ICT in Higher Education: a case-study of mediated blended-learning

Teaching in on-line and collaborative situations requires a variety of responses including changes in pedagogy as instructors taking the role of facilitators of information while guiding students toward solutions. In order for online learning to be successful, therefore, teachers as well as learners will need to explore new roles in the teaching-learning relationship. In this paper, the authors propose to examine how educators can mediate instruction by first designing their course goals and objectives and then consider how the on-line environment can best serve the instructional objectives and plan appropriate activities and assessment. We seek to explore the use of online environments as the bridge between real world and reflective knowledge

Improving staff competences to promote quality of eLearning in Higher Education

Quality and innovation of Higher Education is clearly pointing to a better pedagogic knowledge of the faculty members aiming at the academic success of the students. This aim requires, from the institution and teachers, a much greater involvement than what has been the case, at least, in Portuguese universities [6]. The University of Aveiro, Portugal, is engaged in taking advantage of all the opportunities to improve the quality of more than 40 undergraduate and 130 postgraduate programs currently being offered, and to wide the catalogue of choices of students by the promotion of ICT/Internet based programs [2]. One of the main constraints to overcome is the change of mind required from faculty staff, most of which is not familiarized with the functionalities of ICT/Internet based technologies to deploy flexible and studentcentred learning settings. The University of Aveiro is taking advantage of a major change in the European Higher Education landscape, the wiling to create a common European Higher Education space (Bologna Declaration), to induce changes in course design and delivery through the integration of ICT/Internet support. Furthermore, this paper presents and discusses a staff development program for faculty staff aiming to provide academics with essential skills in areas such as teaching best practices, curriculum design (student-centred), collaborative learning and the adoption of ICT/Internet technologies

A staff development program for promoting change in Higher Education teaching and learning practices

This paper presents and discusses a staff development program for faculty staff being carried at the University of Aveiro, aiming at providing academics with essential skills in areas such as teaching best practices, student-centered curriculum design, collaborative learning and the adoption of ICT/Internet technologies

A staff development program for promoting change in higher education teaching and learning practices

This paper presents and discusses a faculty development program being carried out at the University of Aveiro, aiming at providing academics with essential skills in areas such as teaching best practices, student-centered curriculum design, collaborative learning and the adoption of ICT/Internet technologies.Education for the 21 st century - impact of ICT and Digital Resources ConferenceRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Preclinical research in paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain: a systematic review

IntroductionChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common consequence of cancer treatment and pain is a frequent complaint of the patients. Paclitaxel, a cytostatic drug, generates a well-described peripheral nerve injury and neuroinflammation, which may be experimentally mimicked in animal models. We conducted a systematic review analyzing the experimental design, reporting and mechanisms underlying paclitaxel-induced neuropathy in the included studies to establish the perspectives of translation of the current literature in models of CIPN.MethodsWe elected studies published in Pubmed and Scopus between 1 January 2018 and 3 December 2022.ResultsAccording to a defined mesh of keywords searched, and after applying exclusion and inclusion criteria, 70 original studies were included and analyzed in detail. Most studies used male Sprague-Dawley rats to induce paclitaxel-induced neuropathy, used low doses of paclitaxel, and the analyzed studies mainly focused at 14-28 days of CIPN. Mechanical nociceptive tests were preferred in the behavioral evaluation. The mechanisms under study were mainly neuroinflammation of peripheral nerves. The overall methodological quality was considered moderate, and the risk of bias was unclear.DiscussionDespite the ample preclinical research in paclitaxel-induced neuropathy, this systematic review alerts to some flaws in the experimental design along with limitations in reporting, e.g., lack of representation of both sexes in experimental work and the lack of reporting of the ARRIVE guidelines. This may limit the reproducibility of preclinical studies in CIPN. In addition, the clinical features of CIPN should be considered when designing animal experiments, such as sex and age of the CIPN patients. In this way the experimental studies aiming to establish the mechanisms of CIPN may allow the development of new drugs to treat CIPN and translation in the research of CIPN could be improved

