Simposio : los libros de texto : análisis y propuestas de futuro

En este simposio se reúnen comunicaciones que tienen como foco principal el análisis de los textos que se utilizan en las clases de ciencias con la finalidad de identificar las características que los hacen útiles para la enseñanza de las ciencias y, a partir de ello, proponer nuevos enfoques de futuro

Distintas narrativas para un mismo contenido : la tabla periódica en los libros de texto

Se analizan las ‘narrativas’ implícitas en una muestra amplia de libros de texto para establecer una tipologia que tiene implicaciones en la selección de los contenidos de los temas que se tratan en el libro. Se ha centrado el estudio en la Tabla periódica de los elementos, siguiendo las investigaciones de Linares (2004) y Izquierdo y Adúriz (2007). Los resultados del análisis que se ha realizado en una muestra amplia de libros de texto a partir de los años cincuenta muestran que la manera de presentar a la Tabla Periódica en el libro intenta ser coherente con el enfoque global de la química en él. Ahora bien, se detectan incoherencias que nos llevan a proponer un foro de discusión sobre el diseño de los contenidos de química a la luz de las propuestas didácticas actuales y sobre la función actual de los libros de texto en la enseñanza de la Química

Los modelos en la enseñanza de la Química

‘Modelo’ es un término polisémico que debemos precisar debido a la importancia que tiene actualmente para la enseñanza de las ciencias. Apela al pensamiento abstracto y a su relación con lo que llamamos ‘realidad’. En la medida que se comprende que también los fenómenos y las evidencias dependen del marco teórico (de las preguntas con sentido que se pueden llegar a formular sobre ellos por quienes saber cómo intervenir en ellos y transformarlos) aparece la necesidad de establecer cuál puede ser el fundamento epistemológico de la ciencia que se hace en la escuela. Presentamos nuevos desarrollos del MCQ que ha sido presentado en otras ocasiones y que estamos aplicando a la enseñanza de la química a maestros (en formación inicial y en formación permanente)

Urine NMR-based TB metabolic fingerprinting for the diagnosis of TB in children

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children, and early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to reduce long-term morbidity and mortality. In this study, we explore whether urine nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics could be used to identify differences in the metabolic response of children with different diagnostic certainty of TB. We included 62 children with signs and symptoms of TB and 55 apparently healthy children. Six of the children with presumptive TB had bacteriologically confirmed TB, 52 children with unconfirmed TB, and 4 children with unlikely TB. Urine metabolic fingerprints were identified using high- and low-field proton NMR platforms and assessed with pattern recognition techniques such as principal components analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis. We observed differences in the metabolic fingerprint of children with bacteriologically confirmed and unconfirmed TB compared to children with unlikely TB (p = 0.041 and p = 0.013, respectively). Moreover, children with unconfirmed TB with X-rays compatible with TB showed differences in the metabolic fingerprint compared to children with non-pathological X-rays (p = 0.009). Differences in the metabolic fingerprint in children with different diagnostic certainty of TB could contribute to a more accurate characterisation of TB in the paediatric population. The use of metabolomics could be useful to improve the prediction of TB progression and diagnosis in children

Analysis of set and reset mechanisms in Ni/HfO2-based RRAM with fast ramped voltages

The resistive switching phenomenon is analyzed using a purposely developed setup which allows fast ramped voltages and measurements in the time domain.Taking advantage of these capabilities, the Set and Reset processes in Ni/HfO2 structures have been studied for a large range of voltage ramp speeds. The results obtained show that Set and Reset voltages increase with voltage ramp speed. The use of time domain measurements has allowed concluding that a critical energy is needed to trigger the Set and Reset processes, independently of the biasing condition

Urine NMR-based TB metabolic fingerprinting for the diagnosis of TB in children

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children, and early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to reduce long-term morbidity and mortality. In this study, we explore whether urine nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics could be used to identify differences in the metabolic response of children with different diagnostic certainty of TB. We included 62 children with signs and symptoms of TB and 55 apparently healthy children. Six of the children with presumptive TB had bacteriologically confirmed TB, 52 children with unconfirmed TB, and 4 children with unlikely TB. Urine metabolic fingerprints were identified using high- and low-field proton NMR platforms and assessed with pattern recognition techniques such as principal components analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis. We observed differences in the metabolic fingerprint of children with bacteriologically confirmed and unconfirmed TB compared to children with unlikely TB (p = 0.041 and p = 0.013, respectively). Moreover, children with unconfirmed TB with X-rays compatible with TB showed differences in the metabolic fingerprint compared to children with non-pathological X-rays (p = 0.009). Differences in the metabolic fingerprint in children with different diagnostic certainty of TB could contribute to a more accurate characterisation of TB in the paediatric population. The use of metabolomics could be useful to improve the prediction of TB progression and diagnosis in children

Urine NMR-based TB metabolic fingerprinting for the diagnosis of TB in children

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children, and early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to reduce long-term morbidity and mortality. In this study, we explore whether urine nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics could be used to identify differences in the metabolic response of children with different diagnostic certainty of TB. We included 62 children with signs and symptoms of TB and 55 apparently healthy children. Six of the children with presumptive TB had bacteriologically confirmed TB, 52 children with unconfirmed TB, and 4 children with unlikely TB. Urine metabolic fingerprints were identified using high- and low-field proton NMR platforms and assessed with pattern recognition techniques such as principal components analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis. We observed differences in the metabolic fingerprint of children with bacteriologically confirmed and unconfirmed TB compared to children with unlikely TB (p = 0.041 and p = 0.013, respectively). Moreover, children with unconfirmed TB with X-rays compatible with TB showed differences in the metabolic fingerprint compared to children with non-pathological X-rays (p = 0.009). Differences in the metabolic fingerprint in children with different diagnostic certainty of TB could contribute to a more accurate characterisation of TB in the paediatric population. The use of metabolomics could be useful to improve the prediction of TB progression and diagnosis in children

The impact of care pathways for exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: rationale and design of a cluster randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hospital treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently does not follow published evidences. This lack of adherence can contribute to the high morbidity, mortality and readmissions rates. The European Quality of Care Pathway (EQCP) study on acute exacerbations of COPD (NTC00962468) is undertaken to determine how care pathways (CP) as complex intervention for hospital treatment of COPD affects care variability, adherence to evidence based key interventions and clinical outcomes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An international cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (cRCT) will be performed in Belgium, Italy, Ireland and Portugal. Based on the power analysis, a sample of 40 hospital teams and 398 patients will be included in the study. In the control arm of the study, usual care will be provided. The experimental teams will implement a CP as complex intervention which will include three active components: a formative evaluation of the quality and organization of care, a set of evidence based key interventions, and support on the development and implementation of the CP. The main outcome will be six-month readmission rate. As a secondary endpoint a set of clinical outcome and performance indicators (including care process evaluation and team functioning indicators) will be measured in both groups.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The EQCP study is the first international cRCT on care pathways. The design of the EQCP project is both a research study and a quality improvement project and will include a realistic evaluation framework including process analysis to further understand why and when CP can really work.</p> <p>Trial Registration number</p> <p><b>NCT00962468</b></p

Por una enseñanza de las ciencias fundamentada en valores humanos

The principal mission of schools is to educate; i.e., to provide the necessary resources for living as happily and humanly as possible. Science education should contribute to attaining this objective. But people are complicated and sometimes complicate the most obvious issues. In this article, I propose reflecting on the contributions of science education to the future of our students, in a school aimed at educating to live with human values.La principal misión de la escuela es educar, es decir, proporcionar los recursos necesarios para vivir de la manera más feliz y humana posible. La enseñanza de las ciencias debería contribuir a alcanzar este objetivo. Pero las personas somos complicadas y complicamos a veces las cuestiones más obvias. En este artículo propongo una reflexión sobre las aportaciones de la enseñanza de las ciencias al futuro de nuestros alumnos, en una escuela cuya finalidad sea enseñar a vivir con valores humanos

Elaboración de instrumentos de evaluación diagnóstica de los conocimientos de ciencias y matemáticas en los niveles no universitarios

This research tries to produce diagnostic evaluation tools for science and mathematic knowledge of non-university students. These tools must give a new concept of 'evaluation' as well as a different concept of 'sciences and mathematics' in which the 'resolution of experimental problems' is emphasized. In the present definitions of evaluation, sciences and mathematics which must be taught have a wide consensus and they appear formulated in the official programmes and in teacher guidance. However few specific concretions of these concepts exist and on the other hand they are excessively general and for that we consider that the research we propose may contribute useful perspectives and techniques for a later design for other evaluating projects referring to teaching performances, didactic project of learning materialsEsta investigación se propone la elaboración de instrumentos de evaluación diagnóstica de los conocimientos de ciencias y de matemáticas de los alumnos no universitarios. Estos instrumentos deben responder a una concepción renovada de 'evaluación', así como a una determinada concepción de 'ciencias y de matemáticas', en la que se destaca la 'resolución de problemas experimentales'. Las definiciones actuales de evaluación (como actividad sistemática integrada en el proceso educativo, gracias a la cual se investiga lo que está pasando en el aula y puede mejorarse la actuación prevista inicialmente y como actividad formativa para los propios alumnos) y de las ciencias y matemáticas que deben enseñarse (conocimientos y técnicas que permiten resolver problemas) cuentan con un amplio consenso y aparecen formuladas en los programas oficiales y en las orientaciones al profesorado. Pero existen pocas concreciones específicas de estos enunciados excesivamente generales y por ello consideramos que la investigación que proponemos puede aportar perspectivas y técnicas útiles para el diseño posterior de otros proyectos de evaluación referidos a actuaciones docentes, proyectos didácticos o materiales para el aprendizaj