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Onitsha is a city in southeastern Nigeria driven by an urban market phenomenon. It is currently the third largest urban area in Africa, trailing behind Cairo and Lagos, respectively. The constructions of spatialities, and under the notion of terra nullius and extreme otherness in post-colonial Africa, worsened the challenges of rapid and uncontrolled urban growth. The paper provides insights on how the successive political events on the African continent shaped the manifestations of contemporary spatialities and potential pathways to reverse the trend. A review of planning approaches in Nigeria was conducted, starting from colonial cantonments to current epoch of extreme uncertainty, and through the lens of Onitsha markets spatialities. The markets in Onitsha reveal emergent forms of spatialities in response to the extreme otherness and uncertainty in the city. The paper presents arguments on the need to rethink the current architecture, urban design, and planning practices and pedagogies beyond alterity, while embracing the complexity of post-colonial urban Africa. It also provides an opportunity for developing alternative theorizing, tools and frameworks towards equitable and livable urban futures.

This paper is part of a broader research project, which aims to explore multi-scale methods and strategies (from territorial to building scale) and multidisciplinary approaches to recover underused areas in the mountains of Northern Italy. For decades, these territories have suffered from high incidences of abandonment phenomena due to their proximity to metropolitan areas, leading to loss of care and an increase in territorial fragility. Nevertheless, they are rich in cultural meaning expressed it’s in the close relationship between natural and anthropogeographical landscapes. In this framework, identity value is an essential element for the protection and care of the territories themselves and as a planning tool to establish the resilience of these territories. This paper aims to focus on the area of the Highlands of Bergamo, which are complex places since they are almost close to the urban center of Milan, but are areas considered marginal in terms of wider logic. In fact, in the past years, the Orobic massif has been one of the main objects of industrial and tourist exploitation (the 1960s-80s), before suffering from abandonment phenomena that have forced and continue to push these areas to the point of major reconsideration. In this direction, the paper points out which are the most critical points to consider for the rebirth of these neglected mountains.

To enable collaborative modeling activities online digital tools are essential. In this paper we present a holistic and adaptable concept for the development and implementation of modeling activities – which could especially be fruitful in times of homeschooling and distance learning. The concept is based on two digital tools: Jupyter Notebooks and a communication platform with video conferences.We carried out this concept in the context of two types of modeling activities: guided modeling days, where the students work on previously prepared and didactically developed digital learning material, and modeling weeks, in which the students work on open problems from research and industry very freely. In this paper the usage of Jupyter Notebook in modeling activities is presented and illustrated with the example of the optimization of a solar power plant. On top, we share our experiences in online modeling activities with high-school students in Germany.

Despite decades-old political commitments to mainstreaming children’s rights in policy initiatives, there remains inadequacy of children’s rights-based monitoring and evaluation instruments for this progress. As an effort to address this gap, the paper seeks to conceptualise the children’s rights-based approach and to propose its application to policy analysis. Recognising children as rights holders and the state as the primary duty bearer, the core of the children’s rights-based approach is at ensuring the enjoyment and realisation of children’s rights through a number of principles. This paper’s proposed assessment framework focuses on the state’s legal structure, policy measures, and outcomes achieved in the realisation and enjoyment of children’s rights and the evaluation of policy progress under child rights norms and principles. Accordingly, the children’s rights-based policy analysis is designed to be based on two sets of indicators that reflect the state’s policy commitment and child rights principles.

Urban regeneration and industrial archaeology, dating back between the fourties and the fifties of the 20th century, has drawn attention to architecture, equipment and evidence of human manufacturing, widening the scope of Heritage Preservation in Europe and all over the world. Scholars detected an overall and quite similar development of the approach to industrial Heritage throughout time in the western world, from an early spontaneus interest, through an exploitation mostly based on economic purposes, towards a more recent preservative and inclusive attitude in regenerating buildings and sites, that has a strong support from the voluntary sector in UK. This paper reports the concept and main achievements of a team that, since the seventies, has being pioneering an interdisciplinary, cost-effective and yet preservative approach to abandoned production sites. Blending economic return and true attention to people and site specificity, innovation and campaigns for protection and proper reuse, this approach has been proving to be able to decline the different acceptations of sustainability and, as for conceptual and operational aspects, presents some interesting food for thought.

After ten years, drawing indiscriminately the neighborhoods of Valencia, for no other reason than to observe and represent every corner of the city, we finally decided to use the communicative capacity of drawing as a tool to reclaim El Cabanyal’s negletic state of abandonment, that has been going through for many years, regardless its political burden. After setting this goal and analysing the morphological and social history of this neighborhood, we decided to travel the streets and rooftops of El Cabanyal, talk to its people, and draw, in situ, those different spaces, shapes, colors, atmospheres ... giving rise to dozens of drawings that immortalize the (still alive) remains of this urban ecosystem. Paper-shaped witnesses sketched with latent architectures, persecuted and threatened by oblivion that will accompany us during the course of this paper. After ten years, drawing indiscriminately the neighborhoods of Valencia, for no other reason than to observe and represent every corner of the city, we finally decided to use the communicative capacity of drawing as a tool to reclaim El Cabanyal’s negletic state of abandonment, that has been going through for many years, regardless its political burden. After setting this goal and analysing the morphological and social history of this neighborhood, we decided to travel the streets and rooftops of El Cabanyal, talk to its people, and draw, in situ, those different spaces, shapes, colors, atmospheres ... giving rise to dozens of drawings that immortalize the (still alive) remains of this urban ecosystem. Paper-shaped witnesses sketched with latent architectures, persecuted and threatened by oblivion that will accompany us during the course of this paper.

In this paper we analyse the Soca Chapel in Canelones (Uruguay), which was built in 1960. This was the first religious building designed by Antonio Bonet Castellana (1913-89) and the only one he completed. Using data stored in the architect’s archive, we have re-drawn the entire work, reconstructing the chapel’s ritual path and including as active elements both the adjoining pavilion and the outer walls to create new graphical documentation that provides previously unpublished information. We also discuss another chapel that appears in the Soca files held in the architect’s archive. The analysis presented in this paper will provide additional data for anyone interested in better understanding this architectural work.

Despite the worldwide increase in entre­preneurship education offered at univer­sities, there is an ongoing debate whether and under which conditions this type of education contributes to foster students’ entrepreneurial competencies. There is no consensus on what entrepreneurial com­petencies means, neither on the charac­teristics of the pedagogical interventions needed, especially on what refers to the measurement of these interventions. This paper argues that universities need to de­velop learning environments in the context of non-formal education. Non-formal ed­ucation is proposed to fit better with the enhancement of entrepreneurial compe­tencies, as it offers the flexibility required to facilitate experimentation and to allow students to gather entrepreneurial experi­ence. Additionally, in this paper arguments are developed to show how formative evaluation systems suit entrepreneurial pedagogic interventions. Therefore, a com­prehensive proposal that facilitates the ac­quisition of entrepreneurial competencies, the main pedagogical characteristics that should inspire the different educational programs and their relationships with the different types of entrepreneurial compe­tencies are exposed. The article ends with the design of a formative evaluation system that highlights the importance of reflection as an element of the evaluation process and the entrepreneurial learning process.

In the European Space of Higher Education, the cultural features of the millennials, the development of technology and the shift in the understanding of the students’ learning process, have played a vital role in the development and evolution of gamification-based teaching practices. Gamification is related to the development of skills, motivation and commitment of students. The aim of this paper is to provide evidence of the benefits of gamification in the training itinerary of Business Administration students. To this end, two different experiences have been selected, based on the skills students train and the added value that these skills may provide. In the first case, this paper presents empirical evidence of the improvement on the final grade of students who have participated in the gamification experience. The benefits of the second experience are diverse and reach students, universities and companies. The success of both experiences is linked to their adaptation to the cultural traits of the millennials, whose learning process is conditioned by technology and by other features identified in literature. The second experience responds to the necessary collaboration between university and business, as well as the generation of networks.

There are different devices capable of discriminating optical and optoelectronic noise, however, the cost of its implementation and maintenance is expensive. This paper examines the possibility of digitally integrating Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters into the transducer of an OSS systems to obtain better performance in a real operating environment. In this paper we propose the evaluation of the implementation of different FIR filters in different photo-sensors transducers, such as the Light-Dependent Resistor (LDR) and the Light Emitting Diode (LED).

