Foreign Language Education in Colombia: A Qualitative Study of Escuela Nueva

Since 2004 the Colombian Ministry of Education has been implementing the Programa Nacional de Bilingüismo (PNB) with the goal of having bilingual high school graduates in English and Spanish by 2019. However, implementation of the PNB has been criticized by English Language Teaching (ELT) specialists in the country who say, among other things, that the PNB introduced a discourse associated exclusively with bilingualism in English and Spanish. This study analyzed interviews with 15 participants of a public school of the Colombian Escuela Nueva, a successful model of community-based education that has begun a process of internationalization, regarding the participants’ perceptions of foreign language education and the policies of the PNB. Six students, five teachers, and four administrators were each interviewed twice using semi-structured interviews. To offer a critique of the PNB, this study tried to determine to what extent the school implemented the elements of Responsible ELT, a model developed by the researcher incorporating the concepts of hegemony of English, critical language-policy research, and resistance in ELT. Findings included the following: (a) students and teachers saw English as the universal language whereas most administrators saw English imposed due to political and economic reasons; (b) some teachers misinterpreted the 1994 General Law of Education mandating the teaching of a foreign language as a law mandating English; and (c) some teachers and administrators saw the PNB’s adoption of competence standards based on the Common European Framework of Reference for languages as beneficial whereas others saw it as arbitrary. Conclusions derived from this study of this Escuela Nueva school were: (a) most participants found the goal of the PNB unrealistic; (b) most teachers and administrators saw the policies of the PNB as top-down policies without assessment or continuity; and (c) teachers and administrators mentioned a disarticulation between elementary and high school ELT policies that may be discouraging students in public schools from learning English. Thus, this study suggests that the policies of the PNB may be contributing to English becoming a gatekeeper for higher education and employment thereby becoming a tool for sustaining inequality in Colombia.

Teachers' knowledge, awareness, and pedagogy of global education in secondary schools

Professor Mohammed K. Farouk, Major Professor In 1979, the Florida State Board of Education approved the teaching of global education in the state of Florida. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that contributed to teachers' global knowledge, global mindedness, and pedagogy in global education. The Hanvey model of teaching from a global perspective was the theoretical framework for the study. A total of 90 secondary teachers from Miami-Dade County Public Schools were randomly selected and placed in three groups: Globally Oriented Social Studies Program (GOSSE), Non-Globally Oriented Social Studies Program (non-GOSSE), and Teachers Who Teach Other Subjects (TWTOS). Seven teachers, two of whom team-taught a class, were selected for classroom observations and interviews. A mixed methods design that combined quantitative and qualitative data was used. ANOVA and Chi square techniques were used to determine whether the factors that contributed to teachers' global knowledge and global mindedness differ among groups. Classroom observations and interviews were conducted to determine whether the instructional strategies differ among the seven selected teachers. The findings of the study show that teachers who were trained in teaching from a global perspective differed in their global knowledge and used more appropriate instructional strategies than teachers who were not trained in teaching global perspectives. There was no significant difference in the combined global knowledge of the non-GOSSE and TWTOS groups when compared with the GOSSE group. There was no significant difference in the combined global knowledge of the GOSSE and non- GOSSE groups when compared with the TWTOS group. There was no significant difference among the teachers in their global mindedness. Observation and interview data indicate that current events, role-playing, simulations, open-ended discussion, debates, and projects were the predominant instructional strategies used by globally trained teachers. Cable networks, Internet, magazines, and newspapers were found to be the dominant tools for teaching global education. This study concluded that teachers who were trained in globally oriented programs had more global knowledge than teachers who were not. It is recommended that teacher education programs should incorporate a global perspective in the preparation of social studies teachers, with particular attention to developing their global attitudes.

Química em cena: uma proposta para formação inicial de professores de química

In educational observed difficulty in train teachers to meet the medium and higher education needs, and one reason for this is the different experiences in the training of educators in relation to those found in the classroom. So often arise criticisms related to relevance and efficiency of degree courses, as regards the performance of its natural mission, which weakens the teacher training. Thus, improving the quality of education is very dependent on the initiatives of teachers, creating teaching alternatives to strengthen their performance in school. From this reflection, it is concluded that teacher training needs new educational proposals that qualify, and so can promote the formation of his students more adequately. Among the educational proposals as alternatives to initial teacher training may use the scientific theater (TC). Considering this possibility, this work has been proposed as investigate and discuss the influence of TC combined with experimentation in the initial training of future teachers in Chemistry who participate in the Groups Fanatics chemistry Theatre (UERN) and Chemistry on Stage (UFRN). Therefore, there was, in a first stage, theatrical essays based on the theater of the oppressed, and written dramaturgical scripts, a collaborative proposal. To incorporate experimentation in chemistry to theater rehearsals, there was a systematic literature search and after content analysis, were selected categories, materials and reagents easily accessible, easy procedures and implementation with low risk of accidents and easy care chemical waste. In the second part we identified: a) the beliefs of student teachers in the use of TC ally trial for initial training of chemistry teachers; b) the influence of TC ally to trial on learning of chemical concepts of high school students who attended the shows; c) the reasons for using or not TC ally to trial by chemistry teachers who participated in the TC group and currently work in the classroom. In this study, questionnaires and interviews were used, compounds, respectively, by a Likert scale and open questions. Quantitative data were analyzed by classical statistics the media, using as centrality measures the average, the concordance argument and the average deviation. Qualitative data were discussed according to content analysis, with categories that emerged from reading the answers. These analyzes concluded that the licensees have a positive view on the use of scientific theater for disclosure of the chemical for use in the learning of chemical concepts, pedagogical and disciplinary knowledge, and to form promotion strategy for research and extension at the University. They credit improvements in their initial training on the use of scientific theater combined with experimentation. The TC provides motivation for the construction of conceptual thinking in an informal way of chemical communication, allowing the student to expand their knowledge, not only favoring the phenomenological approach, but also the construction of chemical knowledge and the internalization of scientific concepts.

Horta escolar: temas geradores e os momentos pedagógicos no ensino de ciências

Science application has faced problems in the process of training and cognizant thinking subjects in their actions. Thus, this work is justified in order to reorganize the contents of this area of knowledge. Thus, the research entitled "Plantation School: generating themes and teaching moments in teaching of science" was developed with a group of 6th grade of elementary school, from the planting of vegetables in tires without usefulness, with purpose of building meanings and scientific concepts to students. This work was based on sociointeractionist perspective of Vygotsky (1996, 1998), education for thematic research Freire (1983, 1996) as well as in problem-solving situations identified by the methodology of Pedagogical Moments Delizoicov and Angoti (1992; 2002 ) which together corroborated for the construction of a proposed teaching and learning, curriculum reorganization and significance of scientific concepts. Thus, the project breaks in practice with the linearity of the contents, to develop and analyze themes mediated by pedagogical moments, in order to ascertain the contribution of this methodological resource for the teacher's work, with regard to the understanding of scientific concepts by students. Thus, lesson plans were built based on the study situation "Horta School" and Themes Generators "human interaction with the environment", "photosynthesis", "Ecology and Nutrition of living beings", culminating in the work proposal developed in the classroom. From these themes, the contents were worked through pedagogical moments, which are organized into three stages: questioning, organization / systematization of knowledge and application / contextualization of knowledge. Thus, within each Theme Generator activities were planned which resulted in the involvement of students in learning scientific concepts, such as the issue of sustainability, environmental pollution, nutrition of living beings and the decomposition of organic matter. This work led and motivated student participation in Themes generators, and allows greater interaction between teacher-student and student among his peers, through dialogism established in the classroom, which promoted a more meaningful learning for students.

Conditions for Teaching and Learning in Religious Education (RE) : Perspectives of Teachers and Pupils at the Beginning of the 6th Grade in Sweden

In this article empirical findings from interviews with teachers of three classes of 12-year-old pupils are presented, together with questionnaire-responses from these 54 pupils. The interviews focus on teaching aims for Religious Education (RE), a subject that in Sweden, besides dealing with religion, also explores other kinds of beliefs, ethics and life questions. In the questionnaire the pupils are asked to solve four RE tasks with content that is central from a Swedish curriculum perspective. The research involves pupils at the beginning of the sixth grade and the purpose of this article is to look at the teachers’ aims and the pupils’ responses, and consider what these may indicate about conditions for teaching and learning RE in these classes. The findings show that the perspectives of the pupils at the beginning of the sixth grade seem to be rather far from the expectations of the RE syllabus. The pupils’ statements are rather vague with regard to religion as a phenomenon and there are few examples of pupils interpreting religious symbols in a way that is useful in further analysis. While existential and ethical plots, messages and point of views are comparatively easy to describe, it is harder to express multiple perspectives, reasons, comparisons and questions. A problem for the teachers in developing the perspectives of their pupils is that they find it hard to say what kind of general difficulties pupils have in RE, a fact that makes it hard to direct the teaching. Another challenge is that the teachers’ RE-aims are rather overarching and primarily related to fostering fundamental values. What improves the conditions for teaching and learning is the teachers’ concern for the pupils and their relationships with the teacher and with each other, a factor which is of vital importance for learning and which can also be used as a specific teaching method in subject matter education.

Educação na era do hipertexto: uma experiência diferenciada na biologia

Acompanha: Sequência didática: trabalhando o conceito e as características dos fungos: pesquisa de campo para identificação dos fungos

Prática de ensino supervisionada em educação pré-escolar e ensino do 1º ciclo do ensino básico: conceções alternativas em ciência

O presente relatório tem como finalidade apresentar o trabalho realizado no âmbito das unidades curriculares da Prática de Ensino Supervisionada em Pré-Escolar e em 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, inseridas no Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico na Universidade de Évora, com enfoque na temática: “Conceções Alternativas em Ciência”. A PES decorreu em dois contextos distintos, sendo primeiramente realizada numa sala de Educação Pré-Escolar na Escola Básica Galopim de Carvalho e por fim, numa turma de 2.º ano do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, na Escola Básica dos Canaviais. Ambas pertencem ao Agrupamento n.º 4 de Évora. A investigação realizada consistiu em identificar e valorizar as conceções alternativas das crianças/alunos; promover a construção de conhecimentos a partir das conceções alternativas; usar estratégias de mudança concetual que visassem criar um confronto entre as conceções alternativas e os conceitos científicos. Esta investigação permitiu a confirmação de que é importante, no ensino das ciências, serem promovidas atividades de mudança concetual, apesar de alguns investigadores afirmarem que estas conceções alternativas podem ser um obstáculo na aprendizagem de novos conhecimentos; ABSTRACT: This report aims to present the work done within the course units of “Supervised Teaching Practice in Pre-School and 1st Basic Education��� in Masters in “Pre-School Education and Training of 1st Basic Education��� at the University of Évora, focusing on the theme “Alternative conceptions in Science”. The PES held in two different contexts: first performed in a pre-school education classroom at “Escola Básica Galopim de Carvalho” and second in a second year class of 1st Basic Education at “Escola Básica dos Canaviais”. Both schools belong to “Agrupamento n. º 4 of Évora”. The research was carried out to identify and value the alternative conceptions of children/students; promote the construction of knowledge from alternative conceptions; use conceptual change strategies which aimed to create a confrontation between alternative conceptions and scientific concepts. This investigation has confirmed that it is important in science education to promote conceptual change activities, as some researchers claim that these alternative conceptions can be an obstacle in learning/developing new skills.

Relatório da prática de ensino supervisionada em ensino de artes visuais no 3º ciclo do ensino básico e no ensino secundário

Este relatório foi elaborado no âmbito do mestrado em Ensino de Artes Visuais no 3.° Ciclo do Ensino Básico e no Secundário, na Universidade de Évora (UE). Reporta-se à unidade curricular Prática de Ensino Supervisionada (PES) realizada nas Escolas EBI André de Resende e na Escola Secundária Gabriel Pereira, em Évora, no ano lectivo 2009-201O. O Prof. Doutor Leonardo Charréu (UE), orientador científico, os professores orientadores cooperantes Paulo Matias e Carlos Guerra, constituíram o apoio ao núcleo de estágio das alunas Cristina Malta e Ana Sofia Henriques (autora deste relatório). O Prof. Doutor Leonardo Charréu assistiu a quatro aulas nas disciplinas de Educação Visual e Desenho A. O relatório da PES relata os objectivos de trabalho, planificações, metodologias e instrumentos de avaliação nas disciplinas de Educação Visual e Desenho A e nas actividades extracurriculares realizadas. Teve como intuito, também, elaborar uma análise reflexiva do trabalho desenvolvido na aprendizagem da PES. ABSTRACT: This report was developed during the Master in Visual Arts Teaching in the 3 rd Basic Cycle and Secondary Education at the Évora University. The Supervised Teaching Practice unit (referred under de Portuguese acronym PES) was completed at the EBI André de Resende School and at the Secondary School Gabriel Pereira, in Évora, in 2009-2010. The Professor Leonardo Charréu (UE), Scientific Supervisor and the teachers/local supervisors Paulo Matias and Carlos Guerra, supported the internship of the master students Cristina Malta and Ana Sofia Henriques. Professor Leonardo Charréu observed four lessons in Visual Education and Drawing A disciplines. The PES report describes the work objectives, planning, methodologies, and evaluation methods in the Visual Education and Drawing A subjects and the extra-curricular activities. The objective was also to develop a reflective analysis of the work made during the entire learning period of PES.

