Proyectos

Este proyecto integró la participación de las siguientes estudiantes de la carrera de Pedagogía en Educación Parvularia de la Universidad de O'Higgins como asistentes de investigación: Fernanda López (cohorte 2018), Daniela Torres (cohorte 2017) y Belén Ortega (cohorte 2017). Resumen. Even though the positive impact and results of playful learning during the early years and later school experiences has been recognised by important pedagogues in the history (Froebel, Montessori, Malaguzzi, amongst others); as well as widely researched in more recent developments in the field; this has not yet impacted educators professional training and most important current policy reforms to the early years sector. In addition, years of research in transition processes have widely demonstrated, in a variety of sociocultural contexts, that the objective should be to provide with opportunities of continuity and progression of early childhood pedagogies aligned with children’s learning and developmental processes to promote meaningful learning experiences that will have a long-term impact. However, nowadays school systems around the world are demanding more outcomes from children and their educators. These outcomes are usually measured in learning knowledge content instead of development of abilities. Accordingly, pedagogies in early years levels are increasingly adapting to an adult-centred dynamic which is extremely directive and lacks children’s participation. This is having important consequences in children’s well-being and later adjustment to school. Even though, we know that playful experiences promote learning and positive transitions and consequently are an indicator of good quality provision, in Chile this reality is strongly affecting the so-called transition levels (prekindergarten and kindergarten) which are located inside school premises and therefore, their pedagogies are oriented to readiness for first grade. Therefore, by increasing our understanding of how playful pedagogies can promote: (a) children’s development as learner agents (Dunlop, 2003), and (b) positive transition experiences (Broström, 2005; Dockett & Perry, 2007), we can contribute with a better articulation of pedagogical practices in early childhood and primary school education. Goals: this study is based on the understanding of playful learning as essential for positive school transitioning and positive effects for lifelong learning. To identify these practices and its effects on learning the study explores two important factors that research has proven to be related with playful learning: (a) the promotion of guided play in the design of educational environments and learning experiences; and (b) the development of children as learner agents. In sum, the main aim of the study is to establish the relationships between playful pedagogies and children’s development as learner agents during their process of transitioning to formal schooling. Methodology: this study is a qualitative one drawing on multiple visual participatory methodologies and the application of observational scales. The sample will consist of 12 educational centres, located half in rural communities and half in urban ones. In each centre data will be collected from all children attending pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first grade and second grade, and their educators and teachers respectively. Within these communities an estimate sample of N=3360 children aged 4 to 8 (35 in each classroom including two groups per level per school) and N=60 practitioners in total will be invited to participate. Analyses will identify playful and academic oriented experiences; measure the types and characteristics of the interactions involved in them; identify and describe how meaning construction occurs during both type of experiences; identify and describe children’s, educators’, and teachers’ perspectives about playful learning experiences. Expected results: through the application of different measures the expected result is to conclude with a characterization of playful learning episodes that contribute enhancing children’s learning agency during the transition period studied. In addition, it is expected to socialize this result with the wider community of the region, as well as nationally, aiming to advocate for the inclusion of children’s perspectives in the public discussion. Lastly, the objective is to organize a workshop with the participating communities to socialize the results of this study and provide with pedagogical tools to implement playful learning in their educational settings.

The forest ecosystems of central Chile (30°-35 °S) are the only Mediterranean forests in South America. These forests contain a high diversity of endemic plants, so they have been declared a biodiversity hotspot, that is, a biogeographic area of great biological richness with need of conservation. The increase in drought conditions experienced in central Chile during the last century has been little studied in terms of its potential impacts on the forestry dynamics of the Mediterranean forests of central Chile. Growth decline and poor seed regeneration has been observed in some of these forests, which would be associated with these changes in climate. For this reason, it is essential to study the influence of climate change on the forest dynamics of the two most important forest-types in central Chile, sclerophyllous forests (evergreen trees, 1000 m a.s.l.) on the mountain peaks of central Chile. The present project seeks to evaluate from a historical perspective the response of Chilean Mediterranean trees against recent climate change, using sclerophyllous and Nothofagus trees species in an altitudinal and latitudinal gradient (30°-35 °S), complementing retrospective (dendrochronological and isotopic analysis) and prospective studies (analysis in plant growth chambers). Growth, recruitment and water use efficiency (WUE) will be analyzed in different populations of sclerophyllous and Nothofagus forests. This will allow us to know the adaptive capacity of these forests to climate change, evaluating their responses in growth and ecophysiological traits. Thus, this project will show us how they will respond in the future under the current climatic trends, identifying which regions and populations are the most vulnerable to climate change, both in growth and WUE. In addition, adverse effects of climate change on seed regeneration will be verified, which may be affecting the natural distribution of Chilean Mediterranean species, and possibly, their tree lines. The results will provide valuable information to understand the ecological resilience of the Mediterranean ecosystems of South America, and thus be useful for future conservation and restoration programs for the effects of climate change. The results will be disseminated, through (i) at least one publication in a scientific journal indexed in ISI-Wos, (ii) participation in national and international congresses, and (iii) workshops/seminaries. This project is the first of its kind in these forests, and it is expected that the results of this project will serve as a basis for the management, conservation, restoration and adaptation of Mediterranean forests against the threats of climate change.

Este proyecto forma parte del Programa Tecnológico para la Fruticultura de Exportación Zona Centro-Sur 16PTECFS-6641 Especie Kiwi, Coejecutores: Consorcio de la Fruta - Pontificia Universidad Católica El objetivo general es identificar, evaluar y desarrollar una metodología que permita determinar la distribución de calibre en kiwi, variedad Hayward.

Chile is one of the principal producer and exporter country of fruit and vegetable crops in the southern hemisphere. In both fruit and vegetable crops there are an increasing concern about agriculture sustainability that includes the evaluation and implementation of practices with lower environmental impact. In this context, and considering the modern vegetable crop production, the use of rootstocks is being considered an essential component due to their ability to adapt a particular cultivar to diverse environmental conditions and/or cultural practices. In agriculture, rootstocks have been used since over 2000 years ago. Specifically, in cucurbits, the most grafted vegetable crops are watermelon, melon and cucumber. For watermelon, Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd) has been used in different countries as one of the main rootstocks. Considering the recent agricultural scenario, in which drought represent the major risk that impacts negatively the production of major and minor crops, the rootstocks development and the understanding of the role of key root traits would help to assist breeders for drought tolerance landraces selection. In fact, the effects of water regime or deficit on root system development of bottle gourd is not well understood, in addition, the underlying phenotypic and genotypic variability of bottle gourd with respect to root system architecture parameters has not been welldocumented. A crucial component of roots is their architecture, which refers to the spatial-temporal extension of the entire root system in the soil, the root system architecture (RSA). RSA traits, or phenes, has been shown to be important in agricultural systems, in fact, it is considered relevant for improve selection in fruit and vegetable rootstocks breeding programs. Understanding the contribution of specific RSA traits to root system function is critical, and plays a pivotal role in crop performance because it allows the identification of keys traits that contribute in desired functions, and consequently could be considered for developing crops with more efficient roots. In this proposal it is hypothesized that, landraces of Lagenaria siceraria shows high phenotypic and genotypic variation for RSA traits like Root Growth Angle (RGA) and Roots System Depth (RSD). In turn, these phenes are positively correlated with drought tolerance and therefore useful to develop rootstocks with this characteristic in Lagenaria siceraria. In addition, it is also hypothesized that selected L. siceraria rootstocks are able to confer to grafted varieties of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) an enhanced tolerance to drought. For that, the main goal is to evaluate the root system architecture as parameter of selection for drought tolerance in different Lagenaria siceraria landraces and in grafted plants of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). The specific goals are: 1. To assess the phenotypic and genotypic variation of Lagenaria siceraria landraces by using root system architecture parameters and genotyping-by-sequencing through SNP markers; 2. To determine the root system architecture parameters that help into the selection of Lagenaria siceraria under drought stress condition; 3. To characterize the response to drought stress of watermelon grafted onto Lagenaria siceraria landraces under field conditions after the selection through the root system architecture parameters. To reach this goals it is proposing the phenotypic characterization of root traits (phenes) in Lagenaria siceraria landraces in a greenhouse under drought stress condition. The genotypic variation of bottle gourd will be studied by using Genotyping-by-sequencing, principal component analysis and genetic relatedness (identityby-state). A multivariate statistical analysis will be implemented to select key root phenes which will be used to evaluate the selection of L. siceraria in a rootstock breeding program. These root phenes will be characterized in grafted plants of watermelon into L. siceraria under field conditions by using the shovelomics phenotyping method. This proposal expects to contribute with the knowledge of genotypic and phenotypic variation in bottle gourd for root system architecture traits, and to identify the possibilities that offers the key root phenes to screen rootstocks for drought tolerance. These results would be relevant for the selection and breeding of cucurbits rootstock with better tolerance to drought. It is also expected that some of these Lagenaria siceraria landraces will be important rootstock for watermelon under semi-arid conditions of Chile.

