RCAAP Repository

Em Portugal, à semelhança de outros países, tem-se vindo a assistir à proliferação de Universidades Seniores. Estas constituem um espaço de excelência de aprendizagem ao longo da vida, promovendo o desenvolvimento contínuo daqueles que as frequentam, contribuindo para um envelhecimento ativo e consequentemente, para a melhoria da qualidade de vida dos seniores. Os dados presentes na literatura apontam no sentido de as Universidades Seniores terem um impacto positivo na qualidade de vida dos seniores, nomeadamente ao nível do seu bem-estar psicológico e social, contribuindo para a sua autonomia e integração na sociedade. Neste sentido, considerou- -se pertinente investigar a relação entre a frequência de Universidades Seniores e a qualidade de vida, com recurso ao Instrumento de Avaliação da Qualidade de Vida (IAQdV) (Fonseca, Paúl & Teles, 2007). Com uma amostra de 48 seniores e recorrendo a uma metodologia quantitativa, pôde verificar-se um impacto favorável na qualidade de vida dos seniores que frequentavam atividades de aprendizagem não formal em nas universidades mencionadas. Esta melhoria na qualidade de vida verifica-se sobretudo ao nível das categorias Relações Sociais e Bem-estar psicológico, presentes no IAQdV.

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The craft of teaching is entangled in a series of illusions, some woven inside, other (mostly) on the outside. In this paper, we identify and analyze in a summary form the 10 illusions that prevent the full development of the teaching profession: the illusion of command and control, the illusion that the center knows (and can) always more than sad peripheries: the illusion that change can be enacted and the fiction of autonomy, the romantic illusion that schools want to be the nerve center, as well as essential in the educational system : the illusion of strong leadership that takes the responsibility away from the led : the illusion that the socio-economic context brand the fate of pupils; the illusion that the school can respond to all social demands: the illusion that the school can respond to all social demands: the illusion that the school is an educational community, the illusion that the teacher is a professional, the illusion of the classroom as a secret garden that must be preserved. It argues and seeks to support the thesis that these illusions need to be overcome through other ways of seeing, thinking, feeling the profession, because only then can we improve the processes and educational outcomes. In this context we describe 10 steps that can structure a process of improvement and 17 refer to actions guide that allow living the school otherwise.

Th e organization of the school to ensure equality is based on a decision model that promotes the bureaucratic reception of many measures intended to promote differentiated instruction, insofar as these measures are designed on the central administration to be executed in schools. This organization is also conditioned by the entrenched beliefs of educators and educational agents socialized in a transmissive pedagogy that supports the “traditional school” thus effectively removing any device for differentiation of instruction.

The improvement of the quality of the public school contributes for the democratization of the society and passes for the promotion of the equality of chances and for the social equity. This perspective inspires to the creation of Project FREI – Fidelizar Recursos para Esbater o Insucesso, in implementation in the Vertical Grouping of Schools West of the Hill from school year 2009-2011. In this article, we present the objectives, its actions and main accomplishments and some results of the self-evaluation of this project.

The paper analyzes the auto-evaluation Process of Educational Project TEIP, considered as a case study. The starting point was the referential for analysis of curriculum policy, identified by Pacheco (2003) as “equality/inequality” and “homogenizing/ diversity”, and of the conceptual proposal of the “Triangle of difference”, proposed by Wieviorka (2002): the collective identity, the modern individual, and the subject. Following a qualitative approach, we chose the technique of focus group, direct observation and analysis of normative and institutional documents. The search results identified that the auto-evaluation process stresses more the causes of school failure in internal factors related to motivation and cognition of students, and in external factors related to the participation of parents, indicating that curriculum differentiation strategies and educational practices should be reviewed, in order to promote school success. We conclude that the students are included in the school starting from the differences that specify them, as students integrated into the educational community aff ected by social and economic problems, that is, they are included starting from their “collective identity” territorial. The Program TEIP is confi gured as a proposal for Curriculum Differentiation that focuses more on pedagogical support than curricular plans.

The assessorship has been proposed by some of the schools that are Educational Territories of Priority Intervention (TEIP) as a way to contribute to a signifi cant change in the work done by teachers with students and thus to contribute towards improving the educational success of these. The pedagogical assessorship that is studied in this text is the one that takes forms of support and cooperation that a teacher of the same scientific area provides to another in the exercise of part or all of the work done with a school class. This is the main object of this text that describes how assessorship conducted in a Secondary School was seen by teachers and pupils. Text explains assessorship main achievements, namely these concerning teachers’ professional cultures.  

Under the second Programme of Educational Territories of Priority Intervention – which includes new procedures and organizational and institutional confi gurations aiming at school development – we have been working as consultants in four school clusters for two years. The institutional framework of this programme is herein presented as well as the function and place of the external expert then created. We briefly compile some of the concepts within educational consultancy. Additionally we revisit the consultancy practices in four contexts of action with their space/time characteristics. We do not aim at simply illustrating facts and situations. We seek to place ourselves as interpreters who try to examine senses and meanings and allowing questions to be formulated, probing experience and attempting to recognize the problems and difficulties that this type of supervision raises. We tried to equate some of the ambiguities arising from diffuse configurations (expert, consultant, and critical friend). Also referred to are the potential contradictions deriving from how this work was requested and both the public authorities and consultant roles. Questions regarding working methods are left open, as well as the consequences of intervention and the symbolic dimension of the bond between the different actors and between these and the programme, Educational Territories of Priority Intervention.

Embora vários estudos e autores apontem, com frequência, para as assessorias como oportunidade de melhoria das instituições educativas, do trabalho docente e do sucesso educativo dos alunos (Leite, 2003; Macbeath et al., 2005; Bolívar, 2007; Formosinho e Machado, 2009; Segóvia, 2010), não é ainda muito conhecida a forma como essas assessorias são concretizadas. Sendo este um dos principais objetivos da investigação que estamos a desenvolver, pretende-se, neste artigo, aprofundar o questionamento sobre modelos e formas de assessoria configurada no papel do consultor externo no quadro do Programa TEIP2. Para isso, apoiámo-nos essencialmente nas entrevistas realizadas a cinco consultores externos onde apontam para o que consideram ser o seu papel, modos de trabalho que têm desenvolvido e efeitos que julgam estar a gerar nas escolas com quem trabalham. A análise dessas entrevistas permitiu inferir um entendimento do papel destes assessores próximo da fi gura de “amigo crítico” (Leite, 2003; Macbeath et al., 2007), visão nem sempre coincidente com o que é expresso nos referenciais legais, nomeadamente no Despacho Normativo n.º 55/2008 relativamente ao “perito externo”, e que situa explicitamente esta assessoria num trabalho de “acompanhamento” e de “avaliação interna” do projeto educativo da escola.

The complexity of our time imposes to contemporary school a wide, interdepartmental, pedagogical relationship, with differentiated meaningful educational practices. From this point of view emerges the need for an institutional strategic commitment to design flexible and intelligent curricula structures. The improvement of schools and education is done through dialogue and effort of us all. The specific object of this paper is to think and put in perspective the role and effects of consulting and UCP’s ways to built and share work for the improvement of schools, of each school, to achieve educational success.

The educational success of any student in any school is part in a continuum process of monitoring and structuring regulated with the learnings decided in programs of current educational policy. A logic that requires an interactive adjusted practice, pedagogically meaningful and a school culture that is dialectic and committed. The idea is to involve each and every one and so improve the educational project that supports the mission of each school. Learning requires effort and is a craft to better understand, especially when it is through it that the person is able to build their freedom and autonomy. The dynamics and the development processes of the group that project TEIP practice, aims to provide the exercise of differentiated teaching practices and a culture of responsibility and commitment consistent with the ways of action that is expected to be better articulated with the ideals of a true school for all and thus generate unique opportunities of educational success.

The Territórios Educativos de Intervenção Prioritária (TEIP) [Educational Territories of Priority Intervention] are a reality with a few years in our country and they aim, in their legal foundation, to affirm “a dual function of the school, on the one hand, as the entity directly responsible for promoting the educational success which is a prerequisite for social equity, and, secondly, as the central institution of the community development process”. This definition requires the school to be a center for the promotion of digital integration, contributing to students and parents to become more competent in the use of the latest technologies. Thus, in the context of a TEIP school, we try to implement a project to use Facebook in contacting students and parents, aiming to create a real community, although digital, and to promote more and better learning. Facebook is a free tool, accessible to all who can connect to the Web, and allows security levels consistent with the demands of working with children. Thinking of possible inequalities in network access, we have implemented a set of experiences both of pedagogical and social nature. It is on these experiences we shall reflect on the following pages.

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The concept of supervision has become a controversial issue within education, as far as it has been looked at from a variety of theoretical views and diverse praxiological perspectives that may imply to interpret it, either in terms of any professional activity, or specifically in teaching, having in mind different meanings and purposes. The analysis presented in this article is built upon the assumption that the professional action of teaching implies a specific and differentiated kind of knowledge (Roldão 2007, Montero, 2005) which is expected to sustain the legitimacy and the quality of performance. It aims at discussing and establishing the role that supervison may play as a tool for improving the quality of individual teaching. Different theoretical analysis (Mosher e Purpel, 1972; Alarcão e Tavares, 2003; Alarcão e Roldão, 2008; Vieira, 2006) will be examined in order to clarify the multi-significance of the concept itself and its implications for practical use in schools; it also aims at illuminating some singularities of the relation of educational systems and teachers‘ culture, particularly in Portugal, with specific meanings and practices that have been historically associated with supervision. Another dimension of the present analysis is focused on the resistance towards supervision as a regular tool within daily life of schools, analyzing the potentialities that transforming such reluctance into a positive attitude would convey to the actual improvement of teaching and learning in schools.

We are presenting a theoretical analysis which aims at defining the concept of supervision within the field of pedagogy. Thus, we have proceeded to a two step analysis: firstly, reflecting upon the concept of supervision and secondly, contextualizing this concept: as pedagogical supervision. The concept of pedagogical supervision has witnessed an evolution in its meaning widening its scope. Therefore, the second part of this is structured as follows: the evolution of the meaning of supervision within the field of pedagogy; the relation between the concepts of supervision, leadership, and regulation, in the pedagogical field and the proposal of a definition of the concept of pedagogical supervision.

This paper reports on the research carried out with trainees of an initial training institution. Its main objective was to understand the representations some future teachers have about the contribution of teacher training for the construction of an identity of the profession. This identity can be determined by the teacher’s work, by it peers and also by the work which is inherent to the profession: supervision. As such we have started from the question: What is the vision trainees/future teachers have regarding the teaching practices developed in an initial teacher training institution? This paper will try to show the innumerable advantages of supervision, besides its problems to better understand the concept of supervision and others related, as those of teaching and collegiality. From the interviews of the subjects we perceive that initial training is a crucial moment, which changes the life of a future teacher. As such it is viewed as a set of dialectical relations and interactions that take place among the several interveners of the training process, mainly in moments of supervision.

Peer to peer project is a peer observation program that is running at some Faculties from Porto University, since 2009. Its major aim was, since the beginning, to use peer observation as a teachers’ training purpose. Peer observation arises from critical friend concept and it is a common practice in several universities. The original feature of POT at Porto University is its multidisciplinary character and its training goal both to observers as to observed teachers. Text presents peer to peer structure and discusses the emergent question – to what extent multidisciplinary peer observation promotes teacher training?

This paper discusses research data that aimed at to analyse the role of teacher education practices in the constitution of professionality of prospective teachers. The theoretical framework includes the perspective of authors such as Roldão (2005, 2007), Imbernón, (2001), Ramalho, Nunez and Gauthier (2004) that address the concept of professionality and Zeichner (2010) who argues in favor of a close approach between university and school. The methodological approach included 13 discussion groups, and a questionnaire to all participants. The research subjects were students enrolled in the last periods of undergraduate courses in Education, Literature, History, Mathematics and Biology in seven higher education institutions located in different regions of Brazil, in 2010. Data collected disclosed the important role of teacher educator in the students ́ identification with teaching and the importance of curricular activities which are organized and well prepared to approach the students to the school reality, such as, involvement in extension projects, monitoring and research activities.

This article summarizes a case study which aimed to know the representations that a group of university teachers have of their own teaching practices. The specific objectives were: to know how university teachers see their practices; to establish whether their view of their practices is in accordance with Zabalza’s (2008) teaching code for quality university teaching; to know these teachers’ opinions about the importance of a set of teaching and didactic procedures recommended for quality teaching and about other aspects relating to the teaching profession. The literature we analysed allowed us to put into context the University and the challenges it faces, particularly as concerns the teaching guidelines resulting from the implementation of the Bologna Process. Here, we highlight Miguel Ángel Zabalza’s proposal for quality university teaching, which was the core reference in our empirical research. We also studied the teaching profession, in its development and dimensions. Our empirical study, which was carried out at a university, was an exploratory case study using descriptive statistical methodology. After analysing and discussing the data, we concluded that teachers verbalised a positive self-perception of their teaching practices. With this study, we believe to have contributed to reflection on a rather complex area. We are aware that a triangulation research method would be able to come closer to the real situation, and that should be the focus of future research into this field.

O presente artigo decorre da avaliação externa realizada pelo Serviço de Apoio à Melhoria das Escolas (SAME) da Faculdade de Educação e Psicologia da Universidade Católica Portuguesa ao Colégio Efanor no ano letivo de 2011-12 e tem como principal objetivo a explicitação do modelo de avaliação adotado e dos procedimentos metodológicos desenvolvidos nas diversas fases deste processo. O Colégio Efanor situa-se na freguesia da Senhora da Hora, em Matosinhos, e começou a funcionar no ano letivo de 2008-09. Em 2011-12 encontravam-se a frequentar o Colégio 260 crianças e alunos, distribuídas pela Educação Pré-escolar (110), pelo 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (132) e pelo 2.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (18). No mesmo ano letivo o corpo docente do Colégio era constituído por sete educadoras de infância, oito professores do 1.º CEB, nove professores do 2.º CEB e catorze professores do currículo local. O referencial adotado baseou-se no trabalho conceptual e empírico realizado por Daniel Stufflebeam e no modelo CIPP (Context, Input, Process and Product) de avaliação, tendo-se recorrido a uma metodologia compósita, participada, rigorosa e colocada ao serviço da promoção da melhoria dos processos e resultados. Foram usados diversos métodos que permitiram triangular e validar os resultados obtidos, nomeadamente: análise de conteúdo com recurso ao programa NVivo, entrevistas semiestruturadas, observação de atividades pedagógicas, observação de aulas em todos os anos de escolaridade, realização de painéis semiestruturados com representantes de todos os grupos pertencentes à comunidade educativa e inquéritos por questionário. Os resultados obtidos foram considerados muito valiosos por todos os stakeholders, nomeadamente direção, administração, coordenadores de ciclo de ensino, professores e associação de pais, uma vez que a avaliação funcionou não apenas na lógica de espelho, mas numa lógica de implicação, mobilização e compromisso para uma renovação da ação educativa.