Contributos das estruturas de orientação educativa na gestão escolar: Estudo de caso no agrupamento de escolas nº 4 de Évora

A presente investigação iniciou-se a partir da identificação do problema/ questão de partida: Quais os contributos das estruturas de orientação educativa para a gestão e administração escolar? Esta questão foi o fio condutor da presente investigação, "Contributos das Estruturas de Orientação Educativa na Gestão e Administração Escolar - Estudo de Caso no Agrupamento de Escolas nº 4 de Évora". Neste sentido, constituíram-se como objectivos específicos da presente investigação os seguintes: • Avaliar o funcionamento das estruturas de orientação educativa do Agrupamento de Escolas n.º 4 de Évora. • Identificar os pontos fortes e fracos da intervenção das estruturas de orientação na gestão e administração do Agrupamento de Escolas n.º 4 de Évora. • Elaborar um plano de acção com vista à optimização das estruturas de orientação educativa. Em relação ao estudo empírico, e como forma de dar resposta às questões da investigação, optámos por uma metodologia mista, quantitativa e qualitativa. Após a apresentação dos dados recolhidos, da sua análise e respectiva interpretação, apurámos as seguintes conclusões: A maioria dos inquiridos, neste caso, os docentes, têm opinião favorável em relação às diferentes estruturas, ressalva-se pela negativa a Associação de Pais/Encarregados de Educação, devido a estar inactiva e, pela positiva o Conselho Executivo, consideram-no como um órgão dinamizador de todas as estruturas do Agrupamento; a maioria dos não docentes tem boa opinião sobre o desempenho das suas funções e revela a importância da sua representação no Conselho Pedagógico e na Assembleia de Escola. Os pais e encarregados de educação inquiridos, são consensuais em relação à colaboração com os professores, principalmente com o Director de Turma. Os Directores de Turma inquiridos referem a colaboração com os pais e encarregados de educação, e realçam o papel do órgão de gestão como dinamizador da Associação de Pais/Encarregados de Educação. Os membros da Assembleia de Escola inquiridos, consideram o seu desempenho como activo e dinamizador no processo de aplicação do novo regime de autonomia. No final da nossa dissertação, expressámos as recomendações, acções e sugestões que possam potenciar futuras investigações. ABSTRACT; The present investigation started from the identification of the problem/ beginning question: What are the contributions of the structures of educational guidance for the management and school administration? This question was the guide line of the research, "Contributions of the Structures of Educational Guidance for the Management and School Administration- Exploratory study in the 4th Group of Schools of Évora". ln this sense, the specific objectives of this investigation are the following: • Evaluate the function of the structures of educational guidance of the 4th Group of Évora. • ldentify the strengths and weaknesses of the intervention of structures of educational guidance in the management and administration of the 4th Group of Évora. • Elaborate an action plan to optimize the structures of educational guidance. For the empirical study and in order to address the question of the investigation, was chosen a mixed methodology, quantitative and qualitative. After submission of the collected data, of their analysis and their interpretation, we established the following conclusions: Most of the participants, in this case teachers, have favorable opinion towards the different structures, noted as a negative feature is the Parents Association, due to be inactive, and the Executive Board as positive, because it is viewed as a promoter of all the structures of the Group; most of the non-teaching staff have a good opinion about the performance of its functions and shows the importance of their representation on the Executive Board and in the School Assembly. The parents who participate in the inquiry are in agreement with the teachers regarding the corporation between them, particularly with the Class Director. The Class Directors respondents mention the cooperation with the parents and enhance the role of the Executive Board as a promoter of the Parents Association. The members of the School Assembly respondents consider their performance as active and dynamic in the application process of the new system of autonomy. In the end of this thesis we express our recommendations, actions and suggestions that may promote future research.

Modelo de competências organizacionais de pessoal não docente da Universidade de Évora: um estudo de caso

Nesta dissertação de mestrado, na forma de estudo de caso, procedeu-se ao levantamento das competências organizacionais de todos os serviços e estruturas da Universidade de Évora, usando o método de focus group e entrevistas semiestruturadas. Teve por base teórica o Modelo das oito competências de Dave Bartram (2011), e o Modelo das nove competências associadas à gestão da qualidade de Escrig-Tena e Bou-Llusar (2005). Das 38 entrevistas individuais realizadas a chefias de topo, emanou um modelo de cinco competências organizacionais (comprometimento, trabalho em equipa, eficiência, eficácia e formação e conhecimento) específico da Universidade de Évora. Foi ainda descrita a visão de futuro da organização por parte dos entrevistados, numa organização dedicada ao Ensino, mas com a pretensão de se expandir noutras áreas de destaque; Organizational Skills Model of Non-teaching Staff of the University of Évora - A Case Study Abstract In this dissertation, in the form of case study, we proceeded to survey the organizational skills of all services and structures of the University of Évora, using the method of focus groups and semi-structured interviews. We had as theoretical basis Dave Bartram’s model of the eight skills (2011), and the Escrig-Tena and Bou-Llusar’s Model of the nine skills associated with quality management (2005). Of the 38 individual interviews with top management, a model of five organizational skills emanated (commitment, teamwork, efficiency, effectiveness and training and knowledge), specific to the University of Évora. It was also described the future vision of the organization by the respondents, an organization dedicated to education, but with the intention to expand in other areas of emphasis.

. Attitudes of Elements of the Academic Community in Regard to the Rapid Test of HIV/AIDS

Background: Knowing one’s own seropositivity status of HIV/AIDS is important. Seropositivity can be determined by a rapid HIV/AIDS test. Attitudes towards a rapid test of HIV/AIDS show a predisposition to perform the analysis. Objective: This study investigated, the attitudes of students and staff in a Portuguese university toward rapid HIV/AIDS test. Methods: In a convenience sample, the data was collected on campus in three consecutive years. A selfadministered structured questionnaire was used for data collection. A validated scale for Portuguese students was applied. A sample of 947 (86.3%) students and 150 (13.7%) teaching and non-teaching staff participated. The average age was 24.30 years-old (SD=8.64). Non-parametric tests were applied. Results: Attitudes of professors and non-teaching staff are more favorable in relation to the rapid test of HIV/AIDS, compared to students. Attitudes are also more favorable in the first year in which the study was conducted with both employees and students. The male students express more traditional attitudes. Students of nursing polo have expressed more favorable attitudes to the rapid test of HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: The attitudes towards rapid test of HIV/AIDS are generally favorable. It is necessary to conduct further research considering professors and other university staff. Improving favorable attitudes toward rapid HIV/AIDS test must be a positive fact for health.

Some common fallacies about learning and teaching English as a Lingua Franca

Over the past decades, English language teachers have become familiar with several terms which attempt to describe the role of English as a language of international communication. Presently, the term English as a lingua franca (ELF) seems to be one of the most favoured and adopted to depict the global use of English in the 21st century. Basically, the concept of ELF im-plies cross-cultural, cross-linguistic interactions involving native and non-native speakers. Conse-quently, the ELF paradigm suggests some changes in the language classroom concerning teachers’ and students’ goals as far as native speaker norms and cultures are concerned. Based on Kachru’s (1992) fallacies, this article identifies thirteen misconceptions in ELT regarding learning and teach-ing English varieties and cultures, suggesting that an ethnocentred and linguacentred approach to English should be replaced by an ELF perspective which recognizes the diversity of communicative situations involving different native and non-native cultures and varieties of English