O projeto eTwinning e a motivação dos alunos: o impacto da sua implementação nas aulas de Português Língua Materna e de Espanhol Língua Estrangeira

Este relatório assume como finalidade analisar e avaliar as potencialidades das tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TIC), com especial enfoque nas ferramentas da Web 2.0, para a criação de ambientes de aprendizagem colaborativa e construtiva. Para isso, parte-se da implementação de um projeto eTwinning levado a cabo com mais sete escolas europeias e desenvolvido, em Portugal, no Agrupamento de escolas Ibn Mucana, com alunos do 9º ano, no âmbito da disciplina de Espanhol Língua Estrangeira (ELE). O projeto implementado intitula-se Europa estudia español e encontra-se centrado na vida escolar dos alunos e nas obras literárias, teatrais e cinematográficas que integram o currículo dos diversos participantes. Pretende-se, com este relatório, alcançar um melhor conhecimento do processo de ensino e aprendizagem, no que se refere ao impacto da implementação de um projeto colaborativo eTwinning e do seu potencial na promoção da motivação e na melhoria dos resultados escolares. No primeiro capítulo, dá-se conta da pesquisa bibliográfica relativa a campos de conhecimento que possam oferecer contributos válidos para fundamentar e orientar a análise e avaliação das potencialidades das TIC. No segundo capítulo apresenta-se e descreve-se o programa de intervenção, o espaço escolar onde foi realizada a Prática de Ensino Supervisionada (PES) e faz-se uma caracterização das turmas em que foram lecionadas as aulas práticas e, finalmente, reflete-se sobre o impacto da sua implementação.

Improving Learners’ Motivation through Feedback in English Language Teaching and Learning at Polytechnic School in Benguela, Angola

Currently, it is widely perceived among the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching professionals, that motivation is a central factor for success in language learning. This work aims to examine and raise teachers’ awareness about the role of assessment and feedback in the process of language teaching and learning at polytechnic school in Benguela to develop and/or enhance their students’ motivation for learning. Hence the paper defines and discusses the key terms and, the techniques and strategies for an effective feedback provision in the context under study. It also collects data through the use of interview and questionnaire methods, and suggests the assessment and feedback types to be implemented at polytechnic school in Benguela

What makes people stay in or leave shrinking cities? An empirical study from Portugal

The relative attractiveness of cities as places to live determines population movements in or out of them. Understanding the appealing features of a city is fundamental to local governments, particularly for cities facing population decline. Pull and push attributes of cities can include economic aspects, the availability of amenities and psychological constructs, initiating a discussion around which factors are more relevant in explaining migration. However, a pull–push approach has been underexplored in studies of shrinking cities. In the present study, we contribute to the discussion by identifying pull and push factors in Portuguese shrinking cities. Data were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire survey of 701 residents in four shrinking cities: Oporto, Barreiro, Peso da Régua and Moura. Factor analysis and automatic linear modelling were used to analyse the data. Our results support previous findings that the economic activity of a city is the most relevant feature for retaining residents. However, other characteristics specific to each city, especially those related to heritage and natural beauty, are also shown to influence a city’s attractiveness as a place to live. The cause of population shrinkage is also found to influence residents’ assessments of the pull and push attributes of each city. Furthermore, the results show the relevance of social ties and of place attachment to inhabitants’ intention to continue living in their city of residence.

Wind Power in the Portuguese Landscape: Global Concerns and Local Costs

Wind turbines and solar panels are becoming second nature in Portugal, as its occurrence in the country becomes ubiquitous. Somehow, one could argue that renewable energy in Portugal is in the process of ‘naturalisation’ as part of a new – mechanised, but environmentally benign – landscape. Portuguese Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Biodiversity (ICNB) has shown an ambiguous stance on this issue, defending global concerns towards renewable energy, while at the same time attempting to engage locals in the preservation of extensive ‘classified areas’. In the course of this research, we tried to focus on these incongruities and to analyse how they are impacting local communities during the process of wind power installation.

Tradução e validação para Portugal do Patient Activation Measure 13 : em pessoas com Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2

RESUMO - Introdução: A Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2 (DM2) tem uma elevada prevalência em todo o mundo, com impacto significativo a nível de Saúde Pública, na vida dos doentes e nos custos que lhe são associados. O Patiente Activation Measure 13 (PAM13) é um questionário que possibilita a avaliação das crenças, conhecimentos, motivação e capacidades de uma pessoa em relação à sua saúde; pelo que a sua utilização na DM2 é pertinente. Objetivos: Traduzir o PAM 13, versão curta, para Português de Portugal; Estabelecer as propriedades psicométricas da versão Portuguesa do PAM 13 (PAM13-P); Validar a PAM 13-P num grupo de pessoas com DM2. Material e métodos: O processo de tradução e adaptação cultural do questionário foi composto pelas fases: 1-Tradução, 2-Reconciliação e síntese, 3-Back translation, 4-Rever e sintetizar a Back translation, 5-Harmonização, 6-Revisão do comité de peritos, 7-Cognitive debriefing e 8-Avaliação final. Para validar o PAM13-P realizou-se um estudo observacional transversal analítico com uma amostra de conveniência, de pessoas com DM2, seguidas na Associação Protectora dos Diabéticos de Portugal. O questionário foi de autopreenchimento e foi consultado o processo clínico para obtenção da HbA1c. O tratamento estatístico foi realizado através do SPSS 21® e Winsteps v3.8.1®. Resultados e discussão: O processo de tradução e adaptação cultural foi realizado de acordo com as guidelines. Foram realizados 3 painéis de e-Delphi, com 21 participantes de áreas distintas, tendo-se obtido bons níveis de concordância. As principais modificações realizadas ao questionário foram a simplificação da linguagem e dos itens, obtendo-se as equivalências necessárias. O PAM13-P foi aplicado a 201 pessoas, sendo que a taxa de resposta foi de 83%. Na amostra analisada 57.3% eram homens. Obtiveram-se as médias de idade 67.1 anos e de duração de diabetes 17.3 anos. A média do score do PAM foi 58.5±10.1(41.8-90.5) pontos e 49,7% da amostra estava no nível 3 de ativação. Relativamente aos itens verificou-se que os itens mais difíceis foram o 13(56.1) e o 8(55.4) e o com menor dificuldade foi 4(38.5). As categorias de resposta tiveram um bom ajuste ao Modelo de Rasch. O ajustamento dos itens foi infit entre 0.779-1.177 e outfit entre 0.794-1.315. A fiabilidade dos indivíduos variou entre 0.77(real) e 0.83(modelo) e dos itens foi de 0.97 (real e modelo). O Alfa de Cronbach foi bom (α=0.82). Estas estatísticas foram semelhantes aos da validação do PAM13. Existiu uma relação entre o score do PAM e os itens de validação em 51%. Das variáveis analisadas, existia um relação do nível de ativação com a idade e com a HbA1c. Conclusões: O PAM13-P foi traduzido e adaptado culturalmente para Português e foi validado em pessoas com DM2, sendo as propriedades psicométricas boas.

Evaluation of neuroprotective effects of natural extracts obtained from portuguese agro-food residues

Countries are currently faced with problems derived from changes in lifespan and an increase in lifestyle-related diseases. Neurodegenerative disorders such Parkinson’s (PD) and Alzheimer’s (AD) diseases are an increasing problem in aged societies. Data from World Alzheimer Report 2011 indicate that 36 million people worldwide are living with dementia. Oxidative stress has been associated with the development of AD and PD. Therefore there is interest to search for effective compounds or therapies to combat the oxidative damage in these diseases. Current evidence strongly supports a contribution of phenolic compounds present in fruits and vegetables to the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such AD and PD. The industrial processing of a wide variety of fruits results in the accumulation of by-products without commercial value. Opuntia ficus-indica (cactus pear) is consumed fresh and processed like in juice. Prunnus avium (sweet cherry) is consumed fresh but the organoleptics characteristics of the fruits leads to the smaller and ragged fruits have no commercial value. Fruit extracts of both species has described to be rich in phenolic compounds and to have high antioxidant activities due to its composition. The aim of this work was assessing the efficacy of O. ficus-indica and P. avium by-products extracts obtained with conventional solvent extraction and pressurized liquid extraction in a neurodegeneration cell model. All extracts have protected neuroblastoma cells from H2O2-induced death at low, non-toxic levels, which approach to physiologically-relevant serum concentration. However, cherry extract has a slighter neuroprotective activity. The protective effect of Opuntia extracts are not conducted by a direct antioxidant activity since there are not decreases in intracellular ROS levels in cell treated with extracts and challenged with H2O2, while cherry extract neuroprotection seems to be due to a direct scavenging activity. Extracts from different biological matrixes seems to protect neuronal cells trough different cellular mechanisms.

