Now showing 1 - 10 of 114
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Attentional responses in toddlers: A protocol for assessing the impact of a robotic animated animal and a real dog

2025 , Zapata, Mireya , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Kevin Valencia-Aragón , Jorge Alvarez-Tello , Maheshkumar Baladaniya

Attentional processes in toddlers are characterized by a state of alertness in which they focus their waking state for short periods. It is essential to develop assessment and attention stimulation protocols from an early age to improve this cognitive function and detect possible deficits in the early stages of cognitive development. Methods: This protocol-based article presents a technological approach to assessing the impact of two animated stimuli on toddlers’ attention. The protocol involves presenting a robotic and a real dog to evaluate attentional activation in early development. This dual-stimulus framework may also inform therapeutic and educational programs aimed at fostering cognitive growth in early childhood. Discussion: This protocol contributes to assessing physiological attentional responses in toddlers, offering insights into attention evaluation and stimulation during early cognitive development. By incorporating both a robotic and a live dog, it enables the exploration of individual differences in attentional engagement and identifies which stimulus elicits a stronger response.

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Digital Divide: A Bibliometric Approach to Existing Knowledge

2023 , Cruz Cárdenas, Jorge , Palacio Fierro, Andrés , Zabelina E. , Deyneka O. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

The topic of digital divide - the gap between those who have and those who do not have access to digital technologies - is of growing interest for both public and private sectors. This interest is reflected in an increasing number of academic and scientific publications focused on the topic. This study presents an overview of the digital divide research using a bibliometric approach. Analyzing 9,523 documents from the Scopus database, this study found that 1) there has been an accelerated growth in the publication rate on digital divide since 2018; 2) digital divide is a multidisciplinary field, led by the United States and other developed countries and some emerging countries; 3) the dominant term used to refer to the field, as per our analysis of the relevant keywords, is "digital divide"; and 4) as per our analysis of the evolution of keywords' importance, while topics related to technologies were of interest several years ago, current interest revolves around the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the elderly, education, and healthcare access. © 2023 IEEE.

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Factorial Structure of the EOCL-1 Scale to Assess Executive Functions

2021 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Cruz Cárdenas, Jorge , Bolaños-Pasquel M. , Acosta-Rodas P.

The process of assessing executive functions through behavioral observation scales is still under theoretical and empirical construction. This article reports on the analysis of the factorial structure of the EOCL-1 scale that assesses executive functions, as proposed by the theory developed by Luria, which has not been previously considered in this type of evaluation. In this scale, the executive functions taken into account are error correction, internal behavioral and cognition regulatory language, limbic system conscious regulation, decision making, future consideration of consequences of actions, goal-directed behavior, inhibitory control of automatic responses, creation of new behavioral repertoires, and cognitive–behavioral activity verification. A variety of validity and reliability analyses were carried out, with the following results: (a) an adequate internal consistency level of executive functions between α = 0.70 and α = 0.83, (b) significant convergent validity with a scale that assesses frontal deficits between r = −0.07 and r = 0.28, and (c) the scale’s construct validity that proposes a model with an executive central factor comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.93, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.04 (LO.04 and HI.04), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.04, and x2(312) = 789.29, p = 0.001. The findings are discussed based on previous literature reports and in terms of the benefits of using a scale to assess the proposed executive functions. © Copyright © 2021 Ramos-Galarza, Cruz-Cárdenas, Bolaños-Pasquel and Acosta-Rodas.

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The executive functions of the frontal lobe and its association with the academic performance of students in higher education

2018 , Besserra-Lagos D. , Lepe-Martínez N. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

Introduction. Executive functions (EF) are a set of mental skills that allow to regulate the behavior, metacognition and emotions; executing a conscious control of the own thought. The development is progressive along the vital cycle of the human being, therefore, they meet involved in the social, emotional and academic development of the persons. There exist studies that affirm that the academic performance meets influenced by the level of development of the EF (inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, monitoring and self-regulation) which relation has been progressively studied in diverse ages ranges and educational levels. Method. This article, has the aim to define and explain principal EF that they influence in the academic performance in university students. For it, there was realized a method of systematic review that allows to compile the investigations that affirm the above mentioned relation. Results and Conclusions. The scopes of the studies affirm that the principal EF involved in the academic performance of the university students is the working memory and in minor measure, the skills of planning, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. Finally, there are discussed the limitations and projections that this study allows to approach; considering the EF to be a key factor for the academic university success and the implementation of instances of pedagogic supports that should favor the professional development of the students. © 2018 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All rights reserved.

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Teleworking in times of COVID-19 [Teletrabajo en tiempos de COVID-19]

2020 , Ramos V. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Tejera E.

One of the impacts that COVID-19 has brought has been social isolation and teleworking. In this sense, telework presents different conditions to traditional ways of working from home, since in these conditions due to the COVI-19, there has been an increase in insecurity, fear and uncertainty. This study analyzes the characteristics of telework and its impact on productivity and well-being in people. The study was carried out in Ecuador, in a sample of 459 people who answered an online questionnaire. The results found demonstrate that there are aspects that affect productivity such as working long hours, personal skills, specifically self-motivation and organizational skills, and mental health. With this research, a better understanding of the situation of teleworking in confinement due to COVID-19 is achieved, allowing both individuals and organizations to develop resources so that work from home is successful and people feel satisfied while this situation lasts. © 2020, Sociedad Interamericana de Psicologia. All rights reserved.

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Virtual Tours of Museums to Promote Tourism

2024 , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica

Museums represent a collection of ancient and modern knowledge which must be protected, disseminated, and transmitted in the best viable way. Digital development and technology in recent years have made it possible to transform the way of interacting with museums through virtual tours (Palmieri et al in Springer Series in Design and Innovation, pp 71–82, 2023 [1]), which gained strength in times of pandemic, the products generated for virtual tours range from physical reproductions/faithful virtual images of historical artifacts to digital libraries that can be used by experts and others, in addition to 360º technology which allows a 360° viewing angle to be covered in two axes. That is, we can see everything around the point where it was made the photo or video. In this article, the virtual tours offered by some museums are analyzed, as well as the use of these tours as a tourism marketing strategy, giving the user the opportunity to interact with the place they plan to visit in a new way (Cóndor-Herrera and Ramos-Galarza in Marketing and smart technologies. Smart innovation, systems and technologies, pp 443–449, 2022 [2]). © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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Moderator Role of Monitoring in the Inhibitory Control of Adolescents With ADHD

2021 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Pérez-Salas C.

Objective: The aim of this research was to analyze the role of monitoring in the causal relationship between inhibitory control and symptoms of combined ADHD. Method: It has been conducted a quantitative investigation of two phases. Results: In the first study, a moderation model was analyzed (N = 144 adolescents with combined ADHD), where monitoring was considered as a moderating variable in the causal relationship between the inhibitory control and the symptomatology of ADHD F(3, 140) = 28.03, p <.001; R2 =.37. In the second study, the model through an experimental study was tested (N = 52 adolescents with and without ADHD) where it was found that adolescents with ADHD improve in their inhibitory control when they receive external support to the monitoring F(1, 50) = 21.38, p <.001, η2 =.30. Conclusion: Results suggest that monitoring compensates the poor performance of inhibitory control in adolescents with ADHD, which is a contribution to the theoretical construction of ADHD and to the treatments proposed for this condition because it goes beyond the classic conception of a causality chain among the deficit of inhibitory control and ADHD symptomatology to propose a new explanation about this disorder, where neuropsychology intervention of monitoring would diminish ADHD’s symptomatology impact on adolescents. © ©The Author(s) 2018.

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Neuropsychological assessment of attention: Symbols and digits test.

2018 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Acosta-Rodas P. , Jadán Guerrero, Janio , Guevara-Maldonado C.B. , Zapata-Rodríguez M. , Apolo-Buenaño D.

Introduction: The symbol digit modality test is a reactive which provides great support in neuropsychological evaluation. Its execution permits to evaluate brain functions such as visual perception, stimuli recognition, attention (focal, selective and sustained), task supervision, interference control among others. Object: The purpose of the current research study was to analyze the normative percentiles of the execution of the test, to identify the performance activity of the reactive according to age group and gender; applying the test in a sample of college students. Method: The sample included 250 university students,142 (56.8%) males and 108 (43.2%) females. The age range of the participants was between 18 and 34 years old (M=21.53, DE=2.25). A transversal, non-experimental, quantitative research model with a correlational scope was used. Results: The correct answer average for the test was 52.83 (DE=13,60) and for percentile P5 31,55 right answers were found; for percentile P75 60,00 right answers, P25 had 46,00 right answers, and for P95 74,45 right answers were found. No significant differences were found for the mean of errors in the test in terms of age group f(3, 246)=0,67, p=0,57 and gender t(248)=0,68, p=0,49 of the participants as comparison factor. Conclusions: Results were discussed based on prior research pointing out the importance of counting with a first statistical parameter of the test as ground for neuropsychological clinical practice in Ecuador. © 2018 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All rights reserved.

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Evaluation of Online Learning Platforms in Latin America

2022 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Cruz Cárdenas, Jorge

Introduction: The use of online learning platforms has made a huge contribution to the online learning process. A key tool in this world is videoconferencing, which allows the efficient advancement of knowledge of a specific subject during synchronized timing. Objective: With this proposed context, the objective of this investigation is to determine which online video-conference platform has more benefits to be applied in Latin America. Method: A study was carried out with a quantitative method, transversal temporality, and a correlational and comparative process. There was a sample of 272 participants between 12 and 55 years old. Results and conclusion: It was found that the platform with the most benefits according to the analysis of gender, age, and profession is ZOOM. These results allow us to analyze the usefulness of this platform and its benefits in the learning process in Latin America. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee ESJ, Italy.

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Improve Accessibility and Visibility of Selected University Websites

2020 , Acosta-Vargas P. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Salvador-Ullauri L. , Chanchí G.E. , Jadán Guerrero, Janio

Currently, there are millions of websites, but not all of them are accessible and visible in search engines, and in the different devices and technologies used. The purpose of this research is to 1) suggest an accessibility evaluation model according to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 standards; 2) correlate Webometrics and SCImago rankings to improve visibility, and 3) determine whether an accessible website can improve visibility. As a case study, the authors applied to 30 web pages from Latin American universities. The results indicate that although an educational institution is in the first rankings of the Webometrics and SCImago classification, they do not necessarily satisfy web accessibility requirements. This study can be a guide for the definition of institutional efforts to improve accessibility and visibility in the design of more inclusive and visible websites. © 2020, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.