Evolution of Social Power for Opinion Dynamics Networks

This article studies the evolution of opinions and interpersonal influence structures in a group of agents as they discuss a sequence of issues, each of which follows an opinion dynamics model. In this work, we propose a general opinion dynamics model and an evolution of interpersonal influence structures based on the model of reflected appraisals proposed by Friedkin. Our contributions can be summarized as follows: (i) we introduce a model of opinion dynamics and evolution of interpersonal influence structures between issues viewed as a best response cost minimization to the neighbor's actions, (ii) we show that DeGroot's and Friedkin-Johnsen's models of opinion dynamics and their evolution of interpersonal influence structures are particular cases of our proposed model, and (iii) we prove the existence of an equilibrium. This work is a step towards providing a solid formulation of the evolution of opinions and interpersonal influence structures over a sequence of issues

Investigating eLearning Continuance Through Expectation Disconfirmation Theory

This study set out to investigate the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) eLearning participation and completion phenomenon of learners and to explore motivation of CPD eLearning intentions and completions. This study focused on why learners choose CPD eLearning and why they continue in CPD eLearning. Based on the Expectations Disconfirmation theory (EDT) and the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model (1992), a survey was developed and then sent to a cross-section of registered CPD eLearners from the first responder community. After the data was collected 217 responses were analyzed with SPSS correlational techniques and through PROCESS which is a modeling tool. The study found that overall information, service, system, and learning expectations and perceptions of quality are positively related to each other as well as disconfirmation and satisfaction. Furthermore, disconfirmation was found to be positively correlated to satisfaction. Continuance intention and continuance behavior were positively related to each other as well as to satisfaction, respectively. Intrinsic motivation did have a moderation effect on satisfaction as it related to continuance intention and continuance behavior. Although generalization of the results should be exercised with caution, this study offers implications to CPD eLearning research and theory building with relation to disconfirmation, satisfaction, motivation, continuance intention, and continuance behavior. Many variables, ultimately, positively affect CPD eLearning continuance. Learners that are more satisfied tend to continue in CPD eLearning, but also have the motivation to continue in other types of eLearning. CPD eLearning quality and the learner’s motivation should not be forgotten if learner continuance is the goal. Continuance behavior is related to the learner’s satisfaction. All parties involved in the development and delivery of the CPD eLearning should be mindful. The study fills a gap in the CPD eLearning literature. This study had a mix of first responders that had and had not completed the CPD eLearning. This provides a different perspective than most studies tend to gather

Las etiquetas publicitarias como estrategia pedag?gica para los procesos lectores en el nivel preescolar

81 P?ginas. Recurso Electr?nicoEsta investigaci?n describe la importancia de la literatura infantil en ni?os y ni?as en edad pre-escolar, como proceso fundamental de aprendizaje, favoreciendo as? su desarrollo integral, basado en los aportes de te?ricos, pedagogos e investigadores que permitieron reconocer la importancia de la literatura en el proceso de ense?anza. En esta investigaci?n se utiliz? la metodolog?a cualitativa con corte etnogr?fico ya que satisface todos los objetivos de una investigaci?n manifestando la identificaci?n, an?lisis y soluci?n de m?ltiples problemas de la educaci?n e incluso podr?an analizarse diferentes aspectos cualitativos. Por lo tanto es una metodolog?a apropiada para este tipo de trabajo, que afronta un problema social, como lo es la apat?a de leer, interpretar y comunicar. As? mismo para alcanzar el objetivo de esta investigaci?n se dise?? una propuesta pedag?gica ?LA DANZA DE LAS PALABRAS? presentando estrategias metodol?gicas que conlleva al ni?o y ni?a al desarrollo del proceso de lecto- escritura, utilizando las etiquetas de los productos consumibles en el hogar como herramienta l?dico pedag?gica para la adquisici?n de nuevos conocimientos y terminolog?as que permiten una mejor comunicaci?n, creatividad e integraci?n de las diversas ?reas del conocimiento. El proyecto pedag?gico de aula contiene gu?as para los maestros y talleres para los estudiantes como una alternativa para iniciar el proceso de la lecto-escritura en el nivel pre-escolar de la instituci?n intervenida. Finalmente, el impacto de la investigaci?n logro la aceptaci?n de la comunidad educativa, con la apropiaci?n del tema, participando as? de las distintas actividades relacionadas con las etiquetasABSTRACT. This research describes the importance of children's literature in children in preschool, learning fundamental process, thus enhancing their overall development, based on the contributions of theorists, educators and researchers who allowed us to recognize the importance of literature in the teaching process. This research used qualitative ethnographic methodology as it meets all the objectives of research demonstrating the identification, analysis and solution of many problems of education and even different qualitative aspects could be analyzed. Therefore it is an appropriate methodology for this type of work, facing a social problem, such as apathy to read, interpret and communicate. Also to achieve the objective of this research was designed a pedagogical "DANCE OF THE WORDS" methodological strategies involved presenting the boy and girl to the process of reading and writing, using the labels of household consumable products as ludic pedagogical tool for acquiring new knowledge and terminologies that enable improved communication, creativity and integration of the various knowledge areas. The project includes classroom teaching guides for teachers and workshops for students as an alternative to start the process of reading and writing in the pre-school institution intervened.ADVERTENCIA. La Facultad de Licenciatura En Pedagog?a Infantil de la Universidad del Tolima, el director del trabajo y el jurado calificador, no son responsables de los conceptos ni de las ideas expuestas por el autor del presente trabajo. Art?culo 16, Acuerdo 032 de 1976 y Art?culo 29, acuerdo 064 de 1991, Consejo Acad?mico de la Universidad del Tolima

An unbalanced approach to metric space searching

Proximity queries (the searching problem generalized beyond exact match) is mostly modeled as metric space. A metric space consists of a collection of objects and a distance function defined among them. The goal is to preprocess the data set (a slow procedure) to quickly answer proximity queries. This problem have received a lot of attention recently, specially in the pattern recognition community. The Excluded Middle Vantage Point Forest (VP–forest) is a data structure designed to search in high dimensional vector spaces. A VP–forest is built as a collection of balanced Vantage Point Trees (VP–trees). In this work we propose a novel two-fold approach for searching. Firstly we extend the VP– forest to search in metric spaces, and more importantly we test a counterintuitive modification to the VP–tree, namely to unbalance it. In exact searching an unbalanced data structure perform poorly, and most of the algorithmic effort is directed to obtain a balanced data structure. The unbalancing approach is motivated by a recent data structure (the List of Clusters ) specialized in high dimensional metric space searches, which is an extremely unbalanced data structure (a linked list) outperforming other approaches.Eje: AlgoritmosRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Solving All-k-Nearest Neighbor Problem without an Index

Among the similarity queries in metric spaces, there are one that obtains the k-nearest neighbors of all the elements in the database (All-k-NN). One way to solve it is the naïve one: comparing each object in the database with all the other ones and returning the k elements nearest to it (k-NN). Another way to do this is by preprocessing the database to build an index, and then searching on this index for the k-NN of each element of the dataset. Answering to the All-k-NN problem allows to build the k-Nearest Neighbor graph (kNNG). Given an object collection of a metric space, the Nearest Neighbor Graph (NNG) associates each node with its closest neighbor under the given metric. If we link each object to their k nearest neighbors, we obtain the k Nearest Neighbor Graph (kNNG).The kNNG can be considered an index for a database, which is quite efficient and can allow improvements. In this work, we propose a new technique to solve the All-k-NN problem which do not use any index to obtain the k-NN of each element. This approach solves the problem avoiding as many comparisons as possible, only comparing some database elements and taking advantage of the distance function properties. Its total cost is significantly lower than that of the naïve solution.XVI Workshop Bases de Datos y Minería de Datos.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic

Anticipation of work-life conflict in higher education

Purpose: This paper aims to further the understanding about the relationship between work–life conflict and possible barriers to career progression due to the perception of anticipated work–life conflict, considering the unbounded nature of academic work through features such as its intensity, flexibility and perception of organizational support. / Design/methodology/approach: The model was tested using survey data from academics in a public university in the south of Spain. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. / Findings: The results reveal that current work–life conflict, job intensity and perception of support have a direct effect on the anticipation of work–life conflict in the event of progression in academic careers. The flexibility that academics enjoy is not sufficient to prevent the expected conflict. Academics' age is relevant, but gender or having childcare responsibilities have no significant effect of the anticipation of conflict. / Research limitations/implications: This study addresses the gap in the literature on anticipated work–life conflict, expanding the focus to nonfamily commitments in unbounded jobs such as academic posts. The authors are not aware of any other study that focuses on the anticipation of work–life conflict in the case of career advancement among current employees with professional experience or accurate knowledge of what job they will be doing instead of students. Work–life balance should not be restricted to women with caring responsibilities, as conflict is no longer only related to gender roles. / Originality/value: This paper not only explores existing work–life conflict but also empirically analyzes anticipated work–life conflict in unbounded careers such as academia. It represents a significant contribution in an underresearched field and may lead to future research in other settings

Fully dynamic and memory-adaptative spatial approximation trees

Hybrid dynamic spatial approximation trees are recently proposed data structures for searching in metric spaces, based on combining the concepts of spatial approximation and pivot based algorithms. These data structures are hybrid schemes, with the full features of dynamic spatial approximation trees and able of using the available memory to improve the query time. It has been shown that they compare favorably against alternative data structures in spaces of medium difficulty. In this paper we complete and improve hybrid dynamic spatial approximation trees, by presenting a new search alternative, an algorithm to remove objects from the tree, and an improved way of managing the available memory. The result is a fully dynamic and optimized data structure for similarity searching in metric spaces.Eje: Teoría (TEOR)Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Optimizing the spatial approximation tree from the root

Many computational applications need to look for information in a database. Nowadays, the predominance of nonconventional databases makes the similarity search (i.e., searching elements of the database that are "similar" to a given query) becomes a preponderant concept. The Spatial Approximation Tree has been shown that it compares favorably against alternative data structures for similarity searching in metric spaces of medium to high dimensionality ("difficult" spaces) or queries with low selectivity. However, for the construction process the tree root has been randomly selected and the tree ,in its shape and performance, is completely determined by this selection. Therefore, we are interested in improve mainly the searches in this data structure trying to select the tree root so to reflect some of the own characteristics of the metric space to be indexed. We regard that selecting the root in this way it allows a better adaption of the data structure to the intrinsic dimensionality of the metric space considered, so also it achieves more efficient similarity searches.Facultad de Informátic