The role of schools in the enhancement of social tolerance and cohesion: a case study research project in the Pacific region

It is generally assumed that education will be good for a country and its inhabitants. But if the educational experience does not support those aspects of a culture the inhabitants believe to be most important, it does not contribute to social cohesion. Societies adjusting to 'modern' forces, question the 'benefits' of education, when they have poorly-funded, centralised education systems, uneven access to schooling, and where student progress is determined by academic exams and post-school employment options are few. In such circumstances, citizens are uncertain how to use education to cohere their culture and society.

This World Bank funded consultancy project sought the views of citizens of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu on the role of schools in maintaining culture and in promoting social tolerance and harmony. Researchers also developed an educational framework for promoting social cohesion and democratic participation in schools in the Pacific region.

This presentation will consider :

* The context of the study in the Pacific region
* Research and the World bank
* Issues associated with case study research
* Case study findings
* The educational framework developed.

Reflecting on contemporary accounting : teaching and learning social and critical perspectives

This paper provides a case description and analysis of an effort to enact accounting education change. The study reports on an attempt to renew the social and ethical worth of accounting education and practice in the post-Enron context of increased interest in how accounting may contribute to social responsibility and sustainability. The paper considers the organisation, aims, and content of a newly-developed unit on social and critical perspectives on accounting, and key elements of the pedagogy utilised. These include team teaching, the employment of research literature rather than a prescribed textbook, an expanded conception of accounting and accounting “knowledge”, the adoption of educational goals that encompass preparing students for economic and social life and for democratic participation, and a view that sees ethics, the environment, and society as central to accounting. It is concluded that accounting educational change must encompass the content and practice of classroom activity, but it also requires change to the self-consciousness of all actors involved. Explicit inclusion of the social, critical, environmental and ethical dimensions of accounting in our teaching and learning programs provides an avenue for academics to individually and collectively make a meaningful contribution.

Does the Australian national framework for values education stifle an education for world peace?

This paper aims to offer an evaluation of Australia's National Framework for Values Education in terms of its educative value. The criteria to be employed in this evaluation shall be drawn primarily from the works of UNESCO and John Dewey. In addition to a re-evaluation of values, consideration will also be given to how individual learners are being prepared to participate democratically in the quest for world peace. It will therefore be necessary to determine whether the Australian framework promotes the potential for democratic participation through inquiry or whether through schooling its overtly nationalistic agenda actually stifles the capacity of persons to participate in a pursuit for global understandings and world peace.

Knowing schooling, identity and pedagogy visually

This research produced in one region in Ghana examines the production of educational practices, relations of power and student experiences within teaching and non-teaching spaces in junior secondary settings. The strength of the visual approach in interrogating school cultural norms and the problematising of the tangled complexities of knowing about schooling, identity and pedagogy are outlined. An important aspect of the study is the foregrounding of educational practice as a social act occurring in response to historical circumstances and changing social contexts (Brown & Jones, 2001). We see this work as an important step towards democratization of the research relationship and empowerment of students to contribute to the way they are educated. But also we are wary of how representation through visual methods also can 'frame' participants and the researchers. We recognise that one way to uncover how school practices are exemplified in Ghana is to put students in the middle of researching their experiences. In this way, our research moved from constructing students as simply consumers of adult designed and managed products to practices based on democratic participation (Thomson & Gunter, 2007). Throughout the research journey we were guided by the fact that knowledge is not neutral or to be discovered. Culture and communicative processes are essential determinants of reality. In this study the students as researchers, produced photographs that trigger dialectical conversations of students’ perspectives that foreground their experiences at school. This enabled us to digress from dominant positivistic empiricism to a more legitimate ethical practice, and understanding of the intricacies of educational practice, the norms and structures that underpin everyday actions in schools.

The role of Australia's public broadcasters in development and democracy

In this article I investigate the ways in which the ABC and SBS use the internet. I predominantly focus on how the public broadcasters’ promote an informed citizenry though participation online. Such online participation further develops a second vital role of public broadcasting which is to develop a sense of nationhood—through Australian content (which can include information and communication in languages other than English) and which provides for local and international communities in rural and metropolitan areas to engage with each other. In order to understand the capacity for the public broadcasters to enhance online public communication and democratic participation, I firstly examine general internet theory and evaluate how liberating the internet has been for those living in countries where the state and political alliances control traditional broadcast and print media. For this analysis, the key aspects of virtual communication and cyber-democracy are explored as they are relevant to the services the public broadcasters could provide. Furthermore, case examples of current practical work undertaken in these areas are examined. The framework of the ‘virtual agora’ is considered because it represents the ideals of a public sphere in cyberspace where people are currently able to discuss and debate key issues. The theory is then related to activities undertaken through the ‘vortals’ of the ABC and SBS. Finally, the extent of political intervention and commercial influence is evaluated.

Arquitetura organizacional: âncora ou impulso para a modernização da gestão educacional

o objetivo do presente trabalho é discutir e refletir sobre se a modelagem organizacional que contém propostas para a promoção de mudança organizacional impulsiona-a ou ao contrário serve apenas de âncora estagnante do processo de mudança, utilizando-se para isso, de pesquisa empírica realizada na Secretaria Municipal de Educação do Rio de Janeiro - (SMEIRJ), buscando-se através desse caso específico, discutir o tema na área de gestão educacional. Assim, pretende-se verificar se a influência de modelos formais de estruturação do sistema de ensino e de enfoques e ênfases adotados em sua gestão apresentam soluções sobre o que se tem, endemicamente, denominado de fracasso escolar . Pode-se constatar, a partir do presente trabalho, que o novo modelo organizacional e de gestão em processo de implantação na SME/RJ ainda não transformou a Secretaria em espaço aberto no sentido de que o cidadão, o aluno, o professor, o funcionário, a escola e a comunidade se mesclem com inteira liberdade aos atores centrais da organização que, a despeito de alguns avanços, está consciente de que resta muito a realizar. Preservou as velhas estruturas burocráticas e de poder que dominam esse processo, a despeito do racional e lógico modelo desenvolvido pela SME/RJ, a partir de 1993, que procura valorizar o profissional do ensino, promover a descentralização administração de forma a garantir maior flexibilidade e propiciar uma gestão participativa.

Choque de gestão ou choque de racionalidades?: o desempenho da administração pública em questão

A partir dos processos de reforma gerencial colocados em prática em âmbito mundial, desencadearam-se propostas de reformas seguindo esta mesma lógica, também em nível estadual. O programa Choque de Gestão, implementado no Estado de Minas Gerais, é um exemplo deste tipo de proposta e merece destaque por ser avaliado de maneira bastante positiva na literatura especializada, servindo de base para a criação de processos semelhantes em outros estados do País. Neste sentido, o objetivo da presente dissertação é analisar em que medida o programa Choque de Gestão, do Governo do Estado de Minas Gerais, compreende as diferentes dimensões de desempenho, segundo o modelo do paradigma multidimensional de Benno Sander. Este autor propõe um conceito mais amplo de desempenho, que possui como critério os seguintes conceitos: eficiência, entendido como a capacidade de produzir mais com menos recursos; eficácia, tratado pelo autor como a capacidade de alcançar os objetivos estabelecidos; efetividade, entendido como a capacidade de atender às demandas da sociedade; e relevância, pensado como um critério que mede o desempenho a partir da importância ou da pertinência, sendo facilitado por um processo administrativo participativo e democrático. A partir dos conceitos de racionalidade instrumental, baseada no cálculo utilitário das conseqüências, e substantiva, pautada em valores, apresentados por Guerreiro Ramos (1989), pensam-se os critérios de eficiência e eficácia como critérios instrumentais, e os de efetividade e relevância, como critérios substantivos. Optou-se pela pesquisa qualitativa e os dados foram analisados por meio do método de análise argumentativa. Para a realização da análise, foram utilizadas as categorias de substantividade e instrumentalidade, e foram criados indicadores, com base no referencial teórico, de acordo com as categorias trabalhadas. Por meio destes indicadores, analisou-se o documento Plano Mineiro de Desenvolvimento Integrado (PMDI), que consiste no planejamento de longo prazo do programa Choque de Gestão. A partir da análise realizada, pode-se observar, principalmente, que o conceito de desenvolvimento orientador do PMDI está impregnado de elementos substantivos, como a preocupação com a qualidade de vida ou com o atendimento das demandas sociais e, por isso, guia-se por uma visão de futuro que representa um Estado em que estão presentes as duas categorias aqui trabalhadas. Entretanto, o conceito de desempenho em que está pautado, engloba aspectos predominantemente instrumentais, já que se acredita que para que a administração pública mineira melhore seu desempenho basta que ela adote medidas como a redução de custos ou o foco em resultados. Por isso, conclui-se que o conceito de desempenho em que se pauta o programa Choque de Gestão não compreende as diferentes dimensões de desempenho de forma equilibrada.

Projeto político-pedagógico: instrumento de ação educativa na Escola Municipal Ascendino de Almeida Natal-RN (2002-2003)

In this dissertation, we investigate the process of elaboration of the Political-Pedagogical Project in the Municipal School Ascendino de Almeida , situated in the west zone of Natal city, in Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. We performed a qualitative research, using information provided by several sources as: interviews carried out in the Municipal Department of Education and also in the mentioned School, document analysis, and literature reviews, mainly with the objective of knowing more about the complexity of this particular reality. This was done in order to establish a mediation between the actual reality and the social, political, and economic context that surrounds it. We analyze the Political-Pedagogical Project according to the visions of Education theoreticians, under the political-normative plan, and also as a process of educational planning that can collaborate significantly for the introduction of changes in school Education. This instrument of the educative action, as a fruit of the participation of the school community, may constitute itself in an important learning instrument of the participation in the social sphere, demanding from the educators the development of complex abilities so that they can construct the Project. In the data analysis, we describe and analyze the process of elaboration of the Political-Pedagogical Project of the mentioned School. We also determine how participation of the school community was constructed as well as the consequences of this envolvement. We also discuss the abilities they needed to develop, the process of studies and dialogues that gave support to the whole process, and the democratic participation in the school decisions, including a dialogical interaction

A implementação do programa Gestão nota 10 no sistema municipal de educação em Mossoró/RN (2005 a 2009)

This research work is focused to show the changes in educational administration from the agreements between the Mossoró / RN and the Ayrton Senna Institute IAS, for education provision. Nowadays, the partnership policy is a constitutive element of the reform of the Brazilian State, which dropped its action on social policies and to strengthen its regulatory role, encouraging private participation in planning, preparation and implementation of public policies, new printing setting the political-social. In this context, the 10 Note Management Programme, developed by the IAS, is part of the neoliberal logic of modernization of public school systems, focusing on results and developing strategies for control and regulation of schools work and its efficiency, effectiveness and greater productivity. The 10 Note focuses on two dimensions: the management of learning and teaching in networking, in a managerial perspective to overcome the culture of failure (expressed as age-grade, dropout and repetition rates in) and implantation of culture of success (as measured in the improvement of the indices). To understanding the process, we have delimited as the object of study, the process of implementing them mentioned program in the city, which its objective is to analyze implications for the school community from the perspective of democratic management, adopting the dimensions of autonomy and participation in institutional processes as a criterion of analysis. From a methodological point of view, the survey was conducted from a literature review and documentary about educational policy developed in the country since the 1990´s, seeking to understand, in a dialectical perspective, the political dimensions of teaching, training and performance of the subjects involved in the school work. Besides the empirical observation, it was also used semi-structured interviews with a methodological tool for gathering information and opinions about the partnership and the implementation of the 10 Note Management Program in the county. The interviewee participants were ex-former education managers, coordinators, school managers, secretaries and teachers. Regarding the dimensions inside the analysis (autonomy and participation), the research led to the conclusion: that GEED, under the guidance of IAS promoted regulation of school autonomy, set up the selection process for exercising the office of school administration and system awards to schools, pupils and teachers, subject to results, there is mismatch between the managerial logic and the democratic management principles, that the ideological discourse of modernization of municipal management coexists with traditional practices, centralizing patronage, which ignores the democratic participation in the school decisions processes, the goals of the partnership were partially achieved, since that the city has improved over the approval and dropouts, although the approval of the Education Municipal Plan of the rules institutional (administrative, financial and educational) and the creation of the Councils observed that the school community participation is still limited, not being characterized as a coordinated intervention, capable of promoting the transformation and improvement its quality in the county. In the same way, the orientation of networking is a limit to the autonomy of schools, given the external definition of goals and strategies to be adopted, along with pressure exerted through the accountability of each school community for their achievements

Os conselhos como mecanismos de democratização da política educacional :participação e poder de decisão nas ações do Conselho de Controle Social do FUNDEF no município de Parnamirim/RN