Proeulia auraria (eulia de los frutales=EF) es una especie nativa que ataca la mayoría de los frutales (carozos, pomáceas, vides, berries, etc) convirtiéndose en una plaga cada vez más relevante. Su fenología incluye 2 generaciones por temporada; la primera afecta brotación y floración, y la segunda cuaja-cosecha. Las larvas consumen follaje, flores y frutos (hasta un 30%). Además, es la quinta o sexta plaga cuarentenaria en exportaciones chilenas, causando todas las temporadas abundantes rechazos (entre 1 a 9% del total; fuente SAG). Ello hace indispensable controlar EF con aplicaciones de insecticidas residuales. Las ventanas de aplicación deben ser precisadas para optimizar el control y el uso de plaguicidas (ovicidas o larvicidas). Por tanto, es necesario predecir eventos críticos con modelos fenológicos, lo cual no se ha desarrollado contra esta especie. Los modelos requieren estimar umbrales térmicos (superior e inferior, UTS y UTI respectivamente) y la acumulación térmica (grados-día o ∑GD) por estadio. El UTI y la ∑GD se estimaron previamente (2010-2012) para EF en un proyecto RED DE PRONÓSTICOS FITOSANITARIOS RPF del SAG (ID-6que 12-2737-SE10), evaluando 5 regímenes de temperatura entre 13 y 28°C. Sin embargo, no se estableció el UTS y el modelo preliminar que derivó del estudio, se desvía parcialmente de lo observado. La presente propuesta de la U. de Chile plantea diseñar un sistema de alerta temprana de precisión para el control eficiente de EF, para lo cual se verificará/modificará el UTI y la ∑GD por estadio, y se determinará el UTS (con modelos no lineales), criando cohortes de los diferentes estados del insecto en 4 regímenes de temperatura adicionales (7, 10, 31, 33°C), en condiciones similares a las usadas en el estudio previo, lo que mejorará la calidad de los ajustes. Luego, se determinará la forma de cálculo de los GD, contrastando las observaciones de campo con la predicción del modelo, tanto para el corte vertical como el horizontal, y se seleccionará aquél que tenga mayor correlación, no realizado en el estudio previo. De la misma manera se determinará un Biofix o evento que indica cuándo se debe iniciar el cálculo de GD en campo. Estos modelos también requieren estimar con la mayor precisión el calor experimentado por los insectos. La propuesta plantea usar sensores de temperatura en distintas posiciones de la copa, de 4 especies frutales hospederas de EF, para determinar un factor de corrección que permita ajustar el modelo de GD para EF. Esta información permitirá desarrollar algoritmos con los que se harán las predicciones del Sistema de Alerta del SAG (RPF), generando pronósticos a 8 días. Para hacer accesible el sistema, se aprovechará el Portal Productor del RPF-SAG, para ofrecer el servicio de alerta temprana de Eulia a los productores. El sistema de alerta para EF quedará programado y disponible para que todos los usuarios, sin costo, puedan dibujar los polígonos a nivel de cuartel y variedad para programar sus alertas y controles químicos, rompiendo la brecha de cobertura y acceso a información meteorológica, y de recomendaciones de manejo, que existe entre productores. La transferencia tecnológica a los usuarios finales, se realizará mediante actividades de capacitación, seminarios, días de campo y un manual de uso que quedará a su disposición. La sustentabilidad del proyecto estará garantizada por la mantención del servicio en la plataforma RPF, por el SAG.

Objetivo general: 1. Fortalecer la política institucional de vinculación con el medio de la UOH, a través de una experiencia piloto de vinculación con el medio escolar, utilizando como medio una investigación sobre salud mental y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de primer ciclo de Enseñanza Básica, a través de una estrategia de colaboración entre actores educacionales, comunitarios y académicos, bajo una perspectiva de trabajo territorial. Objetivos específicos: 1. Fortalecer la política institucional de vinculación con el medio de la UOH, a través del desarrollo de una experiencia piloto que articula el trabajo de actores educacionales, comunitarios y académicos, en contextos territoriales específicos. 2. Desarrollar una investigación que potencie la estrategia de vinculación con el medio a través de un problema relevante y sentido por la comunidad, cuya finalidad será identificar la presencia de un problema de salud mental en estudiantes del primer ciclo de la Enseñanza Básica de establecimientos municipales de la Región de O’Higgins y establecer su asociación con el rendimiento académico de estos.

Objetivo general: 1. Fortalecer la política institucional de vinculación con el medio de la UOH, a través de una experiencia piloto de vinculación con el medio escolar, utilizando como medio una investigación sobre salud mental y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de primer ciclo de Enseñanza Básica, a través de una estrategia de colaboración entre actores educacionales, comunitarios y académicos, bajo una perspectiva de trabajo territorial. Objetivos específicos: 1. Fortalecer la política institucional de vinculación con el medio de la UOH, a través del desarrollo de una experiencia piloto que articula el trabajo de actores educacionales, comunitarios y académicos, en contextos territoriales específicos. 2. Desarrollar una investigación que potencie la estrategia de vinculación con el medio a través de un problema relevante y sentido por la comunidad, cuya finalidad será identificar la presencia de un problema de salud mental en estudiantes del primer ciclo de la Enseñanza Básica de establecimientos municipales de la Región de O’Higgins y establecer su asociación con el rendimiento académico de estos.

Objetivo general: 1. Fortalecer la política institucional de vinculación con el medio de la UOH, a través de una experiencia piloto de vinculación con el medio escolar, utilizando como medio una investigación sobre salud mental y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de primer ciclo de Enseñanza Básica, a través de una estrategia de colaboración entre actores educacionales, comunitarios y académicos, bajo una perspectiva de trabajo territorial. Objetivos específicos: 1. Fortalecer la política institucional de vinculación con el medio de la UOH, a través del desarrollo de una experiencia piloto que articula el trabajo de actores educacionales, comunitarios y académicos, en contextos territoriales específicos. 2. Desarrollar una investigación que potencie la estrategia de vinculación con el medio a través de un problema relevante y sentido por la comunidad, cuya finalidad será identificar la presencia de un problema de salud mental en estudiantes del primer ciclo de la Enseñanza Básica de establecimientos municipales de la Región de O’Higgins y establecer su asociación con el rendimiento académico de estos.

Objetivo general: 1. Fortalecer la política institucional de vinculación con el medio de la UOH, a través de una experiencia piloto de vinculación con el medio escolar, utilizando como medio una investigación sobre salud mental y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de primer ciclo de Enseñanza Básica, a través de una estrategia de colaboración entre actores educacionales, comunitarios y académicos, bajo una perspectiva de trabajo territorial. Objetivos específicos: 1. Fortalecer la política institucional de vinculación con el medio de la UOH, a través del desarrollo de una experiencia piloto que articula el trabajo de actores educacionales, comunitarios y académicos, en contextos territoriales específicos. 2. Desarrollar una investigación que potencie la estrategia de vinculación con el medio a través de un problema relevante y sentido por la comunidad, cuya finalidad será identificar la presencia de un problema de salud mental en estudiantes del primer ciclo de la Enseñanza Básica de establecimientos municipales de la Región de O’Higgins y establecer su asociación con el rendimiento académico de estos.