Higher Education In Portugal Research Articles

Enhancing Higher Education in Portugal: Leveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence for Learning-Teaching Process

Recent advancements in Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) have revolutionized numerous fields, including higher education. This study focuses on the integration of GAI in Portuguese higher education institutions and explores its multifaceted implications and potential. Our research, conducted through a comprehensive survey between April and June 2023, engages with higher education faculty to understand their perceptions and utilization of GAI tools in teaching and learning processes. The potential of GAI to enhance personalized learning and interactive teaching methodologies is significant. It enables the creation of customized educational content, interactive simulations, and real-time feedback mechanisms, thus reducing the educators' workload and enhancing the learning experience. However, this integration is not without challenges. The study identifies critical ethical concerns around the use of GAI, including data privacy, intellectual property, and the potential for bias in AI-generated content. Additionally, our findings indicate varying acceptance and readiness among educators to adopt these technologies. While some express enthusiasm for the potential of GAI to transform educational practices, others remain cautious, highlighting the need for comprehensive training and support to leverage GAI capabilities fully. This paper captures the essence of the study's findings, illustrating both the promising opportunities and the complex challenges associated with using Generative AI in higher education. Higher education institutions can significantly enhance teaching and learning landscapes by addressing these challenges and fostering an informed and ethical approach to GAI integration.

Social work and support policies in higher education in Portugal

Portuguese student welfare policy is a field of action in which social workers develop interventions to promote school success, equal opportunities and well-being for students. This study aims to discuss the consequences of monetary support policies and how these are associated with university students’ monetary and emotional safety and academic success. It further analyses managers’ perspectives regarding social workers’ participation in student welfare policy. Mixed research methods were applied, taking into consideration empirical data from three levels of analysis involving different data-processing techniques. The results show that monetary policies contribute to students’ monetary and emotional safety. However, monetary policies have no influence on the time dedicated to school activities. Results also demonstrate that the production of follow-up strategies would benefit from managers fomenting a proactive attitude among social workers.

First Mathematics Education laboratory in Higher Education in Portugal: stories built with words

This article aims to narrate the trajectories of the first Maths Education Labs (MEL) in higher education in Portugal. It seeks, in particular, to understand the perspectives inherent in its creation and evolution, to scrutinize the formative practices that took place there, and to identify the challenges facing its sustainability. It is a narrative investigation that, for data collection, opted for conducting interviews and documents focused on this MEL. Data analysis revealed that the MEL was established in 1989 to support students in initial training as well as teachers, in order to bring innovations to the teaching and learning of Mathematics. Over time, there was a need to revisit its principles, as the old function of supporting the construction of materials was no longer relevant. Among the main challenges are institutional difficulties and resource acquisition.

Mapping Science Communication in Higher Education in Portugal: A Systematic Evidence Analysis of PhD and Master’s Programs

Science communication training plays a crucial role in enabling scientists to effectively connect with the public, emphasizing essential skills such as building trust in scientific and technological advancements. Despite significant progress, some studies show a notable deficiency in higher education (HE) institutional structures and mechanisms dedicated to science communication training, addressing a diverse audience including researchers, teachers, and science monitors. This study delves into the key characteristics of current science communication postgraduate training programs within the HE landscape of Portugal. Our analysis is based on a comprehensive examination of the curricula of five science communication doctoral programs offered by four public universities in Portugal. The research involves a meticulous review of course documents and insights gathered from five directors through a detailed questionnaire. The primary objectives of this research are to discern the specific goals pursued by each course, uncover the content and development of competencies within their curricula, and explore the market opportunities envisioned by each offering. The results underscore that these programs equip students with the necessary competencies to effectively address challenges in science communication, notably enhancing public understanding of science. Significant findings suggest that Portugal’s current higher education scenario predominantly emphasizes cultivating postgraduate training activities in authentic settings, fostering collaborative partnerships with society. This article is a foundational resource for further exploration into the discipline-specific applications of science communication, aiming to elevate academic engagement with society.

The road less travelled: Exploring the reluctance of vocational students towards higher education in Portugal

AbstractDespite rising participation rates in Portugal, a gap persists between general and vocational upper secondary students' transition to higher education (HE). This study employs a qualitative methodology, specifically through content analysis of focus group discussions, to explore the factors influencing vocational students' reluctance towards higher education, amidst specific policies designed to aid their transition. Empirical findings suggest that vocational students may exhibit reservations stemming from self‐perceived academic deficiencies, impacting their self‐confidence in continuing their education at a HE level. Nevertheless, confidence in market‐valued practical skills might motivate HE consideration within a vocational domain. Their practical focus also makes HE seem less immediately applicable in the labour market. Many prioritise integration into the workforce for short‐run objectives, seeking breaks, experience and financial earnings. Aiming for earning and practicality, many lean towards the labour market over HE, even considering emigrating to achieve financial stability. The study emphasises the need for Portuguese educational policies to align vocational training with HE, supporting diverse student ambitions and holistic career paths.

Integrating refugees and migrants into higher education in Portugal? An action research experience in a Portuguese university

This article results from research comprised of fieldwork ethnography, participant observation, collection of life stories, interviews and testimonials of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, living in Portugal. We focus on a particular experience of the research named Living in a Different Culture (LDC), which took place between 2017 and 2019, aimed at participants who shared the goal of becoming university students, before migration. LDC supported students who wanted to continue their academic training and those wanting to find alternative pathways of inclusion and autonomy, using new academic skills and knowledge. The project included a tailored course in Portuguese society and culture, created with an anthropological lens, Portuguese language classes and other disciplines. Several of the students who attended the course, in both academic years, continued their studies, or found work within their area of expertise. Obstacles highlighted in the paper perpetuated cycles of precarious living and structural violence. We argue that by devaluing migrants and refugees’ knowledges and skills, host society loses important resources to its own development. We conclude by stating that projects such as LDC require a long-term commitment with interinstitutional support, a sustainability strategy, and a decolonial mindset.

Music performance anxiety: development and validation of the Portuguese music performance anxiety scale.

Several studies have developed and validated specific scales to understand, identify and confirm research hypotheses associated with music performance anxiety (MPA). These scales mostly assess behavioral, cognitive, and physiological factors. There is currently no original MPA assessment tool for higher music education in Continental Portuguese, which suggests a research gap. The aim of this study was to determine if the Portuguese Music Performance Anxiety Scale (PoMPAS), developed for this research, is a valid and reliable measure of MPA for the context of higher education in Portugal. The total sample was N = 414 (166 male, 245 female, and three without gender identification). The development of this scale was based on a three-dimensional model (behavioral, cognitive, and physiological), following the theoretical models of Salmon (1990) and Osborne and Kenny (2005). Confirmatory factor analysis of the PoMPAS suggested a good fit in a three-dimensional model with 27 items. The internal consistency values proved appropriate, showing good Cronbach's alphas (between α = 0.81 and α = 0.90). The McDonald's Omega also demonstrated good consistency (between ω = 0.81 and ω = 0.90). The PoMPAS is a reliable tool to measure the impact of MPA, with good psychometric qualities, specifically for the Portuguese higher music education context.

The promotion of academic literacy in higher education: The course Reading and Writing for the Production of Academic Knowledge

Despite the recognition of the difficulties of many students, their training in the field of academic literacy has no tradition in higher education in Portugal. There are, however, some approaches dealing with it. The course Reading and Writing for the Production of Academic Knowledge, taught to undergraduate students at the University of Minho, is an example of these approaches. This course places the issue of academic writing in the broader framework of academic literacy. It aims to make students aware of the specific uses of academic language in their field of study and promote their understanding of the role of reading and writing in knowledge construction and dissemination. The course Reading and Writing for the Production of Academic Knowledge assumes a practical nature to facilitate the appropriation of academic genres by engaging students in academic language practices within their learning context and by using the specific texts of their disciplines.

Teachers’ digital competences in higher education in Portugal and Spain

The potential of DTIC has brought new and emerging challenges to teachers, making it essential to acquire digital competences, especially in virtual learning environments and online technologies. In this sense, based on the <i>DigCompEdu CheckIn</i> self-assessment questionnaire, validated for the Portuguese population by earlier studies, this research aims to identify the most fragile and robust areas of digital competences of Portuguese and Spanish university teachers. The quantitative methodological approach emphasizes teachers’ perception of their digital competences in three dimensions: teachers’ professional competences, teachers’ pedagogical competences and students’ competences and involved 347 teachers from Portugal and Spain. The results show that teachers of the two institutions have an overall moderate level of digital proficiency–level B1 and B2–and that the differences encountered between Portuguese and Spanish teachers (for example, Portuguese teachers have level A2 in area 4–assessment–, while Spanish teachers are already at level B2) highlight the need to invest in specific training that may address specific frailties, and therefore allow for the promotion of their digital competences. Results relating to teaching experience and age show that there is no direct relation between either factor or being digitally competent. Regarding gender, results reveal that men had slightly better results than women. Overall, what the results show is the need for teachers to increase the level of digital competence through specific training, prepared according to the specificities of each institution, and the importance of developing public policies that prepare teachers for a more digital education.

INCLUSIVE HIGHER EDUCATION (IHE): APPLICATION OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

In a context of growing social concern with issues of diversity and inclusion, the authors intended to explore the potential of assistive technology for the promotion of inclusion of students with disabilities. The research seeks to analyze not only the inclusion of the student during his/her academic experience, but also its role in moments when a potential candidate with disability is considering entering higher education, or considers continuing their studies, once acquiring this disability while attending the course. To this end, higher education teachers in Portugal were questioned on their experience or expectations regarding the teaching of students with special educational needs, and students with special educational needs, and the latter about their experience and expectations from the moment their application, or from the moment they become aware of their disability during the disability already during the course, until the moment they complete or abandon it. It was possible to conclude that there is a great need for pedagogical training of teachers in higher education in Portugal, both in general terms and specifically to prepare them for teaching students with special educational needs. In students' perspective, the difficulty in reaching information that supports the decision to apply for higher education (inclusive practices and accessibility of the institutions they are considering applying to, rights guaranteed by legislation and assistive technology that may facilitate their inclusion), as well as some difficulty in finding accessible or adapted assistive technology and teaching materials. It was also possible to identify needs in terms of assistive technology.

Lecturers’ attitude towards the use of e-learning tools in higher education: A case of Portugal

Abstract This study aims to assess the lecturers’ opinions about the use of e-learning tools to support distance and blended learning in higher education in Portugal, evidently reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic. This research was based on a qualitative methodology, specifically, a focus group with professors from five higher education institutions from different geographical areas in Portugal. The obtained results were analysed along four main dimensions: (1) the level of knowledge of e-learning tools, (2) the reasons for using or (3) not using them, and, finally, (4) the opinion of lecturers on the student assessment process using these tools. The results showed that in addition to the concerns with smooth running classes and the appropriate delivery of the syllabus, the lecturers considered the transition to the e-learning context to have been easy. They noted a high level of literacy in the used tools, believed in the continued use of e-learning in the post-pandemic context, indicated several advantages for those involved in the e-learning context and a majority of limitations related to the time required for the adoption of more tools; and, finally, underlined the student assessment issue, which was pointed out as the most sensitive topic in the whole e-learning context. The study informed on the lecturers’ perspective on e-learning and the used tools and provided insight into their perceived usefulness and benefits for lecturers and students. An especially strong concern was verified on the part of lecturers to optimise e-learning tools to provide better knowledge delivery to students.

Planning Thoughts – The evolution of themes in Master Dissertations and Doctoral Theses in the field of specialisation in Spatial Planning, FEUP

The formal existence of a specialisation in spatial planning at FEUP dates back 50 years. The present paper aims to contribute to the analysis of this experience, and to some extent of its contributions, by tracing the evolution of the themes of MSc dissertations and PhD thesis. under the scope of the different spatial planning specialisation courses.
 After a brief contextualisation, which refers to changes in higher education in Portugal and in FEUP, the paper answers two research questions: How did the themes of Master Dissertations and Doctoral Theses in Spatial Planning evolve within this field of specialisation in FEUP? How do the themes in the field of Spatial Planning correlate between themselves? To this end, methodologies of content analysis of metadata, titles, and abstracts (CAMTA) and cluster analysis based on the software VOSviewer were applied.
 The increasing number of publications and themes, which reflect the consolidation of this field of specialisation, and the permanence of three major research clusters, which are thus a characteristic of the planning approach developed at FEUP, constitute some of the main results of the study.

Author preferences for open access in Portugal: survey findings

PurposeSurveying authors at doctoral-granting institutions of higher education in Portugal, the authors in this paper aim to seek to determine the extent to which Portuguese researchers prefer that their work appears in open access journals or open access repositories resulting in improved access to quality, peer-reviewed scientific information and faster scientific and technological advances. The authors also seek to gauge Portuguese author's familiarity with open access, the importance they attach to open access when choosing a publication outlet, and to determine their preferences for achieving open access.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology adopted in this research is the case study. The case study intends to understand a complex social phenomenon through an in-depth study holistically. In May 2020, the authors distributed a survey to faculty in all academic ranks at 14 Portuguese higher education institutions to learn the extent to which Portuguese authors currently make their research openly available, ascertain their awareness of open access, their support of the European Union (EU) open access goal and their preferences for achieving open access.FindingsResearchers at Portuguese universities overwhelmingly are aware of arguments in favor of open access and believe that open access benefits researchers in their fields. Portuguese researchers regularly publish in open access journals and deposit their papers in institutional or disciplinary repositories.Research limitations/implications16.7% of 740 potential respondents completed the survey. The relatively low response rate prevents extrapolations from being made to the universe. The study was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, which, due to the disruption created in all sectors, made data collection complex and delayed its subsequent treatment.Originality/valueSimilar studies have been conducted at individual universities and in particular disciplines to determine the degree to which their faculty authors are aware of open access, its benefits, and preferences for achieving it. A similar study of Bulgarian university authors was conducted in 2018. No previous study of Portuguese authors at institutions of higher education has been conducted. The results will be useful to Portuguese institutions of higher education and academic libraries to establish and revise open access outreach and implementation services that may be helpful to their faculty in meeting EU open access and funder open access requirements.

Impact of grade retention and school engagement on student intentions to enrol in higher education in Portugal

AbstractGrade retention and inequalities that derive from grade retention can influence student school trajectories and careers. Grade retention can discourage students from education, and increase school failure and dropout. This study explored the relationship between grade retention and student intentions to enrol in higher education. We also studied the role of school identification and behavioural engagement in this relationship. The analysis is based on a sample of 1,089 students (grades 6 to 10) from Portugal, one of the European countries with the highest rates of grade retention. We employed multilevel probit regression modelling with random intercept and fixed slopes to explore both the individual and school level effects of grade retention. The analyses showed that retained students had a lower probability of intent to enrol in higher education and that there was a contextual effect of the number of retained students in the school, on students' probability of intent to enrol in higher education. This association was partially explained at the individual level by students' school identification. Retained students presented lower levels of school identification, which in turn results in lower probabilities of enrolling in higher education. Student behavioural engagement was not associated with grade retention nor student intentions. Our findings suggest the need for interventions that foster students' school identification to overcome the adverse effects of grade retention.

Researching higher education in Portugal

ABSTRACT Despite relatively recent, higher education has evolved into a consolidated field of study. This paper examines how this field evolved in Portugal. The goal was to understand when it first appeared, how it evolved over time, which scientific areas was it associated with, and what have been its main objects of study. Tight’s classification of objects of study was used to inspire content analysis, which was used to systematise information on doctoral theses in higher education held or recognised in Portugal between 1970 and 2019. Descriptive statistics completed this analysis in accordance with the study objectives. The study findings reveal that the number of theses on higher education-related themes or subthemes has increased over time, particularly in the last decade. Two major clusters of objects of study were also identified, one more relevant, focusing on Teaching and Learning and Students and the other, less representative, focusing on System Policies, Quality, Institutional Management, and Academics. Moreover, findings suggest that research in higher education in Portugal is focused on the ‘usual’ scientific areas, namely social sciences, and education. Despite some limitations, the study adds significantly to the understanding of higher education as a field of study, opening-up new avenues for future research.

The Adequacy of Accounting Education in the Development of Transversal Skills Needed to Meet Market Demands

With the ongoing digital transformation, accountants will need a more technological profile and greater mastery of transversal skills. In this context, higher education institutions (HEIs) assume a fundamental role, as they must adapt the teaching methodologies of accounting courses to meet new market demands. This study aims to identify the transversal skills most needed by accounting professionals to meet market demands and analyze the suitability of higher education in Portugal for the development of those skills. To this end, semi-structured interviews were carried out with people who directly or indirectly deal with accounting professionals and focus groups that included lecturers, students, and recent graduates. Conclusions indicate that communication is the most valuable transversal skill to respond to the new requirements of the profession, followed by being proactive, showing initiative, successful teamwork, and the ability to adapt to new contexts. Accountants are also required to invest more time in information and communication technologies (ICT) training. Evidence indicates that accounting education in Portugal does not seem to adequately prepare students with these skills, continuing to rely on traditional approaches to teaching and assessment.

Competition and diversification in higher education: Analysing impacts on access and equity in the case of Portugal

AbstractIn recent decades, higher education has experienced a massive expansion worldwide, which has often been linked to increasing higher education diversification. New sectors and new types of institutions emerged with this massification process to offer more diversified types of advanced training. At the same time, this expansion was often embedded in a political economy that increasingly favoured market forces, leading to growing privatisation and competition in the higher education sector. This article explores the relevance of institutional diversification and competition in higher education for access and equity in Portugal. The case of higher education in Portugal is particularly interesting since Portugal has a diverse system both in secondary education and in higher education, with significant vocational and private sectors at both levels (besides the more common academic and university tracks and public institutions). We analyse the profile of new cohorts of entrants by sector (public vs. private higher education institutions) and fields of study. Our results suggest that private secondary schools provide an advantageous track for accessing higher education, especially to prestigious programmes and institutions to which students compete to access. The analysis also indicates that socioeconomic background is a very relevant factor for access to higher education. Although students whose parents do not have a higher education degree may enrol in higher education, those whose parents have higher levels of educational attainment tend to enrol in more prestigious programmes and institutions, to which access is more competitive.

Entrepreneurial intention among women: A case study in the Portuguese academy

AbstractA growing interest in academic entrepreneurship has characterized the past few years. Young university students are increasingly encouraged to create their companies to boost their region's social and economic development. In this regard, women entrepreneurs have been playing a decisive role. They have been increasing in number, becoming of key importance due to their status and significance for the gender impact on entrepreneurship. This research evaluates women's entrepreneurial intention in the Portuguese academy, denoting which entrepreneurial intent is influenced by environmental factors such as closer valuation and social valuation and motivational factors such as attitude toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. For this purpose, a quantitative methodology was used. A questionnaire was applied to 731 female students of higher education in Portugal. The analysis of the results allowed us to perceive which variables under study influenced the entrepreneurial intention. The findings will reinforce the literature, thus, contributing to strengthening the theoretical framework on entrepreneurial intentions in women and launching clues for action within public decision‐makers, universities, and civil society, allowing to adopt practices that will increase entrepreneurship in women. To our knowledge, this research is one of the few studies on female entrepreneurial intention in academia in a peripheral region of Europe such as Portugal.

Mestrado em Educação Social e Intervenção Comunitária na ESELx: Percurso, Formação e Investigação

In the last decades, we have seen a considerable path of institutionalizing Social Education (SE) as a scientific field and professional area. In this article, we intend to analyze the SE from five analytical dimensions: i) identify the main historical events of the socio-historical path of SE in Portugal to understand the reconfiguration of its assumptions, profiles, roles and functions of its professionals; iii) characterize the training offer in higher education in Portugal; iv) to characterize the Master in Social Education and Community Intervention (MESIC) of the Lisbon Higher School of Education, namely, its study plan, the curricular units that constitute it, the profile of its students; and, v) map the research produced at MESIC, between 2017-2019. The documentary and content analysis of the 15 projects enabled the identification of the following categories: scope of the investigation or intervention; the categories in which the research or intervention is located; the nature of the intervention, the audiences and the contexts; the methodology and ethical procedures adopted.

Entrepreneurial Intention before and during COVID-19—A Case Study on Portuguese University Students

The present research aims to compare the entrepreneurial intention of university students before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. For this purpose, some dimensions were analyzed, such as the availability of this target audience to undertake an activity at their own risk, the preference for a future while employed by others, their perception of the values that society places on entrepreneurship, and the entrepreneurial abilities/skillsets. A comparative study of a quantitative nature was used, associating two samples composed of students of higher education in Portugal, the data were obtained before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of the results permits us to conclude: (1) in the circumstances of macroeconomic changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurial activity does not decrease; (2) respondents are less interested in being employed by others and more attracted to being entrepreneurs; (3) there is a growing concordance with the values that society places on entrepreneurship; and (4) there is now a greater aptitude for entrepreneurial activity. The present research is original, as it compares data obtained in different contexts of economic and social stability. It contributes to theory and practice, in the sense that it points to conclusions in the opposite direction of other studies carried out in situations of disasters of another nature, and can serve as a reference for the development of strategies to promote entrepreneurship, within higher education institutions and official entities to publicize and promote new public policies.