Os projectos comenius 1 nas escolas do Concelho de Silves: Contributo para a avaliação dos impactos percepcionados pelos professores-coordenadores, nas diferentes dimensões do processo educativo

Este estudo teve como principal objectivo ser um contributo para a compreensão e identificação dos impactos importantes que os Projectos Europeus, na área da Educação, no âmbito da sub-acção Comenius 1 - Parcerias entre Escolas, do Programa Sócrates, tiveram e têm na comunidade educativa do concelho de Silves. O estudo parte, assim, da seguinte questão de investigação: Quais são os impactos percepcionados pelos professores coordenadores dos projectos Comenius 1 nas diferentes dimensões do processo educativo? Neste sentido, estabeleceram-se as seguintes questões secundárias: • Como se construíram e implementaram estes Projectos nas Escolas? • De que forma é que estes Projectos foram integrados no desenho curricular da escola? • Quais foram as maiores dificuldades sentidas pelos responsáveis pelos Projectos na implementação dos mesmos? Através de uma metodologia qualitativa, foram realizadas entrevistas semi­estruturadas a cinco professores de escolas diferentes do Concelho de Silves e recorreu-se à análise documental e de testemunhos. Os resultados parecem indicar que a implementação deste tipo de projectos nas escolas deixa impactos em todos os intervenientes (na Escola, no Conselho Executivo, nos Professores da escola e das escolas parceiras, no Pessoal não Docente, na Comunidade Envolvente, na Família, no responsável pelo Projecto e nos alunos) e que, muitas vezes, esses impactos só se verificam a longo prazo. Verificamos também que a implementação destes projectos segue três princípios essenciais: a planificação, a realização e a avaliação sendo que as escolas tentam integrar os projectos no seu Projecto Educativo. As maiores dificuldades sentidas verificaram-se a nível da organização da escola, da carga burocrática inerente ao projecto e do pouco envolvimento e participação de alguns professores. Sugere-se que a Escola aposte cada vez mais na implementação deste tipo de projectos, pois estes podem contribuir para uma Escola mais democrática, mais flexível, com mais qualidade, mais motivadora e mais Europeia. ABSTRACT; The aim of this study was to understand and to identify the biggest impacts that the Community's education-related action programmes "Socrates" (namely Comenius 1) have in the School policy. So, the central question of this research was to find out, from the coordinators points of view, which were the most important impacts of the Comenius projects. This central question led to the formulation of the following three questions: a) How were the Comenius projects implemented at school? b) How were the Comenius projects integrated in school organisation and structure? c) Which were the difficulties coordinators had to face in order to organize and implement a Comenius project? Using a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were held with five teachers from different schools in the region of Silves. The following instruments were used during the research: analysis of documents and interviews. The results of the research revealed that the Comenius projects have impacts (although they take a lot of time to be felt) on School, on School heads, on other teachers, on School staff, on the region, on parents, on coordinators and on pupils. They also revealed that the preparation, the activities and the evaluation are important moments to implement Comenius project and that all the projects are included in the School policy. The biggest difficulties had to do with the school organization, with the coordination work and with the lack of motivation and of participation of some colleagues. It is suggested that schools should implement more Comenius projects, because they can lead to a more democratic, flexible, motivating and European School.

Relationship between blood pressure and psychological features of experience and behaviour among teachers

Purpose: Relationships between psychic features and psychophysical parameters, such as blood pressure, have a high relevance in research on coping with stress. We want to investigate the correlation between blood pressure and this psychic features. Methods: We investigated 79 teachers from high schools and secondary schools in and around Leipzig, Germany. Using the systolic blood pressure as an indicator, we built three groups: hypotonics, normotonics, and hypertonics. We assessed several health psychologically dependent variables and looked for differences between these groups (Chi-Square-Test). Results: Hypotonics experienced more stress and less planning and goal behaviour. Furthermore, they more often use physical exercises in order to increase their social well-being. Hypertonics, on the other hand, were driven by fear of loss of control and show a higher sense of feeling threatened. Conclusions: We could find for each group different relationships that are highly relevant to health. This results shows how psychological features and physiological regulation mechanisms are linked.

Students´ Engagement In Schools: Differentiation and Promotion

The objective of this work is to present elements of the project Student engagement in Schools (SES). The team consists of 10 researchers from six Universities. Student engagement in schools is a multidimensional construct that unites affective, behavioural, and cognitive dimensions of student adaptation in the school and has influence on students‘outcomes. The team of researchers conceptualized two major studies, a differential study to analyze the relations between SES and contextual factors, personal factors, student’s outcomes, and a quasi-experimental study to analyze the effects on SES of a specific intervention programmes. In study 1, the sample size is around 600 students (150 6th graders, 150 7th graders, 150 9th graders, and 150 10th graders). We shall focus on years of school transition, with rural and urban populations, on different regions of the country, and on students with different family background. We shall conduct questionnaires with national and international scales. The study 2 will involve students in 7th and 9th grade, from four classes, two of the experimental group and two of the control group. Patterns of verbal communications between a teacher and students can influence the classroom environment and SES. This model of communication would result in more effective student management and more time on-task for learning.