Degree projects improving co-operation between the teacher education program and schools : - Swedish experiences

In 1977, when teacher education inSwedenwas incorporated into the university system, the main reason was to transform it into an academic tradition. Now, nearly 30 years later, there is still tension between the academic and the vocational tradition; they show up as different and separated elements in a program that is meant to prepare students for a career as a teacher and for a possible future career as a researcher in this field. This tension gives rise to a risk of allowing parallel “tracks” to develop and of isolating the degree thesis work from other courses. On the teacher-training program in which we are involved, close co-operation with partner-schools, where the practical part of the program takes place, has been established. Here, the students´ degree theses are an important factor in making this co-operation work on a concrete level. Accordingly, the purpose of the degree thesis is both to reflect problems in schools and contribute to better teaching in the individual school, but also to offer relevant educational subject matter to the students, which may be adapted as an element in the university’s research environments. From these points of view, the degree thesis is an important part of teacher education and rather more than just a single course. The degree thesis should be an element that gives the students an opportunity to show that they have reached central goals in the teacher education program. It should also be an integral part in the development of critical and scholarly thinking, deepening pedagogical and didactic knowledge and giving the students an opportunity to apply research methods. We will here use two minor case studies: one that compares teacher education programs in five Swedish universities and one minor study at one of those universities, in order to elaborate on the questions: - What purpose has a degree thesis and what role does it play in teacher education? - What criteria are relevant to assessing a degree thesis and what qualities do the degree theses have? - Is it possible to assess a degree thesis fairly and what happens to students who do not pass? - How could the degree thesis be used to improve the contact between the teacher education program and its partner schools in order to contribute to the development of the individual school?

Hip fracture in the elderly: does counting time from fracture to surgery or from hospital admission to surgery matter when studying in-hospital mortality?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Health surveys and use of maternal and child health care services in three municipalities within the São Paulo metropolitan area

Objectives. To describe the changes in the use of maternal and child health care services by residents of three municipalities-Embu, Itapecerica da Serra, and Taboao da Serra-in the São Paulo metropolitan area, 12 years after the implementation of the Unified Health System (SUS) in Brazil, and to analyze the potential of population-based health care surveys as sources of data to evaluate these changes.Methods. Two population-based, cross-sectional surveys were carried out in 1990 and 2002 in municipalities located within the São Paulo metropolitan area. For children under 1 year of age, the two periods were compared in terms of outpatient services utilization and hospital admission; for the mothers, the periods were compared in terms of prenatal care and deliveries. In both surveys, stratified and multiple-stage conglomerate sampling was employed, with standardization of interview questions.Results. The most important changes observed were regarding the location of services used for prenatal care, deliveries, and hospitalization of children less than 1 year of age. There was a significant increase in the use of services in the surrounding region or hometown, and decrease in the utilization of services in the city of São Paulo (in 1990, 80% of deliveries and almost all admissions for children less than 1 year versus 32% and 46%, respectively, in 2002). The use of primary care units and 24-hour walk-in clinics also increased. All these changes reflect care provided by public resources. In the private sector, there was a decrease in direct payments and payments through company-paid health insurance and an increase in payments through self-paid health insurance.Conclusions. The major changes observed in the second survey occurred simultaneous to the changes that resulted from the implementation of the SUS. Population-based health surveys are adequate for analyzing and comparing the utilization of health care services at different times.

A concepção de trabalho na educação básica: caminhos para a formação da juventude no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará

In 2008 two laws that changed the didactic- pedagogic and administrative organization of vocational schools were enacted: the Law 11.741/2008, which incorporated the Technical Professional Education for the Middle Level to Basic Education; and Law 11.892/2008,which has transformed Agrotechnical Schools, the CEFET 's and some technical schools linked to universities into Colleges of Education, Science and Technology (IFs). These institutions have been operating at all levels and types of education provided in the Law of Directives and Bases of National Education number 9394/1996, with the exception of Early Childhood Education. Vocational and training schools, which gave origin to the IFs,have historically restricted youth education to teaching professional techniques, but due to the reformist laws, they were led to revise their conceptions of work and education. Thus, the goal of this article is to analyze the concepts of Basic Education and work that permeate these laws and the organization of educational work at IFCE. Have these laws been promoting a rupture with the history of vocational education in the country? Have the IFs been accomplishing a teaching job in addition to technical training? The choice for these questions was motivated by two main reasons: a) Vocational Education in the aforementioned institutions have traditionally been restricted to the qualication of the labor force for learning a technical profession, without relating it to issues that concern basic education; b) The Reform of Basic Education, from 1990 to 2013, was conducted in the context of capital's structural crisis and aimed to adapt the educational system to the demands of productive sectors. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to explain the contradictions that exist in project of formation of the working class, in the context of a conictual society divided into classes, a situation that alienates the youth to live this time forever.

PROUNI: estudo multicasos com bolsistas beneficiários (estudantes e egressos) de sete instituições de ensino supeiror do Estado de São Paulo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The USAID and the teaching of mathematics in Rio Grande do Norte

In the 1960s occurred great changes in the general education and, specially in the mathematical teaching, throughout Brazil. Besides the Law Diretrizes e Bases for Education (law 4024/1961), such changes also was occurred by opposite educational movements. In one side, those ones that valorized the popular education and culture and, for the other side, the international agreements between universities and government organs, like SUDENE and MEC, with United States Agency for International Development (USAID). These agreements purposed the cultural alignment. In this article we will expose some of these agreements and their interference in two courses for teachers' education. These teachers taught mathematics for the elementary school, in Rio Grande do Norte.

Escolarização de elites na perspectiva das famílias

We investigated strategies for children education of academic elites. Our study had as basis researches done in Brazil about the scholarization of elites’ groups during the last two decades. The theorical referential for the definition and the problematization of our object of study was based on Almeida and Nogueira’s works (2002), Bourdieu and Passeron (1975), Brandão and Lellis (2003), Busetto (2006), Lacerda and Carvalho (2007) and Nogueira (1998; 2002; 2005). We developed desk research on the pedagogical proposals of a high school in São Paulo state, its image among the society analyzed through advertising material and the application of semi-structured interviews with six families. The results shows that not only the educational but also the families goals in maintaining privileged positions in terms of children’s admission to universities and courses of high prestige, and the perpetuation of the condition in belonging to an elite group.

Book Review of Entomology at the Land Grant University: Perspectives from the Texas A&M University Department Centenary Edited by Kevin M. Heinz, Raymond Frisbie, and Carlos Bogran

This book offers the texts of twenty-four presentations given in a series of mini symposia organized to commemorate the centennial of Texas A&M's Department of Entomology. Although not stated explicitly by the editors, the central theme for these symposia seems to be the contributions of the discipline of entomology to modern society. The presentations cover a wide range of topics dealing with the importance of insects in both natural ecosystems and agricultural systems; insects as models for scientific research; challenges associated with effective management of those species that are pests in systems designed for food and fiber production; and the role of entomology departments within academic institutions, particularly land-grant universities. The list of contributors to these symposia is impressive, as are the universities and other institutions they represent across the United States as well as in Europe and Africa.

A Comparative Study of the Information-Seeking Behavior of Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Agricultural Extension and Education Students

This study compares information-seeking behavior of Bachelor of Science and Master of Science students in the fields of agricultural extension and education. The authors surveyed Iranian students in departments of agricultural extension and education at four universities in Tehran, Shiraz, Mollasani, and Kermanshah. This study focused on three aspects: (1) comparison of amounts of information-seeking behavior between Bachelor of Science and Master of Science agricultural extension and education students; (2) comparison of information-seeking behavior varieties in Bachelor of Science and Master of Science agricultural extension and education students; (3) Comparison of amounts of available information resources at four universities and its effectiveness on students' information-seeking behavior; and (4) comparison of research and educational outputs in Bachelor of Science and Master of Science students. Scale free technique, division by mean method, principal components analysis technique, Delphi method, t-test, correlation and regression tools were used for data analysis. This study revealed that Bachelor of Science students' information-seeking behavior is for improving educational output, but Master of Science students' information-seeking behavior is for promoting research output. Among varieties of Internet searching skills, library searching skills, and awareness of library information-seeking methods with students' information-seeking behavior, there are not significant differences between two groups of students.

Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil): Objectives and Design

Although low- and middle-income countries still bear the burden of major infectious diseases, chronic noncommunicable diseases are becoming increasingly common due to rapid demographic, epidemiologic, and nutritional transitions. However, information is generally scant in these countries regarding chronic disease incidence, social determinants, and risk factors. The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) aims to contribute relevant information with respect to the development and progression of clinical and subclinical chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In this report, the authors delineate the study's objectives, principal methodological features, and timeline. At baseline, ELSA-Brasil enrolled 15,105 civil servants from 5 universities and 1 research institute. The baseline examination (2008-2010) included detailed interviews, clinical and anthropometric examinations, an oral glucose tolerance test, overnight urine collection, a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram, measurement of carotid intima-media thickness, echocardiography, measurement of pulse wave velocity, hepatic ultrasonography, retinal fundus photography, and an analysis of heart rate variability. Long-term biologic sample storage will allow investigation of biomarkers that may predict cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Annual telephone surveillance, initiated in 2009, will continue for the duration of the study. A follow-up examination is scheduled for 2012-2013.

Investigating strategies and indicators for sustainable campus: Comparison and synergies between University of Bologna and Delft University of Technology

Sustainable development is one of the biggest challenges of the twenty fist-century. Various university has begun the debate about the content of this concept and the ways in which to integrate it into their policy, organization and activities. Universities have a special responsibility to take over a leading position by demonstrating best practices that sustain and educate a sustainable society. For that reason universities have the opportunity to create the culture of sustainability for today’s student, and to set their expectations for how the world should be. This thesis aim at analyzing how Delft University of Technology and University of Bologna face the challenge of becoming a sustainable campus. In this context, both universities have been studied and analyzed following the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) methodology that provides a common framework to formalize commitments and goals at campus level. In particular this work has been aimed to highlight which key performance indicators are essential to reach sustainability as a consequence the following aspects has been taken into consideration: energy use, water use, solid waste and recycling, carbon emission. Subsequently, in order to provide a better understanding of the current state of sustainability on University of Bologna and Delft University of Technology, and potential strategies to achieve the stated objective, a SWOT Analysis has been undertaken. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats have been shown to understand how the two universities can implement a synergy to improve each other. In the direction of framing a “Sustainable SWOT” has been considered the model proposed by People and Planet, so it has been necessary to evaluate important matters as for instance policy, investment, management, education and engagement. Regarding this, it has been fundamental to involve the main sustainability coordinators of the two universities, this has been achieved through a brainstorming session. Partnerships are key to the achievement of sustainability. The creation of a bridge between two universities aims to join forces and to create a new generation of talent. As a result, people can become able to support universities in the exchange of information, ideas, and best practices for achieving sustainable campus operations and integrating sustainability in research and teaching. For this purpose the project "SUCCESS" has been presented, the project aims to create an interactive European campus network that can be considered a strategic key player for sustainable campus innovation in Europe. Specifically, the main key performance indicators have been analyzed and the importance they have for the two universities and their strategic impact have been highlighted. For this reason, a survey was conducted with people who play crucial roles for sustainability within the two universities and they were asked to evaluate the KPIs of the project. This assessment has been relevant because has represented the foundation to develop a strategy to create a true collaboration.

The Problem of Data

Jahnke and Asher explore workflows and methodologies at a variety of academic data curation sites, and Keralis delves into the academic milieu of library and information schools that offer instruction in data curation. Their conclusions point to the urgent need for a reliable and increasingly sophisticated professional cohort to support data-intensive research in our colleges, universities, and research centers.

