Utility of mathematical knowledge as a motivating factor in students' learning of Adult Secondary Education

This paper analyzes the utility of the mathematics for Adult Secondary Education (ASE) as a factor to recover motivation in learning. The results of a survey with N=820 ASE students about their perspectives of the utility of mathematics are presented. The results show that teaching mathematics based on its inherent formative utility for daily life and work, could reduce much of adults’ difficulty to study mathematics. For mathematics to be useful for students, mental calculation and numerical operations should take an important place in the school curriculum. Mathematics problems should be developed in a similar way to those that adults face daily, regaining the arithmetic knowledge which adults master. The current way Algebra is taught should be reconsidered, students admit it is unhelpful, despite its potential. This phenomenon suggests a new research question: What type of school algebra should be taught in ASE?Fil: Donvito, Angel Eduardo. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Núcleo de Investigación en Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Otero, Maria Rita. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Núcleo de Investigación en Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil; Argentin

Why do adults go to adult secondary school?

This paper analyzes the motivation of adult students to attend Adult Secondary Education (ASE) in Argentina. The investigation consisted of an exploration stage using the Focus Groups technique (FG) in which 29 ASE students participated, then a stage of analysis and construction of a survey based on the results of the FG, and finally, a stage of implementation and analysis of the survey, which was administered to 820 adult students nationwide. The results show that students' motivation is related to three aspects: improving job position, improving self-esteem and preparing to study a career. Furthermore, these aspects are not isolated, but are significantly associated with each other. Considering the students' motivation to attend the ASE both in the curricular conformation and at classrooms, could be a way to improve not only the teaching but also the quality of life of adults.Fil: Donvito, Angel Eduardo. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Núcleo de Investigación en Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Otero, Maria Rita. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Núcleo de Investigación en Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil; Argentin

Algunas reflexiones sobre el glaciarismo en las montañas españolas

Se realiza una visión general del glaciarismo español y de sus factores condicionantes, con especial atención a algunos ejemplos expresivos, concluyendo en una propuesta de evolución glaciar de conjuntoEspainiako glaziarismoaren eta baldintzatzen duten faktoreen ikuspegi orokorra ematen da, adierazkorrak diren eredu zenbait bereziki nabarmenduz eta glaziare-bilakaerari buruzko proposamen orokorrarekin amaituzOn a fait une vission génerale du glaciarisme espagnol et ses facteurs conditionnantes, avec une speciale attention aux quelques expressives, en concluant avec une proposition globale de l'évolution glaciair

Las precipitaciones en el noreste de la región pampeana (provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina) entre 1745-1900. Una reconstrucción histórica

Fil: Deschamps, Jorge. Universidad de Belgrano. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Derecho. Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Otero, Osvaldo. Laboratorio de Entrenamiento Multidisciplinario para la Investigación Tecnológica. Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Tonni, Eduardo Pedro. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentin

HIV screening among newly diagnosed TB patients : a cross sectional study in Lima, Peru

Background: Since 2006, the Peruvian National TB program (NTP) recommends voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for all tuberculosis (TB) patients. Responding to the differential burden of both diseases in Peru, TB is managed in peripheral health facilities while HIV is managed in referral centers. This study aims to determine the coverage of HIV screening among TB patients and the characteristics of persons not screened. Methods: From March 2010 to December 2011 we enrolled new smear-positive pulmonary TB adults in 34 health facilities in a district in Lima. NTP staff offered VCT to all TB patients. Patients with an HIV positive result were referred for confirmation tests and management. We interviewed patients to collect their demographic and clinical characteristics and registered if patients opted in or out of the screening. Results: Of the 1295 enrolled TB patients, nine had a known HIV diagnosis. Of the remaining, 76.1% (979) were screened for HIV. Among the 23.9% (307) not screened, 38.4% (118) opted out of the screening. TB patients at one of the health care facilities of the higher areas of the district (OR = 3.38, CI 95% 2.17-5.28 for the highest area and OR = 2.82, CI 95% 1. 78-4.49 for the high area) as well as those reporting illegal drug consumption (OR = 1.65, CI 95% 1.15-2.37) were more likely not to be screened. Twenty-four were HIV positive (1.9% of all patients 1295, or 2.4% of those screened). Of 15 patients diagnosed with HIV during the TB episode, ten were enrolled in an HIV program. The median time between the result of the HIV screening and the first consultation at the HIV program was 82 days (IQR, 32-414). The median time between the result of the HIV screening and antiretroviral initiation was 148.5 days (IQR 32-500). Conclusions: An acceptable proportion of TB patients were screened for HIV in Lima. Referral systems of HIV positive patients should be strengthened for timely ART initiation

Evaluation of cervical posture improvement of children with cerebral palsy after physical therapy based on head movements and serious games

Background: This paper presents the preliminary results of a novel rehabilitation therapy for cervical and trunk control of children with cerebral palsy (CP) based on serious videogames and physical exercise. Materials: The therapy is based on the use of the ENLAZA Interface, a head mouse based on inertial technology that will be used to control a set of serious videogames with movements of the head. Methods: Ten users with CP participated in the study. Whereas the control group (n=5) followed traditional therapies, the experimental group (n=5) complemented these therapies with a series of ten sessions of gaming with ENLAZA to exercise cervical flexion-extensions, rotations and inclinations in a controlled, engaging environment. Results: The ten work sessions yielded improvements in head and trunk control that were higher in the experimental group for Visual Analogue Scale, Goal Attainment Scaling and Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS). Significant differences (27% vs. 2% of percentage improvement) were found between the experimental and control groups for TCMS (p<0.05). The kinematic assessment shows that there were some improvements in the active and the passive range of motion. However, no significant differences were found pre- and post-intervention. Conclusions:Physical therapy that combines serious games with traditional rehabilitation could allow children with CP to achieve larger function improvements in the trunk and cervical regions. However, given the limited scope of this trial (n=10) additional studies are needed to corroborate this hypothesis