Basic Skills in Higher Education: An Analysis of Attributed Importance

Today, the skills-based approach is increasingly in demand by companies due, in large part, to the fact that it favors the management of human resources by focusing on individual capabilities; which, finally, improves the job profile of a company. As a result, choosing the right candidates has become increasingly selective. Universities, therefore, need to teach skills to improve the incorporation of graduates into the workplace making it as successful as possible. For this reason, it is of special relevance to know if college students consider that the acquisition of skills is key for their incorporation into the workplace. The main objective of this study was to analyze and compare the importance assigned to the acquisition of basic skills in the university education of 694 students studying four different bachelor degrees: pedagogy, early childhood education, primary education, and psychology. For this purpose, a Likert-type questionnaire on basic skills was distributed with four possible options and the following five dimensions that grouped basic skills: organizational and planning capacity; access to information sources; analysis and synthesis of texts, situations, and people; teamwork; and problem solving. The results show that as a whole all students across different bachelor degrees gave a high score to the acquisition of basic skills, with early childhood education students giving it greater importance compared to the students from other disciplines and, more specifically, differences were observed in some dimensions depending on the bachelor degree that they have started

Colombia For Export: Johanna Ortiz, Pepa Pombo and the re-creation of the cultural identity for a global fashion market

In a moment in time when Colombia seems to be entering a postconflict state after over six decades of violence, Colombian nationals are engaging in the reconstruction of a national identity, especially through cultural production. Colombian fashion designers, creating one of the most visible images of identity –clothing– are an essential part of this process of re-creation of the nation. In this paper, I study the ways in which Johanna Ortiz and Pepa Pombo, two important Colombian designers that are widely known both in the country and abroad, selling their products through high-end international fashion retailers, use traditional elements of the national identity to create a new image of Colombia, as the basis of their creations for export. I study how Johanna Ortiz takes inspiration from the orchid, national flower, and the elements of traditional costume, and how Pepa Pombo borrows hand-woven techniques of textile manufacture and geometric, abstract and tribal patterns in textile design from the indigenous communities. I argue that, in de-constructing the stereotypes that associate these elements with the violent and corrupt ideas of armed conflict and drug cartels, and reinterpreting them in their own design aesthetic, they re-construct the Colombian nation and re-create the national identity under a positive light, thus providing a new image of Colombia both for export and for the Colombian peoples to identify with.En un momento en que Colombia parece estar entrando en un estado postconflicto después de más de seis décadas de violencia, los colombianos están participando en la reconstrucción de una identidad nacional, especialmente a través de la producción cultural. Los diseñadores de moda colombianos, creadores de una de las imágenes más visibles de la identidad –la indumentaria– son una parte esencial de este proceso de recreación del país. En este artículo, se estudia la forma en que Johanna Ortiz y Pepa Pombo, dos destacadas diseñadoras colombianas ampliamente conocidas tanto en el país como en el extranjero, comercializan sus productos a través de canales minoristas de moda internacionales, y utilizan elementos tradicionales de la identidad nacional para crear una nueva imagen de Colombia como la base de sus creaciones para la exportación. El artículo indaga acerca de la inspiración de Johanna Ortiz en la orquídea, flor nacional y en los elementos del traje tradicional colombiano; y cómo Pepa Pombo utiliza las técnicas de tejido manual en la fabricación de textiles y los patrones tribales geométricos y abstractos de las comunidades indígenas. En este artículo se sostiene que en la deconstrucción de los estereotipos que asocian estos elementos con las ideas violentas y corruptas de los conflictos y los carteles de drogas armados, y la reinterpretación de ellos en su propio diseño estético, se contribuye a la reconstrucción de la nación colombiana para volver a crear la identidad nacional bajo una luz positiva, proporcionando así una nueva imagen de Colombia, tanto para la exportación como para los pueblos colombianos que se identifican.Num momento em que Colômbia parece estar entrando num estado pós-conflito depois de mais de seis décadas de violência, os colombianos estão participando na reconstrução de uma identidade nacional, especialmente através da produção cultural. Os designers de moda colombianos, criadores de uma das imagens mais visíveis da identidade –a indumentária– são uma parte essencial deste processo de re- criação do pais. Neste artigo, estuda-se a maneira em que Johanna Ortiz e Pepa Pombo, duas destacadas designers colombianas reconhecidas no seu pais e no exterior, comercializam seus produtos através de canais retalhistas de moda internacionais, e utilizam elementos tradicionais da identidade nacional para criar uma nova imagem de Colômbia como a base de suas criações para a exportação. O artigo indaga na inspiração de Johanna Ortiz na orquídea, flor nacional e nos elementos das roupas típicas colombianas, e como Pepa Pombo utiliza as técnicas de tecido manual na fabricação de têxteis e os padrões tribais geométricos e abstratos das comunidades indígenas. Neste artigo se sustenta que na deconstrução dos estereótipos que associam estes elementos com idéias violentas e corruptas dos conflitos e os cartéis de droga armados, e a re-interpretação deles no próprio design estético, se contribui à reconstrução da nação colombiana para criar novamente a identidade nacional com uma luz positiva, proporcionando uma nova imagem de Colômbia, tanto para a exportação como para os povos colombianos que se identificam

Evaluating the impact of conditional cash transfer programs : lessons from Latin America

Unlike most development initiatives, conditional cash transfer programs recently introduced in the Latin America and the Caribbean region have been subject to rigorous evaluations of their effectiveness. These programs provide money to poor families, conditional on certain behavior, usually investments in human capital-such as sending children to school or bringing them to health centers on a regular basis. Rawlings and Rubio review the experience in evaluating the impact of these programs, exploring the application of experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation methods and summarizing results from programs launched in Brazil, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Evaluation results from the first generation of programs in Brazil, Mexico, and Nicaragua show that conditional cash transfer programs are effective in promoting human capital accumulation among poor households. There is clear evidence of success in increasing enrollment rates, improving preventive health care, and raising household consumption. Despite this promising evidence, many questions remain unanswered about the impact of conditional cash transfer programs, including those concerning their effectiveness under different country conditions and the sustainability of the welfare impacts.Public Health Promotion,Poverty Monitoring&Analysis,Poverty Impact Evaluation,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Health Systems Development&Reform,Poverty Monitoring&Analysis,Poverty Impact Evaluation,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Poverty Assessment,Health Systems Development&Reform

Smartphone Abuse Amongst Adolescents: The Role of Impulsivity and Sensation Seeking

Adolescence is the stage of development where the reward and emotional regulation systems are yet to be adjusted and where most excessive behaviors start, like smartphone abuse. In addition, in this evolutionary period adolescents are more susceptible to behavioral changes through specific interventions or educational programs. Thus, it is fundamental to analyze the personality profile of those adolescents showing excessive mobile phone usage to properly approach later prevention strategies. Impulsivity is one of the most repeated variables associated with teenage addictions, although it has been observed that not all impulsive behaviors need to be detrimental. The aim of this study is to analyze how impulsivity affects smartphone addiction directly, but also indirectly, by assessing its association with sensation seeking variables (thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility) which are in turn decisive when using these technologies improperly. The sample was made up of 614 adolescents aged 13–18 attending secondary education from Burgos, Spain. Dickman Impulsivity Inventory, Sensation Seeking Scale, and Ad-hoc questionnaire on adolescent self-perception as to smartphone use were applied. Results show that 41.4% of participants admit to abusing smartphones sometimes, while 18.3% admit to abusing them more frequently and 24% to, at least ever, having defined themselves as smartphone addicts. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that gender (female), dysfunctional impulsivity and sensation seeking (disinhibition and thrill and adventure seeking) evidence 15.7% of variance in smartphone abuse. In addition, sensation seeking (thrill and adventure seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility) were found to mediate the relationship between dysfunctional impulsivity and smartphone abuse. Therefore, dysfunctional impulsivity was directly connected with teenage smartphone abuse, but also had an indirect stronger association through thrill and adventure seeking, disinhibition and boredom susceptibility

Aprenentatge servei a la universitat: cap a la institucionalització i el treball en xarxa

L'article defensa el valor de l'aprenentatge servei (APS) com una proposta capaç d'unir, en una mateixa activitat, el rigor acadèmic i científic amb el compromís social que han de caracteritzar una universitat de qualitat. En aquest marc, el text s'inicia sintetitzant els principals ancoratges que fan de l'APS una proposta d'interès a l'àmbit universitari: d'una banda, la tercera missió de la universitat -la responsabilitat social- i, de l'altra banda, el canvi de perspectiva envers els processos d'ensenyament i aprenentatge. A continuació, l'article presenta la Xarxa Universitària d'Aprenentatge Servei (APSU), que pot esdevenir un element clau per avançar en la difusió, implementació i reflexió de l'APS a les universitats espanyoles. Finalment, s'apunten els principals reptes de futur que dibuixa una proposta d'aquestes característiques en la institució universitària. Treballar en aquesta direcció representa vetllar per què la universitat avanci cap al reconeixement i la institucionalització de l'aprenentatge servei en el seu projecte institucional. S'espera que el treball en xarxa iniciat pugui contribuir favorablement a aquesta tasca

Community Foundations: Learning from a Collective Experience: Process of Systematization

The report of a community foundation strengthening program involving eight Mexican community foundations: Tecate CF, Frontera Norte CF, Matamoros CF, Oaxaca CF, Puebla CF, Fundación Comunidad, Fundación del Empresariado Chihuahuense (FECHAC), and Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad (FIC). The report is also available in Spanish

Las definiciones léxicas de Las Partidas y de los actuales Código Civil y Penal

[Resumo] As Partidas e os actuais Códigos Civil e Penal definen os tecnicismos xurídicos mediante unha gráfica remisión ao referente. Esta representación determina as definicións hiponímicas, metafóricas, metonímicas e as de adxacentes nominais. Á súa vez, os Códigos Civil e Penal delimitan a intensión e extensión do definido e presupoñen no destinatario un coñecemento xurídico inexistente na enciclopedia afonsí[Resumen] Las Partidas y los actuales Códigos Civil y Penal definen los tecnicismos jurídicos mediante una gráfica remisión al referente. Esta representación determina las definiciones hiponímicas, metafóricas, metonímicas y las de adyacentes nominales. A su vez, los Códigos Civil y Penal delimitan la intensión y extensión del definido y presuponen en el destinatario un conocimiento jurídico inexistente en la enciclopedia alfonsí.[Abstract] The Partidas and the present Law and Penal Codes (Códigos Civil y Penal) define the legal technical terms by a graphic reference to the referent. This representation determines the hyponymic, metaphorical and metonymical definitions as well as those of nominal adjacents. In their turn, the Law and Penal Codes delimit the intension and the extension of the defined thing and presuppose a juridical knowledge by the addressee that does not exist in Alfonso X´s encyclopaedi

Els mapes conceptuals per a la representació de la cultura moral dels centres educatius

El presente artículo parte del supuesto de que la cultura moral de los centros educativos es uno de los principales agentes en la formación de sus miembros. En este marco, el artículo tiene como objetivo presentar un mecanismo para describir la cultura moral de los centros educativos, el conjunto de las prácticas educativas que dan forma a los valores de la institución. El sistema de descripción elaborado se fundamenta en la aplicación de la técnica de los mapas conceptuales, que permite una sistematización y una clasificación de las diferentes prácticas que configuran la cultura moral de un centro, y supone un punto de partida para la revisión de la propia práctica educativa y para la evaluación interna, mejora e innovación pedagógica de los centros

Geographic Variation in the Lower Temperature Tolerance in the Invasive Brown Anole, Anolis sagrei and the Native Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis (Sauria: Polychrotidae)

Invasive species are considered to be the second greatest threat to native biodiversity and several factors have been identified as contributing to the success of introduced species, including their initial genetic variation and the ability of populations to adapt to a new environment. Temperature has a significant impact on reptilian ecology and distribution since they ordinarily rely on external heat sources for the maintenance of body temperatures suitable for normal activity. Body temperature affects performance in these organisms given its importance for all aspects of behavior, locomotion, courtship and rates of feeding and growth. Critical thermal tolerances can, therefore, give an indication of the range of climatic conditions that can be tolerated and which may be the causal range limit in some cases. We studied the cold tolerance (Critical Thermal Minima) of female and male invasive Anolis sagrei and native Anolis carolinensis (Sauria: Polychrotidae) in four populations along a latitudinal gradient from south Florida to northern Georgia. Cold tolerance (CTMin) was measured under field conditions and after a period of acclimation to identify whether there is variation in this characteristic as latitude increases reflecting differential selection for lower temperature adaptation or phenotypic plasticity and whether there is a difference in cold tolerance between the native and invasive species. We found a geographic cline in field CTMin for both species; the lowest CTMins were exhibited by those anoles from the northern-most population (Savannah, GA). In all four populations A. carolinensis has a lower field cold CTMin than A. sagrei, and for both species, male CTMin is lower than female CTMin. However, after a period of acclimation, there were no significant differences in CTMin among populations or between sexes of either species, suggesting a notable capacity of both species to acclimate to local conditions

Basic Skills in Higher Education: An Analysis of Attributed Importance

Today, the skills-based approach is increasingly in demand by companies due, in large part, to the fact that it favors the management of human resources by focusing on individual capabilities; which, finally, improves the job profile of a company. As a result, choosing the right candidates has become increasingly selective. Universities, therefore, need to teach skills to improve the incorporation of graduates into the workplace making it as successful as possible. For this reason, it is of special relevance to know if college students consider that the acquisition of skills is key for their incorporation into the workplace. The main objective of this study was to analyze and compare the importance assigned to the acquisition of basic skills in the university education of 694 students studying four different bachelor degrees: pedagogy, early childhood education, primary education, and psychology. For this purpose, a Likert-type questionnaire on basic skills was distributed with four possible options and the following five dimensions that grouped basic skills: organizational and planning capacity; access to information sources; analysis and synthesis of texts, situations, and people; teamwork; and problem solving. The results show that as a whole all students across different bachelor degrees gave a high score to the acquisition of basic skills, with early childhood education students giving it greater importance compared to the students from other disciplines and, more specifically, differences were observed in some dimensions depending on the bachelor degree that they have started