Morals, morale and motivations in data fabrication: Medical research fieldworkers views and practices in two Sub-Saharan African contexts

AbstractData fabrication, incorrect collection strategies and poor data management, are considered detrimental to high-quality scientific research. While poor data management have been occasionally excused, fabrication constitutes a cardinal sin – scientific misconduct. Scholarly examinations of fabrication usually seek to expose and capture its prevalence and, less frequently, its consequences and causes. Most accounts centre on high-income countries, individual senior researchers and scientists who are portrayed as irrational, immoral or deceptive.We argue that such accounts contain limitations in overlooking data collected in ‘the field’, in low-income countries, by junior researchers and non-scientists. Furthermore, the processes and motivations for fabrication and subversive practices are under-examined. Drawing on two separate ethnographies, conducted in 2004–2009 in medical research projects in sub-Saharan Africa, this paper investigates fabrication among fieldworkers using data from observations and informal conversations, 68 interviews and 7 Focus Group Discussions involving diverse stakeholders. Based on an interpretative approach, we examined fieldworkers' accounts that fabrications were motivated by irreconcilable moral concerns, faltering morale resulting from poor management, and inadequate institutional support. To fieldworkers, data fabrication constituted a ‘tool’ for managing their quotidian challenges. Fabrications ranged from active to passive acts, to subvert, resist and readdress tensions deriving from employment inequalities and challenging socio-economic conditions.We show that geographical and hierarchical distance between high-ranking research actors and fieldworkers in contemporary configurations of international medical research can compartmentalise, and ultimately undermine, the relationships necessary to produce high-quality data. In focusing on fieldworkers, we argue for the inclusion of wide-ranging perspectives in examinations of data fabrication

Suivre un cours en classe ou à distance : quels impacts pour les apprenants?

Affiche présentée dans le cadre du Colloque de l'ARC, «La relève scientifique et la recherche collégiale : pratiques inspirantes au regard des chercheuses et chercheurs, et enjeux spécifiques à la formation des étudiantes et étudiants», dans le cadre du 84e Congrès de l'Acfas, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, le 10 mai 2016.Pour favoriser davantage l’accès aux études collégiales de la population de toutes les régions du Québec, le cégep de Matane et le Cégep à distance offrent la possibilité de suivre certains cours en classe ou depuis chez soi au moyen du téléenseignement. Nous nous sommes intéressés aux impacts que pourraient ressentir les apprenants dans ce type de formation hybride. Existe-t-il des différences de perception entre les apprenants en classe et ceux à distance? À la session d’automne 2014, un questionnaire en ligne a été distribué aux apprenants de deux cours enseignés en format hybride au cégep de Matane. Des échelles anglaises ont été traduites et retraduites, d’autres ont été développées par les auteurs. Aucun impact n’a été observé sur le rendement scolaire des apprenants, aucune différence n’a été perçue entre la qualité du cours hybride et celle d’un cours en présence. Toutefois, il existe des différences significatives entre les deux groupes en ce qui concerne la motivation à intégrer les technologies de l’information et de la communication dans l’enseignement, la perception et le sentiment d’auto-efficacité vis-à-vis la téléprésence, le sentiment de présence sociale, le climat de la classe, la perception de l’enseignant ou de l’enseignante par les apprenants, la communication et les relations entre les apprenants et avec l’enseignant ou l’enseignante. Les résultats indiquent que les difficultés perçues viennent davantage des apprenants en classe que de ceux à distance

O crescimento da inscrição no ensino superior em Risaralda está produzindo uma “geração enganada”?

Through documentary research and statistical data, this article compiles historical, economic, social, and cultural facts regarding the configuration and development of higher education in the department of Risaralda, in an economic environment that, for some time now, has not achieved the necessary dynamics of growth to provide a working environment in which present and future generations can develop professionally, since the gap between the number of graduates and the vacancies offered by the employment market has been widening. Using objective data, the aim is to prove that the overabundance of graduates in a shrinking employment market makes it difficult for new professionals to fulfil their expectations of finding better job opportunities. Consequently, a question emerges about whether what Bourdieu theorized on the creation of a “cheated generation” is taking place in Risaralda, a generation that bet on education to acquire knowledge, that has rights granted in the titles, and that needs—but fails to achieve—positions of greater recognition within the social space.A través de la investigación documental y de cifras estadísticas, el presente artículo recoge los hechos históricos, económicos, sociales y culturales alrededor de la configuración y el desarrollo de la educación superior en el departamento de Risaralda, en un entorno económico que, desde hace algún tiempo, no logra la dinámica de crecimiento necesaria para propiciar un medio laboral, en el que las presentes y futuras generaciones se puedan desarrollar profesionalmente, ya que se ha venido profundizando una brecha entre el número de graduados y las plazas ofertadas por el mercado laboral. Mediante datos objetivos, se pretende mostrar que la sobreabundancia de titulaciones en un mercado laboral contraído dificulta que los nuevos profesionales cumplan sus expectativas de llegar a mejores espacios laborales. Así, surge la inquietud sobre si en Risaralda se está presentando lo teorizado por Bourdieu acerca de la construcción de una “generación engañada”, que apostó por la educación para adquirir conocimiento, que tiene derechos otorgados en los títulos y que necesita —mas no logra alcanzar— posiciones de mayor reconocimiento dentro del espacio social.Através da pesquisa documental e dados estatísticos, este artigo recolhe fatos históricos, econômicos, sociais e culturais a respeito da configuração e desenvolvimento do ensino superior no departamento de Risaralda, num ambiente econômico que, há algum tempo, não tem alcançado a dinâmica de crescimento necessária para propiciar um ambiente de trabalho no qual as gerações presentes e futuras possam se desenvolver profissionalmente, pois a disparidade entre o número de graduados e as vagas oferecidas pelo mercado de trabalho vem se ampliando. Através de dados objetivos, o propósito é provar que a superabundância de graduados num mercado de trabalho reduzido torna difícil para os novos profissionais satisfazer suas expectativas de encontrar melhores oportunidades de trabalho. Assim, surge uma questão sobre se o que Bourdieu teorizou sobre a construção de uma “geração enganada” está ocorrendo em Risaralda, geração que apostou na educação para adquirir conhecimento, que tem direitos concedidos nos títulos e que necessita — mas não consegue alcançar — posições de maior reconhecimento dentro do espaço social

Classroom interdisciplinary diversity and entrepreneurial intentions

Drawing on Ajzen’s (1991) theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the interactionist model of creative behaviour by Woodman et al. (1993), this article examines the impact of classroom interdisciplinary diversity (mixing students with different profiles and career fields of interest in the classroom), a type of classroom diversity that has been under-examined in the previous literature, on students’ entrepreneurial intentions (EI). Based on survey data and a partial least squares (PLS) analysis, we provide empirical evidence on the value of classroom interdisciplinary diversity in increasing the EI of first-year students through its impact on entrepreneurial perceived behavioural control, which is instrumental in the formation of EI. We contribute to the scant literature on early university experiences of entrepreneurship education and the influence of these experiences on entrepreneurial intentions. The results have important implications for educational practice as well as for both public and private organizations promoting entrepreneurial activity.This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Emerald in EDUCATION + TRAINING on 13/02/2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-06-2018-013

Interaction-disorder competition in a spin system evaluated through the Loschmidt echo

The interplay between interactions and disorder in closed quantum many-body systems is relevant for thermalization phenomenon. In this paper, we address this competition in an infinite temperature spin system by means of the Loschmidt echo (LE), which is based on a time reversal procedure. This quantity has been formerly employed to connect quantum and classical chaos, and in the present many-body scenario we use it as a dynamical witness. We assess the LE time scales as a function of disorder and interaction strengths. The strategy enables a qualitative phase diagram that shows the regions of ergodic and nonergodic behavior of the polarization under the echo dynamics.Instituto de Física La Plat

Interaction-disorder competition in a spin system evaluated through the Loschmidt echo

The interplay between interactions and disorder in closed quantum many-body systems is relevant for thermalization phenomenon. In this paper, we address this competition in an infinite temperature spin system by means of the Loschmidt echo (LE), which is based on a time reversal procedure. This quantity has been formerly employed to connect quantum and classical chaos, and in the present many-body scenario we use it as a dynamical witness. We assess the LE time scales as a function of disorder and interaction strengths. The strategy enables a qualitative phase diagram that shows the regions of ergodic and nonergodic behavior of the polarization under the echo dynamics.Instituto de Física La Plat

Configuración de un Programa de Investigación sobre Educación y Diversidad

 La Universidad Pedagógica Nacional avanza en la configuración de espacios de confluenciainvestigativa mediante el establecimiento de programas de investigación que incorporan las trayectorias temáticas de sus grupos y proyectos de investigación; en este sentido, los planteamientos aquí contenidos trazan una ruta para la diversidad, su relación con la equidad y las implicaciones para la pedagogía y las prácticas educativas

Optimizing working space in laparoscopy: CT-measurement of the effect of neuromuscular blockade and its reversal in a porcine model

Objective: The objective of this paper was to determine the effect of neuromuscular blockade (NMB) on working space in a porcine laparoscopy model. Background: Conflicting results on the effect of NMB on laparoscopic working space are found in literature. Almost all studies are limited by absence of objective assessment of working space or use surrogate outcomes. Methods: In a standardized porcine laparoscopy model, laparoscopic working-space dimensions with and without NMB were investigated in 16 animals using computed tomography at intra-abdominal pressures of 0, 5, 10, and 15 mmHg during multiple runs of abdominal insufflation. Results: No statistically significant effect of NMB on abdominal dimensions and laparoscopic working-space volume was found during CO2 pneumoperitoneum. In contrast, the effect of pre-stretching of the abdominal wall by a previous abdominal insufflation was found to be significant. Conclusions: This experimental study confirms the results from several clinical studies that NMB does not influence laparoscopic working space. Studies dealing with working space during laparoscopy should take note of pre-stretching bias