Evaluation of the implementation process of a new mathematics curriculum for Grades 1-­‐9: A discussion of the main results

Recently, a new Mathematics curriculum for basic education (Grades 1-9) has been introduced in the Portuguese educational system. This curriculum was designed to bring together some disperse curricular documents and to substitute the former one that was being used since the early 90s. But, above all, the new curriculum was aimed at providing a more sustained development of students’ mathematical learning based upon recent international recommendations for mathematics teaching and learning. The new curriculum implementation was strongly supported by a special designed programme aimed at providing scientific and pedagogical support to all teachers of Grades 1-9 throughout all the schools of the country. Before its generalization to all basic education schools of the country, the new curriculum had been put into practice by 40 teachers of the different grade levels for a three-year period. These teachers had the opportunity to attend a number of workshops and to share their experiences in a variety of contexts. In fact, they functioned as a true network, working in close collaboration. Besides they were also in touch with the authors of the new curriculum to insure that it was put into practice according to the authors’ proposal. At the same time the Ministry of Education appointed a team of three mathematics educators to conduct a three-year evaluation study of the whole process of implementation of the new curriculum. An overview of this evaluation study will be presented: Besides, teachers’ classroom practices as well as the ideas they shared through their collaborative work, will be also presented and discussed. This discussion will illustrate some of the features of the new curriculum. As a matter of fact, data seem to suggest that some improvements are already visible, namely regarding students’ attitudes and competences and teachers’ practices. Tasks selected and used by the teachers, teaching strategies they used, and students’ work on those tasks will also be presented and analysed

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION – THE STUDY CASE OF THE POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE OF BEJA, PORTUGAL

It is widely recognized that the investment in human capital, innovation, and knowledge transfer is essential to sustainable development and growth. Within this context, the role and action of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are vital. This paper aims to reflect on the role and the economic impact of a higher education institution, based on the case study of a public HEIs in Portugal namely the Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja). This institution belongs to the subsystem of polytechnic higher education and is located in a region that has one of the lowest economic and population densities in Europ

Wastewater treatment of biodiesel production using persulphate ion as an oxidant

The production of biodiesel produces a highly polluting effluent, because presents high values of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), oils and fats, among other contaminants. Sodium persulphate is a powerful oxidant (Eº = 2.1V). In addition to the direct oxidation that is favored in alkaline media, it can be induced by photolytic processes, catalytic and / or catalytic photos forming sulphate radicals (Eº = 2.6 V) thus providing reaction mechanisms with free radicals like hydroxyl radicals

As Aprendizagens e as Práticas de Ensino e de Avaliação: Um Eixo Crucial para a Qualidade no Ensino Superior

A Declaração de Bolonha desencadeou vastas reformas nas instituições do ensino superior tanto a nível organizativo como estrutural, que deveriam ter implicações no processo de ensino, aprendizagem e avaliação, ao enfatizarem a tutoria universitária, pois envolvem a personalização desses processos e arrastam a opção por uma via de aprendizagem autónoma e cooperativa por parte dos estudantes. O papel do professor deveria ser o de orientador do processo de aprendizagem e facilitador da aquisição e desenvolvimento de competências básicas e profissionais nos estudantes, incrementando a sua autonomia, pensamento crítico e a reflexão sobre o seu próprio processo de aprendizagem (Zabalza, 2002). Este paradigma implica, necessariamente, que os docentes universitários se desloquem do pólo do ensino para o pólo da aprendizagem e que se preocupem não apenas com o ensinar mas, sobretudo, com o fazer aprender. É necessário, por conseguinte, adaptar a organização, a planificação e os métodos de ensino e de avaliação aos diferentes modos e estilos de aprendizagem dos estudantes e aos seus diversos interesses, motivações, capacidades e expectativas. Vários estudos (Patrícia Albergaria-Almeida, José Teixeira-Dias, Mariana Martinho, & Chinthaka Balasooriya, 2011; Aliki Thomas, Alenoush Saroyan, & W. Dale Dauphinee, 2011) indicam que a utilização de métodos de trabalho assentes na mediação, participação e colaboração produzem impactos positivos na aprendizagem com resultados evidentes no rendimento académico. O desenvolvimento destas competências nos estudantes implica novas competências profissionais que obrigam a repensar as políticas de formação dos docentes do ensino superior

