Elearning, educação online e educação aberta: contributos para uma reflexão teórica

 This article arises from the discussions carried out within the Observatory for Quality on Distance Education and e-Learning at Universidade Aberta (Portugal) and also from the participation in a brief program about "Massive Open Online Courses: Principles and Practices". This theoretical article aims to contribute to a conceptual description of online distance education territories. In this article we explore different perspectives about e-Learning, Online Education and Virtual Open Education. Firstly, we address a diversity of perspectives about e-Learning and then we recommend a meaning for this construct. Secondly, we analyze different perspectives of online education. Thirdly, we propose some referents to describe open education in a digital society and its most relevant current movements, such as Open Educational Resources (OERs) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Regarding OERs, it should be noted that the matrix of this movement goes beyond the access to the contents and the resources. On the contrary, it is linked to a new educational philosophy, new values founded on openness, ethics of participation and collaboration (Peters, 2008). As part of the analysis about MOOCs, we highlight a new learning ecology and enhance the importance of reconceptualizing traditional concepts, such as enrollment, participation, attendance, students’ achievement (according to DeBoer, Ho, Stump & Breslow, 2014). Finally, we reiterate the diversity of perspectives on learning, online education and open education, and we suggest that the research on distance education should be a central referent for the decrease of the currently existing entropy in face-to-face higher education institutions, in the appropriation process of key concepts of online distance education.O presente artigo resulta das reflexões desenvolvidas no âmbito do Observatório da Qualidade do Ensino a Distância e e-Learning sediado na Universidade Aberta e, ainda, da participação na docência do curso “MOOCs: Fundamentos e Práticas”. Trata-se de um artigo de natureza eminentemente teórica que pretende ser um contributo para a delimitação do universo concetual da Educação Online. Neste texto, são explorados os conceitos de e-Learning, Educação Online e Educação Aberta Virtual. Em primeiro lugar, aborda-se a diversidade de conceções sobre o e-Learning para, depois, se propor uma definição do conceito. Em segundo lugar, enquadra-se a Educação Online no espetro da Educação a Distância. E, em terceiro lugar, são propostos alguns referenciais para a caracterização do conceito de Educação Aberta na sociedade digital e dos seus movimentos atuais mais relevantes: os Recursos Educativos Abertos (OER) e os Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). Em relação aos OER salienta-se que a matriz desse movimento ultrapassa o mero acesso a conteúdos e recursos e associa-se a uma nova filosofia educativa, a novos valores baseados na abertura, na ética da participação e na colaboração (Peters, 2008). No âmbito da reflexão sobre os MOOC, dá-se destaque à ecologia de aprendizagem específica desses cursos e sublinha-se a necessidade de reconceptualizar conceitos tradicionais, como o de inscrição, participação, frequência, aproveitamento do estudante, na senda da investigação desenvolvida por DeBoer, Ho, Stump & Breslow (2014). Finalmente, reitera-se a dispersão de conceções sobre e-Learning, Educação Online e Educação Aberta e propõe-se que a investigação em Educação a Distância seja um referencial central para a redução da entropia atualmente existente nas Instituições de Ensino Superior Presencial, relativamente à apropriação de conceitos-chave da Educação a Distância Online

A motricidade fina no pré-escolar e no primeiro ciclo do ensino básico

O presente relatório final, realizado no âmbito do Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, foi concretizado com base nas práticas pedagógicas efetuadas nos estágios em Jardim de Infância, no grupo de 3 anos, e no 1.º CEB, no 3.º ano de escolaridade. Intitula-se “A Motricidade Fina no Pré-Escolar e no Primeiro Ciclo do Ensino Básico”, em que o principal objetivo, numa fase inicial, foi perceber a importância atribuída pela educadora e pela professora à motricidade fina, numa segunda instância avaliar o nível de desenvolvimento da motricidade fina das crianças da Educação Pré-Escolar e do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, das instituições onde estagiei e, numa terceira fase planificar algumas atividades. Para perceber o impacto das atividades que planifiquei voltei a verificar, nas mesmas situações, se as crianças haviam melhorado o seu desempenho. As várias expressões têm um papel muito importante na Educação Pré-Escolar e no Ensino do 1.º CEB, pois é a partir destas áreas que as crianças e os alunos desenvolvem a sua motricidade, mas também a autonomia, a comunicação, a imaginação e a criatividade. A coordenação motora fina é a capacidade de utilizar os vários movimentos, como escrever, pintar, desenhar, recortar, encaixar, montar e desmontar, abotoar e desabotoar, usando o cérebro, os músculos e as articulações. A Motricidade Fina é fundamental para a interação da criança com o meio envolvente e acontece sempre que a criança usa e se relaciona com diferentes objetos. O seu desenvolvimento acontece desde o nascimento. Acima de tudo, é importante deixar a criança explorar, descobrir e experimentar novas formas de utilizar diferentes objetos adequados à sua idade. Neste estudo de caráter exploratório, que implicou uma vertente de intervenção, ao comparar os desempenhos das crianças, dos dois grupos, nas três situações de avaliação, pude constatar que houve uma melhoria significativa. Deste modo, independentemente do fator maturação que, sem dúvida, teve alguma influência, posso inferir que as atividades desenvolvidas potenciaram o desenvolvimento da motricidade no grupo do Pré-Escolar e no grupo do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. Este estudo reforça que é essencial proporcionar às crianças em idade pré-escolar e no primeiro ciclo do ensino básico atividades de Motricidade Fina

