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Teacher-family partnerships are crucial elements of high-quality early childhood education. The factors influencing these partnerships, particularly for children under age 3, are not well known. This study compares teachers' and mothers' perspectives on their partnership and the ideal practices they would like to see implemented. Additionally, it investigates child, family, and program-level factors predictive of partnership practices. Participants were mothers and teachers of 90 infants who completed the Real-Ideal Teacher-parents Partnership Scale; mothers rated child's temperament, and classroom quality was observed 6-months after infants entered childcare. Home environment was assessed before infants entered childcare. Both mothers and teachers reported a medium-high number of practices being implemented, but ideally, would like more practices to be implemented. The frequency of mother and teacher reports of real and ideal practices were significantly associated, although teacher reports were higher. Findings from the regression analyses showed that teacher level of education (having a Master) was uniquely and positively associated with both teachers' and mothers' reports of real partnership practices, and was significantly associated with teachers' reports of ideal partnership practices. Mothers' education level predicted their ideal partnership practices. Findings highlight the importance of teacher education for partnerships, especially considering the variability in legal requirements regarding qualifications for teaching infants across Europe.

Empirical research suggests that school leaders' instructional leadership can make a difference in improving student achievement. We explored this issue in a mixed-method study that sought to verify whether or not, from participants' perspectives, school principals enact this type of leadership and whether or not they feel that it affects student outcomes. The research included a sample of top-level school leaders in a Portuguese region. We analyzed the data with descriptive statistics and content analysis techniques. Participants reported that most of principals' leadership practices did not focus on student learning, but rather on school administration and management. Many respondents felt that it was not their job to lead in several instruction-related areas. Furthermore, respondents regarded the impact of most of principals' instructional leadership practices on student achievement as weak. The paper discusses possible reasons for these findings, including the contextualized nature of the exercise of principal leadership roles, and suggests future avenues for research on this issue.

Participation in educational settings is a universal right of every child, consigned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This right encompasses the need to protect and encourage young children's active participation and decision-making in early childhood education and care. Research Findings: This qualitative study, inspired by the Lundy model (2007), examined ECEC teachers' (n = 25) and coordinators' (n = 25) perceptions about participation practices, collected through focus groups conducted in Belgium, Greece, Poland, and Portugal. Participants were previously referred as implementing participatory practices. Results showed that the four dimensions of the Lundy model emerged in teachers' and coordinators' group discussions: Participative space, Children's voice, Audience of children's perspectives, and Influence. Furthermore, a number of subcategories in each dimension reflected different orientations toward participatory pedagogy. Practice or Policy: This study contributes to informing and inspiring participation practices in ECEC across Europe and to enriching policy discussions regarding children's participation rights, particularly in the early years. Promising participatory practices were identified in the various dimensions of participation, though some challenges remain, requiring in-depth knowledge about pedagogical practices and the promotion of initiatives to empower professionals to enhance children's right to participate, particularly at the center-level.

This study explores how brief in-service training influences preschool teachers' awareness of competences relevant for building high-quality teacher-child relationships. A pre- and post-test design was used, with a 5-h training session in-between. Thirty-four in-service preschool teachers completed a video-based task before and after training. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted. After the session, the number of teachers identifying the key principles of building relationships with children was significantly higher for one out of the five situations analysed; the number of teachers identifying competencies for building positive relationships was significantly higher for three out of the five situations. Strategies such as observing children were easily identified (before and after training) and strategies such as taking into account the child relational needs were hardly ever identified (before and after training). Discussion highlights potential differential effects of brief in-service training according to the complexity of the training content.

