Activity proposals to improve children’s climate literacy and environmental literacy

With the climate crisis, schools have a fundamental role to enrich children’s climate literacy, which should begin in their early years and continue for life. Developing activities in the classroom can be an excellent way of bringing this about. This work is part of a larger research project, during which a previous study was carried out with 245 children aged 9 to 13, in which we identified some limitations in their knowledge about climate change. Based on these results, we decided to present some proposals for activities that could help improve these children’s climate literacy. The study we conducted was of an exploratory character, and the main objective was to understand the impact of applying a set of activities to 54 children. The objectives of this work were to increase the climate literacy of the children involved—more specifically, to evaluate the impact of implementing three activities related to climate change and identify the knowledge about the cases and consequences of climate change that were acquired by the children involved. To collect the data, we used a focus group technique and content analysis to process it. The results revealed that the children acquired a better understanding of the problem of climate change—in particular, the causes and consequences of it and of the concept of the ecological footprint—as well as motivation to contribute to mitigating the problem. We conclude that the activities proposed could contribute to improving climate literacy, as well as stimulate children’s curiosity and proactivity so that they become citizens capable of exercising their active citizenship.This work has been supported by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UIDB/05777/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The role of artificial intelligence in agribusiness: opportunities and challenges in Georgia

As the world's population continues to grow, environmental challenges become more pressing, the agribusiness sector, which includes all operations related to producing and distributing food, plays a crucial role in addressing climate change, resource scarcity, and sustainability. The research focuses on Georgia, a nation with a rich agricultural history and immense potential, aiming to analyse the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and agricultural technologies in the agroindustry. To accomplish this objective, a quantitative research methodology was utilised by gathering farmers’ opinions regarding the implementation of AI in their businesses. Additionally, measuring farmers' attitudes towards AI and agricultural technologies was the main element in determining the significance of these technologies in the agribusiness sector of Georgia. Based on theoretical and empirical research in this field, the study evaluates the role of AI in agribusiness, assesses how agricultural technologies affects production, and the benefits and methods of utilizing AI. Furthermore, the research explores Georgia’s opportunities and challenges in advancing AI and agricultural technologies within the agribusiness sector. According to the research and the obtained results, one of the significant obstacles faced by farmers in adopting modern agricultural technologies and AI applications is their lack of skills and knowledge in using them. Despite not having technological skills, the assessments’ findings indicate that most respondents hold positive attitudes towards the impact of AI applications and modern technologies on production yield and the realisation process in agribusiness. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of considering gender differences when examining farmers' attitudes towards agricultural technologies. Results provide evidence that there are significant differences in the attitude towards agricultural technologies based on the age of farmers, younger farmers display a more positive attitude towards embracing AI and agricultural technologies. Furthermore, the educational level of farmers influences their perception of the importance of AI and agricultural technologies. Finally, this thesis aims to contribute to the development of a sustainable and prosperous agro-industrial sector in Georgia by reinforcing the adoption of AI and agricultural technologies.À medida que a população mundial continua a crescer, as questões das alterações climáticas e a escassez de recursos ligados à sustentabilidade tornam-se mais críticas. O agribusiness, que inclui todas as operações relacionadas com a produção e distribuição de alimentos, tornou-se um sector importante na luta contra estes problemas. Neste seguimento, a investigação centra-se na Geórgia, uma nação com uma história e um potencial agrícolas ricos, e pretende-se analisar o papel da inteligência artificial (IA) e das tecnologias agrárias na agroindústria. Para tal, seguiu-se uma metodologia de investigação quantitativa que permitiu recolher a opinião dos agricultores sobre a implementação da IA e da agroecologia nas suas empresas. Ainda, medir as atitudes dos agricultores em relação às tecnologias agrícolas foi o principal elemento para determinar o papel dessas tecnologias no agribusiness. Com base na investigação teórica e empírica, neste domínio, esta dissertação avaliou o papel da IA no agribusiness, a forma como as tecnologias agrícolas influenciam a produção e quais são os benefícios e as formas de utilização da IA. Em seguida, discutiram-se as oportunidades e os desafios da Geórgia no que respeita ao avanço da IA e das tecnologias agrárias no sector do agribusiness. De acordo com a investigação e com os resultados obtidos, um dos principais obstáculos para os agricultores centra-se na adoção de tecnologias agrárias modernas, aplicações de IA, a sua falta de competências de conhecimentos de IA e sobre a sua utilização. Apesar de não serem detentores de competências tecnológicas, a maioria dos inquiridos continua a considerar que a utilização de ferramentas de IA e de tecnologias agrícolas são importante para as suas empresas agrícolas porque leva a um aumento da produtividade e facilita o processo de realização de planos agribusiness. Além disso, a investigação salienta a existência de diferenças, por sexo, quando se analisam as atitudes dos agricultores em relação às tecnologias agrícolas. Os resultados sugerem, ainda, a existência de diferenças estatisticamente significativas na atitude em relação às tecnologias agrícolas em função da idade dos agricultores, sendo que os agricultores mais jovens apresentam uma atitude mais positiva em relação à adoção da IA e das tecnologias agrícolas. Além disso, o nível de instrução dos agricultores influencia a sua perceção da importância da IA e das tecnologias agrícolas. Por último, esta tese visa contribuir para o desenvolvimento de um sector agroindustrial sustentável e próspero na Geórgia, promovendo e reforçando a adoção da IA e das tecnologias agrícolas

