Using AHP and the IPMA competence baseline in the project managers selection process

This paper proposes the joint use of the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and the ICB (IPMA Competence Baseline), as a tool for the decision-making process of selecting the most suitable managers for projects. A hierarchical structure, comprising the IPMA’s ICB 3.0 contextual, behavioural and technical competence elements, is constructed for the selection of project managers. It also describes the AHP implementation, illustrating the whole process with an example using all the 46 ICB competence elements as model criteria. This tool can be of high interest to decision-makers because it allows comparing the candidates for managing a project using a systematic and rigorous process with a rich set of proven criteria

Molecular diagnosis of haemophilia A: four novel variants identified in five patients

Aims/Context: Haemophilia A (HMA) is an X-linked bleeding disorder caused by reduced levels of the coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) due to alterations in the F8 gene. Decreased levels of FVIII activity leads to a loss of clotting activity and to bleeding (predominantly into joins, muscles and inner organs). The severity of HMA ranges from mild (5-30% activity) to moderate (2-5% activity) to severe (<1% activity). During the last five years, we have found four novel variants identified in five index patients with no family history of HMA. Three frameshift variants were detected in patients presenting severe HMA and one missense variant was identified in two unrelated patients with a mild phenotype. Methods: Analysis of the F8 gene was performed in five index patients using PCR followed by Sanger sequencing, after F8 IVS22 and IVS1 inversions being excluded in severe HMA cases. Bioinformatics analysis was performed with several pathogenicity prediction tools (Alamut Visual, VarSome, VEP and Human Splicing Finder). Results and Conclusions: In the three patients with severe HMA, three different novel F8 variants were identified: c.1060_1061delCT, p.(Leu354Thrfs*5), c.4804delC, p.(Gln602Lysfs*19) and c.3561dupT, p.(Pro1188Serfs*10). All these variants create a frameshift, leading to a premature termination codon and presumably resulting in non-functional truncated proteins, confirming the patient’s phenotypes. The novel F8 missense variant c.5836G>T, p.(Asp1946Tyr) was identified in two unrelated patients, both with mild HMA. The Asp1946 is a highly conserved amino acid in the FVIII protein. Additionally, physicochemical properties between Asp and Tyr are significantly different, and in silico analysis classified it as pathogenic due to the amino acid substitution. Normal mRNA splicing process can also be disturbed due to the creation of a new donor splice site. RNA studies and other functional assays are essential in order to establish this variant clinical significance. Identification of novel pathogenic F8 variants in HMA patients allows genotype-phenotype correlations, appropriate genetic counseling and new knowledge about the molecular bases of this pathology.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Implementação de metodologias blended-learning no ensino da farmacoterapia baseado em simulações

A incorporação de actividades de formação à distância por instituições de ensino superior é considerada um importante contributo para a criação de novas oportunidades de ensino tanto ao nível de formação inicial como da formação contínua. No campo da educação e formação clínica, os educadores e os clínicos vêm progressivamente reconhecendo o potencial das TIC para efeitos de aprendizagem, prática e avaliação de conhecimentos. Na Medicina e na Enfermagem, são prolíficos os trabalhos que ilustram a adaptação das componentes tecnológicas e dos métodos pedagógicos, contudo, tanto quanto foi possível indagar na área da Farmácia, os exemplos internacionais são escassos, e nulos a nível nacional. Nesse sentido este projecto destina-se a avaliar as necessidades subjacentes à implementação de um modelo de b-learning no ensino da Farmacoterapia baseada em Simulações, criá-lo, implementá-lo e por fim avaliar o desempenho do aluno e a sua motivação.The incorporation of distance learning activities by institutions of higher education is considered an important contribution to creating new opportunities for teaching at both initial and continuing training. In the field of and clinical training and education, educators and clinicians are increasingly recognizing thepotential of ICT for learning practices and assessment. In Medicine and Nursing, the works that illustrate the adaptation of technological components and teaching methods are prolific, however, when we look at the Pharmaceutical Education area, the international examples are scarce, and void at the national level. In that sense this project is intended to assess the needs underlying the implementation of amodel of blended learning in the teaching of pharmacotherapy based on simulations, create it, implement it and finally evaluate student performance and motivation

Online learning environment surveys for higher education : comparative analysis and future research

