Pre-harvest cane burning and health: the association between school absences and burning sugarcane fields

The objective of this study was to investigate an association between pre-harvest sugarcane burning and respiratory diseases in children under five years of age. The following data were collected in five schools in the city of Araraquara, SP, Southeastern Brazil, between March and June 2009: daily records of absences and the reasons stated for these absences, total concentration of suspended particulate matter (µg/m3), and air humidity. The relationship between the percentage of school absences due to respiratory problems and the concentration of particulate matter in March and from April to June presented a distinct behavior: absences increased alongside the increase in particulate matter concentration. The use of school absences as indicators of this relationship is an innovative approach.

Structuring and moodleing a course: case studies at the polytechnic of Porto - School of engineering

This work presents a comparative study covering four different courses lectured at the Polytechnic of Porto - School of Engineering, in respect to the usage of a particular Learning Management System, i.e. Moodle, and its impact on students' results. Even though positive correlation factors exist, e.g. between the number of Moodle accesses versus the final exam grade obtained by each student, the explanation behind it may not be straightforward. Mapping this particular factor to course numbers reveals that the quality of the resources might be preponderant and not only their quantity. This paper also addresses teachers who used this platform as a complement to their courses (b-learning) and identifies some particular issues they should be aware in order to potentiate students' engagement and learning.

Using remote lab networks to provide support to public secondary school education level

The advantages of networking are widely known in many areas (from business to personal ones). One particular area where networks have also proved their benefits is education. Taking the secondary school education level into account, some successful cases can be found in literature. In this paper we describe a particular remote lab network supporting physical experiments accessible to students of institutions geographically separated. The network architecture and application examples of using some of the available remote experiments are illustrated in detail.

Spatio-temporal land use/land cover changes analysis and monitoring in the Valencia Municipality, Spain

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies

OPTIMAX research summer school: um projeto pedagógico para a promoção da investigação em radiologia

Porquê este projeto? Conhecimentos, aptidões, competências; desenvolvimento de competências (instrumentais, interpessoais, sistémicas); contributo para uma concepção de carácter multidimensional do estudante, preparando-o para apreender a importância da investigação, preparando-o para uma profissão de saúde; as novas soluções tecnológicas, a par da inovação e a mudança nos cuidados de saúde e dos processos de trabalho, constituem hoje os desafios do presente e do futuro para os profissionais de saúde [o desenvolvimento da tecnologia e da informática, a educação e a prática baseada na evidência (investigação), as mudanças nos processos de trabalho, o trabalho em equipa, a dimensão internacional]; a investigação e o seu impacto na profissão (desenvolvimento de conhecimentos próprios das profissões, autonomia, impacto positivo nas práticas profissionais, benefício do doente); a investigação auxilia no processo de definição dos parâmetros de uma profissão (nenhuma profissão terá um desenvolvimento sustentado sem o contributo da investigação; é através da investigação que se constitui um domínio de conhecimentos baseados na evidência que permitam as boas práticas); apostar num projeto associado à investigação, com uma base científica que contribua para uma melhor educação e prática profissional visando assegurar a credibilidade da profissão; aprendizagem centrada no estudante; adopção de metodologias de ensino que promovam a autonomia, o raciocínio, a capacidade crítica e a resolução de problemas.

ESEIG Mobile: an m-learning approach in a superior school

In recent years, mobile learning has emerged as an educational approach to decrease the limitation of learning location and adapt the teaching-learning process to all type of students. However, the large number and variety of Web-enabled devices poses challenges for Web content creators who want to automatic get the delivery context and adapt the content to mobile devices. In this paper we study several approaches to adapt the learning content to mobile phones. We present an architecture for deliver uniform m-Learning content to students in a higher School. The system development is organized in two phases: firstly enabling the educational content to mobile devices and then adapting it to all the heterogeneous mobile platforms. With this approach, Web authors will not need to create specialized pages for each kind of device, since the content is automatically transformed to adapt to any mobile device capabilities from WAP to XHTML MP-compliant devices.

Primary bioreceptivity of limestones from the mediterranean basin to phototrophic microorganisms

Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do grau de Doutor em Conservação e Restauro pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Porto Polytechnical Engineering School sustainable development action plan

Porto Polytechnical Engineering School (ISEP), a Global Reporting Initiative training partner in Portugal, has just presented its Sustainable Development Action Plan (PASUS), which main objective is the formation of a new kind of engineers, with a Sustainable Development (SD) philosophy in the core of their academic curricula courses.

Education for health: alcohol and young aged school teenagers

Introduction: Alcohol consumption starts at an early age in Portuguese people. Health problems and risk behavior associated with excessive consumption can be prevented or highly reduced through effective school programs. Health professionals, such as biomedical scientists, (BSc), are important in promoting healthy lifestyles through the transmission of knowledge. Objective: Explore the role of the BSc in promoting health via intervention and clarification actions, (ICA), with 9th grade students from Agrupamento de Escolas da Portela e Moscavide (AEPM) and Visconde Juromenha (AEVJ); Verify the relationship between participating in the ICA and the level of knowledge acquired from it. Methods: Behaviors and beliefs concerning alcohol consumption and knowledge about the repercussions of it in the human body, mainly regarding the liver, were assessed by questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed before and after the ICA, by the control group (CG) and the study group (SG), respectively. The answers concerning knowledge were given points, later converted to a score from 0 to 100%. Data was analyzed applying descriptive statistics and the t-student test using SPSS 20.0. Results: After statistical analysis, it was found an average score of 48.8% for SG and 46.2% for CG. The difference between groups was statistically significant only in AEPM where ICA included a practical methodology (microscopic and macroscopic observation of pork livers), contrary to AEVJ. Conclusions: BSc intervention through ICA’s improves teenagers’ knowledge. Theoretical knowledge associated with practical approaches improves the retention of information and the development of a conscious behavior about the consumption of alcohol.

Tudo exceto a pia da cozinha? A Kitchen Sink School e o Kitchen Sink Drama: figurações realistas no pós-guerra

Ensaio sobre a relação das telas da Kitchen Sink School (John Bratby / Edward Middleditch / Derrick Greaves / Jack Smith) com a dramaturgia realista do pós-Segunda Guerra Mundial em Inglaterra.

Sustainable Development Action Plan at ISEP - From Concept to Engineering Practice

Some of the main challenges in Incorporating Sustainable Development practices into Engineering Education reside in establishing the bridge between concept and application. In particular the relation between value creation and the knowledge economy, innovation and entrepreneurship, as the main vehicles to a relevant application of the sustainable development concept, is not yet part of the majority of the engineering curricula in schools. Porto Polytechnical Engineering School (ISEP), a Global Reporting Initiative training partner in Portugal, as just presented its Sustainable Development Action Plan, with the main objective of creating a new kind of engineers, with Sustainable Development at the core of their degrees. The plan has several issues like publish an annual sustainability report, sustainable buildings, minimization of energy consumption and water policy, waste management, sustainable mobility, green procurement, EMAS certification, research and postgraduate activity and promotion of lectures and seminars in Sustainable Development.

Impact of design options in zero energy building conception: the case of large buildings in Portugal

The new recast of Directive 2010/31/EU in order to implement the new concept NZEB in new buildings, is to be fully respected by all Member States, and is revealed as important measure to promote the reduction of energy consumption of buildings and encouraging the use of renewable energy. In this study, it was tested the applicability of the nearly zero energy building concept to a big size office building and its impact after a 50-years life cycle span.

Linguagens documentais para as bibliotecas escolares: o caso da Espanha, Portugal e Brasil

Este artigo analisa as características específicas e os processos de indexação e classificação realizados em bibliotecas escolares para tratar e recuperar as informações de suas coleções. Também se analisam as linguagens como ferramentas documentais específicas utilizadas em bibliotecas escolares portuguesas espanholas, portuguesas e brasileiras. Para atingir este objetivo, o modelo de biblioteca escolar é estudado de forma crítica, se analisa o conceito de biblioteca escolar de forma crítica, se estudam suas funções e se examinam as técnicas e os instrumentos que permitem organizar a informação. Entre outras ferramentas, estudam-se listas de cabeçalhos de assuntos como os Cabeçalhos de assuntos para livros infantis e juvenis e a Lista de Cabeçalhos de assuntos para as bibliotecas; sistemas de classificação, como a Classificação Decimal Universal (edição de bolso) ou a classificação por centros de interesse e tesauros especializados como o Tesauro da Educação UNESCO-OIE e o Tesauro Europeu da Educação, entre outros.

Algorithms and methodologies for decision support in energy efficiency on buildings

Dissertação apresentada na faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

ESEIG Mobile: an m-learning approach in a superior school

In recent years, mobile learning has emerged as an educational approach to decrease the limitation of learning location and adapt the teaching-learning process to all type of students. However, the large number and variety of Web-enabled devices poses challenges for Web content creators who want to automatic get the delivery context and adapt the content to mobile devices. This paper studies several approaches to adapt the learning content to mobile phones. It presents an architecture for deliver uniform m-Learning content to students in a higher School. The system development is organized in two phases: firstly enabling the educational content to mobile devices and then adapting it to all the heterogeneous mobile platforms. With this approach, Web authors will not need to create specialized pages for each kind of device, since the content is automatically transformed to adapt to any mobile device capabilities from WAP to XHTML MP-compliant devices.