Utopia III or an Ambiguous Humanist Utopia for the Second Millenium

Portuguese literature does not have many examples of successful and renowned utopias, though the considerable amount of published utopias written in foreign languages and translated to Portuguese language being quite relevant. However, in the last quarter of the twentieth century, almost at the eve of the second millennium an important Portuguese utopia was published: Utopia III, written by Pina Martins (1998). This long novel is structured as being the sequel of More’s Utopia, presenting the history and actual status of the mother of all literary utopias. The question at the basis of the whole novel is, “What would More’s Utopia be like today?” The main goal of this text will be to presente a literary analysis of Utopia III, focusing on the humanist principles and their adaptation to contemporary society, the search for a harmonious relationship between city and nature, the defence of a Portuguese identity and the appeal to a humanist renewal.

Fungal communities in archives: assessment strategies and impact on paper conservation and human health

The main results presented in this PhD Dissertation have been published in interna-tional journals included in the Science Citation Index (SCI)

Rethinking the Portuguese banking sector in a post-crisis context

As the financial crisis hit the Portuguese banks, the profitability of the whole sector squeezed to historical minimums. Reinventing the banking business model in the post-crisis context is an overriding issue to achieve sustainable profits and a low cost-to-income ratio. We propose banks to adopt a true multichannel approach, proceeding to a branch network reformatting and a relocation of services to online channels; adopt a true customer-centric approach and reduce the product and services portfolio complexity; finally, industrialize operations and rationalize the structure. With these measures in place, Portuguese banks will become leaner and more efficient, aspiring to a cost-to-income ratio below 45%.

Portuguese banks and the economic adjustment programme: balance sheet adjustments and impact on profitability

Double Degree. A Work Project presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics and a Masters Degree in Finance from Louvain School of Management

Felmini, the success of a Portuguese footwear company in the Italian market

NSBE - UNL

Compensating variation and the young Portuguese emigrants: A study on how to keep our own

Emigration has been a very present word in Portugal. Due to the effects of the Economic Crisis and the Memorandum of Understanding policies, we have witnessed a significant yearly migration outflow of people searching for better conditions. This study aims to measure the factors affecting this flow as well as how much the probability of emigrating has evolved during the years bridging 2006 to 2012. I shall consider the decision of emigrating as Discrete Choice Random Utility maximization use a conditional Logit framework to model the probability choice for 31 OECD countries of destination. Moreover I will ascertain the compensating variation required such that the probability of choice in 2012 is adjusted back to 2007 values, keeping all other variables constant. I replicate this exercise using the unemployment rate instead of income. The most likely country of destination is Luxembourg throughout the years analyzed and the values obtained for the CV is of circa 1.700€ in terms of Income per capita and -11% in terms of the unemployment rate adjustment.

Portuguese business groups at the beginning of the 21st century: Trends, characteristics and configurations

This study considers the literature on the persistence of business groups in developed economies and analyzes the Portuguese case. The reconstruction of the largest business groups assembles information relevant to define characteristics that enable them to thrive. Increasing internationalization, more specialization in core activities and family control define these types of big businesses. New sectors also emerge as a characteristic of these business groups when compared to the ones existing 40 years ago.

Determinants of reelection in Portuguese municipal elections

This Work Project investigates the determinants of reelection using data on the 278 Portuguese mainland municipalities for the period 1976-2009. We implement a logit fixed effect model to control for the municipalities’ unobserved characteristics that remain constant over time. Political variables, such as the vote share of the incumbent’s party in previous election, the number of mayor’s consecutive mandates and abstention rate, are found to be relevant in explaining incumbent’s reelection. Moreover, as to the mayor’s individual characteristics, age and education contribute to explain reelection prospects. We also provide weak evidence that a higher degree of fiscal autonomy increases political turnover and that the good economic prospects of the municipality positively affect reelection. Finally, the residents’ level of education and the size of the municipal population have an explanatory power on mayor’s reelection. We perform several robustness checks to confirm these results.

Is there space to build one more transshipment terminal within Portuguese territory?

NSBE - UNL