This paper presents the design and application of passivity–based control theory for distributed energy resources (DERs) integration through voltage source converters (VSC) in ac single–phase grids. The Hamiltonian representation of these grids facilitates the development of passive controllers that guarantee stability in the sense of Lyapunov for their closed–loop operation. The non–autonomous dynamic modeling of these systems is transformed into an incremental model, which allows solving the tracking as a regulation problem. The main contribution of this paper is in the ability to control the active and reactive power transference between DERs and the ac single–phase grid depending on the availability of the primary energy resource and the capacity of the converters. Simulations results show that all proposed controllers attain the control objective, reaching the same dynamic performance as classical proportional–integral controllers and guaranteeing asymptotic stability. All simulations are developed under the MATLAB/Simulink environment through the SimPowerSystems tool.

In a previous paper the authors compared the AC-AC converters, useful for the frequency regulation in hydroelectric microplants varying the power dissipated in ballasts loads, with the new proposal consisting in a bridge three-phase rectifier using diodes with a serial switch with the load that is switched with symmetric angle. The paper showed that the aforementioned rectifier accomplishes to improve the power factor at the generator output, except for low power consumed by users, near to its minimal value. A way to solve this problem consists in to use three bridge single-phase rectifier using diodes with a serial switch with the load that is switched with symmetric angle. As a consequence, the objective of this article is to carry out a comparison between the aforementioned single-phase rectifier and the AC-AC converter, regarding the power factor at the output of the electric generator of hydroelectric micro-plants that regulate frequency by means of the ballast-load method.

The paper aims to remember the scientific and human contributions of Giovanni Carbonara. He was a professor emeritus of Restoration, and the director of the School of Specialisation in Restoration of Monuments (now, Architectural and Landscape Heritage), in which he lavished his high intellectual and human value with courage and respect. His students have taken up his teachings in various activities, from teaching to research, and professional works. Since the Seventies of the 20th Century, his research has touched many fields of conservation, analytical study, protection, education, and management of cultural heritage. He was an intellectual also involved in various institutional fields for conservation. He was concerned with looking at the teachings of the past with an eye focused on the updates and new developments in the restoration’s thought. He was a promoter of the ‘critical-conservative’ line of restoration.

This paper presents a family of mechanisms of two degrees of freedom for implementing variable geometry hybrid wheels. These mechanisms are capable of transforming a circular wheel into a hybrid wheel with multiple legs. In this paper we describe the main attributes and advantages of these mechanisms, which we named HeIse Wheels. In addition, various terms and concepts related to the mathematical modeling of these devices are defined. The family of mechanisms consists of 14 original designs, which represent a sound solution to the problem of wheel-hybrid wheel transformation.

This paper proposes the design and development of a telescope network scheduler for the GLORIA telescope network. This telescope network, which main objective is helping users to get involved in astronomy research, is composed by 18 heterogeneous telescopes located in different countries. These telescopes are managed by the scheduler to execute the observations requested by the users. A key module of this scheduler is the telescope decision algorithm which objective is to avoid serving an observation to a telescope that cannot execute it. This paper proposes two different algorithms: the first one is based on weather forecast, and the other one is based on fuzzy logic. Both algorithms were deployed and used into the GLORIA network, an analysis of the results and a performance comparative between both algorithm are shown in this paper. As well, the scheduler architecture based on a hybrid distributed-centralised schema is detailed.

This paper introduces the Time Series Simulation for Benchmarking of Reconstruction Techniques (TISSBERT) dataset, intended to provide a benchmark for the validation and comparison of time series reconstruction methods. Such methods are routinely used to estimate vegetation characteristics from optical remotely sensed data, where the presence of clouds decreases the usefulness of the data. As for their validation, these methods have been compared with previously published ones, although with different approaches, which sometimes lead to contradictory results. We designed the TISSBERT dataset to be generic so that it could simulate realistic reference and cloud-contaminated time series at global scale. To that end, we estimated both cloud-free and cloud-contaminated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) statistics for randomly selected control points and each day of the year from the Long Term Data Record Version 4 (LTDR-V4) dataset by assuming different statistical distributions. The best approach was then applied to the whole dataset, and validity of the results were estimated through the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic. The dataset elaboration is described thoroughly along with how to use it. The advantages and drawbacks of this dataset are then discussed, which emphasize the realistic simulation of the cloud-contaminated and reference time series. This dataset can be obtained from the authors upon demand. It will be used in a next paper to compare widely used NDVI time series reconstruction methods.

The work presented below is part of the results of a research project at "Universidad Politécnica de Madrid". In this paper we analyze the project for Murcia airport, which was done by Fernando Higueras under the guidance of Félix Candela. Some of the unpublished original documents of the project are included in the paper. The source of them are the Official Colleges of Architects of Madrid and Cataluña. In addition, the authors of the paper have done a 3D reconstruction that allowed to analyze the airport. The project is compounded by hyperbolic-paraboloid surfaces, such as those that Candela developed during the 50s. If it had been built, it would have become the largest cantilever done by Felix Candela using the "umbrella" structure.

Resumen: En este trabajo se presenta una familia grande de reguladores saturados tipo hiperbólicos para robots manipuladores. La propuesta considera a la ganancia proporcional constante y a la ganancia derivativa variable con sintonía automática definida en función del error de posición, velocidad de movimiento y un factor de inyección de amortiguamiento para modificar la velocidad de respuesta del robot. La acción de control derivativa con ganancia variable permite reducir sobreimpulsos, oscilaciones y rizo, tal que alcance el estado estacionario en forma suave. Asimismo, se presenta la propuesta de una función estricta de Lyapunov que permite demostrar la estabilidad asintótica global de la ecuación en lazo cerrado. Para mostrar el desempeño y funcionalidad de la familia propuesta de esquemas de control, un análisis comparativo experimental fue desarrollado entre siete estructuras de control, cinco reguladores pertenecen a la familia propuesta, y dos algoritmos de control bien conocidos como son el proporcional derivativo (PD) y tangente hiperbólico (Tanh). Los resultados experimentales fueron obtenidos con un robot manipulador de transmisión directa de tres grados de libertad. Abstract: In this paper a family with a large number of hyperbolictype saturated regulators for robot manipulators, was presented. The proposed regulators consider a constant proportional gain while the derivative variable gain is self-tuned according to a function that depends on the position error, speed of motion and a damping factor, in order to modify the velocity of the transient response of the robot. The derivative control with variable gain enables reduced overshots, oscillations and ripple, enabling a smooth arrival to the steady state. The paper also proposes a strict Lyapunov function which enables the demonstration of asymptotic global stability of the closed-loop equation. In order to illustrate the performance and functionality of the proposed family of control schemes, an experimental comparison between seven control schemes was implemented. Five of these control schemes belong to the proposed family while two additional control schemes are well-known strategies such as the proportional-derivative (PD) and hyperbolic tangent (Tanh) control schemes. The experiments were performed by using a three degree-of-freedom, direct-drive robot manipulator. Palabras clave: Regulador, Función de saturación, Ganancia Variable, Manipulador robótico, Algoritmos de control, Keywords: Regulator, Variable gain, Robotic manipulator, Control algorithm

This paper presents an experimental platform for studying the effects of hardware vulnerabilities in mobile robots. The platform is designed so that the hardware, involved in the navigation process, can be monitored during the robot operation and, if desired, their behavior can be altered, allowing the simulation of a failure. The paper shows a particular case of study: the I2C Bus vulnerability when some anomalies appear in the clock signal. A set of experimental results confirm the interest of the studied vulnerabilities and the applicability of the developed platform.

Resumen: En este artículo se presenta un modelo dinámico para un recuperador de gases - sales fundidas incluido en una planta de demostración de una tecnología de hibridación de plantas termosolares con otras fuentes de energías renovables. Tanto el demostrador como el modelo se han desarrollado en el ámbito del proyecto HYSOL. Este trabajo describe brevemente dicho proyecto, su tecnología, demostrador y principalmente el modelo dinámico del recuperador, cuyo estado estacionario ha sido comparado con los cálculos de diseño. El artículo se completa con simulaciones dinámicas donde se estudia la convergencia del modelo, la contribución de los distintos procesos físicos a la transferencia de calor y el impacto de las condiciones ambientales a las pérdidas térmicas. Abstract: In this paper, a dynamic model of a molten salt -gas heat recovery system of a demonstrator for a hybrid renewable solar thermal power plant, developed in the scope of the HYSOL project, is presented. This work describes briefly the HYSOL project, its technology, the demonstrator and mainly the developed heat recovery system dynamic model; its steady state has been compared to the expected results from plant design calculations. This paper is completed with dynamic simulations where, the model convergence is studied, the contribution of the different heat transfer processes is analyzed, and the impact of the environment conditions to thermal losses is evaluated. Palabras clave: Almacenamiento térmico, Energía solar de concentración, Turbina de vapor, Turbina de gas, Modelica, Keywords: Thermal storage, Concentrating solar power, Steam turbine, Gas turbine, Modelica

Nowadays our students are quite discouraged attending lectures and working. This leads teachers to introduce changes in their lectures which conduct them to design new learning activities as the basis of their teaching. This paper proposes a model for designing learning activities in basic engineering courses. The proposed activities aim to motivate students, promote learning and strengthen the generic skills of oral communication, teamwork and autonomous learning.The paper discusses the use of two templates to design activities. The former contains general information about the activity, while the latter contains all the details for the development of the activity. Usually the latter will serve as material for students to develop the activity; however in some cases it will be necessary to add some additional documentation (web, guides, etc.).The paper describes how to apply the proposed model to five learning activities of basic engineering programming courses. Moreover, the article proposes the usage of two rubrics to assess two of the activities. Finally, the paper presents the student ratings for the learning activities developed. In general, students are satisfied with the activities and they found the activities helpful for enhancing their learning and for acquiring new skills.

Learning outcomes (LO) and its assessment as quality and governance indicators in the Higher Education (HE) Curricula, are very present in the international quality standards for HE. Assuring the internal coherence of the required elements to reach LO is currently a challenge for HE institutions. A study was conducted in the Degree in Business Administration and Management in Talavera (GADE) during the course 2012-2013 with the aim of analyzing the unit guides (UG) to assess the intra-competences coherence in the so called “verified curricula” and its corresponding learning activities, identifying the most practiced competences by doing the learning activities.The paper reveals by mean of the unit guides the range of criteria used to link learning activities with competences, contributing to detect incoherencies that allow working on improvement proposals for next courses. It is also revealed that UG are a key element in the assessment and improvement of the curricula’s quality. This paper comprises of several parts, starting with the framework for assessing and monitoring of the degrees, followed by the theoretical aspects of LO as coherence indicators for the curricula, then the competences developed are analyzed and tabulated by year, unit and so on, finally the findings are discussed and conclusion delivered.

The paper analyzes the development of the first experiences of the sixteenth century cultural policy in Italy until the beginning of the twenty-first century with the institutional reform initiated by the Minister Dario Franceschini. In the pre-unification State it has been many important contributions of several local rulers who imposed conservation policies to prevent the dispersal of works of art. After the unification of Italy (1861) the laws of protection of the national heritage have helped to initiate the first important initiatives that have developed in practice only at the end of the twentieth century. Great institutional innovations and regulatory activated in the twenty-first century and of which this paper provides some important insights and deepening.

Resumen: En este trabajo se presenta el desarrollo de un sistema de adquisición de datos y control altamente interactivo, de bajo costo, y basado en un computador personal. El sistema está constituido por un hardware basado en un microcontrolador y un software basado en estándares abiertos. El software utiliza programación de diagramas de bloques como base para el diseño teórico e implementación de un sistema de control, con la finalidad de hacer que la programación sea sencilla y rápida. Una característica importante del sistema es la capacidad de ejecutar control embebido sin la intervención del computador personal, lo cual permite control en tiempo real. Adicionalmente, tiene capacidad de ampliación para crear un sistema de monitoreo y control distribuido por medio del Bus CAN, como interfaz de comunicación. En este trabajo también se expone la implementación del sistema desarrollado en diferentes plantas. Abstract: In this paper, the development of a highly interactive, low-cost, and personal computer based data acquisition and control system is presented. The system includes an embedded microcontroller based hardware and an open-standards software. The software uses block diagram programming as the base for the theoretical design and implementation of the control system, which makes the programming simple and fast. An important feature of this system is that it can execute an embedded control without the personal computer intervention, which facilitates the implementation of real-time control. Additionally, the system has the capacity to expand in order to create a distributed monitoring and control system by using a CAN bus as a communication interface. It is also shown in this paper the implementation of the developed system in different plants. Palabras clave: Entornos de experimentación, Sistemas embebidos o empotrados, Microcontroladores, Sistemas de tiempo real., Keywords: Experimentation environments, embedded or built-in systems, microcontrollers, real-time systems.

A new student generation, denominated generation Y emerged as a consequence of structural changes in a higher education globalization context as well as the social and technologic development. Some of the generation Y characteristics are: digital natives, the most diverse generation, at once more connected and more isolated, facing the worst economy in recent memory, more immature and dependent, with a pragmatic vision of studies and with useful searching information skills.This paper focused a comprehensive and structural vision of generation Y college students. This vision, multidimensional and multilevel, has been constructed with two types of evidence: the first one it’s about some secondary evidence sources (research studies, institutional reports), with special focus on strong methodological issues; the second one is founded on primary evidence from a group of junior faculty of University of Barcelona. The multidimensional vision included such aspects as: social and academic background, transition to higher education, modes and types of studies, and learning styles. The multilevel analysis focuses on students of several countries (especial attention on European students), national Spanish students, and student from some specifics universities. A singular objective of this paper is to have the possibility of contrasting the similitude of the double vision generated from the two typologies of examined evidence

This paper describes the analysis and modeling of an ultrasonic sensorial structure based on processing algorithm that uses a set of macro-sequences and correlation techniques for obtaining the impulse response of transmission channels simultaneously is proposed. The sensory structure is formed by multiple ultrasonic transducers that transmitting and receiving environment information simultaneously. This processing algorithm employs a pseudorandom macro-sequence obtained from a complementary set of M sequences (M- CSS) which, by auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions, the impulse responses from environment are obtained. The transmission in the ultrasonic system is represented by frequency selective MIMO model, which is analyzed every instant in the process of reflection-transmission-reception of the signals generated. Once the system model of ultrasonic transmission MIMO is developed and correlation algorithms are implemented for the detection of macro-sequences; the mathematical model, the results obtained in the simulation as well as experimental evidence are presented in this paper. These validate the use of the methodology applied to the channel modeling as well as the estimation of the impulse response of the transmission channels to process the received echoes corresponding to an object in front of the sensor system. The model implemented allows it on can develop algorithms and processing techniques, before they are physically implemented, in order to reduce application development time. In all such cases, is possible to obtain the impulse responses produced in the environment due to the reflectors located opposite the sensor system using correlation techniques.

Resumen: En este artículo se propone el análisis y modelado de una estructura sensorial ultrasónica empleando un algoritmo de procesamiento que utiliza un conjunto de macro-secuencias y técnicas de correlación para obtener respuestas impulsivas de canales de transmisión de forma simultánea. La estructura sensorial está formada por múltiples transductores ultrasónicos que transmiten y reciben información del entorno simultáneamente. Este algoritmo de procesamiento emplea una macro-secuencia pseudo-aleatoria obtenida a partir un conjunto complementario de M secuencias (M-CSS) con las cuales, mediante funciones de auto-correlación y correlación cruzada, se generan las respuestas impulsivas del entorno. Para modelar el sistema de transmisión ultrasónico se emplea el modelo MIMO de frecuencia selectiva, con el cual se logra analizar cada instante del proceso de emisión-reflexión-recepción de las señales generadas. Una vez que el modelo del sistema de transmisión ultrasónico MIMO es desarrollado y los algoritmos de correlación son implementados para la detección de las macro-secuencias, se presenta en este documento el modelo matemático y los resultados obtenidos en las simulaciones así como en las pruebas experimentales. Estos validan la utilización de la metodología del modelado de canal aplicado, como de la estimación de las respuestas impulsivas de los canales de transmisión al procesar los ecos recibidos correspondientes a un objeto frente al sistema sensor. El modelo implementado permite desarrollar sobre de él, algoritmos y técnicas de procesamiento, antes de que estos sean implementados físicamente, con el fin de reducir el tiempo de desarrollo de aplicaciones. En cada uno de los casos considerados, se logró obtener las respuestas impulsivas considerando que está presente un objeto frente a la estructura sensorial. Abstract: This paper describes the analysis and modeling of an ultrasonic sensorial structure based on processing algorithm that uses a set of macro-sequences and correlation techniques for obtaining the impulse response of transmission channels simultaneously is proposed. The sensory structure is formed by multiple ultrasonic transducers that transmitting and receiving environment information simultaneously. This processing algorithm employs a pseudorandom macro-sequence obtained from a complementary set of M sequences (M- CSS) which, by auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions, the impulse responses from environment are obtained. The transmission in the ultrasonic system is represented by frequency selective MIMO model, which is analyzed every instant in the process of reflection-transmission-reception of the signals generated. Once the system model of ultrasonic transmission MIMO is developed and correlation algorithms are implemented for the detection of macro-sequences; the mathematical model, the results obtained in the simulation as well as experimental evidence are presented in this paper. These validate the use of the methodology applied to the channel modeling as well as the estimation of the impulse response of the transmission channels to process the received echoes corresponding to an object in front of the sensor system. The model implemented allows it on can develop algorithms and processing techniques, before they are physically implemented, in order to reduce application development time. In all such cases, is possible to obtain the impulse responses produced in the environment due to the reflectors located opposite the sensor system using correlation techniques. Palabras clave: Estructura Sensorial Ultrasónica, Macro-Secuencia, Modelo MIMO de Frecuencia Selectiva, Conjunto Complementario de M secuencias, Técnicas de Correlación., Keywords: Ultrasonic Sensorial Structure, Macro-Sequence, Frequency- Selective MIMO Model, Correlation Techniques, Complementary Set of M-Sequences.

The aim of this work is the submission of first document related to graphic skills for latests years in Architectural Degree program before entering a PHD program. Through selected study cases like this one of Pérez-Piñeros project, this paper open a discussion about graphic methodologies suitable for latest years in Architectural Degree. Thanks to Felix Candela collaboration, Pérez-Piñero developed the deployable hypercubed stained-glass window for Museo Dalí (Figueres, Girona, 1971) in which glass pieces worked together with the structure for the stiffness of the skeleton, whose fundamentals were inspired in the ones designed for Convertible Theater (London Competition, 1961). This paper reflects some fundamentals from both projects and proposes a procedure to obtain free shapes using parametric tools, which can be followed through Sandra González PHD research (2014) and René Ploch Graduation Project (2014), being referenced to latest MIT scissors researches (Rosenberg 2009).

Resumen: En el siguiente trabajo se presenta un sistema experto de control difuso (FLC), desarrollado para la búsqueda del punto de máxima potencia en módulos fotovoltaicos. Los FLC se utilizan ampliamente en diferentes sistemas de control, debido a que un diseño adecuado permite combinar velocidad y precisión en el control. En el trabajo se realiza un análisis a través del cual se definen las variables de entrada y el conjunto de reglas que utilizará el FLC. Tal análisis consiste en validar un modelo de módulo fotovoltaico-convertidor DC- DC y plantear simulaciones, en donde se observe la variación de potencia fotovoltaica a medida que el convertidor cambia el punto de trabajo. La respuesta del FLC desarrollado se observa en simulaciones en donde se modela los módulos fotovoltaicos y el transitorio que impone el convertidor DC-DC. Estas últimas ponen de manifiesto que el control propuesto es adecuado y superior al que ofrecen un sistema convencional de búsqueda. En el trabajo se presentan medidas que indican que la respuesta del FLC desarrollado es adecuada bajo diferentes condiciones de irradiancia y temperatura, verificando su correcto funcionamiento. La implementación física final del FLC propuesto, se realiza por medio de un microcontrolador PIC de 32 bits. Abstract: In this paper a fuzzy control expert system (FLC) is presented. Such system is developed for finding the maximum power point in photovoltaic modules. FLCs are widely used in various control systems, due to a suitable design which combines speed and accuracy in control. In the paper the input variables as well as the set of rules to be used in the control are defined. In such sense a photovoltaic module model - dcdc converter was validated in order to perform different simulations, to observe photovoltaic power variations in different operating points. The simulations show that the proposed control is suitable and better than a conventional system. Experimental measures indicate that the response of FLC developed under different conditions for irradiance and temperature are correct. The final physical implementation of FLC proposed is performed through a 32-bit PIC microcontroller. Palabras clave: Lógica Difusa, FLC, Boost, Fotovoltaico., Keywords: Fuzzy Logic, FLC, Boost, Photovoltaic.

In this paper a fuzzy control expert system (FLC) is presented. Such system is developed for finding the maximum power point in photovoltaic modules. FLCs are widely used in various control systems, due to a suitable design which combines speed and accuracy in control. In the paper the input variables as well as the set of rules to be used in the control are defined. In such sense a photovoltaic module model - dcdc converter was validated in order to perform different simulations, to observe photovoltaic power variations in different operating points. The simulations show that the proposed control is suitable and better than a conventional system. Experimental measures indicate that the response of FLC developed under different conditions for irradiance and temperature are correct. The final physical implementation of FLC proposed is performed through a 32-bit PIC microcontroller.

Existen interesantes y numerosos estudios que ahondan sobre la influencia de un conjunto de factores (personales, sociales, institucionales, etc.) como facilitadores e inhibidores de una adecuada transición académica desde la perspectiva del alumnado. El presente trabajo describe el proceso de ajuste académico a la universidad desde la perspectiva del profesorado del primer año. Conocer las opiniones de quienes han sido el referente de entrada de estudiantes de nuevo acceso en asignaturas obligatorias del primer año puede contribuir a arrojar luz sobre la necesidad de establecer un perfil –o perfiles– de profesorado en función, no sólo, de las características de la disciplina a impartir sino, también, del perfil del alumno y de las características de los grupos clase. Para ello, se ha administrado una encuesta “on-line” a todo el profesorado de primer curso de los grados de Administración y Dirección de Empresas (ADE) y de Pedagogía de la Universidad de Barcelona al finalizar el curso 2010-11 obteniendo una tasa de respuesta del 45%. Mediante diversas técnicas estadísticas se ha analizado las relaciones entre las diferentes variables estudiadas considerando como referencia de análisis el grupo clase. De los resultados se desprende que los factores relativos al contexto docente son los que mayor incidencia presentan en la satisfacción del profesorado del primer año frente a la influencia negativa que ejerce la preparación académica previa de los alumnos. A partir de una reducción dimensional del conjunto de variables sociodemográficas y de contexto de la muestra del profesorado, se han obtenido cuatro factores: coordinación y funcionamiento de la docencia, condiciones de la docencia, experiencia docente y el género del docente. A modo de conclusión, los resultados ponen de manifiesto que la motivación e implicación docente del profesorado del primer año tiende a decrecer a lo largo del curso académico. Este artículo pretende resaltar este punto y sugerir algunos campos de mejorar para los docentes de primer curso y aquellos que tienen responsabilidades de coordinación. ABSTRACT Faculty satisfaction and motivation with first year teaching at social sciences degrees. Could be easy to find interesting studies about the influence of some factors (personal, social, institutional, etc.) as facilitators or inhibitors of adequate academic transition from student’s perspective. This paper describes the process of academic adjustment to high education college from the perspective of first-year teachers. Underlies also the relationship between faculty motivation and satisfaction and students retention. Collect opinions of first-year teachers could result of particular interest. They can have an important influence on students, being a reference for them. Could be possible to identify some profile of first year teachers, not only in terms of the characteristics of the discipline to be taught, but also the student’s profile and the characteristics of the class groups. A statistical survey has been done to all first-year teachers at grades of Administration and Management (ADE) and Education studies, at the University of Barcelona. This survey was done at the end of the 2010-11 academic year, obtaining a rate 45% response. Sample includes “online comments” from faculty members. Statistical techniques as descriptive analysis and regression analysis, based on a principal components analysis, let identify relationships between variables. The study also collected qualitative results of the opinions of higher education teachers to incorporate personal aspects. Factors relating to teaching context are those that have a higher influence in faculty satisfaction. On the other hand, student previous academic preparation has a negative effect on it. Four factors were identified through a dimensional reduction of variables: teaching coordination and operation, teaching conditions, teaching experience and teacher gender. This paper would remark this point and suggest some improving needs for a first year teachers and those who have responsibilities on it. Results show how teachers’ motivation and involvement decline slightly throughout the academic year.

Current University is challenged to design and configure processes of teaching more meaningful and experiential learning, it must continue investing in the development of methodologies and learning experiences that meet the demands of a new culture of learning competence integrated into the European Higher Education Area (EEES). The nocturnal gymkhana “Gymkha-express yourself throught sports” presented in this paper, refers to a non-formal educational event performing for several academic courses, with students from various promotions of Bachelor Degree in Physical Education of the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Seville University. Through this teaching proposal, faculties from the Departments of Physical Education and Sport and Theory and History of Education of this University, offers to different groups of students the opportunity to experience the potential and utility of the evenings night of camp in the natural environment, which will have to develop and launch sometime in their careers. This paper presents a number of patterns and reflections, related design, implementation and description of a nocturnal gymkhana developed in the Alamillo Park of Seville, which may well result in personal and professional interest, particularly for current practitioners of Physical Education and the future ones.

La Universidad actual -retada a diseñar y configurar procesos de enseñanza aprendizaje mucho más significativos y experienciales-, ha de seguir apostando por el desarrollo de metodologías y experiencias didácticas que se ajusten a las exigencias de una nueva cultura del aprendizaje competencial integrada en el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES). La yinkana nocturna “Yinca-exprésate con el deporte”, que se presenta en este trabajo, hace referencia a una práctica pedagógica extraacadémica que lleva realizándose durante varios cursos académicos con el alumnado de varias promociones de Grado y Licenciatura en Educación Física de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad de Sevilla. A través del esbozo y ejecución de esta propuesta didáctica, profesorado de los Departamentos de Educación Física y Deporte y de Teoría e Historia de la Educación de esta Universidad, ofrece a diferentes grupos de estudiantes la oportunidad de experimentar en el entorno natural las potencialidades y utilidades de las veladas nocturnas de campamento, las cuales tendrán que desarrollar y poner en marcha en alguna ocasión en su futuro profesional. En este trabajo se recogen una serie de pautas y reflexiones, ligadas el diseño, puesta en práctica y descripción de una yincana nocturna desarrollada en el Parque del Alamillo de Sevilla, que bien pueden resultar de interés personal y profesional, particularmente, para los actuales profesionales de la Educación Física y para los futuros.ABSTRACTGymkha-Express yourself throught sports: making history through a nightly gimkhana.Current University is challenged to design and configure processes of teaching more meaningful and experiential learning, it must continue investing in the development of methodologies and learning experiences that meet the demands of a new culture of learning competence integrated into the European Higher Education Area (EEES). The nocturnal gymkhana “Gymkha-express yourself throught sports” presented in this paper, refers to a non-formal educational event performing for several academic courses, with students from various promotions of Bachelor Degree in Physical Education of the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Seville University. Through this teaching proposal, faculties from the Departments of Physical Education and Sport and Theory and History of Education of this University, offers to different groups of students the opportunity to experience the potential and utility of the evenings night of camp in the natural environment, which will have to develop and launch sometime in their careers. This paper presents a number of patterns and reflections, related design, implementation and description of a nocturnal gymkhana developed in the Alamillo Park of Seville, which may well result in personal and professional interest, particularly for current practitioners of Physical Education and the future ones.

Existen interesantes y numerosos estudios que ahondan sobre la influencia de un conjunto de factores (personales, sociales, institucionales, etc.) como facilitadores e inhibidores de una adecuada transición académica desde la perspectiva del alumnado. El presente trabajo describe el proceso de ajuste académico a la universidad desde la perspectiva del profesorado del primer año. Conocer las opiniones de quienes han sido el referente de entrada de estudiantes de nuevo acceso en asignaturas obligatorias del primer año puede contribuir a arrojar luz sobre la necesidad de establecer un perfil –o perfiles– de profesorado en función, no sólo, de las características de la disciplina a impartir sino, también, del perfil del alumno y de las características de los grupos clase.Para ello, se ha administrado una encuesta “on-line” a todo el profesorado de primer curso de los grados de Administración y Dirección de Empresas (ADE) y de Pedagogía de la Universidad de Barcelona al finalizar el curso 2010-11 obteniendo una tasa de respuesta del 45%. Mediante diversas técnicas estadísticas se ha analizado las relaciones entre las diferentes variables estudiadas considerando como referencia de análisis el grupo clase.De los resultados se desprende que los factores relativos al contexto docente son los que mayor incidencia presentan en la satisfacción del profesorado del primer año frente a la influencia negativa que ejerce la preparación académica previa de los alumnos. A partir de una reducción dimensional del conjunto de variables sociodemográficas y de contexto de la muestra del profesorado, se han obtenido cuatro factores: coordinación y funcionamiento de la docencia, condiciones de la docencia, experiencia docente y el género del docente.A modo de conclusión, los resultados ponen de manifiesto que la motivación e implicación docente del profesorado del primer año tiende a decrecer a lo largo del curso académico. Este artículo pretende resaltar este punto y sugerir algunos campos de mejorar para los docentes de primer curso y aquellos que tienen responsabilidades de coordinación.ABSTRACTFaculty satisfaction and motivation with first year teaching at social sciences degrees.Could be easy to find interesting studies about the influence of some factors (personal, social, institutional, etc.) as facilitators or inhibitors of adequate academic transition from student’s perspective. This paper describes the process of academic adjustment to high education college from the perspective of first-year teachers. Underlies also the relationship between faculty motivation and satisfaction and students retention. Collect opinions of first-year teachers could result of particular interest. They can have an important influence on students, being a reference for them. Could be possible to identify some profile of first year teachers, not only in terms of the characteristics of the discipline to be taught, but also the student’s profile and the characteristics of the class groups.A statistical survey has been done to all first-year teachers at grades of Administration and Management (ADE) and Education studies, at the University of Barcelona. This survey was done at the end of the 2010-11 academic year, obtaining a rate 45% response. Sample includes “online comments” from faculty members. Statistical techniques as descriptive analysis and regression analysis, based on a principal components analysis, let identify relationships between variables. The study also collected qualitative results of the opinions of higher education teachers to incorporate personal aspects.Factors relating to teaching context are those that have a higher influence in faculty satisfaction. On the other hand, student previous academic preparation has a negative effect on it. Four factors were identified through a dimensional reduction of variables: teaching coordination and operation, teaching conditions, teaching experience and teacher gender. This paper would remark this point and suggest some improving needs for a first year teachers and those who have responsibilities on it.Results show how teachers’ motivation and involvement decline slightly throughout the academic year.

Resumen: Este artÌıculo presenta un nuevo sistema de rehabilitacioÌn capaz de adaptarse al estado psicofisioloÌgico del paciente durante tareas de rehabilitacioÌn roboÌtica. Con este tipo de terapia se puede maximizar la motivacioÌn y participacioÌn del paciente durante la actividad de rehabilitacioÌn. En este trabajo se extienden los resultados del estudio presentado en (Badesa et al., 2014b), realizado con sujetos sanos, a su utilizacioÌn con pacientes que hayan sufrido un accidente cerebrovascular. En una primera parte del artÌıculo se presentan los distintos componentes del sistema adaptativo, y se realiza una comparativa de distintas teÌcnicas de aprendizaje automaÌtico para clasificar el estado psicofisioloÌgico del paciente entre tres estados posibles: estresado, nivel de excitacioÌn media y relajado. Finalmente, se muestran los resultados del sistema autoadaptativo con un paciente con ictus en fase croÌnica, que modifica el comportamiento del robot de rehabilitacioÌn y de la tarea virtual en funcioÌn de las medidas de las senÌales fisioloÌgicas. Abstract: This paper presents a new rehabilitation system that is able to adapt its performance to patient's psychophysiological state during the execution of robotic rehabilitation tasks. Using this approach, the motivation and participation of the patient during rehabilitation activity can be maximized. In this paper, the results of the study with healthy subjects presented in (Badesa et al., 2014b) have been extended for using them with patients who have suffered a stroke. In the first part of the article, the different components of the adaptive system are exposed, as well as a comparison of different machine learning techniques to classify the patient's psychophysiological state between three possible states: stressed, average excitation level and relaxed are presented. Finally, the results of the auto-adaptive system which modifies the behavior of the rehabilitation robot and virtual task in function of measured physiological signals are shown for a patient in the chronic phase of stroke. Palabras clave: Estado fisiológico, interfaces multimodales, robótica de rehabilitación, control., Keywords: Physiological state multimodal interfaces rehabilitation robotics control.

Resumen: Los invariantes generados a partir de momentos extraÌıdos de una imagen aparecen recurrentemente en la bibliografÌıa como uno de los meÌtodos maÌs potentes para la descripcioÌn de imaÌgenes, y maÌs concretamente de formas. En este artÌıculo se propone el uso de funciones de base continuas a intervalos (PCBF) como alternativa a las bases que se vienen utilizando tradicionalmente en la aplicacioÌn de este meÌtodo, todas ellas continas como puedan ser las muy conocidas de Zernike, Legendre o Tchebichev. El uso de funciones discontinuas se justifica en la naturaleza discontinua de los objetos analizados, en este caso las imaÌgenes: es de sobra conocido que los contornos de los objetos visibles en ellas se caracterizan como discontinuidades en la serie de valores de luminancia cuando nos desplazamos de un lado a otro de dichos contornos. El anaÌlisis de tales senÌales con funciones continuas produce resultados no deseados, como el fenoÌmeno de Gibbs, que pueden ser evitados mediante el uso de funciones como las propuestas, generando mejores aproximaciones a la forma analizada. Adicionalmente, las bases propuestas permiten faÌcilmente, como se demuestra, la generacioÌn de invariantes a rotacioÌn, caracterÌıstica altamente deseable para un descriptor de forma, puesto que a priori no se conoce con queÌ orientacioÌn apareceraÌ esta en la imagen objeto del anaÌlisis. La invarianza a traslacioÌn y escala se consigue mediante un sencillo proceso de normalizacioÌn. Se presentan los test que confirman esta hipoÌtesis, comenzando por un anaÌlisis del comportamiento de los invariantes ante el ruido en la imagen que permitiraÌ determinar en queÌ nuÌmero deben ser extraÌıdos. A continuacioÌn, y una vez definida esta longitud de descripcioÌn, se realizan sendos experimentos para determinar el comportamiento de los invariantes propuestos en una tarea de recuperacioÌn de imaÌgenes, tanto libres de ruido como corrompidas con distintos grados de ruido gaussiano. Los resultados avalan la hipoÌtesis de idoneidad para la tarea, demostrando que se pueden alcanzar resultados similares a los de la base de referencia, Zernike, utilizando descripciones hasta un 40% maÌs cortas. Abstract: Invariants generated departing from moments, previously extracted from an image, appear frequently in the bibliography as one of the most powerful means of describing images, and more precisely shapes. In this paper, the use of Piecewise Continuous Basis Functions (PCBF) is proposed as an alternative to those basis which have been used traditionally in the method of moments, all of them continuous as the well known Zernike, Legendre or Tchebichev basis. The use of discontinuous basis can be justified by the own discontinuous nature of the object of such analysis, namely images: it is thoroughly known that the contours of visible objects are modeled as discontinuities in the series of luminance values as we go from one side of the border to the other. Analyzing such discontinuous objects by means of continuous functions can lead to undesired results, as the Gibbs phenomenon, that can be avoided by simply shifting to discontinuous basis for the analysis, getting better approximations to the described object. Additionally, the proposed basis can easily generate, as shown in this paper, rotation invariants, which is a very desirable feature for a shape descriptor, given that the orientation that the shape will have in an image is not known in advance. Translation and scale invariance is obtained by means of a simple normalization process. Test confirming this hypothesis are presented as well, starting with an analysis of the behavior of the proposed invariantes in noisy environments, which allow to fix the number of invariants that have to be extracted. Next, once this description length has been determined, new experiments are carried out to assess the performance of the proposed invariants in a content based retrieval task, both in a noise free and in noisy environments, having images corrupted with different gaussian noise intensities. Results confirm our hypothesis that these descriptors are very well suited for this task, showing that they can achieve results similar to those obtained using the continuous reference basis, which is Zernike's, but with a description which is roughly a 40% shorter. Palabras clave: Método de los momentos, descriptores invariantes, bases ortonormales, recuperación basada en contenido, análisis de imágenes, Keywords: Method of moments, invariant descriptors, orthonormal basis, content based image retrieval, image analysis

The major legislative changes undertaken by the Spanish University Ordination Act in 2001 have sharply changed the guidelines of accreditation and promotion for university teachers. The period of 2001-2011 was marked by different economic and social contexts in Spanish universities, as well as by these new teacher evaluation systems coming into force. The period of economic growth until 2007 and the subsequent crisis that continues today have set boundary conditions that directly affect the structure of teaching staff in university faculties. This situation has created a problem that combines short-term phenomena such as the economic situation with long-term ones such as the teacher’s accreditation process. This paper presents the evolution of teachers in Spain (associate, full professor, contracted, etc.) until 2011 and the repercussions of accreditation systems in the teaching profession. It explores the causes and consequences of different variables (such as category, dedication, or teacher’s population) using the methodology of statistical analysis with the aim of determining the influence and representation that actually involves each of the existing figures in the university structure. These parameters influence teaching and it is particularly important to determine how changes in the accreditation system are actually affecting the functioning of university schools. Finally, the paper presents possible future scenarios arising in the field of university accreditation for a better fit in the international context.

Este trabajo trata de analizar hasta qué punto los alumnos son capaces de evaluar sus propios aprendizajes y los de sus compañeros (evaluación entre pares y autoevaluación) a través de la erúbrica, conociendo estándares y criterios de evaluación propuestos por el profesorado en la configuración, diseño y desarrollo de la evaluación de proyectos. Esta forma de evaluar y autoevaluarse presupone en el Nuevo Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior que el alumno asuma un papel más activo en el proceso de enseñanza y que la propia evaluación le sirva de aprendizaje en la consecución de las competencias profesionales. Así el uso de las nuevas tecnologías en procesos de evaluación autorregulada permite que el alumno alcance un rendimiento óptimo, eficaz y de calidad tanto en la propuesta de contenidos, como en el desarrollo de los mismos ante el grupo, considerando el acto de evaluar como un proceso de mejora y de aprendizaje, a través de herramientas como la erúbrica que favorecen la “evaluación total”; es decir, la asunción de todas las competencias básicas.Este estudio se ha llevado a cabo en el curso académico 2011-2012, durante dos semestres con asignaturas troncales distintas (Teoría y Política de la Educación Infantil y Hacia una escuela inclusiva: modelos y prácticas) y con idénticos grupos (Grupo de 1º de grado de infantil A-grupo experimental- y Grupo de 1º de grado de infantil B-grupo control).El presente trabajo expone los resultados de la evaluación entre pares y la autoevaluación a través de la puesta en práctica de proyectos, donde los alumnos evalúan a sus compañeros y se autoevalúan, comparando los resultados con la evaluación que realiza el profesor de los grupos y de cada alumno de forma individual.ABSTRACTPeer assessment and self-evaluation with erubrics: a case study in the Degree in Early Childhood Education.This paper analyzes the extent to which students are able to assess their own learning and that of their peers (peer assessment and self-evaluation) through erubrica, standards and evaluation criteria proposed by the faculty in the configuration, design and development of project evaluation. This type of evaluation and self-assessment presumes in the New European space of Higher Education that students take a more active role in the learning process and the evaluation itself will serve in helping to achieve the knowledge of professional skills. Thus the use of new technologies in self-regulatory assessment processes allows the student to achieve an optimal, effective and quality performance in the proposed content, as much as in the development of them before the group, considering the act of evaluation as a process of improvement and learning through tools such as the erubrica that favor the “overall assessment”; that is, the assumption of all core competencies.This study has been carried out in the academic year 2011-2012, for two semesters with different core subjects (theory and child education policy and towards an inclusive school: patterns and practices) and with identical groups (Group 1, 1st degree of infant A as the experimental group; and Group 2, 1st degree of infant B, as the control group).This paper exposes the results of peer evaluation and self-evaluation through the implementation of projects, where students evaluate their peers and evaluate themselves by comparing the results with the assessment made by the teacher with their groups and each student individually.

Los importantes cambios legislativos realizados por la Ley de Ordenación Universitaria desde 2001 han modificado severamente las pautas de acreditación y promoción del profesorado universitario. El periodo 2001-2011 viene marcado por distintos contextos económicos y sociales en la universidad española, a la vez que por la entrada en vigor de estos nuevos sistemas de acreditación docente.El periodo de crecimiento económico hasta 2007 y la posterior crisis que dura hasta nuestros días han creado unas condiciones de contorno que repercuten directamente en la estructura del profesorado de las facultades y escuelas universitarias. Esta situación ha generado una problemática que conjuga fenómenos de corto plazo, como la coyuntura económica, junto a procesos de largo plazo, como la acreditación de los profesores en España.El presente artículo presenta la evolución del profesorado en España (asociado, funcionario, contratado, etc.) hasta 2011 y la repercusión que los sistemas de acreditación en la carrera docente pueden estar teniendo actualmente en este colectivo. Se han evaluado las causas y consecuencias de distintas variables (como la categoría, su dedicación o la evolución del número de profesores) mediante la metodología del análisis estadístico, con el objetivo de conocer la influencia y representatividad que realmente tienen cada una de las figuras existentes en la estructura universitaria. Estos parámetros influyen en la actividad docente, siendo de especial importancia conocer en qué medida los cambios en el sistema de acreditación están afectando al funcionamiento de las facultades y escuelas. Por último, se plantean posibles escenarios y propuestas de futuro en el campo de la acreditación universitaria de cara a un mejor encaje en el contexto internacional.ABSTRACTAccreditation and promotion of Spanish university lecturers: situation, trends and future prospects.The major legislative changes undertaken by the Spanish University Ordination Act in 2001 have sharply changed the guidelines of accreditation and promotion for university teachers. The period of 2001-2011 was marked by different economic and social contexts in Spanish universities, as well as by these new teacher evaluation systems coming into force.The period of economic growth until 2007 and the subsequent crisis that continues today have set boundary conditions that directly affect the structure of teaching staff in university faculties. This situation has created a problem that combines short-term phenomena such as the economic situation with long-term ones such as the teacher’s accreditation process.This paper presents the evolution of teachers in Spain (associate, full professor, contracted, etc.) until 2011 and the repercussions of accreditation systems in the teaching profession. It explores the causes and consequences of different variables (such as category, dedication, or teacher’s population) using the methodology of statistical analysis with the aim of determining the influence and representation that actually involves each of the existing figures in the university structure. These parameters influence teaching and it is particularly important to determine how changes in the accreditation system are actually affecting the functioning of university schools. Finally, the paper presents possible future scenarios arising in the field of university accreditation for a better fit in the international context.

El flipped classroom es un nuevo modelo metodológico docente que trata de invertir la forma en que los contenidos de aprendizaje se entregan a los alumnos para favorecer el entendimiento de la materia mediante un trabajo en casa .El objetivo del estudio es analizar si la implantación del ”flippedd classroom” es útil como herramienta docente para mejorar el rendimiento académico y si este es dependiente del sexo. Contamos con una cohorte de 75 alumnos de kinesiología (55% hombres y 46% mujeres) y 98 de obstetricia (94%mujeres y 4% hombres) de ambos sexos entre los 20-24 años. Se les realizo tres pruebas en el semestre académico, 1ºprueba, grupo control N=164, 2 prueba, introducción de clase a clase en papel, 3 pruebas, introducción de plataforma web. La nota media de la primera prueba fue 3,86± 0.78 e intervalo de confianza (3.74-3.99) la de la segunda prueba fue 4.12± 0.87 intervalo de confianza (3.99-4.26) y de la tercera prueba 4.92±0.94 e intervalo de confianza (4.77- 5.05.) Se realizó un análisis de varianza, la p que se obtuvo fue p=0.000, lo que indica que existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre la notas de los 3 grupos. Con respecto la variable sexo, no se observaron diferencias. La introducción de herramientas didácticas mejora ostensiblemente y de forma significativa el rendimiento académico de los alumnos siendo este superior con la introducción de la plataforma web teachem que con el material didáctico en papel. Con respecto al sexo de los alumnos, no influye en ninguna de las calificaciones obtenidas en las 3 pruebas.ABSTRACTTeaching tools to improve academic performance.The “flipped classroom” is a new teaching methodology model that seeks to reverse the way learning contents are delivered to students in order to promote the subject understanding by working at home. The aim of the study is to analyze whether the implementation with “flipped classroom” is useful as a teaching tool to improve academic performance and if it is dependent on the sex of participants. We have a sample of 75 kinesiology students (55% male and 46% female) and 98 of obstetrics (94% women and 4% men), between 20-24 years. They performed three tests in the academic semester: 1st test, control group N = 164; 2nd test, introduction from class to class on paper; 3 test, introduction of web platform. The average score of the first test was 3.86 ± 0.78 and confidence interval (3.74-3.99), second test average score was 4.12 ± 0.87 and confidence interval (3.99-4.26) and third test average score was 4.92 ± 0.94 and interval confidence (4.77-5.05). An analysis of variance was done obtaining p = 0.000, indicating that there were significant differences among the 3 groups scores. Regarding the gender variable, no differences were observed. The introduction of the teaching tools significantly improves academic performance of students and it is better with the introduction of the web platform teachem than with paper materials.

The goal of this paper is twofold: first, it aims at presenting the operation of the Law Degree’s final dissertation at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra; and second, it seeks to analyze the experience accumulated over the past two years and to draw some lessons that – specially with regards to its organization and coordination– may prove helpful to other institutions and universities. After a short introduction, the paper sketches the complex normative framework surrounding the course “Degree’s final dissertation” at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Following this, the paper describes those constrains and initial considerations that informed its design. This brief analysis provides the necessary context to the following pages, which focus on the several stages the course includes and the main coordination activities attached to them. The paper concludes with a reflection on the main lessons that can be drawn after two years of experience and with some suggestions. Among others, three deserve special attention: first, the need to adopt a flexible, proactive, close, continued and anticipatory style of coordination to ensure the success of the course; second, the convenience to elaborate a course guide as clear and concise as possible; third, the relevance of creating a brief manual that helps professors in their tutorial activities and the ulterior evaluation of papers, particularly in those cases that involve a large number of professors.

El objetivo de este trabajo es doble: por un lado, presentar el funcionamiento del “Trabajo de fin de Grado” en el Grado en Derecho de la Universitat Pompeu Fabra; por otro, analizar la experiencia acumulada durante estos dos años y extraer algunas lecciones que, sobre todo desde el punto de vista de la organización y la coordinación, puedan resultar útiles para otros centros y universidades. Tras una breve introducción, el trabajo dibuja el complejo marco normativo en el que se inscribe la asignatura “Trabajo de fin de Grado” en la Universitat Pompeu Fabra. A continuación, recoge aquellas constricciones y consideraciones preliminares que inspiraron su diseño. Este breve análisis sirve para contextualizar las páginas posteriores, que se centran en las etapas que comprende la asignatura y las principales funciones de coordinación asociadas a cada una de ellas. El trabajo concluye con una reflexión en torno a las principales lecciones aprendidas tras dos años de funcionamiento de la asignatura y con algunas recomendaciones. Tres merecen especial interés: la necesidad de adoptar un estilo de coordinación flexible, proactivo, cercano, continuado y anticipatorio para garantizar el éxito de la asignatura; la conveniencia de elaborar una guía de la asignatura lo más clara y precisa posible; y la importancia de desarrollar un manual que ayude a los profesores en la acción tutorial y en la posterior evaluación de los trabajos, especialmente si el número de profesores implicados es elevado.ABSTRACTThe coordination of the Law degree’s final dissertation at the UPF: operation and lessons after two years of experience.The goal of this paper is twofold: first, it aims at presenting the operation of the Law Degree’s final dissertation at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra; and second, it seeks to analyze the experience accumulated over the past two years and to draw some lessons that –specially with regards to its organization and coordination– may prove helpful to other institutions and universities. After a short introduction, the paper sketches the complex normative framework surrounding the course “Degree’s final dissertation” at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Following this, the paper describes those constrains and initial considerations that informed its design. This brief analysis provides the necessary context to the following pages, which focus on the several stages the course includes and the main coordination activities attached to them. The paper concludes with a reflection on the main lessons that can be drawn after two years of experience and with some suggestions. Among others, three deserve special attention: first, the need to adopt a flexible, proactive, close, continued and anticipatory style of coordination to ensure the success of the course; second, the convenience to elaborate a course guide as clear and concise as possible; third, the relevance of creating a brief manual that helps professors in their tutorial activities and the ulterior evaluation of papers, particularly in those cases that involve a large number of professors.

The paper assumes some relevant links connecting both, the reflection on student dropout and quality in Higher Education. The assumed frames locate the reflection on student dropout in a wider context than the most common studies do. That’s it; the influence exerted by the tertiary education in the student’s personal development and its socio-economic impact on the local contexts where it is such education is developed. Beyond it, the paper analyzes some of the more relevant data related to the dropout phenomena and some of the it most common evaluations on Higher Education in our country, besides considering some key biases detected in studies on dropout. To deepen the knowledge of this phenomenon means the development of high analytic criticism on previous studies and the frames they adopted in its analysis. Beyond the former analysis some feasible guidelines are proposed in order to build up better policies pointing at the dropout reduction in Higher Education. According to such proposal some key concepts are depicted for a more comprehensive approach to the phenomena. As a closing summary, they are illuminated by ten basic guidelines aiming at the institutional intervention.

En el siguiente texto se asume la relevancia de la reflexión sobre el fenómeno del abandono en relación con la calidad de la formación superior. Los referentes adoptados sirven para contextuar aquél en un marco de comprensión más general del que suele ser habitual: el de la influencia ejercida por los estudios superiores universitarios en el desarrollo de las personas y en el impacto socio-cultural y económico que ejerce la universidad en su entorno. Por otra parte, también se analizan algunos de los datos más relevantes en relación al abandono y a determinadas percepciones o evaluaciones que se hace de los estudios universitarios en nuestro país, así como algunas limitaciones de los estudios sobre el mismo. Profundizar en el conocimiento del abandono y sus causas lleva aparejada la necesidad de someter a análisis crítico muchos de los estudios que se hacen sobre el mismo y de sus principales referentes.A partir de lo anterior, se aportan algunas orientaciones posibles para el abordaje del fenómeno del abandono, distinguiendo aquellas aportaciones que ofrecen unas mejores condiciones conceptuales para una interpretación relevante del mismo y se finaliza sugiriendo diez grandes líneas posibles de acción institucional y académica.ABSTRACTThe paper assumes some relevant links connecting both, the reflection on student dropout and quality in Higher Education. The assumed frames locate the reflection on student dropout in a wider context than the most common studies do. That’s it; the influence exerted by the tertiary education in the student’s personal development and its socio-economic impact on the local contexts where it is such education is developed. Beyond it, the paper analyzes some of the more relevant data related to the dropout phenomena and some of the it most common evaluations on Higher Education in our country, besides considering some key biases detected in studies on dropout. To deepen the knowledge of this phenomenon means the development of high analytic criticism adopted in its analysis.Beyond the former analysis some feasible guidelines are proposed in order to build up better policies pointing at the dropout reduction in Higher Education. According to such proposal some key concepts are depicted for a more comprehensive approach to the phenomena. As a closing summary, they are illuminated by ten basic guidelines aiming at the institutional intervention.

