Socio-demographic analysis of youth in the Caribbean- a three country case study

Many Caribbean youth are doing reasonably well. They live in loving and caring families, attend school and are involved in various social activities in their communities. The health and well-being of the children and youth1 in the Caribbean is, and has been, the centre of attention of many studies, meetings and policy directives set at the regional, subregional and national levels. Programmes have been put in place to address the basic needs of young children in the areas of health and education and to provide guidance and directives to youth and adolescents in the area of professional formation and transition to adulthood. Critical issues such as reproductive health and family planning combined with access to education and information on these topics have been promoted to some extent. And finally, the Caribbean is known for rather high school enrolment rates in primary education that hardly show any gender disparities. While the situation is still good for some, growing numbers of children and youth cannot cope anymore with the challenges experienced quite early in their lives. Absent parents, instable care-taking arrangements, violence and aggression subjected to at home, in schools and among their friends, lack of a perspective in schools and the labour-market, early sexual initiation and teenage pregnancies are some of those issues faced by a rising number of young persons in this part of the world. Emotional instability, psychological stress and increased violence are one of the key triggers for increased violence and involvement in crime exhibited by ever younger youth and children. Further, the region is grappling with rising drop-out rates in secondary education, declining quality schooling in the classrooms and increasing numbers of students who leave school without formal certification. Youth unemployment in the formal labour market is high and improving the quality of professional formation along with the provision of adequate employment opportunities would be critical to enable youth to complete consistently and effectively the transition into adulthood and to take advantage of the opportunities to develop and use their human capital in the process. On a rather general note, the region does not suffer from a shortage of policies and programmes to address the very specific needs of children and youth, but the prominent and severe lack of systematic analysis and monitoring of the situation of children, youth and young families in the Caribbean does not allow for targeted and efficient interventions that promise successful outcomes on the long term. In an effort to assist interested governments to fill this analytical gap, various initiatives are underway to enhance data collection and their systematic analysis2. Population and household censuses are conducted every decade and a variety of household surveys, such as surveys of living conditions, labour force surveys and special surveys focusing on particular sub-groups of the population are conducted, dependent on the resources available, to a varying degree in the countries of the region. One such example is the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)-funded Multi-Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) that assess the situation of children and youth in a country. Over the past years and at present, UNICEF has launched a series of surveys in a number of countries in the Caribbean3. But more needs to be done to ensure that the data available is analyzed to provide the empirical background information for evidence-based policy formulation and monitoring of the efficiency and effectiveness of the efforts undertaken.

A atuação do assistente social como educador ambiental nos Projetos de Trabalho Técnico Social (PTTS)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Caracterização socio-econômica e tecnológica dos heveicultores vinculados à APROBON no noroeste paulista

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Cenas e cenários das questões socioambientais: mediações pela fotografia

Os temas socioambientais têm se consolidado importantes fontes de investigação de estudiosos das mais variadas áreas. Por sua vez, as questões socioambientais se constituem foco de preocupação constante da contemporaneidade, inclusive para o ensino de Ciências. Ademais, o ensino de Ciências tem se pautado na disposição de contribuir para uma percepção mais adequada dos problemas socioambientais, além de favorecer a formação de um cidadão crítico e autônomo, capaz de compreender a complexidade do mundo natural e social, aproximando estes dois campos. Nesse contexto, buscamos apreender as leituras dos alunos de Licenciatura (Biologia e Física) sobre questões socioambientais vigentes na região metropolitana de Belém, a partir da fotografia, e suas possibilidades de uso no ensino de Ciências na percepção desses alunos. Optamos pela abordagem qualitativa e como estratégia metodológica, utilizamos a pesquisa-ação. A pesquisa ocorreu durante a realização da oficina “A Fotografia no Ensino de Ciências”, estratégia de recolha de dados, no período de seis dias, junto a 10 alunos. A fotografia configura-se como instrumento facilitador da apreensão dos aspectos sociais, econômicos, ambientais, políticos, educacionais, entre outros, que permeiam a leitura do ambiente, ou seja, favorece leituras ampliadas (multidimensionais) do contexto socioambiental evidenciado/vivido. Os dados relativos aos conhecimentos, aos entendimentos e as interpretações, entre outros aspectos, dos alunos, foram organizados e analisados mediante análise textual discursiva. Escolhemos produzir metatextos referentes à apreensão das questões socioambientais, a partir da análise dos textos das fotografias. Ao se lançarem na busca das questões atinentes aos problemas socioambientais, os discentes “(re)direcionaram” a presente pesquisa, ou seja, em nossa avaliação alcançou um nível “para além do esperado”, do trivial; em sua edificação, o corriqueiro estagnou-se. Isto porque, durante as construções analíticas dos alunos, observamos a extrapolação dessas questões, para outros campos do conhecimento (social, econômico, entre outros).

O instituido e o vivido na formação docente para educação inclusiva: representações sociais de professores egressos do Curso de Licenciatura em Biologia do IFPA

Este estudo tem por objeto as Representações Sociais de egressos do curso de Licenciatura em Biologia do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará – IFPA acerca de sua formação docente na perspectiva da inclusão escolar de alunos com deficiências. A problemática se orientou com foco nas representações sociais anunciadas pelos professores sobre sua formação para a inclusão. O Objetivo principal do estudo foi Analisar o processo de construção das Representações Sociais de egressos de licenciaturas do IFPA sobre sua formação docente com vistas à inclusão. A Metodologia seguiu a abordagem qualitativa – descritiva – interpretativa – analítica com a intenção de ouvir o que esses professores têm a dizer sobre a inclusão de alunos especiais, assim como essas representações se constroem e qual o reflexo delas na ação do indivíduo. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo e teve como finalidade aprofundar nosso conhecimento sobre o assunto estudado. Os sujeitos da pesquisa foram 10 professores egressos oriundos do campo das ciências naturais que aceitaram participar desse estudo. Os dados da pesquisa foram coletados por meio do questionário para a realização do levantamento socioeconômico, da entrevista na modalidade semi-estruturada com a intenção de apreender os discursos verbais dos professores que foram tomados como a fonte reveladora das representações sociais; e Técnica da Associação Livre de Palavras que teve como objetivo destacar imagens relevantes das possíveis representações dos docentes. Para a compreensão dos dados foi utilizada a técnica de análise de conteúdo categorial na perspectiva de Bardin. Ao analisarmos os dados que os sujeitos entrevistados apresentaram considerando as unidades de sentido sobre determinados aspectos que permeiam a Formação Docente e Educação Inclusiva, destacamos questões dialéticas como as relações entre inclusão e exclusão, afetividade e conhecimento, teoria e prática, assim como apontamentos conflitantes que sinalizam determinadas angústias profissionais. Desta forma os resultados mostram que as representações dos professores acerca do objeto de estudo apresentam-se de forma variada, revelando a necessidade de redimensionamento de ações pedagógicas, profissionais e estruturais e estão aliadas às crenças, às convenções e à tradição que ao longo da história e da cultura educacional vem reforçando a imagem do aluno com necessidades educacionais especiais, associada à concepção de deficiência e de aluno que foge ao modelo estabelecido pela sociedade. A pesquisa ainda revela representações sociais que permeiam as construções psicossociais sobre formação e Educação Inclusiva, indicando que entre os valores e os conhecimentos priorizados para pensar e, conseqüentemente agir estão fortemente vinculados aceitação das diferenças a partir de ações solitárias, ou seja, de um protagonismo individual.

Practising Arithmetic Using Educational Video Games with an Interpersonal Computer

Studies show the positive effects that video games can have on student performance and attitude towards learning. In the past few years, strategies have been generated to optimize the use of technological resources with the aim of facilitating widespread adoption of technology in the classroom. Given its low acquisition and maintenance costs, the interpersonal computer allows individual interaction and simultaneous learning with large groups of students. The purpose of this work was to compare arithmetical knowledge acquired by third-grade students through the use of game-based activities and non-game-based activities using an interpersonal computer, with knowledge acquired through the use of traditional paper-and-pencil activities, and to analyze their impact in various socio-cultural contexts. To do this, a quasi-experimental study was conducted with 271 students in three different countries (Brazil, Chile, and Costa Rica), in both rural and urban schools. A set of educational games for practising arithmetic was developed and tested in six schools within these three countries. Results show that there were no significant differences (ANCOVA) in the learning acquired from game-based vs. non-game-based activities. However, both showed a significant difference when compared with the traditional method. Additionally, both groups using the interpersonal computer showed higher levels of student interest than the traditional method group, and these technological methods were seen to be especially effective in increasing learning among weaker students.

Escolas públicas no campo: retrospectiva e perspectivas em um contexto de projetos políticos em disputa

In present article, we present reflections on the process of closing public schools in the countryside in Brazil. Through bibliographical survey, as well as documental research, we carried out a retrospective analysis of the historical moment in which the implementation of policies of mass education directed to people living in rural areas occurs. We have also sought to raise socio-political-economic aspects of the moment in which the process of closing these schools is intensified. The results obtained suggest possible implications of this closure policy, in addition to indicating some of the challenges posed to the public policy of education in the country; for example, the Brazilian federal context and the budget limitations imposed to subnational governments with regard to the funding of school education, particularly in relation to small municipalities and/or municipalities with low tax revenues. This situation quite often occurs because these municipalities present reduced budgets, depending largely on transfers of financial resources from other spheres of the Government, either federal or state, the so-called intergovernmental budgetary transfers; namely, the Municipalities Participation Fund. Such issues demand the resumption of debates about the federative pact, in particular with regard to fiscal federalism, given that the financial capacity of each subnational government is crucial to the implementation of educational policies.

