Graphic calculators in the classroom: Students’ viewpoints

This paper presents the results of a study about the views and attitudes of students of a low achieving 11th grade class who were involved in an innovative experience with graphic calculators for all academic year. Contrasting the results obtained from a questionnaire and from interviews, it concludes that students tended to point some improvements in the mathematics class, but attributed their origin more to their teacher’ style and personality than to the use of this technology

Epistemologia e Prática da Mediação: Por Uma Cultura de Paz

Procuramos analisar a estreita relação estabelecida entre a existência de conflito, a procura da paz e a mediação, entendida esta hoje, em Portugal, como uma atividade socioprofissional com múltiplas formas de abordagem, aplicável em distintos campos de atuação e passível de integrar diferentes modelos de intervenção. De fato, a mediação pode inscrever-se num amplo contexto de pacificação social, que pode tomar formas tão díspares como uma simples via alternativa de resolução de conflitos, um meio autêntico, eficaz e construtivo de resolução de conflitos, um importante modo de regulação social ou um verdadeiro modelo de intervenção social. Independentemente dessas circunstâncias que delimitam, simultaneamente, sua epistemologia e sua pragmática, a mediação preconiza, sem exceção, o empoderamento dos indivíduos que a procuram e a alteração das suas premissas conflituais iniciais para um acordo que se pretende “co-construído” pelos intervenientes. Muitas e pertinentes questões podem, assim, ser colocadas e isso é o que nos propomos debater.We try to analyze, the close relationship established between the existence of conflict, the search for peace and mediation, understood in Portugal today, as a socio-professional activity with multiple forms of approach, applicable in different fields of activity and which can integrate different intervention models. Indeed, mediation can be part of a larger context of social peace, which may take such diverse forms as a simple alternative route to conflict resolution; an authentic environment, effective and constructive conflict management; an important mode of social regulation; or a real model of social intervention. Regardless of the circumstances that define, simultaneously, its epistemology and its pragmatic, mediation promotes, without exception, the empowerment of individuals who seek it and changing its initial conflicting premises for an agreement that is to be “co-built” by individuals. Many relevant questions can thus be asked and this is what we propose to discuss.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Caracterização de Puccinia hemerocallidis causadora do primeiro surto de ferrugem de lírio-de-um-dia na Europa

Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) is an ornamental plant widely used in gardens. Daylily rust, caused by the fungus Puccinia hemerocallidis, has disseminated through all continents only in the 21th century, except in Europe, where it has been considered a quarantine disease by the European Plant Protection Organisation. In Portugal, since November 2015, typical rust symptoms were observed in daylily plants in gardens in Lisbon, Alentejo, Algarve and Madeira, attaining high prevalence, incidence and severity. The causal agent was identified as P. hemerocallidis and the Koch’s postulates were fulfilled. Phylogenetic data suggest that this fungus may have been introduced from North America. Using flow cytometry, the genome size of the P. hemerocallidis populations present in Portugal was estimated to be 345 Mbp (0.3533 pg DNA/1C). For such analysis Rhamnus alaternus was validated as a DNA standard, exhibiting a nuclear content of 0.680 pg DNA/2C. The identification of this disease in diverse locations in Portugal represents a threat to European breeding and nursery industries, since there are the appropriate conditions for inoculum maintenance and propagation from Portugal to the rest of Europeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estilos de vida em idosas e níveis de atividade física: um estudo piloto

The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) is a standardized measure to estimate habitual practice of physical activities. Because of the specificity of different elderly’s life styles, and, consequently, modes of physical activity, the purpose of this pilot study was to analyze differences among ten regular gym practitioners (fitness group) (68,60±3,57 years of age) and ten Senior University students without gym practice (informal group) (71,30±5,54 years of age). The results showed that energy expenditure doesn’t depend solely on regular and controlled physical activity at a Fitness center, and that functional motor activity, as daily life active transportation and domestic and garden activities, resulted in similar energy expenditure. It’s suggested that programs combining energy expenditure and daily life motor activities is a good solution for quality of life enhancement, and an alternative to more standardized fitness practices.O Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física (IPAQ) é uma medida padronizada para estimar a prática habitual de atividades físicas. A finalidade deste estudo piloto foi analisar as diferenças entre dez praticantes regulares de ginásio (68,60 ± 3,57 anos de idade) e dez estudantes de uma Universidade Sénior sem atividade física formal (grupo informal) (71,30 ± 5,54 anos de idade). Os resultados mostraram que o dispêndio energético não depende unicamente da atividade física regular e controlada num centro de Fitness, e que a atividade motora funcional, como o transporte ativo e as atividades domésticas e de jardim, resultou em gastos energéticos semelhantes. Sugere-se que programas que combinem dispêndio energético e atividades motoras de vida diária são uma boa solução para a valorização da qualidade de vida e uma alternativa a práticas de Fitness mais padronizadas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Reviving DIY: the importance of do it youself to the portuguese alternative rock scene

The approach of DIY music careers lies in the premise that music is a unifyingpole of activities, clustering a diversity of practices and lifestylesaround it. The analysis of musical production is usually based on an entrepreneurialperspective about creative workers and, specifically, aboutthe musicians. In this context, it can be useful to revisit one of the corevalues of the punk subculture, the DIY ethos, based on empowerment, ontaking possession of the means of production, as an alternative to mainstreamproduction circuits. Starting from the case of three projects - FilhoÚnico, Haus and Hey, Pachuco! - we explore the relevance of do it yourselflogics and procedures in the construction and maintenance of musicalcareers in the alternative rock, considering their impact on Lisbon metropolitanareas music alternative scenes

Regional development of education as a "coordination game"

In this paper, we try to assess the ability of educationally backward countries, such as Portugal, to catch-up with more developed nations within the EU. For that purpose, we use a framework composed by a symmetric coordination n person game that is played by a set of candidates to attend a post-compulsory educational degree, such as university. Higher education has a positive payoff only if a "critical mass" (indeed the unanimity) of students with a low socioeconomic background decide to attend the university. Two strict Nash equilibria exist in this game: either all players decide to attend the university or none does it in equilibrium. By using the "risk dominance" approach to the selection of a unique Nash equilibrium that was suggested by HARSANYI and SELTEN (1988), we are able to recognize the factors that make either strict Nash equilibrium the likely solution. In spite of the progress they have achieved in schooling, structurally lagging countries such as Portugal seem to be hindered in education development by the fact that, in a large majority of households, income is low and parents lack post-compulsory education. While low household income makes the relative cost of university education high even if tuition fees are modest, a small share of highly educated parents makes the achievement of a "critical mass" of students who attend the university more difficult and thus renders the benefits of college education riskier and less safe.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Imperforate hymen: the importance of early diagnosis

The imperforate hymen is one of the most common obstructive lesions of the female genital system, with a prevalence from 1: 1000 to 1: 10000. Anomalies of the hymen are due to incomplete degeneration of the hymen central portion. It can be diagnosed at physical examination from birth and treated surgically. The most common clinical presentation is cyclic pelvic abdominal pain, urinary retention and hematocolpos. 12-year-old girl, premenarche who appealed to the Emergency department with abdominal pain and bilateral lumbar irradiation, over 2 weeks of evolution. Physical examination showed abdominal tumefaction in the hypogastric region, painful to palpation and under tension. Gynecological examination revealed an imperforate hymen, protruding from the introitus. Rectal ultrasonography performed at the emergency room showed vaginal distension with a hypoechoic content of 16 cm, larger diameter. Surgical hymenectomy was performed as treatment. On the 58th postoperative day, the patient was asymptomatic.The authors present a clinical case of imperforate hymen diagnosed at menarche, an anomaly diagnosed increasingly early due to the earlier physical examination that involves observation of the external genitalia of the new-born and the pre-pubertal child

Employability in online higher education : a case study

This paper presents the results of a study on the perceptions of students and teachers from a distance education university on employability skills in higher education. The choice of skills that are important to the labour market has been the subject of controversy because it involves heterogeneous interests of different groups. Our case study departs from the following question: what are the perceptions of students and teachers about online higher education and the required skills for employability? To this end, a comparative study on the views of students and teachers was conducted, which emphasized the following dimensions: a) the most important skills for employability, and b) the skills to be developed for employability within undergraduate degrees in online learning. To collect the required data, a questionnaire was prepared and applied to students and teachers, taking as its main reference the theoretical model of Knight and Yorke (2006). In spite of the specificity of each group, the results reveal some similarities between students and teachers with regard to employability. The conclusions also highlight the need to promote research in this area in the European context

Considerações sobre as temáticas de formação cívica no ensino básico

A Formação Cívica é definida como um espaço privilegiado para o desenvolvimento da Educação para a Cidadania. O estudo desenvolvido pretende colocar em evidência as principais temáticas abordadas nesta área curricular não disciplinar, relacionando-as com as directrizes curriculares vigentes

Escola, cidadania e formação de sujeitos éticos

Este texto propõe uma reflexão sobre formação ética dos jovens e cidadania, numa perspectiva relacionada com a participação nas diferentes decisões da vida da escola. Neste sentido, e considerando a participação dos alunos na escola como eixo fundamental para o seu desenvolvimento integral, importa identificar que espaços formais e informais lhes são proporcionados na tomada de decisões da vida organizativa da escolar para compreendermos o papel da escola na promoção e capacitação dos jovens para o exercício de uma cidadania activa, bem como na formação de todas as dimensões do ser humano. Em 2009 terminámos um estudo em duas escolas públicas do Ensino Básico, de Aveiro, Portugal, abrangendo uma população composta por 240 alunos do 8º e 9º ano de escolaridade e 14 delegados de turma. Os resultados mostram que os alunos possuem uma débil participação formal e informal, apesar de o Decreto-Lei n.º 115-A/98 prever a possibilidade de cada escola, no âmbito da sua autonomia, promover e criar espaços de efectiva participação dos alunos. A análise dos instrumentos de autonomia das escolas estudadas revela que a participação dos alunos é assumida como um ideal e não como um efectivo projecto de concretização. Parece, assim, existir um défice de experiências participativas por parte dos jovens em estudo, assumindo estes, ainda, um papel passivo, situação que em nada contribui para o desenvolvimento de capacidades que possibilite uma intervenção activa e humanizadora na sociedade