Implementation of a learning card in Moodle

A credit card is the metaphor for the learning card, a device used in 1st cycle courses, as established in our pedagogical model for online learning. Through it, the student accumulates points earned in assessment activities that contribute to the final evaluation in a course. In this paper we describe the implementation of this device through the adaptation and configuration of Moodle’s features. The new grades subsystem in Moodle 1.9 enabled us to configure courses to conform to our model. This gives both teachers and students the feeling of granting and scoring points in a card, as a reward for accomplishing the goals proposed in particular activities, as opposed to globally compute a final grade as a function of its components. Additionally, code changes to the standard assignment module software were necessary, to allow finer-grained grading. The new groupings feature was also exploited so that we can accommodate in the same space both students in continuous assessment and in final assessment modes. The end result of this work is a template course that easily allows teachers to start building courses according to the pedagogical model, avoiding complex parameter configuration

A course template for undergraduate courses

We present in this paper a template for Moodle courses according to Universidade Aberta’s pedagogical model. The template for first cycle (undergraduate) courses enables teachers with little technical knowledge to deliver their online courses according to a pre-defined format. UAb's pedagogical model defines several features that can be directly implemented in a VLE, particularly in Moodle: course plan, learning card, assessment decision, and assignments, with proper configurations. This gave origin to a template that saves work and avoids technical problems caused by misconfigurations. Procedural guidelines were written to help teachers in their handling of the mechanisms implemented in the template. We found that the use of the template allowed teachers to concentrate on their pedagogical activity rather than on technical details. Some teachers that already had given online courses felt an improvement in their interaction with the VLE, since they didn't have to build things from scratch, especially those resources that weren't directly connected to their teaching activities, and were common to the University's model. An institution that is changing rapidly from paper-based distance learning to online learning must provide resources and mechanisms so that teachers and students may accomodate to the new model. Change, particularly the re-organization of the institution and the training of staff takes time, so any pre-configured package such as the proposed template is welcome

Estudo da calendarização de exames

O presente estudo foi realizado com o objectivo de analisar o processo de calendarização de exames da Universidade Aberta, e o desenvolvimento de uma solução que permita efectuar facilmente a calendarização, com flexibilidade suficiente para construir calendários de acordo com a parametrização que for decidida superiormente. É contudo aconselhada uma parametrização de forma a conseguir o melhor compromisso entre as necessidades dos estudantes, e a realidade da Universidade

A recursive process related to a partizan variation of wythoff

Wythoff queens is a classical combinatorial game related to very interesting mathematical results. An amazing one is the fact that the P-positions are given by $(\lfloor \phi n, \phi^2 n \rfloor)$ and $(\lfloor \phi^2 n, \phi n \rfloor)$ where $\phi = \frac{1 + \sqrt{5}}{2}$. In this paper, we analyze a different version where one player (Left) plays with a chess bishop and the other (Right) plays with a chess knight. The new game (call it chessfights) lacks a Beatty sequence structure in the P-positions as in wythoff queens. However, it is possible to formulate and prove some general results of a general recursive law which is a particular case of a partizan subtraction game

The Role of Small Ruminants on Global Climate Change

Global warming, as a consequence of excessive CO2 production mainly due to anthropogenic actions, is one of the main concerns of society due to the effects it can cause in the survival of humans, plants and animals. Several climatic consequences have already been reported, such as warming the oceans and changing biodiversity in various regions of the planet. One of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, which causes a lot of concern, is methane gas from digestion of food by ruminants. Besides that, emissions of greenhouse gases are represented also by waste management, rice cultivation, burning of residues from agriculture and soil management for agricultural production. Among ruminants, sheep and goats play an important economic role mainly in Oceania, Asia and Africa. More than 50% of small ruminants of the world are located in arid region, indicating their adaptability and future suitability to increasing temperatures. The purpose of this review is to report current knowledge about the methane emission produced by small ruminants, addressing the different interfaces of this theme, and considering possible mitigation strategies

Caracterização do estilo alimentar de crianças com perturbações alimentares

O objectivo deste trabalho foi investigar o comportamento alimentar, de um grupo de crianças com perturbações alimentares comparativamente a crianças normo-ponderais, com excesso de peso e obesas.Foram avaliadas 124 crianças dos dois sexos com idades entre os 3 e 13 anos das quais 26 tinham perturbações alimentares, 33 eram normo-ponderais, 32 tinham excesso de peso e 33 eram obesas.Foi realizada a avaliação antropométrica das crianças e progenitoras e calculados os Z scores de IMC das crianças. As mães responderam ao Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Os resultados foram investigados recorrendo-se à análise de regressão linear e análise univariada. Entre os determinantes positivos do estatuto ponderal das crianças (Z score de IMC) encontram-se o Tipo físico da mãe e Sobre-ingestão emocional. Entre os determinantes negativos encontram-se Resposta à saciedade e Ingestão lenta.Verificou-se que os quatro grupos se distinguiam quanto ao comportamento alimentar. Os factores classificados como de "atracção pela comida" associam-se positivamente às categorias de peso, enquanto que os factores de "evitamento da comida" se associam negativamente com as mesmas categorias. Os resultados confirmam a interesse da investigação sobre o estilo alimentar não só na obesidade mas também nas perturbações alimentares, e a importância em se utilizar o CEBQ.Palavras-chave: Perturbações alimentares, estilo alimentar, obesidade.The aim of this research was to study comparatively the eating style of children with feeding disorders, normal-weight, over-weight and obese. 124 children from both gender, and age between 3 -13 were observed; 26 of them presented feeding disorders, 33 were normal-weight, 32 over-weight and 33 were obese.Children and their mothers were assessed about demographic factors and SES. Mothers answered to the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Results werestatistically analysed with Linear Regression and Anova. The weight status of the mother and Emotional-over-eating (from CEBQ) were determinants of the children's weight status (Z score BMI). Satiety response and Slowness in eating were negatively associated with children's Z score BMI. The four groups were different in their eating style. Factors included in food attraction scale were positively associated with weight categories; factors classified in food avoidant scale were negatively associated. This research confirms the importance of the investigation of eating style in feeding disorders, and the contribution of the CEBQ for that subject.Key Words: Feeding-disorders, eating style, obesity