The internship took place at the Chemistry Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso.

Within the framework of actions linked to the generation and implementation of technological resources for science education, ULS academics, Francisco López and Claudio Palma, from the Department of Biology, and Carlos Urrutia, from the Department of Education, carried out an internship two days in the Chemistry Didactics Laboratory of the Chemistry Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso.

The objective of this internship was to generate learning sequences aimed at incorporating augmented reality into secondary education content. On the occasion, the academics were able to work with Dr. Cristian Merino, in particular areas linked to research in science didactics and development of teaching-learning experiences linked to the use of technological resources as mediators of learning in science.

Professor Francisco López, director of the project, pointed out that “this visit was established within the framework of the set of LIITEC-ULS national research internships scheduled for this year, taking into account the strategic alliance with the Chemistry Didactics Laboratory of the Institute. of PUCV Chemistry, and allowing progress in the development of theoretical frameworks linked to the representations of science that high school students construct, as well as qualifying the work carried out by LIITEC in the design of teaching and learning experiences.

For Professor Urrutia, the experience was highly valuable to the extent that “it constituted a unique opportunity to evaluate the progress of the LIITEC-ULS project, in terms of the review and analysis of measurement instruments linked to both the implementation of resources "technological tools with augmented reality, as well as the measurement of representations of particular biology content in high school students." This, he added, paying special attention to the importance of “feedback the processes of design and development of technological resources of the laboratory, and which are in charge of Dr. Mauro San Martín, academic of the Department of Mathematics of our institution.”  

The internship has made it possible to verify the quality of the work carried out by LIITEC, given the permanent need to submit the different products involved in the project to the judgment and analysis of external specialists. In this sense, Professor Claudio Palma emphasized the relevance of carrying out field experiences that make it possible to come into contact with specialists in the subject, valuing the opportunity to access it, “especially in the face of the need to adequately guide the development of learning sequences linked to the technological resources that LIITEC generates.”

Currently, the LIITEC-ULS project is on the verge of beginning field work, aimed at determining the impact of the incorporation of augmented reality on the representations that high school students have regarding biology content. This is part of the collaboration agreements signed by the laboratory with the Gregorio Cordovez and Gabriela Mistral high schools in La Serena.

The event took place at the University of Atacama, Copiapó, on August 16 and 17.

Different topics related to teacher training were addressed at the III Conference of the State University Network for Initial Pedagogical Training, RUEFIP, an opportunity that included the participation of the coordinator of the UNESCO Technical Secretariat for Regional Teacher Strategy, Carlos Beca. ; the representative of the Center for Improvement, Experimentation and Pedagogical Research (CPEIP), Magdalena Fernández, and the coordinator of the Continuing Education Network of the Consortium of Universities of the State of Chile, Pablo González.

“As a Network of teachers we are preparing guidelines, criteria, forms on how to address quality teacher training systems at the national level. What we are going to do now is to articulate ourselves with the undergraduate network through the quality network, in such a way that we can both develop different elements and be able to have only one product that gives us the identity of State universities," he explained in on the occasion the National Coordinator of the RUEFIP network, Dr. Roberto Canales.

The day included the participation of fifteen state universities of the RUEFIP, which worked in workshops focused on the three objectives set by the Network: Quality Assurance, Pedagogical Research and Generation of principles oriented for an Initial Diagnostic Evaluation for the FID.

In this context, and representing the University of La Serena, Dr. Fabián Araya, alternate executive director of the PMI FIP ULS1501 and the Integrated Management Unit of Pedagogies (UGIP) participated; Dr. Sandra Álvarez, academic coordinator, and the researcher Dr. Rodrigo Ruay.

“The role that the team assumed in the RUEFIP Conference was to participate in the work tables, whose topics responded to the three objectives set by this Network. Likewise, the team's participation was based on disseminating central aspects of our PMI, its progress and challenges,” explained the academic coordinator.

Among the conclusions obtained in the conference, it was agreed to continue with the Network work, socializing the tensions and challenges that each higher education institution presents in terms of teacher training.

