The reflective experimental construction of meanings about the shape of the earth and the alternation of day and night

The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the process of construction of meaning about the shape of the Earth and the alternation of day and night, which is inherent to the practice of experimental science teaching. This teaching practice was gradually done by the researcher in a 1st grade class of a Portuguese primary school. The class was composed of 18 students, ten girls and eight boys, with ages ranging from six to seven years old. The analysis of the meaning construction process focused on the class diary prepared by the researcher, based on the field notes and audio recordings made during the participant observation in the classroom. The goals of the interpretive analysis of the diary were as follows: a) identifying the students' initial ideas expressed during class about the shape of the Earth, b) characterizing the processes that promote the construction of knowledge about the topics under study; c) and presenting the learning that takes place during class. These instances of learning described in the class diary, combined with the results of a true or false questionnaire, suggest that most students developed a good understanding about the shape of the Earth and the alternation of day and night.CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, UM (UI 317 da FCT

The portuguese public hospitals performance evolution before and during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic (2017–2022)

COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which has spread worldwide since the beginning of 2020. Several pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical strategies were proposed to contain the virus, including vaccination and lockdowns. One of the consequences of the pandemic was the denial or delay of access to convenient healthcare services, but also potentially the increase in adverse events within those services, like the number of hospital infections. Therefore, the main question here is about what happened to the performance of Portuguese public hospitals. The main goal of this work was to test if the Portuguese public hospitals' performance has been affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We used the Benefit-of-Doubt method integrated with the Malmquist Index to analyze the performance evolution over time. Then, we employed a multiple regression model to test whether some pandemic-related variables could explain the performance results. We considered a database of 40 Portuguese public hospitals evaluated from January 2017 to May 2022. The period 2017 to 2019 corresponds to the baseline (pre-pandemic), against which the remaining period will be compared (during the pandemic). We also considered fourteen variables characterizing hospital quality, divided into three main performance definitions (efficiency and productivity; access; safety and care appropriateness). As potential explanatory variables, we consider seven dimensions, including vaccination rate and the need for intensive care for COVID-19-infected people. The results suggest that COVID-19 pandemic features help explain the drop in access after 2020, but not the evolution of safety and appropriateness of care, which surprisingly increased the whole time.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A kinematic characterization of human walking by using CaTraSys

This paper presents an experimental characterization of the biomechanics of human gait by means of Cassino Tracking System (CaTraSys). CaTraSys is a passive cablebased parallel manipulator that is used to determine pose and exerted force of mechanical systems along large trajectories. It is a low-cost easy-operable system that has been utilized in the present work for a clinical application as an assessing device for diagnosis and rehabilitation procedures. A methodology for experimental tests and data analysis is outlined, which includes mean extrapolation of acquired trajectory data. Basic characteristics of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) resulting gait patterns are discussed. Using spatiotemporal parameters, different test conditions and anthropometric characteristics are evaluated in order to assess their influence on the human walking from the kinematic point of view

Experimental reflective science teaching: a critical view of the Piagetian perspective on the development of the concept of living being

Neste artigo apresenta-se o processo de elaboração de um guia de ensino-aprendizagem sobre o estudo dos seres vivos, a sua implementação em sala de aula, a análise do processo de construção do significado de “ser vivo” pelos alunos e a avaliação das suas aprendizagens. O guia tem subjacente uma prática de Ensino Experimental Reflexivo das Ciências (EERC) e foi implementado em três turmas do 1º ano de escolaridade (n=64). A análise do processo de ensino-aprendizagem ocorrido nas turmas incide nos diários de aulas, elaborados na sequência da observação participante em contexto de sala de aula, e procura: a) identificar as ideias espontâneas dos alunos sobre o significado de ser vivo; b) promover a (re)construção de um novo significado de ser vivo; c) avaliar, por contraste com um grupo de controle (n=64), o efeito especifico da prática de ensino nas aprendizagem dos alunos. Os resultados evidenciam que a maioria dos alunos do grupo experimental, com uma média de 6,5 anos de idade, não foi capaz de desenvolver um significado de ser vivo, como parte integrante de uma estrutura conceitual complexa. Porém, uma parte significativa do grupo experimental desenvolveu, por via da intervenção, um significado de ser vivo bem para além do que é proposto no 4º estágio de desenvolvimento piagetiano, previsto para a idade de 11/12 anos e segundo o qual a vida é reservada aos animais, ou aos animais e plantas.This paper presents the process of preparing a guide for teaching and learning about the study of “living beings”, its implementation in the classroom, the analysis of the construction of the meaning of “living being” by students, and the assessment of their learning. The practice of Experimental Reflective Science Teaching underlay the elaboration of this guide, which was implemented in three 1st grade classes (n=64). The analysis of the process of teaching and learning occurred in class is centered on the class diaries, which were produced as a result of participant observation in the context of the classroom, and it seeks to: a) identify the students' spontaneous ideas about the meaning of “living being”; b) to promote the (re)construction of a new meaning of “living being”; c) to assess, in contrast to a control group (n=64), the specific effect of this teaching practice in student learning. The results have shown that most students in the experimental group, with an average age of 6.5 years, have not been able to develop a meaning of “living being”, as part of a complex conceptual framework However, through the intervention, a significant part of the experimental group developed a meaning of “living being” which is well beyond that proposed by the 4th Piagetian stage of development, scheduled for the age of 11/12 years, and according to which life is reserved for animals, or for animals and plants.CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, UM (UI 317 da FCT

Inquiry - based science learning in preschool education: exploring a didactic proposal in the context of initial teacher training

Nos últimos anos, a literatura em educação em ciências tem demonstrado um renovado interesse na aprendizagem das ciências por investigação nos vários níveis educativos, incluindo na educação pré-escolar. Porém, a insegurança dos educadores em relação às ciências tem limitado e empobrecido as oportunidades de aprendizagem das crianças. Neste sentido, temos vindo a promover um processo de formação inicial de educadores de infância orientado para o desenvolvimento de competências científicas e didáticas inerentes à abordagem das ciências por investigação. Durante a formação, os estudantes planificam propostas didáticas e exploram-nas com as crianças nos seus respetivos contextos educativos. A partir de um desses casos, designadamente uma sequência de atividades com balões, este artigo descreve essa experiência formativa e apresenta a análise do processo de exploração das atividades promovido por estudantes, em formação, com crianças da educação pré-escolar. A análise, que incide no diário elaborado pelos estudantes, vai apresentando as aprendizagens e os processos desenvolvidos pelas crianças no ato de aprender, permitindo verificar que estas são capazes de assumir uma atitude científica de procura do saber, quando devidamente estimuladas pelo educador e envolvidas em experiências de aprendizagem interessantes e significativas.In recent years, literature on science education has reflected a renewed interest in the inquiry-based science learning across the various educational levels, including preschool education. However, the educators' insecurity in relation to sciences has limited and impoverished children's learning opportunities. Given this scenario, we have been promoting a process of initial training for preschool educators that focuses on the development of the scientific and didactic skills inherent to a inquiry-based approach to sciences. During the training, students will plan out didactic proposals and explore them with the children in their educational context. Taking one of these cases, namely a sequence of activities involving balloons, this article describes that formative experience and presents the analysis of the process of exploring those activities, developed by the students in training, with preschool children. The analysis, which focuses on the diary prepared by the students, presents the learning outcomes and the processes developed by the children in the act of learning, allowing to verify that they are able to take on a scientific attitude of seeking knowledge when properly stimulated by the educator and engaged in interesting and meaningful learning experiences.Fundos nacionais através da FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) no âmbito do projeto do CIEC (Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança) da Universidade do Minho, com a referência UIDB/00317/202

A Contribution for Generalization of Scheduling Problem Classes

It is identified that different scheduling problem classes are just special cases of one “general scheduling problem” that is that a number of traditional scheduling problem classes (for the case of 64 classes obtained by combination of 6 parameters) could be reduced to the scheduling problem for a set of lots, with one part per lot. “General scheduling problem” definition helps to minimize the simulator’s size/complexity concerning modeling and evaluation of three scheduling paradigms. Further, for scheduling problems different notations were developed to represent different scheduling problems classes. In this paper we introduced a new field into the Graham´s notation, named “sub-problem solution classes”, considering that the general solution (objective) is integrated over solutions for sub-problems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Teaching science in primary school through an interdisciplinary approach: a classroom case study

The way in which, traditionally, sciences have been taught in primary school has not allowed for the integrated use and development of the knowledge and skills acquired in the different curriculum areas. Therefore, it is necessary to promote a science teaching and learning process that encourages and enables the use of that knowledge in the context of different situations that are meaningful and relevant for children. With this goal in mind, this article seeks to illustrate, through the analysis of the process of exploration of the activity "Do snails prefer cabbage or lettuce?", which was conducted with a class of the 4th year of primary school, that research-based science activities enhance the integrated and meaningful use and development of knowledge and skills from other curricular areas, especially language and mathematics.CIEC – Research Centre on Child Studies, IE, UMinho (FCT R&D unit 317), Portugalinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Modelo de formação de educadores/professores na área de didática de estudo do meio : análise de uma experiência de formação centrada no ensino da história a crianças

Esta comunicação integra-se no projeto GT-IP/IE, dinamizado por um grupo de trabalho da Universidade do Minho, que procura analisar, discutir e refletir sobre o modelo de formação de educadores e professores veiculado nesta instituição. Refletimos sobre o impacto das experiências realizadas pelos alunos da Licenciatura em Educação Básica (Universidade do Minho) no âmbito da Iniciação à Didática de Estudo do Meio, na sua formação profissional como futuros educadores/professores, e como estes incorporam e articulam o saber teórico e o saber prático. Reflete-se sobre o modelo isomórfico de formação que temos vindo a adotar e apresenta-se, a título ilustrativo, uma experiência formativa desenvolvida no âmbito desta UC, mais especificamente na área de Estudo do Meio Social, ao nível do ensino de História, em contexto de Jardim de infância, implementada por um grupo de alunas formandas. Conclui-se da análise desta experiência que as alunas realizaram uma boa incorporação didática da perspetiva de ensinoaprendizagem da História preconizado para as crianças, pela intencionalidade veiculada ao nível da planificação e sua operacionalização, concomitante com uma prática reflexiva ao nível da investigação-ação. Finalizamos com uma reflexão sobre as implicações deste modelo de formação, que temos vindo a adotar, nesta área específica da Didática de Estudo do Meio, e que contribui para o perfil do professor-investigadorFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Per forza di levare

“As disciplinas ligadas à Arquitectura possuem o conhecimento como se este fosse desde a origem imanente aos actos” (Platão). Produzir e conhecer são a mesma operação para as disciplinas que, pela acção, criam corpos que antes não existiam tornando-se deste modo, segundo Platão, mais nobres que as artes da Mimese, apenas reprodutoras de conhecimentos que lhes são exteriores. A arquitectura (ou a carpintaria) situam-se por essa razão, acima da pintura ou da escultura, embora ainda abaixo da música, arte que já nada tem que ver com a mão