Sustainable branding in luxury business development: The case of the Luxury Hospitality sector

For many years, luxury was seen as never changing and almost untouchable industry when it comes to market adaptation since its consumers would search for these brands regardless of trends. Nonetheless, in a constantly evolving business scenario, all brands must adapt, not only in order to remain competitive but, in the specificity of the luxury scenario, also to have an adequate offer for the new generations and their inherent concerns. One of these concerns that the younger generation generally has is regarding sustainability and the protection of the resources that exist in the planet. Not only that but also the increasing awareness about social issues that are behind most of the big corporations. Therefore, there is a gap in understanding the applicability of sustainability in luxury companies when new business is being developed. Hence, this thesis aims to answer the question of “How do luxury companies implement sus-tainable branding within business development considering the enablers, drivers, barriers and challenges inherent to the branding process and its steps?”. Additionally, the author proposes to achieve the objectives of defining branding, luxury, sustainability, sustainable luxury branding and their inherent dimensions; identifying the phases of the sustainable branding process when inserted in a business development scenario; understanding what the drivers, enablers, challenges, and barriers in the sustainable branding process are; and exploring the sustainable branding process in a luxury company within the hospitality sector. When it comes to the key concepts of this thesis, they definitely are branding, luxury, sustainability, and sustainable luxury branding. The first three are key to understand the basis of the existing models in the literature whereas the last is not very commonly defined but is integrated in this paper as a combination of the main terms. All of these definitions as well as their dimensions and associated models are crucial to study the issue of this thesis. The methods used for the empirical research on this thesis were interpretivism with a deductive approach since the author made use of qualitative collection methods such as semi-structured interviews and secondary data through a case study strategy. All of this methodology was applied due to the subjectiveness of the issue which was more easily met with qualitative data and analysis. As for the main findings in this thesis, they were the synergy between luxury and sustainability; the constancy of sustainable branding in the whole process of luxury business development; and the drivers, enablers, challenges, and barriers affecting the sustainable branding process in luxury hospitality companies. To conclude, the author was able to answer the research question through a revised model of the literature that encompassed all the empirical findings even though there were limitations such as sample size and diversity and some possible language barriers

Formas e sabores: representações do corpo e da comida em jovens do Baixo Alentejo

Dissertação mest., Psicologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2008This work focuses on the representations of the body and the conceptualization of food, which function as a leading thread to an in-depth study on how adolescents represent the body in general and in a more specific manner. For this purpose, 523 female and male adolescents, between ages 12-19, answered a questionnaire, which was wholly elaborated for this study. In order to obtain their opinion on the concept of the body (both in a wide and narrow perspective) and food (in accordance with the cognitive and symbolic dimensions) we opted for a method centered on the theory of the social representations. As observed in previous studies, we confirmed that girls expressed more concern regarding the body image than that expressed by boys. These worry more about weight and appearance. It is important to stress the common discomfort with the body that both genders demonstrated, although the male behavior is easier identifiable. Questions related with affective and sexual aspects don?t evidence a discrepancy between the two genders, pointing out the importance of sexuality during adolescence. We observed that those who attribute more importance to the context where the body exist, namely the facts that refer to life, health and sex, are older. In consequence, they highlight the relational and experimental components of the body, whereas those, who are younger, focus their attention on the physiognomical and maturative features of the body. It is important to emphasize that the former appear to be more happy and satisfied that the latter. When questioned about their own body, boys value the imagery associated with physical activities (such as running, sport, muscle, effort, strength), while girls give more significance to the image of the body, specifically to accessories (clothes) and the body itself (fat). Boys reinforce their curiosity about sexuality. Analyzing the group in terms of age, we verified that the representations of their own body are similar to those of the body in general. The observed girls allude more to the form of the body (they feel themselves fatter) than the boys. It is not clear that girls adopt behaviours of alimentary restriction; results only suggest that some of the named foods do not seem to be those that habitually enter in the diet. However, it is the girls that disclose to greater concern with the caloric composition, when compared with the boys. The oldest participants seem to have a bigger control on their alimentary options, gaining a more healthful alimentary style than the younger ones. This presumption is derives from the fact that the former reveal behaviours that denounce some planning and intrinsic rules to the alimentary behaviour, associate well-being, joy, satisfaction and energy, while that latter denote a less healthful diet (ice cream, pizza, burgers and chocolate) and, as a possible consequence , they disclose concerns with fat, health and activity. We conclude that in order to guide adolescents (particularly girls and younger adolescents) in a healthful and balanced diet, bearing in mind the values and symbolisms of the body in its diverse dimensions, is a great challenge for both professionals of health and educators (teachers, parents) in the scope of programs that aim the promotion and protection of health

O Conhecimento Didáctico e a Formação Inicial de Professores de Matemática

O principal objectivo desta investigação foi compreender, a partir do ponto de vista de quem se forma, o significado que dois futuros professores de Matemática atribuem à sua formação inicial e à Didáctica da Matemática em particular, tendo em conta o conhecimento didáctico. Para concretizar a investigação utilizou-se uma metodologia de natureza qualitativa e interpretativa em que se privilegiou uma recolha de dados empíricos com base em entrevistas biográficas, observações de aulas e consulta de uma variedade de documentos. Em relação à formação inicial, os participantes têm a expectativa de aprender a ensinar Matemática baseada numa visão racional e instrumentalista, onde esperavam que lhes fosse apresentado, de forma prescritiva, como ensina. Na opinião dos participantes, a Didáctica da Matemática foi a disciplina da formação inicial que mais proporcionou a ligação teoria-prática e que maior relação teve com o desempenho profissional. Contudo, apresentaram uma visão, eminentemente, prescritiva de como deveria ser a abordagem na disciplina. O estágio pedagógico constituiu, para os participantes, o primeiro contacto com a profissão e foi considerado como um espaço de grande aprendizagem, crescimento pessoal e profissional e, consequentemente, um momento importante de formação. Todos os participantes manifestaram um conhecimento didáctico muito incipiente, mas propõem a existência de prática pedagógica ao longo da licenciatura para melhor permitir o desenvolvimento deste tipo de conhecimento e para melhor proporcionar a ligação entre a teoria e a prática.CIE

Optimization and validation of methods for the determination of lipid composition in macroalgal matrices – characterization of undervalued red and brown macroalgae species

Red and brown macroalgae are a natural source of bioactives, like polyphenols, carotenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), with several industrial applications, including food and feed. Polar lipids (PL), such as glycolipids (GL), are an important fraction of macroalgae lipids standing out due to their antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. The present work aimed to optimize and validate an analytical protocol, based on an HPTLC (High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography) method, for the characterization of macroalgae lipid classes. Two extraction protocols were considered: Folch and Bligh and Dyer. The lipid composition of two red (Asparagopsis armata and A. taxiformis) and brown algae (Treptacantha abies-marina and Cystoseira humilis) were studied, along with the effect of drying conditions: sun and shade. Total lipid (TL) content ranged between 1.89-2.43% dw, in C. humilis (shadedried, Folch) and A. armata (shade-dried, Bligh and Dyer), respectively. Both shade-dried Asparagopsis (Folch method) were the exception, showing higher contents: 3.15 and 3.20% dw (A. armata and A. taxiformis, respectively). The PL were globally the most abundant, especially in A. taxiformis (74.3 to 88.1% of TL, sun- and shade-dried, respectively). Among PL, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) was predominant, while triacylglycerols (TAG) and diacylglycerols (DAG) were predominant in non-polar lipids. The highest PUFA contents were observed in brown macroalgae, leveraged by high contents of arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4 n-6), representing 14.0-17.4% of total fatty acids (FA) (sun-dried Cystoseira and shade-dried Treptacantha, respectively). Red algae, instead, contained mainly saturated fatty acids. The brown algae FA profile of PL highlighted phospholipids as the fraction with the highest PUFA amounts (40.7 and 43.5%, for Cystoseira and Treptacantha, respectively), where ARA accounted nearly 50% of total PUFA. Considering the ARA benefits including antitumoral activity and reduction of farmed fish larval stress, both C. humilis and T. abies-marina may be beneficial if incorporated in food and feed formulations

Ensino e aprendizagem de números e álgebra

Este texto pretende fazer uma apresentação do simpósio 3 – Números e Álgebra – em primeiro lugar através de um enquadramento teórico relativo aos conceitos e em segundo lugar introduzindo as comunicações aí constante