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Sex and relationships education is, and has been, the great absent in Spanish both school curriculum and the sociological research on it. Some relevant theoretical and methodological developments have been needed for the construction of the research topic, in order to produce sociological knowledge within this field. This paper continues with this methodological task. It describes the process of design of an evaluation questionnaire to portray the initial state of the issue. In tum, it enables the research on sex and love relationships. In so doing, the paper offers a useful well-founded tool to produce sociological knowledge on this research topic, emerging in Spain. In this process of design, the paper sets a dialogue between a double process of categorisation: on the one hand, the themes involved in the revised literature on the topic; on the other hand, the themes offered by the adolescent voices of the subjects participants in the research. Along the paper, some key debates in contemporary social theory are addressed, such as the appeal to action research, education for democratic citizenship and human rights, the visibilisation of minors' agency and voices, the use of participatory and critical evaluation, and the reflection on power as inherent to social relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a comparative analysis of leadership dimensions in public relations and communication management between Spain and a group of 23 countries which have participated in the Cross-Cultural Study of Leadership in Public relations and Communication Management, conducted by the University of Alabama and financed by IBM and Heymann Associates. Following the conceptual model from Meng and Berger (2011), this paper investigates the challenges faced by public relations, as well as the prerequisites of excellent leaders. Achieved results make a breakthrough in scientific knowledge about leadership in communication management, a little developed subject in academic literature, especially in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of growing interest in online games in processes of teaching and learning, teachers are rarely familiar with the characteristics of games available on the Internet and their educational/communicational potential. The fundamental objective of this paper is to off er a validated instrument of evaluation for online games about climate change; the instrument uses consensual criteria based on expert opinion, by means of the Delphi method. The tool has five dimensions of evaluation: identification, narrative, content, playability, and didactics. The proposed instrument of evaluation contributes to broadening the view of relevant characteristics to be included when selecting a videogame to use in the classroom, and to establish the bases for creating a useful collection of online games about climate change in particular, and about environmental topics in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spanish Cooperation has already available a large number of evaluations. Their final purpose is to serve as an instrument of accountability and to contribute to evidence-based decision making. Our aim in this paper was to synthesize and highlight some of the key findings of the evaluations, managed by the Division of Evaluation and Knowledge Management (SGCID) from 2013 to 2016. These findings have been gathered around some topics: design, structure of the cooperation system, policy implementation, management for development results, and evaluation and knowledge management. Currently there is an open debate around the priorities of the 5lh Master Plan that are still to be decided, being a valuable opportunity to make decisions to improve quality and effectiveness of the Spanish Cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last 20 years a major effort has been made to Improve the quality of development aid. Although a large number of evaluations of international cooperation projects and programs have been carried out during this period, there is still a need to implement an evaluation culture because, among other aspect, there are still deficiencies in the quality of the diagnoses, and evaluation as an instrument for learning and improvement. This paper analyzes two aspects that can improve evaluation practices in international development cooperation such as pay more attention to the baseline and the dissemination and incorporation of evaluation results. In this sense, new methodological tools, such as Territorial Information Systems (SIT) supported by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies, could help to improve the quality of cooperation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Protected Natural Areas are subject to a number of factors that influence the achievement of their objective, little progress has been made by Conanp in conducting a comprehensive assessment of the conservation policy within them, that consider the following aspects: the design of its planning tool; the effectiveness of the activities earned out taking into account the use of fiscal budget for current expenditure and resources from annual applications to specific grant programs; as well as social consequences of the actions planned and carried out under the protected polygon and its area of influence. Based on these elements, this paper presents an evaluation exercise applied to the Management and Conservation Plan of Huatulco National Park (PNH), considering the period 2007-2012, as a means to make explicit the limitations, which in practice, faces the implementation of the conservation policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluative analysis of mechanisms of certification of the conditionalities in education and health. The Universal Child Allowance for Social Protection form Argentina. The Universal Child Allowance is the most important non-contributory social policy that transfers cash to children considered to be "vulnerable" in Argentina. This paper aims to analyze how the mechanisms of certification of the conditionalities in education and health work so as to evaluate it, since 600 thousand children are suspended each year because they do not prove the conditionalities. This research was triggered by a World Bank loan for 600 million dollars launched in 2016, one of whose objectives is to revise these mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis on policy evaluation tends to emphasize the need to build technical capacity among officials and robust information systems. However, they have not put enough focus on the highly political nature of this process. This paper analyzes, through the Uruguayan case, a set of political and institutional dimensions associated with bureaucracy, civil society and their links with political parties in an attempt to contribute to the understanding about the consolidation of the monitoring and evaluation systems in the Latin American public administrations. Two main arguments are developed: on the one hand, the existence of factors associated with the country's institutional construction of the public sector influence the development of the evaluation system, and on the other, paradoxically, we ask if the good levels of transparency and confidence by citizens to the state reduce the incentives for evaluating public policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a few years, it has radically changed the culture of evaluation among public servants. However, not all aspects that are related to this subject have advanced as well. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze the relevant moments in the "history" of the evaluation to government programs in Mexico, the items that -since the perspective of an evaluation team-constitute progress (although some are only partial) and setbacks (or very limited progress) and, in conclusion, what we consider that is necessary to be done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the evaluation of teaching in higher education from student and teacher perceptions. It analyzes its relationship with factors linked to students, teachers and curricular units (CU) and the consistency between student and teacher perspectives, while taking into consideration the study's two objectives: firstly, to find out how teachers and students of the Escuela Superior de Salud Jean Piaget de Vila Nova de Gaia (Portugal) assess teaching quality; and secondly, to determine how appropriate it is for students and teachers to use the SEEQ (Student's Evaluation of Educational Quality) tool. A SEEQ-based instrument was used with a population of 1,343 students and 146 teachers. The study results support the assurances offered by the model used. This is due in part to the reliability and consistency of the instrument, but mainly to the consistency between student and teacher perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents some concepts interwoven with different courses of action that are relevant to making decisions on student assessment. At the end of this paper we put forward a proposal for a classroom activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a series of practices and experiences taken from massive regional infrastructure projects sponsored by the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank). In an effort to contextualize the idea of a megaproject, it describes what one is, demonstrates its importance to the community where one is built, and investigates the relationship between the community and the megaproject itself. In addition, the paper takes a deep look at regional experiences, the training required to execute large projects, and other associated needs. Furthermore, insight is given on key elements of project preparation, types of organic changes that take place in project execution, and how these changes can be anticipated. Lastly, a few brief case studies of regional experiences are given to emphasize various lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the way in which the proposal of Garoupa and Ginsburg, regarding the analysis of the judiciary commissions responsible for the administration of the judicial branch, the assignment of judges and disciplinary sanctions, is applied to Colombia. First, it analyses if it is suitable to refer to a tension between political independence and responsibility in the ordinary judicial system of a country like Colombia. Second, it studies the institutional design of that system. Third, it develops a scheme to achieve that both the Superior Council and the ordinary judiciary become more politically independent and responsible. Through out this paper the author concludes that in Colombia accountability can be increase without limiting the judicial independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the main aspects related to the environmental performance of hotels. Also different management tools are presented, with emphasis on the limitations of their application. The paper highlights the objectivity and adaptability of the indicators according to the characteristics of the hotels to achieve a good performance. Finally the paper shows the necessity that those indicators measure the real impact of each action over the surroundings and that these indicators help to identify the action to be taken in the process of planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the advantages of the Scorecard Project System as a computer integrated tool to simplify, speed up and streamline the design and monitoring of diagnosis studies, plans and projects included in a strategic view to reach sustainable development. The paper shows the characteristics and advantages of each such tool and establishes their sequence in the feedback cycle for territorial management, whether peasant communities, local governments, regional governments of companies with a social responsibility mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article summarizes and harmoniously integrates the author's thoughts regarding the crisis, evolution and re-articulation of the social sciences in the nation and the production and emergence of convivial research. In this paper, the author determines concepts, positions and ethical implications of this novel research focus, its challenges and scope. Finally, the paper explains and establishes the basis for diverse possible applications and future prospects for this "investigative position" that is fertilely heuristic and creative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally the curriculums of medical residencies are based on an educational process that takes place within a passive environment and they focus their effectiveness on an excessive memorization. Contrary to this, the new educational approaches intend