Políticas oficiais de avaliação da educação superior e trabalho docente

A pesquisa que aqui se apresenta tem por temática principal o estudo sobre as políticas oficiais de avaliação da educação superior no Brasil e a compreensão crítica sobre as relações que os docentes da Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG) têm estabelecido com os objetivos reais e proclamados das atuais políticas oficiais. Neste sentido, apresenta-se um breve histórico das concepções de Estado articulado às políticas públicas educacionais formuladas a partir da década de 70. Devido ao forte movimento de centralização dos processos educacionais e descentralização dos mecanismos de financiamento e gestão do sistema de educação que ocorre,principalmente, após os anos 90 com o enquadramento do Brasil no modelo neoliberal e que tem por objetivo atender as necessidades de reestruturação capitalista, prioriza-se a análise das diversas e profundas mudanças vivenciadas, a partir deste período, no trabalho dos docentes da educação superior por meio das constantes avaliações a que estão sendo expostos direta ou indiretamente. A validade e importância de investigar o tema se afirmam pela necessidade de compreender como estas políticas têm alterado a produção e o trabalho do professor universitário, o papel das Instituições de Ensino Superior e a qualidade da educação superior. A reflexão principal se concentra no estudo das intra e inter-relações estabelecidas entre as avaliações nacionais, as avaliações internas da UEPG e o exercício da profissão docente no campo de pesquisa. Os objetivos adotados foram: analisar as concepções de Estado no Brasil e como suas ações influenciaram as políticas educacionais; articular a História do Paraná à da UEPG e as propostas avaliativas do governo federal em relação a educação superior, considerando o período em que as avaliações eram ainda assistemáticas, porém dando ênfase ao momento em que as mesmas se tornaram institucionais; e perceber alguns dos enredamentos criados entre as avaliações externas e internas da UEPG e o trabalho docente. A metodologia empregada baseou-se na Teoria da Complexidade, na Pesquisa Participante e nas argumentações da abordagem do ciclo de políticas. Uma das considerações que podem ser ressaltadas é que a reinterpretação das políticas da instituição e a recontextualização poderiam potencializar o poder de intervenção e participação efetiva dos professores, mas que este processo não tem sido priorizado dentro da conjuntura de sobrevivência a precarização docente.

Towards productivity indicators for performance-based façade design in commercial buildings

Decision-making in the façade design process has a significant influence on several aspects of indoor environment, thereby making it a complex and multi-objective optimisation process. There are two principal barriers in the process of indentifying an optimal façade solution. Firstly, most existing indoor environmental evaluation methods do not account for all the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) aspects relevant to façade design. Secondly, the relationship between the physical properties of a particular façade design option and the resulting economic benefits accrued during its service-life is unknown. In this paper, we introduce the bases for establishing relationships between occupant productivity and the combinatorial effects of four key façade-related IEQ aspects, namely, thermal comfort, aural comfort, visual comfort and air quality, on occupant productivity. The proposed framework's potential is tested against seven existing experimental investigations and its applicability is illustrated by a simple façade design example. The proposed approach ultimately aims to provide a quantitative economic measure of alternative façade design options that would be applicable to early design stage. Aspects of the work that require further experimental validation are identified. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

软件体系结构分析与评价方法评述

近年来,软件体系结构逐渐成为软件工程领域的研究热点以及大型软件系统开发和产品线开发中的关键技术.体系结构分析评价的目的是为了识别体系结构设计中的潜在风险,帮助开发人员进行设计决策.从软件体系结构的概念出发,分类介绍了体系结构描述的不同观点,评述了国内外有代表性的分析评价方法和工具.最后探讨了软件体系结构分析评价研究中存在的不足及其原因,作为总结,给出体系结构分析评价未来的发展方向.

土壤侵蚀危险度评价研究进展

通过对已有土壤侵蚀危险度评价研究的分析,将这些评价方法归纳为土壤抗蚀年限评价法、土壤侵蚀危险度主导因子分级评价法和土壤侵蚀危险度模型评价法3大类,并在对各种评价方法综合分析的基础上,对土壤侵蚀危险度评价的研究方向和发展趋势进行讨论。建议今后加强土壤侵蚀危险度定量评价方法,尤其是模型方法的研究。

排队理论在车道收费系统中的应用研究

以排队理论为基础,研究了车道收费系统的排队模型及系统性能指标的评价方法,给出长青收费站在正常收费及繁忙时的性能参数;结合项目实例,给出了收费车道数的设计方法,并给出了车道数与设计小时交通辆(DHV)的变化曲线;最后对以社会总费用为目标的车道数进行了优化设计。

改造型盆地油气成藏机理与油气预测－以银根－额济纳旗盆地为例

Reformed basin is a basin that underwent multiple immense reformation after the sedimentary stage, the major geologic elements of the petroleum system in the prototyped basin are destroyed to a certain extent, and their petroleum system has been reconstructed. This type of basin is frequently found in the course of exploration both home and abroad. In China, especially in the western and southern part of China, the basins in which oil explorations have been conducted are mostly reformed basins. The reformed basins from Paleozoic, Late Mesozoic to Cenozoic are widely distributed in West and South China. They are, and moreover, will be a challenge for oil and gas exploration. The conventional investigation and exploration techniques used in the slightly reconstructed basin just don't work well when facing the reformed basin. Therefore, the study on the reformed basin, especially the study on the pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction becomes a focus and one of difficulties for the geologists overseas and domestic. Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin is a typical case of the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic reformed basins in China. It locates in West China and is a exploration frontier with difficulties and no break through is made for years. A comprehensive research on it will be of significance for oil and gas exploration in similar basins of China. The late research for reformed basin in China now is mainly concentrated on basin classification, formation mechanism, geologic features, and survey technique, distribution regularity of oil accumulation and its dominating factors, assessment of oil exploration prospect and target zones, etc. On the other hand, the study on the pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction seems insufficient in systematization, and the research is deficient in methodology and combination of qualitative and quantitative studies, as well as the application of the new theory and techniques. The current efforts are mainly directed to structures (faults), sedimentation, the relationship between reservoir evolution and oil accumulation, and some other relevant fields. However, the application of the new theory and techniques seems to be insufficient such as petroleum system, pool-forming dynamics, fluid pressure compartment, and basin simulation, etc. So is the dynamic and integrated research. As a result, incomplete knowledge and understandings derived from the research on pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction often do not accord with rea-lity of the basin. The study and exploration under the guidance of this knowledge will inevitably lead to errors and failure. This paper, based on the previous study of the other geologists on reformed basins, with emphasis on "wholeness or systematic, dynamic and integrated" research, presents a reverse thinking of beginning from conserved units in the basin and the combination of qualitative and quantitative study with new theory and technique by building a geological model. The paper also puts forward a new thought for studying the oil & gas accumulation and reservoir prediction , and establishes a new research system for reformed basin. It is verified by the known reservoir and oil accumulation area in the basin and has a practical value for use and reference. The new ideas and achievements in this research are as following: 1.This is the first time that the system for studying the reformed basin and its pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction is presented. A reverse thinking and combination of qualitative & quantitative are applied here with emphasis on "wholeness or systematic, dynamic and integrated" research, new theory, techniques & methods comprehensive use and geologic models building. 2. Identifying criterion and methods, classifying schemes, and denominating principles for the conserved units of reformed basins are presented in this paper. The geologic model of conserved units of Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin has been built. It is a practical method when combined with the traditional way for basin survey and the conserved units study. 3.The dynamic sources of basin deformation are believed to be stress, gravity and thermodynamics. The stress and gravity are key factors in basin deformation and pool forming, especially stress. Scientific proof is provided by classifying the functional type, style and range of the stress, gravity and thermodynamics. 4.The pool forming and reservoir distribution of Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin are controlled by multiple factors or geologic conditions or/and co-controlled by both of them. The qualitative and quantitative research on petroleum system and basin modeling will help us understand and determine the pool-forming period of the conserved unit (timing), the oil migrating direction (orientation), the oil accumulating region (location), the oil distributing border (bordering) and the size of oil accumulation (quantification). Thus the pool-forming and distribution zones can be predicted. 5.Three generating modes (reform-succession type, reform-destroyed type and reform-regenerating type or reform-newborn type) of pool forming for reformed basins are presented here, together with the inner relationships between basin deformation type, overlapping style and pool-forming modes. The pool-forming modes are determined by deformation type and overlapping style. Reservoir distribution will be predicted based on the modes and other concrete pool-forming conditions. 6.The evaluation methods of the conserved units and zones and the parameter selection are reliable in optimal selecting of target zones. The technical terms, new ideas and methods for the study of reformed basins, the pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction are presented in this paper. The concepts and terms, the identifying criterion, the denominating principles, the generating modes for pool forming, the methods of reservoir prediction, and the evaluation techniques for conserved units and zones can be used for reference in studies on the petroleum exploration of reformed basins in China and abroad. It serves as a typical example for further research of the reformed basins and the geologic regulations of oil accumulation. It has a practical value of use and reference. The future research in the field of pool-forming mechanism of the reformed basins may well be on the process simulation of pool-forming dynamics of the reformed basins. Experimental work has been conducted to simulate the processes by using quantitative and qualitative methods combined. The further study in this field calls for more efforts.

A scenario-driven decision support system for serious crime investigation

Q. Shen, J. Keppens, C. Aitken, B. Schafer, and M. Lee. A scenario driven decision support system for serious crime investigation. Law, Probability and Risk, 5(2):87-117, 2006. Sponsorship: UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant GR/S63267; partially supported by grant GR/S98603

Continuous assessment activities - correlation with final exam grades and effect on final grades. A business studies experience

In this paper we analyze the partial grades – of continuous assessment activities including the final exam – and the final grades – computed as a weighted average of partial grades – for nine subjects taught in the third year of Business Administration Degree. On one hand, results show that there is a significant positive correlation between the grades of continuous assessment activities (excluded the final exam) and final exam in seven subjects. On the other hand, overall we find that students’ grades in continuous assessment activities (excluded the final exam) help in the improvement of their final grades (i.e., students’ final grades exceed the grades that they would obtain by only taking into account their final exam grades). The results are consistent when the analysis is carried out over each subject area as well as over the grades of the students who registered for the nine subjects.

Formulation of Locally Reacting Surfaces in FDTD/K-DWM Modelling of Acoustic Spaces

In this paper, we present new methods for constructing and analysing formulations of locally reacting surfaces that can be used in finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations of acoustic spaces. Novel FDTD formulations of frequency-independent and simple frequency-dependent impedance boundaries are proposed for 2D and 3D acoustic systems, including a full treatment of corners and boundary edges. The proposed boundary formulations are designed for virtual acoustics applications using the standard leapfrog scheme based on a rectilinear grid, and apply to FDTD as well as Kirchhoff variable digital waveguide mesh (K-DWM) methods. In addition, new analytic evaluation methods that accurately predict the reflectance of numerical boundary formulations are proposed. numerical experiments and numerical boundary analysis (NBA) are analysed in time and frequency domains in terms of the pressure wave reflectance for different angles of incidence and various impedances. The results show that the proposed boundary formulations structurally adhere well to the theoretical reflectance. In particular, both reflectance magnitude and phase are closely approximated even at high angles of incidence and low impedances. Furthermore, excellent agreement was found between the numerical boundary analysis and the experimental results, validating both as tools for researching FDTD boundary formulations.

Realist synthesis: Critical care rapid response systems.

Background Rapid Response Systems (RRS) consist of four interrelated and interdependent components; an event detection and trigger mechanism, a response strategy, a governance structure and process improvement system. These multiple components of the RRS pose problems in evaluation as the intervention is complex and cannot be evaluated using a traditional systematic review. Complex interventions in healthcare aimed at changing service delivery and related behaviour of health professionals require a different approach to summarising the evidence. Realist synthesis is such an approach to reviewing research evidence on complex interventions to provide an explanatory analysis of how and why an intervention works or doesn’t work in practice. The core principle is to make explicit the underlying assumptions about how an intervention is suppose to work (ie programme theory) and then use this theory to guide evaluation. Methods A realist synthesis process was used to explain those factors that enable or constrain the success of RRS programmes. Results The findings from the review include the articulation of the RRS programme theories, evaluation of whether these theories are supported or refuted by the research evidence and an evaluation of evidence to explain the underlying reasons why RRS works or doesn’t work in practice. Rival conjectured RRS programme theories were identified to explain the constraining factors regarding implementation of RRS in practice. These programme theories are presented using a logic model to highlight all the components which impact or influence the delivery of RRS programmes in the practice setting. The evidence from the realist synthesis provided the foundation for the development of hypothesis to test and refine the theories in the subsequent stages of the Realist Evaluation PhD study [1]. This information will be useful in providing evidence and direction for strategic and service planning of acute care to improve patient safety in hospital. References: McGaughey J, Blackwood B, O’Halloran P, Trinder T. J. & Porter S. (2010) Realistic Evaluation of Early Warning Systems and the Acute Life-threatening Events – Recognition and Treatment training course for early recognition and management of deteriorating ward-based patients: research protocol. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66 (4), 923-932.

Does subjective rating reflect behavioural coding? Personality in 2 month-old dog puppies: An open-field test and adjective-based questionnaire

A number of studies have recently investigated personality traits in non-human species, with the dog gaining popularity as a subject species for research in this area. Recent research has shown the consistency of personality traits across both context and time for adult dogs, both when using questionnaire based methods of investigation and behavioural analyses of the dogs' behaviour. However, only a few studies have assessed the correspondence between these two methods, with results varying considerably across studies. Furthermore, most studies have focused on adult dogs, despite the fact that an understanding of personality traits in young puppies may be important for research focusing on the genetic basis of personality traits. In the current study, we sought to evaluate the correspondence between a questionnaire based method and the in depth analyses of the behaviour of 2-month old puppies in an open-field test in which a number of both social and non-social stimuli were presented to the subjects. We further evaluated consistency of traits over time by re-testing a subset of puppies. The correspondence between methods was high and test-retest consistency (for the main trait) was also good using both evaluation methods. Results showed clear factors referring to the two main personality traits 'extroversion,' (i.e. the enthusiastic, exuberant approach to the stimuli) and 'neuroticism,' (i.e. the more cautious and fearful approach to the stimuli), potentially similar to the shyness-boldness dimension found in previous studies. Furthermore, both methods identified an 'amicability' dimension, expressing the positive interactions the pups directed at the humans stranger, and a 'reservedness' dimension which identified pups who largely chose not to interact with the stimuli, and were defined as quiet and not nosey in the questionnaire.

Avaliação imobiliária: entre a ciência da avaliação e a arte da apreciação

Recentemente a avaliação imobiliária levou ao colapso de instituições financeiras e à crise no Subprime. A presente investigação pretende contribuir para perceber quais os factores preponderantes na avaliação imobiliária. O trabalho aborda a problemática da assimetria de informação, os diferentes métodos de avaliação imobiliária e a importância das externalidades. Empiricamente há diversos casos analisados através do uso da metodologia da Regressão Linear, Análise de Clusters e Análise de Componentes Principais da Análise Factorial. O primeiro caso analisado é direccionado à avaliação das externalidades, onde os resultados indicam que as externalidades positivas principais são as seguintes: as vistas de marina são mais valorizadas que as vistas de mar, as vistas frontais são mais valorizadas que as vistas laterais e existem diferenças de valorização ao nível do piso de acordo com o tipo de habitação (residência ou férias). O segundo estudo analisa como o método do rendimento ajuda na explicação da realidade portuguesa, no qual foram obtidos três clusters de rendas e três clusters de yields para cada uma das amostras. Os resultados demonstram que: (a) ambos os clusters, das yields e das rendas são formados por diferentes elementos (b) que o valor da oferta é explicado pelo método do rendimento, pelo cluster das yields e pela densidade populacional. No terceiro estudo foram inquiridos 427 indivíduos que procuravam apartamento para residência. A partir da Análise de Componentes Principais da Análise Factorial efectuada obtiveram-se sete factores determinantes na procura de apartamento: as externalidades negativas, as externalidades positivas, a localização de negócios no rés-do-chão do edifício de apartamentos, os interesses racionais de proximidade, as variáveis secundárias na utilização do edifício, as variáveis de rendimento e as variáveis de interesses pessoais. A principal conclusão é que como é uma área transdisciplinar, é difícil chegar a um único modelo que incorpore os métodos de avaliação e as diferentes dinâmicas da procura. O avaliador, deve analisar e fazer o seu scoring, tendo em conta o equilíbrio entre a ciência da avaliação e a arte da apreciação.

Cartografia geotécnica subterrânea do maciço granítico de Arca D'Água (sector de Carvalhido–Burgães): implicações para o modelo geomecânico comportamental

Este trabalho pretende enfatizar a importância da elaboração de uma base de dados extensa e robusta para o melhoramento da cartografia geotécnica subterrânea do maciço granítico do sector de Carvalhido–Burgães (Porto). Este estudo envolveu a análise e o refinamento das principais características geomecânicas ao longo de um traçado com cerca de 1220 m, para a caracterização do maciço rochoso da galeria subterrânea Carvalhido–Burgães. Para esta caracterização foram coligidos e uniformizados dados geológicos, geotécnicos e geomecânicos relativos a várias campanhas de campo, realizadas entre 2005 e 2011, tendo estado a técnica da amostragem linear aplicada ao grau de compartimentação do maciço rochoso na base do seu estudo. Além disso, procedeu‐se a um tratamento estatístico das descontinuidades, bem como dos parâmetros geológico‐geotécnicos e geomecânicos a estas associados. O zonamento geotécnico do maciço granítico foi realizado sempre em estreita ligação com o conhecimento das características do maciço in situ. Pretende‐se que esta metodologia contribua para um melhor conhecimento da compartimentação dos maciços rochosos em geral e, em particular, do modelo geomecânico comportamental do maciço rochoso do Porto.

Avaliação geológica e geotécnica do maciço da Pedreira de S. Domingos n.º 2 (Armamar)

Neste trabalho, apresentam-se e discutem-se os resultados da aplicação da técnica de amostragem linear de descontinuidades em faces expostas do maciço rochoso da pedreira granítica de S. Domingos Nº 2 (Fontelo, Armamar; N de Portugal). É, igualmente, utilizada informação sobre a rede de fracturação regional, obtida através da análise morfoestrutural de mapas topográficos e mapas geológicos. São ainda referidos os métodos utilizados no tratamento dos dados de terreno com o objectivo de definir as famílias de descontinuidades e de caracterizar estatísticamente a sua atitude, espaçamento e extensão. Os resultados obtidos são comparados, à mega escala e macro-escala, no sentido de averiguar a presença de um padrão de fracturação com dimensão multiescala. Esta abordagem foi refinada através da aplicação de Sistemas de Informação Geográfica. A aplicação desta técnica para a caracterização da compartimentação do maciço poderá contribuir para aperfeiçoar a gestão sustentável do georrecurso da pedreira de S. Domingos Nº 2 (Fontelo). O controlo geomecânico do desmonte do maciço rochoso é salientado com o intuito de uma abordagem de geo-engenharia integrada dos maciços rochosos.