Corporate blended learning in Portugal: current status and future directions

The aim of this study is to characterize the current status of blended learning in Portugal, given that b-learning has grown exponentially in the Portuguese market over recent years. 38 organizations (representing 68% of all institutions certified to provide distance training by the Government Labour Office – DGERT -) participated in this study. The results revealed that in 2007, although the predominant instructional format in Portugal was still face-to-face training (65%), e-learning at 15% came in behind b-learning with 20%. Data also revealed that 50% of distance training department coordinators believe that b-learning produces better training outcomes than face-to-face training alone, when considering the same content and learning objectives. Furthermore, when comparing b-learning and e-learning outcomes with similar content and learning objectives, 78.1% of these coordinators declared that b-learning produces better outcomes than e-learning alone. Hence, the content analysis indicated positive perceptions with regard to the future direction of b-learning, leading to the conclusion that in the long-term, corporate b-learning training will develop considerably in this country

The Eastward Enlargement of the Eurozone: Trade and FDI

Trade and FDI, Economic Integration

Socioeconomic classification of the working-age Brazilian population: a joint latent class analysis using social class and asset-based perspectives

This paper presents and applies a methodology of socioeconomic classification that integrates asset- and social class approaches. We employ data from the 2013 Brazilian National Household Survey and use latent class analysis to identify clusters and classify the working population. With regard to social class the Brazilian occupations are classified based on the European Socioeconomic Classification (ESeC) schema and an indicator of employment status. As for household wealth, we use the items related to household condition, ownership of durable goods and access to public services with the highest discriminatory power. We also make use of variables that account for the Brazilian spatial and socio-demographic heterogeneity. We found four clusters which we term latent socioeconomic stratum (LSeS). When compared we found an ordered pattern from the best-off LSeS (1) to the worst-off (4) with respect to household wealth and ESeC classes. Nevertheless, although the class composition of each LSeS reveals a distinct concentration of specific ESeC classes, all classes are present in each LSeS. Controlling for social class, differences in household wealth are more marked between LSeS than between social classes within the same LSeS. Hence, the methodology unveils the latent socioeconomic strata, reveals a class schema for each stratum and points out potential stratum fractions within them. The results were validated using variables external to the model, namely household food security status and years of schooling. The external validation revealed the same ordered pattern and the presence of stratum fractions.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Engine design using rapid prototyping techniques

An internal combustion engine was designed in ProEngineer. The aim of this project was to develop a proposefull tool enabling the rapid design/development of the required engine. The first non-working model was built using a rapid prototyping machine. A visual analysis of the engine head model shown various fields where improvements could be made on the engine design. Therefore, the head was re-designed taking that into account. The second phase of the project involves the actual production of low cost direct casting moulds straight from the engine design. Design and manufacture integration now possible through Rapid Prototyping techniques enabled drastic reductions of the design-development-casting process effort.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Programa Operacional Ciência e Inovação (POCI)

Mapping European social psychology: co-word analysis of the communications at the 10th General Meeting of the EAESP

This study aims to provide a picture of the present European research topics in Social Psychology, using the 339 papers presented at the 1993 General Meeting of the EAESP. The most frequent themes of research are analysed and the structure of the association of those themes are described in a two-factor structure. The first factor differentiates research in terms of level of analysis and the second factor contrasts types of applied research

Processing of titanium aluminides by ceramic crucible induction melting

This work describes the processing results of TiAl alloys melted in controlled atmosphere induction furnace, using crucibles made of calcia and zirconia stabilised with yttria, calcia and magnesia, solidified and inside the crucible, in order to simulate the worst situation using this processing. In the results are presented segregation profiles of residual elements and its relation with micro hardness and “alpha-case” extension, in the microconstituents present at room temperatur

The production of TiAl by foundry processes

This paper describes a foundry technique that enables the production of TiAl employing an adapted melting procedure that uses an induction furnace with suitable refractory crucibles, inside a controlled atmosphere chamber. The developed technique allows the production of samples with a low and controlled amount of residual elements, with a thin superficial hard skin – known as “alpha-case” – and allows the use of higher superheating temperatures, when compared with alternative melting procedures. The micro-hardness and the residual contamination profiles, from the outside to the interior of samples, are presented and correlated to crucible refractory material and foundry practice.(undefined

Conservation of Orbital Angular Momentum in Stimulated Down-Conversion

We report on an experiment demonstrating the conservation of orbital angular momentum in stimulated down-conversion. The orbital angular momentum is not transferred to the individual beams of the spontaneous down-conversion, but it is conserved when twin photons are taken individually. We observe the conservation law for an individual beam of the down-conversion through cavity-free stimulated emission.Comment: Submitted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let