to develop, by means of a participative view, a critical attitude that recovers the experience. Thus the student, based on reflection, can select and produce his/her own knowledge and develop his/her own position in which discernment, proper judgment and conscientiousness allow him/her to solve the daily clinical problems, all of which results in a better clinical ability. Clinical ability develops under real-life situations that challenge the student's own discernment. This paper develops an educational strategy that includes clinical cases and considers the mechanism of injury in the polytraumatized patient as a source of knowledge that allows us to assess the clinical ability. A measurement instrument was designed, with a Kidder Richardson reliability coefficient of 0.77. The educational strategy was applied to eleven Orthopedics residents of all levels. This paper reviews the results of this strategy, which show an improvement in the clinical ability; proves the usefulness of the measurement instrument, and analyzes the potential scope of this new educational approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to show the continuity and ruptures that originated in educational institutions when the Third Cycle was implemented in the EGB (Basic General Education) after the analysis of the curricular political and organizational levels carried out in three public institutions in General Pico, La Pampa. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the complex mechanisms under which the processes or reform are installed in the practices, as well as the intertwining produced between the official curricular proposals, the institutional projects and the teaching of the Social Sciences. On the other hand, and given the exiguous empirical studies on the implementation of the Third Cycle in the country, the paper contributes with enlightment on the different levels under study, the obstacles, achievements and resistances the actual agents admitted having experienced, as well as the existing gap between the official messages and the pedagogical practices developed in the classrooms. The study shows that the methodological and organizational realities are different in each school, while in each classroom, there appeared certain regularities in the three cases under analysis when considering the pedagogical proposals regarding the Social Sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers who currently use the traditional method teacher-centered learning, are having various difficulties with the new generations of students. New learning methods are required to allow students to focus more positive attitudes towards their learning. In this paper, we show how the evaluation and activities based on Active Learning and Gamification, can be an alternative to generate a more positive attitude of students and create a more friendly environment in the classroom. This research was conducted using the qualitative research and ethnographic method as technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducts a methodological evaluation of the PISA international evaluations, giving a critical analysis of their shortcomings and limitations. A methodological review or meta-evaluation has been carried out on the multiple PISA reports in an attempt to demonstrate the plausible validity of the inferences that PISA maintains given a series of methodological limitations such as: an inconsistent rationale, opaque sampling, unstable evaluative design, measuring instruments of questionable validity, opportunistic use of scores transformed by standardization, reverential confidence in statistical significance, an absence of substantively significant statistics centered on the magnitudes of effects, a problematic presentation of findings and questionable implications drawn from the findings for educational norms and practice. There is an onus on PISA to provide and demonstrate more methodological rigor in future technical reports and a consequent need to be show great caution lest unfounded inferences are drawn from their findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explain the factors that determine the gap in the level of English language proficiency between public and private schools, and to determine whether it has narrowed over time as a result of public policies to generalize bilingualism in Colombia. The language scores on the Saber 11 tests for 2008 and 2013 were analyzed for this purpose. An educational production function that involves family, personal and school factors and an approach to the unobservable component of the skill is introduced. The difference in performance has remained more or less constant, but with a slight reduction; however, the unexplained portion, attributable to the students' motivational component, was found to have declined considerably, indicating that public policies are working in terms of helping students to become interested in learning a foreign language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the continuation of the one published in Pastos y Forrajes, no. 1, 2016, in which the general bases of a selection of currently internationally available methodologies for the dynamic evaluation of production systems, are offered. This part describes the methodologies Integral Energy Evaluation (EMERGY) and Systems' Trajectory; and also a concrete example is provided of the application of the principles of these methods in the construction of an integral evaluation model of farming systems, called GAMEDE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of information and communication technologies (ITC) in Andalusia (Spain) have brought about an uneven distribution of Internet users in the region, due to the different capabilities and adoption rates within the population. The regional government addressed this gap among advanced Internet users, limited users and the population unable to access the Internet, by implementing a new strategy called «Guadalinfo» which is based on a territorial network of public facilities to foster ITC development in the two last groups. This paper reflects a research on the process of setting up the Guadalinfo regional network and its planning consistency, checking its internal strategy and its operational framework adequacy with the outside. The methodology includes a conceptual design or assessment under the Logical Framework approach, guided