Quality of life and socio-dental impact among underprivileged brazilian adolescents

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

Educação em direitos reprodutivos : uma análise de materiais didáticos audiovisuais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Impact of educational interventions on adverse drug events reporting

Spontaneous adverse drug events (ADE) reporting is the main source of data for assessing the risk/benefit of drugs available in the pharmaceutical market. However, its major limitation is underreporting, which hinders and delays the signal detection by Pharmacovigilance (PhV). To identify the techniques of educational intervention (EI) for promotion of PhV by health professionals and to assess their impact. A systematic review was performed in the PUBMED, PAHO, LILACS and EMBASE databases, from November/2011 to January/2012, updated in March/2013. The strategy search included the use of health descriptors and a manual search in the references cited by selected papers. 101 articles were identified, of which 16 met the inclusion criteria. Most of these studies (10) were conducted in European hospitals and physicians were the health professionals subjected to most EI (12), these studies lasted from one month to two years. EI with multifaceted techniques raised the absolute number, the rate of reporting related to adverse drug reactions (ADR), technical defects of health technologies, and also promoted an improvement in the quality of reports, since there was increased reporting of ADR classified as serious, unexpected, related to new drugs and with high degree of causality. Multifaceted educational interventions for multidisciplinary health teams working at all healthcare levels, with sufficient duration to reach all professionals who act in the institution, including issues related to medication errors and therapeutic ineffectiveness, must be validated, with the aim of standardizing the Good Practice of PhV and improve drug safety indicators.

A importância da educação profissional na modalidade de educação a distância para o desenvolvimento territorial

Pós-graduação em Geografia - IGCE

Desenvolvimento infantil: associação com estresse, ansiedade e depressão materna, da gestação ao primeiro ano de vida

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Literacy Research: Issues of Authority, Ownership, and Representation

With the “social turn” of language in the past decade within English studies, ethnographic and teacher research methods increasingly have acquired legitimacy as a means of studying student literacy. And with this legitimacy, graduate students specializing in literacy and composition studies increasingly are being encouraged to use ethnographic and teacher research methods to study student literacy within classrooms. Yet few of the narratives produced from these studies discuss the problems that frequently arise when participant observers enter the classroom. Recently, some researchers have begun to interrogate the extent to which ethnographic and teacher research methods are able to construct and disseminate knowledge in empowering ways (Anderson & Irvine, 1993; Bishop, 1993; Fine, 1994; Fleischer. 1994; McLaren, 1992). While ethnographic and teacher research methods have oftentimes been touted as being more democratic and nonhierarchical than quantitative methods—-which oftentimes erase individuals lived experiences with numbers and statistical formulas—-researchers are just beginning to probe the ways that ethnographic and teacher research models can also be silencing, unreflective, and oppressive. Those who have begun to question the ethics of conducting, writing about, and disseminating knowledge in education have coined the term “critical” research, a rather vague and loose term that proposes a position of reflexivity and self-critique for all research methods, not just ethnography or teacher research. Drawing upon theories of feminist consciousness-raising, liberatory praxis, and community-action research, theories of critical research aim to involve researchers and participants in a highly participatory framework for constructing knowledge, an inquiry that seeks to question, disrupt, or intervene in the conditions under study for some socially transformative end. While critical research methods are always contingent upon the context being studied, in general they are undergirded by principles of non-hierarchical relations, participatory collaboration, problem-posing, dialogic inquiry, and multiple and multi-voiced interpretations. In distinguishing between critical and traditional ethnographic processes, for instance, Peter McLaren says that critical ethnography asks questions such as “[u]nder what conditions and to what ends do we. as educational researchers, enter into relations of cooperation. mutuality, and reciprocity with those who we research?” (p. 78) and “what social effects do you want your evaluations and understandings to have?” (p. 83). In»the same vein, Michelle Fine suggests that critical researchers must move beyond notions of the etic/emic dichotomy of researcher positionality in order to “probe how we are in relation with the contexts we study and with our informants, understanding that we are all multiple in those relations” (p. 72). Researchers in composition and literacy stud¬ies who endorse critical research methods, then, aim to enact some sort of positive transformative change in keeping with the needs and interests of the participants with whom they work.

Cognitive Training and Educational Intervention for Individuals with Hypertension: Effects on Cognition

Objectives: To evaluate the possibility of combining cognitive training to an educational intervention composed by eight sessions about hypertension for a better management of the disease among the elderly. Methods: 64 older adults who reported having hypertension, divided into experimental group (EG, n=35) and control group (CG, n=29) participated in the study. Control participants received training after the post-test. The protocol contained socio-demographic and clinical data, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT), Verbal Fluency Animal Category (VF) and Short Cognitive Test (SKT). Results: The EG showed better cognitive performance when compared with the CG, at post-test. Conclusion: Cognitive gains may occur after psychoeducational interventions for older adults with hypertension.

Current issues regarding health surveillance of fluoride concentrations in foods

This study analyzed the position of the Federal (Brazil), State (Sao Paulo), and municipal (Bauru, Sao Paulo) governments, civil society representatives, the regulated sector, and research associations concerning issues with fluoride content in foods. Analysis of the interviews (N = 15) used a qualitative methodology (collective subject discourse theory). Various central ideas were identified, including the need for stronger health surveillance in monitoring and controlling fluoride levels, educational measures, and more research in the area. The study concludes that the health surveillance approach to fluoride levels in foods is necessary, but still incipient. There is a mismatch between research output and surveillance. Regulation alone does not suffice to solve all the issues. Health risk communication and health education measures need to be implemented. Issues with fluoride on food labels need further research for the intervention to be effective.