Parenting and parental involvement in secondary school: focus groups with adolescents' parents

Abstract: Parental role in the adolescents’ development is widely described as challenging, particularly regarding their involvement in school education. With the aim of examining parents’ perceptions about parenting role, parental involvement and family-school partnership in the secondary school, two focus groups were conducted with parents in two public schools. Results, overall, indicate that the establishment of rules, monitoring and support were very challenging and important to the adolescents’ development. Parental involvement change throughout school and several reasons were pointed out to the changes observed in secondary school: the demands of the level of education, the lack of time, adolescents’ autonomy, , and teachers’ communication style. Regarding family-school relations, the parents shared different experiences about the way the partnership was promoted and developed

Parentalidade e Envolvimento Parental no Ensino Secundário: Grupos Focais com Pais de Adolescentes

O papel dos pais no desenvolvimento dos adolescentes é amplamente descrito como sendo desafiante, em particular quanto ao seu envolvimento na educação escolar. Com o objetivo de analisar as perceções de pais de adolescentes sobre o papel parental, o envolvimento parental e a parceria família-escola no ensino secundário foram conduzidos dois grupos focais em duas escolas públicas. Os resultados, globalmente, indicam que o estabelecimento de regras, a monitorização e o apoio são funções parentais desafiantes e importantes no desenvolvimento dos adolescentes. O envolvimento parental altera-se durante a escolaridade e várias razões foram apontadas para as mudanças no ensino secundário: as exigências deste nível de escolaridade, a falta de tempo, a autonomização dos adolescentes e o estilo de comunicação dos professores. Quanto às relações família-escola, os pais partilharam experiências diferenciadas sobre a promoção e desenvolvimento desta parceria.Parental role in the adolescents’ development is widely described as challenging, particularly regarding their involvement in school education. With the aim of examining parents’ perceptions about parenting role, parental involvement and family-school partnership in the secondary school, two focus groups were conducted with parents in two public schools. Results, overall, indicate that the establishment of rules, monitoring and support were very challenging and important to the adolescents’ development. Parental involvement change throughout school and several reasons were pointed out to the changes observed in secondary school: the demands of the level of education, the lack of time, adolescents’ autonomy, , and teachers’ communication style. Regarding family-school relations, the parents shared different experiences about the way the partnership was promoted and developed.El papel de los padres en el desarrollo de los adolescentes es ampliamente descrito como desafiante, especialmente su participación en la educación escolar. Con objeto de analizar la percepción de los padres sobre la responsabilidad parental, el envolvimiento de los padres y la colaboración familia-escuela en la educación secundaria, se realizaron dos grupos focales en dos escuelas publicas. Los resultados globalmente indican que el establecimiento de normas, la supervisión y el apoyo son funciones parentales desafiantes e importantes en el desarrollo de los adolescentes. El involucramiento parental se altera durante la escolarización y varias razones fueron apuntadas para los cambios en la educación secundaria: las exigencias de este nivel de educación, la falta de tiempo, la autonomía de los adolescentes y el estilo de comunicación de los profesores. Respecto a las relaciones familia-escuela, los padres compartieron diferentes experiencias en la promoción y desarrollo de esta alianza

In situ biosynthesis of bacterial nanocellulose-CaCO3 hybrid bionanocomposite: one-step process

In this work, a simple and green route to the synthesis of the bacterial nanocellulose-calcium carbonate (BNC/CaCO3) hybrid bionanocomposites using one-step in situ biosynthesis was studied. The CaCO3 was incorporated in the bacterial nanocellulose structure during the cellulose biosynthesis by Gluconacetobacter xylinus PTCC 1734 bacteria. Hestrin-Schramm (HS) and Zhou (Z) culture media were used to the hybrid bionanocomposites production and the effect of ethanol addition was investigated. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inverse gas chromatography and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the samples. The experimental results demonstrated that the ethanol and culture medium play an important role in the BNC/CaCO3 hybrid bionanocomposites production, structure and properties. The BNC/CaCO3 biosynthesized in Z culture medium revealed higher O/C ratio and amphoteric surface character, which justify the highest CaCO3 content incorporation. The CaCO3 was incorporated into the cellulosic matrix decreasing the bacterial nanocellulose crystallinity. This work reveals the high potential of in situ biosynthesis of BNC/CaCO3 hybrid bionanocomposites and opens a new way to the high value-added applications of bacterial nanocellulose.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Body mass index and body composition in institutionalized older adults with malnutrition sarcopenia and frailty

Introduction: Malnutrition, sarcopenia and frailty are multifactorial and highly prevalent conditions among institutionalized older adults Objectives: The aim of this study was to asses body mass index and body composition in older adults, according to the diagnosis of malnutrition, sarcopenia and frailty. Methods: Institutionalized older adults with 60 or more years old were included. Nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment), sarcopenia (European Working Group Sarcopenia in Older People criteria) and frailty (Fried Phenotype) were assessed. Body composition was assessed through bioelectrical impedance Results: One-hundred and forty-six individuals, with a mean age of 83 years old and mainly females (63.3%) were included. Malnutrition was diagnosed in 26.2%, sarcopenia in 25.0% and frailty in 61.0%. Mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was 20.7, 25.8 and 26.6kg/m2 in malnourished, at risk and well- nourished individuals, respectively(p = 0.000); 21.6 and 26.8 kg/m2 in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic individuals(p = 0.000); and 24.3 and 27.7 kg/m2 in fragile and robust individuals(p=0.000). Mean Fat Mass Index was 9.6 and 13.3 kg/m2 in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic individuals (p=0.007); and 10.3 and 16.0kg/m2 in fragile and robust individuals (p=0.000). Mean Free Fat Mass Index was 12.5, 14.9 and 17.0kg/m2 in malnourished, at risk and well- nourished individuals; 12.0 and 17.0 kg/m2 in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic individuals(p=0.000); and 14.7 and 17.1kg/ m2 in fragile and robust individuals(p = 0.002) Conclusions: BMI, free fat mass and fat mass were significantly lower in older adults with malnutrition, sarcopenia and frailty. BMI is a practical nutritional status marker, however it needs to be interpreted cautiously in older adults, as it seems that a lower value is associated with a worse prognosis and existing cutoffs may not apply. Nutritional screening and assessment of older adults is essential for a prompt intervention, in order to prevent and reverse these conditionsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lipid and fatty acid composition of wild Almaco Jack Seriola rivoliana at two maturation stages

Almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana) is an emergent marine finfish that presents high market value. In order to study the feasibility of the exploitation of this marine resource for human consumption the evaluation of the nutritional characteristics of this species has attracted the attention of the scientific community. The lipid characteristics and fatty acid composition were evaluated in muscle, liver and gonad tissues of wild Almaco jack from Atlantic Ocean at two different maturation stages. According to results, the lipid content was found higher at pre-spawning stage (21.78 - 36.17%) and highest proportion being exhibited in the liver. Palmitic acid was predominant among the saturated fatty acids (35.42 - 47.80%) and oleic acid was detected as the main monounsaturated acid (25.26 - 36.55%). Higher amounts of ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were identified in gonads of resting females, of which more than 84% was accounted by docosahexaenoic acid (12.62%). Muscle and liver of resting females presented the highest ω3/ω6 ratios. The Hypocholesterolemic/Hypercholesterolemic index was higher in gonads of both maturation stages (0.97 and 1.05). The results showed that wild Almaco jack at resting stage were a better source of oleic acid and ω3 PUFAs and that liver and gonads present good nutritional by-products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Brincadeiras e jogos na escola durante a infância : uma aprendizagem para a vida

