Open University of Catalonia

About: Open University of Catalonia is a education organization based out in Barcelona, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Collaborative learning & Educational technology. The organization has 1943 authors who have published 4646 publications receiving 64200 citations. The organization is also known as: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya & UOC.

Quin és el futur de l’aprenentatge mòbil en l’educació?

Abstract: The evolution of wireless technologies and the development of applications for mobile devices in higher education have been spectacular. For many educators, mobile technology in the field of teaching and learning has recently become one of the most important areas of research. Today, mobile learning is a strategic topic for many organizations concerned with education. In the future, more research should be conducted to transform education using mobile learning. The advent of new types of devices is disruptive to education, no matter what educators and education institutions do. Therefore, a thorough analysis, from a pedagogical and technological perspective, is key to ensuring appropriate usage and implementation of mobile learning. This Special Section of RUSC. Universities and Knowledge Society Journal presents a general overview of successful mobile learning experiences in higher education. Its aim is to share best practices and create new opportunities in universities. These mobile applications will add another layer to the learning and teaching processes.

Overview of IEEE802.15.4g OFDM and its applicability to smart building applications

Abstract: This paper compares the performance of two IEEE802.15.4 physical layers in the Smart Building context: 2.4 GHz O-QPSK and sub-GHz OFDM. The former has been in the IEEE802.15.4 standard since 2003, the latter was rolled into its 2015 revision. OFDM promises exceptional performance, in particular in environments with high external interference and multi-path fading. This paper starts with a comprehensive overview of IEEE802.15.4 and IEEE802.15.4g, with a particular focus on OFDM, its design drivers and modes of operation. The second half of this paper presents results from an exhaustive benchmarking campaign of both technologies in a building environment, and discusses lessons learnt. We show how OFDM has a higher range, even at 400 kbps and 800 kbps data rates. We then quantify the importance of frequency repetition in OFDM, and of using a wide communication channel, and we show how the use of OFDM can result in a 2–4 χ decrease in power consumption compared to 2.4 GHz O-QPSK. We conclude by recommending the use of OFDM option 1, with MCS2 for short (<128 B) frames, and MCS3 otherwise.

Which Internet Policy? Assessing Regional Initiatives in Spain

Abstract: We examine the effect of public policy on the growth of Internet use. Using a decentralized country—Spain—as an example, we compare the 17 Spanish regions to test different Internet policy designs, taking into account the quality and number of specific programs promoted by regional governments, as well as the presence or absence of strategic planning in each region. We treat the percentage of Internet users as a dependent variable to compare its diffusion in different territories. Our findings show that educational levels and economic differences explain about half of the variations observed. Furthermore, the regional policies play a significant role in explaining regional variations. We investigate which public policy instruments are more significant for the development of the Internet, and find that focused policy intervention and complex policy initiatives are more significant than other policy instruments in explaining the increase in the percentage of Internet users.