School management and sexual behavior of teenagers

This paper asks whether school based management may help reducing risky sexual behavior of teenagers. For this purpose we use student level data from Bogot´a to identify students from Concession School (CS), who are enrolled in public education system with a more school management autonomy at school level, and to compare them with those students at the traditional public education system. We use propensity score matching methods to have a comparable sample between pupils at CS and traditional schools. Our results show that on average the behavior of students from CS do not have a sexual behavior that differs from those in traditional public schools except for boys in CS who have a lower probability of being sexual active. However, there are important differences when heterogeneity is considered. For example we find that CS where girls per boys ratio is higher have lower teenage pregnancy rates than public schools with also high girls per boys ratios. We also find that teachers’ human capital, teacher-pupil ratio or whether school offers sexual education are also related to statistically significant differences between CS and traditional public schools.

Educación de la sexualidad, prácticas docentes y conocimientos de los estudiantes: una evaluación del Programa de Educación para la Sexualidad y Construcción de Ciudadanía (PESCC)

Este documento presenta los resultados del componente cuantitativo de la evaluación del Programa de Educación para la Sexualidad y Construcción de Ciudadanía (PESCC) del Ministerio de Educación Nacional de Colombia (MEN). Para identificar el efecto, la estrategia empírica explota la variación en la implementación del componente pedagógico del PESCC entre los colegios y la variación en el componente de fortalecimiento institucional del programa a nivel departamental. El principal hallazgo de este trabajo es que el PESCC mejora las prácticas docentes de planeación y los conocimientos de los estudiantes en servicios en salud sexual y reproductiva y en derechos humanos sexuales y reproductivos. No hay efectos significativos en otros índices de Conocimientos, Actitudes o Prácticas (CAP) de profesores o estudiantes.

Trabalho colaborativo : alavanca do desenvolvimento profissional docente

Longe vão os tempos em que a formação inicial dos docentes era tida como suficiente para o desempenho da profissão. Hoje, a sociedade e o poder político requisitam aos professores maior abrangência nas suas competências profissionais, no sentido de estes serem capazes de responder adequadamente às exigências que enfrentam. A tutela, por seu turno, responde com programas de apoio do tipo TEIP (Território Educativo de Intervenção Prioritária) à enorme variedade de alunos e contextos socioeconómicos. É no seio desta realidade que se coloca a questão: como implementar práticas colaborativas, potenciadoras do desenvolvimento profissional dos professores do Departamento de Matemática e Ciências Experimentais, numa escola TEIP? Fullan e Hargreaves (2001) defendem que só a existência de um trabalho conjunto, a responsabilidade partilhada, o empenhamento e o aperfeiçoamento coletivos, a maior disponibilidade para participar na difícil atividade de reflexão crítica, acerca do trabalho realizado, e uma cultura colaborativa é que poderão conduzir a progressos significativos, na melhoria dos resultados e, consequentemente, no real desenvolvimento profissional docente. Contudo, quer a abertura das salas de aula ao exterior, quer a inclusão de todos os alunos nas mesmas, representam ainda, e em geral, um desafio para muitos docentes. É neste contexto que se apresenta um projeto de formação que tem, como campo de análise, a formação de professores, centrada na escola e ancorada na colaboração e supervisão interpares. A formação referida visa: desenvolver uma cultura de positividade e propositividade; criar, promover, analisar e partilhar experiências e inovações realizadas em contexto; desenvolver experiências consequentes sob o ponto de vista do desenvolvimento profissional docente, ao nível da sala de aula; refletir, em conjunto, sobre estratégias exequíveis e indutoras da melhoria do comportamento e das aprendizagens dos discentes. Com estes propósitos, ancorar-se-á a oficina de formação na criação de tarefas a serem experimentadas em contexto, na observação de aulas e na experiência dos intervenientes, baseada na reflexão sobre as práticas e focalizada nos problemas correntes. A expectativa sobre os resultados a obter com esta formação é grande e alicerça-se no trabalho empírico levado a cabo, tendo os principais resultados apontado, claramente, no sentido da necessidade e disponibilidade, por parte dos docentes, para participarem numa oficina de formação cujos objetivos fossem os citados.

From activity to active learning: drawing and dialogue interaction in virtual learning environments for computer-supported collaborative work in design.