by planning objectives. The outcomes show deficiencies in the strategy design as well as new ways to bridge the digital divide between the different types of users. Finally, the study analyzes the consistency of this strategy with the European Union directives on the digital divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is one of the main sources of income for the Cuban economy which is threatened by restrictions determined by circumstances that force to promote the right use of the available resources. Therefore, the quality management in all hotel facilities is an important theme for the accomplishment of the satisfaction of the costumers. A vital parameter to take into account in this theme is determined by the cost of quality because they show those fails or flaws that occurred and that constitute reserves of efficiency; besides, its evaluation helps to increase the improvement programs. In the current research paper, an evaluation of the quality costs was carried out in a hotel located in the tourist resort of Varadero to support the proposal of actions for the improvement of the tourist trade. Regarding this it was determined that the total cost of the quality was $ 2 959 187,31 (that represented 13% of the sells) with, 23,7 % linked to the prevention, 2,5 % of evaluation and the rest 73,8 % due to fails. The annual cost for lost costumers and the replacement cost accumulated a total of 90,4 % of the lost, for this reason they were the priority of the actions proposed for the improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper it is to characterize the assessment under the competency-based approach, to realize it was carried out a review of some texts, where they were finding the features that this model leads to its application in the classroom. It also seeks to mention those involved in it and what are its implications. A broad view is offered from several points of view: one is the position taken by those who produce the ideas from the government or official view through secretarial agreements and curriculum, but also displaying the position of other authors they have conducted research and writings concerning the exciting topic that is evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A selection of 12 outstanding methodologies that allow to evaluate scientific journals in digital environment, which were found in the specialized national and foreign literature was carried out. Afterwards, the pertinent journals were selected and analyzed, with the objective of determining which tool would be used to evaluate the quality of the digital scientific journal RECIDT, which is the goal of this research. As research methods, the documental analysis during the revision and the study of the documentation of interest were used as well as the direct observation of the interaction with the own journals and their making. In addition, the strengths of the tools analyzed, given in indicators contained in the chosen tools, were detected and fused. Moreover, other indicators by the authors of this research were added to the investigation to draw the final result. All these indicators will be used to evaluate the digital scientific journal RECIDT and they are shown in this paper in terms of actions and indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the evaluation device of learning which regulates school discipline. It seeks to understand the hallmarks of both devices, their overlaps, differences and eventual autonomy, in the transition from primary to secondary level. Here we analyze two first year courses, which are located in a semi-rural area. An IPEM and its Annex, which only has a basic cycle. The disciplinary experiences focused on logical democratic models, such as the school board council of coexistence, are scarce in most students, entering first year. Many come from other schools and repeaters make up almost half of the courses. This has an impact on the organizational arrangements of pupils that merits further setting the secondary processes. At the same time, we note that in the first year is increasing the use of "concept notes" that evaluate moral issues. These numerical grades on subjective judgments translate teachers's cualifications, and at the same time integrated with other, become on a final note of the quarter, that is so much instructional as regulative. Another device which suspends the evaluation of content, and places in the center of the discussion the evaluating use of curriculum areas, its functions, possibilities and limits, is the school board council of coexistence. In this space intergenerational and horizontal subjects develop identification processes and institutional affiliation. Thus, the School Board council constitutes a form of regulation order in school, as well as discipline in subjects and social discipline, this also develops in tension with other regulatory orders that become visible in the interactions in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has been carried out from data obtained in the TALIS 2013 study, conducted by the OECD, where important teaching aspects of secondary school teachers from 32 countries have been evaluated. The importance of the information in this macro-study has led us to analyse the situation of Spanish teachers. Therefore, the aims sought are to analyse the teaching practice of Spanish teachers of Compulsory Secondary Education, compare the situation in Spain with the rest of the participating countries and identify teaching profiles of Spanish teachers. Some of the most significant findings rank Spain in the middle of the evaluated countries, highlighting specially the exchange and collaboration in teaching and its own effectiveness, and showing lower values in aspects linked to involvement in joint professional learning activities. Regarding teaching profiles, it has been identified on one hand a profile of teacher with a constructivist view, and on the other a profile focused on the mere transmission of knowledge [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish processing requires a large water quantity, generating significant volumes of polluted water. Because of this study, there were detected three fundamental halls in INDUPIR fishing industry: shaped, export funds and scales, with water consumption of 7, 36 and 72 m3/d respectively. In the latter it was determined the water consumption for 