Defining and Classifying Learning Outcomes: A case study

Bologne came to globalize education in higher education, creating a unified architecture that potentiates higher education and enhances the continued interconnection of the spaces of education policy in higher education in the world, in particular in Europe. The aim of this work consists in the presentation of an identification model and skills��� classification and learning outcomes, based on the official documents of the course units (syllabus and assessment components) of a course of Higher Education. We are aware that the adoption of this model by different institutions, will contribute to interoperability learning outcomes, thus enhancing the mobility of teachers and students in the EHEA (European Higher Education Area) and third countries.

Informal learning recognition through a cloud ecosystem

Learning and teaching processes, like all human activities, can be mediated through the use of tools. Information and communication technologies are now widespread within education. Their use in the daily life of teachers and learners affords engagement with educational activities at any place and time and not necessarily linked to an institution or a certificate. In the absence of formal certification, learning under these circumstances is known as informal learning. Despite the lack of certification, learning with technology in this way presents opportunities to gather information about and present new ways of exploiting an individual���s learning. Cloud technologies provide ways to achieve this through new architectures, methodologies, and workflows that facilitate semantic tagging, recognition, and acknowledgment of informal learning activities. The transparency and accessibility of cloud services mean that institutions and learners can exploit existing knowledge to their mutual benefit. The TRAILER project facilitates this aim by providing a technological framework using cloud services, a workflow, and a methodology. The services facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge associated with informal learning activities ranging from the use of social software through widgets, computer gaming, and remote laboratory experiments. Data from these activities are shared among institutions, learners, and workers. The project demonstrates the possibility of gathering information related to informal learning activities independently of the context or tools used to carry them out.

TRAILER Project (Tagging, Recognition, Acknowledgment of Informal Learning Experiences) a methodology to make learners' informal learning activities visible to the institutions

The application of information technologies (specially the Internet, Web 2.0 and social tools) make informal learning more visible. This kind of learning is not linked to an institution or a period of time, but it is important enough to be taken into account. On the one hand, learners should be able to communicate to the institutions they are related to, what skills they possess, whether they were achieved in a formal or informal way. On the other hand the companies and educational institutions need to have a deeper knowledge about the competencies of their staff. The TRAILER project provides a methodology supported by a technological framework to facilitate communication about informal learning between businesses, employees and learners. The paper presents the project and some of the work carried out, an exploratory analysis about how informal learning is considered and the technological framework proposed. Whilst challenges remain in terms of establishing the meaningfulness of technological engagement for employees and businesses, the continuing transformation of the social, technological and educational environment is likely to lead to greater emphasis for the effective exploitation of informal learning.

Tecnologias de apoio e multidefici��ncia: recursos mediadores da aprendizagem e da inclus��o

Disserta����o apresentada �� Escola Superior de Educa����o de Lisboa para obten����o do grau de Mestre em Ensino Especial ��� ramo de Problemas de Cogni����o e Multidefici��ncia

A semantic approach for learning objects repositories with knowledge reuse

In this paper we discuss how the inclusion of semantic functionalities in a Learning Objects Repository allows a better characterization of the learning materials enclosed and improves their retrieval through the adoption of some query expansion strategies. Thus, we started to regard the use of ontologies to automatically suggest additional concepts when users are filling some metadata fields and add new terms to the ones initially provided when users specify the keywords with interest in a query. Dealing with different domain areas and having considered impractical the development of many different ontologies, we adopted some strategies for reusing ontologies in order to have the knowledge necessary in our institutional repository. In this paper we make a review of the area of knowledge reuse and discuss our approach.

Ensemble: an e-learning framework

E-Learning frameworks are conceptual tools to organize networks of elearning services. Most frameworks cover areas that go beyond the scope of e-learning, from course to financial management, and neglects the typical activities in everyday life of teachers and students at schools such as the creation, delivery, resolution and evaluation of assignments. This paper presents the Ensemble framework - an e-learning framework exclusively focused on the teaching-learning process through the coordination of pedagogical services. The framework presents an abstract data, integration and evaluation model based on content and communications specifications. These specifications must base the implementation of networks in specialized domains with complex evaluations. In this paper we specialize the framework for two domains with complex evaluation: computer programming and computer-aided design (CAD). For each domain we highlight two Ensemble hotspots: data and evaluations procedures. In the former we formally describe the exercise and present possible extensions. In the latter, we describe the automatic evaluation procedures.

