Rural tourism: what is the influence of SPA as a decision factor in the accommodation choice?

The purpose of this study is to analyse the influence of the spa as a decision factor in the rural tourism accommodation choice. A survey was administered on a final sample of 342 respondents that attended a rural tourism site at least once in their lives. The results revealed that older tourists usually travel with their partner and family while younger tourists usually travel with their friends. When travelling with their family, tourists are looking to spend time with them. On the other hand, findings also reveal that when travelling without children, “escape from daily routine”, “nature” and “new experiences” and “peace and quiet” are the main motivations for tourists. A cluster analysis revealed distinct groups based on their spa preferences and most valued accommodation features, resulting in the “Low Spa Preferences and Features” and the “High Spa Preferences and Features” segments. This second segment is looking for a full experience including: activities, quality and design features and relaxing at the spa. It was concluded that for this tourist-segment, the spa is a decisive factor for the accommodation choice. In order to further develop and detailed understanding of this tourist profile, future research should focus on in-depth one-to-one interviews.O objetivo deste estudo é analisar a influência do spa como fator de decisão na escolha do alojamento de turismo em espaço rural. Foi aplicado um questionário numa amostra final de 342 pessoas que frequentaram um espaço de turismo rural pelo menos uma vez uma vez na vida. Os resultados revelaram que turistas mais velhos tendem a viajar com o seu companheiro(a) ou família, enquanto os turistas mais novos tipicamente viajam com amigos. Quando viajam com a família, os turistas procuram passar tempo com ela. Por outro lado, o estudo revela que quando os turistas viajam sem crianças, “escapar à rotina”, “natureza” e “novas experiências” e “paz e sossego” são as suas principais motivações. Uma análise de cluster revelou dois grupos distintos com base nas preferências em relação ao spa e às características do alojamento mais valorizadas, o que resultou nos segmentos “Low Spa Preferences and Features” e o segmento “High Spa Preferences and Features”. Este último segmento procura uma experiencia completa, com atividades dentro e fora do alojamento, características relativas à qualidade e ao design do alojamento, bem como o spa para relaxar. Concluiu-se ainda que para este segmento, o spa é um fator decisivo na sua escolha de um alojamento de turismo em espaço rural. No sentido de desenvolver uma análise mais detalhada do seu perfil, entrevistas individuais e in-depth deverão ser endereçadas em futuros estudos

Self-concept of competence of higher education students learning in virtual environments

Assuming that academic success is influenced not only by the power of learning but also by the way students perceive themselves, we have relied on national studies concerning self-concept of competence of students. The main issue was to situate the self-concept of competence of university students into new virtual learning environments. We aim validate the instrument for collecting empirical data adapted to virtual learning environments, identify the degree of selfconcept of competence, when learning in such an approach, and estimate whether students perceive themselves as much or more competent than in real environments with face-to-face interaction. This research involved 280 higher education students in Social Sciences, who appraised perception and self-concept of competence. The main findings indicate favorable self-concept of competence. Also, the results suggest that the application of online pedagogical models may have a very positive impact on self-concept of competence of students in higher education, even in social dimensions and in the perception of a careful coaching.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologi

A configuração de comunidades de aprendizagem em blended learning no ensino superior

VII Conferência Internacional de TIC na Educação, realizada em BragaEm tempos de profundas transformações sociais, económicas e culturais e vertiginosa evolução das tecnologias de informação e da comunicação deparamo-nos com a necessidade de redefinir pedagogia, também, no Ensino Superior. O enfoque nas competências e o apelo à mobilidade pelo Processo de Bolonha convidam a um paradigma educacional que privilegie novas formas de pensar, desenvolver e avaliar os processos de formação centrados no estudante e nas suas estratégias de autorregulação e domínio de ferramentas mediatizadas pelas oportunidades tecnológicas e reflexividade em parceria, sob supervisão dos professores facilitadores da aprendizagem. Este trabalho visa, pois, ilustrar a operatividade de modelos em blended learning, analisando o impacto de novos cenários de aprendizagem na criação de comunidades, de aprendizagem baseada em problemas. Para tal, exploramos relações possíveis entre modalidades de ensino presencial e online, em que a relação pedagógica estabelecida face-a-face é confrontada com a criação de comunidades virtuais de aprendizagem e de investigação.When there are profound social, economic and cultural changes and rapid evolution of information and communication technologies we are faced with the need to redefine pedagogy in higher education. The focus on skills and appeal to mobility subscribed by the ways of thinking, develop and evaluate training processes, student-centred and fostering its self-regulation and mastery of tools influenced by technological opportunities and refection in partnership, under the supervision of teachers and facilitators of learning. This work aims illustrate the operativity of models in blended learning, analyzing the impact of new scenarios in creating learning communities, problem-based. To this end, we explore possible relations between modalities of presencial and on-line teaching, in which the pedagogical relationship established face-to-face is compared with the generation of virtual communities of learning and inquiry

Education and learning in higher education in Portugal: evaluation of the self concept of competence in online environments

Conferência internacional realizada de 10-11 de Novembro de 2011 no "Palazzo Medici Riccardi", em FlorençaStudies focused on learning experiences have clarified the concept of education in higher education, particularly in Portugal, but few have elucidated about virtual environments on academic achievement and feelings of competence of students as they learn. On the assumption that academic success is influenced not only by the power of learning but also the way students perceive themselves, and that these factors predict their subsequent success, we've relied on national studies concerning self- concept of competence of students. The main issue was to situate the self-concept of competence of university students into new virtual learning environments through online methods of teaching.This research involved 278 higher education students enrolled in classes for courses in Social Sciences which was introduced a novel approach, with education mediated by web tools, and then appraised on their perception and self-concept of competence. We rely on the Self-Concept of Competence Scale, having adapted all 31 items to online environments. The main findings indicate that the students had high perceptions of their self-concept level of competence. The results suggest therefore that the application of online pedagogical models, may have a very positive impact on self-concept of competence of students in higher education, even in social dimensions

How reliable and consistent is our learning community of inquiry? Psychometric qualities of the community inquiry survey instrument applied to a sample of higher education portuguese students

The purpose of this study was to report on the adaptation and empirical evidence to support the validation of the Community of Inquiry Survey Instrument based on the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2000). The participants for this study were undergraduate students (n = 280) enrolled in blended online courses offered through Moodle platform during one semester at different Portuguese high schools and university, involving students of diverse courses (specially in Health and Education). Factor analysis of student responses identified a three factor model which was tested through confirmatory factor analysis and found to be an acceptable fit to the predicted population model. Results from this study suggest that the instrument is a valid, reliable, and nefficient measure of its dimensions; thereby the CoI survey holds promise as a useful evaluation tool for providing formative and summative feedback about the effectiveness of online courses and programs considering Garrison and collaborator’s model for constructing effective learning environments. The study also discuses potential implications of the CoI measures for innovations in the field of New Technologies in Education peculiarly in the nearest context of teaching and learning of emergent communities of practice, of learning and of inquiry web mediated

Fatores Influentes nos Programas Terapêuticos em Doença Mental

O presente estudo partiu de reflexões acerca dos movimentos da reforma assistencial psiquiátrica e o processo de desinstitucionalização. Apresenta-se a evolução dos espaços de loucura e da Saúde Mental até aos conceitos de comunidade terapêutica, reabilitação psicossocial e suporte social. A Saúde mental não pode ser considerada de forma restrita ao indivíduo pois reflete uma experiência grupal. Objetivo: Identificar variáveis capazes de influenciar o decurso de um processo terapêutico, em regime de comunidade terapêutica na área da Saúde Mental. Método: estudo de natureza mista, de carácter exploratório, contou com a informação relativa a 112 pacientes que estão ou estiveram incluídos no programa terapêutico de uma instituição vocacionada para intervenção em sujeitos com patologia mental severa. Foi utilizada uma grelha por nós construída de forma a obter dados relativos às variáveis idade, diagnóstico, nível de retração social, especificidades da estrutura familiar, suporte disponibilizado, grau de motivação e tipo de alta. Resultados: Os dados revelam a importância do tipo de diagnóstico, especificidades da estrutura familiar e grau de motivação para o processo terapêutico. Por meio destas variáveis podemos indiciar o sucesso ou insucesso terapêutico de um doente mental com uma probabilidade de 71,4%. Os dados sublinham ainda a importância da interação social e comportamentos da família para a motivação do doente para o tratamento. / This study was based on reflections about the movements of the psychiatric care reform and the process of deinstitutionalization. It presents the evolution of the spaces of madness and mental health to the concepts of therapeutic community, psychosocial rehabilitation and social support. The mental health can not be considered narrowly as the individual reflects a group experience. Objective: To identify variables that influence the course of a therapeutic process, on a therapeutic community in the area of Mental Health. Method: study of a mixed nature, exploratory, had information on 112 patients who are or have been included in the therapeutic program of an institution devoted to intervention in subjects with severe mental illness. We used a grid constructed by us to obtain data on age, diagnosis, level of social withdrawal, specific family structure, support available, motivation level and type of discharge. Results: The data reveal the importance of the type of diagnosis, the specific family structure and degree of motivation for the therapeutic process. By means of these variables can indicate the success or treatment failure of a mental patient with a probability of 71.4%. The data underline the importance of social interaction and behavior of the family to the patient's motivation for treatment

Modelling the In vitro growth of phytopathogenic filamentous fungi and Oomycetes: The gompertz parameters as robust indicators of propolis antifungal action

Propolis is a resinous mixture produced by honeybees, mainly from plant exudates. With a rich chemical composition including many phenolic compounds, mostly responsible for its biological properties, namely antimicrobial ones, propolis may be a promising alternative to synthetic pesticides. The study of propolis from the south of Portugal and of its potential against phytopathogenic agents are still very recent and different methodological approaches hinder a comparison of efficacies. In this context, we aimed to test the value of a mathematical model for the multiparametric characterization of propolis’ antifungal action on solid medium assays. An ethanol extract (EE) of a propolis sample harvested in 2016 from Alves (A16) was characterized in terms of phenolic composition and antimicrobial potential against five phytopathogenic species. A16.EE (500–2000 µg/mL) inhibited the mycelial growth of all the species, with Phytophthora cinnamomi and Biscogniauxia mediterranea being the most susceptible and Colletotrichum acutatum being the least affected. The Gompertz mathematical model proved to be a suitable tool for quantitatively describing the growth profiles of fungi and oomycetes, and its parameters exhibit a high level of discrimination. Our results reveal that propolis extracts may have potential applications beyond traditional uses, particularly within the agri-food sector, allowing beekeepers to make their businesses more profitable and diversified.FCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(UIDB/04050/2020