15 active workers belonging to the production line, quantifying time, volume and water consumption per worker and identifying the minimum consumption required for processing fish. Finally, organizational technical measures were identified with the aim to ensure rational use of water through its quantification, planning and administration, recommending the implementation of proposed measures in the paper, extending them to other similar institutions in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to testify in victims with intellectual disabilities is commonly based on stereotypes, rather than on its reality-there is a big heterogeneity within this collective. This is the reason why there is a need for a procedure that allows us to specifically know the cognitive characteristics of ID victims with the aim to adapt the police and judicial procedures to their capacities and properly evaluate the information given in their testimonies. CAPALIST, an interview protocol, was developed with the goal of evaluating the cognitive capacities that would intervene in testimony. In this paper, this tool is described and specific data is given about its use with four victims of sexual abuse. The results show small differences in between-judges resolution. In conclusion, CAPALIST could be a useful tool in the evaluation of testimony in victims with intellectual disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to present a characterization of the evaluation of public policy and specific programs for social development, such as the HÁBITAT Program, proposing an alternative to the common practice of evaluation by presenting a methodology based on fuzzy logic theory and its applications. The results show two priority items, the first of them is the extent to impact the Hábitat Program has achieved in their areas of intervention, the second is the relevance of using the theory of fuzzy logic to the comprehension phenomena of political and practical application addressed to the welfare and social interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diastolic left ventricular failure is common and it is responsible of significant morbidity. Although invasive hemodynamic studies are the gold standard investigation, echocardiography has emerged as an excellent diagnostic tool. Perioperative assessment of diastolic dysfunction should be implemented both in those patients who are undergoing cardiac ornon cardiac surgery. Knowledge of the different patterns of diastolic dysfunction help the anesthesiologist to make the best management decisions in the perioperative period, especially in the choice of anesthetic technique, the use of intravenous fluids and to predict the risk of pulmonary edema. The aim of this paper is to review current concepts related to diastolic left ventricular dysfunction and the importance of its evaluation in the perioperative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food has been industrially fortified (or enriched) with vitamins and minerals for 90 years. Cereal grains, specifically wheat flour, maize flour and rice, are good vehicles for fortification because they are available in large amounts in most countries around the world. The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence for the public-health impact of fortification, describe challenges to worldwide fortification, and list tools that are available to aid in the design, monitoring and evaluation of food-fortification programs. There is strong and consistent evidence that folic-acid fortification of cereal grains improves serum folate and reduces neural tube defects, and that iron-fortification increases serum ferritin levels. The results for hemoglobin are equivocal: some studies report increases, others decreases, and others no change in hemoglobin after cereal-grain fortification commenced with several nutrients. The two main challenges to worldwide fortification are that many countries that could benefit from cereal-grain fortification do not undertake this public-health intervention, and that few countries consistently report monitoring or evaluation data that suggests they are keeping track of the implementation of fortification. Finally, to overcome these challenges, many tools are available or under development to help with the design, monitoring and evaluation of food-fortification programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to show some results obtained by research groups Teaching of Physics and Mathematics, ENFIMA, and Methodological Studies Teaching of Mathematics incorporating the Communications and Information Technology, EMEMATIC, on some of the challenges associated with students moving from secondary education to higher education. Difficulties do not allow adequate adaptation to university life and consequently lead to academic failure. Also, socializing the results of a classroom experience held at the Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira with a group of students entering the engineering and technology in the second semester of 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical fitness testing is commonplace in schools and in the physical education (PE) curriculum. Despite this, much controversy surrounds the issue of student fitness testing. The Relative Effect of Age (REA) is the potential cognitive and biological variability among individuals of an age-grouped cohort, and its presence within cohorts has previously been identified as affecting an individual's ability to demonstrate relative proficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether birth-date distributions and gender affect physical education (PE) fitness testing results. 252 (124 male and 128 female) pupils' PE fitness testing marks were recorded at a large secondary school. 