As bibliotecas na I República : do discurso político à visão dos intelectuais

Este trabalho visa contribuir para uma melhor compreensão da problemática das bibliotecas públicas durante o período da I República (1910-1926). Pretende-se, assim, apreender à luz do ideário educativo republicano, qual foi a visão doutrinária e as propostas para a criação e/ou reorganização das bibliotecas públicas apresentadas por parte do poder político e de distintos eruditos que pensaram e escreveram sobre esta temática. Neste sentido, a análise documental privilegiou como fontes principais, os diplomas legais considerados mais significativos e estruturantes para o sector bibliotecário, promulgados pelos governos republicanos, bem como os textos doutrinários versados em artigos e ensaios escritos por Raul Proença, António de Bettencourt Ataíde e António Ferrão, os quais deram um importante contributo para a dinamização desta área. O trabalho está organizado em três capítulos: no primeiro, procedemos a uma breve abordagem do contexto político e histórico que favoreceu o desenvolvimento das bibliotecas públicas; no segundo, centramo-nos na análise de legislação referente às bibliotecas Eruditas, Populares e Móveis e, no terceiro, procuramos sinalizar as principais temáticas que mobilizaram os autores acima referidos em torno das Bibliotecas. As bibliotecas públicas, nas suas diferentes tipologias, deveriam constituir-se como espaços complementares à escola, ao serviço da instrução e da cultura, facilitando o acesso ao livro, ao saber, à informação e ao conhecimento e, deste modo, contribuírem para elevar o nível de Educação de todos os cidadãos.

Formação e leitura : o professor, sua prática e a inclusão social

“Formação e Leitura: o Professor, sua Prática e a Inclusão Social” aborda a problemática do fazer pedagógico para formar leitores ‘competentes’ favorecendo a inclusão social e a formação de cidadãos críticos. Pesquisa de natureza qualitativa, mas que não descarta dados quantitativos adota como fundamento metodológico a abordagem qualitativa de pesquisa, num recorte para estudo de caso. Objetiva conhecer e traçar um perfil da formação dos professores atuantes no Ensino Fundamental I, da rede de ensino público municipal de Cotia – São Paulo, identificar as concepções do professor a respeito deste ensino e aprendizagem, compreender e apresentar a relação dos professores e alunos em torno desta prática e sua qualidade social. As considerações a respeito da importância da leitura, as práticas pedagógicas e atuação do professor como incentivador e disseminador do hábito de ler e a formação necessária para que sejam comprometidos com o desenvolvimento desta prática social, constituem os questionamentos que norteiam esta pesquisa. Dentre os resultados, constata que o universo de significações trazido pelos professores recaem sobre a prática docente; são os seus hábitos e crença na leitura, como fator de inclusão social sua e de seus alunos que determinam o seu fazer pedagógico. Essa pesquisa tem o potencial de contribuir para reflexões dos projetos pedagógicos e suas equipes escolares, visando elevar a qualidade social da educação de um modo geral.

Programa de letramento reescrevendo o futuro : uma experiência de formação de alfabetizadores no Estado do Amazonas

O presente estudo apresenta uma pesquisa qualitativa e tem como objetivo analisar a experiência de formação de alfabetizadores de EJA do Programa de Letramento Reescrevendo o Futuro desenvolvido pela Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, contemplando sua abordagem teórica e prática a fim de verificar se as formações inicial e continuada à luz das concepções construtivistas e sociointeracionistas têm possibilitado a aderência entre a teoria e prática. A proposta de formação do Programa é pautada em uma prática reflexiva e dialógica que toma como ponto de partida os saberes dos professores, que no caso do programa em questão, são na sua maioria acadêmicos dos cursos de pedagogia e normal superior da própria Universidade e de outras instituições de ensino superior. Tomaremos como referenciais para esta pesquisa, as contribuições de Maurice Tardif sobre saberes docentes, a vertente sociológica expressada pelo conceito de habitus, as contribuições de Piaget, Vygotsky e Emília Ferreiro, cujas investigações têm favorecido a consolidação de uma concepção sobre o processo de aprendizagem como resultado da ação do aprendiz e ainda a proposta metodológica de Heloisa Vilas Boas, uma Doutora brasileira em linguística, que nos apresenta uma nova alternativa didática de alfabetização.

Leitura e escrita científica : um estudo com alunos do 12º ano de escolaridade de Biologia

Atualmente, os professores de ciências trabalham com alunos que apresentam sérias dificuldades em duas áreas-chave do ensino: a leitura e a escrita. Esta lacuna, dificulta a aquisição e compreensão de determinados conceitos, o que provoca uma necessidade de melhorar os hábitos de leitura e escrita científica. O estudo apresentado neste trabalho pretende analisar a importância da leitura e escrita científica no ensino das ciências no ensino secundário. Objetiva-se que os alunos aprendam e adquiram práticas de escrita e leitura científicas e ainda que despertem para uma parte da ‘ciência real’, como seja o contacto com os artigos elaborados por investigadores, resultantes de trabalhos de pesquisa levados a efeito em instituições ligadas à investigação científica. Para este efeito desenvolveu-se um estudo com alunos de biologia do 12º ano de escolaridade, durante sete meses, em contexto de sala de aula, no qual foi explorada a leitura de artigos científicos e a elaboração de documentos escritos resultantes de uma análise dos mesmos. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que, de uma forma geral, que os conceitos científicos e conteúdos estudados nas aulas de biologia conforme o programa curricular em vigor, foram, com recurso aos artigos científicos, melhor apreendidos e consolidados. Foi ainda verificado um crescente aperfeiçoamento dos hábitos de escrita e leitura dos alunos. Desta forma, pode afirmar-se que o tipo de estratégia apresentada nesta investigação por via da leitura e da escrita promove a compreensão e a retenção dos conteúdos, ou seja, ler e escrever para aprender.

