Student characteristics and PISA science performance: Portugal in cross-national comparison

Concurso aberto por um ano para projectos sobre o sucesso escolar.Problem Statement: PISA 2006 indicates that Portuguese students’ performance in science, although improving, is still lower than in most OCDE countries. What is the role of student characteristics, interests, gender and economic, social, cultural, status (ESCS) on scientific literacy scores? How does Portugal compare with some other selected countries? Purpose of Study: The study compares Portuguese students’ performance in PISA 2006 scientific literacy with that of students from the OECD, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Greece, and the USA. The study also examines students’ science interests, self-efficacy and beliefs about their own competences. Furthermore, the study identifies which student variables may help to explain performance in science. Research Methods: Our data are selected from the PISA 2006 student: (a) science performance and (b) interests and beliefs measured by the student questionnaire. In order to answer our research questions, we performed secondary analyses using hierarchical linear modeling. The 2006 PISA sample in Portugal consisted of 5109 students in 173 schools, all between the ages of 15;3 and 16;2. Findings: Change-in-score coefficients in the fitted model indicate that the ESCS effect is strongest in the USA, Finland and UK. The school-wide ESCS effect is superior to that of student ESCS and is a performance factor for all countries with the exception of Finland. Mean differences in performance tend to favor boys but, in several countries, gender does not contribute a significant change in score in the fitted models. For all countries, the general value of science, enjoyment of science and science selfefficacy are positively associated with performance. A negative association between personal value of science and performance was observed. The association of “participation in non-school science activities” with performance is either negative or non-significant. Conclusions: The constellation of associated factors differs from country to country but a few of these factors stand out as cross-nationally valid. Knowledge of both kinds of factors can be useful for the improvement of teaching/learning systems. Cross-national factors can simplify general models while the country-specific factors can help identify and target local concerns.FCT/ME

A retenção académica e performance a ciências em Portugal evidenciadas no PISA 2006

A questão de retenção académica surgiu como um discurso marcante em política educacional em Portugal. Os dados do PISA 2006 facultam uma oportunidade para examinar essa questão numa grande amostra de alunos de 15 anos de idade. Focalizando a performance a ciências, os dados indicam que (a) Portugal fica entre os países com maior retenção; (b) os alunos retidos diferem sistematicamente dos não retidos em várias dimensões sociais; (c) a performance média a ciências, bem como nos seus três subdomínios, está linearmente associada com o número de vezes que os alunos ficaram retidos; (d) ficar retido tem maior influência na performance a ciências que o estatuto socioeconómico e cultural, quer do aluno, quer da escola. Apresentam-se algumas opções de política no contexto actual Português.Esta investigação foi apoiada pela Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (contrato FSE/CED/83617/2008) pelo Centro de Investigação em Educação (FCUL), e pelo Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Lisboa

Dangerous Champions of IT Innovation

We define dangerous IT innovation champions, and explore evidence of their dangerous behavior, answering calls for studies of dysfunctional or ineffective innovation champions. An IT innovation champion – whether from the middle or high ranks of an organization -- is a self-appointed advocate of an emerging hardware, software or data innovation. The champion promotes their views both vertically and horizontally. In most prior studies, champions are seen as heroes who drive projects forward through strong advocacy and by marshaling resources. Yet, IT champions can also put projects or their organizations at financial, reputational or other risk. We reflect on dangerous high-level IT innovation champions revealed in field-based case studies, and discuss implications for research and practice

Student Perceptions of Secondary Science Teachers’ Practices Following Curricular Change

Inquiry-based teaching has emerged as a highly valued strategy in science education. In Portugal, the science curriculum has been redesigned in order to promote such teaching. This implies substantial change in teacher practice. It is therefore important to understand students’ perceptions of teacher practice. Aim: In this study, we describe student perception of teacher practices and look for associations between the perceptions and student motivation. Method: Three low-achieving, secondary-level science classes were studied. Motivation was measured by two scales (Intrinsic and Extrinsic); Perceptions were measured in four dimensions. Results: Significant associations (p < .05) were observed between intrinsic motivation and (a) Perception of the use of Laboratory Work; (b) Perception of Science-Technology-Society and (c) Perceived Student Autonomy. No association was noted between intrinsic motivation and the Perception of Teacher as Facilitator. Conclusions: Results are generally consistent with previous literature. Teacher professional development lags behind curricular change. Teachers require new conceptions of assessment.Projeto financiado pelo CIEFCU

