Collaborative E-learning Methodologies: an Experience of Active Knowledge in ICT Classrooms

In the present study we highlight a specific environment that makes use of collaborative technological tools, like wikis and forums within an e-learning platform. Both of these approaches convey a lot of responsibility from the teacher to the students and the hoping, as backed up by the literature, is to promote deeper learning and reasoning skills at a higher level. The general goal of this paper is to contribute for the theoretical discussion on how active and collaborative experiences in ICT classrooms play a role on the construction of knowledge in HEIs. Based on the pointed outlines, we intend to: (1) understand how collaborative e-learning environments get students actively involved in the learning process;(2) perspective the role of collaborative tools at the level of group work and (3) find out how students assess their performance within a working group. Data was collected through questionnaires available on the e-learning platform Moodle. Descriptive statistical techniques were used to analyze quantitative data. Within the research questions proposed, the study, points towards some understanding of how a collaborative learning environment seems to get students actively involved in the learning process mainly if the tasks to be perform have an empirical component. The study also has shown that students seem to identify themselves with the need to be involved in simulations of their future professional activity, as well as with the need to regulate their own learning and to promote discussion not only between peers but also with the teacher

Constructing knowledge: an experience of active and collaborative learning in an ICT classroom

This paper reports on the impact of the implementation of active and collaborative practices in ICT (information and communication technologies) classrooms. Both of these approaches convey a lot of responsibility from the teacher to the students and the hoping, as backed up by the literature, is to promote deeper learning and reasoning skills at a higher level. The question is: how do you do all that? This research describes a specific environment that makes use of collaborative tools, like wikis and forums within an e-learning platform and of specific CRM (customer relationship management) software. In order to analyze how this learning environment gets learners actively involved in learning and working together in productive ways, students were surveyed by responding to questionnaires. Several cause-effect relations underlying the teaching-learning methodology and the students’ performance are discussed

Utilização da SSM em ambientes organizacionais de engenharia

Este artigo trata da utilização da Soft System Methodology (SSM) em ambientes organizacionais de engenharia. Em primeiro lugar é feita uma síntese dos conceitos associados à gestão e garantia da qualidade de projectos em ambientes de Investigação e Desenvolvimento (I&D), abordando-se também a importância dos sistemas de informação no apoio à gestão de projectos. A seguir faz-se a análise de um Sistema de Informação (SI) para apoio à gestão da informação de projectos de I&D. Esta análise é suportada pela metodologia SSM, que é usada como ferramenta de inquérito organizacional, no entanto recorre-se à Unified Modeling Language (UML) como instrumento de modelação dos processos organizacionais na definição dos modelos conceptuais de actividades. Finalmente, é apresentado um caso de estudo aplicado a uma unidade de I&D, em que se apresentam os sistemas relevantes identificados, respectivos modelos conceptuais e é feita a comparação destes com a situação a actual. Os resultados obtidos permitiram apresentar a especificação de requisitos de um SI para suporte à gestão da informação relacionada com as actividades de gestão de projectos da unidade

Redes organizacionais e desenvolvimento de sistemas de informação

Este artigo faz uma revisão do estado-da-arte na aplicação de teorias de rede, em particular redes sociais, ao estudo e desenvolvimento de sistema inter-organizacionais. É feito um apanhado de aspectos relevantes ligados às redes organizacionais em termos de coordenação, colaboração e gestão doconhecimento, introduzindo-se em seguida teorias e metodologias para o estudo das redes organizacionais. Depois, faz-se uma síntese dacaracterização dos sistemas inter-organizacionais, principalmente do ponto de vista da coordenação e dependência inter-organizacional. Na últimasecção são apresentados três trabalhos exploratórios sobre a aplicação da abordagem de redes de actores sociais e da teoria actor-network aodesenvolvimento de sistemas de inter-organizacionais. Finalmente, sãotiradas algumas conclusões e apontadas direcções para novos trabalhos

A gestão do relacionamento com o cliente na era das redes sociais

Atualmente, as prioridades das empresas estão focadas na relação que desejam manter com os seus clientes. Criar e manter relações duradouras com os clientes constitui uma das suas principais preocupações. Neste contexto, muitas empresas já recorrem a sistemas de CRM (Customer Relationship Management) para gerir e organizar todos os contactos de clientes, através de softwarebaseado na web que oferecem suporte para estas ações. Adicionalmente, os websites de redes sociais apresentam-se como um canal com um enorme potencial e assumem um papel crescente e preponderante nas relações entre as empresas e os clientes. O presente trabalho avalia o grau de utilização e impacto dos websites de redes sociais na gestão do relacionamento com o cliente, de empresas do distrito de Aveiro, por via da aplicação de inquérito por questionário a 184 empresas de diferentes áreas de atividade. Os resultados indicam que as empresas estão conscientes desta nova realidade das redes sociais como veículo de divulgação ou comunicação, mas não têm uma visão inicial das redes sociais enquanto ferramenta para potenciar e gerir o relacionamento com o cliente.Nowadays, companies’ priorities are focused on the relationships that they shall keep with their clients. Creating and maintaining long-term relationships with clients is one of companies’ biggest concerns. It is based on this context that many companies are already using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools to store, manage and organize their customers’ contacts throughout web-based softwares which support this kind of actions. Besides social networks’ websites are potential channels and assume a growing and prevailing part on relationships between companies and costumers. This investigation paper assesses the level of use and the impact of social networks on customers’ relationship management. Within this framework, an empirical study based on quiz enquiry has been made to 184 companies in of Aveiro’s district. Results indicate that companies are conscious of this new reality of social networks as a drive to spread and to communicate, but on the other hand they do not visualize them as a tool to grow and manage client’s relationship

Grupos operacionais dedicados às prunóideas na Região da Beira Interior – a REDE Prunus

Face ao contexto atual, o modelo de criação de conhecimento assente no princípio da inovação enfrenta novos desafios, quer na busca de novas soluções inerentes ao processo de produção, transformação ou mesmo comercialização, quer ainda na adaptação a novos métodos e processos. Baseando-se num modelo em rede – formal ou informal - há exigência do envolvimento dos diferentes stakeholders na busca de respostas a problemas reais associados ao processo produtivo. No caso da produção agrícola, é necessário que agricultores, técnicos e serviços de aconselhamento, consultores, empresas e investigadores trabalhem em parceria na procura de inovação que vá de encontro às necessidades inerentes à melhoria do processo produtivo e, portanto, com maior impacto nos agricultores.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Selecting and structuring semantic resources to support SMEs knowledge communities

Knowledge management intrinsically involves communication and information sharing, which can be strongly affected by the context in which it is viewed and interpreted. This situation gets worst when complex domains are considered, as it is the case of the Construction Industry domains. The development of ontologies to unify and to put into context the different concepts and terms of the sometimes rather traditional and locally coloured construction industry domains is a necessary step to avoid misinterpretations and inefficient communication. The KNOW-CONSTRUCT project decided, as an approach to this task, to re-use, as far as possible, existing ontologies, classification systems and other semantic resources in order to develop a system that may come to contribute to standards and to the integration, management and reuse of the area specific knowledge via a common knowledge base in order to consolidate and provide access to integrated knowledge, making community emergent knowledge a significant added value. It aims at developing a methodology of common Construction Industry Knowledge (CIK) representation applicable to large sets of SMEs in the construction industry as a basis for the establishment of a knowledge community.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Integrating semantic resources to support SME knowledge communities

The development of ontologies to unify and to put into context the different concepts and terms of the sometimes rather traditional and locally coloured construction industry domains is a necessary step to avoid misinterpretations and inefficient communication. The KNOW-CONSTRUCT project, as an approach to this task, decided to re-use, as far as possible, existing ontologies, classification systems and other semantic resources in order to develop a system for the integration, management and reuse of the area specific knowledge via a common knowledge base in order to consolidate and provide access to integrated knowledge, making community emergent knowledge a significant added value.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The case of prunus network in Beira Interior region

The Triple Helix, as spiral model of innovation that contains multiple relationships in different processes of knowledge enhancement, is a model that, leveraged by the dynamics of interaction between the different institutions and stakeholders, benefits from the role of universities as centers of excellence in education and science, from the private sector as co-creators of knowledge and human capital pickup as well as from the public sector supporting the legal framework and technical support besides the sectoral and territorial political supports. In the business context, especially in rural matrix territories, farmers have developed a crucial role in local development, promoting new development dynamics, not only as producers and employers, but also as investment attractors and stimulating the creation and transfer of knowledge. The reflection on the perspective of the Triple Helix observed in the productive framework of the agricultural sector is not firmly established or settled. In this context, this paper aims to discuss the model of the Triple Helix based on relations between the Academy and R&D-Agricultural Production-Government spheres focused on the sector of stone fruit, using the region of Beira Interior as case study. This region stands out for the many changes that have led to the establishment of interdependencies of the agricultural sector, research and education centers and various economic and social agents with a relevant role in the development of sector of stone fruit. Thus, this work aims to map the regional actors with an active role in sector and, on the other hand, to present the dynamics of institutional interactions that attained the creation of the PRUNUS network - resources and human capital enhancements.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Book trailers and storytelling in the art of persuading the consumer

The book trailer is an emerging tool for the promotion of books, with the aim of capturing attention and persuading the consumer to purchase. They are published on digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. The use of techniques such as narrative and storytelling can make book trailers an attractive and persuasive product in the eyes of your target audience. In this scenario, the main objective of this study is to understand the elements present in book trailers are perceived as more appealing and persuasive by potential consumers, and to contribute with guiding principles for their development. This is an exploratory study based on method of multiple cases, using a focus group approach and a questionnaire as an instrument of data collection. The results point out the sounds, the soundtrack, the visual effects and the images as key elements to make the book trailers more appealing and persuasive