This study examined the extent to which the quality of teacher-infant interactions varies across play and routine care activities. In addition, the effects of the quantity of adult involvement in the quality of teacher-infant interactions were investigated. Participants were teachers and infants from 90 infant classrooms in Portugal. Classrooms had, on average, six infants enrolled (M = 6.38, SD = 2.34), with the number of adults ranging from 1 to 3 (M = 2.00, SD = 0.60). Classrooms were observed by trained observers using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System--Infant (CLASS-Infant). Research Findings: Multilevel models showed that interaction quality varied as a function of type of activity. The quality of interactions of all CLASS domains was lower in routine care activities compared to play activities. Findings further showed that adult involvement was positively associated with all CLASS domains. In addition, after adding adult involvement to the models, differences between play and routine care activities were no longer statistically significant for most CLASS domains. Practice or Policy: Findings suggest the importance of considering the context of the activity and the levels of adult involvement when assessing and improving the quality of teacher-infant interactions.

This paper makes an empirical contribution to the debate about the pluralism of global citizenship. This is considered a crucial aspect for research, not only because charity and social justice standpoints coexist, but also in the light of growing examples of neoliberal understandings about global citizenship education and the global citizen. Informed by critical and postcolonial thinking and with a special focus on Andreotti's discursive orientations, this paper analyses discourses of practitioners of global citizenship education who work in development NGOs in Portugal. Findings suggest that humanist views are predominant, although intertwined with neoliberal and postcolonial perspectives. They also point to an archetypical vision of the global citizen and a prevalence of the responsible citizen-consumer as an agent of social change.

Purpose: To map and discuss core narratives and challenges crossing the field of DE in Portugal, from a postcolonial stance. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based on a qualitative approach, comprising two studies: interviews with experts and online analysis of development NGOs active in the field of DE. Findings: DE is discussed as a set of theories and practices under reconfiguration in terms of scope, aims, actors and educational approaches. There is the need for reconnecting with and addressing the legacies of DE, particularly, given its formal and informal emergence; this is an inevitably conflictual process involving a balance between tradition and change. Higher education is considered a relevant actor in strengthening the field. Research implications: A postcolonial stance is suggested as valuable orientation for actors, organizations and research in the field of DE, considering its transitional status and an inherently conflictive nature.

Purpose: The social dimension of Higher Education has gained relevance on the political and strategic discourses that urge Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to put University Social Responsibility (USR) into action and also recognise its importance for students' development. However, students' conceptions of USR are seldom explored. This paper aims to understand students' perceptions of USR and the potential of their involvement in broadly-defined USR activities/projects. Design/methodology/approach: This research involves two studies in three European universities, Edinburgh, Porto and Kaunas--the first uses a qualitative approach to consider how students perceive the impact of their involvement in the Erasmus+ project ESSA, using document analysis, focus groups and thematic analysis; the second involves a questionnaire with 718 students to explore their views on USR, participation in university-based experiences, personal and social development and citizenship conceptions, analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings: Student's value USR and their university policies and practises, even if they feel they are not engaged as they should. They value university as a learning space beyond the classroom and putting USR into practice. Their participation is related to their appraisal of USR and their conceptions of citizens' roles. Research limitations/implications: In spite of using convenience samples of students in three different universities, this research not only sheds light on students' views on USR and their participation in diverse university-based experiences but also advances with research instruments that can be used in future research in this field. Social implications: This research helps HEIs realise the potential of promoting students' participation in diverse university-based experiences, increasing community engagement and their development as professionals and critical citizens. Originality/value: This paper addresses a research gap by exploring how students perceive USR and their participation in university-based experiences might simultaneously be a strategy for putting USR in action and fostering students' civic engagement.

Considering discursive transitions in development education, we discuss the main findings of a qualitative study with practitioners in Portuguese development nongovernmental organizations, based on semi-structured in-depth interviews. Our goal was to understand practitioners' accounts of their field of action and the discursive transition between development and (global) citizenship. The research provides new information about the Portuguese situation and contributes to the reconceptualization debate. The analysis reinforces the complexity of the field, connected to its focus on processes, and its highly organic, personal and multidimensional nature. It also depicts a nuanced understanding of terms and an increasing identification with global citizenship education as an umbrella term for practitioners' action and an alternative to the North-South and development narratives attributed to development education.