Evaluating the fire behaviour of cement-based lightweight materials with textile waste incorporation using a cone calorimeter

The conscientious utilization of natural resources and the efficient waste management have become a matter of great concern in recent years due to the harmful impacts on the environment. The construction sector presents itself as one of the sectors that most contributes to raw materials consumption and waste generation, demanding the investigation of more sustainable and ecofriendly building materials, where the valorisation of wastes originated from other industries can be promising. Following the sustainability concept in construction materials, this work investigates the potential use of textile waste in cement-based lightweight construction material, evaluating the fire reaction of the material using the cone calorimeter equipment. The samples were tested at three different radiant heat fluxes (35 kW/m2, 50 kW/m2, 75 kW/m2) to simulate different fire situations. For the highest heat flux, the lightweight construction element with textile waste incorporation showed a Heat Release Rate Average ≤ 18 kW/m2, a peak Heat Release Rate Average ≤ 60 kW/m2, and a Total Heat Release Average ≤ 33 MJ/m2. These results reveal a very satisfactory fire behaviour compared to other materials and show the suitability of using textile waste as lightweight cement-based materials.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Optimization and performance studies of PES/SAPO-34 membranes for CO2/N2 gas separation

SAPO-34 nanocrystals were prepared and used as inorganic filler in polyethersulfone (PES) membranes. The influence of preparation conditions on permeation properties of CO2 and N2 gases and CO2/N2 selectivity were studied to achieve the highest separation performance possible for this mixed-matrix membrane. Gas permeation properties of PES/SAPO-34 MMMs with different contents of SAPO-34, PES and initial film thickness were investigated according to a full factorial design of experiments (DOE). The permeation tests and DOE results revealed that the optimized conditions to maximize the selectivity for PES/SAPO-34 are: composition of 18.5 wt % of SAPO-34, 15 wt% of PES, and a casted film thickness of 400 μm resulting in a CO2/N2 selectivity of 30.85. The findings showed that a multivariable model was validated and able to predict the selectivity with determination coefficient R2 of 0.969 and the results are in accordance with values presented in literature for PES/ SAPO-34 membranes. An economic analysis shows that the commercial grade price for the optimized membrane is EUR 9.43/m2 which represents around 2.2 times cheaper than polymeric commercial membranes.The authors gratefully acknowledge the fundings from the Strategic Project of CIEPQPF (UIDB/00102/2020), CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020 & LA/P/0006/2020), CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021), financed by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) through national funds. J. S. Cardoso is also grateful for the financial support of the FCT through the PhD grant (SFRH/BD/148170/ 2019). Prof. Dr. Marco Seabra, Coimbra University, is acknowledged for his suggestions to the design of experiments and statistical analysis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Editorial: Educational robotics and competitions

