Nest Site Selection by Kentish Plover Suggests a Trade-Off between Nest-Crypsis and Predator Detection Strategies

Predation is one of the main causes of adult mortality and breeding failure for ground-nesting birds. Micro-habitat structure around nests plays a critical role in minimizing predation risk. Plovers nest in sites with little vegetation cover to maximize the incubating adult visibility, but many studies suggest a trade-off between nest-crypsis and predator detection strategies. However, this trade-off has not been explored in detail because methods used so far do not allow estimating the visibility with regards to critical factors such as slope or plant permeability to vision. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Kentish plovers select exposed sites according to a predator detection strategy, and the hypothesis that more concealed nests survive longer according to a crypsis strategy. To this end, we obtained an accurate estimation of the incubating adult's field of vision through a custom built inverted periscope. Our results showed that plovers selected nest sites with higher visibility than control points randomly selected with regards to humans and dogs, although nests located in sites with higher vegetation cover survived longer. In addition, the flushing distance (i.e., the distance at which incubating adults leave the nest when they detect a potential predator) decreased with vegetation cover. Consequently, the advantages of concealing the nest were limited by the ability to detect predators, thus indirectly supporting the existence of the trade-off between crypsis and predator detection. Finally, human disturbance also constrained nest choice, forcing plovers to move to inland sites that were less suitable because of higher vegetation cover, and modulated flushing behavior, since plovers that were habituated to humans left their nests closer to potential predators. This constraint on the width of suitable breeding habitat is particularly relevant for the conservation of Kentish Plover in sand beaches, especially under the current context of coastal regression and increase of recreational activities.Our work received partial funding only during the years 2000 and 2001 by the Conselleria de Infraestructuras, Territorio y Medio Ambiente (Generalitat Valenciana; www.citma.gva.es). PLL is supported by a “Juan de la Cierva” postdoctoral grant of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (http://www.mineco.gob.es/) (reference JCI-2011-09588)

Narratives as a Didactic Resource in the Social Sciences to Teach Sustainable Development: A Study with Primary Education Students

The environment should be incorporated transversally into all human activities, especially the different areas of education. However, this is not always the case. In these pages we present a study carried out during the 2021/2022 academic year among students studying for a degree in Primary Education at the University of Cordoba, to analyze narratives as resources for teaching pupils about the environment and sustainable development, mainly through the dissemination and knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Data on the didactic experience was collected from a potential sample of 217 teachers to be via a questionnaire validated by experts, which was subjected to reliability analysis with Cronbach’s Alpha, using the SPSS program, version 25.0 for Windows. The trainee teachers reacted positively to the use of narratives as resources for teaching and learning about the environmental contents of the SDGs, considering them an ideal pedagogical resource to transmit concepts effectively, in addition to serving to develop other types of competences. Likewise, they concluded that this intervention provided significant coverage of both the theoretical and practical contents of sustainable development

Cultivos ilícitos de coca y bienestar en las regiones productoras: Un análisis desde el enfoque de capacidades

Esta investigación examina los efectos de la producción de cultivos ilícitos de coca sobre el bienestar de la población de las regiones productoras, desde el enfoque de capacidades. Se encontró que los aumentos en la producción ilícita van acompañados del aumento en la aplicación de seguridad ilegal privada y de corrupción. Se analiza el efecto de la producción ilícita sobre el bienestar desde el enfoque de capacidades; los resultados señalan que el efecto de la producción ilícita sobre el bienestar al nivel individual depende de la magnitud de la preferencia por el ingreso, de la magnitud del factor de impulso del ingreso ilegal sobre las realizaciones no monetarias, y de la magnitud del factor de impulso de las realizaciones no monetarias sobre el ingreso. Los cambios en el estado de bienestar social en una región productora de cultivos ilícitos dependerán de la proporción de productores dedicados a la producción ilícita, de la magnitud del cambio neto en las realizaciones monetarias de los productores de cultivos ilícitos, y de la magnitud de la reducción de las realizaciones no asociadas al ingreso para el conjunto de la población habitante de la región productora.Abstract: This research examines the effects of the production of illicit coca crops on wellbeing, from the capabilities approach. The research identified that increases in illicit crops production correlate with proportional increase in illegal private security and corruption. The effect of the illicit production on wellbeing from the capability approach is analyzed; the results indicate that the effect of the illicit production on wellbeing at the individual level depends on the magnitude of the preference for income, the magnitude of the illicit income momentum factor on non-monetary functionings, and on the magnitude of the momentum factor of the non-monetary functionings on the income. Changes in social wellbeing in an illicit crop producing region, depend on the ratio of illicit production farmers, on the magnitude of the net change in monetary functionings of illicit crop producers, and on the magnitude of the reduction of non- monetary functionings for the entire resident population of the producing region.Doctorad