CrimsonHex: a learning objects repository for programming exercises

A repository of learning objects is a system that stores electronic resources in a technology-mediated learning process. The need for this kind of repository is growing as more educators become eager to use digital educa- tional contents and more of it becomes available. The sharing and use of these resources relies on the use of content and communication standards as a means to describe and exchange educational resources, commonly known as learning objects. This paper presents the design and implementation of a service-oriented reposi- tory of learning objects called crimsonHex. This repository supports new de���nitions of learning objects for specialized domains and we illustrate this feature with the de���nition of programming exercises as learning objects and its validation by the repository. The repository is also fully compliant with existing commu- nication standards and we propose extensions by adding new functions, formalizing message interchange and providing a REST interface. To validate the interoperability features of the repository, we developed a repository plug-in for Moodle that is expected to be included in the next release of this popular learning management system.

Orchestration of e-learning services for automatic evaluation of programming exercises

Managing programming exercises require several heterogeneous systems such as evaluation engines, learning objects repositories and exercise resolution environments. The coordination of networks of such disparate systems is rather complex. These tools would be too specific to incorporate in an e-Learning platform. Even if they could be provided as pluggable components, the burden of maintaining them would be prohibitive to institutions with few courses in those domains. This work presents a standard based approach for the coordination of a network of e-Learning systems participating on the automatic evaluation of programming exercises. The proposed approach uses a pivot component to orchestrate the interaction among all the systems using communication standards. This approach was validated through its effective use on classroom and we present some preliminary results.

Supporting learning through tagging systems

With the advent of Web 2.0, new kinds of tools became available, which are not seen as novel anymore but are widely used. For instance, according to Eurostat data, in 2010 32% of individuals aged 16 to 74 used the Internet to post messages to social media sites or instant messaging tools, ranging from 17% in Romania to 46% in Sweden (Eurostat, 2012). Web 2.0 applications have been used in technology-enhanced learning environments. Learning 2.0 is a concept that has been used to describe the use of social media for learning. Many Learning 2.0 initiatives have been launched by educational and training institutions in Europe. Web 2.0 applications have also been used for informal learning. Web 2.0 tools can be used in classrooms, virtual or not, not only to engage students but also to support collaborative activities. Many of these tools allow users to use tags to organize resources and facilitate their retrieval at a later date or time. The aim of this chapter is to describe how tagging has been used in systems that support formal or informal learning and to summarize the functionalities that are common to these systems. In addition, common and unusual tagging applications that have been used in some Learning Objects Repositories are analysed.

Learning by doing e curva de aprendizagem. Uma aplica����o na esfera da Microeconomia

Trabalho apresentado no ��mbito dos artigos 11�� e 14�� do Regulamento de Presta����o de Servi��o Docente do ISCAL

Learning by doing e Curva de aprendizagem. Um estudo emp��rico aplicado em Microeconomia

Trabalho apresentado no ��mbito dos artigos 11�� e 14�� do Regulamento de Presta����o de Servi��o Docente do ISCAL

Legal and political regulation of higher education in Portugal: an evolutionary perspective on the current policy issues and the problem of order