This study analyzed the effectiveness of an elementary school Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program during middle school transition in Portugal, and the influence of gender, classroom size and student's perception of two school climate dimensions (student-student relationships and teacher-student relationships) upon its effectiveness. One-thousand-sixty-three students (Mage = 9.14; SD = 0.64; 51.2% were boys) participated: 702 in the intervention group and 361 in the control group, assessed at pretest, post-test, and follow-up 10 months later (after middle school transition). Multilevel analyses identified that the program was effective in enhancing social awareness, self-control, and self-esteem, even after middle school transition. Results also showed that there no differential gains by gender, and that intervention group students who had more positive perceptions of student-student relationships and teacher-student relationships displayed more positive trajectories in self-esteem. Students from smaller fourth-grade classrooms displayed lower social awareness than students from larger fourth-grade classrooms, but a more positive trajectory in that competence than students from medium and larger fourth-grade classrooms. This study highlights the importance of analyzing the differential effectiveness of SEL programs.

Deaf education officially began in Portugal in 1823, with Pedro Aron Borg, at the invitation of D. João VI and his daughter, D. Isabel. In Brazil, it began in 1857, when Édouard Adolfo Huet Merlo founded the first institution, with the consent of D. Pedro II. The Royal Institute for the Deaf-Mute and the Blind in Lisbon and the Imperial Institute for Deaf-Mutes in Rio de Janeiro shared the objective to promote the intellectual and professional development of deaf students. This study intends to identify similarities and differences in pedagogical proposals of the first deaf education institutions in the two countries during the nineteenth century. The study presents a documentary investigation that follows a qualitative approach. The research findings concluded that there were significant differences in how deaf education originated in Portugal and Brazil, and in their approaches to language acquisition. Nevertheless, there were many common aspects, including the administrative organisation of the institutes, the pedagogical proposal design, and the appointment of former students as specialised tutors of younger deaf students. In both countries, the main purpose of the schools was to prepare deaf students for adulthood through professional training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MOOCs are a recent phenomenon, although given their impact, they have been subject to a large debate. Several questions have been raised by researchers and educators alike regarding their sustainability, both economically and as an efficient mode of education provision. In this paper we contribute to this discussion by presenting a case study of the MOOC on Lived Experiences of Climate Change, which piloted the iMOOC pedagogical model developed at Universidade Aberta (UAb), the Portuguese Distance Learning University. The iMOOC is a hybrid model which incorporates elements from existing MOOCs but adds other features drawn from UAb's experience with online learning and aims at better integrating in the larger context of the institutional pedagogical culture. The iMOOC implied also an integration of platforms--Moodle and Elgg. The pilot course had more than one thousand registrations, and it was the largest MOOC course on Portuguese language delivered so far. We discuss the effort required to design and deliver the course, the technological solution developed, and the results obtained. We registered a moderate effort to create and run the course, ensured by internal staff from the University. The technological solution was a success: an integrated architecture combining well-established, well-tested open software. The completion rate was 3.3%, but the high success of this innovative learning experience was demonstrated by the active involvement of about 50% of the registered participants, that followed the course until the end. Lessons learned from this experience and future research on the field are also discussed.

Self-regulation can be relevant for engagement, as children need to be able to modulate behaviors and control attention to be engaged. Although previous studies focus on the relation between self-regulation and engagement, little is known about this subject in children with disabilities or at risk. This study analyzes relations between self-regulation and engagement in inclusive preschool settings, considering children's developmental functioning (DF). The main goal is to examine whether DF moderates the relation between self-regulation and engagement. Participants include three groups of children: with disabilities (n = 54), at risk (n = 78), and typically developing (n = 115). DF was assessed with a short version of the Matrix for Assessment of Activities and Participation; self-regulation with Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders; and engagement with Child Observation in Preschool. Results indicated that higher levels of self-regulation were related to higher levels of engagement. A moderation effect between self-regulation and DF was also found: in the group of children with disabilities, the influence of self-regulation on engagement was larger. This highlights the relevance of promoting self-regulation, particularly in children with lower DF.

