DAU - Digital Archive of URL (Ramon Llull University)
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Non-intrusive electric power monitoring system in multi-purpose educational buildings
No full textUnderstanding the consumption patterns in a working space is important for evaluating the causes of energy wastage and for developing strategies towards specific energy reduction methods. The intent of metering systems in buildings is to provide adequate data that help improve building systems performance. The results of the analysis offer the potential to improve the energy efficiency of the building and reduce the operation costs. Researchers of Polytechnic University of Madrid and American University of Ras Al Khaimah have developed a metering and control system that processes and analyzes the digitalized signals. This system can collect, analyze and manage the electrical consumption in buildings. It is non-intrusive, can be easily deployed in electric boards and sends data to a central base station located away from the metering device. In this article the system is tested in an educational facility with a wide range of uses. The lighting fixtures, power outlets and HVAC devices are analyzed in offices, classrooms and architecture studios. This article concludes that energy audits for longer time periods help building managers understand device profiles, occupant behavior and environmental context.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The ethics of photojournalism in the digital age
No full textDelving into the complexities of contempora1y reportage, this book draws from moral
philosophy and histories of photojournalism to understand the emergence of this distinct
practice and discuss its evolution in a digital era.
In arguing that the digitization of photography obliges us to radically challenge sorne of
the traditional conceptions of pn:ss photography, this book addresses the historie opposition
between artistic and joumalistic photographs, showing and challenging how this has subtly
inspired support for a forensic approach to photojoumalism ethics. The book situates this
debate within questions of relativism over what is "moral," and nom1ative debates over what
is ''.journalistic," alongside technical debates as to what is "possible," to underpin a discussion
of photojournalism as an ethical, moral, and societally impmtant joumalistic practice.
Including detailed comparative analyses of codes of ethics, examination of controversia! cases,
and a study of photojournalism ethics as applied in different newsrooms, the book examines
how ethical principies are applied by the global news media and explores the potential for
constmctive dialogue between different voices interested in pursuing the best version of
photojournalism.
A targeted, comprehensive, and engaging book, this is a valuable resource for academics,
researchers, and students of photojournalism, as well as philosophy, communications, and
media studies more broadly.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Qualitative assessment of a challenge-based learning and teamwork applied in electronics program
No full textEvery student of industrial technology engineering must develop and acquire specific electronic competencies and skills, such as those pertaining to the design, analysis, and assembly of basic circuits in the context of both analogue and digital electronics, including the corresponding instrumentation. Additionally, as is the case for practically all university degrees but has not always been addressed adequately in the field of engineering, generic competencies such as oral communication and teamwork must be acquired. The experience discussed in the article focuses on the design, implementation, and assessment of a hybrid (face-to-face and virtual) educational activity that facilitates the acquisition of specific engineering skills through a teamwork-based approach and enhances communication among students in the context of experimentation. The students, who are divided into teams, must develop a series of embedded systems with the aim of providing a solution to a problem derived from Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. This approach entails the challenge of working with a heterogeneous sample of students studying for a dual degree in design and mechanics, whose motivations are also highly varied. The innovative objective of the educational proposal focuses on adapting the practice to the roles and profiles of the students and tailoring project phases to the competency needs of each student. The results highlight the need to design real practices that foster the motivation of engineering students; they also emphasize the fact that in the context of teamwork, roles pertaining to the specific competencies required by dual-degree students should be defined. The evaluation of such an experiment using the Bipolar Laddering Assessment has exhibited utility and reliability regarding small samples of users and has been shown to be valid regarding identifying the strengths and weaknesses of educational experiments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Identification and comparison of the main variables affecting early university dropout rates according to knowledge area and institution
No full textThe dropout rate in universities is a widely studied issue that concerns both universities and public organizations. Most studies focus on quantifying the phenomenon and identifying the variables involved. This paper uses a multidisciplinary approach to parameterize the factors that define the entry profile of undergraduates at the national level in Spain in collaboration with three universities in different regions and with different disciplines. The aim is to reduce the dropout rate in the first year of study towards a degree. The research questions focus on the weighting of personal variables about students by tutors and whether there are differences in the weighting systems for the main variables as differentiated by discipline, university and/or region. The document is organized to describe the method and context of the study, present the main results, show the application of the survey instrument in a case study, and provide conclusions. The method is based on the two fundamental factors, including the influence of certain student characteristics at matriculation and the importance of a positive experience in the first year of the degree. The study is focused on two elements that inspire the current proposal: the need to identify and rapidly detect students who, due to their entry characteristics, are at a greater risk of dropout and the importance of guaranteeing a good start in the first year of the degree. The study uses a multidisciplinary approach and combines qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data. The study also uses a survey instrument that measures the risk of student dropout based on the weighting of personal variables by tutors. The results of the study have allowed us to categorize the main variables of the student profile that affect the risk of dropout and establish them as aspects to be monitored by the tutors in the first weeks. Furthermore, it has been shown that although there are no significant differences in the averages of dropout risk calculated with either global or specific weighting systems (by centre or studies), there is a tendency observed by the tutors that the weighted averages generated by disciplinary focus are closer to identifying the student's real risk of dropping out.3info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Design of Multiband Antenna Systems for Wireless Devices Using Antenna Boosters [Application Notes]
No full textAntennas play a significant role in the current everythingconnected era. From smartphones, to smart meters, to Internet of Things (IoT) devices, every wireless device needs at least one antenna to transmit and receive information. In response, the wireless industry is moving fast to launch new devices into this growing market. This is pushing RF/microwave and wireless engineers to design RF chains in a smart way using off-the-shelf components, such as filters, amplifiers, diplexers, and front-end modules. At the end of this RF chain, an antenna is needed to efficiently transmit/receive electromagnetic waves. Accordingly, an off-the-shelf antenna component would be an attractive option for simplifying the entire design processâ not only the antenna-design phase but also the device-manufacturing process, reducing costs and creating compatibility with pick-and-place machines for mass production.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Formación universitaria en coaching social y educativo
No full textinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Methodologies of learning served by virtual reality: a case study in urban interventions
No full textA computer-simulated reality and the human-machine interactions facilitated by computer technology and wearable computers may be used as an educational methodology that transforms the way students deal with information. This turns the learning process into a more participative and active process, which fits both the practical part of subjects and the learner’s profile, as students nowadays are more technology-savvy and familiar with current technological advances. This methodology is being used in architectural and urbanism degrees to support the design process and to help students visualize design alternatives in the context of existing environments. This paper proposes the use of virtual reality (VR) as a resource in the teaching of courses that focus on the design of urban spaces. A group of users—composed of architecture students and professionals related to the architecture field—participated in an immersing VR experience and had the opportunity to interact with the space that was being redesigned. Later, a quantitative tool was used in order to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual systems in the design of urban environments. The survey was designed using as a reference the competences required in the urbanism courses; this allowed the authors to identify positive and negative aspects in an objective way. The results prove that VR helps to expand digital abilities in complex representation and helps users in the evaluation and decision-making processes involved in the design of urban spaces.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Urban data and urban design: A data mining approach to architecture education
No full textThe configuration of urban projects using Information and Communication Technologies is an essential aspect in the education of future architects. Students must know the technologies that will facilitate their academic and professional development, as well as anticipating the needs of the citizens and the requirements of their designs. In this paper, a data mining approach was used to outline the strategic requirements for an urban design project in an architecture course using a Project-Based Learning strategy. Informal data related to an award-winning public space (Gillett Square in London, UK) was retrieved from two social networks (Flickr and Twitter), and from its official website. The analysis focused on semantic, temporal and spatial patterns, aspects generally overlooked in traditional approaches. Text-mining techniques were used to relate semantic and temporal data, focusing on seasonal and weekly (work-leisure) cycles, and the geographic patterns were extracted both from geotagged pictures and by geocoding user locations. The results showed that it is possible to obtain and extract valuable data and information in order to determine the different uses and architectural requirements of an urban space, but such data and information can be challenging to retrieve, structure, analyze and visualize. The main goal of the paper is to outline a strategy and present a visualization of the results, in a way designed to be attractive and informative for both students and professionals – even without a technical background – so the conducted analysis may be reproducible in other urban data contexts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Gamification and hazard communication in virtual reality: a qualitative study
No full textAn effective warning attracts attention, elicits knowledge, and enables compliance behavior. Game mechanics, which are directly linked to human desires, stand out as training, evaluation, and improvement tools. Immersive virtual reality (VR) facilitates training without risk to participants, evaluates the impact of an incorrect action/decision, and creates a smart training environment. The present study analyzes the user experience in a gamified virtual environment of risks using the HTC Vive head-mounted display. The game was developed in the Unreal game engine and consisted of a walk-through maze composed of evident dangers and different signaling variables while user action data were recorded. To demonstrate which aspects provide better interaction, experience, perception and memory, three different warning configurations (dynamic, static and smart) and two different levels of danger (low and high) were presented. To properly assess the impact of the experience, we conducted a survey about personality and knowledge before and after using the game. We proceeded with the qualitative approach by using questions in a bipolar laddering assessment that was compared with the recorded data during the game. The findings indicate that when users are engaged in VR, they tend to test the consequences of their actions rather than maintaining safety. The results also reveal that textual signal variables are not accessed when users are faced with the stress factor of time. Progress is needed in implementing new technologies for warnings and advance notifications to improve the evaluation of human behavior in virtual environments of high-risk surroundings.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio