Now showing 1 - 10 of 94
No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Scale reduced to value the sense of coherence: SOC 15 [Escala Reducida Para Valorar el Sentido de Coherencia: SOC 15]

2019 , Ortiz-Granja D. , Acosta-Rodas P. , Lepe-Martínez N. , Valle M.D. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

Introduction: The sense of coherence is a construct of health that allows the individual to face difficult situations of life. It is configured by three factors: meaning, understanding and management. As a method of assessment of this construct, has been proposed the SOC scale with 29 items in its original version. Objective: The objective of this study is to propose a reduced SOC scale. Methods: We worked with a sample of 445 healthy participants from Quito-Ecuador, 145 men (32.5%) and 300 women (67.4%). Results: It was obtained that the reduced scale of 15 items presents an adequate internal consistency in its three factors: understanding α= .74, management α= .82 and meaning α= .82. In the confirmatory factor analysis, an acceptable adjustment of the reduced model was found (SOC-15) x2= 317.90, DF= 87, p= <. 001, CFI= .92, RMSEA= .07 (.06-.08) and SRMR= .04. Conclusions: The data is discussed in relation to the benefits of counting with a reduced scale for its future application in the clinical and health scientific context. © 2019 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All rights reserved.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Artificial Intelligence and Tomorrow’s Education

2021 , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Jadán Guerrero, Janio , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

Nowadays, there is a rapid technological progress around the world that has enabled realities long ago unimaginable. We live in a technological era that represents new possibilities and challenges for society, and for the educational models in each country [1]. Research on smart education, which has forced the educational community to rethink on new ways of learning and teaching has been developed globally. Due to the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), the educational model for both, teachers and students will change. Nevertheless, to transform educational systems, it is necessary to update and train students, educators, and administrators effectively [2]. This research aims to describe the possible applications of AI in education from: 1) the automation of administrative tasks; 2) collection and analysis of information [3] to create smart content; 3) the implementation of virtual assistants in the teaching-learning process; 4) the potential delivery of lectures by humanoid robots with AI. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

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.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Technology in Favor of Disability: Prevalence Study in Ecuador

2021 , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Acosta-Rodas P. , Jadán Guerrero, Janio , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

People with disabilities and special needs are very important part of the society, their needs have not been covered over time. Globalization and technological development helped identify the importance of various groups with disabilities. In Ecuador, this identification allows this social group to be visible and particularly people with visual disabilities, who represent approximately 11% of the population with disabilities. The objective of this research is to identify Ecuador’s cities that maintain a higher prevalence of people with disabilities. To comply with the study, a descriptive analysis was conducted from public information about people registered by the authorized government control body. Obtaining this information makes it possible to establish a baseline of attention with real data, which allows getting a greater focus on the development of this social group and the attention they should receive. © 2021, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Evaluation of the skills of the prefrontal cortex: The EFECO II-VC and II-VR [Evaluación de las habilidades de la Corteza prefrontal: La Escala EFECo II-VC y II-VR]

2018 , Villegas C. , Ortiz D. , García A. , Bolaños M. , Acosta P. , Lepe N. , Valle M.D. , Ramos V. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

The pre-frontal cortex is the basis of the most complex mental abilities of human development. In its evaluation process, the EFECO scale provides an important contribution to assess its status. In previous investigations this scale has been studied with its configuration of 67 items, narrative focused on the deficit and evaluation of 8 executive functions. This research presents a new version of the scale, centered on its narrative in executive ability, proposed items to assess executive verification function and a summarized version of 42 items. The study included 118 healthy adults between 18 and 25 years of age (Mage = 20.72, SD = 1.65). In the results it was found that the EFECO II-VC scale (modified and complete version) obtained as internal consistency α = .96 and its sub-scales internal consistency between α = .64 and .81. The EFECO II-VR scale (modified and summarized version) obtained α = .94 and its sub-scales between α = .68 and .79. The internal consistency of the factors in which the executive functions are included were adequate: the supervisory system of cognition II-VC α = .93 and II-VR α = .70, while the supervisor system of behavior II- VC α = .93 and II-VR α = .81. The correlations between the executive functions assessed with both scales were between medium and large r = .36 and .94. The work is closed discussing the clinical and scientific contribution of the modification of the EFECO scale. © 2018 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All Rights Reserved.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

The impact of a technological intervention program on learning mathematical skills

2021 , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

Learning mathematics is a challenge in the current educational context. This is demonstrated by a high percentage of students who both fail to develop these numerical-type skills and have a low academic performance. This research performs a quasi-experiment to develop mathematical skills and knowledge. The sample consisted of 54 students (20 female and 34 male) between 10 and 14 years old (Mage = 11.11, SD =.79) organized into two groups. First, an experimental group (N = 26) that received a technological intervention of learning virtual objects and second, a control group (N = 28). The results shown a statistical significant interaction between the experimental group and the post-test, which suggests that the intervention improves the skills to solve root exercises F(1, 52) = 10.41, p =.002, η2 =.17, with a significant main effect F(1, 52) = 1184.02, p = <.001, η2 =.96. The knowledge of root exercises problem-solving variable has no meaningful interaction with the intervention F(1, 52) = 2.14, p =.15, η2 =.04. Nevertheless, there was a direct effect between the pre- and post-test measurement differences and the intragroup factor F(1, 52) = 17.95, p = <.001, η2 =.26. The results are discussed about the benefit generated by the use of virtual learning objects in favor of developing mathematical skills and based on previously published studies. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

360° Technology Applied to Touristic Marketing

2022 , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

360° technology for images or videos allows the covering of a 360° vision angle in two axles (X and Y), and it can be seen on a screen in an interactive way. This means that we can see everything that is around the point where the picture or video was taken, up, down, in front, behind and the sides, which allows us to reproduce the stereoscopic human vision. In this article, the usage of this technology is proposed as a tool to enhance the touristic marketing area, giving the users an innovative expérience. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Long-Distance Relationships: Use of Technology Advances in Communication, Idealization and Satisfaction

2021 , Acosta-Rodas P. , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

Long distance romantic relationships are becoming more and more common nowadays. There can be various concrete reasons that are the causes for this occurrence, among the most common, the pursuit of career opportunities, educational goals, military service, and migratory issues. The aim of this study is answering the question: how is possible to maintain this kind of relationship? This is explained from two variables: the first one refers to the technology advances which help the communication and the second one studied from the psychological periscope, the romantic idealization. It is approach the perception of this new type of relationships in the general population. Understanding technology influences in human life could help to develop more technological advances to the people to feel closer and to keep healthy relationships with themselves and the others, as well, it could bring lights to counseling and psychological therapy. © 2021, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Development of video games to improve the learning of data structures

2020 , Salvador-Ullauri L. , Salvador-Acosta B. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Acosta-Vargas P.

Computer engineering students have little interest in striving to understand the fundamentals of developing data structures at the origins of computing. In order to improve the learning of the Data Structure course, a strategy has been established for students to develop a simple video game in which the implementation of AVL trees, queues, and stacks shows the importance of using data structures during the development of computational applications. This work suggests a method to stimulate the learning of the essential elements of the software through the development of video games to emphasize the importance of the use of Data Structures. The students involved in this practice used graphic tools to represent the insertion and deletion operations that are performed on three types of Data Structures: AVL Tree, queue and stack. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.

No Thumbnail Available
Publication

Fundamental concepts in the neuropsychological theory [Conceptos fundamentales en la teoría neuropsicológica]

2017 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Ramos V. , Jadán Guerrero, Janio , Lepe-Martínez N. , Paredes-Núñez L. , Gómez-García A. , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica

This article presents three concepts that are fundamental in the neuropsychological theoretical: (a) historical data in the study of the human brain, (b) neuropsychological evaluation of brain functions and (c) neuropsychological rehabilitation of brain functions. As relevant data in the theoretical development of the study of the human brain is a tour of the trepanation acts performed hundreds of years ago, the contributions of phrenology, the masterful findings of Broca and Wernicke, the heuristic contribution of Luria and the current revolution with the neuro-image. In the neuropsychological evaluation of brain functions, the role of specific, non-specific and delayed observation tests in the interpretation of the neuropsychological state of the human being is analyzed, which allow analyzing neuropsychological functions in the laboratory and in real lifeactivities. Finally, we analyze the process of neuropsychological rehabilitation of brain functions, where mention is made of the processes of restoration, compensation, substitution, activation-stimulation and integration, which are very useful when intervening in a brain that has suffered an acquired damage. It is concluded that the current accelerated pace has determined the advance of neuroscience, where technology and the forceful scientific contribution propose new techniques and theories to understand the processes of evaluation and rehabilitation of brain functioning.