Learning in peer-to-peer markets: evidence from Airbnb

Peer-to-peer markets are highly uncertain environments due to the constant presence of shocks. As a consequence, sellers have to constantly adjust to these shocks. Dynamic Pricing is hard, especially for non-professional sellers. We study it in an accommodation rental marketplace, Airbnb. With scraped data from its website, we: 1) describe pricing patterns consistent with learning; 2) estimate a demand model and use it to simulate a dynamic pricing model. We simulate it under three scenarios: a) with learning; b) without learning; c) with full information. We have found that information is an important feature concerning rental markets. Furthermore, we have found that learning is important for hosts to improve their profits.

A satisfação e a intenção de continuidade de uso em servços de e-learning:validação empírica de um modelo aplicado no serviço público

The present study aims to investigate the constructs of Technological Readiness Index (TRI) and the Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) as determinants of satisfaction and continuance intention use in e-learning services. Is proposed a theoretical model that seeks to measure the phenomenon suited to the needs of public organizations that offer distance learning course with the use of virtual platforms for employees. The research was conducted from a quantitative analytical approach, via online survey in a sample of 343 employees of 2 public organizations in RN who have had e-learning experience. The strategy of data analysis used multivariate analysis techniques, including structural equation modeling (SEM), operationalized by AMOS© software. The results showed that quality, quality disconfirmation, value and value disconfirmation positively impact on satisfaction, as well as disconfirmation usability, innovativeness and optimism. Likewise, satisfaction proved to be decisive for the purpose of continuance intention use. In addition, technological readiness and performance are strongly related. Based on the structural model found by the study, public organizations can implement e-learning services for employees focusing on improving learning and improving skills practiced in the organizational environment

Perceptual aspects of the use of faucets (taps)

This paper presents an assessment with simulated activities with the aim of analyzing the perception of ease/difficulty of the use of faucets (taps) handles by 180 Brazilian adults. Five different handles faucets were activated for subsequent collection of perceptual data. The procedures were based on main recommendations for biomedical ethics and human research. The results indicate that handles with levers are significantly (p <= 0.05) easier to use. The most difficult are characterized by not having support points for the rotation (levers) or more points of pressure concentration in the hand.

Ensino de matemática, história da matemática e artefatos: Possibilidade de interligar saberes em cursos de formação de professores da Educação Infantil e anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental.

This work is located at the shield of research that defends the use of Mathematics History, based on the utilization of historical artifacts at teaching activities, at Mathematics classrooms, and at graduation courses for teachers of Elementary School and of the first grades of High School. The general objective is to examine the possibility of the use of historical artifacts, at teaching activities, at graduation courses for teachers of Elementary School and of the first grades of High School. Artifact, at this work, is comprehended as objects, documents, monuments, images and other kinds of materials that make sense to the Human actions at the past and that represent what have been said and done at the Human history. At the construction of the theoretical-methodological way of the research we have based ourselves upon the ideas of the authors that are engaged at the teachers formation; at researchers adherents to the use of Mathematics History (MH) as a methodological resource, and at studies accomplished that elucidate the role of the artifacts at the history and as a mediatory element of learning. We defend the thesis that the utilization of historical artifacts at teaching activities enables the increasing of the knowledge, the development of competencies and essential abilities to the teacher acting, as well as interact at different areas of the knowledge, that provides a conception of formation where the teacher improves his learning, learning-doing and learning-being. We have adopted a qualitative research approach with a theoretical and pratic study disposition about the elements that contribute to the teachers works at the classroom, emphasizing the role of the Mathematics history at the teacher s formation and as a pedagogical resource at the mathematics classroom; the knowledge, the competencies and abilities of the historical artifacts as an integrative link between the different areas of the knowledge. As result, we emphasize that the proposition of using the MH, through learning activities, at the course of teacher graduation is relevant, because it allows the investigation of ideas that originate the knowledge generated at every social context, considering the contribution of the social and cultural, political and economical aspects at this construction, making easy the dialog among the areas and inside of each one The historical artifact represents a research source that can be deciphered, comprehended, questioned, extracting from it information about knowledge of the past, trace and vestiges of the culture when it was created, consisting of a testimony of a period. These aspects grant to it consideration to be explored as a mediatory element of the learning. The artifacts incorporated at teaching activities of the graduation courses for teachers promote changes on the view about the Mathematics teaching, in view of to privilege the active participation of the student at the construction of his knowledge, at the reflection about the action that has been accomplished, promoting stimulus so the teachers can create their own artifacts, and offer, either, traces linking the Mathematics with others knowledge areas.

Globos e mapas ao alcance das mãos : ensino de matemática numa perspectiva de alfabetização funcional na EJA

The following dissertation has as its main advantage the privilege of visualizing the literacy processes through the angle of the functional perspective, which does not see the literary process as a practice solely based on the decoding of alphabetical codes, and then allows for the opening of ample spaces for the allocation of mathematical skills in the realms of the functional literacy. The main object of this study was to investigate which are the contributions that a sequence of activities and of methodologies developed for the teaching of Geometry could provide for a part of the functional literacy process in mathematics of youngsters and adults of EJA, corresponding to the acquisition or to the improvement of skills related to the orientation capacity. The focus of the analyses consisted in the practice of these activities with the young and adult students of an EJA class belonging to a municipal public school of Natal/RN. The legacies of Paulo Freire about the redimensioning of the role of the teacher, of the students, of the knowledge and of their connections within the teaching-learning process, prevailed in the actions of the methodology implemented in the classroom and, especially, in the establishing of dialogic connections with the students, which directed all the observations and analyses regarding the collected information. The results indicated that the composition of articulations between the teaching of mathematics and the exploration of maps and the earth globe enabled the creation of multidisciplinary learning environments and situations, where we could observe, gradually, the development of procedures and attitudes indicating the evolution of space-visual type skills

Conhecimentos sobre o corpo: uma possibilidade de intervenção pedagógica nas aulas de educação física no ensino médio

The following study aims at the main conceptions around the body and the learning through physical education classes at school. Therefore, this research mainly presents a proposal of pedagogical intervention on physical education for Ensino Médio, centered on the knowledge about the body as well as how to evaluate the impacts of such interventions on the students‟ learning process. In order to surround our field of investigation, this work elaborates the following study questions: a) What have students learned about the body in physical education classes in Ensino Médio at IFRN? b) What methodological possibilities can contribute on the experience of meaningful learning processes in physical education in Ensino Médio related to the knowledge of body aspects? Regarding to the methodology used, this ethnographic research used several instruments for data collecting like dairies, diagnostic activities, self-assessment evaluations, portfolio, filming, photographs and posts on the social network facebook. The materialization of the pedagogical intervention and all of its implications allow us to consider that the physical education classes in Ensino Médio at IFRN, campus Parnamirim have supported meaningful experiences of learning. Also they motivate relevant discussions applicable to the students‟ everyday lives once they are supported by discussions related to the influence of media about the body of teenagers, the irregular use of steroids, massaging as a possibility of body relaxation. Also, we point out that the students had the chance to experience body activities which crossed the limits of physical education classes‟ hegemony at school, such as indoor soccer, dodgeball, volleyball, basketball and handball. Thus, the students could experience body activities beyond the limits of most common sports, which started several discussions about the juvenile universe and culture. Beside the professional and personal importance of this work, we list the scientific relevance for the production of knowledge on the educational field once the number of Works about the knowledge of the body are still only a few. This study is mainly about alternative body practices. Therefore, we consider that the knowledge about the body can and must be studied not only through alternative practices, but also in different approaches which can be attributed to body running phenomenon. Finally, we believe that the discussions hereby motivated about the matter are far from being enough, so we deliver our intention in deepening this study on forthcoming researches about the knowledge of the body in the field of physical education in Ensino Médio

Produção pesqueira artesanal: diagnóstico ergonômico e bases para um planejamento nutricional situado e a promoção da saúde dos jangadeiros

The traditional fishing with rafts is characterized by unpredictability, high stakes and inadequate work conditions. The extensive working hours, physical wear, inadequate nutrition, unsanitary conditions, lack of salvage equipment and instruments suitable working, added by the presence of changes in the nutritional status of fisherman, that contribute to the picture of insecurity in high seas, injuries and health. This study aimed to analyze the activity of the fisherman s from Ponta Negra, Natal / RN, and check the conditions of supply of these fishermen and their implications on health and development of their work. To this finality, was used a methodology based on the ergonomic work analysis employing techniques such as observational and interactional conversational action, listening to the answers, observation protocols, photographic and video records. The script conversational dynamic action was developed from literature searches about the artisanal fisheries, culture and food habits of this population, and analyzes the overall situation of focus and two reference situations. To collect data on the usual diet of fisherman as well as quantitative and qualitative analysis that was used for data analysis and 24h recall the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The impact of this power to the health of fisherman was evaluated performing a nutritional assessment. The results revealed that the fishermen carry out their activities with poor working conditions, health and nutrition. Feeding practices of these fishermen undertake development work, making it even more stressful, as well contributing to the emergence of Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases. The management of the activity, as well as the current structure of the vessel, also contributes to the adoption of inappropriate feeding practices during the shipment of catch. The results of this indicate the need for adequate interventions in order to assist in recovery and / or maintenance of health of fisherman minimizing reflections of nutritional disorders for the development activity by improving the quality of life in this population

RoboEduc: uma metodologia de aprendizado com robótica educacional

In this work, we propose a methodology for teaching robotics in elementary schools, based on the socio-historical Vygotsky theory. This methodology in conjunction with the Lego Mindstoms kit (R) and an educational software (an interface for control and programming of prototypes) are part of an educational robotics system named RoboEduc. For the practical development of this work, we have used the action-research strategy, being realized robotics activities with participation of children with age between 8 and 10 years, students of the elementary school level of Municipal School Ascendino de Almeida. This school is located at the city zone of Pitimbu, at the periphery of Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte state. The activities have focused on understanding the construction of robotic prototypes, their programming and control. At constructing prototypes, children develop zone of proximal development (ZPDs) that are learning spaces that, when well used, allow the construction not only of scientific concepts by the individuals but also of abilities and capabilities that are important for the social and cultural interactiond of each one and of the group. With the development of these practical workshops, it was possible to analyse the use of the Robot as the mediator element of the teaching-learning process and the contributions that the use of robotics may bring to teaching since elementary levels

O uso pedagógico de uma seqüência didática para a aquisição de algumas idéias relacionadas ao conceito de números complexos

The aim of the present work is to contribute to the teaching-learning process in Mathematics through an alternative which tries to motivate the student so that he/she will learn the basic concepts of Complex Numbers and realize that they are not pointless. Therefore, this work s general objective is to construct a didactic sequence which contains structured activities that intends to build up, in each student s thought, the concept of Complex Numbers. The didactic sequence is initially based on a review of the main historical aspects which begot the construction of those numbers. Based on these aspects, and the theories of Richard Skemp, was elaborated a sequence of structured activities linked with Maths history, having the solution of quadratic equations as a main starting point. This should make learning more accessible, because this concept permeates the students previous work and, thus, they should be more familiar with it. The methodological intervention began with the application of that sequence of activities with grade students in public schools who did not yet know the concept of Complex Numbers. It was performed in three phases: a draft study, a draft study II and the final study. Each phase was applied in a different institution, where the classes were randomly divided into groups and each group would discuss and write down the concepts they had developed about Complex Numbers. We also use of another instrument of analysis which consisted of a recorded interview of a semi-structured type, trying to find out the ways the students thought in order to construct their own concepts, i.e. the solutions of the previous activity. Their ideas about Complex Numbers were categorized according to their similarities and then analyzed. The results of the analysis show that the concepts constructed by the students were pertinent and that they complemented each other this supports the conclusion that the use of structured activities is an efficient alternative for the teaching of mathematics

A etnomatemática dos trabalhadores das cerâmicas de Russas-Ce e o contexto escolar: delineando recomendações pedagógicas a partir de uma experiência educacional

It is still common among contemporary educational proposals an overemphasis abstraction, to the formalism and symbolism of mathematical knowledge at the expense of the sociocultural aspects of Mathematics. Coming up by questioning some academic mathematical tenets and valuing knowledge developed in different sociocultural contexts within Mathematical Education, the Ethnomatematics is consolidating itself as a research field. Despite its contributions to the educational context, because its philosophical character and the paucity of debates about the subject, the implementation of educational proposals for basic education are scarce. Given this situation, this dissertation comes up with a view to develop an educational intervention in the light of Ethnomathematics in a class of 6th grade of an elementary school from a red ceramic industries workers community, located in a countryside from Russas-CE and from this intervention, to develop a set of pedagogical recommendations aiming basic education teachers. Adopting a perspective of qualitative research, particularly guided by action research, this study used observation, field diary, interviews and activities with students as tools for data collection. It was found that the use of field research as part of teaching and learning favored the placement of students as critical subjects of their own reality . Furthermore, the educational experience culminated in the development of a method of teaching based on a relationship between protocooperational Ethnomatematics and the Resolution of Problems. It is necessary to broaden the debate about the ways in which the Ethnomatematics can contribute to the school context, bringing proposals closer to the reality of basic education teachers in order to help the promotion of an education which values cultural diversity without taking away the students from the access of the academic knowledge

A aprendizagem de inglês mediada por jogos eletrônicos do tipo MMORPG

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) are role-playing games that, through the Internet, can integrate thousands of players interacting at the same time in at least one virtual world. This way, these games can provide, further than fun, a greater familiarity with the additional language and opportunity to improve the linguistic proficiency in a real context. Hence, what is proposed in this study is extended knowledge about the learning of an additional language mediated by MMORPGs for teachers to know how, if relevant, to present, use or encourage this practice to their students. Based on this major purpose, we seek to answer the following research questions: (a) what distinguishes the learning profile of the gamers and non-gamers; (b) if MMORPGs can, through a hybrid and systematic approach, assist the development of proficiency of the additional language and (c) what the think-aloud protocols show about the learning mediated by the MMORPG Allods Online. Following an experimental method (NUNAN, 1997), 16 students of the curricular component Reading and Writing Practices in English Language have comprised the control group and 17 students of the same class formed the experimental group and were submitted to a pre and post-test adapted from the Key English Test (KET) by the Cambridge University (2008). The tests were conducted before and after a period of 5 weeks of 3 hours of practice with Allods Online a week (experimental group), and classes of the curricular component (both groups). A quantitative analysis of the questionnaires about the exposure to English profiles of the participants, a quantitative analysis of the tests scores and a qualitative analysis of the thinkaloud protocols collected during the experiment were conducted based on the theories of (a) motivation (GARDNER, 1985, WILLIAMS & BURDEN, 1997, BROWN, 2007, HERCULANO-HOUZEL, 2005); (b) active learning (GASS, 1997, GEE, 2008, MATTAR, 2010); (c) interaction and collaborative learning (KRASHEN, 1991, GASS, 1997, VYGOTSKY, 1978); (d) situated learning (DAMASIO, 1994; 1999; 2003, BROWN, 2007, GEE, 2003) and (e), tangential learning (PORTNOW, 2008; MATTAR, 2010). The results indicate that the participants of the experimental group (gamers) seem to be more engaged in tangential English learning activities, such as playing games, listening to music in English, communicating with foreigners and reading in English. We also deduced that the period of experiment possibly generated positive results on the gamers proficiency scores, mainly in the parts related to orthographic development, reading and comprehension, writing with focus on content and orthographic accuracy. Lastly, the think-aloud protocols presented evidences that the gamers have engaged in active English language learning, they have interacted in English with other players, and learned linguistic aspects through the experience with the MMORPG Allods Online

O gênero joke em atividades de inglês: uma proposta intercultural de ensino-aprendizagem para o ensino médio

Our research has arisen from the interest of aligning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom practice to current discussions in the ambit of learning and teaching Foreign Languages (FLs). Because of the need to integrate the linguistic development to the development of notions clung to the practice of citizenship, we have adopted a cultural perspective. We have noticed jokes as a fertile ground for discussing cultural aspects in classroom. Considering such factors, our research question is: how to explore cultural aspects in jokes for the elaboration of EFL activities which aim for the development of intercultural competence and interaction? Therefore, our general goal is to explore cultural aspects in jokes for the elaboration of EFL teaching and learning activities and our specific goals are: (I) to study official suggestions (LDB, 1996; PCNEM, 2000; PCN+EM, 2002; OCEM, 2006) regarding culture at foreign languages teaching and learning, (II) to select 05 (five) jokes and analyze them focusing on their cultural aspects, (III) to identify possible interpretations for jokes; (IV) to elaborate EFL activities which grant a privilege to jokes cultural aspects. This investigation is descriptive and documental and relies on qualitative paradigm (CHIZZOTTI, 2010; FLICK, 2009; CHAROUX, 2006; BOGDAN; BIKLEN, 1994; 1992). The corpus is constituted by jokes taken from Internet sites and by official documents (LDB, 1996; PCNEM, 1998; PCN+EM, 2000; OCEM, 2006). For the elaboration of activities we have chosen a weaker version of Content-based instruction (CBI), in which contents are cultural aspects in jokes and we have undertaken a reflection on methods, approaches and perspectives, among which there are notions about post-method and CBI, which talk to EFL learning and teaching. For theoretical support we have some discussions about FL methods and approaches (BELL, 2003; KUMARAVADIVELU, 2003; WESCHE; SKEHAN, 2002; PRABHU, 1990), a cultural perspective (KRAMSCH, 1998, 1996, 1993; BYRAM; FENG, 2004), some works in Linguistics about jokes (POSSENTI, 2010, 1998; CHIARO, 1992); notions about implicit (MAINGUENEAU, 2004, 1996; CHARAUDEAU; MAINGUENEAU, 2012) and about ambiguity (KEMPSON, 1977; CHARAUDEAU; MAINGUENEAU, 2012; TRASK, 2011), having the adoption of such categories emerged from the analyzes of some jokes

Os objetivos do laboratório didático na visão dos alunos do curso de Licenciatura em Física da UNESP-Bauru

Há mais de cinqüenta anos, existe a preocupação em se definir os objetivos para o laboratório didático, revisando currículos e buscando ações mais localizadas e orientadas de acordo com o avanço crescente de conhecimentos das concepções alternativas de vários tópicos da Física por parte dos alunos, levando-se em conta as dificuldades específicas enfrentadas por eles no processo ensino-aprendizagem. Podem-se identificar duas linhas filosóficas que norteiam o processo ensino-aprendizagem com relação aos objetivos do laboratório didático. Uma linha defende que para sedimentar os conceitos expostos em aulas teóricas é necessária a prática em laboratório. A outra linha defende que o alvo da prática em laboratório deveria ser a obtenção e análise de dados, levando-se em conta a teoria aprendida. Atualmente, se percebe um crescimento por parte de profissionais que entendem haver uma necessidade de planejar, definir e hierarquizar objetivos detalhados, além de propiciar atividades que favoreçam de acordo com cada classe dentro da linha filosófica a que se identifica o profissional, não se esquecendo que ainda existem profissionais que não aceitam essa postura. Dentro desta perspectiva, foi aplicado um questionário a trinta alunos do curso de Licenciatura em Física da UNESP-Bauru, que já cursaram as cinco disciplinas práticas básicas do curso. Os alunos pontuaram de acordo com a sua visão dos objetivos reais frente aos objetivos ideais do laboratório didático. Os resultados mostraram que o laboratório didático vem cumprindo seu papel na opinião dos alunos do curso de Licenciatura em Física.

Uso de confiabilidade na rotulação de exemplos em problemas de classificação multirrótulo com aprendizado semissupervisionado

The techniques of Machine Learning are applied in classification tasks to acquire knowledge through a set of data or information. Some learning methods proposed in literature are methods based on semissupervised learning; this is represented by small percentage of labeled data (supervised learning) combined with a quantity of label and non-labeled examples (unsupervised learning) during the training phase, which reduces, therefore, the need for a large quantity of labeled instances when only small dataset of labeled instances is available for training. A commom problem in semi-supervised learning is as random selection of instances, since most of paper use a random selection technique which can cause a negative impact. Much of machine learning methods treat single-label problems, in other words, problems where a given set of data are associated with a single class; however, through the requirement existent to classify data in a lot of domain, or more than one class, this classification as called multi-label classification. This work presents an experimental analysis of the results obtained using semissupervised learning in troubles of multi-label classification using reliability parameter as an aid in the classification data. Thus, the use of techniques of semissupervised learning and besides methods of multi-label classification, were essential to show the results

Particle Competition and Cooperation in Networks for Semi-Supervised Learning

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)