Mestrado (Relatório de Estágio), Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, 16 abril de 2019, Universidade dos Açores.O presente Relatório de Estágio, desenvolvido no âmbito do Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, tem como propósito relatar as práticas pedagógicas desenvolvidas nas unidades curriculares de Estágio Pedagógico I e II. Partindo do pressuposto que a atividade lúdica é um veículo de excelência para a aprendizagem do ser humano, realçamos ao longo deste trabalho o tema “Brincadeiras e Jogos na Escola durante a Infância: Uma Aprendizagem para a Vida”. Assim, durante as nossas práticas decidimos recorrer à atividade lúdica em diferentes áreas e conteúdos curriculares, de forma a potenciar uma aprendizagem prazerosa, em que as crianças fossem ativamente envolvidas. Estas práticas constituíram momentos fundamentais na nossa formação inicial, pois só confrontando a teoria com a prática é possível ter uma maior consciência das nossas potencialidades e fragilidades face ao desenvolvimento da profissão de educador/professor, possibilitando sempre uma melhoria das práticas educativas. Durante a reflexão das atividades desenvolvidas em ambos contextos de estágio, verificámos que, de facto, as brincadeiras e jogos representam um meio de excelência para a aprendizagem. Deste modo, e a fim de aprofundarmos os nossos conhecimentos sobre esta temática, confrontámos as nossas observações da prática com literatura da especialidade e testemunhos de profissionais, obtidos através de um estudo empírico efetuado através da aplicação de um inquérito por questionário on-line, de modo a conhecer as conceções e práticas de Educadores de Infância/Professores do 1.º Ciclo, em diferentes etapas profissionais, em relação à importância das brincadeiras e jogos na aprendizagem das crianças. Por conseguinte, neste estudo descritivo e comparativo, realizado com uma amostra de 95 indivíduos, determinámos que a maioria dos inquiridos concorda com as ideias defendidas desde o início deste estágio, ou seja, através das brincadeiras e jogos as crianças têm a possibilidade de alcançar aprendizagens que serão essenciais ao longo das suas vidas, alcançando assim um maior equilíbrio pessoal e social.ABSTRACT: The present Report of Internship, developed within the scope of the Master's Degree in Preschool Education and Teaching of the 1st Cycle of Basic Education, aims to report the pedagogical practices developed in the curricular units of Pedagogical Internship I and II. Starting from the assumption that play activity is a vehicle of excellence for the learning of the human being, we highlight throughout this work the theme “Play and Games in School during Childhood: An Apprenticeship for Life”. Thereby, during our practices we decided to resort to play activity in different areas and curricular contents, in order to foster a pleasurable learning in which the children were actively involved. These practices constituted fundamental moments in our initial formation, because only by confronting theory with practice we become more aware of our potentialities and fragilities in the development of the profession of educator / teacher, always allowing an improvement of educational practices. During the reflection of the activities developed in both internship contexts, we found that, in fact, the play and games represent an excellence mean for learning. Therefore, and in order to deepen our knowledge on this subject, we have confronted our observations of the practice with literature of the speciality and testimonies of professionals, obtained through an empirical study carried out through the application of an online questionnaire survey, in order to know the concepts and practices of Early Childhood Educators/Teachers of the 1st Cycle, in different professional stages, regarding the importance of play and games in children's learning. Thus, in this descriptive and comparative study, carried out with a sample of 95 individuals, we determined that the majority of respondents agreed with the ideas defended from the beginning of this stage, that is, through play and games that children have the possibility to achieve apprenticeships which will be essential throughout their lives, achieving a greater personal and social balance

Agro-industrial byproducts as modification enhancers of the bacterial cellulose biofilm surface properties: an inverse chromatography approach

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has remarkable and excellent properties. However, the high-cost production and the use of chemicals for BC modification make its application unattractive. A simple approach to modify the properties of BC during biosynthesis, by using alternative low-cost carbon sources from agro-industrial byproducts, was studied. The carbon source (date syrup, mannitol, sucrose, food-grade sucrose, and glucose) significantly changed the BC network morphology and structure. Date syrup source induces the highest modifications in the surface properties of BC: smaller area (SBET = 4.04 m2 /g), higher hydrophobic (γd s = 45.79 mJ/ m2 ) and basic character (Kb/Ka = 1.10), at 25 ºC. Food-grade sucrose source resulted in the lowest yield of BC production (37% less), however caused an increase in the BC network reticulation and a high crystalline structure (IC = 82.3%). This sustainable and simple methodology presents a low-cost and efficient approach allowing the modulation of the surface properties of BC.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Programas de trainees em Portugal: uma dupla perspetiva

