Development of a one point quadrature EAS solid-shell element

A correct reproduction of thickness effect can be accurately described by the use of three-dimensional solid elements. In addition to convenient formulation for constitutive law, solid element provides a straightforward extension to geometrically non-linear problems, particularly in the presence of large rotations, since only translational degrees of freedom are involved. Also, compared with shell elements, it is valid to consider double-sided contact because of real physical nodes on top and bottom surfaces without any further modification. However, for low order elements, as thickness/length ratio value tends to zero, the transverse shear-locking phenomenon becomes more evident. Also, plasticity leads to isochoric deformation, which is the main source of the volumetric locking phenomenon. Concerning bending dominant problems, it is difficult to use a single layer of solid elements due to the limitation of integration points along thickness direction. Multi-layered solid element increases the CPU time dramatically. In order to overcome these drawbacks, a new single layer solid-shell element is developed based on a one-point quadrature scheme, but allowing multiple integration points along thickness. A physical stabilization scheme, based on convective coordinate system, is used to control hourglass modes efficiently. To avoid thickness and volumetric locking behaviors, the formulation applies Simo and Rifai's Enhanced Assumed Strain method. The background theory for this element and numerical simulations for validation purposes are presented. Assessments show that the present formulation is efficient for linear and nonlinear shell applications

Is it “just to teach” or is it “more to learn”? Reflections, among peers, about (their own) pedagogical practices in higher education: Analysis of teachers’ perceptions about a peer observation of teaching program

Várias estratégias têm sido avançadas para suprir lacunas na formação pedagógica de professores do Ensino Superior, sendo uma delas a observação por pares. Com o intuito de apoiar os professores nas suas práticas pedagógicas, está em curso na Universidade de Aveiro (Portugal) um programa de observação por pares, já na sua segunda edição. No presente artigo, após um breve enquadramento aludindo à profissionalidade docente no contexto específico do Ensino Superior, descreve-se o POP – Programa de Observação por Pares e analisam-se as reflexões sobre as (próprias) práticas pedagógicas no Ensino Superior de 10 professores que participaram na primeira edição deste programa e que se reuniram num encontro conjunto para reflexão sobre o mesmo. Este encontro foi videogravado e os testemunhos de cada professor foram transcritos. As suas perceções, não apenas sobre a experiência de participação no POP, mas também sobre outras dimensões ligadas à profissionalidade docente no Ensino Superior, foram analisadas mediante a técnica da análise de conteúdo (especificamente, a análise temática), implementada com recurso ao WebQDA, um software de análise de dados qualitativos. Desta análise, apresentada no presente artigo, emergiram temas comuns: as razões que motivaram a participação no POP; as vantagens da participação no POP e as suas limitações; as potencialidades futuras de um programa como o POP. Entre outras considerações acerca da pertinência da observação por pares no quadro da formação continuada de professores do Ensino Superior, ponderam-se respostas à pergunta sobre o papel do professor no Ensino Superior: será “só para ensinar” ou “mais para aprender”?Varias estrategias son avanzadas para suplir vacíos en la formación pedagógica de profesores de la Enseñanza Superior, una de ellas la observación entre pares. Para apoyar los profesores en sus prácticas pedagógicas, está implementándose en la Universidad de Aveiro (Portugal) un programa de observación entre pares (su segunda edición). En el presente artículo, después de un breve encuadramiento aludiendo a la profesionalidad docente en el contexto específico de la Enseñanza Superior, describimos el POP – Programa de Observación entre Pares y se analizan las reflexiones sobre las (propias) prácticas pedagógicas en la Enseñanza Superior de 10 profesores que participaron en la primera edición de este programa y que se reunieron en un encuentro para reflexionar sobre lo mismo. Esto fue vídeogravado y los testimonios de cada profesor transcritos. Sus percepciones sobre la experiencia de participación en el POP y otras dimensiones asociadas a la profesionalidad docente en la Enseñanza Superior fueron analizadas mediante la técnica de análisis de contenido (específicamente, el análisis temático), empleado con el software de análisis de datos cualitativos WebQDA. De esto análisis aquí presentada, emergieron temas comunes: las razones que motivaran la participación en el POP; las ventajas y las limitaciones de la participación; las potencialidades futuras de este programa. Entre otras consideraciones sobre la pertinencia de la observación entre pares en el cuadro de la formación continuada de profesores de la Enseñanza Superior, se ponderan respuestas a la pregunta sobre el papel del profesor en la Enseñanza Superior: ¿será “solamente para enseñar” o “más para aprender”?Several strategies have been proposed to fill the gaps in the pedagogical training of faculty, one of which referring to peer observation of teaching. To support faculty in their pedagogical practices, a peer observation of teaching program is currently being implemented at University of Aveiro (Portugal), already in its second edition. In the present paper, after briefly framing the concept of teaching professionalism in the specific context of Higher Education, we describe POP – Programa de Observação por Pares and analyze the reflections of 10 professors about their own pedagogical practices in Higher Education. They participated in the first edition of this program and met to reflect about it. This meeting was video recorded and the professors’ testimonies were transcribed. Their perceptions about the experience of participating in POP and about other dimensions related to teaching professionalism in Higher Education were analyzed using the content analysis technique (specifically, thematic analysis), which was implemented with WebQDA, a qualitative data analysis software. In this paper, we present the common themes that have emerged from this analysis, namely: the reasons that motivated the participation in POP; the advantages and limitations of participating in POP; the future potentialities of a program like POP. Among other considerations on the relevance of peer observation for professional development, we reflect on answers to the question about the role of professors in Higher Education: is it “just to teach” or is it “more to learn”?publishe