Lessons from the Portuguese experience

UID/SOC/04647/2013This paper intends to explain how the effects of international studies/programs (eg, PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS) induce changes in the prescribed curriculum, as well as in the curriculum developed in schools, particularly in the organization of the different amount of time allocated to different subjects. It has been argued in the literature that these studies work as inducers of a perspective based on the test-driven curriculum approach (Penner Williams, 2010) that influence the curriculum development carried out in schools, “where teachers are increasingly under pressure to shift the balance from the feedback role of assessment towards its accountability role or driver curriculum "(Young, 2013, p 113). The study will focus first on the relationship between international assessments and curricular policy measures in Portugal compared to other OECD countries. In the second part, we will identify the effects of prescribed curriculum changes on the way schools appropriate the principle of curriculum flexibility to allocate and organize school time across disciplines or subject areas. Beginning with a comparative analysis of the OECD countries, we analyse the time of compulsory education by discipline / subject area in CITE 2 and CITE 3 as well as to identify possible changes in the allocation of time to the prescribed curriculum. Using the Portuguese case as a reference, we have prepared a representative sample of school timetable in the 5th and 9th grades to identify how the prescribed curriculum is appropriate, specially how schools organize school time and use the allowed flexibility to distribute different blocks of disciplines and subject areas. We have used a quantitative methodology based on the frequency, descriptive, bivariate analysis of times and time loads by disciplines / subject areas. In OECD countries where it is possible to compare compulsory teaching time by discipline / subject area in ISCED 1, it can be seen that, on average, more than 50% of the total annual time is allocated to four disciplines / subject areas (Reading, Writing and Literature (22%), Mathematics (15%), Arts (9%) and Natural Sciences (7%)). In the case of Portugal this percentage is close to 70%. In Cite 2, Portugal is closer to the OECD average. The results obtained allow to identify small changes in the distribution of teaching/learning workload, favouring the three domains that are subject to international evaluation. However, these changes are contextualized by an evident curricular stability that is previous to the accomplishment of the international tests.publishersversionpublishe

The homotopy type of the space of symplectic balls in rational ruled 4-manifolds

Let M:=(M^{4},\om) be a 4-dimensional rational ruled symplectic manifold and denote by w_{M} its Gromov width. Let Emb_{\omega}(B^{4}(c),M) be the space of symplectic embeddings of the standard ball B^4(c) \subset \R^4 of radius r and of capacity c:= \pi r^2 into (M,\om). By the work of Lalonde and Pinsonnault, we know that there exists a critical capacity \ccrit \in (0,w_{M}] such that, for all c\in(0,\ccrit), the embedding space Emb_{\omega}(B^{4}(c),M) is homotopy equivalent to the space of symplectic frames \SFr(M). We also know that the homotopy type of Emb_{\omega}(B^{4}(c),M) changes when c reaches \ccrit and that it remains constant for all c \in [\ccrit,w_{M}). In this paper, we compute the rational homotopy type, the minimal model, and the cohomology with rational coefficients of \Emb_{\omega}(B^{4}(c),M) in the remaining case c \in [\ccrit,w_{M}). In particular, we show that it does not have the homotopy type of a finite CW-complex.Comment: 38 pages; revised versio

The effect of wine tourism experiences on wine brands

Wine tourism takes on a clear hedonic dimension, being especially prone to the design of experiences. The characteristics of wine tourism make this product quite compatible with the rural areas and with an evident capacity of sustainable development. Most of the studies that characterize the wine tourism experiences have a clear focus on the demand side. This paper aims at obtaining a greater insight into the leverage of the wine brands through positive experiences associated with wine tourism. Sustained on the Grounded Theory, a deep analysis of the perception that the cellars/farms have about the effect of their touristic offer on their wine brands was carried out. While there is no use of concrete measures on the supply-side, we found that there is the conviction of a reciprocal leverage effect between wine tourism experiences and wine brands. Despite the exploratory nature of this paper we conclude that wine experiences and brand value and awareness reinforce which other in an interactive and dynamic way.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Read On, un programa escocés para la mejora de la lectura

Una visita a varias escuelas escocesas nos permitió conocer en la práctica un programa educativo que merece la pena presentar a nuestro profesorado, tanto por el interés de sus objetivos: mejorar la competencia lectora y social del alumnado y la implicación de las familias, como por el recurso principal a partir de los cuales se logran: el uso de la capacidad de alumnos mayores y de las familias de actuar como tutores de lectura

Una experiència de coavaluació: situar l'avaluació en el procés d'aprenentatge i afavorir que els estudiants de magisteri aprenguin a avaluar treballs escrits

Es presenta una experiència de coavaluació de dos treballs de l'assignatura de Psicologia Evolutiva i de l'Educació, dels estudis de Mestre d'Educació Primària i Educació Musical. L'objectiu de l'experiència és situar l'avaluació dins del procés d'ensenyament i aprenentatge (partir de la detecció i reflexió sobre els errors dels companys i dels propis); oferir oportunitats als alumnes de magisteri a aprendre a avaluar treballs escrits (una competència necessària en la seva tasca professional) i millorar el procés d'avaluació de treballs (forçant l'explicitació de criteris de correcció i optimitzant els temps de correcció). En ambdós treballs el procediment d'avaluació va comportar la coavaluació (avaluació del treball d'un company a partir d'una pauta d'avaluació amb criteris de correcció i de qualificació amb la possibilitat de deixar en blanc l'ítem que no poguessin avaluar); la revisió de la coavaluació per part de l'estudiant avaluat (detectant les discrepàncies, si n'hi havia) i la revisió del professor. Els resultats de l'experiència es presenten a partir de les dades de la mostra del grup de primària. Els estudiants van assumir el rol d'avaluadors (només el 3,17% dels ítems no van ser avaluats). La correcció va ser afinada (només el 3,17% d'ítems van tenir discrepàncies entre avaluador i avaluat) i el nivell d'exigència entre iguals va ser elevat (la major part de les discrepàncies entre professor i avaluador -79,31%- es van resoldre a favor de l'avaluat). A través d'un qüestionari, la major part dels estudiants reconeixen no haver fet coavaluacions abans; haver après millor els continguts i tingut l'oportunitat d'aprendre a avaluar treballs escrits.This paper presents a co-evaluation experience based on two assignments within the subjects of Educational and developmental Psychology, based on the studies of Primary and Musical Education student teachers. The aim is to include formal evaluation as an integral part of the process of learning and teaching (starting with the reflection then mutual correction of the peer students assignments); to offer opportunities to the teaching students to learn to evaluate written assignments (a very necessary ability in their professional duties) and to improve the assignment evaluation process (using explicit correction criteria and optimizing the time used). In both assignments the evaluation procedure was made through co-evaluation (evaluation of a peer's assignments with the help of a criteria correction and qualification, including flexibility where passages that could not be readily evaluated require further discussion); the revision of the co-evaluation made by the evaluated student (detecting the discrepancies, if there were any) and the revision of the professor. The results are based on the data taken from the group of primary student teachers only. The students assumed the evaluator role (only 3.17% of the students were not evaluated). The correction was very accurate (only 3.17% the items showed discrepancies between evaluated and evaluator) and the level of exigency between peers was elevated (most of the discrepancies between professor and evaluator -79, 31% - were solved in favour of the evaluated). The students completed a questionnaire about the co-evaluation process and it became clear that most of them recognized that they had never done co-evaluation before; and as a result of the process they felt they were more aware of and better able to evaluate the written assignments

Cholangioscopy-guided holmium laser lithotripsy of a stone trapped in a mechanical lithotripter

Large common bile duct (CBD) stones can be removed with mechanical lithotripsy, although over-the-basket techniques such as electrohydraulic or pulsed dye laser lithotripsy can be necessary in cases of stone impaction.1 We report the case of a 42-year-old woman with a 30-mm stone in the CBD in whom mechanical lithotripsy was attempted after wide sphincterotomy. However, during the procedure, a rupture occurred in the traction wire of the basket, next to the handle. Emergency lithotripsy (EL) with use of an external-type system was immediately attempted, but wire fracture occurred again (2 times), turning its length shorter than the metallic sheath of the EL and rendering EL impossible(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Lightweight designs and demanding safety requirements in automotive industry are increasingly promoting the use of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) sheets. Such steels present higher strength (above 800 MPa) but lower ductility than conventional steels. Their great properties allow the reduction of the thickness of automobile structural components without compromising the safety, but also introduce new challenges to parts manufacturers. The fabrication of most cold formed components starts from shear cut blanks and, due to the lower ductility of AHSS, edge cracking problems can appear during forming operations, forcing the stop of the production and slowing down the industrial process. Forming Limit Diagrams (FLD) and FEM simulations are very useful tools to predict fracture problems in zones with high localized strain, but they are not able to predict edge cracking. It has been observed that the fracture toughness, measured through the Essential Work of Fracture (EWF) methodology, is a good indicator of the stretch flangeability in AHSS and can help to foresee this type of fractures. In this work, a serial production automotive component has been studied. The component showed cracks in some flanged edges when using a dual phase steel. It is shown that the conventional approach to explain formability, based on tensile tests and FLD, fails in the prediction of edge cracking. A new approach, based on fracture mechanics, help to solve the problem by selecting steel grades with higher fracture toughness, measured by means of EWF. Results confirmed that fracture toughness, in terms of EWF, can be readily used as a material parameter to rationalize cracking related problems and select AHSS with improved edge cracking resistance.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Plataforma colaborativa online de troca de bens entre organizações de solidariedade social

As organizações do Terceiro Setor têm vindo a ganhar uma relevância cada vez maior na economia dos países. Assumindo-se como um setor não lucrativo com foco no âmbito social, o Terceiro Setor é hoje uma alternativa credível às instituições do Estado, denominado de Primeiro Setor, e às empresas lucrativas, designado de Segundo Setor, que não conseguem dar resposta aos desafios económicos e sociais sentidos pelas populações. O Terceiro Setor inclui organizações que atuam em áreas tão diversas como a defesa de causas como a preservação do ambiente ou a solidariedade social. Em referência a esta área, observa-se que o número crescente de famílias que procuram a ajuda das organizações de solidariedade social para sobreviver leva a uma maior dificuldade em satisfazer todos os pedidos de auxílio. Esta situação é ainda mais complicada devido ao facto destas organizações terem poucos recursos e dependerem, maioritariamente, do trabalho voluntário. Neste sentido, a colaboração entre organizações é essencial para a prossecução da missão destas organizações. As Tecnologias de Informação são ferramentas estratégicas indispensáveis nas empresas de mercado pelas vantagens que trazem ao nível, por exemplo, da redução de custos ou da maior rapidez na resposta às solicitações dos clientes. De forma semelhante, as Tecnologias de Informação podem ser utilizadas no contexto das organizações do Terceiro Setor para otimizar a execução das suas atividades, melhorar a comunicação com os seus constituintes e contribuir eficazmente para o esforço colaborativo entre diferentes organizações deste setor. Após uma revisão da literatura e das soluções de Tecnologias da Informação disponíveis no mercado, não foi encontrada nenhuma solução tecnológica que respondesse de forma cabal à necessidade de colaboração entre as organizações de solidariedade social, particularmente no que concerne à troca de bens. Neste sentido, optou-se por desenvolver uma plataforma colaborativa online para a associação Sermais.org. A plataforma colaborativa online desenvolvida e em utilização permite a troca de bens desejada e, ao mesmo tempo, o estímulo para a colaboração entre a Sermais.org, outras organizações e a comunidade

Hepatitis C pretreatment profile and gender differences : cognition and disease severity effects

Copyright © 2019 Barreira, Marinho, Bicho, Flores, Fialho and Ouakinin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Background: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known to infect the brain, however, the findings based on associated neuropsychiatric syndrome are controversial and the association itself remains unclear. Gender research in HCV infection is limited, failing to integrate the role of gender differences in neurocognitive syndrome. The aim of this study was to characterize psychological and neurocognitive profiles in HCV-infected patients before treatment and to explore gender differences in those profiles, as well as the impact of disease severity. Methods: A total of 86 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C were included. Depression and anxiety were assessed using Hamilton anxiety scale (HAM-A), Hamilton depression scale (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). For cognition, a neuropsychological battery to measure attention, concentration and memory was used, and executive function components validated for the Portuguese population was also used before starting treatment. To identify the disease severity, platelet ratio index, and FibroScan® were used. Results: A statistically significant gender effect was found on HAM-A (B = 0.64, CI: 0.17–1.11) and HAM-D (B = 0.62, CI: 0.14–1.09), with women scoring higher compared to men. Regarding neuropsychological scores, significant differences between gender were identified in executive functions measured by Trail Making Test (TMT B) (B = 0.48, CI: 0.02–0.97), TMT B-A (B = 0.26, CI: −39.2 to −3.7) and in digit span total (B = −0.52, CI: −1.0 to −0.04), with women performing worse than men. Controlling for years of substance dependence, TMT-B and TMT B-A showed significant gender differences. Regarding the presence or absence of substance dependence, only HAM-A and HAM-D remained significant. For categorical variables, Digit Span Total was also influenced by gender, with women being more likely to be impaired: odds ratio (OR) = 7.07, CI: 2.04–24.45), and a trend was observed for Digit Span Backward (OR = 3.57, CI: 1.31–9.75). No significant differences were found between disease severity and neurocognitive performance. Conclusion: Data suggest that gender has an influence on depression, anxiety and cognitive functions with women showing greater impairment compared with men. This effect seems to be influenced by substance dependence.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio