María Luisa Jiménez Rodrigo

A Brief History of Cannabis Policies in Spain (1968–2003)

Spain was one of the first countries in Europe to decriminalize drug use and one of the last to embrace harm reduction. As such, Spains drug policies often appear to be rather contradictory. In this paper we will review the current status of drug laws and the major drug policies that have been implemented in Spain over the last 25 years concerning cannabis; their demographic, political, and economic contexts; and their apparent consequences. We will follow a chronological approach that outlines every major change that occurred during that period while trying to provide some sociopolitical background. We have divided the period under study into four major phases. Each phase addresses a major political change or shift in the social response to drug-related problems. In this account, we will apply to cannabis policies the conceptual distinctions introduced by MacCoun and Reuter in their recent revision of alternative drug policies (2001), especially their tripartite division between punitive, depenalizing, and legalizing regimes and the associated processes of promotion and commercialization. One essential question that concerns the Spanish case is the relationship between legal changes, their implementation, and long-term oscillations in consumption rates.

Ir a la Universidad después de los 30: dificultades y factores facilitadores

The aims of this paper are, firstly, to analyze inequality, based on gender and age, as regards the participation of the non-traditional learners in higher education (HE), and secondly, to identify the main barriers and facilitating factors for this group in undertaking HE. The methodology combines secondary analysis of educational statistics and a case study on two degrees at the Universidad de Sevilla, which are characterized by a wider feminization and age heterogeneity. Results show that gender with age and life-cycle concerns means a central factor of inequality in access and academic progress at HE. Main difficulties met by older learners, and in particular by female students, are connected with study-work-life balance problems. Information and communications technologies are presented as the most important factor addressed to overcome these limitations. The heterogeneous profiles among University students pose new demands and challenges for teaching tasks and equal opportunities.

Feminism, Gender and Universities. Politics, Passion and Pedagogies

David, Miriam E. (2014): Feminism, Gender and Universities. Politics, Passion and Pedagogies, (Farnham, Ashgate). ISBN: 978-1-4724-3711-2 238 p.

El aprendizaje por proyectos en espacios virtuales: estudio de caso de una experiencia docente universitaria

This article presents a case study about the implementation of a teaching innovation project aimed at applying the project-based learning technique through the use of new technologies, and specifically through the resources available in the virtual learning environment at the University of Seville (US), Spain. This project was carried out in the 2010/2011 academic year on two Sociology subjects forming part of the curricula of the Management & Public Administration and Nursing short degree courses. The objectives of this project were: 1) To apply and assess the use of a new teaching methodology for improving the teaching and learning process on socio-health subjects, and 2) To foster the students’ active, participatory and collaborative learning by doing projects and using various virtual-learning didactic instruments. Besides the project rationale and objectives, the article will describe the resources used and the main results obtained. Finally, it will discuss the limitations and potential associated with the use of these new teaching techniques in university teaching.ResumenEn este artículo se presenta un estudio de caso sobre la puesta en práctica de un proyecto de innovación docente dirigido a la aplicación de la técnica del aprendizaje basado en proyectos (ABP) mediante la utilización de nuevas tecnologías. Concretamente, a través de los recursos disponibles dentro de la Plataforma de Enseñanza Virtual de la Universidad de Sevilla. Este proyecto se ha llevado a cabo durante el curso 2010–2011 en dos asignaturas del Área de Sociología recogidas dentro de los planes de estudio de la diplomatura de Gestión y Administración Pública y la diplomatura de Enfermería. Los objetivos de este proyecto han sido: 1) aplicar y evaluar el uso de una nueva metodología docente para la mejora de los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje en asignaturas socio-sanitarias, y 2) fomentar en el alumnado un aprendizaje activo, participativo y colaborativo a partir de la realización de proyectos y el uso de diferentes instrumentos didácticos de la enseñanza virtual. Junto al marco de justificación del proyecto y los objetivos se expondrán los recursos utilizados, sus principales resultados y, finalmente, se discutirán las limitaciones y las potencialidades asociadas a la utilización de estas nuevas técnicas docentes en la enseñanza universitaria.