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) would appear to be particular effective in computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW) for active learning. Most research studies looking at computer-supported collaborative design have focused on either synchronous or asynchronous modes of communication, but near-synchronous working has received relatively little attention. Yet it could be argued that near-synchronous communication encourages creative, rhetorical and critical exchanges of ideas, building on each other’s contributions. Furthermore, although many researchers have carried out studies on collaborative design protocol, argumentation and constructive interaction, little is known about the interaction between drawing and dialogue in near-synchronous collaborative design. The paper reports the first stage of an investigation into the requirements for the design and development of interactive systems to support the learning of collaborative design activities. The aim of the study is to understand the collaborative design processes while sketching in a shared white board and audio conferencing media. Empirical data on design processes have been obtained from observation of seven sessions with groups of design students solving an interior space-planning problem of a lounge-diner in a virtual learning environment, Lyceum, an in-house software developed by the Open University to support its students in collaborative learning.

‘Did Ronald McDonald also tend to scare you as a child?’: working to emplace consumption, commodities, and citizen-students in a large classroom setting

So-called ‘radical’ and ‘critical’ pedagogy seems to be everywhere these days on the landscapes of geographical teaching praxis and theory. Part of the remit of radical/critical pedagogy involves a de-centring of the traditional ‘banking’ method of pedagogical praxis. Yet, how do we challenge this ‘banking’ model of knowledge transmission in both a large-class setting and around the topic of commodity geographies where the banking model of information transfer still holds sway? This paper presents a theoretically and pedagogically driven argument, as well as a series of practical teaching ‘techniques’ and tools—mind-mapping and group work—designed to promote ‘deep learning’ and a progressive political potential in a first-year large-scale geography course centred around lectures on the Geographies of Consumption and Material Culture. Here students are not only asked to place themselves within and without the academic materials and other media but are urged to make intimate connections between themselves and their own consumptive acts and the commodity networks in which they are enmeshed. Thus, perhaps pedagogy needs to be emplaced firmly within the realms of research practice rather than as simply the transference of research findings.

Survival at the frontier of Holy War: political expansion, crusading, commerce and the medieval colonizing settlement at Biała Gora, North Poland

Between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries AD, the Lower Vistula valley represented a permeable and shifting frontier between Pomerelia (eastern Pomerania), which had been incorporated into the Polish Christian state by the end of the tenth century, and the territories of western Prussian tribes, who had resisted attempts at Christianization. Pomeranian colonization eventually began to falter in the latter decades of the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, most likely as a result of Prussian incursions, which saw the abandonment of sites across the borderland. Subsequently, the Teutonic Order and its allies led a protracted holy war against the Prussian tribes, which resulted in the conquest of the region and its incorporation into a theocratic state by the end of the thirteenth century. This was accompanied by a second wave of colonization, which resulted in the settlement pattern that is still visible in the landscape of north-central Poland today. However, not all colonies were destroyed or abandoned in between the two phases of colonization. The recently excavated site of Biała Góra, situated on the western side of the Forest of Sztum overlooking the River Nogat, represents a unique example of a transitional settlement that included both Pomeranian and Teutonic Order phases. The aim of this paper is to situate the site within its broader landscape context which can be characterized as a militarized frontier, where, from the later twelfth century and throughout much of the thirteenth century, political and economic expansion was combined with the ideology of Christian holy war and missionary activity. This paper considers how the colonists provisioned and sustained themselves in comparison to other sites within the region, and how Biała Góra may be tentatively linked to a documented but otherwise lost outpost in this volatile borderland.

Managing artisanal and small-scale mining in forest areas: perspectives from a poststructural political ecology

Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is an activity intimately associated with social deprivation and environmental degradation, including deforestation. This paper examines ASM and deforestation using a broadly poststructural political ecology framework. Hegemonic discourses are shown to consistently influence policy direction, particularly in emerging approaches such as Corporate Social Responsibility and the Forest Stewardship Council. A review of alternative discourses reveals that the poststructural method is useful for critiquing the international policy arena but does not inform new approaches. Synthesis of the analysis leads to conclusions that echo a growing body of literature advocating for policies to become increasingly sensitive to local contexts, synergistic between actors at difference scales, and to be integrated across sectors.

Students’ Perspectives on Extensive Literature : Using Literature to Enhance Communicative Competence and Cultural Understanding in the EFL-Classroom

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the use of literature within the Swedish Upper Secondary EFL-classroom from the students’ perspective. How do the students in the study relate to literature and its use to enhance and enable their communicative competence and cultural understanding? Also, how do their answers compare with their teacher’s and the adult perspectives and findings from previous international research? The empirical data obtained from the study has been analysed from the perspectives of sociocultural and motivational theory, and the findings show that the participating students believe literature to be a good didactic tool to apply in the EFL-classroom, both in order to enhance their communicative competence and their cultural understanding. The students prefer to have a sociocultural approach to their literature-learning, with group-discussions of various sizes. The key for the students in this respect is interesting, relevant and engaging subject-matter, as well as a positive and motivational teacher. The responses given by the students correlate with those given by their teacher as well as previous international research. The students regard literature as a way of gaining new perspectives, as well as experiencing language in use. Where they diverge somewhat from the international research is in regard to literature’s use for enhancing their competence to speak in class, and that some students seem to think that communication and cultural understanding are separable. Future studies within this field might include the conducting of a larger and more in-depth survey regarding the students’ ideas about literature, culture and communication. Why do so many of the student respondents neither agree nor disagree with the statement concerning communication and cultural understanding being inseparable? This can be an important issue to investigate in today’s global climate of cross-cultural and intercultural experiences, especially in view of the political climate of diverse attitudes towards refugees, immigrants and emigration

Differences in the perception of interest representation: a comparision of Brasília and Brussels lobbying activity

The research topic of this paper is focused on the analysis of how trade associations perceive lobbying in Brussels and in Brasília. The analysis will be centered on business associations located in Brasília and Brussels as the two core centers of decision-making and as an attraction for the lobbying practice. The underlying principles behind the comparison between Brussels and Brasilia are two. Firstof all because the European Union and Brazil have maintained diplomatic relations since 1960. Through these relations they have built up close historical, cultural, economic and political ties. Their bilateral political relations culminated in 2007 with the establishment of a Strategic Partnership (EEAS website,n.d.). Over the years, Brazil has become a key interlocutor for the EU and it is the most important market for the EU in Latin America (European Commission, 2007). Taking into account the relations between EU and Brazil, this research could contribute to the reciprocal knowledge about the perception of lobby in the respective systems and the importance of the non-market strategy when conducting business. Second both EU and Brazilian systems have a multi-level governance structure: 28 Member States in the EU and 26 Member States in Brazil; in both systems there are three main institutions targeted by lobbying practice. The objective is to compare how differences in the institutional environments affect the perception and practice of lobbying, where institutions are defined as ‘‘regulative, normative, and cognitive structures and activities that provide stability and meaning to social behavior’’ (Peng et al., 2009). Brussels, the self-proclaimed "Capital of Europe”, is the headquarters of the European Union and has one of the highest concentrations of political power in the world. Four of the seven Institutions of the European Union are based in Brussels: the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council and the European Commission (EU website, n.d.). As the power of the EU institutions has grown, Brussels has become a magnet for lobbyists, with the latest estimates ranging from between 15,000 and 30,000 professionals representing companies, industry sectors, farmers, civil society groups, unions etc. (Burson Marsteller, 2013). Brasília is the capital of Brazil and the seat of government of the Federal District and the three branches of the federal government of Brazilian legislative, executive and judiciary. The 4 city also hosts 124 foreign embassies. The presence of the formal representations of companies and trade associations in Brasília is very limited, but the governmental interests remain there and the professionals dealing with government affairs commute there. In the European Union, Brussels has established a Transparency Register that allows the interactions between the European institutions and citizen’s associations, NGOs, businesses, trade and professional organizations, trade unions and think tanks. The register provides citizens with a direct and single access to information about who is engaged in This process is important for the quality of democracy, and for its capacity to deliver adequate policies, matching activities aimed at influencing the EU decision-making process, which interests are being pursued and what level of resources are invested in these activities (Celgene, n.d). It offers a single code of conduct, binding all organizations and self-employed individuals who accept to “play by the rules” in full respect of ethical principles (EC website, n.d). A complaints and sanctions mechanism ensures the enforcement of the rules and addresses suspected breaches of the code. In Brazil, there is no specific legislation regulating lobbying. The National Congress is currently discussing dozens of bills that address regulation of lobbying and the action of interest groups (De Aragão, 2012), but none of them has been enacted for the moment. This work will focus on class lobbying (Oliveira, 2004), which refers to the performance of the federation of national labour or industrial unions, like CNI (National Industry Confederation) in Brazil and the European Banking Federation (EBF) in Brussels. Their performance aims to influence the Executive and Legislative branches in order to defend the interests of their affiliates. When representing unions and federations, class entities cover a wide range of different and, more often than not, conflicting interests. That is why they are limited to defending the consensual and majority interest of their affiliates (Oliveira, 2004). The basic assumption of this work is that institutions matter (Peng et al, 2009) and that the trade associations and their affiliates, when doing business, have to take into account the institutional and regulatory framework where they do business.