The quality of the environment in which students learn, plays a paramount role. Researchers and education practioners should have means by which they can measure the learning environment before they can enact any changes in that environment that will lead to improving the effetiveness of education. Learning environments questionnaires have been utilized in multiple countries at multiple educational levels and many educational areas, however there are no records of such instruments being validated and used in Portugal. The aim of this integrative review is to analyze several questionnaires/instruments designed for the evaluation of learning environments, in order to make a critical appreciation about the assessed dimensions and finally establish an action plan for the adaptation and cross-cultural validation of one of these instruments for the Portuguese Language.A qualidade dos ambientes online de aprendizagem, desempenha um papel primordial. Investigadores e profissionais da educação devem dispor de meios através dos quais possam quantificar certas características do ambiente de aprendizagem antes de aprovar qualquer alteração no ambiente online com vista a uma melhoria da efectividade do processo de aprendizagem. Questionários relativos a ambientes online de aprendizagem têm sido utilizados em vários países, em vários níveis de ensino e muitas áreas de educação, porém não há registos de tais instrumentos serem validados e utilizados em Portugal. O objectivo da presente revisão integrativa consiste na análise de diversos questionários/instrumentos concebidos para a avaliação dos ambientes online de aprendizagem de forma a tecer uma apreciação crítica sobre as dimensões avaliadas e, finalmente, estabelecer um plano de acção para a validação e adaptação transcultural de um desses instrumentos para a Língua Portuguesa

Case based learning digital: proposta para estruturação da formação

A incorporação de atividades de formação a distância por instituições de ensino superior é considerada um importante contributo para a criação de novas oportunidades de oferta formativa tanto ao nível de formação inicial como da formação contínua. Contudo o desconhecimento de muitos docentes de como adotar práticas de educação a distância assegurando a qualidade das experiências pedagógicas facultadas aos estudantes, tem constituído um obstáculo para a sua adoção por parte de muitos docentes. Neste sentido, torna-se relevante divulgar práticas já curso, partilhando experiências adquiridas e disseminando o conhecimento neste domínio. É nosso objetivo com este texto contribuir para uma aproximação dos educadores a esta problemática, através da partilha da nossa experiência na estruturação da formação online num contexto de Ensino Superior da Farmácia e das Ciências Farmacêuticas

Case Based Learning Digital: estratégias de avaliação e colaboração online

A adoção de atividades de formação a distância em modalidade de e-learning por instituições de ensino superior, cuja área de intervenção tem sido essencialmente presencial, é considerada um importante contributo para a diversificação da oferta formativa nomeadamente em termos de flexibilidade de gestão dos momentos e espaços de aprendizagem por parte dos estudantes. Contudo, a adesão dos professores à incorporação de práticas de e-learning nas suas atividades não é alheia a dificuldades. A esse nível é recorrente a existência de preocupações relacionadas com a avaliação das aprendizagens e da colaboração online. Neste contexto considera-se relevante divulgar práticas já em curso, partilhando experiências adquiridas e disseminando o conhecimento neste domínio. É nosso objetivo com este texto contribuir para uma aproximação dos educadores a esta problemática, através da partilha da nossa experiência na avaliação e colaboração online num contexto de ensino e aprendizagem da Farmácia e das Ciências Farmacêuticas.The adoption of e-learning activities by higher education institutions, whose area of focus has primarily been face to face instruction, is considered an important contribution to the diversification of the training provision, particularly in terms of flexibility and management of time and learning spaces. However, the willingness of teachers to incorporate practices of e-learning in their activities is no stranger to hardship. Recurring concerns are expressed, regarding online assessment and collaboration. In this context it´s relevant to promote practices already underway, sharing experiences and disseminating knowledge in this field. It is our goal with this paper, to contribute to an approximation of educators to this problem, by sharing our experience in with online assessment and collaboration in the teaching and learning context of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.La adopción de actividades de e-learning por las instituciones de educación superior, cuya área de enfoque ha sido sobre todo los cursos presenciales, se considera una importante contribución a la diversificación de la oferta formativa, en particular en términos de flexibilidad de gestión del tiempo y de los espacios de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. Sin embargo, la voluntad de profesores para incorporar prácticas de e-learning en sus actividades no es ajeno a las dificultades. Preocupaciones recurrentes se expresan, a respecto de la evaluación y colaboración en línea. En este contexto, se considera relevante promover prácticas ya en marcha, el intercambio de experiencias y la difusión de conocimientos en este campo. Nuestro objetivo con este trabajo, es contribuir para una aproximación de los educadores a este problema, al compartir nuestra experiencia en la evaluación y colaboración en línea en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de Farmacia y Ciencias Farmacéutica