This study board the FUNDEF social control council implementation in Parnamirim/RN city, concerning their representatives participation in the accompaniment (decision power) in resort, in front of governmental politics of decentralization, unleashed in 90´s, seen in decentralization process needs the society participation in decisions of educative institutions and represent an efficient way of solve the problems difficult the educational management actions. For this, the council creation of Brazil manager configure, since the 80´s, detaching, and the single characterizing, in actual context. The objective is raise pertinent questions of thematic of representatives members participation of collegiate organs, evidencing the decision power of these, in public resource control. The theory-methodological referential the literature treat the participation and power decision of FUNDEF social control decision, such as politics directrix that rules this council. It utilizes as proceeding of collecting data the semi-structured interview and analyze of meeting register to understand the empirics of council implantation in this city, in view of that the electoral process configured in 2003, showed as a innovation, because the counselor is indicated by the local public power representatives (in this case the education municipal secretary). The research result show the representatives have difficult, to accompany the FUNDEF resources amount, particularly in concern in the financial resources (ratio) over plus. Finally, emphasize the importance of democratization in the relations between the state and civil society, elucidating and exciting reflections a: democratic participation in control of public recourses for education, educational management and civil society mobilization in access of public and cultural cash which the citizen has rights

Práticas discursivas em blogs políticos: uma observação sobre a participação política e as trasnformações que acompanham o espaço público

This work discuss about the transformation of public space, based on the recent challenges imposed by communication practices that are renewed and recopying of the sociocultural contexts of everyday life. The study presents theoretical and empirical reports of regional political blogs. In this issue, it looks for understand the political participation in the Internet space, examining the reconfigurations that accompany social relations and new forms of interaction that are merged in the media scene. The ambience of the study limits comments of readers in two political blogs in Rio Grande do Norte, Território Livre, and Thaisa Galvão. The observation concerns about the democratic participation of citizens in matters of collective interest, during the 2010 election. The analysis update the debate on democratic discussion and conversation everyday, trying to grasp changes in social practices in virtual platforms. From this perspective, the work restores some conceptual notions that involve the public places, identifying the changes that appear in the virtual and traditional spheres, with the emergence of new places of conversations, from the Internet usage. Are also compared to similarities and differences between the two elements of the analysis. It is possible, therefore, the communication process of the two discursive spaces with ideas from the public sphere, trying to analyze the duality between public, private, and political participation in these virtual places

Educação científica, CTSA e ensino de física: contribuições ao aperfeiçoamento de situações de aprendizagem sobre entropia e degradação de energia

Pós-graduação em Educação para a Ciência - FC

Fundamentos para o planejamento e gestão metropolitanos por ilhas e bacias hidrográficas: uma alternativa para região metropolitana de Belém

Esta dissertação faz uma reflexão sobre a ausência de um efetivo sistema de planejamento e gestão da Região Metropolitana de Belém (RMB), fundamental para equacionar seus problemas plurimunicipais. Trata-se de um trabalho que além de fazer tal reflexão, sugere fundamentos que contribuam para a construção de uma proposta de planejamento e gestão da RMB, com base na adaptação de determinados instrumentos instituídos pela Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos, Lei nº. 9.433/97. Esta adaptação foi possível a partir da compreensão e identificação da estrutura hidrográfica do território da RMB que, associadas aos instrumentos de gestão adotados pela referida Lei, resultou em instrumentos institucionais e técnicos que primam pelo uso das bacias hidrográficas metropolitanas como unidades estratégicas de planejamento e gestão e pelo uso de princípios de participação democrática no equacionamento dos problemas de interesse dos municípios dessa região.

O protagonismo judicial e a ilegitimidade democrática da judicialização da política

A pesquisa tem como finalidade a análise do Poder Judiciário em um contexto de ampliação de sua dimensão política, o que traz como conseqüência um tipo inédito e peculiar de espaço público de participação democrática. Essa alteração no quadro político institucional possibilitou uma maior inserção do Poder Judiciário em questões essencialmente políticas, o que se convencionou denominar de judicialização da política - expressa na ampliação da importância e da participação do Poder Judiciário na vida social, política e econômica. Tal fenômeno, característico de democracias consolidadas, decorreu de condicionantes e peculiaridades vivenciadas na ordem política, econômica e social e gerou efeitos visíveis na democracia brasileira. As conseqüências desse processo de judicialização da política sobre o espaço democrático variam de acordo com o enfoque analítico estabelecido como referencial teórico: o substancialista, defensor de um Judiciário mais participativo; e o procedimentalista, eixo que enfatiza os processos majoritários de formação da vontade política em detrimento das vias judiciais. A presente pesquisa situa-se no marco conceitual procedimentalista que defende a primazia do procedimento que torne possível o diálogo democrático, ressaltando, assim, a dificuldade contra-majoritária da judicialização da política, os perigos da crescente tendência de valorização do ativismo político exercido pelo Poder Judiciário e a conseqüente necessidade de se estabelecer limites institucionais à atuação dos tribunais em demandas políticas.

Os caminhos da participação e do controle social na saúde: estudo das realidades do Brasil e Espanha

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)