Ensaios em economia política aplicada

Esta tese é constituída por três capítulos que se enquadram na área de Microeconomia Aplicada, sendo dois deles de Economia Política Aplicada e o outro de Economia da Educação. O primeiro capítulo investiga se a eleição de mulheres para a prefeitura impacta a inserção de outras mulheres no mercado político, reduzindo-se assim uma preferência pré-estabelecida pelos eleitores de não votar em mulheres. Para realizar o exercício, utiliza-se um experimento de Regressão em Descontinuidade onde explora-se eleições em que uma mulher perdeu ou ganhou por uma margem pequena de votos para um candidato homem, a ponto do gênero eleito ser aleatório. Os resultados mostram que a eleição de uma mulher tem impacto apenas em ambientes mais propícios a eleger mulheres (o que foi mensurado aqui pelo percentual de vereadoras eleitas) ou em locais onde os candidatos tinham maior qualidade (medido pela escolaridade). O segundo artigo estima o impacto da divulgação da qualidade escolar sobre a migração dos alunos entre escolas. A ideia é que ao tornar-se público o sinal de qualidade, escolas e alunos têm incentivos para se adaptarem conforme sua demanda por qualidade. Para isso, explora-se um desenho de Regressão em Descontinuidade Fuzzy devido a um dos critérios de divulgação do IDEB ser a escola ter no mínimo 20 alunos matriculados na série avaliada. Os resultados mostram que as escolas que tiveram IDEB divulgado tiveram maior migração de alunos e, em especial, de alunos em condições de vulnerabilidade. O terceiro artigo avalia a hipótese de exogeneidade da abertura comercial brasileira, promovida no final da década de 1980 e início da de 1990. Há uma vasta literatura que explora os efeitos da abertura comercial sobre o mercado de trabalho, desigualdade de renda, pobreza e crescimento econômico. Tais trabalhos consideram o processo de liberalização brasileiro como não correlacionado com as demandas de nenhum setor de atividade econômica específico, o que justificaria utilizar o período de abertura como um instrumento para lidar com endogeneidade nas estimações. Nós apresentamos evidência de que, embora não correlacionado com nenhum setor em especial, a abertura estava correlacionada com a distribuição de capital político dos governos nesse período, e pode ter funcionado como uma estratégica clara de fortalecimento político ou, pelo menos, teve o contexto político como um facilitador do processo.

O que tenho a ver com isso? aula-vivência sobre violência contra crianças e adolescentes

A violência constitui hoje a principal causa de morte em crianças de 5 a 19 anos, o que tem imposto aos profissionais de saúde um olhar mais atento a estas questões, bem como uma formação que busque compreender este fenômeno sobre os vários prismas que a circunscreve. O objetivo deste artigo é relatar a experiência vivenciada com alunos do curso de Graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte numa aula-vivência sobre esta temática. A aula foi baseada numa prática pedagógica de ação reflexiva. Desenvolveu-se a partir da integração dos conteúdos teóricos e práticos, articulando-os com temas sociais, políticos e econômicos. A aula foi dividida em três momentos: um momento de sensibilização; um segundo momento onde foi apresentado e discutido o arcabouço teórico, científico e legal que envolve o tema; e um terceiro, que visou estimular uma reflexão sobre a realidade vivenciada nos serviços de saúde por profissionais que atuam diante de situações de violência. Nos três momentos da aula pudemos proporcionar ao aluno a inquietação e a reflexão necessárias para pensarmos sobre a violência em toda a sua complexidade, pluricausalidade e com toda a carga de preconceito em que esta se encontra envolvida