The UK National Student Survey (NSS) is a sound and widely used instrument for assessing students' academic experiences. We aimed to translate the NSS for Portuguese students and to validate the instrument in a sample of medical undergraduates. The research team translated and adapted the NSS for Portuguese students (NSS-P). The survey was administered on an online platform to 1,256 final-year students at eight Portuguese medical schools. A total of 329 medical students (69.9% female) replied to the NSS-P, a response rate of 26.2%. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the original six-factor structure had an adequate fit to the data. Adequate internal consistency was observed for all the subscales. Medium to large correlations were found among all the subscale scores and between the subscale scores and the students' overall satisfaction. Multiple regression showed that the scores on the Teaching, Organization and Management and Personal Development subscales significantly predicted the students' overall satisfaction. Approximately 64% of the students reported being satisfied with the quality of their courses. Significant differences among the medical schools in their NSS-P scores were found. The NSS-P is a valid and reliable measure for assessing medical students' perceptions of academic quality.

Although literature reports associations between parent-teacher communication and childcare quality, little is known about how such communications are related to family, child and childcare characteristics. This study examines whether child, family and childcare experience characteristics predict the level of parent-teacher communication, and differences between parents' and teachers' reports of communication. Participants were mothers of 90 infants and their teachers in childcare in Portugal. Results show that both parents and teachers report higher levels of communication in higher-quality programmes. Teachers reported more frequent communication than parents. Teachers, but not parents, reported more frequent communication when children spent fewer hours in childcare. Discussion highlights the relevance of monitoring the quality of childcare contexts, especially in early ages, and to increase parent-teacher communication when children spend more time in childcare. The importance of promoting high-quality childcare and accounting for variables at the mesosystemic level of development in teacher training are also discussed.

Preschool process quality and activity setting are considered important aspects influencing child engagement. As such, it is important to understand how educational settings can promote engagement, particularly for children with disabilities and/or at risk. This observational study describes process quality and activity setting in inclusive preschools, analyzing its predictive role for child engagement. Participants were 184 children attending 39 preschools. Three groups of children, nested within classrooms, were considered: with disabilities (n = 45), at risk (n = 59), typically developing (n = 80). Child Observation in Preschool assessed engagement and activity setting; Classroom Assessment Scoring System assessed quality of teacher--child interactions. Research Findings: Results from multilevel regressions show that classroom emotional support and organization and more time in free play were positively predicting child engagement, whereas more time in whole group was a negative predictor of engagement. Besides these main effects, an interaction effect between child developmental functioning and activity settings was found. For at-risk children, more time in whole-group activities had greater negative effects on child engagement. For children with disabilities, more time in free-play had greater positive effects on child engagement. Practice or Policy: Results contribute to inform teachers regarding the importance of individualizing interactions and planning activity settings to promote engagement and participation in inclusive preschools.

Transition to middle school in Portugal is associated with increased levels of stress for students, as well as an increase in grade retention. This study investigated the impact of a school adjustment program designed to support students during this transition, and its differential results by gender and fourth-grade class size. Multilevel linear modeling (MLM) with a repeated-measures design was used. Three cohorts of students (n = 743) completed the School Stress Survey in fourth (middle and end) and fifth grades (end). In addition, fifth-grade school records were collected for information about absenteeism and transition. After adjusting for gender and fourth-grade class size, positive interaction effects from the intervention were found in academic and teacher/rules stress, as well as higher rates of transition to sixth grade and lower rates of absenteeism. Differential effects by gender also were found with girls displaying higher school success and lower school absenteeism along the transition; however, they also displayed larger increases in academic and peer-related stress during the period. No gender differences in benefits from program participation were found. The positive results support the implementation of the program among Portuguese fourth graders.

The aim of the present study was to examine whether class-level characteristics, such as class size and gender ratio, could contribute to explaining different levels of bullying, victimization, and perception of defending between classes. Seven-hundred-and-sixty-three students (M[subscript age] = 12.96, SD = 1.22; 54.4% boys) from 42 Portuguese middle school classes participated in the current study. Bullying, victimization, and perception of defending were assessed through a self-report questionnaire. In order to account for the clustered nature of the data with students nested within classes, multilevel models were used. After controlling for age and gender at the individual level, gender ratio contributed to explaining between-class variance in bullying and victimization, while class size was a significant predictor of the perception of defending. Thus, the results suggested that both bullying and victimization are more frequent in classes with a high concentration of boys, while in larger classes there is a higher perception of defending. The results of the present study support the importance of taking into account class-level characteristics when developing anti-bullying interventions, and of establishing gender balanced classes in middle school. The results also highlight the relevance of using multilevel modelling when conducting research on bullying and victimization in schools.

Methodologies for engineering learning and teaching (MELT) approach aims to enhance the attractiveness of education through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among young people, while promoting awareness of future careers in these areas. To this end, students' expectations are considered within university programmes, aiming to an increased engagement in STEM careers. To accomplish these goals, a new and integrated approach (MELT) is presented, involving the main stakeholders in both scientific education and society. An education framework is presented, providing guidelines for an improved collaborative approach to STEM education in the future. Results from the pilot implementation of MELT are presented, from a small-scale education parliament prototype. From these initial stage and results, it is seen that there is a need for a proper alignment of expectations from all involved stakeholders, concerning the engineering education towards society's demands.

This article reports a study which examined the effects of an "Awakening to Languages" (AtL) programme on preschool children's language abilities. This programme aimed at exposing children to language and cultural diversity as well as promoting positive attitudes towards different languages and cultures amongst children. However, considering that the AtL approach also intends to encourage language learning, it has been said to contribute to the development of a plurilingual competence that is characterised as being richer than a communicative competence, more complex and, at the same time, more flexible. The study was carried out with 16 Portuguese preschool children, divided into two groups (control and experimental). An AtL intervention programme was then applied in the experimental group with which the researcher worked on a variety of multilingual activities and games for three months. A language test and a language report were used before and after the implementation of the programme to determine how the children progressed in their communicative skills, with a focus on syntax. The results indicate that the approach used had a positive impact on the children's syntactic abilities, namely in oral comprehension, and also facilitated the development of positive attitudes towards language and cultural diversity.

Recent research has shown that caregiver education and training can be important in determining levels of quality in early childhood, but has mainly considered the education and training of the lead teacher. In infant child care, however, classrooms have more than one caregiver with varying levels of education and in Portugal it is less common to have a qualified teacher exclusively assigned to infant classrooms. This study examines the quality of caregiver-child interactions in infant classrooms and its association with caregiver qualifications and training, specifically the level of pre-service education and in-service training of the lead caregiver, whether she is exclusively assigned to an infant classroom or to more classrooms, and the pre-service education of the multiple caregivers in the classroom. Participants were 90 infant classrooms from Porto, Portugal. The CLASS-Infant was used to measure quality of caregiver-infant interactions. Classrooms with one lead caregiver holding at least a bachelor's degree, whether exclusively assigned to the infant classroom or not, showed higher levels of quality. Few effects were found for in-service training. Results suggest that lead teachers with pre-service education in early childhood are likely to play an important role not only directly by interacting with children but also indirectly through team work.

An outbreak of suspected Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus) intoxication among dairy cattle occurred on the island of Terceira in the Azores (Portugal), in October 2022. The animals affected were non-lactating dairy cows and heifers from five small farms grazing (free or tethered) a Kikuyu-dominant pasture. Of the 29 animals exposed, 17 were affected, and eight (five heifers and three adult cows) died, resulting in a morbidity rate of 58%, a mortality rate of 28% and a case mortality rate of 47%. The clinical signs were non-specific and inconsistent, and included dry faeces, some with dark red blood; apathy and prostration; abdominal dilatation; tachycardia; tachypnoea; pale or jaundiced mucous membranes; sham drinking; sialorrhoea; and moderate to severe dehydration. Symptomatic treatment was provided but was ineffective. Haematology and serum biochemistry revealed an acute inflammatory leukogram, increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, decreased gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity, and azotaemia. The most consistent necropsy findings were haemorrhages in the epicardium and endocardium, an enlarged liver with rounded edges, non-perforated abomasal ulcers, and haemorrhagic lesions in the small and large intestines. Histopathology indicated myocarditis, hepatitis, interstitial nephritis, enteritis and colitis. Several fungal species were isolated from grass samples taken from affected pastures including several Fusarium spp., the genus implicated in Kikuyu toxicosis. Immediate removal of the animals from the pasture with Kikuyu was the only measure that prevented new cases and resulted in the recovery of some of the less affected animals. The epidemiological features of this outbreak and the clinical signs and micro– and macroscopic lesions observed were highly suggestive of Kikuyu grass poisoning. Although the weather conditions varied from other published cases, the grazing conditions (almost exclusive Kikuyu grass) and the post-mortem findings were very similar to those described in the literature, particularly the haemorrhages in the epicardium and endocardium. Kikuyu grass is very invasive and presents many desirable characteristics as cattle feed. Thus, an increase in cases of intoxication may be expected. Practitioners and farmers in areas where Kikuyu grass is abundant should be aware of the potential risks of grazing cattle exclusively on these pastures. They should also be aware of the early and subtle signs of Kikuyu intoxication to allow for timely removal of the animals from pasture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Playing with peers is one of the most important contexts for the acquisition of social competencies in early childhood. This study examined the relation between children's play behavior, social acceptance in the peer group, and number of reciprocal friendships. One hundred and twenty eight children, aged between three and five years, participated in the study. Social acceptance and number of reciprocal friendships were assessed using two sociometric measures: nomination and comparison among peers. Children's behavior during play activities was assessed by a Portuguese version of the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale. Global results showed positive and significant correlations between positive interaction and sociometric measures, indicating that children who manifest positive play behaviors are more accepted by peers and have more reciprocal friendships. On the other hand, play disruption and disconnection were negatively correlated with sociometric measures, indicating that children who show these types of play behaviors have lower social acceptance and fewer reciprocal friendships. Parsing the correlations by the three age groups, results show distinct patterns of associations between quality of play, social acceptance and friendship in function of age. Our results stress that already at an early age, behavior during play is related to friendship and social reputation.

This study aims to validate the Bullying and Cyberbullying Behaviors Questionnaire, to examine the prevalence of bullying and victimization behaviors in Portuguese middle school students, and to analyse the differences in victimization and bullying between genders and across school grades. The questionnaire is composed of 36 items, allowing for the measurement of the prevalence of bullying and cyberbullying, and was completed by 1,039 sixth to eighth graders (M[subscript age] = 12.02; SD = 1.36) from six public middle schools in the district of Lisbon. The questionnaire presented acceptable psychometrics properties, except for the victims of cyberbullying scale where there is an item that needs to be rewritten. Bullying prevalence (10.1% victims and 6.1% aggressors) is among the lowest internationally. Victimization prevalence was homogeneous between genders, but boys reported aggressive behaviors more frequently. The percentage of victims decreased across school grades. The present questionnaire is adequate for use in the assessment of bullying and cyberbullying with middle school students. Bullying prevention programs should take into account the need to raise teacher awareness of bullying and cyberbullying.

