Educação para a cidadania em Portugal : os vinte cinco anos de democracia

Este artigo analisa o papel do Ministério da Educação na formação para a Cidadania em Portugal no período pós 1974. Numa primeira fase consideram-se as alterações das relações de poder nas escolas, a revisão geral dos programas do Antigo Regime, a unificação do 3º Ciclo, a substituição da História pelos Estudos Sociais e a criação da Educação Cívica Politécnica. A segunda fase evidencia o processo de normalização dos programas escolares na qual todas as experiências anteriores foram suspensas. A terceira fase começa com a aprovação da Lei de Bases, que relançou o debate sobre Educação Cívica como objectivo central da Educação. Finalmente na quarta fase, considerada pela autora como a da Educação para a Cidadania Democrática, diferentes factores influenciaram a educação em Portugal: a queda do Muro de Berlim com a consequente liberalização dos países de Leste, a internacionalização do processo de construção europeia e o dinamismo das escolas com projectos financiados pela União Europeia, foram alguns dos mais importantes

Examining the effect of lab instructions on students' critical thinking during a chemical inquiry practical

Developing students' critical thinking skills is often seen as an important educational goal for inquiry assignments. In this study, we investigated to what extent pre-laboratory activities of a chemical inquiry assignment influence students' independent critical thinking. We compared two forms of pre-laboratory activities that are frequently used in educational practice to prepare students for their inquiry assignments: on the one hand paved road pre-laboratory activities that lead students with sensemaking preparatory questions and on the other, critical-thinking pre-laboratory activities in which students start with the development of an experiment plan using provided information and criteria for a good experimental design. We conducted this study two years in succession in senior year Dutch high school chemistry classes during an inquiry assignment that involved the study of the relation between reaction kinetics and molecular reaction mechanisms of organic nucleophilic substitution reactions (SN1/SN2). We focused on aspects associated with critical thinking, such as the desire to understand what is observed and to be able to adjust an existing method or model on the basis of experimental data. The results show that the design of pre-laboratory activities strongly influence the critical thinking exhibited by students during their inquiry activities, whereby students who perform critical thinking pre-laboratory activities are more motivated to think more deeply about the meaning of their measurements than students that perform paved road pre-laboratory activities

Quasi-dynamic network loading: Adding queuing and spillback to static traffic assignment

For many years, static traffic assignment models have been widely applied in transport planning studies and will continue to be an important tool for strategic policy decisions. As is well known, in the traditional approach, the location of the delays and queues are not predicted correctly, and the resulting travel times do not correspond well with reality. Dynamic models can approach reality much better, but come at a computational cost. In this paper we propose a quasi-dynamic model which inherits most of the computational efficiency of static models, but aims to keep most of the important dynamic features, such as queuing, spillback, and shockwaves. Instead of adjusting the traditional static model or using heuristics, we theoretically derive the model from the dynamic link transmission model, assuming stationary travel demand and instantaneous flow. Furthermore, we present algorithms for solving the model. On a corridor network we illustrate the feasibility and compare it with other approaches, and on a larger network of Amsterdam we discuss the computational efficiency

Um estudo do desempenho de estudantes do ensino médio em questões contextualizadas envolvendo funções quadráticas

This study aims to examine the difficulties found by high school students of a public school in João Pessoa-PB concerning contextualized mathematical questions on quadratic functions. This qualitative and exploratory research uses open questionnaire containing contextualized questions on second-degree function from previous editions of ENEM and other kind of Vestibular Exams as mechanisms of data collection and production. The questionnaires were applied to students from 1stand 3rdHigh School grades of a public school and used afterwards to make a comparative study with the recommendations of the National Common Curricular Base and Mathematics text books. The students responses were corrected and analyzed in order to understand the difficulties encountered by them. In most cases, student presented interpretation problems and several mistakes on the domain of basic operations involving whole numbers. Despite having studied the content before, students from the 1stgradehad insufficient performances. Students of the 3 rd grade were higher in quality, for some of them managed to use appropriate strategies to reach part of the solution, however the results showed that some of them were not able to find the correct answer for not having carefully observed what was being requested in the statement. The conclusion is that, in order to enhance the performance of students, it is necessary to focus on contextualized issues as to improve their skill on solving mathematical problems.O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal pesquisar as dificuldades encontradas por estudantes do Ensino Médio de uma escola da rede estadual da cidade de João Pessoa, ao responderem questões matemáticas contextualizadas envolvendo funções quadráticas. Para isso, desenvolvemos uma pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo exploratório, utilizando como instrumento de produção e coleta de dados um questionário aberto contendo questões contextualizadas de edições anteriores do ENEM e vestibulares, referentes ao tema função do 2o grau, aplicado a estudantes dos 1o e 3o anos do Ensino Médio. Fizemos um comparativo dos conhecimentos demandados para resolução das questões com as recomendações da Base Nacional Comum Curricular e o livro didático de Matemática utilizado na escola campo e, após correção e análise das respostas dos estudantes participantes da pesquisa, apresentamos e discutimos as dificuldades encontradas por eles. De maneira geral os estudantes apresentaram problemas de interpretação dos enunciados e cometeram muitos erros relacionados ao domínio das operações básicas envolvendo números inteiros. Os estudantes do 1o ano apresentaram um desempenho insuficiente, apesar de já terem estudado o conteúdo abordado nas questões, na ocasião da aplicação do questionário, e os estudantes do 3o ano apresentaram melhores resultados, embora alguns tenham conseguido utilizar estratégias adequadas e gerar parte da solução, mas tão tendo chegado à resposta correta, por não ter observado com cuidado o que estava sendo solicitado no enunciado. Concluímos ser necessário um trabalho maior em sala de aula com foco em questões contextualizadas, de modo a melhorar o desempenho dos estudantes em relação à resolução de problemas matemáticos

From impasse to unanimity: understanding Hungary’s position on pillar 2

For decades, global minimum taxation was off the table, but a recent proposal out of the OECD has it back under consideration. It is now up to the Finance Ministers of the Member States to adopt the Pillar Two proposal in the Ecofin. The proposed reform of international taxation is transposed in an EU directive. In this blog, I discuss the recent impasse the EU countries have reached due to Hungary’s veto and evaluate the objectives of the minimum tax policy against Hungary’s national interests. I conclude with a debate about whether and how the directive will move forward unanimously, or, alternatively, by the procedure for Enhanced Cooperation. The procedure allows the Member States to establish common rules for a smaller group of participants.Grenzen van fiscale soevereinitei

Genetics of traffic assignment models for strategic transport planning

This paper presents a review and classification of traffic assignment models for strategic transport planning purposes by using concepts analogous to genetics in biology. Traffic assignment models share the same theoretical framework (DNA), but differ in functionality (genes). We argue that all traffic assignment models can be described by two genes. The first gene determines the spatial functionality (unrestricted, capacity restrained, capacity constrained, capacity and storage constrained) described by five spatial interaction assumptions, while the second gene determines the temporal functionality (static, semi-dynamic, dynamic) described by two temporal interaction assumptions. This classification provides a deeper understanding of the often implicit assumptions made in traffic assignment models described in the literature, particularly with respect to networking loading where the largest differences occur. It further allows for comparing different models in terms of functionality, and opens the way for developing novel traffic assignment models

A unified framework for traffic assignment: deriving static and quasi‐dynamic models consistent with general first order dynamic traffic assignment models

This paper presents a theoretical framework to derive static, quasi-dynamic, and semi-dynamic traffic assignment models from a general first order dynamic traffic assignment model. By explicit derivation from a dynamic model, the resulting models maintain maximum consistency with dynamic models. Further, the derivations can be done with any fundamental diagram, any turn flow restrictions, and deterministic or stochastic route choice. We demonstrate the framework by deriving static (quasidynamic) models that explicitly take queuing and spillback into account. These models are generalisations of models previously proposed in the literature. We further discuss all assumptions usually implicitly made in the traditional static traffic assignment model