Trends and Expertise Exchange within Rapid Manufacturing in Europe

Rapid Manufacturing (RM) umfasst den Begriff der direkten und wirtschaftlichen Bauteilherstellung des Serienprodukts aus 3D-Daten. Die Hauptvorteile sind u.a. das Wegfallen von Werkzeugen und eine Designfreiheit in der Produktentwicklung, die noch vor wenigen Jahren undenkbar war. Wenngleich heute eine Vielzahl von Werkstoffen im Kunststoff- und Metallbereich einsetzbar sind, konzentriert sich die Verbreitung des RM allerdings auf besondere Technologie- und Wirtschaftszweige, aufgrund mangelnder Erfahrungswerte, teilweise abweichender Werkstoffeigenschaften, fehlender Standards und ungeeigneter Testmethoden. In der Praxis sind Ingenieure und Techniker stark darauf bedacht, auf etablierte Abläufe und Standards zurückzugreifen. Es ist daher schwer einen geeigneten RM-Prozess aufzubauen, wo wichtige Eingangsgrößen meist unbekannt sind. In diesem Bericht wird beschrieben, welche Informationskanäle es innerhalb Europas zum Thema RM gibt und welche Hochschulen und Forschungszentren Aktivitäten aufweisen. Darüber hinaus werden Anwendungsfelder des RM aufgeführt, die über die bekannten Anwendungsfelder hinaus gehen. Dazu gehören Anwendungen im Bereich der Elektrotechnik, Raumfahrtinstrumentation und der Mode. Obwohl nicht alle Anwendungen des RM in diesem Bericht aufgeführt werden, sind einige Schlüsselinformationen im Bereich innovativer Anwendungen von RM enthalten.

Pile-dwellings of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age in Switzerland. Long-term research and future tasks

Swiss lake-side settlements dating between 4300 and 800 BC were first recognized in the early 19th century and between 1854 and 1880 early research boomed due to the first scientific studies and the artificial lowering of lakes in Western Switzerland. In the 20th century underwater and wetland archaeology experienced an enormous surge not only because of large rescue excavations, due to extensive motorway construction projects but also due to the evolution of modern IT technology in the 1970s. For the first time huge quantities of ancient wooden structures could be dated by dendrochronology. This produced a quantum leap in the 150 years of pile-dwelling research. In 2011, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee recognized the outstanding universal value of these sites. This article presents an overview about Swiss pile-dwellings of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age and the results of two recent diploma works (case study Sutz-Lattrigen Haupstation innen and case study Seedorf Lobsigensee) as examples of research and cooperation between universities and government agencies for cultural heritage management.

Education for specialization in prosthodontics in Switzerland and the role of EPA.

Advertisement for any dental treatment was rare in Switzerland. Then the use of digital media became popular, particularly in the field of implant- and esthetic-dentistry. In parallel to the dental schools of public universities, private universities and companies built up centers for continuing education that issue specialists diplomas and M.Sc. degrees. Prosthodontics itself is characterized by many sub-disciplines that incorporated their own associations. These also offer graduate training curricula which diminish the significance of specialization in prosthodontics. Specialized prosthodontists do not have a financial benefit in Switzerland where dentistry is not supported by any insurance. In other European countries funding of prosthodontic treatment depends on their healthcare systems. There are four specialties in Dentistry recognized by the European Union (EU). Specialization in prosthodontics was introduced in Sweden already in 1982 and today it is declared in about 20 European countries, while for others no recognized program exists. Thus there are great variations with more recognized specialists in former east European countries. In Switzerland the prosthodontic specialization curriculum was developed and guided by the Swiss Society for Reconstructive Dentistry, and only in 2001 it became fully acknowledged by the Federal Department of Health. The four Swiss Universities offer the 3-year program under the supervision of the society, while the government remains the executive body. In 2003 EPA tried to set up guidelines and quality standards for an EPA recognized specialization. In spite of these attempts and the Bologna Reform in Europe, it appears that the quality standards and the level of education still may differ significantly among European countries.