The next meeting will take place at the University of Chile during the month of November, an opportunity in which the progress of each house of study regarding the three objectives set by the Network will be analyzed.

It should be remembered that there are sixteen state universities that make up the RUEFIP network, among which are the University of Atacama, the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences, the University of La Frontera, the University of Santiago de Chile, the University of Playa Ancha, the University of La Serena, the University of Antofagasta, the Arturo Prat University, the University of Chile, the University of Los Lagos, the University of Magallanes, the University of Valparaíso, the University of Talca, the University of Tarapacá, the University of Bío-Bío and the University of O'Higgins.

Source: Integrated Pedagogy Management Unit (UGIP) | PMI FIP ULS1501 - CM ULS 1755

The researchers met in a workshop organized by the Applied Pedagogical Research Program of the Integrated Management of Pedagogies Unit (UGIP) ULS.

Generating guidelines and operational aspects of pedagogical research in the classroom context is one of the main objectives of the Applied Pedagogical Research Program (IPA), which was born within the framework of the development of the Institutional Improvement Plan for Pedagogies ( PMI FIP ULS1501) and the Implementation Plan (CM ULS 1755), which seek to strengthen the initial training of teachers at the University of La Serena.

Its actions include various activities linked to promoting the increase in pedagogical knowledge that effectively contributes to developing research skills in teachers in training and in service, as well as to improving the quality of education.

In this context, academics and researchers from the university met in the workshop titled “Challenges of Applied Pedagogical Research”, to define joint lines of work and projections of the topic in the institution. In space, Dr. Fabián Araya, alternate executive director of the PMI FIP ULS 1501 - UGIP and coordinator of the IPA Program, explained the importance of promoting educational research in the academic body.

“The IPA subunit seeks to develop pedagogical research within the University - academic staff and students. We want to make a qualitative and quantitative leap in what this program should be in the future, which has to transcend beyond what the UGIP and the PMI mean, since it must be installed within the curricular processes. In that sense, it is necessary to train people who are going to develop educational research in the eleven pedagogy careers. Although there is no research culture in the school system, today, accreditation processes require that the areas of the disciplines be integrated with the pedagogical areas, and that research centers be formed,” he explained.

Likewise, there was the participation of Dr. Haylen Perines, researcher at the UGIP, who referred to the relevance of educational research in teacher training, and with the presentation of librarian Francia Meza, who announced the development of a Digital Repository, which will be worked on with the support of the ULS Library System. This space will gather information regarding applied pedagogical research topics (projects, publications, researchers and agreements) and is available in initial format on the website http://pedagogias.userena.cl/.

Applied Pedagogical Research Center

For its part, the event allowed participants to propose the formation of a Pedagogical Research Center, whose lines would point to Specific Didactics, Teacher Professional Development, Teaching and Learning, and Educational Innovation. The work will continue to develop during the month of October of this year.

Source: Integrated Pedagogy Management Unit (UGIP) | PMI FIP ULS1501 - CM ULS 1755

The ULS Electoral Board met to proceed to qualify the validity of all the votes cast, reporting that the current Rector of the state campus was re-elected to the position after obtaining 50,18% of the votes, surpassing the candidate, Dr. Marco Corgini , who reached 49,82%.

Dr. Nibaldo Avilés Pizarro was re-elected as Rector of the University of La Serena for the next four years (2018-2022), after obtaining 50,18% of the votes and surpassing the candidate, Dr. Marco Corgini Videla, Director of the Department of Mathematics.

The ULS Electoral Board met this Thursday, August 30, to proceed with another count and qualify the validity of all the votes cast, reporting that the current Rector of the state campus obtained 418 votes in favor, while Dr. Corgini reached 415 votes. The blank votes were 3 and the null votes were 9.

Dr. Nibaldo Avilés expressed his satisfaction with the re-election in office and highlighted the development of the electoral process, which he described as “free and transparent” and marked by a high and enthusiastic voter participation. Furthermore, he specified that “in the short term the University of La Serena will have to face important tasks, including institutional accreditation under the new criteria and standards; the pigeonholing project already approved by the Honorable Board of Directors, a matter in which we already have experience and which obviously goes through a restructuring; and a new statute for the institution.”

