Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2023-10"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 38
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Integrating sustainable approaches in distance learning universities: the experience of Universidade AbertaPublication . Mapar, Mahsa; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Ferreira, Célia; Martins, Rute; Martinho, Ana Paula; Pereira, Pedro; Simão, João; Teixeira, Teresa; Trindade, Jorge; Fernandes, Paula Vaz; Caeiro, SandraOne of the key components in practicing sustainability and developing a sustainable Higher Education Institution (HEI) is the role played by the institution community including students and its staff, both administrative and academics according to a whole-campus approach. However, there is still a lack of how to integrate sustainability-related approaches into the HEIs, by involving the whole community of the HEI, in particular in distance-learning institutions. Recognizing this lack, Universidade Aberta (UAb), the Portuguese Distance Learning University, has recently integrated sustainability approaches into the University actions by establishing the “UAb Sustainable Campus Group” in 2021. In line with Agenda 2030, the Group promotes the sustainability approaches at UAb in 5 core elements of sustainability actions at HEIs: i) planning and administration, ii) operation and innovation, iii) academia and research, iv) assessment and reporting, and v) involvement with the community. This paper aims to reveal the recent sustainability initiatives (2021-2023) carried out by the Group and enlighten how a distance-learning University's actions, programs, and approaches have been integrated into the core elements of sustainability actions at HEIs. Several steps were implemented to address sustainability initiatives at UAb based on the proposed framework, considering: 1) “planning and administration”, by the formal commitment to sustainability that arose in the UAb Strategic Plan (2019-2023) to enforce sustainability initiatives centered on people and social commitment; 2) “operation”, by UAb contribution to the resource efficiency programs; 3) “academia and research”, by designing a micro-credential module entitled “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, that were piloted in the academic year 2022-2023 and were evaluated the students’ knowledge improvement on SDGs and sustainability and their perceptions on the effectiveness of the training through pre- and postquestionnaires; 4) “assessment and reporting”, through self-assessment and reporting tools, among them, Time Higher Education Impact Ranking, which ranked the UAb sustainability initiatives towards SDGs 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 17. Also, with the collaboration of the administrative staff, the UAb Ecological Footprint (EF) was self-assessed through the University Ecological Footprint Calculator, which allows HEIs to calculate their consumption of natural resources and ecosystem services within the direct and indirect responsibilities of the administration, by bearing in mind the specific feature of distance learning. The results for “planning and administration” showed the UAb commitment to sustainable campus by the signatory of several associations, e.g., RCS-Portugal, AASHE - Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and Lisbon Green Commitment to implement a set of measures to reduce the environmental impacts by 2030. In the “operation” element, the results revealed the UAb contribution to the Resource Efficiency Program in Public Administration - ECO.AP 2030 to reduce the consumption of resources and respective Greenhouse Gas emissions facilities, as well as the Energy Saving Plan (2022-2023). The results of the “academia and research” element based on the SDGs course showed the students’ knowledge improvement of both Sustainability and SDGs and a high level of satisfaction with the training, mainly appreciating the “diversified learning resources”. The results of the “assessment and reporting” based on THE displayed the UAb improvement on SDGs 4 and 5. The results of the EF calculator disclosed that “staff labour” was the main driver of the UAb Footprint in direct responsibility, whereas “energy consumption at home” was the main indirect contributor to the UAb Footprint, which showed the effect of distance learning on the results. Future work of the Group includes offering the SDGs micro-credential, targeting also public and private organizations, and later as a formal curricular unit in various degrees, thus enhancing the “involving the community” element. Also, based on the results of the assessment tools, the major drivers of unsustainability at UAb will be identified to assist the necessary improvement to reduce the environmental impact of UAb, thus reinforcing its commitment to building a more sustainable community. The framework for the implementation of sustainability in UAb can be adapted and tested in other HEI to produce robust knowledge and action in this context.
- Monitoring marine litter on Funchal beaches (Madeira Island): insights for litter managementPublication . Bettencourt, Sara; Lucas, Carlos; Costa, Sónia; Caeiro, SandraMarine litter is a complex and multi-dimensional problem, with beach litter surveys being an important cost-effective tool for monitoring and assessing marine litter pollution. In Madeira Island (Portugal, NE Atlantic), a region awarded several times as ‘Europe’s Leading Island Destination’ and with a particular orography, there is a scarce understanding of the situation of marine debris. A two-year monitoring (July 2020 to April 2022) of macro-litter was conducted on two beaches in Funchal, the largest city and capital of the island. The abundance, composition, sources, and pathways of the stranded marine litter were assessed following OSPAR guidelines. During the two years, a total of 14,265 items were recorded. The mean litter density was found to be 0.29 items/m2 and the beaches’ clean index ranged between ‘very clean’ and ‘dirty’. Cigarette butts (30.9%) and plastic objects (30.7%) were the most frequent marine litter items, followed by paper/cardboard (9.2%) and metal items (8.3%). The composition of the litter showed that most of the monitored marine debris has a land-based source, with a strong contribution from smoking-related activities and littering in streams. By characterizing the waste and identifying its source, it was possible to propose integrated management actions at a local level. Outreach and raising awareness campaigns, together with actions to limit single-use plastic items and stimulate a circular economy, could contribute to limit marine litter on the studied island but also in other regions with similar profiles.
- Perceções da mudança: estudo de caso em duas escolas do mesmo agrupamentoPublication . Matos, Fernando; Almeida, Ana PatríciaAtualmente qualquer organização é continuamente confrontada com desafios que obrigam a sua liderança a promover iniciativas de mudança para assegurar a respetiva sustentabilidade. Os processos de mudança são vividos pelos atores organizacionais num contexto multidimensional complexo. As experiências individuais e de grupo fazem emergir em cada sujeito perceções diferentes que acabam por modular, diferenciadamente, a sua resposta diante da mudança. Na investigação procuraram-se identificar os principais fatores que determinam as reações dos indivíduos de uma organização escolar portuguesa às iniciativas de mudança e avaliar se aqueles são influenciados pelas perceções da liderança e do clima organizacional. A investigação assumiu-se como um estudo de caso tendo sido seguida uma metodologia mista assente em questionários, que envolveram 95 professores, e em entrevistas em grupo focal com dois grupos de entrevistados. Identificaram-se fatores de ordem emocional e de resistência cognitiva como os mais determinantes das reações dos professores às iniciativas de mudança. Eles são enfatizados por um estilo de liderança pouco atuante e distante dos professores, sendo estas características da liderança amplificadas por alguns componentes do clima de escola que acabam por retroalimentar os referidos fatores.
- Postoperative analgesia for caesarean section after a general anaesthesia: a retrospective observational studyPublication . Guimarães, Henrique; Silva, Telmo; Pombo, André; Nunes, Catarina S.; Cabido, Hermínia; Lemos, Paulo
- Ser pelas artes: contributo da educação pela arte e a mudança do clima organizacionalPublication . Matos, Simão; Almeida, Ana Patrícia; Neves, ClaudiaEste artigo resulta de um estudo que teve como finalidade entender a importância do clima organizacional no cumprimento da missão da escola, e aferir se o reforço da educação pelas artes, materializada através de um programa de expressão artística e emocional pode contribuir de forma positiva para a melhoria do clima organizacional. Com este objetivo foi estruturado um programa de expressão artística e emocional, que aplicado a um grupo de alunos entre os 15 e 17 anos de idade, durante o período de um ano letivo. Foram recolhidos dados, através da aplicação de testes aos alunos em diferentes momentos do estudo, de relatórios individuais a partir da sua experiência vivencial e dos registos de observação relativos à implementação semanal do programa. Este trabalho incidiu sobre a Escola Europeia de Alicante, onde a multiculturalidade dos seus alunos está muito presente, uma vez que são provenientes de diversos países. A análise dos dados indicou existir uma tendência junto dos alunos que vivenciaram o programa para se sentirem melhor na escola, o que poderá resultar numa influência positiva na perceção que eles mesmos passarão a ter sobre o clima de escola.
- Epidural top-up for caesarean section: a retrospective observational studyPublication . Guimarães, Henrique; Silva, Telmo; Pombo, André; Araújo, Ana; Nunes, Catarina S.; Cabido, Hermínia; Lemos, Paulo
- Sessão de Abertura do Ano Académico 2023-2024Publication . Universidade AbertaA reitora da UAb, Carla Padrel de Oliveira, deu as boas-vindas a todos os estudantes, em especial aos que estão a iniciar agora o seu percurso na única universidade pública portuguesa de Ensino a Distância.
- Digital approach to teach creative writing with secondary student learners of EnglishPublication . Rocha, Ana Paula; Casanova, Maria PrazeresIn this article, we share our reflections and analysis on the potential of digital resources in teaching creative writing in English and promoting the learning of a foreign language in a collaborative environment. Our work aims to identify best practices in using digital tools such as Google Workspace, Padlet, and Issuu, for in-class activities with seventy secondary students. We conducted a study following an action-research methodology in the classroom and applied digital teaching strategies with learners of a second language. The focus was on a creative and collaborative writing process, to develop imagination in the conception of fictional stories while promoting collaborative skills. Our key question was "What are the digital pedagogical strategies that can contribute to the creative and collaborative writing competence in a foreign language with secondary school students?" We were interested in examining the potential of a writing collaborative activity in a digital environment as a stimulus to learn the linguistic rules and expand the vocabulary. Additionally, we analyzed the results of the assessment executed among peers, applying selected rubrics for the competencies of cooperation and participation. As a result, we found that the students had reached a higher level of reflection towards texts.
- Programação por Objetos. Tópico 2: os problemas da programação estruturada que vieram a motivar a orientação a objetosPublication . Morgado, LeonelApontamentos para a unidade curricular da Licenciatura em Engenharia Informática, "Programação por objetos". Dedicados à sensibilização para os problemas que motivam a adoção do paradigma.
- Happy Schools People: our findings and actionsPublication . Gramaxo, Patrícia; Vargas, Carlos