ICT and critical thinking : a multifaceted and integrated process in the English Language Learning (ESL)

The increased complexity of our world today calls for learners’ active knowledge construction and collaboration in the learning process, as opposed to traditional approaches based on the assumption that knowledge is transmitted from teacher to student. Accordingly, YouTube, in parallel with Moodle forums, emerge as new learning environments, fostering a multifaceted and integrated process consistent with young digital natives’ profile and the challenges demanded by a knowledge-based society. A case study was conducted in English as a second language (ESL), involving eleventh-grade secondary education students in formal and non-formal learning environments, offline and online. The research focussed on the educational value of digital video and Moodle forum discussions and their effective contribution to a meaningful and in-depth learning, aiming to develop critical thinking skills. First phase results showed that not only were a vast majority of learners not aware of many of the skills involved in critical thinking, but clear intellectual standards inherent to disciplined and critical thinking did not govern them as well. Final results showed major differences regarding learners’ achievements, indicating that YouTube and Moodle have promoted the development of critical thinking in English (ESL). In this paper we present; a) theories that support the integration of digital videos for developing essential skills to the learning process; b) new insights into the way foreign language may be processed; c) methodologies with YouTube and Moodle in the educational context

YouTube for learning English as a foreign language : critical thinking, communicative skills

Publicado em "Proceedings of EDULEARN09 Conference", ISBN 978-84-612-9802-0The selection of available videos on YouTube comes up as a meaningful way to foreign language learning. The approach has been adopted in a high school, engaging 11th grade students (16/17 years old) in formal and non-formal learning environments. Our World; Teen Consumers; The World of Work and the Multicultural World were the curriculum themes covered by the current experience. The first author, an English teacher, is doing her master’s dissertation based on a case study [1] [2], which focuses on the impact of YouTube on promoting essential competences to the English language learning process. A formal research dimension is now added to this framework based on the teacher’s own practices until the moment. In this paper we present; a) theories that support the integration of YouTube for learning English as a second language; b) approaches and specific materials centred on the students and used in the classroom context, illustrating some examples; c) the study design and the techniques to collect and analyse data; d) the value added by the component of investigation to school teaching practice

Higher-order thinking in foreign language learning

A project is being conducted in English as a foreign language (EFL), involving eleventh graders in formal and non-formal learning contexts, in a Portuguese high school. The goal of this study is to examine the impact of cognitive tools and higher-order thinking processes on the learning of EFL and achievement of larger processes oriented to action, involving problem solving, decision-making and creation of new products. YouTube videos emerge as cognitive tools in the process. Final results show major differences concerning learners’ achievements. Learners have developed higher-order processes oriented to action, in particular their ability to learn, to transfer the skills developed to different contexts and apply them effectively in EFL communicative situations. This paper discusses: a) major theories that support the integration of cognitive tools and thinking processes within the curriculum, focussing on the English language learning; b) some of the activities and materials; c) the final findings.This work is supported by CIED (Center for Research in Education) by FCT funds (for Science and Technology), under the PEST - OE project / CED / UI 1661/2014info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Critical thinking

YouTube, in parallel with Moodle forums, emerge as new learning environments, fostering a multifaceted and integrated process consistent with young digital natives’ profile and the challenges demanded by a knowledge-based society. A case study was conducted in English as a second language (ESL), involving eleventh-grade secondary education students in formal and non-formal learning environments, offline and online. The research focussed on the educational value of digital video and Moodle forum discussions and their effective contribution to a meaningful and in-depth learning, aiming to develop critical thinking skills. First phase results showed that not only were a vast majority of learners not aware of many of the skills involved in critical thinking, but clear intellectual standards inherent to disciplined and critical thinking did not govern them as well. Final results showed major differences regarding learners’ achievements, indicating that YouTube and Moodle have promoted the development of critical thinking in English (ESL). In this paper we present: (a) theories that support the integration of digital videos for developing essential skills to the learning process; (b) new insights into the way foreign language may be processed; (c) methodologies with YouTube and Moodle in the educational context

O YouTube e o pensamento de ordem superior em inglês (LE): um estudo com alunos do ensino secundário

Dissertação de mestrado em Estudos da Criança (área de especialização em Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação)A crescente complexidade do mundo actual acentua a importância da construção activa do conhecimento por parte do aluno e da colaboração na aprendizagem, em contraste com o ensino de natureza mais tradicional, baseado na assunção de que o conhecimento se transfere de professor para aluno. Nesta óptica, o YouTube, e paralelamente o fórum de discussão online, surgem como novos ambientes de aprendizagem que favorecem um processo integrado e multifacetado da mesma, em conformidade com o perfil dos jovens nativos digitais e com os desafios que lhes são colocados pela Sociedade do Conhecimento. Com base no modelo de pensamento integrado proposto por Jonassen (1996), desenvolveu-se um estudo de caso no domínio da disciplina de Inglês (LE), com duas turmas do décimo primeiro ano do Ensino Secundário em ambiente curricular formal e não formal, offline e online. Esta investigação focou-se no interesse educativo das ferramentas cognitivas (o YouTube e o fórum - Moodle) e na sua efectiva contribuição para uma aprendizagem profunda e significativa, orientada para processos de pensamento complexo, que combinam competências de pensamento de conteúdo, crítico e criativo. Os instrumentos de recolha de dados abrangeram notas de campo resultantes da observação participante por parte da investigadora e professora da turma e, principalmente, trabalhos e reflexões realizados pelos alunos – comentários críticos e guiões; vídeos seleccionados a partir do YouTube; vídeos criados pelos alunos, publicados e partilhados no YouTube; testemunhos dos alunos recolhidos no fórum de discussão; feedback dos alunos e visitantes no portal do YouTube; grelha de auto-avaliação da produção oral e interacção; grelha de auto-regulação do trabalho de projecto. Destes dados foi feito uma análise predominantemente qualitativa mas também quantitativa. Os resultados obtidos na primeira fase do projecto permitiram concluir que a grande maioria dos alunos não só desconhecia muitas das competências e subcompetências implicadas no pensamento crítico e no pensamento criativo, como também não se regia pelos princípios intelectuais inerentes ao pensamento disciplinado e crítico (Bassham & al, 2005). No final do estudo, verificaram-se grandes diferenças nos resultados obtidos pelos alunos, podendo-se concluir que as ferramentas cognitivas apoiaram o desenvolvimento do pensamento de ordem superior em Língua Inglesa (LE). Os alunos valorizaram a qualidade do trabalho realizado com recurso a ferramentas cognitivas reconhecendo que o sucesso obtido é indissociável da sua emancipação pessoal e social.The increased complexity of our world today calls for learners’ active knowledge construction and collaboration in the learning process, as opposed to traditional approaches based on the assumption that knowledge is transmitted from teacher to student. Accordingly, YouTube, in parallel with Moodle forum discussions, emerge as new learning environments, fostering a multifaceted and integrated process consistent with young digital natives’ profile and the challenges demanded by a knowledge-based society. Regarding the Integrated Thinking Model suggested by Jonassen (1996), a study case was conducted in English as a second language (ESL), involving eleventh-grade secondary education students in formal and non-formal learning environments, offline and online. The research focussed on the educational value of mindtools (both YouTube and the forum) and their effective contribution to a meaningful and in-depth learning, oriented to complex thinking processes, combining content, critical and creative thinking competences. Data collection instruments covered both field notes resulting from participant observation undertaken by the researcher (and classes’ teacher), and essentially learners’ assignments and reflections – reviews and scripts; selected videos from YouTube; learners’ produced videos, published and shared on YouTube; learners’ testimonies taken from forum discussions and debates; learners and visitors’ feedback on YouTube portal; oral production and interaction assessment form; selfregulated project work forms. A qualitative and a quantitative data analysis resulted from these data. First phase results showed that not only were a vast majority of learners not aware of many of the competences involved in critical and creative thinking, but clear intellectual standards inherent to disciplined and critical thinking did not govern them as well (Bassham & al, 2005). Final results showed major differences regarding learners’ achievements, indicating that mindtools have promoted the development of higher-order thinking in English (ESL). Learners valued the quality of work carried out with mindtools and acknowledged the accomplished success as being inseparable from their personal and social emancipation

Autonomy, Erasure, and Persistence in the Urban Gardening Commons

Collective gardening spaces have existed across Lisbon, Portugal for decades. This article attends to the makeshift natures made by black migrants from Portugal’s former colonies, and the racial urban geography thrown into relief by the differing fortunes of white Portuguese community gardening spaces. Conceptualising urban gardens as commons-in-the-making, we explore subaltern urbanism and the emergence of autonomous gardening commons on the one hand, and the state erasure, overwriting or construction of top-down commons on the other. While showing that urban gardening forges commons of varying persistence, we also demonstrate the ways through which the commons are always closely entwined with processes of enclosure. We further argue that urban gardening commons are divergent and cannot be judged against any abstract ideal of the commons. In conclusion, we suggest that urban gardening commons do not have a “common” in common.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

O YouTube e o pensamento de ordem superior em Inglês: língua estrangeira

Publicado em "VII Conferência Internacional de Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação na Educação - Challenges 2011 : perspectivas de inovação", ISBN 978-989-97374-0-2O YouTube emerge como ferraments social que permite não só uma rápida partilha de vídeos criados pelos alunos, mas tsmbém a interacção cooperativa gerada em tomo do seu conteúdo. O projecto apresentado neste artigo centra-se no interesse educativo do vídeo digital e na sua efectiva contribuição para uma aprendizagem mais profunda e orientada para o desenvolvimento do pensamento de ordem superior em Inglês, língua estrangeira. "A Work:l of Many Culturas" foi o domínio do currículo trabalhado neste estudo que decorreu na Escola Secundária de Carlos Amarante, envolvendo alunos de décimo primeiro ano em contextos formais e nao formais de aprendizagem. Neste artigo apresentamos: a) teorias subjacentes ao uso educativo do YouTube para desenvolver competências várias inerentes ao processo de aprendizagem; b) novas perspectivas para a aprendizagem de uma llngua estrangeira; c) materiais inovadores criados pelos estudantes em contexto de sala de aula.YouTube emerges as a social tool, which allows rapid exchange of student11enerated vídeos and cooperativa interaction around their content. The project discussed in lhis paper focuses on lhe value of digilal video and its effectiveness for deeper leaming and higher-level thinking in English as a second language. "A World of Many Culturas" was lhe curriculum theme covered by lhe study carried out at Carlos Amarante Secondary School, involving eleventh - grade students in formal and non-formal leaming environments. ln this paper we present; a) theories lha! support lhe integration of YouTube for developing essential competences to lhe leaming process; b) new insights into lhe way foreign language may be processed; c) innovative materiais centered on lhe students and produced in lhe classroom context

Development of Parvifloron D-Loaded Smart Nanoparticles to Target Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the eighth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. For this reason, the development of more effective therapies is a major concern for the scientific community. Accordingly, plants belonging to Plectranthus genus and their isolated compounds, such as Parvifloron D, were found to have cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities. However, Parvifloron D is a very low water-soluble compound. Thus, nanotechnology can be a promising delivery system to enhance drug solubility and targeted delivery. The extraction of Parvifloron D from P. ecklonii was optimized through an acetone ultrasound-assisted method and isolated by Flash-Dry Column Chromatography. Then, its antiproliferative effect was selectivity evaluated against different cell lines (IC50 of 0.15 ± 0.05 μM, 11.9 ± 0.7 μM, 21.6 ± 0.5, 34.3 ± 4.1 μM, 35.1 ± 2.2 μM and 32.1 ± 4.3 μM for BxPC3, PANC-1, Ins1-E, MCF-7, HaCat and Caco-2, respectively). To obtain an optimized stable Parvifloron D pharmaceutical dosage form, albumin nanoparticles were produced through a desolvation method (yield of encapsulation of 91.2%) and characterized in terms of size (165 nm; PI 0.11), zeta potential (−7.88 mV) and morphology. In conclusion, Parvifloron D can be efficiently obtained from P. ecklonii and it has shown selective cytotoxicity to pancreatic cell lines. Parvifloron D nanoencapsulation can be considered as a possible efficient alternative approach in the treatment of pancreatic cancer