Changes in Fitness, physical activity, fatness, and screen time: A longitudinal study in children and adolescents

*_Objective:_* To analyze whether changes in Physical Activity Index (PAI), sedentary time (ST; TV and PC use), and Body Mass Index (BMI) made a significant contribution to longitudinal changes in Physical Fitness (PF) of children and adolescents. Additionally, we analyzed interaction between baseline fitness level and changes in fitness. 

*_Methods:_* This is a three years longitudinal study of 345 high school students aged 11-19 years. Students were invited to perform tests from Fitnessgram battery for strength (curl-ups, push-up), and Cardiorespiratory fitness (20m-shuttle run). PAI and ST were evaluated using a standard questionnaire. Standardized scores of physical fitness tests were summed (ZPF). Changes over time, were calculated Δ1 (TP1 minus TP0), Δ2 (TP2 minus TP1), and Δ~total~ (TP2 minus TP0). 

*_Results:_* Changes in PAI were positively and independently associated with changes in ZPF in Δ1, Δ2, and Δ~total~. No significant associations of ΔST and ΔZPF were found. ΔBMI was negative associated with ΔZPF in Δtotal. Participants with higher fitness levels at baseline were those who showed positive changes in PAI over Δ~total~, decreased screen time and had the lowest increase in BMI over three years compared with those who were low-fit at baseline. Conclusions: Changes in PAI were the best predictor for changes in Fitness in children and adolescents in each year and over the three years of evaluation. BMI changes were associated with longitudinal changes in PF

Team-Based Learning in Chemistry Courses with Laboratory Sessions

[EN] The implementation of Team-Based Learning (TBL, http://www.teambasedlearning.org) in one-semester undergraduate courses of chemistry offered to first year students is reported. TBL is an active learning instructional strategy heavily relying on small group interaction. Teaching lab classes in a TBL context presented a specific challenge, as decisions were required about their role in the global framework and the possibility of incorporating lab activities as “teamwork”. The design of lab sessions as TBL team application activities is here also illustrated, both for a course of General Chemistry and a course of Organic Chemistry. TBL dramatically improved students class attendance and participation. Its implementation has provided a unique opportunity for the pedagogical development of teaching staff. A moderate number of students reported discomfort with TBL: the requirement of individual preparation before classes and the impact of team participation in the final grade is indeed a new ground for most students, often perceived as a troubling deviation from the common social paradigm of the learning process. The role of the instructor as a facilitator of individual and team work, and the clear explanation of the method are thus of utmost relevance.The authors thank Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (Universidade Nova de Lisboa) for financial supportAires-De-Sousa, J.; Cardoso, MM.; Ferreira, L.; Lima, J.; Noronha, J.; Nunes, A.; Ponte, M. (2017). Team-Based Learning in Chemistry Courses with Laboratory Sessions. En Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1213-1218. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.5559OCS1213121

Predictive Model of Clothing Insulation in Naturally Ventilated Educational Buildings

This publication is part of the I + D + i project PID2019-108761RB-I00, funded by MCIN/ AEI/10.13039/501100011033Providing suitable indoor thermal conditions in educational buildings is crucial to ensuring the performance and well-being of students. International standards and building codes state that thermal conditions should be considered during the indoor design process and sizing of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Clothing insulation is one of the main factors influencing the occupants' thermal perception. In this context, a field survey was conducted in higher education buildings to analyse and evaluate the clothing insulation of university students. The results showed that the mean clothing insulation values were 0.60 clo and 0.72 clo for male and female students, respectively. Significant differences were found between seasons. Correlations were found between indoor and outdoor air temperature, radiant temperature, the temperature measured at 6 a.m., and running mean temperature. Based on the collected data, a predictive clothing insulation model, based on an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm, was developed using indoor and outdoor air temperature, radiant temperature, the temperature measured at 6 a.m. and running mean temperature, gender, and season as input parameters. The ANN model showed a performance of R-2 = 0.60 and r = 0.80. Fifty percent of the predicted values differed by less than 0.1 clo from the actual value, whereas this percentage only amounted to 32% if the model defined in the ASHRAE-55 Standard was applied.MCIN/AEI PID2019-108761RB-I0