Multiple manipulators path planning using double A∗

Streamlining automated processes is currently undertaken by developing optimization methods and algorithms for robotic manipulators. This paper aims to present a new approach to improve streamlining of automatic processes. This new approach allows for multiple robotic manipulators commonly found in the industrial environment to handle different scenarios, thus providing a high-flexibility solution to automated processes. Design/methodology/approach - The developed system is based on a spatial discretization methodology capable of describing the surrounding environment of the robot, followed by a novel path-planning algorithm. Gazebo was the simulation engine chosen, and the robotic manipulator used was the Universal Robot 5 (UR5). The proposed system was tested using the premises of two robotic challenges: EuRoC and Amazon Picking Challenge. Findings - The developed system was able to identify and describe the influence of each joint in the Cartesian space, and it was possible to control multiple robotic manipulators safely regardless of any obstacles in a given scene. Practical implications - This new system was tested in both real and simulated environments, and data collected showed that this new system performed well in real-life scenarios, such as EuRoC and Amazon Picking Challenge. Originality/value - The new proposed approach can be valuable in the robotics field with applications in various industrial scenarios, as it provides a flexible solution for multiple robotic manipulator path and motion planning.The research leading to these results has received funding from the project "NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000020" which is nanced by the North Portugal Re- gional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, and through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The enredo game-installation: a proposal to counter hate speech online

In this article we encourage conflict sensitive attitudes and multicultural awareness based on the potential for creative responses. Through digital media art and serious games strategies we seek to create safe areas for dialogue, debate, and awareness of hate speech. These solutions will be even more effective if they are based on the understanding of how different forms of expression emerge, interact, and potentially dissipate in the virtual environment. Grounded on the possibilities of digital media art, through a practice-based research methodology, we explore the process of creating a gamified counternarrative, designed with the objective of responding to hate speech, and, at the same time, capable of providing an experience of aesthetic enjoyment. Foreseeing the establishment of a collaborative network with the educational community and the non-specialized public (parents, youth, associations, educators), this project is also based on the key concepts of media and information literacy, which are important not only to understand and analyze the phenomenon of online hate speech, but also to develop strategies and tools that allow the containment of this type of speech.This publication is financed by national funds through the projects “UIBD/04019/2020 CIAC” and “UI/BD/150850/2021” of the Foundation for Science and Technology.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

In[The Hate Booth]: a case study on how to deal with online hate speech

In today's hyper-connected world, digital games and online gaming communities occupy a prominent place in the communication system, in social media, forums or Internet communities, where online hate speech (OHS) takes place, frequently and publicly, triggering toxic environments. In this chapter we present a case study based on interviews, distributed in two sessions, to ten participants with 12 and 13 years old, and an experience over the SG In[The Hate Booth], as a counterproposal to address OHS. The qualitative data approaches three aspects: the experiences with OHS, the perspectives about OHS and the possible solutions to counteract OHS. We conclude that OHS is a common complaint from players and a characteristic behavior in game communities. Data shows that even users who don’t identify themselves with this behavior accept it as part of online environments and agree that this toxicity continues outside the in-game screen with effects in everyday life. The pedagogical approach, namely through SG, is perceived as a possible measure to counteract the OHS.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Insights from a digital diary: exploring the creative process of the game-installation In[The Hate Booth]

This article proposes an approach to the creative gesture, particularly in digital art, and the methodologies that provide access to the process of creation. It suggests a study on the development of a digital diary to document and reflect on the creative process, with a specific focus on the In[The Hate Booth] project. Through analysing entries in the project's digital diary, the research explores the artistic process and the development of the artwork. The findings highlight how digital diaries may ease idea exploration, the conceptual breakthroughs, and critical insights of the creative work, also emphasizing the importance of documenting the process for digital preservation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

IN[The Hate Booth]: a gamified installation to counteract hate speech

Playing an online game, interacting on a social network or in a digital gaming community is part of the daily lives of most children and youth, with effects on the development of the personality, influence on the behavior and on the ability to manage conflicts. Studies and reports have been analyzing the interactions of online players, on gaming platforms and communities, as consumers and content producers, with the aim of understanding and finding effective ways to prevent hate speech from proliferating in these digital environments. In this article, we present a gamified installation, combining narrative and participatory approaches, as a response to the proliferation of online hate speech. The game-installation [IN]The Hate Booth consists of a light booth, where the interactor can find an interactive fiction game inspired by the videogame universe. This game will be the basis of a pedagogical itinerary, aiming to reflect on experiences with online hate speech and its effects inside and outside the virtual world [1, 2]. The initiative seeks to contribute to achieving and developing the sixteenth goal of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: the construction of peaceful and just societies, and effective, accountable and inclusive democracies at all levels.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio