Educar els fills és molt complicat! Els malestars actuals de la socialització familiar

En les diferents recerques sobre la socialització familiar són cada vegada més habituals les referències dels progenitors catalans de classes mitjanes i altes a la complexitat, a les dificultats i a la tensió creixent que implica educar els fills i les filles. Sobre això, i amb la teoria de la civilització de Norbert Elias com a fil conductor, l'article es pregunta pels malestars que actualment travessa la socialització familiar i els posa en relació amb quin és l'objectiu del mateix procés en la nostra societat immersa en un capitalisme financer i flexible. Així, si la finalitat és la «socialització terciària» (Mead, 1964; Bateson, 1984), dins les famílies emergeixen un seguit de neguits i malestars lligats a l'autoritat, l'autonomia, els hàbits, els conflictes i els càstigs, les normes, les convencions i les prohibicions, etc. que, segons el parer de l'autor, cal comprendre dins del nou context social i econòmic i en relació amb els nous objectius de l'educació familiar de les famílies benestants catalanes.Bringing up children is hard work! Today’s concerns with socialisation processes in the family. In recent research into family socialisation processes, middle- and upper-class Catalan parents are increasingly referring to the complexity, difficulties and growing tensions involved in raising children. Drawing on Norbert Elias’ theory of civilisation, this article sets out to examine the uncertainties regarding family socialisation processes by relating them to the goals of the process itself in a society that is immersed in a flexible financial capitalism. Thus, if the aim is “tertiary socialisation” (Mead, 1964 and Bateson, 1984), within families there is growing unease and anxiety regarding the notions of authority, autonomy, habits, conflict, punishment, rules, conventions, prohibitions, etc., that, the author argues, can best be understood by relating them to this new social and economic context and the new educational objectives of well-off Catalan families

Norbert Elias: A proposed intellectual portrait for the 20th anniversary of his passing (1990-2010)

In the summer of 1990, one of the most eminent sociologists of the 20th century, the German Norbert Elias, died in Amsterdam. His profoundly interwoven life and work are a reflection of the complexity – the light and shade – of the past century. With this proposed intellectual portrait on the 20th anniversary of his death, we are attempting offer a snapshot a figure and a body of work which, because of its magnitude and originality, undoubtedly deserves to be considered among the most important in sociology. As the thread running through this portrait, we propose a combination of the physical and symbolic places, spaces and people, events and connections that marked a long life and academic career which was little known and largely unrecognised until his later years. It is a career which unquestionably constitutes one of the most outstanding and attractive legacies that the sociology of the past century has passed on to new generations of social science researchers

De la transmissió de continguts a la socialització complexa : la crisi de la socialització de les creences religioses

La forta crisi de les institucions socialitzadores tradicionals (escola, família i Església) té el seu revers en la crisi dels processos de socialització tal com s'havien entès fins ara. En el camp de les creences religioses, hi podem veure com aquest procés evoluciona des d'una socialització tradicional que caracteritzem com a «transmissió de continguts», fins a les noves formes de socialització que agrupem sota l'adjectiu de complexa. Alhora, defensem en l'article que, en l'actual model de «socialització complexa» de les creences religioses, els elements afectius i relacionals són molt influents per comprendre'n el desenvolupament i els resultats.The deep crisis of the traditional socializing institutions (school, family and church) has its counterpart in the crisis of the way socialization processes had been working up till now. Taking into account the area of religious beliefs, we can see how this process has evolved from the traditional socialization through «transmission of contents» up to the new ways of socialization, which could be labeled as complex. At the same time, the article suggests that the affective and relational elements, related to this model of «complex socialization» of religious beliefs, are quite influential to understand its development and outcome

Learning with a neural network based on similarity measures

Currently, in machine learning, there is a growing interest in finding new and better predictive models that can deal with heterogeneous data and missing values. In this thesis, two learning algorithms are proposed that can deal with both issues. The first learning algorithm that is studied consists of a neural network based on similarity measures, the Similarity Neural Network (SNN). It is a two-layer network, where the hidden layer computes the similarity between the input data and a set of prototypes, and the output layer gathers these results and predicts the output. In this thesis, several variants of this algorithm are proposed and it is analyzed which one performs better. Some of these variants are the way to choose the prototypes or how to set the parameters of the activation function. A full analysis is performed in the experiments section. Secondly, an Ensemble of SNNs is also proposed. The purpose of using an ensemble is to increase predictive performance, reduce variability and reduce learning time complexity. This second learning algorithm combines the predictions of a set of SNNs and gives the response of the ensemble based on these predictions. For this algorithm, several ensemble learners are proposed (in other words, different ways to combined these predictions). These variants are analyzed with a set of experiments. The main goal of this thesis is to understand these two methods, derive training algorithms and compare them with traditional learning algorithms, such as the classical Random Forest. The results of the experiments show a competitive performance of both methods, obtaining similar results than the Random Forest and improving it in some problems. 16 datasets with heterogeneous data and missing values are tested, some of them large and difficult problems. About the SNN, with these experiments, it is found that adding regularization to the network has a high influence on the model. About the ensemble, the experiment results suggest that the simplest ensemble learner (mean or majority vote of the SNNs) is the one that performs better. Among the two proposals, both get similar and quite good performance metrics but the ensemble obtains slightly better predictions

Revolting families: The Catalan 'opt out' movement and practices of resistance against Standard Assessment Test (SAT). Some exploratory research

Neoliberal policy technologies are spreading across the globe. Most go unrecognised and unopposed, but in some cases, they have provoked reactions and movements that reject or resist them. In this article we focus on one such movement of resistance, consisting of a network of families (the ‘opt out’ movement) that is boycotting the Standard Assessment Tests of primary education in Catalonia. We draw on exploratory research based on in-depth interviews with six of these families, as well as a review of articles, websites and documents produced by or about the movement. The participation of these families is examined in the light of Foucault’s notion of resistance in two different respects: resistance as a ‘tactical reversal’ and refusal as an ‘aesthetics of existence’. We begin with an outline of the global ideological context in which the Standard Assessment Tests are set, and then examine the background to the opt out movement’s resistance to the Standard Assessment Tests in Catalonia. This is followed by a Foucauldian analysis of this resistance, and then a description of the methodology used and the families interviewed. We make no significant empirical claims in the paper but rather seek to theorise certain paradoxes and tensions in relation to opting out and end with some remarks on the significance of the movement

Les nou preguntes que Norbert Elias es va formular : debats, interrogants i pistes per a la sociologia del segle XXI

En aquest article dedicat a Norbert Elias en commemoració dels vint anys de la seva mort, proposem revisar, de manera resumida, la seva obra a partir dels interrogants ontològics, epistemològics i metodològics que Elias va encarar al llarg de la seva dilatada vida acadèmica i de recerca. L'article pretén ser, alhora, un punt i a part en el monogràfic, perquè en vol recollir alguns dels interrogants, debats i conclusions, com també tenir un paper introductori per a aquelles persones que, sense gaires coneixements previs sobre l'autor de Breslau, vulguin conèixer alguns dels trets definitoris de la seva trajectòria intel·lectual al llarg del segle XX. I, sobretot, quin llegat, en forma de grans preguntes, deixa per a la sociologia del segle XXI. L'article acaba amb una bibliografia escollida d'obres clau.In this last article dedicated to Norbert Elias on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his death, we propose to revise his work in a summarized way basing ourselves on the ontological, epistemological and methodological questions which Elias took up during his extensive life of teaching and research. The article also pretends to be a halting point in the monographic by picking up some of its questions, debates and conclusions, and to serve as an introduction for all those who, without special previous information about the author from Breslau, want to acquaint themselves with some of the defining features of his intellectual career throughout the 20th century. And, above all, who want to know which legacy, in the form of important questions, he leaves to the sociology of the 21st century. The article concludes with a selected biography of his main works

Norbert Elias i les paradoxes educatives actuals

En el present article s’exposa la teoria de la civilització del sociòleg alemany Norbert Elias (1897- 1990). Aquesta perspectiva, que busca no perdre mai de vista la profunda interrelació entre els elements socials i personals, estructurals i psicològics, creiem que pot ser d’interès a l’hora d’abordar algunes de les tensions actuals tant del sistema escolar com de l’educació en general (famílies, lleure, esport, etc.) i llur interrelació. L’article, després d’exposar els elements més significatius de la proposta teòrica i analítica d’Elias, presenta a mode de conclusió tres paradoxes educatives actuals que, des de la teoria de la civilització, es poden comprendre més i millor

Educar els fills és molt complicat! Els malestars actuals de la socialització familiar

En les diferents recerques sobre la socialització familiar són cada vegada més habituals les referències dels progenitors catalans de classes mitjanes i altes a la complexitat, a les dificultats i a la tensió creixent que implica educar els fills i les filles. Sobre això, i amb la teoria de la civilització de Norbert Elias com a fil conductor, l’article es pregunta pels malestars que actualment travessa la socialització familiar i els posa en relació amb quin és l’objectiu del mateix procés en la nostra societat immersa en un capitalisme financer i flexible. Així, si la finalitat és la «socialització terciària» (Mead, 1964; Bateson, 1984), dins les famílies emergeixen un seguit de neguits i malestars lligats a l’autoritat, l’autonomia, els hàbits, els conflictes i els càstigs, les normes, les convencions i les prohibicions, etc. que, segons el parer de l’autor, cal comprendre dins del nou context social i econòmic i en relació amb els nous objectius de l’educació familiar de les famílies benestants catalanes.In recent research into family socialisation processes, middle- and upper-class Catalan parents are increasingly referring to the complexity, difficulties and growing tensions involved in raising children. Drawing on Norbert Elias’ theory of civilisation, this article sets out to examine the uncertainties regarding family socialisation processes by relating them to the goals of the process itself in a society that is immersed in a flexible financial capitalism. Thus, if the aim is “tertiary socialisation” (Mead, 1964 and Bateson, 1984), within families there is growing unease and anxiety regarding the notions of authority, autonomy, habits, conflict, punishment, rules, conventions, prohibitions, etc., that, the author argues, can best be understood by relating them to this new social and economic context and the new educational objectives of well-off Catalan families