Mortality of Migratory Birds from Marine Commercial Fisheries and Offshore Oil and Gas Production in Canada

There is an imminent need for conservation and best-practice management efforts in marine ecosystems where global-scale declines in the biodiversity and biomass of large vertebrate predators are increasing and marine communities are being altered. We examine two marine-based industries that incidentally take migratory birds in Canada: (1) commercial fisheries, through bycatch, and (2) offshore oil and gas exploration, development, and production. We summarize information from the scientific literature and technical reports and also present new information from recently analyzed data to assess the magnitude and scope of mortality. Fisheries bycatch was responsible for the highest levels of incidental take of migratory bird species; estimated combined take in the longline, gillnet, and bottom otter trawl fisheries within the Atlantic, including the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Pacific regions was 2679 to 45,586 birds per year. For the offshore oil and gas sector, mortality estimates ranged from 188 to 4494 deaths per year due to the discharge of produced waters resulting in oil sheens and collisions with platforms and vessels; however these estimates for the oil and gas sector are based on many untested assumptions. In spite of the uncertainties, we feel levels of mortality from these two industries are unlikely to affect the marine bird community in Canada, but some effects on local populations from bycatch are likely. Further research and monitoring will be required to: (1) better estimate fisheries-related mortality for vulnerable species and populations that may be impacted by local fisheries, (2) determine the effects of oil sheens from produced waters, and attraction to platforms and associated mortality from collisions, sheens, and flaring, so that better estimates of mortality from the offshore oil and gas sector can be obtained, and (3) determine impacts associated with accidental spills, which are not included in our current assessment. With a better understanding of the direct mortality of marine birds from industry, appropriate mitigation and management actions can be implemented. Cooperation from industry for data collection, research to fill knowledge gaps, and implementation of mitigation approaches will all be needed to conserve marine birds in Canada.

Reflections: 50 Years of Medieval Archaeology, 1957-2007

This volume celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Society for Medieval Archaeology (established in 1957), presenting reflections on the history, development and future prospects of the discipline. The papers are drawn from a series of conferences and workshops that took place in 2007-2008, in addition to a number of contributions that were commissioned especially for the volume. They range from personal commentaries on the history of the Society and the growth of the subject, to historiographical, regional and thematic overviews of major trends in the evolution and current practice of medieval archaeology in Britain. Critical overviews are presented of the archaeology of medieval landscapes, buildings and material culture; new developments in the scientific study of medieval health, diet and materials; and innovations in social approaches to medieval archaeology. A series of papers on southern Europe provide a comparative perspective, featuring overviews on medieval archaeology in Italy, Spain and southeastern Europe.

Delivering sustainability therapy in Sustainable Development projects

This paper explores the apparent contradiction between the 'linearity' of most Sustainable Development projects, with time-bound and defined outputs achieved at a fixed cost, and an implied 'circularity' of the theory whereby there is no 'end'. Projects usually have clear parameters within which they are implemented, and the inclusion of elements such as the need for accountability, measurable impact and,value for money' have grown in importance. It could be argued that we live in a 'projectified' and therefore linear world. The paper explores the potential contradiction between 'linearity' and 'circularity', and suggests that one way around this is to frame the project within a form of the Kolb Learning Cycle heuristic. This will facilitate a rationalisation from those implementing the sustainable development project as to why decisions are being made and for whom. If these questions are opened up to the project stakeholders, including beneficiaries, then the Kolb cycle could encourage learning and understanding by all involved. It could also provide Sustainability Therapy to those trapped in processes, which they find orthogonal to their own perceptions. It is suggested that such learning, therapy and reflective practice should be a valid output of the sustainable development project, although typically the focus is only upon the final outputs and how they feed into policy. Ironically funders would be well advised to take a broader perspective in order to achieve true 'value for money' within such projects, even if learning is not an easily measurable or tangible outcome. These points are explored within the context of the wider literature and experience with a sustainable development project undertaken in Malta. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reflections of geography and gender, then and now

Women and Geography Study Group Publication on the anniversary of Geography and Gender. The Women and Geography Study Group's publication "Geography and Gender Reconsidered" (ISBN 0 -902447 - 26 - 2) can now be purchased in UK, USA and Canada. This self-publication on CD-Rom was produced to celebrate and reflect upon the 20 years since the groundbreaking "Geography and Gender" published by the WGSG in 1984, and to coincide with a session at the IGU conference in Glasgow in Aug 2004. The self-publication format allowed a more flexible approach to writing, in addition to minimising the price of the final produce while maximising return for the study group (to support student conference attendance, reading weekends and other activities).

Construction subcontracts: for what we are about to receive

This paper is from a study on specialist and trade contracting in the construction industry. The research was commissioned by CIRIA and undertaken by the University of Reading in conjunction with Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners Ltd. The purpose of the work was to provide guidance for effective and equitable practice in the management of projects where much of the work is executed, and possibly designed, by specialist and trade contractors (STCs). As part of this study, a preliminary investigation into the nature and origins of specialist contracting was undertaken, in conjunction with a survey of the problems confronting STCs. This paper presents that phase of the project.

Cognitive-behavior therapy for compulsive checking in OCD

There is substantial evidence for the effectiveness of psychological treatments for OCD, and various approaches have been widely recommended. These approaches tend to be characterized by exposure and response prevention (ERP) and also tend to be applied equally to all forms of OCD. Patients/clients (and some therapists) often find ERP to be a difficult treatment, and both dropout and refusal rates are unacceptably high. Based on specific cognitive conceptualizations of different manifestations of OCD, new and refined cognitive treatment methods are now available. The present article describes a specific cognitively based approach to the treatment of compulsive checking.

Improving educational functions in botanic gardens by employing landscape narratives

Landscape narrative, combining landscape and narrative, has been employed to create storytelling layouts and interpretive information in some famous botanic gardens. In order to assess the educational effectiveness of using "landscape narrative" in landscape design, the Heng-Chun Tropical Botanical Garden in Taiwan was chosen as research target for an empirical study. Based on cognitive theory and the affective responses of environmental psychology, computer simulations and video recordings were used to create five themed display areas with landscape narrative elements. Two groups of pupils watched simulated films. The pupils were then given an evaluation test and questionnaire, to determine the effectiveness of the landscape narrative. When the content was well associated and matched with the narrative landscape, the comprehension and retention of content was increased significantly. The results also indicated that visual preference of narrative landscape scenes was increased. This empirical study can be regarded as a successful model of integrating landscape narrative and interpretation practice that can be applied to the design of new theme displays in botanic gardens to improve both the effectiveness of interpretation plans and the visual preference of visitors. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methodological rigour in assessing participatory development

There have been few rigorous assessments of the effectiveness of participatory processes for natural resource management. In Bangladesh an approach known as Participatory Action Plan Development (PAPD) has been developed and applied. By combining problem identification and solution analysis by separate stakeholder groups with plenary sessions it is claimed to result in consensus and more effective community based management. Methodological issues in assessing the effectiveness of such development are discussed and good practice illustrated. Under the same project there were sites where PAPD had been used and others without its use so a comparative assessment could be made. However, for an appropriate assessment it is important to identify clear testable hypotheses regarding the expected benefits, appropriate measures, and other factors which may affect or confound the outcome. The paper illustrates how participatory assessment involving both individual opinions and focus groups can be systematically recorded, quantified and used with other data in statistical analysis. By using statistical modelling methods at an appropriate level of aggregation and controlling for other factors, benefits from PAPD were found to be significant. The systematic approaches and practices recommended from this example can be applied in similar situations to test the effectiveness of participatory processes using participatory assessments.

Change in construction: a critical perspective

Change within the construction sector has been a central concern of governments and a select few private-sector clients for a considerable time. The discourse of change emanating from organizations concerned with reform in the construction sector reflects these ongoing concerns for change in the sector. The underlying assumptions of the content of change and appropriate change mechanisms in the UK are critically examined and challenged. In particular, the limitations of measurement and best practice are explored. The allegiance to approaches based on measurement and best practice is acontextual, unreflective and insufficient in providing wholly reliable explanations for the relationship between practice and performance. Claims for the use of measurement and best practice by the reform movement must therefore be understood to have limitations and their use approached with caution. The emphasis on best practice is also understood to direct attention away from understanding the legitimacy of current practice and change within the UK construction sector. An agenda for change in the UK construction sector will need to engage with and be more reflective of current managerial practice and past change initiatives. Contextual approaches such as structuration theory offer a way in which to underpin a research framework that could support the reform movement in setting such an agenda.

Standardization of procurement: National or international?

The ISO has issued a Draft International Standard on construction procurement and the British Standards Institute is drafting a standard based upon this for use in the UK. Three questions arise from these observations. First, what kind of consultation processes would be adequate to ensure that such a standard meets the requirements of an industry as diverse as construction? Second, why would an international standard be inappropriate for use in a country like UK? Third, what sort of issues should such a standard seek to cover? There are strong precedents for process standards, such as quality assurance, design management and workmanship on building sites. So the idea of a standard on procurement is not unusual. Moreover, there are many differences in tendering and procurement practice that are wasteful and even collusive or illegal. These issues are explored with a view to offering insights and suggestions for guidance based on the experiences in UK. The research method is first-hand observation of the drafting committee who are dealing with the British Standard. As an example to test and inform the standardization concept, six different standard guidance documents on tendering procedures are compared. This reveals a significant degree of diversity, and based on this, nine stages for implementing a tendering procedure are derived.