Revista Maskana

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://dspace-test.ucuenca.edu.ec/handle/123456789/5372

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 290

A preliminary response from the Faculty of Psychology students of the University of Cuenca to the modified EFL teaching approach
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2017) Berna, Marcelo; Feyen, Jan
English teachers in Ecuadorian universities, like teachers in many non-native English-speaking countries, face the challenge of dealing with uninterested, unmotivated students, even when intermediate proficiency of English is a basic requirement for graduation. As from the end of 2014, the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Cuenca modified the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction at the three proficiency levels of English learning, by linking the training in reading to the reading of major related material and stimulating the students to practice actively the four English language skills outside the classroom using website and video hosting sites. At the end of 2016, the students’ impressions of being exposed to the modified way of student-centered instruction were assessed using a questionnaire. A total of 106 students completed online the 10-question survey. Results showed the enthusiasm of the students towards the modified more dynamic and interactive mode of EFL instruction; appreciated that more autonomy and responsibility were given to the students, and suggested that focus on grammar should not be neglected. An important side effect of the approach was the indirect harnessing of listening, writing, reading and speaking skills as well as skills in the reading and analysis of thematic research papers; considered an important benefit for the thesis project.
A tentative analysis of the causal stress factors of graduate students of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2016-12) Ledesma, Yolanda E.; Cobos, Angel R.
Stress reflects the body’s response to different demands, and it is generally accepted that good and bad experiences can cause stress. There is positive (eustress) and negative stress (distress), and both affect people. The factors causing stress range from physiological (e.g., fear of danger) too emotional (e.g., worry about money or family), and vary from person to person. The research question of this study was if the causes of stress are different between Latin American and American students at the Latin American Studies Program of the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, the United States. The article depicts how local and foreign graduate students perceive their stress. Findings revealed that the top four common stressors for college students are academic responsibility, time management, financial situation, and personal relationships. Six qualitative methods, such as observation, individual interviews, focus groups, collective analysis, social mapping, and visual analysis, were used to collect insight in the phenomenon of stress. The collected information was codified, organized, classified and consolidated using the Atlas.ti database, and analyzed using the triangulation technique. Results show that stress perception is significantly influenced by the cultural differences between the students.
Accesibilidad a la información y la inclusión social de personas con discapacidad visual
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2016-11-16) Martínez Bonilla, Carlos; Silva Silva, Ricardo; Naranjo Gamboa, Byron
Technological advances and the evolution of the media, especially the Internet, facilitates the transfer of messages to and between people, in particular between people with visual disabilities. The project presented herein determined the accessibility to information of people with visual disabilities and its effect on their social integration in the province of Tungurahua; with the overall objective to identify methodological strategies, including the integration of ICT tools, that will enhance communication, accessibility to information and social inclusion, leading ultimately in an improvement of the quality of life. Important features and guidelines to develop communication and accessibility, not only with people possessing visual disability, were obtained through a quantitative and bibliographic survey of the field resulting in important features to reach and improve communication. Along the survey better ideas were generated on how to live better with this disabled group of the society.
Actitudes de los adolescentes escolarizados de Cuenca hacia la diversidad sexual
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2011-07) Pinos Vélez, Verónica Patricia; Pinos Abad, Guido Marcelo
The overall objective of the survey was to assess the attitude of school age adoloscents regarding LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transsexuals) and the factors controlling the attitude. Knowledge of the extent and insight in the controlling factors will help in providing efficient and effective educational programs ensuring equality and respect regarding this minority group. The research was quantitative, transversal, descriptive and comparative. A survey was applied to 1130 high school students and 31 teachers to investigate the relationship between the attitudes regarding the LGBT minority group and the socio-demographic, family, community and personal factors of the sampled population. For the exploration of the relationship between the variables use was made of the chi-square statistics. Analysis of the survey data revealed that the majority of the adolescents had liberal homophobia attitudes. The factors controlling this attitude by school age adolescents regarding LGBT are: high school type, age, gender, level of religiosity, education level of parents, level of family communication, degree of prejudiced believes, to know a person who is LGBT, and sexual orientation. In summary, the adolescents from Cuenca have homophobic attitudes, which justifies the development of educational programs with the challenging objective of changing the attitudes towards LGBT.
