Extending Learning Opportunities through a virtual faculty

This paper presents the notion of a virtual faculty as a viable alternative to extending and maintaining learner opportunities for students in regional universities or at universities where specialisations in which they are interested may not be offered. Staff from a number of Australian Universities participated in a CUTSD project to explore the viability of establishing a virtual faculty using videoconferencing as the medium of delivery. The success of this project was the result of close collaboration at a number of levels within the participating institutions and a willingness to explore effective approaches to teaching and learning for a videoconference environment.

Concepções de alfabetização, leitura e escrita que ancoram o Projeto Trilhas

Este trabalho tem como objeto de estudo os impressos do Projeto Trilhas, material pedagógico produzido em parceria entre o Instituto Natura, a Comunidade Educativa CEDAC e o Ministério da Educação. Trata-se de uma análise documental com as quais se procurou envolver as noções de enunciado, texto, gênero e suporte que possibilitaram fundamentar a proposta metodológica, pautada pelo diálogo, que teve como escopo problematizar como esse conjunto de materiais pode contribuir no processo do ensino e da aprendizagem das crianças matriculadas nas turmas do primeiro ano do Ensino Fundamental, com foco na análise das concepções de alfabetização, leitura e escrita, engendradas nos materiais. Para isso, o referencial teórico que balizou as reflexões se fundamentou nas contribuições da perspectiva bakhtiniana de linguagem e lançou ancoragens no conceito de alfabetização proposto criticamente por Gontijo (2008). As análises se constituíram como uma arena, isto é, um palco de alteridade. Logo, buscaram compreender como o conceito e as concepções se materializaram nas atividades produzidas pelos sujeitos-autores e problematizaram como os impressos do Projeto Trilhas podem contribuir para a melhoria do ensino e da aprendizagem das crianças matriculadas no primeiro ano do Ensino Fundamental. Com as análises, sustenta-se que o conceito que solidifica a constituição dos impressos deste projeto se aproxima das contribuições de Ferreiro e Teberosky (1999), isto é, a alfabetização é o processo pelo qual as crianças assimilam o código escrito e compreende os usos que são dados a ele nas culturas do escrito. A leitura se configurou como decodificação dos signos linguísticos e compreensão de significados, e a escrita como codificação.

Tecnologias e metodologias na ensinagem de inglês no século XXI : elaboração e análise de webquests

Este trabalho tem como objetivo geral apresentar mecanismos de análise e validação de propostas de material didático na forma de Webquests e, com base nesses mecanismos, elaborar e validar três propostas de material didático em forma de WebQuests criticamente situados para a ensinagem de inglês como língua adicional. As WebQuests elaboradas visam priorizar o desenvolvimento do letramento digital crítico e da competência comunicativa em inglês como língua adicional do aprendiz. A WebQuest se insere na perspectiva de uma metodologia que tem esse mesmo nome e consiste na proposta de uma pesquisa orientada e organizada em etapas em que toda ou grande parte do conteúdo a ser acessado e necessário para a realização da(s) tarefa(s) encontra-se disponível online (DODGE, 1995). A metodologia deste estudo é de cunho qualitativo e também se insere na perspectiva da metodologia de desenvolvimento. O design metodológico dessa investigação foi organizado em três etapas, quais sejam, a análise de necessidades, a elaboração de três WebQuests e a análise das WebQuests elaboradas a partir de uma rubrica. A revisão de literatura, que constituiu parte da análise de necessidades, sugere que as demandas do século XXI exigem maior atenção e investimento para o desenvolvimento de letramentos múltiplos e críticos, de competências comunicativas e interacionais e de formação de cidadania. A análise de WebQuests disponíveis para ensinagem de inglês no principal sítio brasileiro de WebQuests, que compôs a segunda parte da análise de necessidades desse estudo, evidenciou a escassez de WebQuests que abordam de forma significativa tanto as questões do letramento digital crítico quanto os aspectos da competência comunicativa na língua adicional do indivíduo. A análise de necessidades como um todo forneceu subsídios relevantes para o processo de elaboração das WebQuests propostas neste estudo, que também se embasou nas diretrizes e princípios do modelo WebQuest e em grande parte do seu embasamento teórico. Como fase final deste estudo, as três WebQuests elaboradas foram submetidas à validação a partir de uma rubrica criada especialmente para esse propósito. Os resultados das análises de validação das três WebQuests elaboradas sugerem que a proposta desses materiais é válida sob o ponto de vista teórico, pois mostram que as ferramentas criadas vão ao encontro da proposta do modelo WebQuests de Dodge (1995, 2001) e das recomendações de qualidade sugeridas por Bottentuit Junior e Coutinho (2008a, 2012), bem como estão ancoradas na teoria sócio-construtivista e do ensino situado e nos princípios metodológicos da abordagem de ensino baseada em tarefas e da abordagem de ensino de conteúdos diversos por meio da língua (CLIL). Concluímos que as três WebQuests são materiais de ensinagem de inglês que fogem do enfoque tradicional conteudista historicamente voltado para o ensino de vocabulário e gramática na língua-alvo, extrapolando os objetivos linguísticos para alcançar também objetivos sociais e culturais da ensinagem de inglês como língua adicional, na medida em que se trabalha paralelamente (e intencionalmente, por entender que ambos se complementam) o desenvolvimento da competência comunicativa e do letramento digital crítico do indivíduo, contribuindo, assim, para a sua formação cidadã e colaborando para a “inclusão” do aprendiz no mundo social e digital.

Reasoning and proof in classroom (9th grade)

This paper is research oriented and pretends to contribute toward giving empirical evidence about how students develop their reasoning and how they achieved to a proof construction in school context. Its main theme is epistemology. It describes the way in which four students in 9th Grade explored a task related with the discovery of symmetry axes in various geometric figures. The proof constructed by students had essentially an explaining function and it was related with the symmetry axes of regular polygons. The teacher’s role in meaning negotiation of the proof and its need is described through illustrative episodes. The paper presents part of a study which purpose is to analyse the nature of mathematical proof in classroom, its role and the nature of the relationship between the construction of a proof and the social interactions. Assuming a social perspective, attention is focussed on the social construction of knowledge and on the structuring resources that shape mathematical experience. The study’s methodology has an interpretative nature. One outcome of the study discussed here is that students develop first a practical understanding with no awareness of the reasons founding mathematical statements and after a theoretical one leading them to a proof elaboration.

Da leitura à escrita : texto expositivo

Projeto de intervênção apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação para a obtenção do grau de mestre em Didática da Língua Portuguesa em 1º e 2º Ciclos do Ensino Básico

Building a knowledge and learning society in Portugal: adult students in technological schools and higher education institutions

Lifelong learning (LLL) has received increasing attention in recent years. It implies that learning should take place at all stages of the “life cycle and it should be life-wide, that is embedded in all life contexts from the school to the work place, the home and the community” (Green, 2002, p.613). The ‘learning society’, is the vision of a society where there are recognized opportunities for learning for every person, wherever they are and however old they happen to be. Globalization and the rise of new information technologies are some of the driving forces that cause depreciation of specialised competences. This happens very quickly in terms of economic value; consequently, workers of all skills levels, during their working life, must have the opportunity to update “their technical skills and enhance general skills to keep pace with continuous technological change and new job requirements” (Fahr, 2005, p. 75). It is in this context that LLL tops the policy agenda of international bodies, national governments and non-governmental organizations, in the field of education and training, to justify the need for LLL opportunities for the population as they face contemporary employability challenges. It is in this context that the requirement and interest to analyse the behaviour patterns of adult learners has developed over the last few years

Learning to manage in knowledge based organizations: the role of portfolios

Paper presented at the 8th European Conference on Knowledge Management, Barcelona, 6-7 Sep. 2008 URL: http://www.academic-conferences.org/eckm/eckm2007/eckm07-home.htm