Development of a BIM-Based Framework Using Reverberation Time (BFRT) as a Tool for Assessing and Improving Building Acoustic Environment

This research was funded by the Consejo General de la Arquitectura Tecnica (CGATE), the "Junta de Andalucia" (Spain) under project B-TEP-362-UGR18 and the State Research Agency (SRA) of Spain and European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) under project PID2019-108761RB-I00.Both the building design and the construction process determine the indoor acoustic quality of enclosures. A suitable indoor acoustic environment is crucial for the productivity and well-being of users. For this purpose, Reverberation Time (RT) is often calculated or measured in situ. Recently, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has provided a new paradigm to face building projects. Nevertheless, little research has been conducted on the optimisation of indoor acoustics using BIM methodology. In this context, the objective of this work is to propose and develop a BIM-based framework for the analysis, evaluation and optimization of the RT. The proposed procedure allows designers to explore alternatives in order to achieve an adequate acoustic performance without any further needs of specific software. This proposal is devised to consider some important characteristics of the project, such as its location, applicable regulations, room uses, materials and costs. This framework calculates the solution set that meets the requirements, showing the set of optimal solutions according to the minimization of both the cost and the optimum absorbent surface area. BFRT contributes by offering a tool to support the decision making process of designers during the initial design phase in the field of acoustic conditioning of buildings.Consejo General de la Arquitectura Tecnica (CGATE) Junta de AndaluciaEuropean Commission B-TEP-362-UGR18State Research Agency (SRA) of SpainEuropean Commission PID2019-108761RB-I0

Thermal Perception in Naturally Ventilated University Buildings in Spain during the Cold Season

The indoor thermal environment has become a critical factor, due to its impact on the energy efficiency of a building and the health and performance of its occupants. It is particularly important for educational buildings, where students and teachers are exposed to these thermal conditions. This study assessed the impact of natural ventilation efficiency and university students’ thermal perception during the cold season. A field monitoring campaign and a questionnaire survey were conducted. A total of 989 students participated in this study. The results show that, although the CO2 concentration in 90% of the evaluated classrooms was below the European recommended value (i.e., 800 ppm), only 18% of the classrooms were within the thermal comfort zone defined by national regulations. These thermal conditions caused 55% of the students surveyed to report that they were dissatisfied, and that this environment interfered with their academic performance. Significant differences were found between thermal sensation votes from female and male students (p < 0.001). The obtained neutral temperature was one degree higher for female students than for males. Our results suggest that ventilation protocols need to be modified by adjusting the window opening strategy, and these findings should be used as guidelines during their redesign.Consejo General de la Arquitectura Tecnica (CGATE)State Research Agency (SRA) of SpainEuropean Commission PID2019-108761RB-I0

Whole Body Vibration Exposure Transmitted to Drivers of Heavy Equipment Vehicles: A Comparative Case According to the Short- and Long-Term Exposure Assessment Methodologies Defined in ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5

This research was funded by the Consejo General de la Arquitectura Tecnica (CGATE), Junta de Andalucia and European Regional Development Funds under project B-TEP-362-UGR18, and the State Research Agency (SRA) of Spain and European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) under project PID2019-108761RB-I00.The construction and transport sectors are the industries with the highest proportions of workers exposed to vibrations in the European Union. Heavy equipment vehicle (HEV) drivers often perform operations on different uneven surfaces and are exposed to whole body vibration (WBV) on a daily basis. Recently, a new version of ISO 2631-5 was published. However, since this new method required as input the individual exposure profile and the acceleration signals recorded on more surfaces, limited studies have been carried out to evaluate HEV operations according to this standard. The objectives of this study were to assess the WBV exposure using the methods defined in ISO 2631-1:1997 and ISO 2631-5:2018 and to compare the obtained health risk assessments between drivers with different anthropometric characteristics. For this purpose, two drivers were selected and a field measurement campaign was conducted. Regarding short-term assessment, results showed that VDV was the most restrictive method with exposure levels above the exposure action limit value, while SAd indicated that the same exposures were safe for the worker. With respect to long-term assessment, Risk Factor RA showed that the driver with the highest body mass index was the only one who exceeded the low probability limit of adverse health effects.Consejo General de la Arquitectura Tecnica (CGATE), Junta de AndaluciaEuropean Commission B-TEP-362-UGR18State Research Agency (SRA) of SpainEuropean Commission PID2019-108761RB-I0