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.

Depois dos 35 anos, quais as intenções reprodutivas dos sul europeus?

Sendo a baixa fecundidade comum aos países do sul da Europa e considerando que nas últimas décadas tanto homens como mulheres têm vindo a adiar o nascimento do primeiro e, consequentemente, do segundo filho, interessa estudar os determinantes das intenções de fecundidade, em particular, dos sul europeus com mais de 35 anos, idade a partir da qual se considera que aqueles que não têm filhos ou que têm apenas um adiaram os seus projetos de fecundidade. Recorrendo à base de dados do Eurobarómetro (2011) e a modelos de regressão logística, analisámos os fatores que determinam a intenção de permanecer sem filhos ou com apenas um filho e se questões relacionadas com valores, percepções e expectativas ganham uma maior relevância face às características sociodemográficas. Deste modo, damos especial enfoque ao efeito que os valores e atitudes podem ter no contexto da fecundidade. Os resultados mostram que as percepções dos indivíduos em relação à sua vida e ao estado do país são determinantes para explicar a intenção de permanecer sem filhos ou com apenas um filho. Para os sul europeus, percepções e expectativas negativas em relação ao estado do país são inibidoras no processo da tomada de decisão de ter (mais) filhos, especialmente quando a decisão em causa é transitar para o segundo filho. Este trabalho reporta para a importância de considerar valores e expectativas dos indivíduos em relação à sua vida no geral a ao estado do país como preditores do comportamento reprodutivo. Because low fertility is common in southern European countries and considering that in recent decades both men and women have been postponing the birth of the first and therefore the second child, it is of our interest to study the determinants of reproductive decision-making, particularly of southern Europeans older than 35, age from which it is considered that those who don’t have children or have only one have postponed their fertility intentions. Using the Eurobarometer data (2011) and logistic regression models, we analyse the factors that determine the intention of remaining childless and with only one child. Also, we study if variables related to values, perceptions and expectations gain greater relevance than a set of background variables. Thus, we give a special attention to the effect that values and attitudes can have in the context of reproductive decision-making. The findings show that respondent’s perceptions about their lives and the environment of their country are crucial to explain the intention of remaining childless or with only one child. For southern Europeans, negative perceptions and expectations about the situation of the country inhibit the process of decision-making to have a/another child, especially when the decision at issue is transitioning to the second child. This paper reports to the importance of considering values, perceptions and expectations of individuals regarding their lives and the environment of their country as predictors of fertility behaviour.