5 groups were formed from the students for that academic year, dividing them into 4 birth quartiles: a) first quartile (January-March); b) second quartile (April-June); c) third quartile (July-September); and d) fourth quartile (October-December). Significant differences were found when the fitness testing marks were compared with the birth-date distribution ( F(3, 24) = 5.39; p < .01; η² = .06; β = .93) and gender (F(1, 24) = 13.20; p < .01; η² = .05; β = .95). The results of the study suggest that there is a difference in fitness testing performance, depending on the birth quartile and gender. Based on the evidence, the paper concludes that much of the fitness testing carried out in PE classes may well represent a disadvantage for students bom in the final months of the year. At the same time, gender differences were also found in this type of testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation is one of the components of the educational process that has begun to become increasingly relevant as a result of new educational approaches to learning opportunities. The field of arts education has its educational idiosyncrasies, most perilously "the subjectivity" involved in production and artistic creation attempting to achieve "beauty" or "musicality." For this reason, the overall educational process, and evaluation of music in particular, should be studied in order to avoid procedural biases; the lack of information on assessment processes in the field of Mexican music, however, prompts us to realize this project. This paper provides an initial approach to this perspective based on the opinions of students in our country. We use a quantitative-descriptive methodology and the results indicate the dominance of traditional forms of assessment within the framework of the music studies; in short, the evaluations remain subjective as music is still considered a subjective discipline. Thus, we note that even though a large number of students learn the educational content of their subjects, the assessment methods they know remain traditional. Another element that supports our conclusion is that teachers generally administered only final evaluations. In addition, students expressed interest in the ratings they obtained, associating the achievement of good grades with getting a scholarship (43%) or some other benefit (20%). Finally, 60% of participants noted that the grades obtained were fair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of information is of special importance in municipal institutions because citizens hear about their local government's achievement of political objectives through messages identified as public communication. The municipal communication structures are essential in these processes, which are designed to shape positive perceptions of government action. However, these structures have undertaken very few initiatives to examine the treatment of news events in the press. In this paper we present a tool to analyze the media agenda concerning municipal affairs, based on political and administrative management of municipalities, in a context in which the management and evaluation of information is added to the standard functions of the communications office. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, methodological considerations are reviewed regarding the assessment of oral competence in the learning of a second language (L2). The characteristics of the construct and its definition are analyzed, including competence in listening comprehension and oral expression. Furthermore, concepts such as the design of instruments and/or evaluative techniques for the assessment of the competencies are examined as well as issues related to reliability, validity and cut off points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initially raised the main points to consider and develop the planning and construction of an online publication of a scientific nature, emphasizing the process and editorial functions, document preservation, access management, indexing and visibility. In the second part of the paper presents a proposed solution to every aspect previously described, highlighting the work of the information professional and optimizing time, cost and results offered free software, from a concrete experience with the system Open Journal System under the journal portal of the Faculty of Humanities at the Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sexenio de investigación or six-yearly research assessment was initially designed as a bonus to promote research among the Spanish university community. However, it has now lost its character as a productivity bonus and has become a requirement for pursuing a university career. In this new situation it is essential to have a transparent assessment process with objective criteria, known in advance, that reflect the particularities of different scientific fields. This paper examines the differences in research evaluation results in the areas of economics and business studies. It also compares them with other areas of social sciences and law, and so with other fields of knowledge. Based on the findings of this study, it concludes by analysing various reasons that suggest the advisability of undertaking a thorough review of the assessment methods, as well as some recommendations in this regard [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the implementation of the portfolio over four academic years (2006-2010) in a sample of 480 nursing students. It was carried out in three phases (initiation, development, and consolidation), and its aims were: 1) to evaluate the effectiveness of the portfolio through a quantitative study with an ex post facto design, and 2) to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the portfolio implementation process through a qualitative study using topic-based focus groups. The results indicate: 1) in the initiation phase, the average score of students who created the portfolio (7.78) is higher than the average score of those who did not do so (5.47) (p ≤ .001), and in the development and consolidation phases, the portfolio score and the subject grade come increasingly closer; and 2) the final portfolio design is characterized by being mixed (manual and electronic), modular, and self-reflective –empowering students in the learning continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview of the origins of the exam as an instrument to assess learning. It then discusses the need for epistemologic coherence between the didactic method, the theoretical content of an academic program and the methods utilized to evaluate the student. Finally, it offers a critical analysis of the multiple choice test and its shortcomings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current situation in university is not only the consequence of what happens outside. University also plays a leading role in the production and maintenance of the social order it belongs to. In this paper we shall analyze, firstly, the dominant ideology in university (scientistic and technocratic) and place it in relation with changes in the economic environment and especially with its role producing captive subjectivities. Secondly, we shall examine specifically the ideology behind evaluation and its effects. Far from expanding the possibilities for more democratization of knowledge, it homogenizes value criteria and invites uncritical adaptation to the situation. However, in the daily classroom work there are opportunities that open the possibility of a university which is not a mere space of adaptation and reproduction of what already exists. Thus, in the last section, we acknowledge the possibility of confronting the depoliticizing role of university through the encouragement of thought, as something which cannot be deduced from knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public Policy Studies enable the examination of the design, process and outcomes of public interventions by evaluating the context in which the interventions are implemented. However, the Public Policy Studies have been largely ignored by the evaluative studies of the international development cooperation projects. Based on these grounds, this paper presents a proposal for analyzing the management of development cooperation projects based on the field of Public Policy. The proposal is based on interdisciplinary perspective and seeks to analyze the organizations implementing development projects as well as their interaction in three phases of public policy (formulation, implementation and evaluation). The article concludes that the analysis of the public should be included in the evaluations of the development cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each time people speak about education quality, good or bad quality, confrontations arise because everyone ex presses what he/she thinks, loaded with ideology and therefore, subjectivity. It depends on the circumstance in which we are asked the question as well as on the parameters and the paradigms the evaluator supports. In this paper it is considered that the quality of education is sieved by three main paradigms: the necessity of reading, the teacher's passion showing his/her strong convictions on their role, and fulfilling three essential requirements: to plan, to develop and to evaluate the class. This task requires the capacity of correction, reflection and study, and that the teachers dare to create work ways that put them in the place of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each time people speak about education quality, good or bad quality, confrontations arise because everyone expresses what he/she thinks, loaded with ideology and therefore, subjectivity. It depends on the circumstance in which we are asked the question as well as on the parameters and the paradigms the evaluator supports. In this paper it is considered that the quality of education is sieved by three main paradigms: the necessity of reading, the teacher's passion showing his/her strong convictions on their role, and fulfilling three essential requirements: to plan, to develop and to evaluate the class. This task requires the capacity of correction, reflection and study, and that the teachers dare to create work ways that put them in the place of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to offer --from a synchronic perspective-- an empirical analysis of the way Secondary School teachers within the Cracow metropolitan area perceive their teaching and the students they work with. Thanks to the conducted survey we will be able to observe the evaluation of aspects such as work environment and atmosphere, the teaching institution, salary, the strengths and weaknesses of educational centres, etc. This will be preceded by a brief study into the Polish education system which will provide an introductory reference to the context the research was carried out in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the strict requirements to deficit control, public resources assignation needs a framework of social research in order to find a greater efficacy, efficiency, coherency and rationality in the public actions. The permanent concern to establish how is and how must be the public sector's role in the society demands instruments in order to study and judge its policy actions. So, it is especially important the analytical frame where the evaluation of public policies is done. However, the discussion, always present in the Social Sciences, between the positive and the normative statement, is equally and specifically present in the evaluation of public policies. In this paper we mark the essential meaning of the evaluation as a mean to understand and realize public resources management, both from a theoretical review and the epistemological reflexion about the concept itself, as well as from the analysis of its purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on how to guarantee quality in a qualitative study. The criteria of rigor and ethics that need to be considered in research pursuant to this model are highlighted as basic concepts. Reliability and validity, and the respective criteria that allow for their verification, also are described. Details are provided on some of the ethical elements that require careful oversight during the research process and contribute to quality and scientific rigor. In conclusion, the article cites the criteria of rigor and ethics, and their espective interrelationship, as fundamental pillars in evaluating research intended to explore subjective aspects of human nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to analyze the increment in the level of contributions of an organization to the society, as an essential strategic goal, considering that such contributions are comprised of both the financial contribution, and an entire group of internal results and those which have an impact on society, that contribute to improve the people' quality of life. The elaborated procedure is used as a methodological base in order to develop and implement the Methodology for the Integral Evaluation of Companies. Based on the system approach applied to organizations and on the importance that is currently attributed to the knowledge management, it is made a proposal that allows the assessment of the level of contributions of an organization to the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]