The higher education system in Europe is currently under stress and the debates over its reform and future are gaining momentum. Now that, for most countries, we are in a time for change, in the overall society and the whole education system, the legal and political dimensions have gained prominence, which has not been followed by a more integrative approach of the problem of order, its reform and the issue of regulation, beyond the typical static and classical cost-benefit analyses. The two classical approaches for studying (and for designing the policy measures of) the problem of the reform of the higher education system - the cost-benefit analysis and the legal scholarship description - have to be integrated. This is the argument of our paper that the very integration of economic and legal approaches, what Warren Samuels called the legal-economic nexus, is meaningful and necessary, especially if we want to address the problem of order (as formulated by Joseph Spengler) and the overall regulation of the system. On the one hand, and without neglecting the interest and insights gained from the cost-benefit analysis, or other approaches of value for money assessment, we will focus our study on the legal, social and political aspects of the regulation of the higher education system and its reform in Portugal. On the other hand, the economic and financial problems have to be taken into account, but in a more inclusive way with regard to the indirect and other socio-economic costs not contemplated in traditional or standard assessments of policies for the tertiary education sector. In the first section of the paper, we will discuss the theoretical and conceptual underpinning of our analysis, focusing on the evolutionary approach, the role of critical institutions, the legal-economic nexus and the problem of order. All these elements are related to the institutional tradition, from Veblen and Commons to Spengler and Samuels. The second section states the problem of regulation in the higher education system and the issue of policy formulation for tackling the problem. The current situation is clearly one of crisis with the expansion of the cohorts of young students coming to an end and the recurrent scandals in private institutions. In the last decade, after a protracted period of extension or expansion of the system, i. e., the continuous growth of students, universities and other institutions are competing harder to gain students and have seen their financial situation at risk. It seems that we are entering a period of radical uncertainty, higher competition and a new configuration that is slowly building up is the growth in intensity, which means upgrading the quality of the higher learning and getting more involvement in vocational training and life-long learning. With this change, and along with other deep ones in the Portuguese society and economy, the current regulation has shown signs of maladjustment. The third section consists of our conclusions on the current issue of regulation and policy challenge. First, we underline the importance of an evolutionary approach to a process of change that is essentially dynamic. A special attention will be given to the issues related to an evolutionary construe of policy analysis and formulation. Second, the integration of law and economics, through the notion of legal economic nexus, allows us to better define the issues of regulation and the concrete problems that the universities are facing. One aspect is the instability of the political measures regarding the public administration and on which the higher education system depends financially, legally and institutionally, to say the least. A corollary is the lack of clear strategy in the policy reforms. Third, our research criticizes several studies, such as the one made by the OECD in late 2006 for the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, for being too static and neglecting fundamental aspects of regulation such as the logic of actors, groups and organizations who are major players in the system. Finally, simply changing the legal rules will not necessary per se change the behaviors that the authorities want to change. By this, we mean that it is not only remiss of the policy maker to ignore some of the critical issues of regulation, namely the continuous non-respect by academic management and administrative bodies of universities of the legal rules that were once promulgated. Changing the rules does not change the problem, especially without the necessary debates form the different relevant quarters that make up the higher education system. The issues of social interaction remain as intact. Our treatment of the matter will be organized in the following way. In the first section, the theoretical principles are developed in order to be able to study more adequately the higher education transformation with a modest evolutionary theory and a legal and economic nexus of the interactions of the system and the policy challenges. After describing, in the second section, the recent evolution and current working of the higher education in Portugal, we will analyze the legal framework and the current regulatory practices and problems in light of the theoretical framework adopted. We will end with some conclusions on the current problems of regulation and the policy measures that are discusses in recent years.

A influ��ncia do acompanhamento em suporte digital na motiva����o dos alunos de saxofone: relat��rio de est��gio

I (Pr��tica pedag��gica)- Esta sec����o do Relat��rio de Est��gio pretende apresentar elementos referentes ao Est��gio do Ensino Especializado da M��sica no ensino do saxofone, efectuado na Escola de M��sica Lu��s Ant��nio Maldonado Rodrigues, no ano lectivo 2012/2013. Neste est��gio foram envolvidos e analisados tr��s alunos, em n��veis distintos de desenvolvimento, mas com orienta����es semelhantes no que respeita �� organiza����o do trabalho. Para cada aluno foram realizados trinta planos de aula, uma planifica����o anual e tr��s grava����es v��deo/��udio em contexto de sala de aula, permitindo uma an��lise e reflex��o mais profunda do trabalho docente. A sec����o �� composta pela caracteriza����o da escola onde se realizou o est��gio, atrav��s da sua contextualiza����o/funcionamento, dos seus espa��os e equipamentos, recursos humanos existentes e organiza����o pedag��gica. Posteriormente �� efectuada a caracteriza����o dos tr��s alunos envolvidos no est��gio, baseada na experi��ncia docente e nos conhecimentos fornecidos pelas Unidades Curriculares do Mestrado em Ensino da M��sica. Seguidamente descrevem-se as pr��ticas lectivas desenvolvidas ao longo do ano lectivo por parte do docente, incorporando linhas orientadoras da doc��ncia aplicadas na pr��tica pedag��gica. �� feita uma an��lise cr��tica da actividade docente no ��mbito do est��gio do Ensino Especializado da M��sica, e, por ��ltimo, uma conclus��o desta primeira sec����o. .

O processo ensino-aprendizagem: relat��rio de est��gio

I - Inserido no Concelho de Odivelas, cuja realidade e contexto s��cio cultural real��am a problem��tica da diversidade cultural, colocando ao professor d��vidas e dificuldades emrela����o ��s suas pr��ticas educativas, o Conservat��rio de M��sica D. Dinis �� a escola na qual leciono desde 1993. �� tamb��m local de reflex��o permanente quanto aos crit��rios e condi����es que devem nortear a pr��tica pedag��gica contempor��nea na ��rea da m��sica, cujo objetivo assenta na forma����o integral do aluno atrav��s da utiliza����o de estrat��gias de ensino que o responsabilizem na pr��pria aprendizagem. Considerando estes desafios, o seguinte trabalho ser�� realizado no contexto da minha classe de violino e incidir�� sobre tr��s alunos em particular, que frequentam os seguintes graus, a saber: 1 - Inicia����o (1�� ciclo do ensino b��sico); 2 - 2�� grau (2�� ciclo do ensino b��sico); 3 - 5�� grau (3�� ciclo do ensino b��sico). Apesar de acreditar nas suas capacidades de aprendizagem e ter um cuidado especial sobre as minhas a����es e os efeitos destas na aprendizagem acad��mica e social dos meus alunos, os resultados finais s��o reveladores da import��ncia da motiva����o, do apoio parental e da responsabilidade dos alunos na obten����o do seu pr��prio sucesso escolar.

Principais dificuldades que os alunos de viola de arco apresentam quando ingressam no ensino superior portugu��s: relat��rio de est��gio

A maioria dos instrumentistas de cordas friccionadas apresentam problemas ou dificuldades ao longo de toda a sua aprendizagem musical. Como professora e violetista, realizei este relat��rio de est��gio com o intuito de pesquisar onde se focam a maioria desses problemas. Este relat��rio de est��gio est�� dividido em duas diferentes sec����es, a primeira apresenta todo o trabalho pedag��gico efectuado com tr��s diferentes alunos, de diferentes n��veis ao longo do ano lectivo de 2012/13 na Funda����o Musical dos Amigos das Crian��as (FMAC), e a segunda apresenta toda a investiga����o que realizei para concluir quais as principais dificuldades que os alunos de viola de arco apresentam quando ingressam no Ensino Superior. A investiga����o apresenta uma vasta pesquisa liter��ria e o testemunho dos professores de v��rias institui����es, como a Universidade do Minho, Escola Superior de M��sica e Artes de Espect��culo, Universidade de Aveiro, Escola Superior das Artes Aplicadas de Castelo Branco e Escola Superior de M��sica de Lisboa que ajudaram �� profunda an��lise deste tema. Os resultados revelaram que os principais problemas apresentados nos estudantes de viola de arco s��o de origem t��cnica, ou seja, postura (posi����o do corpo, distribui����o do peso correcto pelas pernas e escolha adequada do instrumento de acordo com a fisionomia do aluno); m��o direita (pega correcta dos dedos no arco, distribui����o de arco e contrac����o muscular); m��o esquerda (posi����o do polegar, ombro e bra��o que afectam a afina����o, flexibilidade, mudan��as de posi����o e vibrato); influ��ncia da escolha do repert��rio por parte de um professor e autonomia do aluno.