Similarity Structure Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling in Studying Latent Structures: An Application to the Attitudes towards Portuguese Language Questionnaire

Several international studies such as PISA and PILRS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), have stressed the importance of positive attitudes and behaviours as facilitators of individuals reading literacy during the school years and throughout their lives. Considering that there are not available instruments for assessing attitudes Towards Portuguese Language, it was proposed the development of the Attitudes towards Portuguese Language Questionnaire – ATPLQ (Questionário de Atitudes Face à Língua Portuguesa: QAFLP, Neto et al., 2011; Rebelo, 2012). The questionnaire has 22 Likert-type items, with four levels of response (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree), spread, through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), over three attitudinal dimensions: Behavioural, Affective, and Motivational.In this study we aimed to analyse the ATPLQ’s latent structure with a pooled sample data of 1441 participants, applying similarity structure analysis (SSA) and confirmatory factor analysis of ordinal data (CFA). The SSA was carried out with Hudap in order to identify the structural properties of the questionnaire and to assess its adequacy in a Portuguese population. The CFA was carried out with LISREL in order to assure structural validity, i.e., accounting for factorial validity, but also for factors’ convergent and discriminant validity, and composite reliability. These psychometric features allowed the comparison of both the EFA derived model and the SSA derived model. We justify the selection of the SSA’s model, and we discuss the similarities between the results generated by SSA and LISREL procedures, highlighting their use in modeling constructs with ordinal indicators

Geometry learning: The role of tasks, working models, and dynamic geometry software

We present several learning experiences that illustrate how three aspects of the geometric competence, constructing and analyzing properties of figures, identifying patterns and investigating and geometric problem solving, were developed by pupils that participated in the implementation of an innovative geometry teaching unit in grade 8. The topics addressed were dealing with properties of two dimensional figures, Pythagoras theorem, loci, translations and similarity of triangles. The development of the geometric competence was clearly supported by the dynamic geometry environment but unfolded in different ways, depending on the way how pupils reacted to the different types of tasks.Apresentamos várias experiências de aprendizagem que ilustram como três aspectos da competência geométrica, construir e analisar propriedades de figuras, identificar regularidades e investigar e resolver foram desenvolvidos por alunos que participaram de uma experiência de ensino inovadora no campo da Geometria no 8.º ano de escolaridade. Os temas tratados incluem o trabalho com figuras bidimensionais, teorema de Pitágoras, lugares geométricos, translações e semelhança de triângulos. O desenvolvimento da competência geométrica foi claramente apoiado pelo ambiente de geometria dinâmica mas processou-se de formas diferentes, em resultado do modo como os alunos reagiram aos diferentes tipos de tarefa

Learning for knowledge, citizenship and creativity – a key challenge for schools in 21st century.

The challenge for the 21st century for educators, families and community members is seeking to raise and educate children who are knowledgeable, responsible caring and socially competent. A key challenge for schools involves serving culturally diverse students with varied abilities and motivations for learning. (Learning First Alliance, 2001). A school for this purpose should educate students for life and not prepare them for tests only. It will be a school that offers a diverse and comprehensive curriculum covering the fields of knowledge and know-how, including not only the traditional curriculum areas of reading, writing, and mathematics but also music, arts, and physical education (Candeias, 2013; Candeias et al., 2011; Sternberg, 2008). If we focus on education rather than test preparation, we may find that students improve in reading, writing, and math, but also in reasoning, resilience, and responsibility. We can not focus only on students with levels of income or higher, or medium, or low, but on all students and teach them to be active and productive citizens in a rapidly changing world. A key challenge for 21st-century schools is to address the diversity of cultures, abilities, and motivations of each student (Learnig First Alliance, 2001). Many students lack socio-emotional skills, which disconnect them from school as they go through the various cycles, this lack of connection negatively affects their academic performance, namely performance, behavior and health (Blum & Libbey, 2004). In this paper we present the basic assumptions to improve learning as a process of knowledge, citizenship and creativity, as a process that generates well-being and inclusion in a community of learners.Fundação Calouste Gulbenkia

Poderemos, efecticamente, falar de uma escola multidimensional?