Actitudes docentes hacia la educación inclusiva en Cuenca
(2016) Clavijo Castillo, Ruth Germania; López Calle, Claudio Hernán; Cedillo Quizhpe, Isabel Cristina; Mora Oleas, Janeth Catalina; Ortiz Ochoa, William Alfredo
Adquisición y análisis de señales cerebrales utilizando el dispositivo MindWave
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2014) Torres, Felipe; Sánchez, Christian; Palacio Baus, Kenneth Samuel; Universidad de Cuenca; Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca; DIUC
Brain activity can be monitored through electroencephalography and used as a bioelectric indicator. This paper shows how a low cost device can be used in developing brain-computer interface based applications. The obtained results show that the MindWave device can be used for EEG signal acquisition, and that the Wavelet transform can be employed to improve the signal representation in order to apply artificial intelligence algorithms and pattern recognition techniques to classify brain responses.
Adulto mayor: desde una vejez “biológica-social” hacia un “nuevo” envejecimiento productivo
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2016-12) Valarezo Garcia, Carlos Luis
The aging of the population is characteristic for the contemporary world, and seemingly countries do not have the key to tackle this evolution in the best way. Most countries maintain an old aging paradigm that associates biological aging with functional impairment. In fact, many governments introduced an artificial age line, the so-called retirement age, at which it is assumed that a decline in the functional-intellectual and productive capacities of a human being emerge, generally coupled with a social burden for the state. However, the social life cycle not necessarily corresponds with biological dysfunctionality, delineating a before and after a lifetime in the emotional aspects, self-esteem and interrelation of a person, and which traditionally is based on a denigrating socio-cultural conception of old age associated with dependence. Right in front of this conceptual stigma, this paper attempts to analyze the multiple voices expressing new paradigms of productive age and the various forms of work activities, with direct or indirect economic impact, elderly people can accomplish and help them to stay physically and mentally active and useful to the society.
Agrupamiento en base a tamaño, registros, manejo alimentario, estado reproductivo y salud de unidades bovinas de producción lechera en la provincia de Cuenca, Ecuador
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2015) Chuma, J.; Chilpe, M. I.; Pesántez, J. L.; Ayala Guanga, Luis Eduardo; Guevara, G.; Serpa García, Víctor Guillermo; Universidad de Cuenca; Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca
Algunos problemas y oportunidades de los sistemas bovinos de producción de leche en el trópico húmedo de baja altitud
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2015) Guevara Viera, Guillermo Emilio; Guevara Viera, Raúl Victorino
There are more than 3,000,000 milk producers in Latin America and the Caribbean. An important number of them unfolds in the humid tropical conditions on the thermal floor close to sea level altitude and share many of the problems common to all systems, such as: inappropriate relationships between managers and primary producers, lack of stimuli and exodus to the cities, increasing deterioration of the environment, high dimensionality, inadequate preparation of managers, limited view, technological indiscipline communication, technological and financial shortages, among other particular problems. The characteristics of the cattle breeders mostly affected by unsustainability are high ambiental temperatures combined with relative humidities above 70%, low level of protein in pasture vegetation, low use of leguminous shrubs and trees and a reduced availability of dry matter during the less rainy season. Currently a wealth of information on experiences, methodologies and technologies are available to combat effectively these problems. The best way to protect themselve is by training, support from the cattle society, access to adequate information on how to exploit in an effective and sustainable way resources such as races, vegetation, water, soil resources, etc. Additionally, farmers should apply the most suitable grazing method, foresee in the most appropriate food supplements, include the multifunctional use of tree planting, be knowledgeable about cattle breeding and genetics, try to apply a holistic management of the farm, and foresees in analytical monitoring, as to strengthen and secure competitiveness and economic rentability.
Alteraciones de la calidad y cantidad de la produccion de leche en presencia de map a traves de ELISA PPA
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2015) Villamar Manrique, S. A.; Jaurena, G.; Mundo, S. L.; Gillardoni, L. R.; Fortuni, M. L.; Universidad de Cuenca; Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca; DIUC
Ambiente de aprendizaje en el hogar, instrucción materna y desempeño numérico temprano
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2017) Bojorque, Gina; Cabrera, Patricio
Even before the start of formal schooling, there are large individual differences in children’s numerical performance, however, the knowledge about the mechanisms through which young children develop numerical abilities is limited. Certain contextual characteristics surrounding the children, including the home learning environment and the mother’s education, have been associated with children’s numerical performance. Research on this topic has been conducted mostly in developed countries, which makes the generality of those findings for developing countries, an open question. The aim of the present study was to examine the relations between the home learning environment and the mother’s education and the numerical abilities of first-grade children. A total of 176 cuencano children from public and private schools participated in the study. The results indicate that certain characteristics of the home environment, such as the numerical and literacy activities that parents perform with their children, are not related to the numerical performance of the children. However, the number of books for children available in the home is predictively related to their numerical performance. Similarly, the level of maternal education has a predictive relationship with children´s numerical performance.
An analysis of the relationship between higher education performance and socio-economic and technological indicators: the Latin American case study
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2013-12) Feyen, Jan; Hoof, Hubert B. Van; Universidad de Cuenca; DIUC; Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca
This paper reports on a study that analyzed the research output of higher education systems in a select number of Latin American countries and its relationship to several socio-economic and technological success indicators. This was placed within a broader discussion of the changing role of the university in society. The study used the rankings of the countries surveyed with respect to two major indicators: 1. higher education and training (Global Competiveness Report 2012-2013) and 2. scientific productivity of higher education institutions (HEI) as measured by the number of research papers published in international, peer reviewed journals as archived in the Scopus Database (Elsevier B.V.) and available in the SIR Iberoamericano Ranking Reports 2009-2013. The relationship of both indicators with various socio-economic and technology indicators was examined to assess the extent to which the quality and scientific productivity of a country’s higher education system affected a number of country performance indices such as global competitiveness, innovation, health and primary education, government effectiveness, knowledge and technology output and GDP per capita. The relationship between scientific productivity in the form of published, refereed papers and a country’s investment in R&D, researcher headcount per million inhabitants and the quality of its research institutes was analyzed as well. The findings at the Latin American level were compared to the research effectiveness of higher education institutes at the global level. The study found that, notwithstanding the huge variation that existed between the countries studied in the survey, the education and training country rank and the country average HEI publication record correlates with several important socio-economic indicators. Although improvements have been made many Latin American countries still trail their global counterparts in the area of research and publication.
An empirical performance evaluation of a semantic-based data retrieving process from RDBs & RDF data storages
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2016-11-16) Tabares Martín, Leandro; Fernández Peña, Félix Oscar; Leiva Mederos, Amed Abel; Nummenmaa, Jyrki
SQL and, more recently, SPARQL are standard languages of the software industry for retrieving data. Other studies showed that retrieving data by using a SPARQL query is much slower than the semantically equivalent SQL query. Nevertheless, some recent proposals optimized database servers for SPARQL queries. This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis between the capability of SQL and SPARQL with respect to the retrieval of data from a relational database and RDF-triples. A free and open source-based scenario was constructed by using PostgreSQL and Virtuoso for storing data, and RETRI, a data retrieving software built in JavaScript which displays data views in a specific XML format. Open data from the British National Library Bibliographic Data Set were used in the experiment; results were analyzed from a performance perspective.
An information system for heritage documentation management of Cuenca city, Ecuador
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2012-06) Heras B., Verónica; Steenberghen, Thérese; Zúñiga López, Marcelo; Cardoso Martínez, Fausto; Santana Q., Mario; Van Balen, Koenraad; Universidad de Cuenca; Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca; DIUC
The understanding and safeguarding of Cultural Heritage involves the collection, storage and processing of all forms of relevant information pertaining to it. Whereas the heterogeneous sets of data help understanding the heritage monument or site; heritage data management is an essential task for the use, dissemination, protection and conservation of the monuments. Compiling heritage monument records is still mostly a manual procedure, while computer technology partially solved data organization and archiving of individual components. Additionally, a main bottle neck for the archiving of heritage information of sites belonging to the World Heritage List is that information is collected and archived by a variety of institutions and that each archiving organization has its own protocol and tradition of data storage and dissemination. To integrate the dispersed available information, which would facilitate the retrieval of information and making the information available for decision-making, this paper presents a concept of Heritage Information System (HIS) based on: (i) value-based assessment at different scales, (ii) a heritage (geo) database, and (iii) a geographic information system (GIS). For the development of the concept heritage data of the historic city of Cuenca (World Heritage Site, 1999), Ecuador, were used.
Análisis comparativo del comportamiento de la escorrentía de tres microcuencas andinas con diferente régimen de precipitación y cobertura vegetal
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2017) Martínez, Erika; Coello, Cristian; Feyen, Jan
The paper presents a descriptive comparative analysis of the precipitation and runoff of three Andean small watersheds (varying in size between 0.6 and 1 km2), using approximately 8 years of rainfall and discharge data, with the objective to relate differences in runoff behavior to the level of annual precipitation, the monthly distribution of rainfall and land use. The catchment covered with native forest receives on average the largest amount of rainfall (1,540 mm/year), whereas the two other catchments, respectively under grassland with extensive cattle breeding and pine trees, receive annually on average respectively 1,267 and 1,181 mm. Although the analysis did not permit to describe in detail the processes controlling the transformation of precipitation into runoff, the exhaustive breakdown of the daily rainfall and runoff data enabled to define the effect of climate and land cover on the runoff pattern of each of the studied micro-catchments. Furthermore, the detailed analysis allowed to accurately identify the type of events whereby the studied micro-catchments show a different response in runoff related to a difference in climate and land use, which would not have been possible to define using only the average monthly precipitation and runoff data of the catchments, a traditional approach in hydrologic consulting services.
Análisis crítico de la planificación urbana de la Ciudad de Cuenca
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2016-06) Donoso Correa, Mario Ernesto
Cities all over the world must maintain a livable urban environment. New York and Barcelona were once examples to follow, but the urban vision of expansion during the last decades has given way to a paradigm that poorly comprises the development trends of the late 20th and early 21st century. Urban planning insufficiently ponders the aspirations of the urban dwellers and the city socioeconomic functions, resulting in imbalances, characterized by increasing traffic jams, social and economic injustice, and environmental degradation. As the case in the city of Cuenca, urban development clearly illustrates a poorly controlled expansion with serious frictions in labor and housing markets, with little room for green spaces within and around the city, as was the case in the past. This study attempts to illustrate the discrepancy between the theory and practice in the field of urban planning using as case study the Andean city of Cuenca. Whereas the new urban planning doctrine speaks of an intricate balance between the socioeconomic and environmental functions in the urban space, the city looks everyday more disorganized. In addition, to explaining the current planning situation of Cuenca city, on the basis of theoretical and philosophical grounds the shortcomings in urban planning are pinpointed. Good practice of urban design and planning should be based on a sound understanding of the dynamic and complex character of cities. With the manuscript the author aims to boost the scientific discussion on sound environmental and sustainable urban planning.
Análisis de eficiencia energética del alumbrado público en el sector El Girón en la ciudad de Quito
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2014) Pozo G., José P.; Universidad de Cuenca; Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca
Light pollution is all-sky brightness caused by diffuse scattering of artificial light. On the premise that all generations have the right to unaffected land and sky an analysis was performed of the energy efficiency of public light installations, involving the measurement in situ of lighting parameters and the determination of lighting levels, preparing tables between what is required and what was measured. The research was facilitated by the design software company Ulysse v2.3 Schréder, and the data provided by the Empresa Eléctrica Quito. The study revealed the existence of energy "waste" values, being the result of 22% unutilized energy, resulting in economic and environmental costs. The latter was assessed as the equivalent to spilled oil, as to obtain a measure equivalent to the quantity of emitted greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This analysis took into consideration the demographic conditions in the sector, urban factors and possible effects on flora, fauna and humans.
Análisis de los factores que influyen el emprendimiento y la sostenibilidad de las empresas del área urbana de la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2011-12) Cordero López, Juan Francisco; Astudillo Durán, Silvana Vanessa; Delgado Noboa, Jorge Washington; Amón Martínez, Oswaldo; Carpio Guerrero, Ximena Catalina; Universidad de Cuenca; Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca
This article presents the results of an analysis of the traits affecting entrepreneurial activity and the evaluation of the aspects that promote the entrepreneurial spirit and the sustainability of small to medium-sized businesses in the city of Cuenca. The analysis focused on external and internal factors, favoring and hindering the entrepreneurial process, respectively financing, market conditions and legal framework, and the level of education, entrepreneurial and motivational behavior. Data was collected via a descriptive cross-sectional survey, applied to 200 businesses, gathering general information about the manager, and the factors affecting entrepreneurship and company sustainability. The authors expect that the results of the survey will positively enhance the discussion between public, non-governmental and private actors and instructors on key policies stimulating the emergence of new enterprises and the strengthening of existing ones.
Análisis de rendimiento y profiling del modelo WRF en un clúster HPC
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2014) Gualán S., Ronald M.; Solano-Quinde, Lizandro D.; Universidad de Cuenca; Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca; DIUC
The Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model is a fully functional modeling system that supports atmospheric research and weather prediction. WRF was developed with emphasis on efficiency, portability, maintainability, scalability and productivity, allowing it to be successfully implemented in a wide variety of HPC equipment. Therefore, the size of the problems supported by WRF has increased, so the understanding of the WRF’s dependence on the various elements of the cluster, such as CPU, networking and libraries are crucial to enable efficient forecasting and high productivity. In this context, this manuscript examines WRF scalability in HPC equipment, taking into account three parameters: number of CPUs and nodes, communications and libraries. Two benchmarks carried out on a cluster of high performance provided with a GigaEthernet network, allow to establish the relationship between scalability and the three parameters studied, particularly WRF demonstrates sensitivity to inter-node communication. This factor is essential for maintaining the scalability and increasing productivity by adding nodes to the cluster.
Análisis del direccionamiento IPv6 y estudio de los Protocolos de Enrutamiento orientados a IPv6
(Universidad de Cuenca, 2016-11-16) Patiño Sánchez, Jose Roberto
This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of routing protocols in IPv6 by experimental evidence, for which network topologies were designed based on the knowledge obtained in IPv4. In the tests, features were examined such as convergence, reliability, scalability and latency. In addition, the hardware used to choose the appropriate equipment for a production environment were compared. The laboratory procedures performed are described, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of an IGP over another, monitoring network performance and finally analyzing the results obtained in the different tests, both in distance vector protocols and state link. As part of the study, the IPv6 addressing was analyzed, its main features, package structures, address format, static IPv6 routing, hardware and software required for its implementation. A review of each of the IGP's was conducted, starting with the distance vector (RIPng and EIGRP) and continuing with link-state (IS-IS and OSPFv3), checking operation, configuration, analysis and update routing tables.

Browse

Browsing Revista Maskana by Title