Search results for "RESOURCES"
showing 10 items of 1614 documents
Assessing the sustainability of small wastewater treatment systems: A composite indicator approach
2014
The assessment of the sustainability of wastewater treatment (WWT) systems has gained interest in recent years. However, most previous studies have focused on environmental and/or economic dimensions ignoring social aspects. Moreover, they tend to be based on sets of indicators rather than providing a holistic assessment. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes an innovative methodology to assess the sustainability of WWT systems based on the development of a composite indicator embracing economic, environmental and social issues. Subsequently, the global sustainability of seven WWT technologies for secondary treatment in small communities is compared. The joint application of the …
Assessment of wastewater treatment alternatives for small communities: An analytic network process approach
2015
The selection of the most appropriate wastewater treatment (WWT) technology is a complex problem since many alternatives are available and many criteria are involved in the decision-making process. To deal with this challenge, the analytic network process (ANP) is applied for the first time to rank a set of seven WWT technology set-ups for secondary treatment in small communities. A major advantage of ANP is that it incorporates interdependent relationships between elements. Results illustrated that extensive technologies, constructed wetlands and pond systems are the most preferred alternatives by WWT experts. The sensitivity analysis performed verified that the ranking of WWT alternatives…
Willingness to pay to improve urban water supply: the case of Sucre, Bolivia
2014
In this study the contingent valuation method is applied in order to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) of the inhabitants of Sucre (Bolivia) for an improvement in the urban water supply system. The study finds that about 55 per cent of households would be willing to pay an increase in their water bill for an improvement in the service. In order to deal with the problem of protest responses and the possible presence of a sample selection bias, a Heckman two-step model was estimated. More specifically, the econometric analysis undertaken reveals that there is no evidence of sample selection bias and that WTP positively relates to the respondents' household income, their level of education…
FORMATION OF TEACHERS’ COMPETENCES IN FURTHER EDUCATION
2019
The interest of contemporary society in improving the quality of education is mainly reflected in the issue of educational results - competences - and their provision in the learning process. Introducing the 21st Century educational standards, the development of competencies required for teaching become more relevant. International documents indicate that a teacher should have the ability to teach, effectively use technologies in learning, help students gain transversal competencies. The teacher should be able to participate in research, use innovation, reflect on his/her work, collaborate with colleagues and parents. It is the teacher’s duty to direct the student's individual development.…
Challenges of Interdisciplinary University Programs of Studies: The Case of English in Public Communication
2017
The aim of this study is to track students’ self-assessed successes and failures after taking courses in English in Public Communication (EPC) at the University of Opole. This interdisciplinary BA program combines philological, sociological and public communication courses. Using the data from 204 surveys, the study compares the calculated mean scores for the achievement of “new knowledge,” “new skills” and “new social competences” within two groups of subjects: core curriculum courses and practical English courses as declared by the first- and second-year students of EPC. Results show that there are clearer self-recognized knowledge gains, but consistently lower degrees of confidence when …
Development of perceived competence, tactical skills, motivation, technical skills, and speed and agility in young soccer players
2015
The objective of this 1-year, longitudinal study was to examine the development of perceived competence, tactical skills, motivation, technical skills, and speed and agility characteristics of young Finnish soccer players. We also examined associations between latent growth models of perceived competence and other recorded variables. Participants were 288 competitive male soccer players ranging from 12 to 14 years (12.7 ± 0.6) from 16 soccer clubs. Players completed the self-assessments of perceived competence, tactical skills, and motivation, and participated in technical, and speed and agility tests. Results of this study showed that players' levels of perceived competence, tactical skill…
Library instruction – Not just for our users: Skills upgrading for librarians as a way of increasing self-confidence
2015
Published version of an article from the journal: LIBER Quarterly: Available from the publisher: http://liber.library.uu.nl/index.php/lq/article/view/10002/10598. Open Access This article examines how librarians can improve their skills through a systematic skills upgrading programme, and how this can help improve their confidence in their own expertise. Two identical questionnaires have been issued to the same group of librarians engaged in research support services. In the time period between the two surveys, a skills upgrading programme was carried out. The aim of the second survey is to examine if the librarians’ confidence has increased after the yearlong training programme. Even thoug…
Validation of the swimming competence questionnaire for children.
2020
Two studies were employed to test the reliability and validity of the Swimming Competence Questionnaire (SCQ) among primary school children. Study 1 was a cross-sectional survey in 4959 primary school children. Study 2 was a pre-post-test quasi-experiment among 1609 primary school children who underwent a 20-lesson learn-to-swim programme. In Study 1, exploratory structural equation modelling revealed excellent goodness-of-fit and scale reliability for a two-factor model comprising distance and skill factors, which supported the construct and convergent validity. SCQ scores were significantly and positively correlated with swimming outcomes (i.e., self-efficacy, intention, swimming frequenc…
Las inteligencias múltiples en la escuela
2002
During many years has prevailed the idea of intelligence as a single problem solving ability (factor g) considered the best predictor of student’s academic achievement. Recently, researches have begun to take an alternative view of the problem, understanding it is a multidimensional construct. Multiple intelligences (MI) theory proposed by Gardner (1983) takes into account seven talents or skills individuals appear to have in certain amount. These latent bio-psychological potentials are stable and they are mantained through life. Theory of MI proposes that every person learns in relation to them. MI theory has many educational applications, however, very few efforts have been made to verify…
Competent in Work and Love? Emerging Adults’ Trajectories in Dealing With Work–Partnership Conflicts and Links to Health Functioning
2013
In a 3-year longitudinal study on 989 emerging adults, we assessed self-efficacy in dealing with work–family conflicts and different indices of work and relationships characteristics (e.g., satisfaction, commitment, and stress). In addition, we assessed different indices of health functioning (e.g., sick days, body complaints, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and well-being). Latent class growth analyses revealed three different trajectories of competence with work-to-partnership conflicts over time that were related to work, romantic relationships, and health. Emerging adults in the high stable group (characterized by high levels of self-efficacy in dealing with conflicts in work…