Immigration and crime in Spain, 1999-2006

Crime in Spain is not high, by European standards, but together with immigration, crime rates have increased significantly in the last decade. The goals of this paper are (i) to evaluate empirically the extent to which there is either a negative or a positive correlation between crime and immigration and, (ii) to provide a preliminary assessment of the extent to which a causal mechanism can be identified. We find that both immigrants and natives have contributed to the increase in the crime rate. However, the contribution of immigrants seems to be relatively higher. This result is partly explained by the fact that immigration has contributed to the main increase of the collective of males aged 20 to 50, which are responsible for most offences, and by differences in socioeconomic opportunities between migrants and natives. After controlling for such differences, being an immigrant still plays a significant role, but its estimated effect is diminished and the gradual decrease in the crime rates for each nationality appears to indicate a lower propensity to commit criminal offences among the newly-arrived immigrants. We find significant differences in the behavior of immigrants towards crime by their nationality of origin. The crime gap between immigrants and natives is moderate, and can be largely explained by a higher propensity of immigrants to commit minor offences. This type of crimes, although being the less serious, generates a strong perception of insecurity among native population, but its number has decreased in recent years

Impacto del programa de regularización migratoria 'Patria Grande' en Argentina

  ‘Patria Grande’ program in Argentina provides for a provisional residence permit for undocumented immigrants that allow them to work, study, leave and re-entry the country. This may encourage a higher participation in the formal sector and a higher access to social services respect to the counterfactual situation in the absence of the program. In this paper, we estimate these effects by comparing over time eligible immigrants with a similar but not eligible group (local migrants, who recently moved from his hometown). The results suggest the program has helped to reduce informality in 13% by increasing the coverage of social security contributions and health insurance benefits. It has also improved the access to education for immigrants in 7.5%. El programa 'Patria Grande' en Argentina otorgó a los inmigrantes indocumentados un certificado de residencia precaria, con el que pueden trabajar, estudiar, entrar y salir del país libremente. Esto podría estimular una mayor participación en el sector formal y un mayor acceso a servicios sociales respecto del que hubiese surgido en ausencia del programa. Estimamos estos efectos comparando en el tiempo a los inmigrantes elegibles con un grupo semejante pero no elegible (migrantes argentinos, que se mudaron recientemente de ciudad). Los resultados sugieren que el programa contribuyó a disminuir 13% la informalidad (vía un aumento en la probabilidad de tener derecho a jubilación y seguro de salud en el trabajo) y mejoró 7.5% el acceso a educación de los inmigrantes

Sequences of Discourse in e-Learning Environments

In this article we describe the research we have carried out aimed at contributing conceptual and methodological tools to help in understanding better how online teaching and learning works. We develop a qualitative analysis of asynchronous forum of several e-learning courses identifying sequences or moves of teaching discours

Didactic interaction in e-learning: New styles for new environments

This article presents the results of an investigation in which we analyze the processes of asynchronous communication in forums of e-learning. In this research we have developed a system of categories that allows the analysis of the didactic interaction. We present this system, as well as the analysis of the data that we have obtained. We show the importance of attending to the elements of social, cognitive and didactics interaction so that the learning in virtual environments is developed in a more effective way

Comunicación y aprendizaje electrónico:la interacción didáctica en los nuevos espacios virtuales de aprendizaje

Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación en la que analizamos los procesos de comunicación asincrónica en foros de e-learning. En esta investigación hemos desarrollado un sistema de categorías que permite el análisis de la interacción didáctica. Presentamos dicho sistema, así como el análisis de los datos que hemos obtenido. Mostramos la importancia de atender a los elementos de comunicación social, cognitiva y didáctica para que el aprendizaje en contextos virtuales se desarrolle de manera más eficazThis article presents the results of a study where the processes of asynchronous communication in forums of e-learning are analysed.We have developed a system of categories which allows the analysis of the didactic interaction. On the other hand, we present both this system and the analysis of the data obtained. Finally,we show the importance of dealing with social, cognitive and didactic communication issues so that learning processes may be developed in more effective ways as regards virtual environment

