental rocks can contain wolf spider burrows awaiting recognition. In addition, the particular distribution of Pavocosa sp. in saline lakes may imply that this type of burrow is linked to saline environments.Fil: Mendoza Belmontes, Fatima del Rosario. Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva. Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica. Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Melchor, Ricardo Nestor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Piacentini, Luis Norberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentin

10 MINUTE CITY -REINVENTING WAYS TO MOVE AROUND THE CITY VIA SCOOTER

Urban sprawl is an issue that many major cities in the United States are experiencing. The population rise in cities has contributed to their rapid growth, increased traffic, pollution, and the reliability on cars. These issues can slowly be tackled by addressing them in areas that are on their way to reaching the height of urban sprawl. An example of such an area is Gwinnett County located northeast of Atlanta. Gwinnett County is on its way to becoming one of Georgia’s most populated counties, according to MARTA Transit System. MARTA did such studies on Gwinnett because in 2018, MARTA along with county officials proposed to merge Gwinnett County Transit with MARTA to make transit more convenient for people who live in or visit Gwinnett. Citizens of Gwinnett voted in the 2019 elections. However, the Connect Gwinnett Transit Plan did not gain enough votes to be placed into action. For this reason, a new multimodal transit hub is the proposed solution to minimize the urban sprawl that is growing in Gwinnett County. This multimodal hub will be placed at the proposed site by MARTA and will plan to connect as an extension to MARTA’s golden rail line. The proposed multimodal hub will focus on catering to the site’s existing conditions and make itself accessible via foot, bikes, scooters, etc. Connection to the rest of the county will be created with the use of focal points, that will be referred to as follies. These follies will have direct connection to the site as they well serve as pathways for pedestrians, bikers, or people on scooters. The follies’ connection pathways will also leave opportunity for future multimodal hubs that could be built in Gwinnett. The hub’s main goal is to give citizens of Gwinnett alternatives to move in and out the city ultimately eliminating the reliance of a car that has been created in cities all over the United States