Inquiry based learning: why buying a car with a tree included? Enhancing science and mathematic learning

International reports reveal a deficient situation in relation to science and mathematics learning, which can be considered as an obstacle for the education of literate and informed citizens and the qualification and the preparation of future scientists and engineers. This situation may be partly attributed to the way science and mathematics are taught at school. Research on effective teaching approaches shows that inquiry based learning (IBL) improves students’ engagement and motivation for science and mathematics learning and promotes the development of process skills, critical thinking and conceptual understanding of some science and mathematics topics. The present work describes the design and implementation of an instructional approach for enhancing science and mathematics learning through IBL. The instructional approach is based on the design of an interdisciplinary task which starts by challenging students through the analysis of an advertisement. The initial scenario engages students in an investigation process to look for evidence and understanding while acquiring meaningful learning of key science topics and mathematical tools. The task also takes advantage of current technological resources to facilitate and support the overall inquiry process. (Orig.

Nitrogen-alkalinity interactions in the highly polluted Scheldt basin (Belgium)

We present results of one year observations in highly heterotrophic and oxygen-depleted rivers of the polluted Scheldt basin. Monthly measurements revealed a high variability for dissolved inorganic carbon and nitrogen, with the following strong parallelism: highest alkalinity and NH4+ were associated with lowest NO3− and oxygen and vice-versa. In river water incubations, nitrification lowered the alkalinity whereas denitrification raised it; in an anoxic, NO3−-free incubation an increase of alkalinity was observed, partially due to ammonification. A stoichiometric analysis, taking into account the amount of protons produced or consumed by each process involving nitrogen, revealed that monthly variations of NO3− and NH4+ with ammonification, nitrification and denitrification could explain the 28 and 62% alkalinity variations at all stations, except one. The remaining part of the alkalinity variations was attributed to other anaerobic processes (Mn-, Fe- and SO4-reductions). This trend seems to be the result of the whole catchment metabolism (riverine waters and sediments, sewage networks and agricultural soils). The observed HCO3− concentrations in the Scheldt basin were 2–10 times higher than the representative concentrations reported in pristine basins and used in chemical weathering models. This suggests the existence of an anthropogenic source, originating from organic matter decomposition. We conclude that in highly polluted basins, nitrogen transformations strongly influence the acid–base properties of water

Generating Second Order (Co)homological Information within AT-Model Context

In this paper we design a new family of relations between (co)homology classes, working with coefficients in a field and starting from an AT-model (Algebraic Topological Model) AT(C) of a finite cell complex C These relations are induced by elementary relations of type “to be in the (co)boundary of” between cells. This high-order connectivity information is embedded into a graph-based representation model, called Second Order AT-Region-Incidence Graph (or AT-RIG) of C. This graph, having as nodes the different homology classes of C, is in turn, computed from two generalized abstract cell complexes, called primal and dual AT-segmentations of C. The respective cells of these two complexes are connected regions (set of cells) of the original cell complex C, which are specified by the integral operator of AT(C). In this work in progress, we successfully use this model (a) in experiments for discriminating topologically different 3D digital objects, having the same Euler characteristic and (b) in designing a parallel algorithm for computing potentially significant (co)homological information of 3D digital objects.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MTM2016-81030-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2012-37868-C04-0

Domain configuration and magnetization switching in arrays of permalloy nanostripes

The proximity effect in the collective behavior of arrays of magnetic nanostripes is currently a subject of intensive research. The imperative of reducing the size and distances between elements in order to achieve higher storage capacity, faster access to the information as well as low energy consumption, brings consequences about the isolated behavior of the elements and devices. Parallel to each other permalloy nanostripes with high aspect ratio have been prepared by the nanolithography technique. The evolution of the closure domains and the magnetization direction in individual nanostructures has been imaged under applied magnetic fields using Variable Field Magnetic Force Microscopy. Moreover, the magnetostatic interactions between neighboring elements and the proximity effects in arrays of such nanostructures have been quantitatively analyzed by Magnetic Force Microscopy and micromagnetic simulations. The agreement between simulations and the experimental results allows us to conclude the relevance of those interactions depending on the geometry characteristics. In particular, results suggest that the magnetostatic coupling between adjacent nanostripes vanishes for separation distances higher than 500 nm

La genética en el cine y los obstáculos para su aprendizaje formal

El objetivo de este trabajo es comprobar si los significados sobre genética transmitidos por las películas que los estudiantes ven podrían generar concepciones alternativas sobre el tema. Así, se comparan dos fuentes de significados: los transmitidos por las películas y los personales de los estudiantes. El estudio muestra que los significados transmitidos por las películas pueden reforzar las ideas previas de los estudiantes, convirtiéndose así en obstáculos de aprendizaje

Las pérdidas de la vida cotidiana y su resignificación

Documento en el que se expone lo realizado en el taller “Las pérdidas del diario vivir”, el cual estuvo basado en un enfoque interdisciplinar e incorporó el marco del Desarrollo Humano y aportaciones de la sociología de la vida cotidiana. Se llevó a cabo con mujeres interesadas en adquirir herramientas para sobrellevar y resignificar las pérdidas experimentadas en el día a día. El objetivo central fue lograr el reconocimiento y la resignificación de las pérdidas cotidianas y el aprendizaje que estas dejan en la vida. Este trabajo relata los pasos previos a la realización de la intervención, rescata lo ocurrido durante la misma y da cuenta del análisis de la información recabada y los logros obtenidos. El análisis fue guiado por cuatro preguntas de investigación, dos principales y dos adyacentes, acordes con el propósito de la intervención. Se hizo uso de la metodología cualitativa, con recursos del método fenomenológico, el hermenéutico y el estudio de caso, mediante el cual se dio seguimiento a tres de las participantes del taller. Durante las siete sesiones de tres horas cada una, los asistentes, mayoritariamente mujeres, lograron identificar las emociones asociadas a las pérdidas, su dificultad o facilidad para expresarlas, al tiempo que hacían consciencia del impacto que han tenido en ellas las situaciones de este tipo no resueltas aún. La intervención promovió también el reconocimiento de los aprendizajes dejados por sus pérdidas, pasadas o presentes, que se tomaron como parte inherente de la vida cotidiana. Los facilitadores, por su parte, encontraron una manera colaborativa de orientar al grupo hacia el propósito rector, a la par que recababan información, que sirvió para acompañar a las asistentes hacia la resignificación de las mismas. Una de las aportaciones de este trabajo es la distinción que se establece entre la pérdida y el duelo

Homological computation using spanning trees

We introduce here a new F2 homology computation algorithm based on a generalization of the spanning tree technique on a finite 3-dimensional cell complex K embedded in ℝ3. We demonstrate that the complexity of this algorithm is linear in the number of cells. In fact, this process computes an algebraic map φ over K, called homology gradient vector field (HGVF), from which it is possible to infer in a straightforward manner homological information like Euler characteristic, relative homology groups, representative cycles for homology generators, topological skeletons, Reeb graphs, cohomology algebra, higher (co)homology operations, etc. This process can be generalized to others coefficients, including the integers, and to higher dimension