LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF A MASTER DEGREE IN ANIMATION AND ILLUSTRATION

This paper aims to describe the processes of teaching illustration and animation, together, in the context of a masters degree program. In Portugal, until very recently, illustration and animation higher education courses, were very scarce and only provided by a few private universities, which offered separated programs - either illustration or animation. The MA in Illustration and Animation (MIA) based in the Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e Ave in Portugal, dared to join these two creative areas in a common learning model and is already starting it’s third edition with encouraging results and will be supported by the first international conference on illustration and animation (CONFIA). This masters program integrates several approaches and techniques (in illustration and animation) and integrates and encourages creative writing and critique writing. This paper describes the iterative process of construction, and implementation of the program as well as the results obtained on the initial years of existence in terms of pedagogic and learning conclusions. In summary, we aim to compare pedagogic models of animation or illustration teaching in higher education opposed to a more contemporary and multidisciplinary model approach that integrates the two - on an earlier stage - and allows them to be developed separately – on the second part of the program. This is based on the differences and specificities of animation (from classic techniques to 3D) and illustration (drawing the illustration) and the intersection area of these two subjects within the program structure focused on the students learning and competencies acquired to use in professional or authorial projects.

Ambivalent implications of health care information systems: a study in the Brazilian public health care system

This article evaluates social implications of the "SIGA" Health Care Information System (HIS) in a public health care organization in the city of São Paulo. The evaluation was performed by means of an in-depth case study with patients and staff of a public health care organization, using qualitative and quantitative data. On the one hand, the system had consequences perceived as positive such as improved convenience and democratization of specialized treatment for patients and improvements in work organization. On the other hand, negative outcomes were reported, like difficulties faced by employees due to little familiarity with IT and an increase in the time needed to schedule appointments. Results show the ambiguity of the implications of HIS in developing countries, emphasizing the need for a more nuanced view of the evaluation of failures and successes and the importance of social contextual factors.

Teaching and learning mathematics using moodle

This paper summarizes a project that is contributing to a change in the way of teaching and learning Mathematics. Mathematics is a subject of the Accounting and Administration course. In this subject we teach: Functions and Algebra. The aim is that the student understand the basic concepts and is able to apply them in other issues, when possible, establishing a bridge between the issues that they have studied and their application in Accounting. As from this year, the Accounting course falls under in Bologna Process. The teacher and the student roles have changed. The time for theoretical and practical classes has been reduced, so it was necessary to modify the way of teaching and learning. In the theoretical classes we use systems of multimedia projection to present the concepts, and in the practical classes we solve exercises. We also use the Excel and the mathematical open source software wxMaxima. To supplement our theoretical and practical classes we have developed a project called MatActiva based on the Moodle platform offered by PAOL - Projecto de Apoio Online (Online Support Project). With the creation of this new project we wanted to take advantage already obtained results with the previous experiences, giving to the students opportunities to complement their study in Mathematics. One of the great objectives is to motivate students, encourage them to overcome theirs difficulties through an auto-study giving them more confidence. In the MatActiva project the students have a big collection of information about the way of the subject works, which includes the objectives, the program, recommended bibliography, evaluation method and summaries. It works as material support for the practical and theoretical classes, the slides of the theoretical classes are available, the sheets with exercises for the students to do in the classroom and complementary exercises, as well as the exams of previous years. Students can also do diagnostic tests and evaluation tests online. Our approach is a reflexive one, based on the professional experience of the teachers that explore and incorporate new tools of Moodle with their students and coordinate the project MatActiva.

Teaching with Moodle in higher education

Nowadays, with the use of technology and the Internet, education is undergoing significant changes, contemplating new ways of teaching and learning. One of the widely methods of teaching used to promote knowledge, consists in the use of virtual environments available in various formats, taking as example the teaching-learning platforms, which are available online. The Internet access and use of Laptops have created the technological conditions for teachers and students can benefit from the diversity of online information, communication, collaboration and sharing with others. The integration of Internet services in the teaching practices can provide thematic, social and digital enrichment for the agents involved. In this paper we will talk about the advantages of LMS (Learning Management Systems) such as Moodle, to support the presential lectures in higher education. We also will analyse its implications for student support and online interaction, leading educational agents to a mixing of different learning environments, where they can combine face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated instruction, blended-learning, and increases the options for better quality and quantity of human interaction in a learning environment. We also will present some tools traditionally used in online assessment and that are part of the functionalities of Moodle. These tools can provide interesting alternatives to promote a more significant learning and contribute to the development of flexible and customized models of an evaluation which we want to be more efficient.

Becoming a teacher: student teachers´ experiences and perceptions about teaching practice

In an attempt to build a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the complexity, dynamics and idiosyncrasies involved in becoming a teacher, this study focussed on the experiences of 295 student teachers. Their feelings, cognitions and perceptions regarding teaching practice were analysed using the short version of the Inventory of Experiences and Perceptions of the Teaching Practice. Results emphasise some of the difficulties experienced during this period (e.g., stress, sense of weariness and ‘vulnerability’), as well the positive perceptions of these student teachers regarding their growing knowledge and skilfulness, as well as their sense of efficacy, flexibility and spontaneity in their performance and interactions. Their perception of their accomplishments in achieving reasonable levels of acceptance and recognition within the school community and their positive evaluation of the guidance and support provided by their supervisors are also emphasised. Differences were found – in terms of gender and graduate course background – in the way these student teachers experienced some aspects of teaching practice.

Experiencing flow while teaching and learning in individual tuition settings

Conferência anual da ISME

A web-based intelligent tutoring system on teaching and learning electrical project

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provide new strategies for disseminating information and new communication models in order to change attitudes and human behaviour concerning to education. Nowadays the internet is crucial as a means of communication and information sharing. To education or tutorship will be required to use ICT, supported on the internet, to establish the communication of teacher-student and student-student, disseminating the content of the subjects, and as a way of teaching and learning process. This paper presents an intelligent tutor that aims to be a tool to support teaching and learning in the field of the electrical engineering project.

Patterns of Associational Life in Western Europe, 1800-2000

Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of Political and Social Science of the European University Institute

The potential benefits of using videos in higher education

The developments of digital technology have opened new outlooks for online education which offer students the flexibility to learn at any time and any place. With all this instructional changes instructors, in all levels of the educational chain have been compelled to adapt quickly to this reality. They have a wide diversity of tools available to grab student’s attention and motivate them to embrace the knowledge in their own learning process. One of these resources is the use of videos. Through them lecturers can deliver complex information and contents to students and, if used creatively, videos can become a powerful technological tool in education. In this article we will explore some of the potential benefits and challenges associated with the use of videos in the teaching and learning process at higher education levels. We will also discuss some thoughts and examples for the use of teaching materials to enhance student’s learning and try to change ideas about the potentialities and future of video’s annotation new software resources, as incoming open tools for group work involvement.

The potential benefits of using videos in higher education

The developments of digital technology have opened new outlooks for online education which offer students the flexibility to learn at any time and any place. With all this instructional changes teachers, in all levels of the educational chain have been compelled to adapt quickly to this reality. They have a wide diversity of tools available to grab student’s attention and to motivate them to embrace the knowledge in their own learning process. One of these resources is the use of videos. Through them teachers can deliver complex information and contents to students and, if used creatively, videos can become a powerful technological tool in education. In this article we will explore some of the potential benefits and challenges associated with the use of videos in the teaching and learning process at higher education levels. We will also discuss some thoughts and examples for the use of teaching materials to enhance student’s learning and try to share ideas about the potentialities and future of video’s annotation new software resources, as incoming open tools for group work involvement.

Mobile learning: recetividade e predisposição do ensino superior para a sua utilização

A evolução dos dispositivos móveis e a mudança de paradigma educacional, permitiu o surgimento de um novo conceito no processo de ensino e aprendizagem, o mobile learning. O mobile learning pode ser visto como um conceito multidisciplinar, dependendo da perspetiva de cada autor, pois ainda não existe um consenso em relação à definição do conceito. No entanto, todos os autores concordam que o mobile learning consiste na aquisição de conhecimento ou competência através do uso de tecnologias móveis, em qualquer lugar e momento. A presente investigação, de natureza exploratória, pretendeu estudar a receptividade e predisposição dos estudantes e docentes do ensino superior para com a utilização do mobile learning, uma vez que o ensino superior parece ser o ambiente ideal para a realização deste estudo. Por um lado, devido à democratização dos dispositivos móveis, por outro, porque o Instituto Politécnico do Porto pretende vir a implementar um projeto de mobile learning, enquadrado no e- IPP. Deste modo, para a concretização desta investigação, foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica exaustiva que serviu de base de sustentação para todo o trabalho, complementada com um questionário, de forma a dar resposta às questões de investigação. Depois de recolhidos todos os resultados obtidos através do questionário, procedeu-se à análise e discussão mesmos, bem como às respectivas conclusões.

The effectiveness of a teacher’s training workshop on Media Smart Program

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

Experience with the first Internet-based course at the Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo

PURPOSE: The Internet expands the range and flexibility of teaching options and enhances the ability to process the ever-increasing volume of medical knowledge. The aim of this study is to describe and discuss our experience with transforming a traditional medical training course into an Internet-based course. METHOD: Sixty-nine students were enrolled for a one-month course. They answered pre- and post-course questionnaires and took a multiple-choice test to evaluate the acquired knowledge. RESULTS: Students reported that the primary value for them of this Internet-based course was that they could choose the time of their class attendance (67%). The vast majority (94%) had a private computer and were used to visiting the Internet (75%) before the course. During the course, visits were mainly during the weekends (35%) and on the last week before the test (29%). Thirty-one percent reported that they could learn by reading only from the computer screen, without the necessity of printed material. Students were satisfied with this teaching method as evidenced by the 89% who reported enjoying the experience and the 88% who said they would enroll for another course via the Internet. The most positive aspect was freedom of scheduling, and the most negative was the lack of personal contact with the teacher. From the 80 multiple-choice questions, the mean of correct answers was 45.5, and of incorrect, 34.5. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that students can successfully learn with distance learning. It provides useful information for developing other Internet-based courses. The importance of this new tool for education in a large country like Brazil seems clear.

Formação continuada de professores para o uso das tecnologias educativas: um estudo de caso sobre o discurso e a prática

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências da Educação (Especialidade de Tecnologia Educativa)

Use and users of electronic journals at Catalan universities: the results of a survey

Es presenten els resultats d’una enquesta sobre l’ús de revistes electròniques realitzada al professorat de les universitats que formen el Consorci de Biblioteques Universitàries de Catalunya (CBUC). Els resultats mostren un elevat grau de coneixement de la col·lecció de revistes electròniques entre el personal docent i investigador i una creixent preferència pel format electrònic en detriment de l’imprès. L’alt grau de coneixement i d’ús dels títols electrònics, i la preferència per aquest suport, comporten una elevada valoració de la col·lecció de revistes electròniques. Al mateix temps, la major part dels usuaris preveu un increment de l’ús dels títols electrònics durant els propers anys. Els resultats també confirmen la importància de la disciplina i de l’edat com a factors explicatius de l’ús de les revistes electròniques.