Schools In Portugal Research Articles

Game On: A Journey into Computational Thinking with Modern Board Games in Portuguese Primary Education

Recent studies highlight the potential of modern board games (MBGs) to foster computational thinking (CT) skills in students. This research explored the impact of integrating MBGs into a primary education classroom through an embedded concurrent mixed-methods approach, with a pre-experimental design in its quantitative aspect and content analysis in its qualitative dimension, with 20 fourth-grade students from a school in Portugal. The students participated in 10 game sessions, each lasting 50 min, and their CT skills were assessed using Bebras tasks in both the pre-test and post-test phases. Statistical analysis, including the Shapiro–Wilk test for normality and paired sample t-tests, revealed significant improvements in key CT areas, particularly abstraction, algorithmic thinking, and decomposition. Descriptive statistics were also calculated, and content analysis using Nvivo software was conducted on field notes, corroborating the quantitative data. The results suggest that MBGs can serve as a valuable educational tool for developing CT skills in young learners. This study not only highlights the effectiveness of MBGs but also emphasises the need for further research using more robust experimental designs to enhance CT development in educational settings.

Teacher Well-Being Under Threat: The Consequences of Workplace Bullying from Preschool to Higher Education

Workplace bullying can be defined as the repeated occurrence of aggressive behaviour by one or more persons in a position of power towards the victim. This phenomenon remains insufficiently researched among education professionals, especially between different levels of education. With this in mind, the present study aims to assess and characterise this phenomenon in the Portuguese teacher population, as well as its consequences. A digital questionnaire was used for the study, which includes a socio-demographic component and two scales, namely the LIPT-60 scale and the WBMMS scale. The questionnaire was published online and made accessible to all teachers employed in schools in Portugal. The final sample consisted of 2003 teachers. The obtained results revealed that 22.5% of the sample acknowledged experiencing workplace bullying. The most prevalent aggressive behaviours included communication blockage and defamation and disregard for work. Vertical descent emerged as the most common form of bullying. More than half of the victims reported experiencing health issues, with a quarter of them requiring a medical certificate. Finally, we would like to emphasize the significance of this study as an initial step towards the prevention and reduction of workplace bullying among Portuguese teachers.

Investigation of a Norovirus GII outbreak in a primary school in Portugal,2023

Abstract Background The onset of acute gastroenteritis cases among students in a primary school class on September 19, 2023, prompted an immediate response from the local Public Health unit. A collaborative effort was initiated to investigate and contain the outbreak. Methods Epidemiological questionnaires were distributed to 166 students and 8 staff members, defining cases as individuals exhibiting symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting, or nausea between September 19th and September 24th, 2023. Additionally, stool samples were collected from three individuals. Results Out of 166 students and 8 staff members, 39 individuals met the case definition, resulting in attack rates of 22% (37/166) and 25% (2/8) among students and staff, respectively. Laboratory analysis confirmed two cases of Norovirus GII among the tested specimens, with five students requiring medical attention. Conclusions Our investigation underscores the significance of continuous epidemiological surveillance and swift implementation of infection control measures in school settings. The detection of Norovirus transmission emphasizes the necessity for rigorous adherence to infection control best practices. Our findings advocate for sustained technical support from public health authorities to prevent and manage similar outbreaks effectively. Key messages • Study on Norovirus outbreak in a primary school highlights the imperative of infection control measures, emphasizing the importance of ongoing support from public health authorities. • The Norovirus outbreak investigation underscores the vital role of surveillance and swift response in containing infectious diseases within educational settings safeguarding all.

Executive Functioning in Different Types of Reading Disabilities.

Students with reading disabilities form a heterogeneous group: some struggle with accurate and fast reading (dysfluent readers), others with comprehension (poor comprehenders), and some face challenges in both areas (poor readers). Research has indicated a link between executive functioning skills and reading performance; yet, further studies are necessary to fully understand the executive profiles in various types of reading disabilities. The goal of this study was to examine differences in executive functioning among three types of reading disabilities, comparing their performance with that of children without difficulties in either skill (typical readers). Ninety-one students from schools in Portugal participated in the study. The results reveal specific deficits in naming speed and cognitive flexibility in poor readers and dysfluent readers compared to the other groups. Additionally, poor readers exhibited significantly slower processing speed and lower working memory. However, no significant differences were observed in planning. Discriminant function analysis results indicated that the examined executive functions are better at discriminating groups with fluency deficits than those with comprehension difficulties. In conclusion, these results suggest distinct deficit patterns in executive functioning skills across different types of reading disabilities. Taking into account these findings is crucial for effective assessment and intervention with these children.

“It’s Good to Have a Voice”: What Do Students Think about the Impact of a Flexible Curricular Implementation of Student-Centered Pedagogies on Their Own Learning Experiences?

While there is extensive evidence that student-centered pedagogies (SCPs) develop multidimensional (motor, cognitive, social) outcomes in students, the coalesced use of some of the core pedagogies of student-centered models (SCMs) can facilitate the achievement of more than one educational theme in the same intervention and may facilitate student engagement in more representative physical education (PE) experiences. In this study, students’ voices are explored concerning the impact of a flexible and coalesced curricular implementation of SCPs on their own PE learning experiences. An insider action-research design was implemented for one entire school year (50 lessons of 90 min each) with 25 students aged 16–17 years, enrolled in the 12th grade at a high school in Portugal. A qualitative data collection source was used (semi-structured focus-group interviews), analyzed through a mixed inductive–deductive thematic analysis. The findings emphasize that a flexible and coalesced curricular implementation of various SCPs over an extended period of time, considering the sport content, the context, and the skill level of students, seems to contribute to the development of more positive learning experiences for students. In summary, these learning experiences require that teachers learn to listen and respond to students’ voices.

Exploring Portuguese preschool educators’ attitudes and practices on information and communication technology (ICT)

AbstractThis study aims to explore preschool educators’ attitudes towards to information and communication technology (ICT), its factors and implementation of ICT tools in preschool education by the educators. To this end, a mixed-method research approach was applied, comprising qualitative and quantitative data, collected using survey and field observation. The data, gathered from 58 preschool educators from the north of Portugal, were analysed by SPSS and the qualitative data gathered by five classroom observations analysed by thematic analysis method. Findings indicated that preschool educators have positive attitudes towards ICT integration in education regardless of age, years of teaching experience and attending professional course predictors. Additionally, educators use ICT tools as materials to enhance classroom activities, engage children, and conduct research with them. The results of this study reveal that preschool educators hold positive attitudes toward ICT and actively implement activities using ICT. However, educators are still the main users of ICT in the classroom. It was also observed that as these five classrooms lack the technological infrastructure, the educators usually rely on their personal resources. The lack of ICT resources could affect the independent use of ICT by the children. According to the findings, the study recommends that there are some schools in Portugal that lack ICT infrastructure. In order to overcome this situation, school leaders and policymakers should invest in ICT infrastructure in preschool institutions in Portugal that face a lack of ICT tools.

Student Grouping: Investigating a Socio-Educational Practice in a Public School in Portugal

Social inclusion of children and young people and the curbing of school failure, dropout, and early school leaving is are central concerns of the European educational policy and are seen as means to prevent unemployment, poverty, and social exclusion. In Portugal, as in other European countries, to address this issue, several programs have been designed and developed. This article aims to investigate how teachers, technicians, and parents involved in a socio-educational practice of student grouping envisage processes that contribute to overcoming school failure, dropout, and early school leaving. This qualitative case study took place in a Portuguese municipality within a school-based nationwide intervention programme. From the voices of the educational agents consulted, some vectors of institutional, dispositional, and situational dimensions were identified that contribute to overcoming ‘barriers to access and participation in education’, which promote some changes among students at an individual level. The research findings highlight processes, factors, and logics of action that allow teachers to work closely with their students and tailor the pace and curriculum contents to their needs, thereby enhancing students’ academic performance.

Relationship Between Psychopathic Traits and the Quality of Student-Teacher Relationship in Children

ABSTRACT The study aimed to analyze in a sample of 200 students (10 to 12 years) from middle schools in Portugal the association between the quality of the student-teacher relationship and the presence of psychopathic traits. Findings suggested the existence of differences in the presence of psychopathic traits and in the quality of the student-teacher relationship regarding sex; that conflict relationship between teacher-student is positively associated with psychopathic traits; a conflicting relationship between teacher-student appears to predict the presence of psychopathic traits. It is necessary to work with the school community with the aim of optimizing relationships and preventing behavioral problems..

The Use of Educational Games to Promote Learning in Geology: Conceptions of Middle and Secondary School Teachers

Studies highlight researchers’ concerns about how science should be taught today. It is recognised that teachers have difficulty involving and motivating students to learn about different complex topics, such as geology. Schools must promote skills development to develop citizens who can be active and informed in society. One way of undertaking this is to use active methodologies such as educational games, in which students play an essential role in developing activities. Games encourage changes in conceptions regarding the relevance of this scientific topic that is often undervalued by students. Games have gained space in recent years in several disciplines, and it is essential that this tool is thought out and planned within a consistent pedagogical proposal. This educational resource is used to increase motivation for learning, as well as enhance and strengthen the effects of learning. An intervention plan can be framed within game-based teaching. Teachers have been underrepresented in the game-based learning literature, with more emphasis on games’ effects. However, the pedagogical issue of games has been particularly relevant in recent decades. The current investigation used a survey given to geology teachers (n = 112) from public and private middle and secondary schools in Portugal. Its purpose was to assess teachers’ perceptions regarding game-based teaching and its potential to promote active learning. Our sample ages ranged from 24 to 64 years (average of 48.9 years old); 81.3% were women and 18.8% were men. The analysis of the results seems to confirm that although they do not always use games to promote learning in geology, most teachers still recognise their potential to motivate, enhance, and reinforce the learning of geological content, with digital games being the preferred option. They emphasise the importance of teacher training in this area and the inclusion of game applications in school textbooks to approach different geology-related themes. Our results seem to indicate some lack of consistency in teachers’ opinions on the impact of games on student learning.

User Experience of a Mobile App in a City Tour Game for International Doctoral Students

Mobile augmented reality games (MARGs) offer exciting possibilities for enriching outdoor learning and enhancing tourism experiences. However, there is a notable gap in understanding the perspectives of doctoral students on these innovative approaches. This paper presents the results of a case study conducted during the 2023 EERA Summer School in Portugal, where PhD students in Education, from universities all around the globe, engaged in a MARG for sustainable development education. Seventy-three students embarked on a walking city tour, whilst playing an interdisciplinary game supported by the EduCITY Smart Learning City Environment. It comprises a web platform, an app, location games, and game creation training. Students experienced the EduCITY app, which guided them through a designated city path encompassing tourist sites, while promoting diverse learning opportunities. At the end, students provided feedback through a short and anonymous evaluation questionnaire, incorporating the user experience questionnaire and one open-ended question for improvement suggestions. This study revealed valuable insights into the doctoral students’ perspectives on the EduCITY app’s user experience, highlighting the strengths of “Attractiveness”, “Stimulation”, and “Novelty”. However, it also identified areas for improvement, particularly in “Dependability” and “Efficiency”. The analysis of the open-ended responses suggested that “Attractiveness” and “Perspicuity”, while not immediate priorities, should be considered in refinement phases as well. As more and more students recognize the importance of MARGs in education, there is a growing need for research in this field, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Goal 4.

Music for All: An Intervention Project in an Artistic School in Portugal

In Portugal, in 2018, an action-research project began to find solutions so that children with cerebral palsy (CP) could learn music in Arts Education Programmes of Music (AEPM). When conducting the characterisation of the child with CP, which gave rise to the study, and a series of literature reviews to find out what has been done in this area, we came across several works related to different Accessible Digital Musical Instruments (ADMIs) which can be employed by users with different needs. In the present case of the child under study, two of these ADMIs were chosen and used because of the opportunities they offer: Netytar and Netychords. These instruments allowed the child to access an artistic school near their residence after the respective admission test. In the Intervention Project (IP), which lasted six months, we analysed how the entry process was carried out, so we qualitatively studied the music teachers' field diary records. This situation included several interviews and conversations with the educational community involved. More specifically, the following were analysed: (i) the process of the child's entry into the artistic school; (ii) the work done by the piano teacher in the first three months of the study; (iii) the curricular adaptations proposed by the music teachers (MTs) of the ensemble and music training class so that the child could fulfil the proposed objectives; and (iv) the arrangements and musical compositions adapted so that the child could fulfil the demands of the school programme. As a result, we noticed that the peers of the child with CP adapted much better to the participation processes in favour of inclusion than the adults involved, probably because among the adults there was fear in the face of a still unknown situation, as is the case of working with a child who accesses information and music teaching unusually. We also noticed the urgent need for specific training and supervision among all involved - MTs, operational assistants (OAs), and parents/guardians (PGs). We were faced with the need for training in minor details such as accompanying the child with CP to move and use the toilet. In other words, it is necessary to prevent and prepare, empowering those involved with a series of skills so that children with special needs can fully and actively participate in this type of education.

From Policies to Practices: Factors Related to the Use of Inclusive Practices in Portugal.

Inclusion is considered a foundation for quality education, and teachers' inclusive practices are essential for success in mainstream classrooms. Portugal has been making progressive improvements in its policies for inclusive education, although there is little consistency in school practices within or between schools. Moreover, data identifying the personal and career variables relevant to teachers' inclusive practices in Portugal are scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between teachers' inclusive practices and personal and career-based characteristics, including gender, level of teaching, years of experience, roles performed at school, and perception of inclusive resources. The participants were 924 teachers who worked in private and public schools in Portugal. Regression analysis showed that perceived inclusive resources, level of teaching, and gender predicted variance in inclusive practices. Mean difference analyses revealed that teachers at the lower levels of teaching, females, and teachers reporting more inclusive resources had the highest scores for inclusive practices. These findings are discussed in terms of their practical relevance for inclusive school systems.

Second Chance Schools in Portugal and Spain: Educational Proposals for Students in Greatest Vulnerability

Second Chance Schools in Portugal and Spain: Educational Proposals for Students in Greatest Vulnerability

Educational pathways, tourism and geoconservation. The network of trails of the Estrela Geopark in the dissemination of science, heritage and tourism sustainability

The Estrela Geopark, through the development of programmes and both educational and interpretative routes, aims to stimulate contact with the geological and geomorphological heritage of the Serra da Estrela territory, in an outdoor learning approach that educates and raises awareness of the importance of geoconservation, heritage enhancement and tourism sustainability. As such, the understanding of the history and evolution of the Earth and life is promoted in a natural mountain laboratory context. The educational programmes of the Estrela Geopark, designed in accordance with the curricular programmes of primary and secondary schools in Portugal, promote outdoor activities on the geographic knowledge of the Estrela mountain, its resources and the environmental implications for the local life styles and the impact generated by tourist practices in the territory. Geoeducation and geotourism have gained relevance in tourism development projects, especially in low density territories with recognised heritage value. Guided interpretation of the territory can contribute to the construction of learning about how to value endogenous resources, the landscape and the strategies for developing tourism. This study aims to describe differentiated methodologies and strategies for outdoor learning to identify ways of disseminating knowledge, particularly of the geosciences, to not only encourage the identification of attitudes of geoconservation and valorization of resources for sustainable tourism, but also promote stronger local identities.

#EntreViagenseAprendizagens: study protocol of a school-based intervention to promote well-being and healthy lifestyles among adolescents.

Adolescence is a critical period of development in which well-being usually decreases, mental health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety) increase, and lifestyles become less healthy. Schools are a primary setting for the promotion of the well-being and overall health of adolescents, and preventive actions should be a priority within the scope of health-promoting schools. #EntreViagenseAprendizagens is a school-based intervention aiming to promote well-being and healthy lifestyles among adolescents based on social and emotional learning, positive psychology, and health education approaches. This protocol describes a school-based intervention, #EntreViagenseAprendizagens, that will be implemented in several schools in Portugal. The program is aimed at 8th and 9th grade students (14-16 years old) and comprises 20 weekly sessions. One of the sessions is aimed at the students' parents/guardians. The intervention content targets social and emotional skills, health literacy (physical and mental health), healthy lifestyles, character strengths, and well-being. An experimental design will be used in the intervention evaluation. Eighth grade classes will be randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group. All students complete the same assessment protocol at baseline, post-intervention, and 9-month follow-up. The impact assessment protocol includes measures related to well-being, health literacy, health-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, relationships with others, social and emotional skills, and sociodemographic data. Process evaluation includes evaluation forms at the end of each session and at the end of the program and focus groups with students, parents, and teachers at the end of the program. This school-based intervention may play an important role in promoting students' well-being and in preventing unhealthy lifestyles and socio-emotional maladjustment, by focusing on the development of social and emotional skills and health literacy among adolescents, empowering them to face the changing future and grow up healthy. Furthermore, this project aims to provide relevant scientific findings that can contribute to the development of better health-promoting schools.

Engineering Students’ Perception on Self-Efficacy in Pre and Post Pandemic Phase

During 2020 and 2021, the world experienced a global change in everyone’s daily lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were confined in their homes but, luckily, had access to online classes. This study aims to assess the changes in self-efficacy perceived by engineering students in a school in Portugal. By helping to understand how students have changed their learning capacities, developed new strategies, and/or need more (or different) support to learn, teachers can target their teaching methods accordingly and contribute to a more sustainable education. A questionnaire was constructed and validated to assess students’ perceptions before and after the associated lockdowns. Five theoretically supported factors emerged from a statistical factor analysis: Communication and Empathy; Focus and Personal Organization; Teamwork and Individual Work Capacity; Technical and Cognitive Resources Management; and Emotional Resources Management. This work shows students’ percept that they improved their teamwork and individual work capacity and their technical and cognitive resources management. In general, students seem to have been able to be more autonomous as they managed to work and develop their cognitive resources; however, their emotional state and ability to focus decreased. Perceived self-efficacy was less affected in older students than in younger ones, suggesting that this group may have adapted better to the pandemic restrictions. Students who were already at university showed less impact than those moving from high school to university. There was also a difference between those who endured these changes at only one level of education and those who endured them at both levels (high school and university), with this last group being the most negatively affected.

Validation of a Questionnaire on Sexual and Reproductive Health Among Immigrant Vocational Education Students in Portugal from São Tomé and Príncipe

Sexual and reproductive health interventions’ effectiveness should be evaluated using a valid instrument. This study aimed to validate a questionnaire on sexual and reproductive health in adolescents and young adults from São Tomé and Príncipe who voluntarily enrolled in a vocational school in Portugal to complete their 12th school year and obtain a professional card.A questionnaire consisting of perception and knowledge sections was adapted from previous questionnaires. We followed the steps of psychometric analysis. Firstly, we assessed face validity and content validity. We used factorial analysis to validate the perceptions section (which included Likert-type questions). For the knowledge section (which consisted of multiple-choice questions), we used the key check, discrimination index, and difficulty index. We evaluated internal consistency through Cronbach’s alpha for the perceptions section and the Kuder-Richardson score for the knowledge section.Out of 105 invited students, a total of ninety students were enrolled in this study, of whom 88 completed most of the questions. The exploratory analysis showed that most students agreed with the right to refuse intercourse. However, while approximately 23% disagreed that consensual sex among adult women or men is always wrong, around the same proportion agreed. A considerable number of students recognized condoms and pills as effective methods of contraception. However, most students were unfamiliar with other methods. Most knowledge questions showed acceptable difficulty levels, and the discrimination index varied among questions. The knowledge questions demonstrated good consistency levels. This study enabled us to develop an appropriate instrument for evaluating the effectiveness of public health interventions and identifying specific knowledge gaps in migrant populations from low-income countries. This will help prioritise topics to be addressed in sexual health education sessions.

Simulação e cooperação interdisciplinar e interinstitucional: desenvolvimento de competências do estudante de enfermagem em desastres

Abstract Objective to identify the importance attributed to simulated practice use in nursing undergraduate students’ pedagogic actions in the field of disasters, in an interdisciplinary and interinstitutional scope in Portugal. Methods a study framed in the qualitative paradigm, supported by inductive and exploratory reasoning. As a data collection technique, semi-structured interviews were applied to coordinators/directors of nursing courses at public and private schools in Portugal. Results simulation methodology in the field of disasters is a teaching/learning strategy for nursing students to develop skills in this area. This type of teaching/learning methodology will have a greater advantage if carried out in partnership with organizations involved in protection and rescue operations and with an interdisciplinary scope, since it enhances prevention quality and response of all actors involved. Final considerations and implications for practice considering the specific complexity and unpredictability of disaster situations, the establishment of strategic cooperation partnerships with organizations with responsibility in this field, which promotes the development of nursing students’ skills and reduces the erroneous deterministic view of organizations, regarding the ability of students to integrate these actions, is fundamental.

The role of knowledge in the construction and promulgation of a public policy: the case of the external evaluation of schools in Portugal

Resumo No quadro da abordagem cognitiva das políticas, com base na pesquisa arquivística de textos oficiais, pesquisamos como conhecimento e política se interrelacionam nos processos de problematização e de preconização. Partimos dos produtos de duas cenas centrais: o “Governo”, enquanto autoridade pública, de cuja tomada de decisão resultou a Lei no 31/2002, de 20 de dezembro, que aprova o sistema de avaliação da Educação não superior e o Grupo de Trabalho mandatado pela Inspeção da Educação, em 2011, para reconfigurar o modelo inicial de avaliação. A lei e o modelo avaliativo, enquanto recetáculos do conhecimento que erigiu a política na ação pública, revelam a natureza do conhecimento que permitiu cogitar a avaliação, fabricar problemas e coletivizar soluções. Sobressaem os conhecimentos comparativo e cartográfico, que agilizam inferências de utilidade governamental e a eficácia da regulação, a partir do exemplo internacional, da evidence based policy e das boas práticas, reforçando a conveniência da política da avaliação, legitimando-a. Da análise, resultou, também, uma reflexão sobre a concomitância de formas burocráticas e pós-burocráticas no governo da Educação.

Vantagens e dificuldades na utilização de plataformas e tecnologias digitais por professores e alunos

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the advantages and difficulties of teachers and students regarding the use of a selection of nine digital platforms and technologies for daily school activities and verifies whether the situation resulting from the quarantine due to covid-19 generated other problems in the use of those digital platforms and technologies. Questionnaires were applied to 105 students and 45 teachers in five schools in Portugal. The results revealed that teachers and students agreed with the advantages and contributions of the use of digital platforms and technologies. As for the difficulties, the teachers pointed out problems with the obsolescence and the insufficiency of the equipment and with the internet access presented as the main ones encountered when using the digital platforms and technologies. The students indicated internet access as their main difficulty. During the pandemic, teachers reported difficulties more associated with social, pedagogical, and technical aspects, while students related it more to personal issues.