STEM education endeavors to instill fundamental principles of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, fostering a passion that propels students toward careers in these fields. Robotics, as a formidable educational tool, goes beyond theoretical learning by immersing students in practical projects that demand problem-solving skills. Its inherently multidisciplinary nature encourages the integration of knowledge from traditionally distinct disciplines, enriching the educational experience. In the ever-evolving landscape of STEM education, the integration of robotics has proven to be a dynamic catalyst for inspiring students and advancing research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The latest strides in this interdisciplinary field are encapsulated in four articles published in the Research Topic on Educational Robotics and Competitions. These articles shed light on diverse aspects of robotics challenges, from virtual and real-world competitions to classroom applications.The authors acknowledge the use of Large Language Models to help improve the level of English in this text. The LLMs used were ChatGPT-3.5 from Open AI, and Microsoft Copilot based on GPT-4 from Open AI.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Role of Artificial Intelligence to Empower and Leverage Brands

Technological evolution has impelled companies to adopt innovative solutions supported by technologies. In a particular way, brands have been migrating from traditional marketing to digital marketing, with the vanguard of emerging technologies allowing them to obtain competitive advantages. Nowadays, artificial intelligence promises to transform the area of marketing, considering that machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics are revolutionizing the way brands interact with their consumers, personalize experiences, and make informed data-driven decisions. This chapter, after contextualizing artificial intelligence within organizations and the competitive advantages it can represent, discusses AI as an automatic pilot for brand empowerment and proposes a conceptual model that, using artificial intelligence, allows companies to be trained and streamline digital marketing functions to empower brands. Finally, the authors also present some scenarios in which the proposed model can be applied.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New magnetic clays MnFe2O4/Shymkent for removal of heavy metals from wastewater

This paper reports the development of a new method. Production of modified clay with magnetic properties based on natural clay from the Shymkent deposit (MnFe2O4/Shymkent nanocomposite), determination of its chemical composition and structure, as well as the study of basic physicochemical properties. The resulting magnetic nanocomposite was then used as an adsorbent to remove nickel (II) ions from wastewater. The prepared magnetic nano composite was then used as adsorbent to remove Ni (II) ions from wastewater, and the optimal conditions for determining thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were evaluated. It was determined that the natural сlay from the Shymkent deposit is a promising material for the modification of the materials. The advantage of such magnetic adsorbents in comparison with the natural materials used as adsorbents is their higher adsorption capacity and theability to control them using a magnetic field. To characterize the modified adsorbents, various assays were used, such as EMP andXRD analysis. The textural properties of the materials were determined by analyzing N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms at 77 K. It is shown that almost all textural and adsorption characteristics of MnFe2O4/Shymkent have significantly improved as a result of the modification made. It was concluded that the MnFe2O4/Shymkent adsorbent obtained in the work can be used for effective wastewater treatment to remove nickel ions.This research is funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant No. AP13067715) and by Base Funding of CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) through FEDER under Program PT2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Increased policy ambition is needed to avoid the effects of climate change and reach carbon removal targets in Portugal

The Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming hinges on forest carbon sequestration as a key in several national strategies. However, Portugal's rising forest fire occurrences threaten its ability to meet ambitious 2030 and 2050 carbon sequestration targets. Considering fire and forest trends, this study aims to quantify whether Portugal can reach its carbon sequestration ambitions as stated in its 2030 and 2050 targets. We tested three national forest scenario extensions of the global Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and Shared Policy Assumptions (SPAs) based on a dynamic model, simulating forest area and carbon sequestration related to future fire risk and policies of fire management, forest management, restoration of burnt areas, and climate change adaptation. The model projects a rapidly decreasing forest area under existing Portuguese policies (PT-SSP3), a slow decline under moderate policy improvements (PT-SSP2), and an almost stable forest area under long-term sustainable policy developments (PT-SSP1). In PT-SSP3, carbon sequestration will be reduced to 60% by 2050 compared to 2015, while it declines to about 85% and 90% under PT-SSP2 and PT-SSP1, respectively. It is still plausible to reach Portugal's 2030 sequestration obligations under the EU's Paris Agreement target under all three scenarios, while the Portuguese GHG neutrality target is not reached in the presented scenarios. Our four introduced policy areas (increasing focus on fire and forest management, forest restoration, and climate change adaptation of forest stands) must be supplemented by other policy strategies, such as reforestation.J. Pedersen, L. F. Dias, P. M. M. Soares, and F.D. Santos would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the EEA-Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 and the Portuguese Environment Agency through Pre-defined Project-2 National Roadmap for Adaptation XXI (PDP-2), by the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) I.P./MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC) - UIDB/00329/2020 (https:// doi. org/ 10. 54499/ UIDB/00329/ 2020), UIDB/50019/2020 (https:// doi. org/ 10.54499/ UIDB/50019/ 2020), UIDP/50019/2020 (https:// doi. org/ 10. 54499/ UIDP/50019/ 2020), and LA/P/0068/2020 (https:// doi. org/ 10. 54499/ LA/P/0068/ 2020). J. Azevedo would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) I.P./MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC) - CIMO, UIDB/00690/2020 (https:// doi. org/ 10. 54499/ UIDB/ 00690/ 2020), UIDP/00690/2020 (https:// doi. org/ 10. 54499/ UIDP/ 00690/ 2020), and SusTEC, LA/P/0007/2020 (https://doi.org/10. 54499/ LA/P/0007/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Active learning methodologies in online teaching

Online teaching may be attractive, but by itself it is not enough to guar- antee a quality teaching-learning process. Thus, considering the importance of online teaching in the field of education, it is understood that it is crucial to study the most appropriate active learning methodologies for this type of teaching mo- dality. In this sense, the research aims to identify a set of active learning method- ologies to be adopted for online teaching with the aim of contributing to the di- versity and dynamism of the teaching-learning process in order to contribute to helping the student learn more and better. A systematic literature review is used to identify these methodologies in an online teaching context. The results suggest that these kinds of innovative methodologies seem to be suitable to motivate teachers in their classes, since they make the learning process more dynamic, motivate students to participate in the proposed activities and also allow the in- volvement of all the interveners in the construction of knowledge and, therefore, place the student at the center of learning.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UIDB/05777/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Construyendo un Protocolo de Observación para la Supervisión Pedagógica entre Pares: Hacia una cultura colaborativa, reflexiva e innovadora

Este artigo foca-se na construção de um Protocolo de Observação de Supervisão Pedagógica entre Pares, tendo sido desenvolvido no âmbito do Programa de Mestrado em Supervisão e Inovação em Educação, numa Instituição de Ensino Superior (IES) do nordeste de Portugal Continental. Tem como principal finalidade fornecer uma ferramenta prática e inovadora para enriquecer a supervisão pedagógica destinada à educação pré-escolar e ao 1.º ciclo do ensino básico. O percurso metodológico passou pela revisão da literatura, pela análise de práticas de supervisão em vigor e pela consulta de reconhecidos autores, especialistas nesta área. As implicações práticas deste recurso podem apontar para uma mudança no modo como a supervisão pedagógica entre pares é vista e contribuir para uma abordagem mais colaborativa e mais reflexiva. Apontam-se algumas limitações na aplicação do protocolo e, por isso, sugere-se a sua adaptação e avaliação tendo em conta os diferentes contextos educativos.This article focuses on the construction of a Peer Pedagogical Supervision Observation Protocol, developed within the scope of the Master's Program in Supervision and Innovation in Education, at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the northeast of Continental Portugal. Its main purpose is to provide a practical and innovative tool to enrich pedagogical supervision aimed at preschool education and the 1st cycle of basic education. The methodological journey involved literature review, analysis of current supervision practices, and consultation with recognized authors, experts in this field. The practical implications of this resource may indicate a shift in how peer pedagogical supervision is perceived and contribute to a more collaborative and reflective approach. Some limitations in the application of the protocol are identified, thus suggesting its adaptation and evaluation considering different educational contexts.Este artículo se centra en la construcción de un Protocolo de Observación de Supervisión Pedagógica entre Pares, desarrollado en el marco del Programa de Maestría en Supervisión e Innovación en Educación, en una Institución de Educación Superior (IES) del noreste de Portugal Continental. Su principal objetivo es proporcionar una herramienta práctica e innovadora para enriquecer la supervisión pedagógica dirigida a la educación preescolar y al primer ciclo de la educación básica. El recorrido metodológico incluyó la revisión de la literatura, el análisis de las prácticas de supervisión actuales y la consulta con autores reconocidos, expertos en este campo. Las implicaciones prácticas de este recurso pueden indicar un cambio en la percepción de la supervisión pedagógica entre pares y contribuir a un enfoque más colaborativo y reflexivo. Se identifican algunas limitaciones en la aplicación del protocolo, por lo que se sugiere su adaptación y evaluación considerando diferentes contextos educativos.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio