Ambiente e Sustentabilidade | Capítulos/artigos em livros internacionais / Book chapters/papers in international books
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- Attitudes, barriers and motivators as factors for sustainability of higher education e-Learning programmes at Universidade Aberta, PortugalPublication . Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Caeiro, Sandra; Martinho, Ana Paula; Azeiteiro, UlissesIn higher education distance learning institutions, where studies are carried on through a variety of distance learning regimes, from the correspondence and earlier forms of distance education to fully online e-learning programmes, and where planners and administrators seize the effective adoption and deployment of technology-enabled education, student attitude and motivation assume considerable significance. Attitudinal pre-dispositions, institutional and allied barriers (including appropriate policy initiatives), besides the scientific and pedagogical quality of degree programmes are assumed to play a crucial role in sustainability of higher education systems. This article reports the findings of a study conducted at Universidade Aberta, Portugal—the Portuguese Distance Learning Education University—to examine student attitudes towards e-learning and to identify barriers and motivators of e-learning adoption, which are key factors for decreasing dropout rates of a 2nd cycle degree e-learning programme, analysed as a case study.
- Avaliação de uma unidade curricular do programa de doutoramento em Sustentabilidade Social e Desenvolvimento da Universidade Aberta de PortugalPublication . Oliveira, Carla Padrel de; Carmo, Hermano; Caeiro, Sandra
- Biodiversity and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): tendencies and perspectivesPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Castro, Paula; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Azul, Anabela Marisa; Azeiteiro, UlissesThis introductory paper outlines some of the areas where research and action is needed, so as to allow a more systematic development of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the Biodiversity Conservation context. Apart from presenting the concepts of ecosystem services and biodiversity, this chapter indicates the main initiatives needed to be developed to incorporate ESD in the curricula as a multiple-perspective approach. Additionally, it is discussed how biodiversity conservation through education action fit within the actual premises and programmes of sustainability as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 2010 Biodiversity Target or under the scope of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020. Tendencies and perspectives on Education for Biodiversity Conservation in the coming decades is also a subject of debate in the present chapter.
- Eco-Schools: development assessment toolPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Gomes, João; Amador, FilomenaEco-Schools is an international programme for education for sustainability, which was first developed in the 1990s and implemented in Europe, America and Africa. It aims to implement Local Agenda 21, applying educational and environmental management concepts and ideas in the daily life of schools in the process. The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, which began in 2005, is a unique opportunity to put the issue on the national agenda, and the Eco-Schools Programme is an important tool for this purpose. The study herein reported aims to facilitate understanding of the successful implementation of this Programme's methodology via the development of an assessment tool that reflects the work done and facilitates further corrections and improvements of future activities. Based on qualitative and quantitative research, this involved a feedback survey given to about 150 Portuguese Eco-Schools. The research was undertaken between December 2007 and December 2008, and involved the national coordinators of the Eco-Schools Programme and the Regional Education Authority. The proposed tool monitors and evaluates the programme to be applied in Portuguese Eco-Schools. Its use will enable the school community to improve its implementation of the Eco-Schools Programme and to achieve greater pupil involvement, whilst achieving sustainability.
- Education for sustainable development through policies and strategies in the public portuguese higher education institutionsPublication . Farinha, Carla; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Caeiro, SandraMany European countries, particularly in Northern Europe, have conducted integrated studies on Sustainable Development in Higher Education. In Portugal, no attempt has been made to evaluate in detail how Public Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are incorporating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at policy and strategy level and how it was implemented within Ministry of Education and Science. This study aimed to determine how sustainability was integrated into policies and strategies of 14 HEI in Portugal within the framework and goals of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) 2005- 2014. Based on grounded theory strategy, multi case studies and documental content analysis a deductive approach was undertaken. Pre-selected key terms based on literature search were used for the content analysis. Documentary research on polices, plans and programs from the Governmental Great Planning Options as Governmental Constitutional Plans and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science was performed through the analysis of the possible forms of implementation of DESD, and their consequent impacts on strategies of the public Institutions taking part of the Portuguese Council of Rectors. Given that 2014 was the final year of DESD 2005-2014 and 2005 was the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) assessment year, the approach of sustainability in public policies and strategies in the Portuguese HEI is on schedule. Notwithstanding some international drivers and a few practical examples at University level, preliminary results showed that ESD is still in its early stages of development and that there is a lack of national integrated strategies or policies. There is an absolute need for a change in the paradigm of Portuguese HEI and several barriers to overcome, both through learning and application of best practices from other European and worldwide countries.
- Environmental literacy in biodiversity terms at the end of the compulsory school: case study in Amadora, PortugalPublication . Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Nicolau, Leonor Bacelar; Galamba, J. M. M.; Azeiteiro, UlissesThis study assessed the contribution of formal environmental education, of the Portuguese national curricula, to student’s knowledge of biodiversity and related subjects, at the end of compulsory school. We also investigated the contribution of Alternative Courses on Education and Training to student’s environmental literacy, in terms of their knowledge of biodiversity and related subjects. The results of this study suggest that the formal environmental education of the national curricula and the alternative curricula did not significantly affect the environmental literacy of students, in terms of their knowledge of biodiversity and related subjects. A number of implications for Curriculum development and instructional practice are presented, and recommendations for further research are provided.
- Evaluation of an environmental education action about water resources conservationPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Santos, L. S.; Azeiteiro, Ulisses
- Field activities within an environmental sciences program: a b-learning case studyPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Oliveira, Carla Padrel de; Amador, Filomena; Martinho, Ana Paula; Caetano, Fernando J. P.A reflection on the use of fieldwork in environmental science programmes is conducted in this paper. It is generally agreed that for fieldwork to be effective, it must serve a clear purpose in the curriculum. For a good curriculum design, a fieldwork course must complement, enhance or extend an existing part of the curriculum or fulfil some major objective of the curriculum as a whole. Thus a successful integration of fieldwork within an undergraduate degree programme is particularly important. For an environmental science course delivered through online methodology, it becomes evident that special attention should be devoted to the design and implementation of such a course. If we consider the more general definition where the field is seen as the location, outside the classroom setting, where learning takes place, then fieldwork is the set of activities that will facilitate students’ learning. It is generally agreed that a field course is much more difficult to integrate than a set of activities closely related to a specific subject. However, in a distance-learning university it is not plausible that students perform this type of activity very often. Therefore, the field courses are designed as a stand-alone module. The current work analyzes the design of the course entitled Fieldwork II which is integrated in the undergraduate degree in Environmental Sciences at Universidade Aberta. Many issues have to be taken into account when designing such a course that encompasses legislative, pedagogical and logistical matters. An overview of the research work that has been developed on the pedagogical value of fieldwork is given. Taking into account the specific learning methodology adopted at Universidade Aberta, we also present a fieldwork model for environmental sciences in a context of a blended learning (b-learning) undergraduate programme. The organizational effectiveness of the model and students’ participation was assessed in two scholar years of a fieldwork course at Universidade Aberta. Also, the project assignment synopses were assessed in the context of education for sustainability. Finally, it should be stressed that fieldwork should be regarded as a form of learning which exploits the unique characteristics of the field environment to improve the student learning experience.
- Household sustainable consumption: an evaluation of environmental awareness materialsPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Martinho, Ana Paula; Ventura, P; Nunes, P.European Union (EU) has been putting increasing emphasis on sustainable use and management of natural resources, especially since the adoption in 2001 of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy and the Sixth Environment Action Programme. Some objectives and priority areas for action are the achievement of a significant overall reduction in the volumes of waste generated through waste prevention initiatives, better resource exploitation efficiency and a shift towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns. There is wide global recognition that unsustainable patterns of consumption have serious social and environmental impacts. ‘Changing consumption patterns’, as identified by Chapter 4 of Agenda 21, remains a challenging, yet significant component of the drive to achieve sustainable development. Sustainable consumption does not mean about consuming less, it is about consuming differently, consuming efficiently, and having an improved quality of life. It also means sharing between the rich and the poor. The change of these consumption patterns could only be achieved through the use of correct and efficient environmental awareness/education campaigns. The purpose of the study is to conduct a state of the art of environmental awareness materials related with European household sustainable consumption. The search materials were compared and evaluated in terms of: aims; type of materials; target public; applicability and contents. The results of our research demonstrated that internet is a powerful tool and can contribute to the awareness of the general public about these issues. The problem of internet downloaded materials is the lack of their quality evaluation before them as available on the web. Weaknesses were found in terms of technical, scientific quality and their ability for learning-teaching. Some of them are very rudimentary, contributing little to the general public’s awareness. Also their interactivity could be better if taking into account the currently power of web base tools.
- Indigenous knowledge systems and methods against ignorance: two case studies of Amakhuwa in Mozambique and Aymaras in BoliviaPublication . Jacquinet, Marc; Nhaueleque, Laura; Bussotti, LucaIn the current debates on sustainable development, the methodological discussions of research techniques and traditions have recently opened the issue of indigenous research and methodologies on a wide and global scale. It is a welcome move, and much more remains to be done, especially outside of the realm of English-speaking countries. Therefore, the analysis extends research to new geographical areas and understudied cultures. Consequently, it proposes a reflection on indigenous methodologies based on the integration of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and local knowledge of populations impacted by climate change, resettlement policies, cooperation initiatives, indigenous institutions, and public policies. The research is based on the combination of two main approaches: a review of literature complemented by two case studies, one in Northern Mozambique with the Amakhuwa people and another in Aymara Andean societies in Bolivia. In this later case the results can be extended to the proximate culture of the Quichuan communities. The main conclusions are about the indigenous knowledge systems as well as the importance of indigenous methodologies both for research purpose and better policy analysis, implementation, and assessment.