[Resumo] Na última década ternos vindo a assistir a um consenso entre legisladores, pedagogos, psicólogos e professores sobre a necessidade de a educaçao escolar desenvolver respostas e açoes múltiplas que vao de encontro aheterogeneidade e adiferencia<;ao da populaçao escolar. Porém um conjunto de indicadores como a retençao escolar, os comportamentos disruptivos, o desinteresse e a apatia pelos conteúdos académicos levam-nos a questionar se a escola tem efectivamente contribuído para o desenvolvimento diferenciado e múltiplo dos alunos que a frequentam. Levam-nos talnbém a questionar - o que pensarao os alunos sobre a escola que frequentam ? A partir de um estudo por nós desenvolvido apresentamos urna caracterizaçao das atitudes face aescola eln alunos do 3° Ciclo do Ensino Básico (7°, 8°, 9° anos de escolaridade) (Candeias, 1996). A finalizar apontamos um conjunto de sugestoes que fomentem urna prática psico-educativa multidimensional e diferenciad

Times they are a-changing’ for portuguese emigration?: A comparision of emigrants that departure before and after the economic crisis

Este trabajo pretende responder a la pregunta: ¿En qué medida los emigrantes portugueses que salieron después de la crisis económica y financiera difieren de los que se fueron antes de este punto de inflexión? Para cumplir con este propósito, se cubre una parte de la literatura sobre los impactos de esta crisis en las migraciones internacionales, así como algunas teorías sobre las motivaciones que conducen a la emigración. La componente empírica de este trabajo moviliza a los datos de una encuesta aplicada a una muestra de cerca de 6.000 residentes portugueses en cerca de 100 países extranjeros. El trabajo de campo se llevó a cabo entre mayo de 2014 y mayo de 2015 y se aplicó en una estrategia multimodal, recopilando encuestas en línea y en formato de papel. Se comparan varias características de los encuestados teniendo en cuenta el año de salida de Portugal: antes de 2008 o después de 2009. Además se utilizan estadísticas oficiales también para corroborar mejor los argumentos.This paper aims to answer the question: To what extent do the Portuguese emigrants who left after the economic and financial crisis differ from those who left before this turning point? To fulfil this purpose, it is covered some literature on the impacts of this crisis on international migrations as well as some theories about the motivations that lead to emigration. The empirical component of this paper mobilizes data from a questionnaire survey applied to a sample of about 6,000 Portuguese residents in about 100 foreign countries. The field work took place between May 2014 and May 2015 and was applied in a multi-mode strategy, collecting surveys online and in paper-and-pen format. Several characteristics of the respondents are compared taking into account the year of departure from Portugal: before 2008 or after 2009. Furthermore, official statistics are also used to better corroborate the argument

ASUMIE - Additional support and mediated learning in inclusive education

Dissemination Seminar of the ASUMIE Project -Additional support and mediated learning in inclusive education at Madeira UniversityProject ASUMIE: ERASMUS+ - KA2 (2020-1-BE02-KA201-074751

Art For Morals’ Sake Or The Other Way Around : moral concerns in Oscar Wilde’s aestheticism

Oscar Wilde’s concerns with ethics and morals seldom dominate discussions around his work, which often focus on his role as a leading English aesthete and on his remarkable appetence for witticism. Such concerns, however, permeate his oeuvre quite extensively and offer a new perspective through which his critical theory might be perceived. The equilibrium achieved between Wilde’s most flagrante remarks about literary criticism and his underlying belief that art could add something to life and society have secured him a distinct place in the history of world literature that should not be overlooked.Considerações sobre ética ou moral raramente dominam a discussão em torno da obra de Oscar Wilde, cujo foco tende primariamente para o seu papel enquanto figura basilar do esteticismo inglês. Contudo, tais conceitos permeiam amplamente a sua obra e oferecem uma nova perspectiva através da qual o seu legado crítico pode ser entendido. O equilíbrio atingido entre as suas observações mais surpreendentes sobre crítica literária e a sua convicção, ainda que subtil, de que a arte pode acrescentar alguma coisa de importante tanto à sociedade como à vida em geral asseguram-lhe um lugar destacado na história da literatura mundial que não deve ser desconsiderado