O contributo das atividades práticas para a aprendizagem significativa dos alunos do 1º ciclo do Ensino Básico em ciências

Relatório de Estágio apresentado para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ensino do 1.º e do 2.º Ciclo do Ensino BásicoEnsino do 1.º e 2.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, realizado na Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Santarém, com o objetivo de cumprir o estipulado no respetivo Regulamento dos segundos ciclos de estudos. Apresenta uma reflexão sobre o meu desempenho na Prática de Ensino Supervisionada, enquanto profissional de educação em formação inicial de professores e um trabalho investigativo desenvolvido no âmbito dessa prática. Organiza-se em duas partes distintas: Parte I – Apresenta uma análise dos contextos de estágio e uma síntese e reflexão das vivências experienciadas ao longo das Práticas de Ensino Supervisionadas no 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, nomeadamente no 2.º e 3.º ano, e no 2.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, em Língua Portuguesa e Historia e Geografia de Portugal e em Matemática e Ciências Naturais. Parte II – Inclui uma investigação sobre o contributo das atividades práticas para a aprendizagem significativa dos alunos do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico em ciências, realizada numa turma do 3.º ano. A metodologia utilizada teve por base uma investigação mista, centrada num estudo de caso. Os alunos dessa turma realizaram três atividades práticas (A, B e C) com diferentes níveis de abertura e espaçamento temporal, sobre ímanes e molas. As respetivas aprendizagens foram avaliadas com recurso aos guiões das atividades práticas, preenchidos pelos alunos, e a escalas de classificação do seu desempenho durante a realização dessas atividades. Os resultados foram expressos através de gráficos. Foi possível verificar um aumento do envolvimento e do desempenho dos alunos entre a realização das atividades A e as atividades B e C. Os conhecimentos adquiridos nas atividades páticas B foram efetivamente mobilizados para uma outra situação (atividades práticas C). Esta investigação mostrou que as atividades práticas foram essenciais para a construção do conhecimento dos alunos em ciências, a curto e longo prazo, contribuindo para uma aprendizagem significativa.The present Report was developed in the context for the Master of Education for Primary and Middle School, completed at the High School of Education of Santarém Polytechnic Institute, with the aim to achieve what was stipulated in the respective Regulation of Second Cycles studies. It introduces a reflection about my performance in the Practice of Supervised Teaching, as a professional of education at the commence of teacher training and an investigation work developed in the context of this practice. It is organized in two distinct parts: Part I – It introduces an analysis of the training contexts and synthesis and reflection about the experiences acquired through the Practice of Supervised Teaching at the Primary School, particularly in the 2nd and 3rd year, and at the Middle School, in Portuguese Language, History and Geography of Portugal and in Maths and Sciences. Part II – It includes an investigation about the contribution of practice activities for the meaningful learning from the students at Primary School in the Sciences, by the 3rd year class. The methodology used in this study case was based on a mixed investigation. The students if this class achieved three hands on activities (A, B and C) with different levels of fissure and temporary gap, on magnets and springs. The respective learnings were appraised with the use of hands on activities from text books, accomplished by the students and also the grading scale of their performance during the achievement of these activities. The results were expressed through graphics. It was possible to verify a rise of the students’ involvement and performance between the achievements of the activities A and activities B and C. the acquired knowledge in the hands on activities B were effectively mobilized to another situation (hands on activities C). This investigation showed that the hands on activities were essential for the students’ building up their knowledge in sciences; short and long term, contributing to a meaningful learning.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Arctic Marine Data Collection Using Oceanic Gliders: Providing Ecological Context to Cetacean Vocalizations

To achieve effective management and understanding of risks associated with increasing anthropogenic pressures in the ocean, it is essential to successfully and efficiently collect data with high spatio–temporal resolution and coverage. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are an example of technological advances with potential to provide improved information on ocean processes. We demonstrate the capabilities of a low-power AUV buoyancy glider for performing long endurance biological and environmental data acquisition in Northern Norway. We deployed a passive acoustic sensor system onboard a SeagliderTM to investigate presence and distribution of cetaceans while concurrently using additional onboard sensors for recording environmental features (temperature, salinity, pressure, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll a). The hydrophone recorded over 108.6 h of acoustic data during the spring months of March and April across the continental shelf break and detected both baleen and odontocete species. We observed a change in cetacean detections throughout the survey period, with humpback whale calls dominating the soundscape in the first weeks of deployment, coinciding with the migration toward their breeding grounds. From mid-April, sperm whales and delphinids were the predominant species, which coincided with increasing chlorophyll a fluorescence values associated with the spring phytoplankton blooms. Finally, we report daily variations in background noise associated with fishing activities and traffic in the nearby East Atlantic shipping route. Our results show that gliders provide excellent platforms for collecting information about ecosystems with minimal disturbance to animals, allowing systematic observations of our ocean biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics in response to natural variations and industrial activities.publishedVersio

Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Song on a Subarctic Feeding Ground

Male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known to produce long complex sequences of structured vocalizations called song. Singing behavior has traditionally been associated with low latitude breeding grounds but is increasingly reported outside these areas. This study provides the first report of humpback whale songs in the subarctic waters of Northern Norway using a long-term bottom-moored hydrophone. Data processed included the months January–June 2018 and December 2018–January 2019. Out of 189 days with recordings, humpback whale singing was heard on 79 days. Singing was first detected beginning of January 2018 with a peak in February and was heard until mid-April. No singing activity was found during the summer months and was heard again in December 2018, continuing over January 2019. A total of 131 song sessions, including 35 full sessions, were identified throughout the study period. The longest and shortest complete sessions lasted 815 and 13 min, respectively. The results confirm that singing can be heard over several months in winter and spring on a high latitude feeding ground. This provides additional evidence to the growing literature that singing is not an explicit behavior confined to low latitude breeding grounds. The peak of song occurrence in February appears to coincide with the reproductive cycle of humpback whales. Finally, this study indicates that song occurrence on a subarctic feeding ground likely aids the cultural transmission for the North Atlantic humpback whale population.publishedVersio

Changes in humpback whale song structure and complexity reveal a rapid evolution on a feeding ground in Northern Norway

Singing behaviour by male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) has traditionally been associated with low-latitude breeding grounds. However, in recent years, this vocal behaviour has been increasingly reported outside these areas. All singers in a given population sing the same version of a song and this song is continually evolving over time with modifications on different levels within the song structure. Tracing changes in whale song will help to undercover the drivers underlying this vocal display and contribute to the understanding of animal culture and its evolution. To determine the progressive changes in songs found on a subarctic feeding ground and migratory stopover, a detailed analysis of humpback whale song recordings from Northern Norway was conducted. Passive acoustic data from the Lofoten-Vesterålen Ocean Observatory (LoVe), collected using a bottom-moored underwater hydrophone, were used from January - April 2018 and January 2019. Two measures of the song structure were examined: (1) sequence similarities using the Levenshtein distance and (2) song complexity using a principal component analysis (PCA). In total, 21 distinct themes were identified which presented highly directional, structural changes over time. Two themes from 2018 reoccurred in 2019, whereas all other themes in 2019 appeared to be evolved versions of 2018 themes. All songs grouped into three general clusters, reflecting the rapid evolution over the study period. With all sampled animals singing the same version of the song, this might indicate that the singers are either from the same breeding population or that song learning occurred before the study period. Song complexity appeared to follow the trend of song progression; songs became more complex as they evolved over the months in 2018 and decreased in complexity between the years, returning to a more simplified song in 2019. The results confirm that humpback whale song exhibits a rapid progression on a shared subarctic feeding ground, with strong potential for song exchange and opportunities for cultural transmission between populations in the North Atlantic

Changes in humpback whale song structure and complexity reveal a rapid evolution on a feeding ground in Northern Norway

Singing behaviour by male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) has traditionally been associated with low-latitude breeding grounds. However, in recent years, this vocal behaviour has been increasingly reported outside these areas. All singers in a given population sing the same version of a song and this song is continually evolving over time with modifications on different levels within the song structure. Tracing changes in whale song will help to undercover the drivers underlying this vocal display and contribute to the understanding of animal culture and its evolution. To determine the progressive changes in songs found on a subarctic feeding ground and migratory stopover, a detailed analysis of humpback whale song recordings from Northern Norway was conducted. Passive acoustic data from the Lofoten-Vesterålen Ocean Observatory (LoVe), collected using a bottom-moored underwater hydrophone, were used from January - April 2018 and January 2019. Two measures of the song structure were examined: (1) sequence similarities using the Levenshtein distance and (2) song complexity using a principal component analysis (PCA). In total, 21 distinct themes were identified which presented highly directional, structural changes over time. Two themes from 2018 reoccurred in 2019, whereas all other themes in 2019 appeared to be evolved versions of 2018 themes. All songs grouped into three general clusters, reflecting the rapid evolution over the study period. With all sampled animals singing the same version of the song, this might indicate that the singers are either from the same breeding population or that song learning occurred before the study period. Song complexity appeared to follow the trend of song progression; songs became more complex as they evolved over the months in 2018 and decreased in complexity between the years, returning to a more simplified song in 2019. The results confirm that humpback whale song exhibits a rapid progression on a shared subarctic feeding ground, with strong potential for song exchange and opportunities for cultural transmission between populations in the North Atlantic.publishedVersio

A review of unmanned vehicles for the detection and monitoring of marine fauna

Recent technology developments have turned present-day unmanned systems into realistic alternatives to traditional marine animal survey methods. Benefits include longer survey durations, improved mission safety, mission repeatability, and reduced operational costs. We review the present status of unmanned vehicles suitable for marine animal monitoring conducted in relation to industrial offshore activities, highlighting which systems are suitable for three main monitoring types: population, mitigation, and focal animal monitoring. We describe the technical requirements for each of these monitoring types and discuss the operational aspects. The selection of a specific sensor/platform combination depends critically on the target species and its behaviour. The technical specifications of unmanned platforms and sensors also need to be selected based on the surrounding conditions of a particular offshore project, such as the area of interest, the survey requirements and operational constraints

Autonomous Surface and Underwater Vehicles as Effective Ecosystem Monitoring and Research Platforms in the Arctic—The Glider Project

Effective ocean management requires integrated and sustainable ocean observing systems enabling us to map and understand ecosystem properties and the effects of human activities. Autonomous subsurface and surface vehicles, here collectively referred to as “gliders”, are part of such ocean observing systems providing high spatiotemporal resolution. In this paper, we present some of the results achieved through the project “Unmanned ocean vehicles, a flexible and cost-efficient offshore monitoring and data management approach—GLIDER”. In this project, three autonomous surface and underwater vehicles were deployed along the Lofoten–Vesterålen (LoVe) shelf-slope-oceanic system, in Arctic Norway. The aim of this effort was to test whether gliders equipped with novel sensors could effectively perform ecosystem surveys by recording physical, biogeochemical, and biological data simultaneously. From March to September 2018, a period of high biological activity in the area, the gliders were able to record a set of environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, and oxygen, map the spatiotemporal distribution of zooplankton, and record cetacean vocalizations and anthropogenic noise. A subset of these parameters was effectively employed in near-real-time data assimilative ocean circulation models, improving their local predictive skills. The results presented here demonstrate that autonomous gliders can be effective long-term, remote, noninvasive ecosystem monitoring and research platforms capable of operating in high-latitude marine ecosystems. Accordingly, these platforms can record high-quality baseline environmental data in areas where extractive activities are planned and provide much-needed information for operational and management purposes

Unmanned aerial vehicles for marine mammal surveys in arctic and sub-arctic regions

New tools and methods are needed to monitor marine resources so that industrial activities can be conducted without (or at least minimizing) adverse impacts on species of concern. UAVs can be used as a complementary or alternative tool to current methods for monitoring and research of marine mammals. This study highlights current knowledge gaps and the need for further empirical testing of these systems. The capabilities of a system must be well understood before field trials are carried out. Platforms and sensors have different qualities and limitations, and will perform differently depending on the type of monitoring needed. When conducting field tests, it is important to acknowledge the many factors that may bias image analyses. Factors external to the survey equipment (such as environmental features) may affect UAV data differently than visual observer-based aerial survey data (hereby manned-surveys). Changes in pixel size due to aircraft movement may affect the resolution in which an animal is present within an image and is therefore a measure that should be included in analyses of digital imagery. Certainty of detections is a measure of relevance for such analyses as it provides a better understanding of the effects of environmental and survey-related covariates on image analysts' capabilities to detect an animal. Multiple aircraft or single aircraft maneuvers are often conducted to validate observations and estimate animal availability. To increase the number of detections when using multiple aircraft, one must consider animal availability parameters that can bias estimates of abundance or density. Simulation studies considering survey features and animal behavior can be used to improve data acquisition using digital imagery (e.g., deployed by UAVs). Overall, this highlights the complexity of monitoring programs, and shows how technological progress is valuable not only for environmental scientists, but also for industry managers and regulators

Unmanned aerial vehicles for marine mammal surveys in arctic and sub-arctic regions

New tools and methods are needed to monitor marine resources so that industrial activities can be conducted without (or at least minimizing) adverse impacts on species of concern. UAVs can be used as a complementary or alternative tool to current methods for monitoring and research of marine mammals. This study highlights current knowledge gaps and the need for further empirical testing of these systems. The capabilities of a system must be well understood before field trials are carried out. Platforms and sensors have different qualities and limitations, and will perform differently depending on the type of monitoring needed. When conducting field tests, it is important to acknowledge the many factors that may bias image analyses. Factors external to the survey equipment (such as environmental features) may affect UAV data differently than visual observer-based aerial survey data (hereby manned-surveys). Changes in pixel size due to aircraft movement may affect the resolution in which an animal is present within an image and is therefore a measure that should be included in analyses of digital imagery. Certainty of detections is a measure of relevance for such analyses as it provides a better understanding of the effects of environmental and survey-related covariates on image analysts' capabilities to detect an animal. Multiple aircraft or single aircraft maneuvers are often conducted to validate observations and estimate animal availability. To increase the number of detections when using multiple aircraft, one must consider animal availability parameters that can bias estimates of abundance or density. Simulation studies considering survey features and animal behavior can be used to improve data acquisition using digital imagery (e.g., deployed by UAVs). Overall, this highlights the complexity of monitoring programs, and shows how technological progress is valuable not only for environmental scientists, but also for industry managers and regulators