Likewise, he indicated that the feasibility, mainly economic, of the program proposals of those who supported the other candidacy will be considered and analyzed, such as, for example, the creation of a Vice-Rector's Office for Management and Liaison, of a Faculty of Sciences of Health and a Faculty of Arts and Architecture. And, finally, he called on the university community to continue working together for a higher-level, inclusive and democratic University.

For her part, the president of the ULS Electoral Board, Mirtha Meléndez, stated that on this day the vote is ratified, after the full Board convened and made public the count of all the votes, the envelopes and will verify that everything matches the information provided by each table and its members.

The Rector election process for the 2018-2022 period took place on Wednesday, August 29, from 08:30 a.m. to 16:30 p.m., in the Pentagon Room of the ULS, and was characterized by its tranquility and high attendance at the polls. “The process was super successful from the point of view of organization, administration and respect, it was very orderly and respectful. And the other thing is that the number of voters was impressive, 95% of people came to vote,” highlighted the president of the Electoral Board.

This instance is part of the projections that the Digital Campus has regarding the projects it is developing.

According to the Burning Glass site specialized in data analysis worldwide, Unity is one of the most in-demand software and has one of the highest projected growth rates, of more than 35% in the next two years. This projection and the good reviews make it one of the best alternatives for institutions to undertake technological innovation projects.

The Unity developer day 2018 was held over the weekend, an event in which developers, evangelists, engineers, as well as local speakers shared their experience in developing games and interactive media using Unity with talks about programming, tools, design, art, business and marketing. Unity is a video game creation engine that in turn serves engineers and designers of 2D and 3D applications and has become the preferred tool for development, not only for games, but for a wide range of digital products. ranging from animation to virtual reality apps. That is why part of the Digital Campus team of the University of La Serena went to Santiago for this important event to share experiences with the main exponents of the area at a national and international level.

This instance is part of the projections that the Digital Campus has regarding the projects it is developing. Humberto Farías Aroca, head of ULS Digital Campus, emphasized the importance of this professional training instance: “we plan to use Unity in the short to medium term, to create virtual reality applications that allow our students to develop, for example, practice simulations or similar things; "We hope to install these capabilities in our engineers and designers, as a result of the developments we are carrying out within the framework of the FIC-R astrotourism project."

In addition, Farías emphasized the work that this unit has carried out during its years of operation. “The Digital Campus today has the most modern distance education platform in the country (…). Four years ago we made the right technological decisions, for example, we opted for Cloud Computing and in addition to investing in the development of mobile applications for the distance learning teaching process; "This was possible thanks to the fact that the University made the decision to establish a multidisciplinary team to achieve these objectives."

Nicolás Plubins Damann, UX (User Exerience) designer, was one of the Campus Digital team attendees at this event. Regarding the experience he had in this instance, he commented: “we are in the process of developing an application for mobile devices that involves virtual reality and astrotourism, so in this event one learns about the latest trends that are underway regarding this development software. and we were also able to interact with national actors who are leading the generation of content, whether games or applications.”

For the Digital Campus team, it is key to be at the forefront in all aspects that involve technology and learning, which is why constant training is one of the axes that maintain the spirit of this unit. The goal is to provide the best service to the entire community of the University of La Serena and to the community in general.

Source: Digital Campus

The activity included two interesting exhibitions related to work experience and professional challenges.

On Saturday, August 25, a meeting of graduates from the 2018 Environmental Civil Engineering (ICA) program was held at the Faculty of Engineering of the ULS, which had excellent and active participation from several professionals trained at the institution. .

The meeting sought to strengthen the bond between colleagues and with the career, and included two interesting exhibitions related to the work experience and professional challenges of ICAs, with an outstanding career. Dr. Jorge Oyarzún, Director of the Department of Mining Engineering, and Dr. Ricardo Oyarzún, Coordinator of the ICA degree, attended as special guests.

The Faculty of Engineering thanked all the participants and those who made this activity possible, noting that "it is expected that this initiative will be maintained over time and that the proposed objectives will continue to be met."