Knowledge sharing and learning processes: case study of portuguese technological schools and higher education institutions

Paper to be presented at the ESREA Conference Learning to Change? The Role of Identity and Learning Careers in Adult Education, 7-8 December, 2006, Université Catholique Louvain, Louvain–la-Neuve, Belgium

How to teach mathematics with MOODLE

The aim of this article is to present a Project in the Oporto’s Institute of Accounting and Administration, which pretends to contribute for a change in the way of teaching and learning Mathematics. One of the main objectives of this project is to innovate the teaching and learning processes, exploring technologies as a pedagogical resource and to induce higher motivation to students, improve the rate of success and make available to students a set of materials adapted to their needs. This concern is justified due to the fact that students have a weak preparation, without consolidated basis. Since the year 2007/2008 the courses were adjusted to the Bologna process, which requires several changes in teacher’s and student’s roles, methodologies and assessment. The number of weekly classes has been reduced, so it was necessary to develop new strategies and methodologies to support the student. With the implementation of the Bologna Process in the Accounting degree, we felt a great need to provide other types of activities to students. To complement our theoretical and practical classes we have developed a project called MatActiva based on the Moodle platform offered by PAOL - Projecto de Apoio On-Line (Online Support Project). Moodle allows us to use the language TEX to create materials that use mathematical symbols. Using this functionality, we created a set of easy to use interactive resources. In MatActiva project, the students have access to a variety of different materials. We have followed a strategy that makes the project compatible with the theoretical and practical subjects/classes, complementing them. To do so, we created some resources, for instance multiple-choice tests, which are the most accessed by the students. These tests can be realized and corrected on-line and for each wrong answer there is a feedback with the resolution. We can find other types of resources: diagnostic tests, theoretical notes. There are not only the pre-requirements for subjects mathematics, but also materials to help students follow up the programs. We also developed several lessons. This activity consists of a number of pages, where each page has contents and leads to other pages, based on the student's progress. The teacher creates the choices and determines the next page that the student will see, based upon their knowledge. There is also an area of doubts, where the students can place all the mathematical doubts they have, and a teacher gives the answers or clues to help them in their work. MatActiva also offers an area where we can find some humour, curiosities, contests and games including mathematical contents to test the math skills, as well as links to pages about mathematical contents that could be useful for the study. Since ISCAP receives ERASMUS students and some of them attend mathematics, we developed some materials in English, so they can also use MatActiva. The main objectives of our project are not only to bring success in the subjects of mathematics, but also to motivate the students, encourage them to overcome theirs difficulties through an auto-study giving them more confidence and improve their relationship with the mathematics as well as the communication between students and teachers and among students.

The active mathematics project at ISCAP

This paper summarizes a project that is contributing to a change in the way of teaching and learning Mathematics. Mathematics is a subject of the Accounting and Administration course. In this subject we teach: Functions and Algebra. The aim is that the students understand the basic concepts and is able to apply them in other issues, when possible, establishing a bridge between the issues that they have studied and their application in Accounting. As from this year, the Accounting course falls under in Bologna Process. The teacher and the student roles have changed. The time for theoretical and practical classes has been reduced, so it was necessary to modify the way of teaching and learning. In the theoretical classes we use systems of multimedia projection to present the concepts, and in the practical classes we solve exercises. To supplement our theoretical and practical classes we have developed an active mathematics project called MatActiva based on the Moodle platform offered by PAOL - Projecto de Apoio Online (Online Support Project). In the last versions of Moodle, it is possible use the TeX language to create math questions. Using this tool we created a set of interactive materials. With the creation of this new project we wanted to take advantage already obtained results with the previous experiences, giving to the students opportunities to complement their study in Mathematics. One of the great objectives is to motivate students, encourage them to overcome theirs difficulties through an auto-study, giving them more confidence and the opportunity to seeing others perspectives of the mathematics subjects. In the MatActiva project the students have a big collection of information about the way of the subject works, which includes the objectives, the program, recommended bibliography, evaluation method and summaries. It works as material support for the practical and theoretical classes, the slides of the theoretical classes are available, the sheets with exercises for the students to do in the classroom and complementary exercises, as well as the exams of previous years. Students can also do diagnostic tests and evaluation tests online. Our approach is a reflexive one, based on the professional experience of the teachers that explore and incorporate new tools of Moodle with their students and coordinate the project MatActiva.

Teaching with Moodle in higher education

Nowadays, with the use of technology and the Internet, education is undergoing significant changes, contemplating new ways of teaching and learning. One of the widely methods of teaching used to promote knowledge, consists in the use of virtual environments available in various formats, taking as example the teaching-learning platforms, which are available online. The Internet access and use of Laptops have created the technological conditions for teachers and students can benefit from the diversity of online information, communication, collaboration and sharing with others. The integration of Internet services in the teaching practices can provide thematic, social and digital enrichment for the agents involved. In this paper we will talk about the advantages of LMS (Learning Management Systems) such as Moodle, to support the presential lectures in higher education. We also will analyse its implications for student support and online interaction, leading educational agents to a mixing of different learning environments, where they can combine face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated instruction, blended-learning, and increases the options for better quality and quantity of human interaction in a learning environment. We also will present some tools traditionally used in online assessment and that are part of the functionalities of Moodle. These tools can provide interesting alternatives to promote a more significant learning and contribute to the development of flexible and customized models of an evaluation which we want to be more efficient.

Moodle and multiple-choice tests

Multiple-Choice items are used in many different kinds of tests in several areas of knowledge. They can be considered an interesting tool to the self-assessing or as an alternative or complementary instrument to the traditional methods for assessing knowledge. The objectivity and accuracy of the multiple-choice tests is an important reason to think about. They are especially useful when the number of students to evaluate is too large. Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is an Open Source course management system centered around learners' needs and designed to support collaborative approaches to teaching and learning. Moodle offers to the users a rich interface, context-specific help buttons, and a wide variety of tools such as discussion forums, wikis, chat, surveys, quizzes, glossaries, journals, grade books and more, that allow them to learn and collaborate in a truly interactive space. Come together the interactivity of the Moodle platform and the objectivity of this kind of tests one can easily build manifold random tests. The proposal of this paper is to relate our journey in the construction of these tests and share our experience in the use of the Moodle platform to create, take advantage and improve the multiple-choices tests in the Mathematic area.

Human interaction with technology for working, communicating, and learning: advancements

The way humans interact with technology is undergoing a tremendous change. It is hard to imagine the lives we live today without the benefits of technology that we take for granted. Applying research in computer science, engineering, and information systems to non-technical descriptions of technology, such as human interaction, has shaped and continues to shape our lives. Human Interaction with Technology for Working, Communicating, and Learning: Advancements provides a framework for conceptual, theoretical, and applied research in regards to the relationship between technology and humans. This book is unique in the sense that it does not only cover technology, but also science, research, and the relationship between these fields and individuals' experience. This book is a must have for anyone interested in this research area, as it provides a voice for all users and a look into our future.

Conceções e práticas dos professores de língua portuguesa em relação ao ensino e à aprendizagem da gramática: um estudo exploratório no 2.º ciclo do ensino básico

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Didática da Língua Portuguesa no 1.º e no 2.º Ciclos.

Programar la leitura e la escrita: os textos as actividades, a criança e os professores

O artigo apresenta uma experiência de ensino aprendizagem do modo escrito que se realiza na pré-primária e na primária em Barcelona nos últimos anos. Esta experiência apoiase em aspectos de desenvolvimento interpretados através de uma perspectiva constructivista sobre aprendizagem da escrita. Apoia-se, igualmente, em aspectos educativos sobre as condições que o ensino deveria cumprir considerando as competências das crianças em relação a actividades, materiais e textos. Completa-se a descrição com algumas achegas sobre a formação dos professores em actividade reflexiva sobre as condições referidas