Learning management systems in higher education

The use of Laptops and the Internet has produced the technological conditions for instructors and students can take advantage from the diversity of online information, communication, collaboration and sharing with others. The integration of Internet services in the teaching practices can be responsible for thematic, social and digital improvement for the agents involved. There are many benefits when we use a Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Moodle, to support the lectures in higher education. We also will consider its implications for student support and online interaction, leading educational agents to a collaborating of different learning environments, where they can combine face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated instruction, blended-learning, and increases the possibilities for better quality and quantity of human communication in a learning background. In general components of learning management systems contain synchronous and asynchronous communication tools, management features, and assessment utilities. These assessment utilities allow lecturers to systematize basic assessment tasks. Assessments can be straightaway delivered to the student, and upon conclusion, immediately returned with grades and detailed feedback. Therefore learning management systems can also be used for assessment purposes in Higher Education.

A new horizon for online teaching and learning

The Polytechnic Institute of Oporto (IPP), which has a solid history of online education and innovation through the use of technology, has been particularly interested and focused on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) developments. The aim of this paper is to present the whole process from initial discussions to completion of the ���Mathematics Without Limits��� MOOC Project that exists in IPP and also to contribute for a change in the way as teaching and learning Mathematics is seen and practiced nowadays. In 2013, IPP developed its own platform, which gave us the opportunity to explore new educational techniques as a pedagogical resource as well as to enhance students��� motivation, through a set of interactive materials at their disposal, totally adapted to their needs. Students lack of motivation is mainly justified by their weak Math preparation, poor consolidated basis on the subject and different backgrounds of the students. To tackle this issue and based on our Math online courses teaching experience, we decided to create short duration MOOC, expecting to aid retention of students and also to reverse the path of students giving up on Math by giving them a friendly way of managing their own learning commitment. We also think that this MOOC will be a good approach to level out some math skills among freshmen.

A new horizon for online teaching and learning

The Polytechnic Institute of Oporto (IPP), which has a solid history of online education and innovation through the use of technology, has been particularly interested and focused on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) developments. The aim of this paper is to present the whole process from initial discussions to completion of the ���Mathematics Without Limits��� MOOC Project that exists in IPP and also to contribute for a change in the way as teaching and learning Mathematics is seen and practiced nowadays. In 2013, IPP developed its own platform, which gave us the opportunity to explore new educational techniques as a pedagogical resource as well as to enhance students��� motivation, through a set of interactive materials at their disposal, totally adapted to their needs. Students lack of motivation is mainly justified by their weak Math preparation, poor consolidated basis on the subject and different backgrounds of the students. To tackle this issue and based on our Math online courses teaching experience, we decided to create short duration MOOC, expecting to aid retention of students and also to reverse the path of students giving up on Math by giving them a friendly way of managing their own learning commitment. We also think that this MOOC will be a good approach to level out some math skills among freshmen.

A New horizon for online teaching and learning

The Polytechnic Institute of Oporto (IPP), which has a solid history of online education and innovation through the use of technology, has been particularly interested and focused on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) developments. The aim of this paper is to present the whole process from initial discussions to completion of the ���Mathematics Without Limits��� MOOC Project that exists in IPP and also to contribute for a change in the way as teaching and learning Mathematics is seen and practiced nowadays. In 2013, IPP developed its own platform, which gave us the opportunity to explore new educational techniques as a pedagogical resource as well as to enhance students��� motivation, through a set of interactive materials at their disposal, totally adapted to their needs. Students lack of motivation is mainly justified by their weak Math preparation, poor consolidated basis on the subject and different backgrounds of the students. To tackle this issue and based on our Math online courses teaching experience, we decided to create short duration MOOC, expecting to aid retention of students and also to reverse the path of students giving up on Math by giving them a friendly way of managing their own learning commitment. We also think that this MOOC will be a good approach to level out some math skills among freshmen.

Learning in higher education: strategies to overcome challenges faced by adult students ��� lessons drawn from two case studies in Portugal

This paper appears in International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education edited by Lawrence A. Tomei (Ed.) Copyright 2007, IGI Global, www.igi-global.com. Posted by permission of the publisher. URL:http://www.idea-group.com/journals/details.asp?id=4287.

Stress in university students and cardiovascular response to academic stressors

Introduction: University students are frequently exposed to events that can cause stress and anxiety, producing elevated cardiovascular responses. Repeated exposure to academic stress has implications to students��� success and well-being and may contribute to the development of long-term health problems. Objective: To identify stress levels and coping strategies in university students and assess the impact of stress experience in heart rate variability (HRV). Methods: 17 university students, 19-23 years, completed the University Students Stress Inventory, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Two 24h-Holter recordings were performed, on academic activity days, including one of them an exam situation. Results: Students tend to present moderate stress levels, and prefer problem-focused coping strategies in order to manage stress. Exam situations are perceived as significant stressors. Although we found no significant differences in HRV (SDNN), between days with and without an exam, we registered a lower SDNN score and a variation in heart rate (HR) related to exam situation (maximum HR peak at 10 minutes before the exam, and total HR recovery 20 minutes after the exam), reflecting sympathetic activation due to stress. Conclusions: These results suggest that academic events, especially those related to exam situations, are the cause of stress in university students, with implications at cardiovascular level, underlying the importance of interventions that help these students improve their coping skills and optimize stress management, in order to improve academic achievement and promote well-being and quality of life.

E-Learning e auto-efic��cia no ensino profissional

Disserta����o de Mestrado em Gest��o de Sistemas de E-Learning

Teaching accounting and management through business simulation:

Everyday accounting and management teachers face the challenge of creating learning environments that motivate students. This chapter describes the Business Simulation (BS) experience that has taken place at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Institute of Accounting and Administration (IPP/ISCAP). The chapter presents students��� perceptions about the course and the teaching/learning approach. The results show that pedagogical methods used (competency-oriented), generic competencies (cooperation and group work), and interpersonal skills (organisational and communication skills) are relevant for future accounting professionals. In addition, positive remarks and possible constraints based on observation, staff meetings, and past research are reported. The chapter concludes with some recommendations from the project implementation.

Enhancing informal learning recognition through TRAILER project

International Workshop on solutions that Enhance Informal LEarning Recognition ��� WEILER 2013

Cria����o, organiza����o e gest��o de uma empresa municipal: o caso da PFR Invest

O presente documento, elaborado especificamente para a minha candidatura ��s provas de ���Especialista��� pelo Instituto Polit��cnico do Porto, est�� centrado apenas na minha actividade profissional dos ��ltimos 7 anos e considera a sua rela����o com uma futura atividade acad��mica como docente. A possibilidade de participar na defini����o, cria����o, organiza����o e gest��o de uma empresa municipal, na qualidade de seu Diretor-Executivo e Presidente do Conselho de Administra����o, num processo iniciado no contexto do Regime Jur��dico do Setor Empresarial Local de 2006, constituiu um momento central no meu processo de aprendizagem e investiga����o no dom��nio do Enquadramento na Organiza����o / Empresa. No quadro de uma nova ordem mundial, onde o poder p��blico �� convocado a agir em prol do desenvolvimento das matrizes econ��micas, onde a concorr��ncia pelos investimentos escassos �� crescente e onde se aprofundou o problema do desemprego estrutural, torna-se urgente para os governos locais a elabora����o de pol��ticas p��blicas e privadas que potenciem os fatores locais, transformando-os em vantagens competitivas. O Munic��pio de Pa��os de Ferreira prop��s-se desenvolver um modelo que decorreu diretamente do Regime Jur��dico do Setor Empresarial Local (que veio promover e at�� estimular o desenvolvimento de iniciativas empresariais locais com um car��ter racional e otimizado), e que pressup��s a cria����o de uma entidade empresarial municipal que realizasse o investimento necess��rio �� concretiza����o da zonas de acolhimento empresarial de Pa��os de Ferreira, assegurasse a sua gest��o e a atra����o e capta����o de investimento privado gerador de riqueza e de emprego para o Concelho. Este relat��rio analisa, em detalhe, todos os passos na cria����o, organiza����o e gest��o dessa empresa municipal - a PFR Invest.

Desenvolvimento da autonomia dos alunos na aprendizagem de piano: relat��rio de est��gio

Resumo I - O presente Relat��rio tem como objetivo dar a conhecer a experi��ncia da estagi��ria, inserida no ��mbito do Mestrado em Ensino da M��sica, da Escola Superior de M��sica de Lisboa ��� IPL. O Est��gio decorreu no Instituto Gregoriano de Lisboa, no ano letivo de 2014/2015. Foram selecionados tr��s alunos de n��veis diferentes para avaliar a atividade da estagi��ria enquanto docente de piano. Com este intuito, foi feita a carateriza����o da escola e dos alunos envolvidos no Est��gio, assim como a descri����o das pr��ticas educativas desenvolvidas. Para cada um dos alunos integrados no contexto deste Est��gio foram elaborados planos de aulas semanais e planifica����es anuais. Por fim, foi elaborada uma an��lise cr��tica da atividade docente desenvolvida e a descri����o das conclus��es resultantes desta pr��tica.

The European Project Semester at ISEP: Learning to Learn Engineering

The European Project Semester at ISEP (EPS@ISEP) is a one semester project-based learning programme addressed to engineering students from diverse scientific backgrounds and nationalities. The students, organized in multicultural teams, are challenged to solve real world multidisciplinary problems, accounting for 30 ECTU. The EPS package, although focused on project development (20 ECTU), includes a series of complementary seminars aimed at fostering soft, project-related and engineering transversal skills (10 ECTU). This paper presents the study plan, resources, operation and results of the EPS@ISEP that was created in 2011 to apply the best engineering education practices and promote the internationalization of ISEP. The results show that the EPS@ISEP students acquire during one semester the scientific, technical and soft competences necessary to propose, design and implement a solution for a multidisciplinary problem.

A diferen��a evolutiva de alunos do projeto Orquestra Gera����o e das escolas vocacionais de m��sica: a import��ncia dos agentes de motiva����o

Resumo I (Pr��tica Pedag��gica) - Nesta sec����o do relat��rio de est��gio pretende-se expor e caracterizar todos os elementos referentes �� pr��tica pedag��gica, integrada no est��gio, que ocorreu em parceria com a Escola de M��sica do Conservat��rio Nacional (EMCN) e o Projecto Orquestra Gera����o realizado no ano letivo de 2014/2015. Este tem por objetivo, a abordagem dos aspetos pedag��gicos, as metodologias de ensino, a efic��cia do trabalho, a motiva����o e os agentes motivacionais. Para a elabora����o deste relat��rio, foram observados e devidamente analisados tr��s alunos de forma peculiar. Por��m, �� de real��ar que um dos intervenientes pertencia �� EMCN e as aulas apenas eram observadas. Ao longo do ano letivo foram elaborados individualmente para cada aluno, vinte e dois planos de aula e ainda realizadas tr��s grava����es de aulas que foram vistas pelo professor orientador. �� posteriori ser��o caraterizadas as duas entidades que fizeram parceria, contribuindo para a poss��vel realiza����o do relat��rio de est��gio. Ser�� abordada a sua contextualiza����o hist��rica, os par��metros de ensino, o contexto sociocultural. De seguida, ser�� apresentada a carateriza����o dos tr��s alunos, abordando nomeadamente, o seu meio envolvente, os m��todos de estudo e a evolu����o motora, expressiva e auditiva. Ser��o analisadas e descritas algumas das pr��ticas de ensino, desenvolvidas quer ao longo das aulas individuais, quer da observa����o das grava����es e da an��lise constante dos planos de aulas e das planifica����es. Para finalizar o relat��rio de est��gio, ser�� elaborada uma reflex��o cr��tica, acerca do desempenho como docente e respetiva pr��tica pedag��gica trabalhada com os alunos.

Cities and emerging networks of learning communities

In the 21st century the majority of people live in urban settings and studies show a trend to the increase of this phenomenon. Globalisation and the concentration of multinational and clusters of firms in certain places are attracting people who seek employment and a better living. Many of those agglomerations are situated in developing countries, representing serious challenges both for public and private sectors. Programmes and initiatives in different countries are taking place and best practices are being exchanged globally. The objective is to transform these urban places into sustainable learning cities/regions where citizens can live with quality. The complexity of urban places, sometimes megacities, opened a new field of research. This paper argues that in order to understand the dynamics of such a complex phenomenon, a multidisciplinary, systemic approach is needed and the creation of learning cities and regions calls for the contribution of a multitude of fields of knowledge, ranging from economy to urbanism, educational science, sociology, environmental psychology and others.