Academic performance in blended learning in higher education

Institutions of Higher Education in Portugal face today unique challenges. Aware of the change, in general, these institutions have presented reform initiatives covering in their strategic plans new frames ofoperation, where e-learning and/or b-learning are recognized. The present study aims mainly to know the impact that b-learning and the implementation of some pedagogical models adapted to these environments may have on academic performance of students in higher education. Data analysis, referring to the classifications obtained, suggests that the creation of virtual environments, combined with complementary or face to face learning, and using pedagogical models adapted to online environments, diversified learning objects and strategies that encourage students, may indeed contribute to a significant improvement in their academic achievement. We also concluded that this b-learning modality, supported by online pedagogical constructivist and collaborative models allow effectively to equate the teaching learning process in a different way. This (new) reality implies a very significant cultural change, as it implies rethinking the roles of teacher and student, and the relationship between them, appropriate content, in addition to the implications that must be implemented in terms of structuring and planning courses and curricula, evaluation systems and teaching and learning forms

Invariant measures for Cherry flows

We investigate the invariant probability measures for Cherry flows, i.e. flows on the two-torus which have a saddle, a source, and no other fixed points, closed orbits or homoclinic orbits. In the case when the saddle is dissipative or conservative we show that the only invariant probability measures are the Dirac measures at the two fixed points, and the Dirac measure at the saddle is the physical measure. In the other case we prove that there exists also an invariant probability measure supported on the quasi-minimal set, we discuss some situations when this other invariant measure is the physical measure, and conjecture that this is always the case. The main techniques used are the study of the integrability of the return time with respect to the invariant measure of the return map to a closed transversal to the flow, and the study of the close returns near the saddle.Comment: 12 pages; updated versio

Academic performance in constructivist learning environments supported by learning management systems

Conferência realizada em Madrid, de 14-16 Novembro de 2011Institutions of Higher Education in Portugal face today unique challenges. Aware of the change, in general, these institutions have been presented reform initiatives, covering in their strategic plans new frames of operation, where e-learning and / or b-learning is recognized. The present study aims mainly to know the impact that b-learning and the implemention of some pedagogical models adapted to these environments, may have on academic performance of students in higher education. To this end, we analyzed the academic performance of students in a curricular unit of a course of Physical Education and Sport, for four academic years from 2007/2008, during which the unit was initially taught only presential, by 2010 / 2011, a period that was taught in a combined modality (75% online and 25% presential). Data analysis, referring to the classifications obtained, suggests that the creation of virtual environments, combined with complementary or presential learning, and using pedagogical models adapted to online environments (eg, Comumunity of Inquiry Garrison et al, 2000; E-Moderating, Salmon, 2000), diversified learning objects (scripto, audiovisual and multimedia) and strategies that encourage students, may indeed contribute to a significant improvement in their academic achievement. We also concluded that this b-learning modality, supported by online pedagogical constructivist and collaborative models allow effectively equate the teaching-learning process in a different way. However, the change should not be seen only from a technological standpoint, since the use of an LMS is no guarantee of success, but must above all be seen in terms of changing attitudes and practices. This (new) reality implies a very large cultural change, as to rethink the roles of teacher and student, and the relationship between them, appropriate content, in addition to the implications that must be implemented in terms of structuring and planning of courses and curricula, evaluation systems and teaching and learning forms

Translating Evidence into Practice: Insights on the Reporting of Trial Results to Health Professionals and Institutions

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Stepwise strategy to improve Cervical Cancer Screening Adherence (SCAN-CC): automated text messages, phone calls and face-to-face interviews: protocol of a population-based randomised controlled trial

Introduction Screening is highly effective for cervical cancer prevention and control. Population-based screening programmes are widely implemented in high-income countries, although adherence is often low. In Portugal, just over half of the women adhere to cervical cancer screening, contributing for greater mortality rates than in other European countries. The most effective adherence raising strategies are based on patient reminders, small/mass media and face-to-face educational programmes, but sequential interventions targeting the general population have seldom been evaluated. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a stepwise approach, with increasing complexity and cost, to improve adherence to organised cervical cancer screening: step 1a-customised text message invitation; step 1b-customised automated phone call invitation; step 2-secretary phone call; step 3-family health professional phone call and face-to-face appointment. Methods A population-based randomised controlled trial will be implemented in Portuguese urban and rural areas. Women eligible for cervical cancer screening will be randomised (1: 1) to intervention and control. In the intervention group, women will be invited for screening through text messages, automated phone calls, manual phone calls and health professional appointments, to be applied sequentially to participants remaining non-adherent after each step. Control will be the standard of care (written letter). The primary outcome is the proportion of women adherent to screening after step 1 or sequences of steps from 1 to 3. The secondary outcomes are: proportion of women screened after each step (1a, 2 and 3); proportion of text messages/phone calls delivered; proportion of women previously screened in a private health institution who change to organised screening. The intervention and control groups will be compared based on intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses. Ethics and dissemination The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Northern Health Region Administration and National Data Protection Committee. Results will be disseminated through communications in scientific meetings and peer-reviewed journals.This work is supported by the groups of primary healthcare units involved in the study (ACeS Porto Ocidental and Marao e Douro Norte) and the Instituto de Saude Publica da Universidade do Porto (ISPUP). The groups of primary care units contribute with the human resources involved in the field work and data collection. The cost of text messages and phone calls are supported by ACeS Porto Ocidental and ISPUP

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Climatic change emphasize the importance of biodiversity maintenance, Suggesting that germplasm adapted to organic, low input, or conventional conditions is needed to face future demands. This Study presents: I - The two steps genesis of the synthetic maize population Fandango, A) NUTICA creation: in 1975, Miguel Mota and Silas Pego, initiated a new type of polycross method involving 77 yellow elite inbred lines (dent and flint; 20% Portuguese and 80% North American germplasm) from the NUMI programme (NUcleo de melhoramento de Milho, Braga, Portugal). These inbreds were intermated in natural isolation and progenies submitted to intensive selection for both parents during continued cycles; B) From NUTICA to Fandango: Tandango was composed of all the crosses that resulted from a North Carolina Design I matting design (1 male crossed with 5 females) applied to NUTICA. II - The diversity evolution of Fandango under a Participatory Breeding project at the Portuguese Sousa Valley region (VASO) initiated in 1985 by Pego, with CIMMYT support. Morphological, fasciation expression, and yield trials were conducted in Portugal (3 locations, 3 years) and in the USA (4 locations, I year) using seeds obtained from five to seven cycles of mass selection (MS). The selection across cycles wits clone by the breeder (until cycle 5) and farmer (before cycle II in present). ANOVA and regression analysis on the rate of direct response to selection were performed when the assumption of normality was positively confirmed. Otherwise the non parametric Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) was performed. Response to mass selection in lowa showed significant decrease in yield, while in Portugal a significant increase for time of silking, plant and ear height, ear diameters 2, 37 4, kernel number, cot) diameters, and rachis was observed. At this location also a significant decrease was observed for thousand kernel weight and ear length. These results showed that mass selection were not effective for significant yield increase, except when considered Lousada with breeder selection (3.09% of gain per cycle per year). Some non-para metric methods (MARS, decision trees and random forests) were used to get insights on the causes that explain yield in Fandango. Kernel weight and ear weight were the most important traits, although row numbers, number of kernels per row, ear length, and ear diameter were also of some importance influencing Fandango yield

A Phase Transition for Circle Maps and Cherry Flows

We study $C^{2}$ weakly order preserving circle maps with a flat interval. The main result of the paper is about a sharp transition from degenerate geometry to bounded geometry depending on the degree of the singularities at the boundary of the flat interval. We prove that the non-wandering set has zero Hausdorff dimension in the case of degenerate geometry and it has Hausdorff dimension strictly greater than zero in the case of bounded geometry. Our results about circle maps allow to establish a sharp phase transition in the dynamics of Cherry flows

Levantamento dos danos causados pela infestação de Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) em lavouras comerciais de milho Bt na Região Central de Minas Gerais.

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