The e-portfolio used as a tool in the process of teaching and learning, provides students with opportunities for reflection so they can achieve improvements throughout their own learning process. This is also a powerful tool that accompanies the process of fulfilling changing requirements, ensuring strong involvement of students, increasing awareness of their own learning and progress, and emphasising the promotion and development of skill-based assessment. The e-portfolio has been implemented in nursing studies at the Universitat d’Andorra, in all the practical subjects, provides a wide range of activities that guide and assist in the teaching-learning process and shows the progress of students’ improvement during their clinical training, in a transversal and longitudinal way throughout the first university level in nursing. In this paper, we analyze a group of 25 students of Bachelor of Nursing, and we clearly show how mentoring and monitoring the student during clinical training is very important, both to offer tracking of the activities thus helping their improvement, and to provide continuity and support. This tutoring offers the opportunity to reflect continuously on the activities and experiences in front of new real situations that involve new approaches, doubts and therefore evolution and progress. The results of implementing the e-portfolio shown in this paper, demonstrate the high level of participation and constancy of the students and their progress throughout clinical training.

In a review of the university tutoring, we find it reappears in Higher Education, with the new European guidelines, as an element of quality and innovation that facilitates the process of accompaniment required to contribute to the integral formation of students, favoring the new educational approach centered on the students and their learning. This paper focuses on the perceptions, beliefs and relationships that students and tutors of different Degree studies belong to a University Tutoring Special Plan have on it in the first year of admission. The analysis and discussion of basic aspects of tutoring allows its protagonists, students and tutors, raise a feedback and suggestions for optimal development. This paper concludes with the need to consider tutoring as a process characterized as systematic, planned, integrated, intentional, ongoing, dynamic and, above all, recognized, responding to a right of the EHEA and a quality factor of the same. Given this fact, tutoring can´t be left in the hands of willful people, but it should be seen as an institutional matter. This requires the creation of an organizational structure to ensure its performance and the appropriate response to specific demands. Therefore, it is to provide content tutoring, to give it meaning, coherence and continuity.

Resumen: El objetivo principal de este artículo es presentar los métodos más habituales de aprovechamiento de distintos tipos de energías renovables procedentes del mar y analizar los modelos energéticos de los dispositivos utilizados para su explotación. Estos modelos son necesarios para el diseño del dispositivo así como para el estudio de su comportamiento dinámico. Su conocimiento resulta imprescindible también para su simulación dinámica y para el diseño de los algoritmos de control necesarios para conseguir una optimización energética y económica. En este trabajo se presentan algunos de los diferentes tipos de energías del mar, y se j ustifica el interés en el desarrollo de dispositivos específicos para el aprovechamiento de las corrientes marinas y de las olas, junto con una pequeña clasificación en función de la profundidad del agua en la zona de instalación de estos dispositivos. Para los convertidores de energía de las olas, generalmente, de tipo resonante, se presenta una metodología de tipo general, analizando los distintos campos de fuerzas actuantes y los métodos de obtención de las respuestas temporal y frecuencial. Para los dispositivos de aprovechamiento de las corrientes, se propone una metodología simplificada de modelado dinámico que puede ser utilizada en análisis del dispositivo concreto. Para ello se tiene en cuenta los perfiles hidrodinámicos que utilizan estos dispositivos, los datos del perfil de la corriente con la profundidad y del modelo de oleaje, y la dinámica propia del conjunto multiplicadora y generador eléctrico. La metodología propuesta se aplica al estudio de un caso concreto, correspondiente a un rotor de eje horizontal de un convertidor de energía de las corrientes. Los resultados obtenidos permiten analizar los efectos del oleaje y de las condiciones de flujo de la corriente no uniforme sobre las magnitudes energéticas más importantes. Abstract: The main objective of this paper is to present the most common harnessing methods for different types of renewable energy from the sea, and to analyze energy models of the devices used for their exploitation. These models are required for the design of the device as well as for the studying of their dynamic behavior. The knowledge of these models is also necessary for dynamic simulation and for the design of control algorithms in order to achieve energy and economic optimizations. In this paper, some of the different types of ocean energy are presented and the interest in the development of specific devices for the exploitation of sea currents and waves is justified. A small classification based on the depth of water in the area where these devices are to be installed is presented too. For wave energy converters, which are generally resonant type, a general methodology is presented. The different fields of acting forces and methods for obtaining the time and frequency responses are analyzed. For devices for the exploitation of energy from sea currents, it is presented a simplified methodology of dynamic modeling that can be used in analysis of the particular device. It is taken into account the hydrodynamic profiles used in these devices, the data flow profile with depth and wave model together with the gearbox-generator set dynamics. The proposed methodology is applied to a specific case study, corresponding to a horizontal axis rotor from a device for harnessing of tidal energy. The obtained results allow to analyze the effects of wave and flow conditions of non uniform current over the most important energy variables. Palabras clave: energías renovables marinas, modelado y simulación, teoría del elemento de pala, modelado del recurso, absorbedor puntual, Keywords: marine renewable energies, modelling and simulation, blade element theory, resource modelling, point absorber

Resumen: La lógica borrosa ha conseguido en un breve periodo de tiempo revolucionar la tecnología mediante la conjunción de los fundamentos matemáticos, la lógica y el razonamiento. Su inherente capacidad de hibridación y su robustez intrínseca han permitido a la lógica borrosa cosechar numerosos éxitos en el campo del modelado y el control de sistemas, impulsando el control inteligente. En este artículo se estudian los sistemas borrosos híbridos más usuales y su importancia en el campo del modelado y control de sistemas dinámicos. El trabajo presenta varios ejemplos que ilustran, para diferentes técnicas de hibridación, cómo éstas potencian las cualidades innatas de la lógica borrosa para el modelado y control de sistemas dinámicos. Así mismo, se incluyen más de ciento cincuenta referencias bibliográficas que permitirán al lector interesado profundizar en el campo de la lógica borrosa, y más concretamente en el de sus técnicas de hibridación con aplicación al modelado y control borroso. Abstract: Fuzzy logic has revolutionized, in a short period of time, the technology through a combination of mathematical fundamentals, logic and reasoning. Its inherent hybridization ability and intrinsic robustness, have allowed to fuzzy logic get numerous successes in the field of modeling and control of systems, impulsing the intelligent control. In this paper, the more usual hybrid fuzzy systems and its importance in the field of modeling and control of dynamic systems are studied. The paper presents several examples that illustrate, for different hybridization techniques, how these enhance the innate qualities of fuzzy logic for modeling and control of dynamic systems. Also, more than a hundred and fifty references are included, which allow the interested reader to delve into the field of fuzzy logic, and more specifically, in its hybridization techniques with application to modeling and fuzzy control. Palabras clave: Algoritmos bioinspirados, control borroso, control inteligente, modelado borroso, redes neuronales, sistemas borrosos, sistemas híbridos, Keywords: Bioinspired algorithms fuzzy control fuzzy modeling fuzzy systems hybrid systems intelligent control neuronal networks

Resumen: Las técnicas de asignación de autoestructuras (Eigenstructure Assignment â EA) han sido aplicadas con éxito al diseño de controladores en diferentes sectores industriales durante las últimas décadas. En este artículo se presentan los aspectos más interesantes del método general y de las técnicas de asignación comúnmente utilizadas. Los métodos de asignación son considerados como técnicas de control modal, por lo que en el diseño de controladores aplicado a cualquier sistema se infiere un análisis de los modos del mismo. Se incluye una revisión de las aplicaciones más interesantes sustentada por los trabajos realizados por numerosos autores. En particular, se introduce una aplicación concreta de los métodos de asignación de autoestructuras al sector aeroespacial. Abstract: The methods based on Eigenstructure Assignment (EA) have been applied to the successful design of controllers in different industrial application over the last decades. In this paper the most interesting aspects of the EA methods are reviewed. The EA methods are considered by control researchers as a modal method. The paper also includes a review to the literature related to aerospace applications and EA controllers design. A numerical example is included in this work to show the whole process taken to design a static controller applied to a spacececraft. Palabras clave: Control aeroespacial, asignación de autoestructuras, desacoplo dinámico, Keywords: Aerospace control, Eigenstructure assignment, Dynamic decoupling