Problemática del proceso de sostenibilización curricular en el contexto universitario español: la formación del profesorado como catalizador

El principal propósito de esta investigación consiste en aportar conocimiento sobre el proceso de sostenibilización curricular en España y hallar algunas posibles vías para acelerar su desarrollo en las universidades españolas. En la primera fase de la investigación se realiza un acercamiento a la problemática existente en dicho proceso. Se ha seguido para ello una metodología descriptivoanalítica. Se comienza explicando el procedimiento seguido, a través de una consulta a expertos, para lograr identificar y priorizar los principales problemas de la sostenibilización curricular en el contexto universitario español, así como para explorar las posibles soluciones a los problemas detectados en dicho proceso. En la segunda fase de la investigación se pretende realizar una aproximación a la formación del profesorado en este ámbito, usando el contexto de la Universidad de Córdoba, para intentar responder a si es posible avanzar en el proceso de introducción de la sostenibilidad en la docencia sin tener que esperar a cambios institucionales importantes. Se han detectado los cinco principales problemas del proceso de sostenibilización curricular en las universidades españolas, ordenados por su influencia en el estado actual de la situación y se han aportado posibles soluciones a cada uno de ellos. Es de destacar que la situación de la sostenibilización curricular en España responde a múltiples factores, de entre los que los expertos destacan el papel del profesorado y su escasa formación en sostenibilidad y sostenibilización curricular. Asimismo, los resultados muestran que es posible comenzar a trabajar con el este colectivo, en su formación y en sus competencias, sin esperar a cambios más profundos en la planificación académica o en las propias instituciones universitarias.The main purpose of this research is to bring knowledge about the process of curricular sustainability in Spain and to find some possibilities to accelerate its development in Spanish universities. In the first phase of the research, an approach to the existing problems in the cited process is made. For this purpose, a descriptive-analytical methodology has been followed. It begins by explaining the procedure followed, through an expert consultation, in order to identify and prioritize the main problems of curricular sustainability in the Spanish university context, as well as to explore possible solutions to the problems detected in this process is exposed. In the second phase of the research, it is intended to make an approach to the faculty training on this field, using the context of the University of Córdoba, in an attempt to answer if it is possible to advance in the process of introducing sustainability into teaching without waiting for important institutional changes. Five main problems on the process of curricular sustainability in the Spanish universities have been detected and ordered by their influence in the current state of the situation. Possible solutions to each one of them have been provided. It is noteworthy that the situation of the curricular sustainability in Spain responds to multiple factors, among which the experts emphasize the role of professors and their lack of training in sustainability and curricular sustainability. Likewise, the results show that it is possible to start working with this group, in their training and in competences, without waiting for deeper changes in academic planning or within the university institutions themselves

Environmental awareness and curriculum sustainability, two tools on the road towards the sustainability of the University of Córdoba

El equipo de la Universidad de Córdoba autor de este trabajo lleva ya más de treinta años autodefiniéndose. Partiendo de un planteamiento de la educación ambiental más naturalista y centrado en los problemas de la conservación de la naturaleza, se ha ido derivando a planteamientos muchos más cercanos a la idea de sostenibilidad y sus objetivos definidos para el horizonte 2030. El presente artículo se dirige a realizar una revisión del compendio de trabajos e investigaciones desarrolladas, con un doble objetivo. El primero es el de presentarnos a la comunidad científica destinataria de esta nueva publicación, como grupo de trabajo universitario en Educación Ambiental (integrado en el grupo de investigación SEJ049 Evaluación educativa e innovación). Por otro, el de divulgar los hallazgos obtenidos y reflexionar sobre su utilidad. El título del artículo hace referencia a las dos grandes líneas de trabajo en las que nos estamos desenvolviendo: el estudio de la conciencia ambiental y de los procesos de sostenibilización curricular, con la formación del profesorado como principal catalizador.The team of the University of Córdoba author of this work has been self-defining for more than thirty years. Starting from a more naturalistic approach to environmental education focused on the problems of nature conservation, it has been evolving to approaches much closer to the idea of sustainability and its objectives defined for the 2030 horizon. This article aims to carry out a review of the compendium of works and research developed, with a double objective. The first is to present ourselves to the scientific community that is the receiver of this new publication, as a university work group on Environmental Education (integrated in the research group SEJ049 Educational evaluation and innovation). Secondly, to disseminate the findings of our research and reflect on its usefulness. The title of the article refers to the two main lines we are working in: the study of environmental awareness and curriculum sustainability processes, with teacher training as its main catalyst

Universities That Learn to Tackle the Challenges of Sustainability: Case Study of the University of Córdoba (Spain)

On their path to sustainability, universities must consider both individual and organizational components. Universities are organizations that also have the capacity to learn and evolve. By means of an analysis conducted over the past 20 years at the University of Córdoba (Spain), this article identifies the variables present in the University’s environmental sustainability process, characterizing its evolution through different stages and proposing an organizational model that orders these variables into a system within the framework of complexity. This model highlights the importance of a scientific-technical structure as catalyst, facilitator, and attractor of transformative flows within the organization, which could be a key component of its evolution towards sustainability. It also underscores the possibility of using environmental awareness and the perceived norm as indicators of the system. This characterization reveals the potential of these variables as indicators of progress and anchoring points for the permanent monitoring of the system, and it will also help to design potentially more effective and forceful actions and could prove valuable as a comparison indicator between universities

Sustainability Education in the Spanish Higher Education System: Faculty Practice, Concerns and Needs

This article presents the results of the EDINSOST project in relation to the university faculty’s practice concerns and the need to embed sustainability education in the Spanish Higher Education system. Four questions were devised to determine (1) which conceptions the university faculty has about sustainability in the context of the Spanish higher education (2) what sustainability competencies the university faculty holds (3) the ways in which sustainability teaching strategies are implemented and (4) the ways in which practical coursework related to sustainability is undertaken in a Spanish university context. The methodology that was applied was comprised of a discourse analysis of faculty focus groups. To that end, a category system and a focus group implementation protocol were designed and validated, as well as processes of construct elaboration based on the analysis of the focus groups’ discourses. Among the most relevant contributions stemming from the research questions regarding the faculty’s assumptions was the evidence that the holistic conception of sustainability is not addressed in all its dimensions and the environmental dimension is overemphasised. The need for training to teach sustainability competencies and the faculty’s lack of awareness were also identified. As far as sustainability teaching strategies are concerned, project-based learning prevails, with service-learning emerging as the most effective strategy, even though its application is hindered by faculty training gaps. Finally, the absence of sustainability in teaching guides and study plans and the scarce institutional support for establishing sustainability as a strategic subject in the university were significant findings

La huella de carbono de la Universidad de Córdoba. 2013

La huella de carbono es un término usado para describir la cantidad de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) que son liberados a la atmósfera directa o indirectamente como consecuencia de una actividad determinada, bien sea la fabricación de un producto, la prestación de un servicio, o el funcionamiento de una organización. Con el concepto huella de carbono de una organización se pretende describir el impacto total que una organización tiene sobre el clima en relación a las emisiones de GEI a la atmósfera. La utilización de la huella de carbono se ha ido desarrollando también como un elemento de información para comunicar el desempeño ambiental de una entidad a todas sus partes interesadas. Además de como indicador para tomar decisiones a la hora de reducir las emisiones asociadas a una actividad. Existen diversas metodologías para la identificación, cuantificación y comunicación de emisiones de GEI de organizaciones. Los documentos que constituyen las referencias más importantes en esta materia son las normas ISO 14064 y 14069, junto con el GHG Protocol, del World Resources Institute y el World Business Council for Sustainable Development

Combining Management, Education and Participation for the Transformation of Universities towards Sustainability: The Trébol Programme

This article presents the design and development of the ‘Trébol (Clover) Programme’, a tool which allows us to improve environmental sustainability in the university environment by reinforcing the education, awareness, and training of its members. The system for certifying ‘good practice’ is divided into four progressive levels, and a certificate is awarded in order to demonstrate the environmental commitment acquired to third parties. The aim of the whole process is to create a practical forum for participation, communication, motivation and competence, which is necessary to foster effective pro-environmental behaviour. The study took place at the University of Córdoba (Spain), and, since it began in the 2013/2014 academic year, over 50 groups a wide range of areas have taken part, making a total of nearly 600 participants. The results show that the Trébol Programme enables environmental commitment to be put into practice, through continuous, systematised, participative and well-organised improvements in environmental performance. Its potential as an educational resource for environmental improvement should also be noted, by boosting environmental awareness and establishing new norms. It fits in well with the principles and areas of action of Education for Sustainable Development, and can be applied to universities and other settings to bring about a shift towards sustainability in the fields of teaching, research and management

Influence of the emotional alterations in the arterial stiffness index and cardiovascular risk of pre-hypertensive patients

Purpose: To determine the influence of emotional alterations in the arterial stiffness index and cardiovascular risk of pre-hypertensive patients.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 48 pre-hypertensive patients. Emotional alterations, global cardiovascular risk and arterial stiffness index were evaluated. The PPG technique was used to record the arterial pulse wave in the first finger of the lower right limb, using the ANGIODIN® digital plethysmograph.Results: Pre-hypertensive patients with emotional alterations had major Weight, Body Mass Index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness index with respect to patients who did not find emotional alterations. In pre-hypertensive patients, 58.3% presented a positive Cornell test, 39.6% of them female, and 18.8% male. There was a significant relationship (p<0.001) between the presence of emotional disturbances and moderate cardiovascular risk.Conclusions: Emotional alterations in pre-hypertensive patients is associated with an increase in arterial stiffness and an increased global cardiovascular risk

Neurexin and neuroligin genes in Alzheimer's disease

Póster presentado en la 11th International Conference on Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Diseases, celebrada en Florencia del 6 al 10 de marzo de 2013.-- Alzheimers Disease Neuroimaging Inititive[Objectives] The interaction between neurexins and neuroligins promotes the formation of functional synaptic structures. Recently, it has been reported that neurexins and neuroligins are proteolytically processed by presenilins at synapses. Based on this interaction and the role of presenilins in familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), we hypothesized that dysfunction of the neuroligin-neurexin pathway might be associated with AD.[Methods] To explore this hypothesis we carried out a meta-analysis of five genome-wide association studies (GWAS) comprising 1256 SNPs in the NRXN1, NRXN2, NRXN3 and NLGN1 genes (3009 cases and 3006 control individuals) using PLINK software.[Results] We identified a marker in the NRXN3 gene (rs17757879) that showed a consistent protective effect in all GWAS, however the statistical significance obtained did not resist multiple testing corrections (OR=0.851, p=0.002). Nonetheless, gender analysis revealed that this effect was restricted to males. A replication study with SNP rs17757879 in a Spanish population (1785 cases and 1634 controls) confirmed this observation (OR=0.752, C.I.=0.570-0.991, p=0.042).[Conclusions] We conclude that NRXN3 might have a role in susceptibility to AD in males (rs17757879, OR=0.742, 95% C.I.=0.632-0.872, p=0.00028, final meta-analysis).Peer Reviewe

Genetic study of neurexin and neuroligin genes in Alzheimer's disease

The interaction between neurexins and neuroligins promotes the formation of functional synaptic structures. Recently, it has been reported that neurexins and neuroligins are proteolytically processed by presenilins at synapses. Based on this interaction and the role of presenilins in familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), we hypothesized that dysfunction of the neuroligin-neurexin pathway might be associated with AD. To explore this hypothesis, we carried out a meta-analysis of five genome-wide association studies (GWAS) comprising 1, 256 SNPs in the NRXN1, NRXN2, NRXN3, and NLGN1 genes (3,009 cases and 3,006 control individuals). We identified a marker in the NRXN3 gene (rs17757879) that showed a consistent protective effect in all GWAS, however, the statistical significance obtained did not resist multiple testing corrections (OR = 0.851, p = 0.002). Nonetheless, gender analysis revealed that this effect was restricted to males. A combined meta-analysis of the former five GWAS together with a replication Spanish sample consisting of 1,785 cases and 1,634 controls confirmed this observation (rs17757879, OR = 0.742, 95% CI = 0.632-0.872, p = 0.00028, final meta-analysis). We conclude that NRXN3 might have a role in susceptibility to AD in males.Peer Reviewe

EVALUACION POBLACIONAL Y USO SOSTENIBLE DE ANIMALES DE CAZA POR COMUNIDADES INDÍGENAS EN EL ÁREA DE CONSERVACIÓN REGIONAL AMPIYACU APAYACU, NORESTE DE LA AMAZONÍA PERUANA

Este estudio presenta los resultados de la evaluación poblacional de fauna silvestre y el conocimiento de las especies sujetas a caza sostenible por comunidades pertenecientes a la Federación de Comunidades Nativas del Ampiyacu (FECONA) durante el 2016 en la zona de aprovechamiento directa del Área de Conservación Regional Ampiyacu Apayacu (ACRAA). Las comunidades locales participaron en la evaluación bajo el liderazgo de la Dirección Ejecutiva de Conservación y Diversidad Biológica del Gobierno Regional de Loreto. Aplicamos las metodologías de registros de caza, diálogos interactivos y censos de fauna silvestre. El método de cosecha unificado fue empleado para realizar el análisis de sostenibilidad de la caza. En total, fueron seis las especies más preferidas por la población local, que soportan la presión de caza y se encuentran por debajo del límite de cosecha sostenible. Estas especies fueron: Pecari tajacu “sajino”, Tayassu pecari “huangana”, Mazama americana “venado colorado”, M. nemorivaga “venado gris”, Cuniculus paca “majás” y Dasyprocta fuliginosa “añuje”. La información proporcionada en este artículo, está siendo utilizada por el Gobierno Regional de Loreto para definir las tasas de aprovechamiento comercial a pequeña escala de las especies que soportan la presión de caza, hasta que se elabore un plan de manejo. Esta experiencia piloto es única dada para las áreas de conservación regional en la amazonía de Loreto, cuyas lecciones aprendidas indudablemente serán aplicadas con las adaptaciones del caso a otras áreas de conservación regional