Arealva - Regeneração de um território abandonado por duas cidades

Almada e Lisboa, juntamente com o estuário do Rio Tejo, formaram uma porta de entrada ímpar no nosso território, logo desde as primeiras ocupações. Com base numa relação especular, tendo por princípio a complementaridade, elas foram construindo e solidificando relações comerciais e de defesa militar entre as duas margens. Com a consolidação de Lisboa como capital de Portugal, Almada assumiu um papel secundário e de ponto de ligação da capital com o sul do país. Com o desenvolvimento crescente de Lisboa, e consequentemente de Almada, surge a necessidade de aumentar o território em ambas as margens. Estes aterros, que visavam o fortalecimento da ligação comercial entre as duas cidades, acabaram por cimentar uma barreira física repleta de armazéns e indústria que quebrou o diálogo entre a cidade e o rio, e consequentemente, entre as duas cidades. O deslocamento da indústria durante o último século tornou estes territórios-barreira em territórios obsoletos. No caso da frente ribeirinha de Almada, encontramos actualmente apenas uma linha de edifícios industriais em ruína que contam a história daquele território. Tal contribui fortemente para a falta de diálogo de Almada com a sua zona ribeirinha, mas também com Lisboa. Assim se formou um território abandonado por duas cidades. Deste modo, a presente dissertação propõe, após uma análise histórica do desenvolvimento deste território, pensar uma solução para a sua regeneração a uma escala urbana (masterplan), da qual fará parte a inserção do Centro de Investigação da Paisagem e do Território Português. A reactivação do corredor ribeirinho de Almada, através de um conjunto de programas que contribuem para o (re)conhecimento do nosso território, visa transformar uma zona subaproveitada e desligada num ponto de confluência físico e simbólico, potencializador de novas dinâmicas. Esta permite (re)ligar a zona ribeirinha a Almada, assim como (re) estabelecer o diálogo entre Almada e Lisboa. O objectivo é (re)instituir a relação especular, onde o Rio deixe de ser um obstáculo físico para voltar a representar um ponto de união, espelho de um diálogo outrora interrompido, mas agora renovado. Retoma do diálogo passado mas com a vista no futuro, assente numa relação expansiva e criadora, de complementaridade não saturada, que é o cadinho próprio de toda a vera criação

Muscarinic Modulation of Morphologically Identified Glycinergic Neurons in the Mouse PreBötzinger Complex

The cholinergic system plays an essential role in central respiratory control, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We used whole-cell recordings in brainstem slices from juvenile mice expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of the glycine transporter type 2 (GlyT2) promoter, to examine muscarinic modulation of morphologically identified glycinergic neurons in the preBötzinger complex (preBötC), an area critical for central inspiratory rhythm generation. Biocytin-filled reconstruction of glycinergic neurons revealed that the majority of them had few primary dendrites and had axons arborized within their own dendritic field. Few glycinergic neurons had axon collaterals extended towards the premotor/motor areas or ran towards the contralateral preBötC, and had more primary dendrites and more compact dendritic trees. Spontaneously active glycinergic neurons fired regular spikes, or less frequently in a “burst-like” pattern at physiological potassium concentration. Muscarine suppressed firing in the majority of regular spiking neurons via M2 receptor activation while enhancing the remaining neurons through M1 receptors. Interestingly, rhythmic bursting was augmented by muscarine in a small group of glycinergic neurons. In contrast to its heterogeneous modulation of glycinergic neuronal excitability, muscarine generally depressed inhibitory and excitatory synaptic inputs onto both glycinergic and non-glycinergic preBötC neurons, with a stronger effect on inhibitory input. Notably, presynaptic muscarinic attenuation of excitatory synaptic input was dependent on M1 receptors in glycinergic neurons and on M2 receptors in non-glycinergic neurons. Additional field potential recordings of excitatory synaptic potentials in the M2 receptor knockout mice indicate that glycinergic and non-glycinergic neurons contribute equally to the general suppression by muscarine of excitatory activity in preBötC circuits. In conclusion, our data show that preBötC glycinergic neurons are morphologically heterogeneous, and differ in the properties of synaptic transmission and muscarinic modulation in comparison to non-glycinergic neurons. The dominant and cell-type-specific muscarinic inhibition of synaptic neurotransmission and spiking may contribute to central respiratory disturbances in high cholinergic states