Algumas medidas típicas univariadas da magnitude do efeito

As medidas de magnitude do efeito representam uma resposta eficaz às diversas críticas às metodologias de investigação tradicionalmente utilizadas nas ciências sociais. Tais medidas evitam algumas das dificuldades mais evidentes dos testes de hipótese; são de interpretação simples, sem o recurso a valores de p, que podem ser enganadores; e fornecem uma base para a síntese de grande número de estudos.Este artigo descreve o cálculo e interpretação das formas mais comuns desta abordagem alternativa, ou complementar, aos testes de hipótese. Pressupõe-se que o leitor dispõe de um conhecimento básico de estatística aplicada sem ter, necessariamente, uma forte formação em estatística matemática

Feedback, Identidade, Trajetórias Escolares: Dinâmicas e Consequências

Este livro tem por base o trabalho do Projeto PTDC/CPE-PEC/121238/2010 financiado por fundos nacionais através da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.Este livro procura dar a conhecer alguns dos produtos do Projeto FITE, Feedback, Identidade e Trajetórias Escolares: Dinâmicas e Consequências (PTDC/CPE-PEC/121238/2010). O trabalho apresentado é eminentemente coletivo, envolvendo numerosos autores mas também alunos e professores em cujas aulas decorreram atividades do Projeto. Ao longo dos 16 capítulos do livro perspetivam-se as duas grandes dimensões do Projeto FITE: a investigação e as suas implicações para a transformação de trajetórias escolares dos alunos. Concretamente, na procura de evidências para clarificar as razões dos alunos desinvestirem ou abandonarem a escola. Espera-se assim despertar o interesse de um público vasto que se inquieta com estas questões, incluindo jovens investigadores que podem encontrar nestes textos motivos para iniciar ou aprofundar os seus trabalhos de pós-graduação

Students’ Engagement in School: A literature review

This work is financed by National Founds through FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, in the context of the project PTDC/CPE-CED/114362/2009- Students Engagement in Schools: Differentiation and Promotion, coordinated by Prof. Feliciano H. Veiga.Students’ Engagement in School has been the focus of debate concerning academic success and school dropout, and pointed out as a mean to address the problems affecting our schools and their students, not only for having value in itself, but also for being an important mediator between several academic variables. This paper reviews the research and literature on this concept and its relations with personal and contextual variables, as well as with academic performance, with the aim of summarizing the main relationships found. Literature presents a significant number of studies which sustain that personal variables, such as self-efficacy and self-concept, as well as contextual - peers, school, family- are related with school engagement. The adoption of mastery goals, for instance, has a positive impact on school, as they are related with the use of cognitive and self-regulatory strategies by students. Positive relationships with peers, teachers support and the quality of family relations are associated with higher levels of engagement and academic performance, while negative experiences, such as bullying, are related with educational difficulties. Following this, we reflect about the relevance of studying engagement in school, in the context of widespread financial crisis, and emphasize the need to rethink educational institutions considering the paradigmatic changes that currently occur.This work is financed by National Founds through FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, in the context of the project PTDC/CPE-CED/114362/2009- Students Engagement in Schools: Differentiation and Promotion, coordinated by Prof. Feliciano H. Veiga

Some Social-Relational Correlates of Student Engagement in Portugal

Este E-Book reúne um conjunto de investigações apresentadas no “I Congresso Internacional Envolvimento dos Alunos na Escola: Perspetivas da Psicologia e Educação” (ICIEAE), organizado no âmbito do “Projeto PTDC/CPE-CED/114362/2009 - Envolvimento dos Alunos na Escola: Diferenciação e Promoção” (EAE-DP), financiado pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).This study, part of a larger, national project, focused on some of engagement’s socialrelational correlates. Our objective was to study student engagement in a Portuguese sample of students in order to refine the knowledge base. A national sample of students in Portugal responded to a questionnaire while in their class groups. A total of 685 students provided data for the study. The data collection instrument was the “Students’ engagement in school: A four-dimensional Scale” EAE-E4D (Veiga, 2013). This scale revealed four dimensions: cognitive, affective, behavioural and agency. In addition, measures of perceived parental support (eight items), and several socialrelational variables suggested by the literature were included. Student attitudes about grades (marks) were evaluated by the item, “grades are the principal motive for my interest in school”. Less than one third of the students (27%) indicated any disagreement with the affirmation. The most highly engaged students tended to give extreme, and opposing, responses, to this item. Perceived Parental Support was significantly associated (p< .001) with all four dimensions of engagement (ranging from r = .35 with the cognitive dimension to r = .22 for agency). The association with total engagement was r = .44. As a general tendency, mean values of perceived parental support decreased from grade 6 through grade 9 (all tests significant at p< .05). Students tended to disagree that class size was a factor in their engagement. The results extend the knowledge about student engagement in school. Some observations are consistent with the international literature. Parental support is a factor in student engagement. Perceived parental support generally tends to decline over time in the transversal adolescent sample. Contrary to some international findings, student responses indicated that class size was not perceived as a direct factor in their engagement. Student engagement cannot be considered a simple continuum with monotonic effects and should be examined in function of intrinsic and extrinsic valence

Changing Teachers’ Feedback Practices: A Workshop Challenge

Feedback can promote teacher-student relations and student academic involvement, performance and self-regulation. However, some research indicates that teachers do not always employ feedback effectively. There is a need to promote teachers’ appropriate use of feedback in the classroom. We describe a long-term workshop designed to enhance teachers’ knowledge and skills in the use of feedback strategies, and appreciation of the importance of feedback. Twelve teachers participated in the workshop. Observations as well as teacher reports indicate that participation in the sessions and the follow-up classroom application enhanced teacher involvement, knowledge, competencies and positive feelings in the use of feedback strategies. A workshop for teachers that has specific objectives on feedback strategies, is presented along a school year, and involves reflective sessions intertwined with classroom application work, can effectively promote participants’ involvement, knowledge and competencies in the use of feedback, as well as their outlook toward the importance of these strategies

Eu e eles: a construção da identidade em alunos do ensino básico

Partilhando a ideia que a identidade individual é um conceito que expressa caraterísticas singulares que se constroem e desenvolvem na acção de relacionamento com os outros, o domínio da identidade cruza-se com o da aprendizagem. Este estudo faz parte de um projeto investigação, cujo objetivo principal é compreender a relação entre a natureza do feedback do professor, a identidade do aluno e o comprometimento do aluno na escola. A finalidade deste trabalho foi a construção de um questionário. Pretendia-se compreender como os alunos do Ensino Básico vão construindo a sua identidade de aluno, partindo das questões: a) Como me vejo enquanto aluno?; b) Como os meus colegas me veem enquanto aluno?; c) Como os professores me vêem enquanto aluno? Alunos do 6º e 9º ano de escolaridade, entre os 10 e os 19 anos de idade, num total de 44, responderam a um questionário em formato de resposta aberta. Uma análise preliminar indica que os alunos têm imagens positivas e negativas de si mesmos enquanto alunos, verificando-se semelhanças entre as imagens que os alunos referem de si e as que consideram que os colegas e os professores têm deles enquanto alunos. Os alunos de 6º ano descrevem-se com um maior número de imagens, tanto positivas como negativas. Contudo, as imagens destes alunos são semelhantes às descritas pelos alunos de 9º ano. Estes resultados sugerem-nos que as imagens que os alunos vão construindo acerca das suas posições são estáveis