Atividade fisica e saude : estudo do conhecimento de professores de educação fisica do ensino fundamental atraves da educação a distancia

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

A disciplina dança nos cursos de educação fisica (licenciatura) : o seu desvelar na visão do graduando

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Documentos convencionais e não convencionais em administração, ciências contábeis e economia: estudo sobre sua utilização pelos alunos de graduação

The recommended bibliographical references for the development of scientific research are those published by scientific journals. In spite of this recommendation, the use of non conventional documents by undergraduate students has been increasing. This paper, developed as a survey with 145 students of Administration, Accounting and Economics, characterizes the use these documents and analyzes teaching strategies supported in the use of non conventional documents.

Development, implementation, and assessment of a distance module in endocrine physiology

Rangel EM, Mendes IA, Carnio EC, Marchi Alves LM, Godoy S, Crispim JA. Development, implementation, and assessment of a distance module in endocrine physiology. Adv Physiol Educ 34: 70-74, 2010; doi: 10.1152/advan.00070.2009.-This study aimed to develop, implement, and assess a distance module in endocrine physiology in TelEduc for undergraduate nursing students from a public university in Brazil, with a sample size of 44 students. Stage 1 consisted of the development of the module, through the process of creating a distance course by means of the Web. Stage 2 was the planning of the module's practical functioning, and stage 3 was the planning of student evaluations. In the experts' assessment, the module complied with pedagogical and technical requirements most of the time. In the practical functioning stage, 10 h were dedicated for on-site activities and 10 h for distance activities. Most students (93.2%) were women between 19 and 23 yr of age (75%). The internet was the most used means to remain updated for 23 students (59.0%), and 30 students (68.2%) accessed it from the teaching institution. A personal computer was used by 23 students (56.1%), and most of them (58.1%) learned to use it alone. Access to a forum was more dispersed (variation coefficient: 86.80%) than access to chat (variation coefficient: 65.14%). Average participation was 30 students in forums and 22 students in the chat. Students' final grades in the module averaged 8.5 (SD: 1.2). TelEduc was shown to be efficient in supporting the teaching- learning process of endocrine physiology.

Evaluation of gastrointestinal motility in awake rats: a learning exercise for undergraduate biomedical students

Souza MA, Souza MH, Palheta RC Jr, Cruz PR, Medeiros BA, Rola FH, Magalhaes PJ, Troncon LE, Santos AA. Evaluation of gastrointestinal motility in awake rats: a learning exercise for undergraduate biomedical students. Adv Physiol Educ 33: 343-348, 2009; doi: 10.1152/advan.90176.2008.-Current medical curricula devote scarce time for practical activities on digestive physiology, despite frequent misconceptions about dyspepsia and dysmotility phenomena. Thus, we designed a hands-on activity followed by a small-group discussion on gut motility. Male awake rats were randomly submitted to insulin, control, or hypertonic protocols. Insulin and control rats were gavage fed with 5% glucose solution, whereas hypertonic-fed rats were gavage fed with 50% glucose solution. Insulin treatment was performed 30 min before a meal. All meals (1.5 ml) contained an equal mass of phenol red dye. After 10, 15, or 20 min of meal gavage, rats were euthanized. Each subset consisted of six to eight rats. Dye recovery in the stomach and proximal, middle, and distal small intestine was measured by spectrophotometry, a safe and reliable method that can be performed by minimally trained students. In a separate group of rats, we used the same protocols except that the test meal contained (99m)Tc as a marker. Compared with control, the hypertonic meal delayed gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit, whereas insulinic hypoglycemia accelerated them. The session helped engage our undergraduate students in observing and analyzing gut motor behavior. In conclusion, the fractional dye retention test can be used as a teaching tool to strengthen the understanding of basic physiopathological features of gastrointestinal motility.

Insulin and leptin relations in obesity: a multimedia approach

Obesity has been recognized as a worldwide public health problem. It significantly increases the chances of developing several diseases, including Type II diabetes. The roles of insulin and leptin in obesity involve reactions that can be better understood when they are presented step by step. The aim of this work was to design software with data from some of the most recent publications on obesity, especially those concerning the roles of insulin and leptin in this metabolic disturbance. The most notable characteristic of this software is the use of animations representing the cellular response together with the presentation of recently discovered mechanisms on the participation of insulin and leptin in processes leading to obesity. The software was field tested in the Biochemistry of Nutrition web-based course. After using the software and discussing its contents in chatrooms, students were asked to answer an evaluation survey about the whole activity and the usefulness of the software within the learning process. The teaching assistants (TA) evaluated the software as a tool to help in the teaching process. The students' and TAs' satisfaction was very evident and encouraged us to move forward with the software development and to improve the use of this kind of educational tool in biochemistry classes.