Perceptions of Heritage among Students of Early Childhood and Primary Education

In recent decades, a growing awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage as a means of promoting sustainable development has been accompanied by a similar re-evaluation of the role of heritage education as a key driver of citizen engagement. The development and implementation of heritage education at all levels, particularly in the context of teacher training, is of vital importance. The aim of this study is to analyse student teachers’ understanding of heritage and its potential as an educational tool, in order to identify measures to enhance teacher training and practice with respect to heritage and heritage education. The research design consists of a comparative study of a non-random sample of 149 trainee teachers undertaking Bachelor’s degrees in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education at the University of Córdoba (Spain). The results reveal a mainly cultural conception of heritage among both groups, based on local material elements, and little sense of the link between heritage and present-day life. The students studying early childhood education were found to display a more specific knowledge of heritage in their answers, while the primary education students showed a greater awareness of identity and values as features of cultural heritage

La provincia de Córdoba de La Gloriosa al reinado de Alfonso XII (sept. 1868-1885)

El último tercio del Siglo XIX fue una época de cambios convulsos y transcendentales que configuraron, en gran parte, la evolución del país en la centuria siguiente. En los diecisiete años que abarca el periodo de estudio de la presente tesis doctoral se va a analizar el impacto que tuvo en la provincia de Córdoba la batalla del puente de Alcolea, en el que se resolvió la expulsión de la reina Isabel II, la llegada de Amadeo I de Saboya, la experiencia de la primera República y, finalmente, la llegada de la Restauración borbónica a manos de Alfonso XII. Con el fin de estructurar como influyeron estos acontecimientos en la provincia cordobesa se ha optado por fijar nueve bloques temáticos: Demografía, Economía, Urbanismo, Política, Sanidad¿, para conocer en qué medida afectaron los aspectos sustanciales del transcurrir de la ciudad califal y su provincia, en un periodo decisivo de la modernización española

The teaching of Social Sciences Didactics through Latin American cinema

En estas líneas pretendemos conocer la situación del uso de los medios audiovisuales en el aula que tan relegados están en comparación a otros recursos educativos. Hemos tenido en cuenta que, dentro de la práctica docente, la elección de los recursos didácticos viene determinada, en gran medida, por la rigurosidad en la consecución de los objetivos estipulados para cada nivel educativo, en las limitaciones horarias y en la falta de un mínimo de recursos. Presentamos una serie de interrogantes realizadas a los alumnos y alumnas del Grado de Magisterio de Educación Primaria a modo de muestra que tienen como finalidad introducir el mundo del cine en las aulas. La enseñanza a través del cine nos ofrece una beneficiosa cualidad, que difiere de otras disciplinas, consecuencia de que la imagen está presente como un elemento normalizado en el desarrollo de la persona desde sus primeros años de vida. Sirviéndonos de las Ciencias Sociales presentamos una serie de actividades para analizar la realidad social, histórica, política, económica… de latinoamericana a través de una selección de filmes. Creemos que el uso de una metodología lúdica y relajada es un elemento dinamizador y motivador del aula que enriquece la labor de enseñanza-aprendizaje.In these lines we intend to know the situation of the use of audiovisual media in the classroom that are so relegated compared to other educational resources. We take into account that, within the teaching practice, the choice of teaching resources is determined, to a large extent, by the rigor in the achievement of the objectives stipulated for each educational level, in the time constraints and in the lack of a minimum of resources. We present a series of questions asked to the students of the Teaching Degree of Primary Education as a sample that have as their purpose to introduce the world of cinema in the classrooms. Teaching through cinema offers us a beneficial quality, which differs from other disciplines, as a result of which the image is present as a normalized element in the development of the person from the first years of life. Using social sciences, we present a series of activities to analyze the social, historical, political, economic reality ... of Latin America through a selection of films. We believe that the use of a playful and relaxed methodology is a dynamic and motivating element of the classroom that enriches the work of teaching and learning.peerReviewe

Cinema as a Pedagogical Proposoal for Students of Grade of Teacher in Primary Education

El presente estudio analiza el desarrollo y el uso didáctico que tienen en la actualidad los recursos cinematográficos para los alumnos y alumnas del Grado de Magisterio de Educación Primaria en sus labores pedagógicas desde la perspectiva de futuros docentes. Creemos que un recurso educativo como el cine tiene un gran potencial para fomentar la cultura, el patrimonio cultural, así como una serie de valores cívicos y sociales. Es por ello que se han analizado una serie de variables cuyo objetivo es intentar comprender y dar respuestas a cuestiones que van desde la formación del profesorado en cinematografía, el uso de recursos audiovisuales en el aula, los equipamientos existentes, etc.Los resultados obtenidos han evidenciado la buena aceptación por parte del alumnado universitario a la incorporación de este tipo de herramientas pedagógicas en las tareas educativas del aula a pesar, no obstante, de la escasa planificación y dotación de recursos que hay para optimizar esta práctica docente en la actualidad.This study analyses the use of the cinema as an educational resource for the students of the Bachelor degree in Primary Education in their pedagogical training to be teachers. It is considered that an educational resource such as the cinema has great potential to promote culture, cultural heritage, as well as civic and social values. This is why a series of variables have been analyzed in order to understand and give answers to questions related to teacher training in cinematography, the use of audiovisual resources in the classroom, the existing equipments, etc.The obtained results have shown a good consideration by the university students about the incorporation of this type of pedagogical tools in the classroom. However, it´ seems that nowadays there is already little planning and few resources to optimize this teaching practice

What is the role of adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines in relation to physical fitness components among adolescents?

Background: Physical inactivity, excessive sedentary time, and lack of sleep time have been independently associated with lower health-related physical fitness. However, little is known about the combined association between 24-h movement guidelines (i.e., physical activity, recreational screen time, and sleep duration) and components of physical fitness. Objective: The main aim was to examine the likelihood of having high/very high levels on different components of physical fitness based on meeting with 24-h movement guidelines. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1276 Spanish youths (13.07±0.86; 55.88% boys), aged 11–16 years, completed self-reported questionnaires on physical activity, recreational screen time, and sleep duration. Physical fitness components were assessed by 20-m shuttle-run test, standing long jump test, handgrip strength test, and 4×10-m shuttle-run test. Meeting 24-h movement guidelines was defined as: 9–11h/day (children aged 5–13) or 8–10h/day (adolescents aged 14–17) of sleep, ≤2h/day of recreational screen time and at least 60min/day of moderateto-vigorous physical activity. The probability of having a high/very high score for each physical fitness components (i.e., ≥60th centile according to the normative cut-off points for European adolescents) in relation to adherence to 24-h movement guidelines was analyzed using a series of binary logistic regressions. Results: Participants who met the three 24-h movement guidelines were more likely to have high/very high for cardiorespiratory fitness (OR=3.31; 95% CI: 1.79, 6.14; p<0.001), standing long jump (OR=1.91; 95% CI: 1.06, 3.45; p=0.031), muscular fitness (OR=2.05; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.86; p=0.048) and physical fitness (OR=1.99; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.66; p=0.012), but not for handgrip strength (OR=1.15; 95% CI: 0.64, 2.01; p=0.636) and speed/agility (OR=1.65; 95% CI: 0.92, 2.96; p=0.093), compared to those who did not meet all three recommendations. Conclusion: Since meeting the three 24-h movement guidelines increased the likelihood of having higher levels in most physical fitness components, it seems necessary to promote these movement behaviors early in life, as they could serve as a gateway for improving health-related fitness in future generations.This study has been funded by the European Community and the Ministry of Economy of Extremadura (IB16193). We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructures and European Community. Dr. Tapia-Serrano is supported by the Junta of Extremadura (PD18015) and European Social Fund (FSE). In addition, this research has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund, The FSE, and the Junta of Extremadura, with grant numbers GR21124. Dr. López-Gil is a Margarita Salas Fellow (Universidad Pública de Navarra – 1225/2022). Dr. García-Hermoso is a Miguel Servet Fellow (Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FSE – CP18/0150)

Characterizing visual asymmetries in contrast perception using shaded stimuli.

Previous research has shown a visual asymmetry in shaded stimuli where the perceived contrast depended on the polarity of their dark and light areas (Chacón, 2004). In particular, circles filled out with a top-dark luminance ramp were perceived with higher contrast than top-light ones although both types of stimuli had the same physical contrast. Here, using shaded stimuli, we conducted four experiments in order to find out if the perceived contrast depends on: (a) the contrast level, (b) the type of shading (continuous vs. discrete) and its degree of perceived three-dimensionality, (c) the orientation of the shading, and (d) the sign of the perceived contrast alterations. In all experiments the observers' tasks were to equate the perceived contrast of two sets of elements (usually shaded with opposite luminance polarity), in order to determine the subjective equality point. Results showed that (a) there is a strong difference in perceived contrast between circles filled out with luminance ramp top-dark and top-light that is similar for different contrast levels; (b) we also found asymmetries in contrast perception with different shaded stimuli, and this asymmetry was not related with the perceived three-dimensionality but with the type of shading, being greater for continuous-shading stimuli

Linked(In)g sport management education with the sport industry: A preliminary study

Social media are one of the most valuable management tools used by sport managers in the fulfilment of their daily tasks. However, the studies that share and analyse the impact of educational experiences that incorporate social media into sport management education for professional purposes are scarce to date. Thus, this study presents an educational innovation piloted in a sport management course where LinkedIn the social media most associated with the professional sphere is introduced through an experiential learning methodology, as a driver of students' career development and as a tool to keep up to date and interact with the sport industry. To assess the learning outcomes, a new scale was developed and tested. A total of 90 Spanish undergraduate sport management students (M = 22.71; SD = 3.84) participated in the study, partaking in a pre-test and a post-test. Regarding the results linked to the testing of the scale, the statistical analysis reflects the scale's two-dimensional nature, explaining 68.78% of the variance, presenting good psychometric properties (α = 0.95). On the other hand, significant increases in all the scale items between the two measures were obtained, with large effects size in the two dimensions (Cohen's d ≥ 0.80). Therefore, it is concluded that LinkedIn can help to develop the professional profile of sport management students, Linked(In)g what is taught in the classroom with what the sport industry demand