O desenvolvimento da docência nas engenharias: um estudo na universidade federal de campina grande (UFCG)

This research has the objective of studying the teacher-engineers awareness regarding their teaching practice of courses Civil, Electrical and Materials at the Federal University of Campina Grande. It presents and analyses major themes concerning the teaching work. At the same time, it pinpoints the need to develop good teaching practice in higher education. The study is based on the concepts of bricolage (KINCHELOE; BERRY, 2007) and multi-referentiality (ARDOINO, 1998). The Case Study procedure was adopted as an investigation strategy (YIN, 2004; AFONSO, 2005). The data collection was done through the application of questionnaires based on the teacher education paradigms (ZEICHNER, 1983; SACRISTAN, 1998; ALTET, 2001; BRÜTTEN, 2008). The theoretical background for the thematic axis is oriented by reflections on university teaching (MASETTO, 2003; 2007; ZABALZA, 2004; CUNHA et al, 2005; GRILLO, 2008; PIMENTA; ANASTASIOU, 2010 ); on Engineering teaching (BAZZO, 2001; MASETTO, 2009) and on the present-day relationship between educational policies and higher education (MENEZES, 2001; SANTOS, 1995;2005; BOSI, 2007). The data analysis was done by means of a quantitative and qualitative approach (SAMPIERI; COLLADO; LUCIO, 2006), allow us to understand how the teachers surveyed live their professional activity. The results make it possible to generalize that the teacher-engineers give value to research as part of their teacher education and they view the university pedagogy as an important aspect to improve their practice. A considerable number of them is interested in being part of reflection groups, aiming to enhance teaching at higher education. The teacher-engineers dedicate themselves to university teaching without sharing their experience with other teachers, consolidating a present tendency seen in the international and national literature. They tend to apply a pedagogy originated from their daily teaching practice, because they believe that teaching is perfected through practice, though they admit that practice alone is not sufficient for professional development. In the view of most informants, good teaching requires willingness, along with the political element, the mastery of the lesson contents and familiarity with the discipline objectives, if we regard teachers as advisors in the educational process. Throughout the teaching process, the teachers use diversified pedagogical strategies, such as contextualization and exemplification of the lesson contents, epistemological basis in the scientific field, and group work. They do not share any bond of relationship between them and the students, though they consider it important. In general terms, they lack preparation for university teaching and no involvement or interest in institutional issues, by supporting and improving the teaching quality

Atenção, consciência e prática pedagógica: um estudo de suas interconexões

This thesis entitled, Attention, Consciousness and Practice of Teaching: A Study of its Interconnects, argues about a relationship between development of attention and consciousness and its connection to the pedagogical practice developed in a public elementary school in Natal city, Rio Grande do Norte state. The research school is located in the south of the city. School activities are developed according with the political pedagogical project. The group investigated was 25 students aged between 8-12 years of the fourth grade. The students of the research are residents of Ponta Negra village, Pirangi and Neópolis districts. The research was effected by three teachers however, the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the relationship between the development of attention and awareness and the pedagogical practice of one of the teachers who participated in the research, and more specifically understand the psychic procedures involved in the development of attention and awareness; enabling conditions for the realization of an educational action that enables the development in terms of focused attention and states of consciousness of students, analyzing their interrelations. Therefore, it was used as methodology the collaborative research by providing elements for research as strategy of formation and development, the coproduction of knowledge, and the change of educational practice through reflective processes effected through the collaboration and critical reflection among participants. For empirical construction, it was used the following procedural elements: meeting, planning, diagnosis of attention and awareness, reflective period studies, collaborative observation and reflection sessions with the participant teachers and the students. The diagnosis of attention was effected through a game and its elaboration was based on the study proposed by Luria (1991). The purpose of the game was to apprehend the stage where students were in relation of a development attention. Concerning the diagnosis of consciousness, it was taken as reference studies by Burlatski (1987), Pinto (1960a, 1960b), Rubinstien (1973), Leontiev (1978) and others studies discussing this topic. As a method of analysis, it was resorted to the dialectical historical materialism, the ability to identify, analyze and explain those contradictions generated in the process. In the analysis procedures were prepared some categories as well as, were used categories by other authors with the purpose of understanding the critical reflective process collaborative evidencing the formation of concepts and pedagogical practice of the participants, and the analysis of a practical pedagogical of a teacher and her relationships with the development of the psychic process and functions of students, in other words, attention and awareness. Regarding the reflective process were used the categories: technical reflection, critical reflection and practical reflection (LIBERALI, 2008). Concerning the analysis of the concepts were used the categories: description, characterization, definition and conceptualization (FERREIRA, 2003). And for critical collaboration were the categories: critical collaboration, uncritical, technique and practice. In pedagogical practice, were used categories: repetitive practice teaching, heterogeneous and reflexive critical (SOUZA, 2010). During the collaborative observation was evident predominance of heterogeneous practice, because the main participant teacher searches for immediate solution to the situations problem, as well as reflection moments, is the technical arrangement, practice, critical, as well as concern in interacting with students, the qualitative changes, deep knowledge, renewal and transformation of the teaching activity. In this process, the collaborative reflection proved to be an effective strategy for developing awareness of students, because through reflection sessions, the students were able to understand that learning is a building process and that it necessary to be careful for their development

A coordenação pedagógica e o processo de inclusão do aluno com necessidade educacionais especiais:Um estudo de caso

The school inclusion presents a number of challenges that has been mobilizing initiatives and studies about its effectiveness. If on one hand in such studies and initiatives it becomes important to emphasize on the role and training of teachers, on the other, there is few studies about the role (and performance) of the pedagogical coordination in face of this process. In this sense, this research focuses on the role of educational coordination in face of the school inclusion of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and it undertakes the following study s questions: has the action by the coordinator contributed to the process of including students with Special Educational Needs? How is it presented in the process of inclusion of students with SEN in regular education? And it aims to: investigate the role of the pedagogical coordinator in the process of inclusion of students with Special Educational Needs of Primary Education at regular schools; and to analyze the limits and possibilities of the coordinator actions in the process of inclusion of students with SEN. For the effectiveness of the research, a state school of Elementary School located at the city of Natal/RN was taken as an empiric field. It was selected as research subjects 4 coordinators, 2 teachers of the Multifunctional Resources Room and 2 teachers of 6th to 9th grades. The methodological approach that was used in this research is consistent with the qualitative approach, and it is configured as a case study, as it is understood that this type of research responds to the objective of the study, assuming the observation of everyday school life, the educational document analysis and interviews with the subjects as procedures and tools to build data. The construction and analysis of the data were followed by a dialogue with the literature dedicated to coordinating education and school enrollment. Considering the responsibilities of the contemporary pedagogical coordination due to the challenges and possibilities of schooling for all students, specially regarding to what is referred as collaborative work and ongoing training of teachers, this study points out to the lack of an articulated action related to the school inclusion process, considering the monitoring of the teaching activity and its dialogue with the Multifunctional Resources Room. Moreover, the emphasis on meeting the daily school routines and the compliance with bureaucratic procedures, put it into second, restructuring of the Political-Pedagogical and the possibility of mobilization of school around the problematization and systematization of an inclusive school project. The effectiveness of school s inclusion, therefore, implies the scaling of the functions of the pedagogical coordination, as well as the reorganization of the school it self, to ensure the mediation of collaborative actions, contemplating the teachers continuing education, having as a landmark difficulties, problems and experiences constructed in the school context

The influence of an abdominal support for a dental stool in the distributions and electrical activity of the longissimus and the superior trapezius muscle in dentists

This study evaluated the influence an abdominal support attached to a traditional stool, of those used by dentists, has on the body's distribution of the electrical activity of the superior trapezius and the longissimus thoracic muscles of dental students during the execution of a clinical procedure. The results showed no significant difference in the body's distribution in the seat and backrest, but did reveal there was a weight discharge of 3.1 +/- 1.9% of dentist's body weight in the abdominal support. The 9 o'clock position proved to be the best position to perform clinical procedures. It was also observed that the position was closer to the body's axis.