Debriefing in simulation conducted in small and large groups : nursing students’ experiences

The debriefing phase in human patient simulation is considered to be crucial for learning. To ensure good learning conditions, the use of small groups is recommended, which poses a major challenge when the student count is high. The use of large groups may provide an alternative for typical lecture-style education and contribute to a more frequently and repeated training which is considered to be important for achieving simulation competency. The purpose of the present study was to describe nursing students’ experiences obtained during the debriefing conducted in small and large groups with the use of a qualitative descriptive approach. The informants had participated in a human patient simulation situation either in large or small groups. Data was collected through the use of five focus-group interviews and analysed by content analysis. The findings showed that independent of group-size the informants experienced the learning strategies to be unfamiliar and intrusive, and in the large groups to such an extent that learning was hampered. Debriefing was perceived as offering excellent opportunities for transferable learning, and activity, predictability and preparedness were deemed essential. Small groups provided the best learning conditions in that safety and security were ensured, but were perceived as providing limited challenges to accommodate professional requirements as a nurse. Simulation competency as a prerequisite for learning was shown not to be developed isolated in conjunction with simulation, but depends on a systematic effort to build a learning community in the programme in general. The faculty needs to support the students to be conscious and accustomed to learning as a heightened experience of learning out of their comfort zone.

Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping

Given the need of a growing internationalization of business, to have a good command of English is, most of the times important for the development of technical (specific) competences. It is, thus, critical that professionals use accurate terminology to set grounds for a well-succeeded communication. Furthermore, business communication is increasingly moving to ICT-mediated sets and professionals have to be able to promptly adjust to these needs, resorting to trustworthy online information sources, but also using technologies that better serve their business purposes. In this scenario, the main objective of this study is to find evidence as to the utility of concept mapping as a teaching and learning strategy for the appropriation of business English terminology, enabling students to use English more efficiently as language of communication in business context. This study was based on a case study methodology, mainly of exploratory nature. Participants were students (n= 30) enrolled in the subject English Applied to Management II at Águeda School of Technology and Management – University of Aveiro (2013/14 edition). They were asked to create and peer review two concept maps (cmaps), one individually and another in pairs. The data gathered were treated and analysed resorting qualitative (content analysis) and to quantitative (descriptive statistical analysis) techniques. Results of the data analysis unveil that the use of a collaborative concept mapping tool promotes the development of linguistic competences as to the use of business terminology, but also of communication and collaboration competences. Besides, it was also a very important motivation element in the students’ engagement with the subject content.

BET on Top Hat: challenges to improve language proficiency

Within the business context, communication and interaction tends to be considerably rooted in the use of English (as lingua franca), as well as in ICT use. Thus, professionals have to be able to speak the English language, resorting to specific, internationally recognised terminology and be proficient in the use of manifold ICT tools. In fact, the tendency is for the great majority of higher education (HE) students to own mobile devices (laptops, smartphones and/or tablets) and use them to access information and communicate/interact with content and other people. Bearing this in mind, a teaching and learning strategy was designed, in which m-learning (i.e. learning in which the delivery platform is a mobile device) was used to approach Business English Terminology (BET). The strategy was labelled as ‘BET on Top Hat’, once the selected application was Top Hat (https://tophat.com/) and the idea was for students to face it as if it were a game/challenge. In this scenario, the main goals of this exploratory study were to find evidence as to: i) the utility of m-learning activities for learning BET and ii) if and how m-learning activities can generate intrinsic motivation in students to learn BET. Participants (n=23) were enrolled in English II, a curricular unit of the 1st cycle degree in Retail Management offered at Águeda School of Technology and Management – University of Aveiro (2014/15 edition). The data gathered included the students’ results in quizzes and their answers to a short final evaluation questionnaire regarding their experience with BET on Top Hat. Consequently, data were treated and analysed resorting to descriptive statistical analysis, and, when considered pertinent, the teacher’s observation notes were also considered. The results unveil that, on the one hand, the strategy had a clear positive impact on the students’ intrinsic motivation and, on the other hand, the students’ performance as to BET use tended to improve over time.

Curriculare Integration elektronischer Lehr-Lernmodule in die traditionelle Präsenzlehre – dargestellt am Beispiel des Projektes IMPULSEC

Im Rahmen universitärer Projekte entwickelte E-Learning-Angebote werden nach ihrer Fertigstellung in der Regel nicht isoliert in der Lehre eingesetzt. Vielmehr sollen sie in bereits bestehende Curricula und traditionelle Präsenzveranstaltungen integriert werden. Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Frage, wie eine solche Integration zu leisten ist und welche Aspekte dabei zu beachten, welche Aufgaben zu übernehmen sind. Am Beispiel des Projektes IMPULSEC wird gezeigt, wie und unter welchen Voraussetzungen am Entwicklungsstandort Osnabrück Lerninhalte und -ziele, Medien und Methoden sowie Sozial- und Organisationsformen von E-Learning-Angeboten mit denen der traditionellen Präsenzlehre zusammengeführt werden.(DIPF/Orig.)

Estatística com projetos: uma alternativa de ensino e aprendizagem

This work presents the use of projects as an alternative for teaching statistics, for that it was elaborated a Project that involves the educational socioeconomic reality from the families of the students and built a link between the reality and the scholastic knowledge. This project was applied in Sesi School - Pato Branco between the months of August to September 2014 with 25 students from the 1o and 2o grades from High School. To work the statistics concepts a questionnaire was applied for the parents of the students of the Project´s, they answer it and through these answers the students made frequency tables and graphs, besides measure calculations on measures of central tendency and dispersion measure. All of the construction were realized manually and in the Excel spreadsheet and some of them were chosen to be in this work to with the purpose of showing the hits and the mistakes done. The students worked in groups of 5 students, except in the last class when it was done a test referring to the contents taught in the classroom and a questionnaire for them to evaluate the project´s application. The results show that the teaching of Statistics trough projects motivate the students interest, stimulating the statistical reasoning, in addition made the students know a Math that was different from the one they have already known, with a lot of calculation but with no final objective.

GeoPlexo: um material manipulável para o ensino dos números complexos

This study aims to develop a manipulative material to assist the teaching and learning of Complex Numbers. Primarily, It tries to define the status of the current teaching of Complex Numbers, having as guide the bias of the research produced in dissertations and published on the website of Capes and the Virtual Library of Profmat from 2004 to 2014. It presents historical aspects of the theme, a mathematical foundation and a discussion of the use of manipulative materials as teaching resources for the teaching of mathematics. It introduces the manipulative material called GeoPlexo and a sequence of activities of potentiation and settling of complex numbers, explaining its use. It concludes with the importance of manipulative materials as a teaching resource for the teaching of Complex Numbers, especially regarding the geometric visualization of this mathematical object.

Tecnologias de informação geográfica e promoção do pensamento espacial crítico: estratégias transdisciplinares em educação para o desenvolvimento sustentável no 3º CEB

Perante a fragilidade da atual conjuntura mundial nos contextos económico, social e ambiental, urge a necessidade de educar os novos cidadãos para a sustentabilidade, pelo conhecimento interativo do local onde vivem e do mundo que os integra. “Ensinar a pensar” e a encontrar soluções criativas sustentáveis, torna-se incontornável. Reconhecendo-se que este propósito carece da integração do conhecimento presencial no território, e a importância das competências de saber pensar o espaço e intervir no meio, partilhadas pela Educação Geográfica (EG) e pela Educação para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável (EDS), onde a dimensão “Espaço” é crítica e aglutinadora das aprendizagens, no presente trabalho propõe-se dar resposta à questão de como desenvolver o Pensamento Espacial Crítico, com recurso a Tecnologias de Informação Geográfica (TIG), de forma a promover aprendizagens significativas em EDS, ao nível do 3.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (CEB) e no contexto da Escola Básica de Campia. Tendo como grande finalidade a inovação das práticas educativas, espera-se com esta investigação contribuir para o alargamento de fronteiras do conhecimento em Multimédia em Educação e da EG, assumindo-se a importância desta no domínio da EDS, estimulando o Pensamento Espacial (PE), o Pensamento Crítico (PC) e a forma como os alunos e restante comunidade educativa olham e atuam sobre o meio. Face à finalidade apresentada e dado o caráter inovador da presente investigação, adotou-se a metodologia de investigação-ação (I/A), no contexto do paradigma sóciocrítico, de pendor qualitativo. Este estudo foi desenvolvido por intermédio de uma Oficina de Formação, em dois ciclos de I/A, tendo como objetivo a conceção e implementação de estratégias transdisciplinares de ensino e aprendizagem (E/A) em EDS, visando o desenvolvimento de capacidades de PEC e sendo suportadas por TIG. Foram concebidos diversos instrumentos de recolha de dados, para cada ciclo de I/A, e o corpo de dados foi analisado essencialmente através da técnica de análise de conteúdo e pontualmente através da análise estatística de cariz descritivo. O modelo de análise de dados centrou-se numa análise SWOT para identificação das forças, fraquezas, oportunidades e ameaças, e numa matriz TOWS para identificação das ações a empreender entre os ciclos de I/A. Propõe-se, para o efeito, um referencial teórico didático para o conceito de PEC, através de uma taxonomia de capacidades e competências resultante da implementação dos ciclos de I/A. Os resultados obtidos permitem observar que: i) a EG, pelas competências que preconiza e pelo enfoque da dimensão espacial, é potencialmente aglutinadora das aprendizagens, no currículo do 3.º CEB, e pode favorecer a transdisciplinaridade, essencial na EDS; ii) as estratégias de ensino e aprendizagem assentes na EG e com recurso a TIG são promotoras de aprendizagens significativas em EDS pelo desenvolvimento de capacidades de PEC. Contudo, as limitações evidenciadas na investigação suscitaram, através dos ciclos de I/A, a redefinição do percurso formativo proposto e dos instrumentos de recolha de dados concebidos, bem como a introdução de melhorias à taxonomia de PEC desenvolvida no âmbito da presente tese. Entre outras limitações discutidas (como a resistência à utilização de tecnologia em contexto de E/A), salientamos uma limitação sistémica, inerente aos atuais contextos educativos formais (currículo, distribuição do serviço docente, etc.), que desincentiva uma efetiva implementação de estratégias transdisciplinares e do trabalho colaborativo entre professores. Apesar das limitações elencadas consideramos que este estudo contribui para um aprofundamento do conhecimento sobre a potencialidade das TIG na promoção de competências e capacidades de PEC dos alunos, nomeadamente pelo avanço na clarificação das mesmas, plasmadas no instrumento desenvolvido no âmbito desta tese (taxonomia de PEC). Como disseminação desta investigação, salienta-se que o referido instrumento integrará o referencial teórico de um projeto europeu Erasmus + (ENAbLE), para suporte à conceção dos dispositivos didáticos que acompanharão uma aplicação de TIG que será concebida especificamente para o contexto de E/A.

Proposta de ensino de geometria euclidiana plana para o sexto ano do ensino fundamental sob a ótica do raciocínio lógico-dedutivo

This study will introduce a brief history of the Geometry development, focused in the appearing of the organization in the logical deductive structure achieved by Euclid. Following will be discussed the situation of the learning and teaching of geometry topics since antiquity until the present day, where we will notice that it does not happen with the logical-deductive perspective. After this contextualization, we will propose the realization of a geometry workshop for students of the sixth grade of elementary school, focusing to the development of logical-deductive reasoning. Applied to workshop, changes were observed in the organization of thought of the participating students in the research, furthering the understanding of the concepts and properties of flat euclidean geometry.

Construções geométricas como recurso pedagógico no ensino médio

This work aims to provide high school students an development in his mathematical and geometrical knowledge, through the use of Geometric Constructions as a teaching resource in Mathematics classes. First a literature search to understand how it emerged and evolved the field of geometry was carried out and the Geometric Constructions. The ways in which the teaching of geometry happened in our country, also were studied some theories related to learning and in particular the Van Hiele theory which deals with the geometric learning also through the literature search were diagnosed. Two forms of the Geometric Constructions approach are analyzed in class: through the design of hand tools - ruler and compass - and through the computational tool - geometric software - being that we chose to approach using the ruler and compass instruments. It is proposed a workshop with nine Geometric Construction activities which was applied with a group of 3rd year of high school, the Escola de Educac¸ ˜ao B´asica Professor Anacleto Damiani in the city of Abelardo Luz, Santa Catarina. Each workshop activity includes the following topics: Activity Goals, Activity Sheet, Steps of Construction Activity Background and activity of the solution. After application of the workshop, the data were analyzed through content analysis according to three categories: Drawing Instruments, angles and their implications and Parallel and its Implications. Was observed that most of the students managed to achieve the research objectives, and had an development in their mathematical and geometrical knowledge, which can be perceived through the analysis of questionnaires administered to students, audio recordings, observations made during the workshop and especially through the improvement of the students in the development of the proposed activities.

Programa Etnomatemática: ponderações da prática pedagógica

The aim of this present work is investigating the interest and motivation for learning, awakened in pupils when the educator practice is guided by the ethnomathematics perspective. The main question is: Can an ethnomathematic approach awaken enthusiasm in pupils, causing it to become more critic and active in building their knowledge? The methodology that guides the investigation is qualitative, based on technical arising of the ethnographic case study. Theoretical contributions that support the investigation are from the scientific methodology and from ethnomathematics. The research material is composed by: researcher’s field diary, audio recording of participant observation, interviews reports of community residents and students parents, highlighting the material produced by students. This study was developed on an 8º year of high school of rural community. During the work were prioritized the ethnomathematics concepts of the Ethnomathematic Program, which establish a link exchange, where the lecturers inserts themselves on the reality of pupils in a way that promote an appreciation of their identity and a commitment to their learning. The educator investigates and values the ideas of pupils throughout dialogues. There are challenges for the application of education with ethno mathematic perspective, pointed out by authors, listed and supplemented in the research. In this context, it is believed that the socio-cultural knowledge must be respect, and as they are understood their specialties, capabilities and characteristics, this can guide teaching practice, making significant process for pupils, providing appropriation of scientific knowledge. Analysis of research practice indicated that students, research subjects, when they decided contextual issues, with their way of life, felt appreciated. The conclusion is that, with continuous action of contextualized of school mathematics, from the recognition of the environment and of cultural identity, the educator has the opportunity of review their own participant condition, and therefore promote an enthusiasm for learning. Because a motivated pupil becomes active, since that the all project is guided in a significant theme.

O processo de implementação da educação do campo nas escolas do Núcleo Regional de Educação de Pato Branco: limites, desafios e possibilidades

This work is part of the Graduate Program in Regional Development of the Federal Technological University of Paraná, Pato Branco campus, the research line Education and Development. The line of research concerns the Regionality and Development. In this study, investigate sought the implementation of the Field Education Curriculum Guidelines in the State of Paraná, whose locus, SEED / PR, the NRE / Pato Branco and Field Schools belonging to the NRE. The theme is to respond to the research problem, to identify the limits and challenges of the implementation process of Rural Education in rural schools in the Regional Center of Pato Branco Education. Exploratory research covers a time frame comprising the years 2002-2014 in order to identify and analyze the documents and perceptions of the subjects that guide the implementation of the field of education in the state of Paraná. The results show that the education field has not yet overcame the challenge of implementing public policies, in particular the field of Education Curriculum Guidelines. In general, the texts point to the concerned school education with the urban environment, in an attempt to solve the problems related to truancy, low school enrollment,flunk, among others. The reality of the field displays more serious such problems, however, is visible the development of proposals in an attempt to achieve definitive solutions to the issues of the field. However, a positive factor is the increase in continuing education courses, some offered by the Department of Education Field Regional Center of Education, others initiatives by the own teacher, which demonstrate the concern in improving their teaching practices, concomitant with need to change the identity of the field school. In this sense, we seek to deepen the discussion in order to demystify the idea that the subject field to be synonymous with poor education, poor quality. Documents such as the Field Operational Guidelines established by the CNE - National Education Council in 2002, the Curriculum Guidelines field developed by SEED - Secretary of State and Education in the State of Paraná in 2004 and established as a public policy in 2010 provide data that allow make a study of public policy and educational field context in order to understand the challenges for the development of an education as culture, ways of life, history, finally, the specificities of the subject field.

Ler para argumentar: estratégias dinamizadoras de aprendizagem

Trabalho de Projeto apresentado para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ciências da Educação: área de especialização em Animação da Leitura realizado sob a orientação científica da Prof.ª Doutora Maria Cristina Vieira da Silva

Internetbasierte Wissensorganisation in der Lehrerbildung

In diesem Artikel geht es um die internetbasierte Wissensorganisation von multimedialen Lerninhalten. Die Lernenden in der Lehrerausbildung sollen nicht allein eine rezeptive Rolle bei der Nutzung multimedialer Inhalte einnehmen, sondern sie werden aufgefordert, eine aktive Rolle bei der Erstellung von Inhalten zu übernehmen. Dabei wird die Trennung zwischen dem Autor auf der einen Seite und dem Leser bzw. Nutzer von Inhalten auf der anderen Seite aufgebrochen. Basis ist die Auseinandersetzung mit konkreten Lehr-/Lern-Situationen über die Nutzung von Video- und Audiosequenzen (Situated Learning). Eine internetbasierte Wissensbasis mit multimedialen Inhalten ist dabei der Ausgangspunkt, um die individuelle Wissensorganisation in der Lehrerbildung zu unterstützen. Exemplarisch werden diese Aspekte einer internetbasierten Wissensorganisation an dem Projekt MaDiN deutlich gemacht (MathematikDidaktik im Netz). Ohne detailliert auf die in MaDiN aufgebaute Wissensbasis einzugehen, geht es in diesem Artikel um allgemeine Methoden, internetbasiertes Wissensmanagement in die Lehrerbildung zu integrieren. Im Rahmen des vom Bundesministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung mit 1,6 Millionen Euro geförderten Projektes zum Aufbau einer Wissensbasis mit mathematischen und mathematikdidaktischen Inhalten (Primarstufe, Sekundarstufe I und II) wurde eine spezielle Methode zur internetbasierten Wissensorganisation entwickelt. Das Konzept einer internetbasierten Wissensorganisation hat einen konstruktivistischen Hintergrund. Die Umsetzung in der Lehrerbildung erfolgt über ein Autorensystem, mit dem der Nutzer ein Werkzeug zur Online-Strukturierung personalisierter Lerninhalte besitzt.(DIPF/Orig.)

Caracter?sticas del perfil del aprendiz exitoso en un curso de ingl?s (EFL) virtual en el contexto Sena [recurso electr?nico]

This case study presents the general profile of the successful EFL online apprentice in the Colombian public vocational institution, SENA. This profile is described in terms of demographic, academic and cognitive aspects. The demographic profile is composed of features like sex, age, marital status and present job; the academic profile comprises information related to study habits, reasons to study English online, previous English learning experiences and type of ICT tools at home; and the cognitive profile refers to learning styles and EFL learning strategies. Four online surveys addressed to 33 successful online apprentices provide the data, which are also analyzed by means of a basic statistical description supported by Excel. The findings allow the author to conclude that the successful EFL online apprentice in SENA is basically a single person who is unemployed but has access to ICT tools to move forward in his learning process. Additionally, this apprentice has a divergent learning style who prefers the metacognitive, social and memory learning strategies for the EFL online process.

Integrated micro fuel cells with on-board hydride reactors and autonomous control schemes

Miniaturization of power generators to the MEMS scale, based on the hydrogen-air fuel cell, is the object of this research. The micro fuel cell approach has been adopted for advantages of both high power and energy densities. On-board hydrogen production/storage and an efficient control scheme that facilitates integration with a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA) are key elements for micro energy conversion. Millimeter-scale reactors (ca. 10 µL) have been developed, for hydrogen production through hydrolysis of CaH2 and LiAlH4, to yield volumetric energy densities of the order of 200 Whr/L. Passive microfluidic control schemes have been implemented in order to facilitate delivery, self-regulation, and at the same time eliminate bulky auxiliaries that run on parasitic power. One technique uses surface tension to pump water in a microchannel for hydrolysis and is self-regulated, based on load, by back pressure from accumulated hydrogen acting on a gas-liquid microvalve. This control scheme improves uniformity of power delivery during long periods of lower power demand, with fast switching to mass transport regime on the order of seconds, thus providing peak power density of up to 391.85 W/L. Another method takes advantage of water recovery by backward transport through the MEA, of water vapor that is generated at the cathode half-cell reaction. This regulation-free scheme increases available reactor volume to yield energy density of 313 Whr/L, and provides peak power density of 104 W/L. Prototype devices have been tested for a range of duty periods from 2-24 hours, with multiple switching of power demand in order to establish operation across multiple regimes. Issues identified as critical to the realization of the integrated power MEMS include effects of water transport and byproduct hydrate swelling on hydrogen production in the micro reactor, and ambient relative humidity on fuel cell performance.