Case based, learner centered aproach to pharmacotherapy

The incorporation of real problems into health education is seen as an effort to prepare future health professionals to meet the challenging demands of the profession, in particular, the provision of quality patient care. The foundation of this methodology can be traced back to Dewey. The author suggested that students should be presented with real life problems in order to discover the information required to solve them. With the introduction of the Bologna Process in Portugal, the School of Allied Health Sciences of Oporto, saw this opportunity to put in practice Dewey´s axiom. This paper represents a small part in the process of integrating a Case Based, Learner Centered approach to Pharmacotherapy. Since 2008, Pharmacotherapy is no longer taught in a lecture based model. With the implementation of Bologna Process in the Pharmacy Degree, some basic science curricular units maintained their lecture based approach, only to serve as mediators to a more student-centered approach in the applications of knowledge to real life situations. Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy,are good examples of this dichotomy. Normally the students have to attend lectures on pharmacology topics during one week, then in the next week, they will have to collaborative solve a real problem (relating to the previous week Pharmacology topics) during a pre-established time, in the presence of a tutor. The cases are in paper format, and they are adapted or based in real life situations. They are normally ill-defined so that the students can discover what course of action to pursue. For all cases there are some orientations that are provided by the tutor, that are previously constructed under Bloom’s Taxonomy. The tutor himself, must have certain characteristics that permit him/her to be in this situation. Normally for tutor selection we endorse that besides the pedagogical background, he/she has an active role in professional activities outside the School. The class is divided in casestudy groups of about 4 students. Normally there are 4 groups in each class. At the end of the case study, each case-study group is interviewed by the tutor. Evaluation and assessment is divided in case study grading, mini-test grading and examination grading. Results show that gradings tend to increase from second year to the third year in the bachelor degree, despite the raised level of complexity, which can demonstrate that a student centered approach is a favorable mean to promote reflexive thinking and develop complex epistemic beliefs

A B-learning strategy for Therapeutics at the Bachelor Level

Background Information:The incorporation of distance learning activities by institutions of higher education is considered an important contribution to create new opportunities for teaching at both, initial and continuing training. In Medicine and Nursing, several papers illustrate the adaptation of technological components and teaching methods are prolific, however, when we look at the Pharmaceutical Education area, the examples are scarce. In that sense this project demonstrates the implementation and assessment of a B-Learning Strategy for Therapeutics using a “case based learning” approach. Setting: Academic Pharmacy Methods:This is an exploratory study involving 2nd year students of the Pharmacy Degree at the School of Allied Health Sciences of Oporto. The study population consists of 61 students, divided in groups of 3-4 elements. The b-learning model was implemented during a time period of 8 weeks. Results:A B-learning environment and digital learning objects were successfully created and implemented. Collaboration and assessment techniques were carefully developed to ensure the active participation and fair assessment of all students. Moodle records show a consistent activity of students during the assignments. E-portfolios were also developed using Wikispaces, which promoted reflective writing and clinical reasoning. Conclusions:Our exploratory study suggests that the “case based learning” method can be successfully combined with the technological components to create and maintain a feasible online learning environment for the teaching of therapeutics

Objetos de aprendizagem – uma proposta de design pedagógico

A produção e utilização de OA afigura-se como um cenário em expansão num contexto de crescente integração de práticas de e-learning nas instituições de ensino superior, particularmente no ensino das Ciências da Saúde. Apesar do debate ainda em curso em torno das caraterísticas dos OA, e das implicações dessas mesmas caraterísticas em termos pedagógicos, torna-se cada vez mais evidente que a adoção de ambientes online como ambientes de aprendizagem formal (sem descurar o potencial destes ambientes em contextos de aprendizagem não formal ou informal) não poderá deixar de considerar os OA como elementos de relevo na sua estruturação, nomeadamente no que concerne à forma como os materiais de ensino e de aprendizagem são concebidos e utilizados. Neste sentido, torna-se relevante divulgar práticas já curso, partilhando experiências adquiridas e disseminando o conhecimento neste domínio. É nosso objetivo com este texto contribuir para uma aproximação dos educadores a esta problemática, através da partilha da nossa experiência na produção de objetos de aprendizagem concebidos para utilização num contexto de ensino e aprendizagem da farmácia e das ciências farmacêuticas

Engagement in Portuguese social MOOCs: emoticons and social presence through microbloguing

This work presents the model and pedagogical approach to the implementation of the sMOOC, the adoption of microblogging as a communication tool during the week of familiarization. It was designed to have an important role between the facilitators and participants, and the participants themselves, making room for socializing, engagement and growth of a learning community.This research is supported by European Community's CIP Programme in context of the project ECO -Elearning Communication and Open Data (https://eco-learning.eu) under grant agreement n° 621127 and by Laboratory of Distance Education and eLearning, LE@D,UAb (https://lead.uab.pt).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio