Salesian Polytechnic University Research Articles

Prevalencia de enfermedad periodontal, maloclusión y necrosis pulpar en la comunidad Nueva Vida, Guayaquil, Ecuador

Introduction: Periodontal disease, dental fluorosis and pulp necrosis are common clinical conditions in the dental context. Objective: to determine the prevalence of periodontal disease, malocclusion, dental fluorosis and pulp necrosis. Methodology: quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study, applying judgmental sampling, which included the 29 patients who met the inclusion criteria in the study and attended the dental care day developed in the Nueva Vida community, Guayaquil, Ecuador; by the Salesian Polytechnic University, María Auxiliadora Campus, in 2023. Results: a) prevalence of periodontal disease: (79.31%); b) prevalence of malocclusion (82.76%); c) prevalence of dental fluorosis (44.82%); d) prevalence of pulp necrosis (6.89%). Conclusions: Periodontal disease and malocclusion were predominant in the age group under 18 years and in the female sex. Dental fluorosis was predominant in males and under 18 years of age. Pulp necrosis occurred in the age group under 18 years, with no predominance by sex. No statistically significant association was found between periodontal disease, malocclusion, fluorosis and pulp necrosis with age group and sex.

Optimal Resource Assignment in Hybrid Microgrids Based on Demand Response Proposals

The energy consumption of buildings has been affected by the increase in new loads, which is where emerging technologies have become important. In this sense, microgrids have become a solution that has reduced the loadability of power systems. Thus, the Salesian Polytechnic University in Quito has implemented a hybrid microgrid with three photovoltaic plants (PV), two battery storage systems (BESS), and a connection to the public grid. This research shows a methodology to minimize the energy consumption of the public grid by taking advantage of the existing resources in the microgrid through the allocation of resources and demand management, for which a domotic system based on a z-wave protocol was implemented to monitor and control the loads. The initial state and the state after the implementation of the management equipment were compared, and the reduction of electricity consumption in the public grid was quantified, which was around 63%.

Burnout in the teaching profession: a study at the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana Sede Guayaquil, Ecuador

The most productive organizations invest in their human capital and implement strategies to reduce levels of stress and fatigue at work. Burnout affects many countries in Europe and Latin America, especially those in the medical and teaching professions. Ecuador is no exception. The objective of this research is to know how Burnout Syndrome affects the teaching staff of an Ecuadorian university, using a descriptive methodology with a quantitative approach. The method used was the survey, using an instrument based on the "Maslach" burnout inventory, a tool that consists of 22 questions divided into three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal fulfillment. For the analysis, the following groups were defined: no burnout, mild/moderate burnout and severe burnout. A higher percentage of severe burnout is evidenced in men. The same occurs in the group of people between 35 and 44 years of age. It is concluded that there is an affectation in the quality of life of the teachers of the Salesian Polytechnic University caused by the Burnout Syndrome, it is recommended to improve the working condition of the employees to raise the levels of motivation and productivity of the organization.

Oral skills and Flipgrid platform in english as a foreign language learners

Speech has often been the main problem when students learn a second language. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to analyze how to improve interactive communication and pronunciation by using the Flipgrid platform with A1 level students at the Salesian Polytechnic University. For this purpose, a Diagnostic Test, a Cambridge Speaking test and a guided response survey were applied. The research collected data to assess the effect of the Flipgrid platform on students' speaking skills and to learn about students' perceptions towards the Flipgrid platform. The results provided information on students' failures in speaking, the benefits of the Flipgrid platform, and a proposal with recommendations for using this platform with A1-level university students.

Academic dishonesty and its impact on virtual education

Academic dishonesty has been widely addressed in studies worldwide, highlighting the increase that this practice has had in regard to the educational context. The interest of the authors was to present a broader view of a real problem in higher education. The main objective of this research was to examine the incidence of academic dishonesty in virtual education from a perspective framed in the context of university education based on theoretical analysis and empirical investigation. The study was based on a predominantly qualitative mixed approach, where theoretical and empirical methods were applied, such as the analytical-synthetic in which theoretical references on the subject were analyzed, determining the main indicators that laid the conceptual bases of the investigation, the deductive -inductive that circumscribed the framework of the research and as an empirical instrument the survey with closed questions applied to 260 students of different academic levels from three universities in the coastal region of the country, which are: Santa Elena Peninsula State University, Salesian Polytechnic University of the Ecuador and the Technical University of Manabí. The results were obtained by quantifying the percentage of frequency in each of the response options for each question.

Proyecto de emprendimiento y economía familiar, Guasmo, 2019. Una experiencia de vinculación.

El artículo refiere la experiencia de ejecución del proyecto de vinculación con la colectividad, en el campo de emprendimiento y economía familiar, en la Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, ubicada en la Unión de Bananeros, del Guasmo Sur, de la ciudad de Guayaquil; por estudiantes de la carrera de Administración de Empresas de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS), con monitoreo docente; teniendo como objetivo evaluar su implementación, con una metodología de tipo descriptiva, a partir de la valoración que realizaron los participantes en una encuesta tipo likert, tomada al final del periodo formativo. Sus resultados principales reflejan las opiniones de los beneficiarios en las categorías de organización, desarrollo de contenidos prácticos, a través de los cuales se alcanzó un alto nivel de participación, y donde el proceso de evaluación fue clave para mejorar la asimilación de los contenidos; la calidad de los instructores y el nivel de aprendizaje adquirido; que permitió estimular el espíritu emprendedor. Se concluye que el desarrollo de estas temáticas, dirigidas a sectores vulnerables de la sociedad, constituye una estrategia para enfrentar los altos niveles de desempleo que se viven en el país.

La cartografía social como estrategia didáctica: reconociendo recorridos e imaginarios

As part of the Social Sciences Didactics course of the Bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Bilingual Education at the Salesian Polytechnic University, Quito-Ecuador, the need to provide didactic resources that allow students to recognize their territories is presented, as well how of didactic and methodological strategies for the teaching of geography and that they are used as a contribution to the preservation of the collective memory of their communities. In this way, the Research Group on Education and Interculturality of the same university is proposed to carry out the research project “Social cartography as a didactic strategy, recognizing routes and imaginations with the Bachelor’s degree students in Intercultural Bilingual Education of the Salesian Polytechnic University”, this research had as its starting point the prior recognition of the geographical context in which the students find themselves and the implementation of social cartography as a didactic strategy for teaching geography. Methodologically, Participatory Action Research (IAP) has been used, and the application of social cartography as a pedagogical and didactic strategy for teaching social sciences and as motivation for the development of strategies that allow future teachers to approach their students, understanding their contexts and realities, starting from the recognition and representation of the space in which they live; and also be an opportunity to exchange knowledge between students and teachers.

La participación de la familia de los estudiantes con discapacidad en la universidad

The present work exposes the participation of the family of students with disabilities in the university educational process. The study was developed in the context of the Salesian Polytechnic University, Quito headquarters. “The family is considered as the first environment where the members develop at different levels: social, emotional, physical and intellectual” (Martinez, Sanchez y Ruiz, 2012). With the passage of time, the relationship between family and education has changed, in such a way that family participation occurs only in the school environment but not in the university environment. However, as Solernour affirms: the family-school relationship in the university is something that needs to be addressed in order to overcome in this way the criterion that the family does not participate in university education (Solernou, 2013). Hence, the objective of this research is to show how the family of students with disabilities participate in the university educational process and how the participation of the family contributes to the achievement of the achievements of students with some type of disability. The study is qualitative with a descriptive design and uses as research tools, interviews and focus groups of students with disabilities and their families. Among the main findings, it can be shown that transdisciplinary collaborative work in which the family is integrated as part of the educational team strengthens the configuration of supports that facilitate the educational process of their children. Additionally, family support generates higher levels of autonomy in students on a personal and social level.

