Designing and implementing a massive open online course: Lessons learnt

•In this paper, we describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of a Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC, on good practice in the application of Intellectual Property. It is aimed primarily at teachers and students, and taught in Spanish. We have used the Spanish legislation on Intellectual Property. This paper outlines the structure and content of a course developed on an ad-hoc basis, and describes its evaluation by participants in questionnaires and a final survey. The results of the initial questionnaire are framed by a) the participant''s profile, and b) by consideration of the MOOC''s implementation, given the results of the satisfaction survey. In this paper we describe the advantages of the MOOC and identify areas for improvement

Graphical tools for helping firefighters in victim rescues. Assessment during a live fire training program

This study compares three different methods to communicate the features of a building to firefighters, before starting a victim rescue during a live fire training program. Participants in this study did not previously know the hotel used for developing the activities. The effective number of participants was 144, all professional firefighters. One of the exercises in this training program was thoroughly designed not only for training purposes, but also to test different guide versions. The innovative guides were based on two different technologies (simple stapled sheets of paper and digital content displayed on a tablet) and were developed using several graphical tools (conventional pictures, aerial images captured with drone, 3D models, 360° pictures, etc.). With the intention of facilitating firefighters’ activity during a victim rescue, results obtained using these tools were compared with a conventional communication method. The assessment methodology applied in this study included the use of an anonym questionnaire, as well as the analysis of the videos captured with action cameras, attached with a harness to the chest of two of the four firefighters in every team, during the training activities. Thanks to these videos, it was possible to compare the time required for rescuing the victim and to observe followed paths, visited rooms and substantial information about the tested tools, including valuable participants’ comments. For in emergency situations, the tools described in this paper were preferred to the already existent self-protection plans, usually considered too extensive for fast communication, a matter of special importance in victim rescues

Los perfiles de ingreso como herramientas para la mejora de las titulaciones: el Grado de Información y Documentación en la Universidad de Zaragoza (España)

Information about the profiles of students entering a degree course makes it possible to identify the abilities of incoming students in a given training programme. The objective is to find out and analyse the elements involved both in the recruitment of students and in the training process itself. The profile of the Information Science degree student at the University of Zaragoza is that of a woman who lives with her parents and comes basically from a Social Sciences background in her secondary school studies. Her choice of a degree course is based on two elements: her sense of vocation and the professional openings available. She likes to follow the day-to-day news, she uses the libraries regularly and is interested in taking part in programmes such as ERASMUS or SICU. She emphasizes her desire to do voluntary practical work in companies or institutions. She normally uses the Internet for professional purposes related to her academic formation and for personal matters. The foreign language that she is familiar with is English, though her ability to understand and to write English is better than her ability to speak. An in-depth knowledge of the various elements that make up the entry profile in any given degree makes it possible to plan various training activities of an internal and external nature, shaping them according to the expectations of those concerned in the teaching-learning process

Opinion of the students of the University of Zaragoza on teaching skills of higher education teachers [Opinión del estudiantado de la Universidad de Zaragoza sobre las competencias docentes del profesorado universitario]

En esta investigación se presentan los resultados de una encuesta realizada al profesorado y estudiantado de la Universidad de Zaragoza, relativa a las competencias que debe tener un buen docente universitario. Para ello se han distinguido seis competencias docentes: la interpersonal, metodológica, comunicativa, de planificación y gestión de la docencia, de trabajo en equipo y de innovación. Los resultados se centran prioritariamente en la opinión de los estudiantes, analizados según curso y rama de conocimiento de la titulación y se realiza una comparación entre las valoraciones otorgadas por los docentes y discentes a la importancia de las competencias presentadas. Entre las conclusiones se destaca que los estudiantes, independientemente del curso y de la rama de conocimiento de su titulación, coinciden en otorgar la mayor importancia para ser un buen docente a que este explique bien los contenidos de la asignatura y a que motive a los estudiantes. La competencia comunicativa suscita el acuerdo entre el profesorado y el alumnado en su valoración como la más importante. The research presents the results of a survey conducted among teachers and students of the University of Zaragoza, about the skills of a good university teacher. The skills studied have been six: interpersonal, methodological, communicative, teaching planning and management, teamwork and innovation. This paper focuses on the results of the students'' opinion, according to their academic years and their knowledge branches. A comparison between the assessments of the teachers and those of the students about the importance of the analyzed competences is also established. Among the conclusions outstands that students, regardless their knowledge branches or their academic years, agree in granting the highest rating to the clear explanation of the subject''s content and to the encouragement of motivation, in order to be a good teacher. So that teachers and students agree in assessing the communicative competence as the most important

25 años de formación continua del profesorado en la Universidad de Zaragoza

El Programa de Formación Continua del Profesorado Universitario del Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación (ICE) de la Universidad de Zaragoza (UZ) cuenta con 25 años de existencia. En su primera edición se realizaron cinco cursos, alcanzándose el máximo número de actividades en el curso 2008-09, produciéndose en los últimos años un descenso de las mismas relacionado con la situación económica actual. Se han realizado diferentes modalidades formativas en todos los campus de la UZ. El contenido de los cursos incluidos en este programa se ha ido modificando desde su inicio, de la misma manera que se ha modificado el perfil del profesorado asistente a los mismos. También se ha producido a lo largo de todo este tiempo una evolución del perfil de los formadores que impartían las actividades, pues progresivamente se ha ido incorporando profesorado de la UZ ya formado y procedente de diferentes áreas de conocimiento. El impacto del Programa de Formación Continua del Profesorado Universitario de la UZ ha sido relevante; en más del 80% de sus Centros más del 20% de su profesorado ha realizado cursos de formación, que ha valorado muy positivamente. Se constata que los profesores que han recibido formación a través del ICE participan activamente en otros programas de innovación y de calidad de la UZ