JEL Classification System: M51 Firm Employment Decisions: Promotions M54 Labor ManagementDevido às constantes mudanças no mercado de trabalho, as empresas debatem-se com a necessidade de criar estratégias que lhes permitam garantir uma posição competitiva. Tendo em conta que os recursos humanos assumem um papel estratégico na resposta aos múltiplos desafios que podem surgir, a gestão de talentos tem assumido particular relevância, com cada vez mais empresas a aderirem aos Programas de Trainees. Embora se reconheça que este tipo de Programas possui práticas relacionadas com o desenvolvimento de potenciais recém-graduados, a literatura é muito escassa sobre este tema, o que levou à criação de quatro questões de investigação. O estudo exploratório incide sobre a perspetiva das empresas e dos trainees em relação aos Programas de Trainees com o objetivo de compreender em que é que estes consistem e qual é a perceção de ambas as partes face à sua realização. Concluiu-se que ambas percecionam os Programas de Trainees como sendo uma prática de gestão de talentos que se foca na atração, desenvolvimento e retenção de colaboradores com potencial elevado, uma vez que possui uma forte componente de recrutamento e seleção e de formação. Nesta última, destaca-se a existência de práticas que potenciam o desenvolvimento dos trainees, tais como a rotação de áreas, a mobilidade internacional e o mentoring. Por último, verificou-se que estes Programas servem os objetivos de integração de potenciais colaboradores na empresa visto que possibilitam a retenção dos trainees após conclusão do mesmo, tendo um impacto positivo para ambas as partes em termos de aquisição e desenvolvimento de talentosDue to the changes in the labor market, companies are faced with a need to create strategies to ensure a competitive position. Taking into account human resources play a strategic role in responding to certain challenges that may arise and the talent management has assumed special relevance with more and more companies creating Trainee Programs. Despite being a human resources development program, literature is very scarce on this topic, which has led to the creation of four research questions. The exploratory study focuses on the perspective of companies and trainees in relation to the Trainee Programs with the objective to know in what they consist and what is the perception of both parties in relation to their accomplishment. It was concluded that the two parties perceive Trainee Programs as a talent management practice that focus on the atraction, development and retention of employees with high potential, since it has a strong component of recruitment and selection and training. In this last one, the existence of practices that enhance the development of trainees, such as a rotation of areas, an international mobility and mentoring, stand out. Finally, it was found that these programs serve the objectives of integration of potential employees in companies because they enable a retention of apprentices after completion, having a positive impact for both parties in terms of acquisition and development of talent

Influence of the matrix and polymerization methods on the synthesis of BC/PANi nanocomposites: an IGC study

Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) is a technique for evaluating surface properties. The current work emphasizes the use of IGC to evaluate the surface physicochemical changes during different bacterial cellulose (BC) processing methods as well as upon polyaniline (PANi) incorporation. The processing methods (oven-drying, freeze-drying, and regeneration) caused changes in the BC surface group distribution, where upon freeze-drying and regeneration, a more acidic behavior is obtained, compared to oven-drying (Kb/Ka decreased up to 24%). Through freeze-drying, the structural pore preservation increases (54%) the BC porosity, whereas through regeneration, the porosity decreases (23%), compared to BC oven-drying. Regarding the nanocomposites, with PANi incorporation, the overall properties evaluated by IGC were significantly changed. The γtotals increases up to 150%, indicating a more reactive surface in the nanocomposites. Also, is observed a sevenfold increase in the Kb/Ka and a less porous surface (up to 85%). Hence, the current work highlights the use of IGC as a viable technique to evaluate the physicochemical changes upon different BC modifications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of hot water pre-extraction on surface properties of bagasse soda pulp

In this work, the effects of hot water pre-extraction of depithed bagasse on the soda pulping and surface properties were studied. The conditions of hot water pre-extraction were: maximum temperature 170 °C, heat-up time 90 min, time at maximum temperature 10 min, and solid to liquor ratio (S:L) 1:8. Consequently, the pre-extracted and un-extracted bagasse chips were subjected to soda pulping at 160 °C for 1h with 11, 14 and 17% active alkali charge and an S:L of 1:5. The results showed that the hot water pre-extraction increased bagasse surface texture porosity by hemicellulose degradation. Therefore, the delignification was faster for pulping of pre-extracted samples. At a certain charge of alkali, pre-extracted samples showed higher screened yield and lower Kappa number. For instance, at 17% alkali charge, pre-extracted bagasse gave 11.3% higher pulp yield compared with the un-extracted ones. Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) results showed that the hot water pre-extraction changed the active sites on the bagasse surface, decreasing the dispersive energy and the basicity character, and affected the particle morphology. The pulping process decreased the hydrophobicity and the basicity of the bagasse surface. The surfaces of un-extracted and pre-extracted bagasse pulps had similar properties but different morphology. The pulps present higher surface area and permeability with more reactive capacity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio