The use of virtual environments as an extended classroom – A case study with adult learners in tertiary education

This study was conducted in immersive 3D virtual environment Second Life®, with the support of web 2.0 tools as a complement to physical classroom - extended classroom. It was assumed that socialization is a key factor for collaborative learning and knowledge construction. The study aims to identify the variables that may influence knowledge sharing in learning contexts using virtual environments; with the aim of contributing to the improvement of learning situations using the online tools. This research is exploratory in nature and falls within the field of phenomenological studies. The study was implemented in a tertiary education institution involving regular and adult learners. We conclude that in virtual environments learners tend to feel more confident, open, participatory, creative, understanding and seem to participate in training sessions because they are indeed interested in learning. On the other hand, the possibility of providing online tutorial session allows reaching a larger number of learners. These online sessions can be established in a time and place (virtual) free of constraints and can be tailored, allowing a more effective participation from learners.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fundación para la I+D del Software Libre

La cultura del open source tiene cada vez más fuerza. Las soluciones informáticas que hasta hace poco pasaban por plataformas cerradas encuentran hoy una salida basad en la rapidez, la rentabilidad y el conocimiento compartido. Los desarrollos de FIDESOL para la divulgación son un ejemplo de ello

La ciencia que se toca. Centro Principia

El Centro Principia es un museo interactivo de ciencia que tiene como objetivo acercar la ciencia y la tecnología a la sociedad de una manera amena, sin perder rigor en sus contenidos

El guardián del tiempo. Real Instituto y Observatorio de la Armada

El Real Instituto y Observatorio de la Armada de San Fernando es el observatorio astronómico más antiguo de España y uno de los más antiguos del mundo

Fundación Descubre

La Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta promueve con esta iniciativa una gran alianza por la divulgación del conocimiento en Andalucí

A new convergent algorithm to approximate potentials from fixed angle scattering data

We introduce a new iterative method to recover a real compact supported potential of the Schr\"odinger operator from their fixed angle scattering data. The method combines a fixed point argument with a suitable approximation of the resolvent of the Schr\"odinger operator by partial sums associated to its Born series. Convergence is established for potentials with small norm in certain Sobolev spaces. As an application we show some numerical experiments that illustrate this convergence.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figure

The Humanities and the Digital

UIDB/05021/2020 UIDP/05021/2020The long history of human biological and cultural co-evolution has been, in its entirety, a history of the composition between the human and the non-human, a history of interactions and media- tions between the physical, biological, technological and symbolic dimensions of existence.The full recognition of this reality dictates the need for an extended ecological thinking that also imposes on the humanities. Their contribution to a general ecology is, in fact, crucial, as the latter cannot do without a critique of the Anthropos’s spiritual and cognitive primordiality and his exter- nalization in modes of perceiving, thinking and acting upon the world. Media studies have been central to this critique and to the post-human epistemology that emerged, in particular, through digital culture. Ecological thinking thus requires a cognitive ecol- ogy which, in turn, constitutes itself as a critique of mediation, increasingly necessary, as both cognition and existence are now permeated by informationalization, computation and algorithmic governance, forming a planetary scale digital environment.publishersversionpublishe

Dimensions and outcomes of experience quality in tourism: The case of Port wine cellars

Ever since the notion that consumption has an experiential dimension, experience and its impact on business is receiving increased attention. Therefore, understanding experience quality, its drivers and outcomes becomes crucial, especially when experiences are the core of the service offering such as in tourism. However, research on tourism experiences remains sparse and largely conceptual. We develop a higher-order model of experience quality, validated in the wine tourism industry, outlining relevant dimensions and outcomes. Results support the six-dimensional structure of experience quality and its impact on loyalty, satisfaction and word-of-mouth. Overall, we validate a holistic multi-dimensional measure of experience quality and examine key nomological relationships, with important implications for tourism managers

Predicting Pollicipes pollicipes (Crustacea: Cirripedia) abundance on intertidal rocky shores of SW Portugal: a multi-scale approach based on a simple fetch-based wave exposure index

Understanding and predicting patterns of distribution and abundance of marine resources is important for con- servation and management purposes in small-scale artisanal fisheries and industrial fisheries worldwide. The goose barnacle (Pollicipes pollicipes) is an important shellfish resource and its distribution is closely related to wave exposure at different spatial scales. We modelled the abundance (percent coverage) of P. pollicipes as a function of a simple wave exposure index based on fetch estimates from digitized coastlines at different spatial scales. The model accounted for 47.5% of the explained deviance and indicated that barnacle abundance increases non-linearly with wave exposure at both the smallest (metres) and largest (kilometres) spatial scales considered in this study. Distribution maps were predicted for the study region in SW Portugal. Our study suggests that the relationship between fetch-based exposure indices and P. pollicipes percent cover may be used as a simple tool for providing stakeholders with information on barnacle distribution patterns. This information may improve assessment of harvesting grounds and the dimension of exploitable areas, aiding management plans and support- ing decision making on conservation, harvesting pressure and surveillance strategies for this highly appreciated and socio- economically important marine resource

Initial Assessment of the Impact of the SARS-CoV-19 on Tourism in Mexico

The main objectives of this document were to evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-19 on the tourism industry and infer the share of tourism GDP in Mexico's national GDP. Information from the input-output matrix and the tourism satellite account was used. Results show that, when all tourism disappears, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreases by 8.98%. By simulating a probable scenario of recovery of tourist activity for the year 2021 of 25%, the tourism GDP increases by 9% and for a scenario of 50%, GDP rises to 12%. It is suggested to project recovery plans in the local hotel and restaurant industries. The originality consisted in building a tourism input-output matrix based on data and information from the tourism satellite account. The main limitation is that we only worked with data from 2013, the most recent published by INEGI. It is recommended to replicate the study for tourism activity not only in GDP but also in employment and wages.Evaluación inicial del impacto del SARS-CoV-19 en el turismo en MéxicoLos principales objetivos de este documento fueron evaluar el impacto del SARS-CoV-19 en la industria turística e inferir la participación del PIB del turismo en el PIB nacional de México. Se utilizó información de la matriz insumo-producto y la cuenta satélite de turismo. Los resultados muestran que, cuando desaparece todo el turismo, el Producto Interno Bruto (PIB) disminuye en un 8,98%. Al simular un escenario probable de recuperación de la actividad turística, en su conjunto, para el año 2021 del 25%, los resultados indican que el PIB turístico aumenta un 9% y para un escenario del 50%, el PIB sube al 12%. Se sugiere proyectar planes de recuperación en los subsectores de hotelera y restaurantes locales. La originalidad consistió en construir una matriz de insumo-producto del turismo en base a los datos e información de la cuenta satélite de turismo. La principal limitación es que solo se trabajó con datos del año 2013, los más recientes publicados por el INEGI. Se recomienda replicar el estudio para la actividad turística no solo en PIB sino también en empleo y salarios