Developing a strategy-based instruction approach to teaching and learning modern languages to train ab-initio primary PGCE trainees

This study was underpinned by the work of Rubin (1975), O'Malley & Chamot (1990), Oxford (2011), and Cohen & Macaro (2007), all of whom acknowledge that there are various automatic and unconscious strategies that learners use in their first language (L1) that can also be used when learning another language (L2). This premise is the foundation of the strategy-based instruction (SBI), proposing the development of self-regulation of learning through the use of meta-cognition to assist learners in identifying and using strategies to facilitate L2 learning. A modified version of this approach, incorporating an element of collaborative learning within a model of cognitive apprenticeship, was used to simultaneously develop trainees' L2 subject knowledge and teaching skills

Social inequality in morbidity, framed within the current economic crisis in Spain

Introduction: Inspired by the 'Fundamental Cause Theory (FCT)' we explore social inequalities in preventable versus relatively less-preventable illnesses in Spain. The focus is on the education-health gradient, as education is one of the most important components of an individual's socioeconomic status (SES). Framed in the context of the recent economic crisis, we investigate the education gradient in depression, diabetes, and myocardial infarction (relatively highly preventable illnesses) and malignant tumors (less preventable), and whether this educational gradient varies across the regional-economic context and changes therein. Methods: We use data from three waves of the Spanish National Health Survey (2003-2004, 2006-2007, and 2011-2012), and from the 2009-2010 wave of the European Health Survey in Spain, which results in a repeated cross-sectional design. Logistic multilevel regressions are performed with depression, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and malignant tumors as dependent variables. The multilevel design has three levels (the individual, period-regional, and regional level), which allows us to estimate both longitudinal and cross-sectional macro effects. The regional-economic context and changes therein are assessed using the real GDP growth rate and the low work intensity indicator. Results: Education gradients in more-preventable illness are observed, while this is far less the case in our less-preventable disease group. Regional economic conditions seem to have a direct impact on depression among Spanish men (y-stand. OR = 1.04 [95 % CI: 1.01-1.07]). Diabetes is associated with cross-regional differences in low work intensity among men (y-stand. OR = 1.02 [95 % CI: 1.00-1.05]) and women (y-stand. OR = 1.04 [95 % CI: 1.01-1.06]). Economic contraction increases the likelihood of having diabetes among men (y-stand. OR = 1.04 [95 % CI: 1.01-1.06]), and smaller decreases in the real GDP growth rate are associated with lower likelihood of myocardial infarction among women (y-stand. OR = 0.83 [95 % CI: 0.69-1.00]). Finally, there are interesting associations between the macroeconomic changes across the crisis period and the likelihood of suffering from myocardial infarction among lower educated groups, and the likelihood of having depression and diabetes among less-educated women. Conclusion: Our findings partially support the predictions of the FCT for Spain. The crisis effects on health emerge especially in the case of our more-preventable illnesses and among lower educated groups. Health inequalities in Spain could increase rapidly in the coming years due to the differential effects of recession on socioeconomic group

Using language learning strategies to develop ab-initio PGCE students' skills in primary modern languages

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of EducationThe announcements concerning the introduction of modern languages in Key Stage Two in England (https://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/ curriculum/national curriculum2014, [accessed 8 March 2013]), although not a new initiative, have renewed the need to train generalist primary teachers in teaching modern languages. Following an initial announcement of the introduction of the English Baccalaureate, the poor outcomes achieved by England in the European languages survey (COE, 2012) and the news that modern languages would be part of the primary curriculum (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18531751 [accessed 21 June 2012]) contributed to refreshing the agenda of languages in the country and the role of early second language learning appears to be slowly resurrecting. In order to provide trainee teachers with the skills necessary for teaching young learners modern languages, this study focuses on increasing subject knowledge and pedagogical competence in a short time by developing trainees’ reflective practice, broadly following the tradition of strategy-based instruction (Macaro, 2001; Cohen, 2007; Oxford, 2011), but within a social constructivist understanding of learning using collaboration. The research, which follows a mixed method case study approach, proposes and trials a teaching approach that incorporates language learning strategies in a collaborative manner. The design of a revised strategy-based approach has a three-fold purpose: (i) to enable primary trainee teachers to develop the linguistic skills necessary to teach another language through the use of the linguistic knowledge they already possess in their own mother tongue (Saville-Troike, 2012); (ii) to use self-regulation to build confidence and competence in the target language; and (iii) to enable trainees and pupils to develop their language learning autonomy. Results indicate that, within the case studies reported here, such an approach seemed to be an effective way of learning and teaching another language simultaneously for adults, as it provided ab-initio language learners with a basis for the development of linguistic skills thus increasing their capacity for languages. Whilst there is no claim to generalisation here, the studies indicate that using language learning strategies may create and sustain interest and engagement in the subject—a condition that has been identified as critical to the success of any teaching approach. Whilst the results were positive in terms of developing acceptable levels of linguistic competence in adult learners over a short time, the use of a strategy-based method with children did not prove satisfactory, perhaps because of the high metacognitive demands placed on them when they had not yet developed high level abstract thinking, particularly the amount of prior knowledge needed and the language required to verbalise complex cognitive processes

Childhood history of abuse and child abuse potential: the role of parent’s gender and timing of childhood abuse

It has been suggested that being physically abused leads to someone becoming a perpetrator of abuse which could be associated to parents' gender, timing of the physical abuse and specific socio-demographic variables. This study aims to investigate the role the parents' gender, timing of childhood abuse and socio-demographic variables on the relationship between parents' history of childhood physical abuse and current risk for children. The sample consisted of 920 parents (414 fathers, 506 mothers) from the Portuguese National Representative Study of Psychosocial Context of Child Abuse and Neglect who completed the Childhood History Questionnaire and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory. The results showed that fathers had lower current potential risk of becoming physical abuse perpetrators with their children than mothers although they did not differed in their physical victimization history. Moreover, the risk was higher in parents (both genders) with continuous history of victimization than in parents without victimization. Prediction models showed that for fathers and mothers separately similar socio-demographic variables (family income, number of children at home, employment status and marital status) predicted the potential risk of becoming physical abuses perpetrators. Nevertheless, the timing of victimization was different for fathers (before 13 years old) and mothers (after 13 years old). Then our study targets specific variables (timing of physical abuse, parents' gender and specific socio-demographic variables), which may enable professionals to select groups of parents at greater need of participating in abuse prevention programs.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology through a research grantto the second author (POCTI/PSI/14276/1998), the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, National Drug Plan (2012/001) and by the Regional Government of Valencia, Programa VALi+d para investigadores en formacion (ACIF/2011/075), research groups and networks of excellence (PROMETEO/2011/048; ISIC/2013/001)

Polyelectrolyte multilayers for enhancing cell adhesion and potential applications in tissue engineering

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) assembled by de Layer by Layer (LbL) technique offer multiplepossibilities for surface engineering as an alternative to covalent chemistry. PEMs have recently attractedattention as a mean to engineer scaffolds and implants to make their interface with tissue more amenablefor cell adhesion, migration and differentiation. In this review we will present the state of the art on theuse of polyelectrolyte multilayers for enhancing cell adhesion. In particular, we will show the differentapproaches followed in our group combining synthetic and bio polymers, and the use of thermalannealing.Fil: Muzzio, Nicolás Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Pasquale, Miguel Angel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Moya, Sergio Eduardo. CIC biomaGUNE. Soft Matter Nanotechnology group; Españ

Strukturne i projektirane vrijednosti lameliranih greda i greda od cjelovitog drva Dipteryx panamensis i Hieronyma alchorneoides s brzorastućih plantaža

Dipteryx panamensis and Hieronyma alchorneoides are two species of high specific gravity used in reforestation programs in Costa Rica, but they lack products with structural value for commercialization. In order to introduce the wood of these two species in the market, the objective was established to study the behavior of solid timber beams and glued laminated timber beams of two cross sections (2 cm × 10 cm and 2 cm × 15 cm) and establish the design values in bending test. The results showed that the bending design values (fb) ranged from 2 to 26 MPa in glued laminated timber beams, while in solid timber beams, fb ranged from 6 to 15 MPa. In the shear design values (fv), the variation was from 0.29 to 0.67 MPa in glue laminated timber beams and from 1.80 to 2.58 MPa in solid timber beams. It was also found that the D. panamensis beams showed higher values than H. alchornoides beams. Finally, it was established that glued laminated timber beams showed better performance in bending parameters and higher design values, resulting in wider span values, than solid timber beams when used in floor and roof construction.Dipteryx panamensis i Hieronyma alchorneoides dvije su vrste drva velike specifične gustoće koje su uvrštene u program pošumljavanja u Kostarici, ali se ne iskorištavaju za strukturne proizvode kako bi se komercijalizirale. Da bi se te dvije vrste drva plasirale na tržište, istraženo je ponašanje lameliranih greda i greda od cjelovitog drva s dva različita poprečna presjeka (2 cm × 10 cm i 2 cm × 15 cm) te su ispitivanjem savijanja utvrđene projektirane vrijednosti. Rezultati su pokazali da su se projektirane vrijednosti savijanja (fb) kretale u rasponu od 2 do 26 MPa za lamelirane grede te od 6 do 15 MPa za grede od cjelovitog drva. Projektirane vrijednosti smicanja varirale su od 0,29 do 0,67 MPa za lamelirane grede te od 1,8 do 2,58 MPa za grede od cjelovitog drva. Za grede od drva D. panamensis izmjerene su veće vrijednosti ispitivanih svojstava nego za grede od drva H. alchorneoides. Konačno, utvrđeno je da su lamelirane grede pokazale bolja svojstva savijanja i veće projektirane vrijednosti od greda od cjelovitog drva, što rezultira većim vrijednostima raspona kada se rabe na podu ili krovu

Análisis semiológico y ergonómico de la cartografía en Internet: Interfaces de visualización geográfica

En la literatura más reciente sobre la utilización de cartografía en Internet (Kraak, 2001), se muestra una descripción tipológica de los mapas susceptibles de visualizarse por la Red. Sin embargo, frente al ingente despliegue de tecnologías que pueden aplicarse, se encuentra poca información sobre la adecuación o inadecuación de los archivos para transmitir correctamente información cartográfica. Una multitud de tipos de archivos gráficos (Jeringa, 2001), permiten visualizar en las pantallas de las computadoras, mapas cuya variedad funcional se extiende desde la emulación de mapas en papel a la realidad virtual aumentada, pasando por los mapas dinámicos y por la aplicación de algoritmos fractales para la generación de espacios virtuales. Un paseo por esos tipos de cartografías nos permite –con ojo crítico de cartógrafo- analizar las componentes del mensaje enviado y evaluar su acierto en términos de efectividad y estética. La estética y la comunicabilidad, tanto de los mapas visualizables en pantalla como la de los realizados para imprimir en papel, han decrecido notablemente desde el desembarco de las herramientas SIG en el mundo de la representación cartográfica. De las dos componentes tradicionales –la estética y la tecnológica- que aparecen en las definiciones clásicas de cartografía, la primera ha sido arrinconada por la segunda, como clara consecuencia de la sustitución del experto en comunicación gráfica por el experto en líneas de programación. En este trabajo se pretende analizar el uso que se está haciendo de las posibilidades gráficas de Internet aplicadas a la transmisión de información por medio de mapas y de algunos errores frecuentes, producidos por la ignorancia de los principios de la comunicación gráfica en algunos casos y por el desconocimiento de las limitaciones de la percepción humana en otros

Diseño de una herramienta basada en la generación interactiva de estilos para la visualización de capas a través de un WMS

En el plano de los Usuarios, las Infraestructuras de Datos Espaciales (IDEs), se conciben como las piedras angulares sobre las que realizar operaciones de visualización, análisis y toma de decisiones. La mayoría de los usuarios de datos espaciales no tienen necesidades especiales de visualización. Por esta razón las organizaciones que hacen pública dicha información utilizando las interfaces de Servicios de Mapas en la Web (WMS) definidas por el Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) definen un estilo de visualización por defecto para la Información Geográfica (IG). Estos estilos de visualización definen los colores, los grosores, los patrones de línea, los rellenos, la tipografía del texto, etc… de una forma genérica, en muchos casos bien cuidada y en la mayoría de los casos utilizan los estilos tradicionales de la Cartografía Oficial. El resto de usuarios “avanzados” de la IG necesita controlar y gestionar la forma en la que se visualiza dicha información de modo que se facilite la toma de decisiones, la legibilidad, etc… Para este tipo de usuarios el OGC ha definido un conjunto de especificación que permite definir los estilos de visualización de las geometrías y atributos entre las que están Style Layer Descriptior (SLD) y Filter Encoding (FE) que permite definir filtros espaciales, lógicos y aritméticos. En este documento se presentan los avances realizados desde el puntos de vista práctico de la implementación de una herramienta que permite a los usuarios interactuar con el servicio WMS y en otros casos con el Servicio de Entidades-Objetos en la Web (WFS) para permitir que dichos usuarios avanzados puedan definir las reglas de visualización que desean aplicar. El diseño e implementación de la herramienta ha sido ideado para que sea portable y para que pueda interactuar con servicios Web conformes con las especificaciones del OGC

La gestión financiera y su efecto en la liquidez de la empresa Cienpharma S. A. C., Trujillo, 2021

La finalidad del presente trabajo de investigación es el análisis y evaluación de la gestión financiera y su efecto en la liquidez; es decir determinar el impacto de la gestión financiera en el manejo del dinero circulante de la empresa CIENPHARMA S.A.C, ubicada en la ciudad de Trujillo durante el periodo 2021. La investigación es de tipo descriptiva y según el enfoque de investigación fue de carácter cualitativa no experimental de tipo descriptivo, la técnica utilizada para analizar los datos fue la revisión documental cuyos instrumentos fueron la ficha de recolección de información y el análisis documental, cuyos resultados del año 2021 real vs los resultados simulados del mismo año encontramos una variación en liquidez debido a una mala gestión financiera en el área de compras; según las evidencias que serán mostradas en las tablas, donde se muestra claramente las diferencias entre ambos resultados, es decir los resultados simulados, año 2021 obtiene una mayor liquidez debido que no se considera los malos compromisos con proveedores por compras de mercadería que aun en almacén existen en gran stock, claramente se pudo evidenciar que no hay una práctica estratégica de establecer, controlar y supervisar los recursos financieros; ello determina un impacto negativo en los índices de liquidez con una tendencia a la baja para cumplir con sus obligaciones de corto y largo plazo; para ello que se propone estrategias de mejora para lograr una rentabilidad ascendente y positiva en la empresa CIENPHARMA S.A.C