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This study aims at providing empirical evidence on how higher education scholars are using Social Media for personal, teaching and professional purposes. A survey tool was addressed to the entire Italian academic staff, with a response rate of 10.5% corresponding to 6139 responses. The study takes into account a number of socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, numbers of years of teaching, academic title, and academic discipline. It also explores the relationship between the different kinds of use, the relationship between frequency of use of Social Media and online and/or blended teaching, as well as the use of institutional e-learning systems. The results show that Social Media use is still rather limited and restricted and that the variable most associated with frequency of use is scientific discipline. In addition, age and seniority seem to influence the adoption of Social Media. The results also revealed that frequency of personal use is mostly associated with the frequency of professional use more than with the frequency of teaching use. They also show that prior experience with e-learning or blended learning is greatly associated with Social Media use. Overall, the study emphasises a generally more favourable attitude towards personal sharing and connecting with peers in professional networks rather than integrating these devices into their teaching practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reuse of waste in civil construction brings environmental and economic benefits. However, for these to be used in concrete, it is necessary a previous evaluation of their physical and chemical characteristics. Thus, this study aimed to characterize and analyze the waste foundry exhaust sand (WFES) for use in self-compacting concrete (SCC). Foundry exhaust sand originates from the manufacturing process of sand molds and during demolding of metal parts. It is a fine sand rich in silica in the form of quartz collected by baghouse filter. Characterization of WFES was conducted through laser granulometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mode, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetry (TG) and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) techniques. The waste was classified as non-hazardous and non-inert, with physical and chemical properties suitable for use in SCC composition, as fine aggregate or mineral addition. Five mixtures of SCC were developed, in order to determine the waste influence in both fresh and hardened concrete. The properties in the fresh state were reached. There was an increase in compressive strength and sulfate resistance, a decrease in water absorption of self-compacting concrete by incorporating WFES as 30% replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]