Assessing the Impact of the 2007 Tax Reform on Povert and Inequality in Uruguay

In the context of a sharp rise in the incidence of poverty and increasing inequality since the end of the last decade, a major tax reform was put into place in mid-2007 with the explicit goals of promoting both greater efficiency and equity in the Uruguayan tax system. Overall, the reform substantially increased direct taxes on personal income by increasing marginal rates, lowered indirect taxes and direct taxes on firms, harmonized employer contributions to social security across sectors and eliminated some highly distortionary taxes. The joint effects of these changes on the macroeconomic equilibrium, labour markets, and poverty and inequality are assessed using a top-down static CGE, a microsimulation approach. It is shown that full implementation of the tax reform has substantial general equilibrium effects which generally strengthen the reduction of poverty incidences, poverty gaps and the severity of poverty exclusively due to the introduction of the personal income tax (without behavioural responses). Regarding poverty, the general equilibrium effects are significantly greater than the direct effects. Overall, we estimate a one-point reduction of the Gini index due to the reform.tax Reform, CGE models, Microsimulations, Poverty, Inequality

Impacto del programa de regularización migratoria 'Patria Grande' en Argentina

El programa 'Patria Grande' en Argentina otorgó a los inmigrantes indocumentados un certificado de residencia precaria, con el que pueden trabajar, estudiar, entrar y salir del país libremente. Esto podría estimular una mayor participación en el sector formal y un mayor acceso a servicios sociales respecto del que hubiese surgido en ausencia del programa. Estimamos estos efectos comparando en el tiempo a los inmigrantes elegibles con un grupo semejante pero no elegible (migrantes argentinos, que se mudaron recientemente de ciudad). Los resultados sugieren que el programa contribuyó a disminuir 13% la informalidad (vía un aumento en la probabilidad de tener derecho a jubilación y seguro de salud en el trabajo) y mejoró 7.5% el acceso a educación de los inmigrantes

The technological and technological pedagogical knowledge in the science teaching at the university. A descriptive study

La investigación sobre el conocimiento pedagógico del contenido (PCK) ha representado en estas últimas décadas una mirada nueva para comprender cómo se produce el conocimiento profesional docente. En los últimos años, con la aparición de las tecnologías digitales, se requiere una revisión del PCK para incorporar nuevos componentes del conocimiento que las tecnologías proponen. El estudio que presentamos aborda el análisis del conocimiento de la tecnología para enseñar y el conocimiento tecnopedagógico del profesorado del área de ciencias de las universidades andaluzas. El diseño de la investigación es descriptivo, tipo survey. Se ha creado el inventario de actividades de aprendizaje con tecnologías en la universidad, que fue respondido por 197 docentes universitarios. Los resultados revelan un pobre conocimiento de la tecnología así como pedagógico de la tecnología. La variedad de tecnologías que se es capaz de incorporar a la práctica docente es reducida y las actividades de aprendizaje basadas en tecnologías que se es capaz de diseñar son principalmente asimilativas.Research on the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) has represented in the last decades a new look to understand how teacher professional knowledge is produced. In recent years, with the emergence of digital technologies, the revision of the PCK is required to incorporate new components that technologies proposed. The study we are presenting deals with knowledge of technology for education and technological pedagogical knowledge of science teachers at the Andalusian universities. The design of the research is descriptive, survey. We created the Inventory of Learning Activities with Technologies at the University, which was answered by 197 university teachers. The results reveal a poor knowledge both on technology and pedagogical methods. The variety of technologies that teachers know is reduced and the learning activities based on technologies are mainly assimilative

Desafíos laborales en América Latina después de dos décadas de reformas estructurales. Bolivia, Paraguay y Perú 1997-2008

El volumen reune diversos trabajos sobre los mercados laborales en los tres países durante la década comprendida entre 1997 y 2008. En los tres casos se hacen análisis globales de la situación laboral de cada país así como análisis particualres de las áreas rurales y las áreas urbanas. Lo que se encuentra es que los mercados laborales no se habrían tornado todo lo dinámico que se esperaba fueran después de las reformas estructurales. Sin embargo es importante mencionar que estas reformas tuvieron diferentes características y diferentes períodos de maduración.mercados laborales; reformas estructurales; Bolivia; Paarguay; Peru