Les nou preguntes que Norbert Elias es va formular : debats, interrogants i pistes per a la sociologia del segle XXI

En aquest article dedicat a Norbert Elias en commemoració dels vint anys de la seva mort, proposem revisar, de manera resumida, la seva obra a partir dels interrogants ontològics, epistemològics i metodològics que Elias va encarar al llarg de la seva dilatada vida acadèmica i de recerca. L’article pretén ser, alhora, un punt i a part en el monogràfic, perquè en vol recollir alguns dels interrogants, debats i conclusions, com també tenir un paper introductori per a aquelles persones que, sense gaires coneixements previs sobre l’autor de Breslau, vulguin conèixer alguns dels trets definitoris de la seva trajectòria intel·lectual al llarg del segle XX. I, sobretot, quin llegat, en forma de grans preguntes, deixa per a la sociologia del segle XXI. L’article acaba amb una bibliografia escollida d’obres clau.In this last article dedicated to Norbert Elias on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his death, we propose to revise his work in a summarized way basing ourselves on the ontological, epistemological and methodological questions which Elias took up during his extensive life of teaching and research. The article also pretends to be a halting point in the monographic by picking up some of its questions, debates and conclusions, and to serve as an introduction for all those who, without special previous information about the author from Breslau, want to acquaint themselves with some of the defining features of his intellectual career throughout the 20th century. And, above all, who want to know which legacy, in the form of important questions, he leaves to the sociology of the 21st century. The article concludes with a selected biography of his main works

Analysis of current teachers training on ICTs’ skills. Proposing a new perspective based on teachers’ previous competences, experiences and skills

En investigaciones precedentes sobre las relaciones digitales entre docentes, alumnado y familias se encontró una paradoja no prevista: docentes con altas competencias digitales en su vida privada que no educaban en estos ámbitos a su alumnado. Dada la importancia de las competencias digitales para la construcción de una ciudadanía activa y participativa, se realizó una investigación cualitativa, dentro del proyecto I+D "Demoskole: Democracia, participación y educación inclusiva en centros educativos" (EDU2012-39556-C02-01/02)¹, para comprender dicha paradoja. Las preguntas que guiaron la investigación fueron: ¿por qué docentes altamente capaces no enseñan al alumnado competencias digitales y mediáticas? y ¿qué tipo de formación del profesorado es la más pertinente para conseguir tal objetivo? En la investigación se emplearon entrevistas semiestructuradas a siete docentes de educación primaria y secundaria obligatoria de la provincia de Barcelona, con el fin de conocer su perspectiva sobre: a) la incorporación de la tecnología en su práctica escolar cotidiana;b) cómo valoran los procesos formativos para la adquisición de competencias digitales y mediáticas; y finalmente c) sus propuestas de mejora en dicha formación docente. A la luz de los resultados se cuestionan dos supuestos: el primero, la creencia que los docentes son analfabetos en estos ámbitos; y el segundo, los modelos mayoritarios de formación del profesorado que siguen una lógica unidireccional, cerrada y escolar. Finalmente, el artículo plantea un nuevo modelo de formación que parte de las experiencias, competencias y aprendizajes previos de los docentes en el marco de una propuesta didáctica mucho más abierta, colaborativa y en red.In our previous researches about teachers', pupils' and families' relationships through the Internet we found a non-expected paradox: some teachers with high digital skills did not use it to educate pupils on those subjects. In order to build up active and participatory citizenship related to the huge relevance of digital skills, we have carried out a qualitative research, within the I+D project: "Demoskole: Democracia, participación y educación inclusive en centros educativos" (EDU2012-39556-C02-01/02), trying to understand that paradox in which the main questions were: why teachers with high digital skills do not teach pupils those competences? And what kind of teachers training could be the most suitable to encourage and make teachers do it? We have held seven semi structured interviews with primary and secondary school teachers in Barcelona province in order to understand their perspectives and experiences about ICTs at school; their evaluation of current teachers training on that subject, and, finally we wanted to know their proposals about how to improve that formation. As a result of research outcomes, we question two taken for granted tenets of ICTs teacher's training. First, the belief those teachers are illiterate on those subjects; and secondly, the current teacher's training models which follow an unidirectional and closed logic. Finally, the paper proposes a new teacher's training model based on teachers’ previous experiences and skills with a more open and collaborative way to train them