TIC para la inclusión educativa universitaria en la UPS Sede Guayaquil

La inclusión educativa universitaria es un tema que ha sido muy poco investigado en nuestro país. Muchas variables inciden en una plena inclusión educativa de estudiantes con discapacidad a nivel superior. El objetivo de este artículo es identificar las TIC que los estudiantes de diferentes carreras de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana Sede Guayaquil utilizan para favorecer su inclusión, así como el porcentaje de uso de las TIC que ofrece el Centro de Apoyo para la Inclusión de la UPS. A través de la revisión bibliográfica y el análisis documental, entrevistas a personal administrativo, técnico y docente de la universidad, así como de encuestas aplicadas a estudiantes con discapacidad se pudo obtener información relevante sobre las TIC que se utilizan en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje inclusivo. Como resultado se obtuvo la identificación de las herramientas TIC que los estudiantes con discapacidad utilizan en su proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje.

CFD simulation and measurement of the thermal behavior inside a room of the institutional library: a comparative study

Abstract This article presents the results of the comparison between the CFD simulation and temperature measurements, both in the time domain, at a certain point of interest within a specific closed space (cubicle) of the institutional library of the Salesian Polytechnic University (UPS), at its headquarters in the city of Cuenca, Republic of Ecuador. In this specific case, solar radiation is considered as the main heat transfer mechanism, which is why it was considered in the applied simulation method. An acceptable relative error was obtained between the simulated and measured temperature values. During the summer period, the thermal conditions inside the cubicle are not suitable for the comfort of the users. The study developed can constitute a basic tool for possible future research related to the implementation of climate conditioning for the cubicle, the library in general and any other site with similar constructive and operational characteristics.

“Otras Pedagogías”: La experiencia de la Carrera de Educación Intercultural Bilingüe-UPS

Muchas de las experiencias de la educación superior indígena de América Latina surgen como respuesta a las luchas históricas de los pueblos indígenas por su derecho a la educación. Las primeras de ellas atienden a la necesidad de formación de profesorado para la educación propia y la Educación Intercultural Bilingüe (EIB), tal como es el caso de la Carrera de EIB de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana del Ecuador (UPS), que cuenta con una trayectoria de más de veinte años en la formación de docentes para la EIB del pueblo kichwa y achuar. En la experiencia educativa de la Carrera de EIB de la UPS, se configuran “Otras Pedagogías”, que parten de las necesidades educativas de los sujetos y colectivos que se educan, por ello, surgen de los contextos, de las luchas, de las resistencias y de la participación. Son pedagogías dinámicas y en construcción que emergen de las prácticas y se configuran como respuestas pedagógicas alternativas a las pedagogías convencionales y a la educación hegemónica. El objetivo de este trabajo es explicitar las Pedagogías “Otras” que se delinean en la experiencia de la Carrera de EIB en particular. Para ello, desde la reflexión a partir del testimonio de los actores, se categorizan cuatro pedagogías: 1. de reafirmación identitaria; 2. del “ir para volver”; 3. del “entre culturas” y 4. de “concientización de la opresión.

Incidencia de la gestión académica en la formación profesional de los estudiantes de la Maestría en Terapia Familiar Sistémica de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, período académico 2011-2012

El objetivo de este texto es presentar los resultados de la investigación sobre la incidencia de la Gestión Académica en la Formación Profesional de los estudiantes de la Maestría en Terapia Familiar Sistémica de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana. Se contextualiza este programa de formación en el conjunto de la universidad y se plantean los diversos problemas existentes en la gestión académica respecto a la docencia, investigación, gestión de recursos y vinculación con la sociedad y su relación con ciertos aspectos debilitados de la formación profesional como la admisión de los estudiantes y docentes, el desarrollo de líneas de investigación, el seguimiento a graduados y la difusión de resultados. Luego se define y se analizan teóricamente tanto la gestión académica como la formación profesional. En tercer lugar, se desarrollan los aspectos metodológicos de la investigación realizada que es de tipo correlacional. Los datos recopilados se presentan en tablas que permiten una rápida visualización de los resultados y contribuyen a verificar la incidencia de la gestión en la formación profesional al comprobar la hipótesis mediante la prueba Chi cuadrado. La información obtenida, finalmente, permite caracterizar la gestión académica y describir la formación profesional de la maestría.