Madeira safe to discover. A multimodal and contrastive analysis of regulations and instructions regarding COVID-19 in Madeira Island and in the international framework

This internship with Associação de Promoção da Madeira (APM) and its investigation project was developed in the context of the master’s degree in Linguistics: Societies and Cultures. The project analyzed aspects of multilingual and multimodal narratives employed in COVID-19 regulations to identify how they were used in professional and public environments, specifically the ones associated with tourism. The project looked at editing choices, photography, design, drawing, color, and writing to get a better understanding of multimodal communication, semiotics, image analysis, and its correlation with the written text and the way it has been perceived and interpreted by the locals and visitors, be it in online or in-person contexts. A contrastive analysis between different communities in the online spectrum was also considered, specifically between the English and Portuguese-speaking communities, looking into instructions about the pandemic via online resources such as forums, websites, video clips, and the COVID-19 mobile application by the Associação de Promoção da Madeira called Madeira Safe to Discover which attempts to ensure that the activities and sights in the island are safe from COVID-19, incentivize tourism with a point-based reward system, and follow the norms and regulations required by the institutions against the virus. Additionally, the project looked at bilingual (mainly English–Portuguese) and multilingual texts, multimodal manifestations, and communicative and semiotic effectiveness.Este estágio na Associação de Promoção da Madeira (APM) e o seu projeto de investigação foram desenvolvidos no âmbito do mestrado em Linguística: Sociedades e Culturas. O projeto analisou aspetos de narrativas multilingues e multimodais empregados nos regulamentos da COVID-19 para identificar como estas eram usadas em ambientes profissionais e públicos, mais especificamente os associados ao turismo. O projeto analisou as escolhas de edição, fotografia, design, desenho, cor e escrita para obter uma melhor compreensão da comunicação multimodal, semiótica, análise de imagem e a sua correlação com o texto escrito e a forma como este é encarado e interpretado pelos habitantes locais e visitantes, seja em contextos online ou presenciais. Foi também ponderada uma análise contrastiva entre diferentes comunidades do espectro online, nomeadamente entre as comunidades inglesa e lusófona, analisando instruções sobre a pandemia através de recursos online, tais como fóruns, sites, videoclips e a aplicação móvel relativamente à COVID-19 da Associação de Promoção da Madeira chamada Madeira Safe to Discover, que procura garantir que as atividades e pontos turísticos da ilha estejam protegidos da COVID-19, incentivar o turismo com um sistema de recompensa baseado em pontos e seguir as normas e regulamentos exigidos pelas instituições face ao vírus. Adicionalmente, o projeto analisou textos bilingues (principalmente ingleses– portugueses) e multilingues, manifestações multimodais e a eficácia comunicativa e semiótica

Proposal of a P300-based BCI Speller using a predictive Text system

This paper presents a P300-based BCI speller system that uses a virtual 4 x 3 keyboard based on the T9 interface developed on mobile phones in order to increase the writing speed. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed BCI, we compared it with two adaptations of the classical Farwell and Donchin speller, which is based on a 6 x 6 symbol matrix. Three healthy subjects took part in the experiment. The preliminary results confirm the effectiveness of T9-based speller, since the time needed to spell words and complete sentences was considerably reduced.This work was partially supported by the Innovation, Science and Enterprise Council of the Junta de Andalucía (Spain), project P07-TIC-03310, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, project TEC 2011-26395 and by the European fund ERDF

Sequência de ensino investigativo

Neste trabalho apresentamos uma proposta para o ensino do tema interação radiação ultravioleta – corpo humano nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental. Para isso, foi estruturada uma Sequência de Ensino Investigativa desenvolvida com estudantes do quinto ano do ensino fundamental de uma escola pública da rede municipal de Vitória, Espírito Santo. O tema escolhido possui caráter interdisciplinar e sociocientífico, estando de acordo com os pressupostos da abordagem Ciência, Tecnologia e Sociedade (CTS). A teoria sociocultural de Vygotsky embasou a abordagem e as ferramentas analíticas utilizadas. A natureza interdisciplinar do tema interação radiação ultravioleta – corpo humano nos motivou a estabelecer uma relação entre o primeiro autor desta pesquisa (licenciado em física), a professora regente da turma (pedagoga) e uma licencianda em ciências biológicas que estava cursando seu estágio supervisionado na Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, para a realização de uma pesquisa de caráter colaborativo. Durante as aulas foram produzidos dados através de videogravações e relatos elaborados pelos alunos, com o intuito de construir indícios que nos permitissem analisar como a intervenção educacional contribuiu para o entendimento dos estudantes sobre o tema interação radiação–corpo humano. Os dados analisados sugerem que as atividades investigativas podem potencializar a construção de conceitos e o desenvolvimento de atitudes e procedimentos, e que os estudantes foram capazes de construir modelos estruturados para a formação do câncer de pele em decorrência da exposição prolongada ao Sol, abrangendo o aspecto científico do tema. A dimensão social foi contemplada a partir do posicionamento dos alunos sobre a prevenção do câncer de pele, atrelada à exposição segura e da adoção de medidas protetivas. O trabalho colaborativo entre profissionais com diferentes formações potencializou a troca de experiências, saberes e as formações inicial e continuada, e mostrou-se como uma opção metodológica para a abordagem de conteúdos interdisciplinares, que trabalhados nessa perspectiva podem contribuir para que os estudantes possam se posicionar frente a temas sociocientíficos.This paper presents a proposal for the teaching of the subject of ultraviolet radiation interaction-human body in the initial years of elementary school. For that, a Sequence of Investigative Teaching was structured, developed with students of the fifth year of elementary school in a public school of Vitória, Espírito Santo. The chosen theme has an interdisciplinary and socioscientific feature, being in agreement with the assumptions of the Science, Technology and Society (STS) view. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory grounded an approach and as analytical tools. The interdisciplinary nature of the theme ultraviolet radiation-human body interaction motivated us to establish a relationship between the first author of the research (licensed in physics), a teacher regent of the class (pedagogue) and a graduate in biological sciences who was studying his supervised internship in Federal University of Espírito Santo, for collaborative research. During product classes through videotapes and reports elaborated by the students, with the purpose of constructing evidence that allows us to analyze how the educational intervention contributed to the understanding of students on the subject radiation-human body interaction. The data analyzed suggest that investigative activities can potentiate concept construction and development of attitudes and procedures, so that students are able to construct structured models for a skin cancer formation due to prolonged exposure to the Sun, covering the scientific aspect of the theme. The social dimension was contemplated based on the students' positioning on a prevention of skin cancer, linked to safe exposure and the adoption of protective measures. Collaborative work between professionals with different backgrounds has potentiated an exchange of experiences, knowledge as initial and continuing training, and has proved to be a methodological option for an approach to interdisciplinary content, which works in this perspective can help students to position themselves to socioscientific issues.Neste trabalho apresentamos uma proposta para o ensino do tema interação radiação ultravioleta – corpo humano nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental. Para isso, foi estruturada uma Sequência de Ensino Investigativa desenvolvida com estudantes do quinto ano do ensino fundamental de uma escola pública da rede municipal de Vitória, Espírito Santo. O tema escolhido possui caráter interdisciplinar e sociocientífico, estando de acordo com os pressupostos da abordagem Ciência, Tecnologia e Sociedade (CTS). A teoria sociocultural de Vygotsky embasou a abordagem e as ferramentas analíticas utilizadas. A natureza interdisciplinar do tema interação radiação ultravioleta – corpo humano nos motivou a estabelecer uma relação entre o primeiro autor desta pesquisa (licenciado em física), a professora regente da turma (pedagoga) e uma licencianda em ciências biológicas que estava cursando seu estágio supervisionado na Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, para a realização de uma pesquisa de caráter colaborativo. Durante as aulas foram produzidos dados através de videogravações e relatos elaborados pelos alunos, com o intuito de construir indícios que nos permitissem analisar como a intervenção educacional contribuiu para o entendimento dos estudantes sobre o tema interação radiação–corpo humano. Os dados analisados sugerem que as atividades investigativas podem potencializar a construção de conceitos e o desenvolvimento de atitudes e procedimentos, e que os estudantes foram capazes de construir modelos estruturados para a formação do câncer de pele em decorrência da exposição prolongada ao Sol, abrangendo o aspecto científico do tema. A dimensão social foi contemplada a partir do posicionamento dos alunos sobre a prevenção do câncer de pele, atrelada à exposição segura e da adoção de medidas protetivas. O trabalho colaborativo entre profissionais com diferentes formações potencializou a troca de experiências, saberes e as formações inicial e continuada, e mostrou-se como uma opção metodológica para a abordagem de conteúdos interdisciplinares, que trabalhados nessa perspectiva podem contribuir para que os estudantes possam se posicionar frente a temas sociocientíficos.FAPE

Jesus Christ liberator and pedagogy of the oppressed the common paths of Leonardo Boff and Paulo Freire

Abstract. This thesis is a comparative discourse analysis on the books Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire and the Jesus Christ liberator by Leonardo Boff. This thesis looks into the contextual circumstances of these two Brazilian authors to find out: (1) the common aspects in their discourse; (2) the common language used, and (3) their significance and relevant contributions — having in perspective the Latin American realities, as well as today’s mainstream discourses in the times of globalization. This thesis explores the dialogic relationship between the pedagogy of the oppressed and liberation theology — education and theology respectively — and the way they deal with issues such as poverty, oppression, authoritarianism, and all kinds of practices that do not foster and enhance emancipation, liberation, equality and the democratic participation of human beings

Is Mercosur an optimum currency area?

We find that generalized purchasing power parity does not hold for Mercosur, and thus that the South American trade group does not constitute an optimum currency area. We also find that the role of the United States cannot be neglected in the region, and that high short run volatility of real exchange rates is accompanied by slow adjustment processes of between 2 and 16 years (PPP puzzle).generalized purchasing power parity; optimum currency area; Mercosur; PPP puzzle

Is Mercosur an optimum currency area? An assessment using generalized purchasing power parity

We consider the cointegration approach of generalized purchasing power parity to show that a necessary condition for Mercosur to be an optimum currency area is met. Yet there are still large cross-country differences as to cast doubt on the success of either monetary union or official dollarization. The PPP puzzle is also found to occur in Mercosur.

Ecology and epidemiology of Colletotrichum acutatum on symptomless strawberry leaves

Germination, appressorial production and secondary conidiation of Colletotrichum acutatum were investigated on symptomless strawberry (cv. Tristar) foliage under a range of environmental conditions, and in the presence of strawberry plant extracts. Germination started within 3 h after inoculation and melanized appressoria were formed within 9 h after inoculation on detached strawberry leaves inoculated with a conidial suspension and incubated at 26°C under continuous wetness. Secondary conidia were formed on conidial and hyphal phialides within 6 h after inoculation, resulting in up to threefold increases in conidial populations on leaf surfaces without the development of symptoms or fruiting structures. Under continuous wetness, germination was highest at 20, 25 and 30°C and lowest at 10°C, whereas appressorial development was highest at 15 and lowest at 35°C. Secondary conidiation was highest at 25 and 30°C and lowest at 10°C, and peaked within 24 h after inoculation. Germination, appressorial development and production of secondary conidia were favored by increasing wetness duration when leaves were exposed to alternating wet and dry periods of different duration. More than 4 h wetness per day were required for secondary conidiation and for significant germination and appressorial development. C. acutatum survived up to 8 weeks on symptomless leaves under dry greenhouse conditions, as indicated by production of acervuli after freezing and incubation of the leaves. Survival was strongly related to appressorial populations on the leaves. Secondary conidiation was stimulated by strawberry flower extracts, both when conidia were germinated in extracts and when extracts were applied to C. acutatum populations exposed to dryness for up to 2 weeks. Application of flower extracts resulted in up to tenfold increases in total conidial populations on leaves. This study has shown that C. acutatum can become established, survive and produce inoculum on symptomless strawberry leaves under a wide range of environmental conditions. These findings suggest that symptomless foliage may play an important role in the strawberry anthracnose disease cycle, both as a harbor for fungal survival and a source of inoculum for fruit and flower infections