This study provides valuable information regarding the characteristics, training, roles, activities, preferences, research interests and challenges reported by 803 Portuguese educational psychologists. The study includes responses to the International School Psychology Survey (ISPS) from educational psychologists across various regions of Portugal. The information gathered through the implementation of the International School Psychology Survey (ISPS) allowed us to conclude that they had one of the highest levels of experience and of discrepancy in gender (favoring female psychologists), when compared with findings from ISPS surveys in other countries. They come from different backgrounds and with different training within psychology and have an increasing higher school psychologist/children ratio. The greatest proportion of their work involved counseling students, psychoeducational evaluations and vocational guidance. The greatest current challenges or threats to the profession in Portugal were the absence of appropriate psychological assessment instruments, conflicts of leadership within the profession, lack of adequate supervision, lack of funds to properly fund services, lack of career prospects, and the low status of school psychology.

Background: Research on relationships between lifestyle behaviors and adiposity in school youth is potentially important for identifying subgroups at risk. This study evaluates the associations between waist circumference (WC) and objective measures of sedentary behavior (SB) in a sample of rural school adolescents. Methods: The sample included 254 students (114 boys, 140 girls), 13-16 years of age, from rural regions of the Portuguese midlands. Height, weight, and WC were measured. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was assessed with the 20-m shuttle-run test. An uniaxial GT1M accelerometer was used to obtain 5 consecutive days of physically activity (PA) and SB. Multiple linear regression was used to test associations between WC and SB, adjusted for several potential confounders (age, sex, PA, CRF, parental education). Results: SB was not significantly associated with the WC, neither in the unadjusted model nor after adjustment for all potential confounders. In the final model, the unique significant predictor of the WC was cardiorespiratory fitness (ß = -0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.02 to -0.62). Conclusion: WC was not independently associated with SB time in rural school adolescents. Future research is claimed among rural adolescents in different geographic contexts to try to clarify recent findings of less studied communities.

This article focuses on teachers' perceptions of the implementation and impact in Portuguese schools of a wide-ranging and long-term reading promotion programme. The Portuguese National Reading Plan (PNRP) was a public policy initiative whose purpose was to increase literacy levels and reading habits among the population. The Plan identified schools as its priority and launched a series of nationwide projects to target schools. The evaluation of this programme, based on mixed methods, focused on teachers' perceptions as the central issue because teachers were key actors in the PNRP and their involvement was crucial to the achievement of the programme's goals. Teachers considered that the PNRP had a relevant impact on school activities and students' attitudes but were more cautious concerning students' reading skills. The results that are presented in this article can contribute to a wider discussion regarding the involvement of teachers in national educational policies in which they are key agents.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure and compare the performance of Portuguese secondary schools. Design/methodology/approach: Some data on the schools were collected via an electronic questionnaire sent to 103 secondary schools of the centre region of Portugal; other needed data were available through the Centre Regional Education Authority. Of the 33 schools that participated in the study, there was complete data for 29. A non-parametric technique, data envelopment analysis (DEA), was used to assess the sample of schools and the results obtained were compared with some preliminary results of a national evaluation programme of schools. Findings: From the findings, the tentative conclusion is that most schools are following national education policy priorities relating to decreasing dropout rates and increasing completion rates. School performance does not seem to relate to geographic location, size of the school, typology of the school or rotation of its executive committee. The paper concludes by discussing the need for metric benchmarking exercises of the type proposed, to inform schools, evaluators and policy decision makers. Finally, the complementarities between metric and practice benchmarking exercises are argued for. Research limitations/implications: The paper reports on an exploratory study, and thus it contains limitations which need to be overcome by further work. The sample used is small and self-selected; the DEA models used are quite simple; also, it would be desirable to compare the results of the DEA, with parametric techniques that have been used to evaluate school performance. Originality/value: The paper makes a contribution to the understanding of schools' performance management, in order to inform schools, evaluators and policy decision makers. (Contains 1 figure and 11 tables.)

The quality of teaching and learning has been one of the major concerns of foundation chemistry disciplines for science and engineering undergraduates at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. Student-centred approaches are being continuously developed, exploring ways of stimulating active and meaningful student learning by encouraging questioning by students. The development of questioning competences is regarded as fundamental, particularly in science education. In order to reinforce adequate alignment with teaching strategies, a new assessment method was implemented during the academic year of 2004-2005. This study is mainly aimed at exploring the use and integration of students' questions as alternative assessment tools. Written formative and summative problem-based cases were designed for these purposes. The questions raised by students during those assignments were analysed according to their cognitive level, relationship and orientation to the problem posed, herein considered to be quality indicators for learners' questions. The findings suggest a deep engagement of students within these situations along the year, supporting the use of these alternative assessment tools as a way of fostering students' questioning capability. Results also reveal that it is possible to achieve, with students' questions placed at the centre of these processes, alignment between teaching, learning and assessment. (Contains 5 tables and 5 figures.)

[beta]-lactamases are hydrolytic enzymes that inactivate the [beta]-lactam ring of antibiotics such as penicillins and cephalosporins. The major diversity of studies carried out until now have mainly focused on the characterization of [beta]-lactamases recovered among clinical isolates of Gram-positive staphylococci and Gram-negative enterobacteria, amongst others. However, only some studies refer to the detection and development of [beta]-lactamases carriers in healthy humans, sick animals, or even in strains isolated from environmental stocks such as food, water, or soils. Considering this, we proposed a 10-week laboratory programme for the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology laboratory for majors in the health, environmental, and agronomical sciences. During those weeks, students would be dealing with some basic techniques such as DNA extraction, bacterial transformation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, and the use of several bioinformatics tools. These laboratory exercises would be conducted as a mini research project in which all the classes would be connected with the previous ones. This "curriculum" was compared in an experiment involving two groups of students from two different majors. The new "curriculum", with classes linked together as a mini research project, was taught to a major in Pharmacy and an old "curriculum" was taught to students from environmental health. The results showed that students who were enrolled in the new "curriculum" obtained better results in the final exam than the students who were enrolled in the former "curriculum". Likewise, these students were found to be more enthusiastic during the laboratory classes than those from the former "curriculum". (Contains 2 figures and 2 tables.)

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Copyright of Sociologia, Problemas e Práticas is the property of Centro de Investigacao e Estudos de Sociologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Sociologia, Problemas e Práticas is the property of Centro de Investigacao e Estudos de Sociologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Contaduría y Administración is the property of Facultad de Contaduria y Administracion-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Physical Education (24482455) is the property of Universidade Estadual de Maringa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Educacao e Pesquisa is the property of Faculdade de Educacao da Universidade de Sao Paulo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Lusíada. Economia & Empresa is the property of Fundacao Minerva-Cultura-Ensino e Investigacao Cientifica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Saúde & Tecnologia is the property of Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saude de Lisboa-ESTESL and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Contaduría y Administración is the property of Facultad de Contaduria y Administracion-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Sociologia, Problemas e Práticas is the property of Centro de Investigacao e Estudos de Sociologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Seagrass meadows provide several ecological functions that improve the overall ecological health of coastal systems and therefore, it is urgent to promote the restoration of such habitats. In Ria de Aveiro, a coastal lagoon in the Atlantic Coast of Portugal, a restoration initiative was responsible for transplanting the dwarf eelgrass Zostera noltei into a highly degraded area. This eelgrass was used as a nature-based solution (NbS) to mitigate some of the impacts of historical mercury contamination. Comparisons of key-species features (density and biomass), and some community-derived indicators (total density and biomass, species richness and Shannon-Wiener index) between the transplanted seagrass patch, their bare vicinities, and their counterpart habitats on the source area, provided signs of the effectiveness of the restoration action on the benthic communities' recovery. Indicators were higher within the restored meadow, and biomass derived indicators of the restored meadow were similar to the source meadow. • Zostera noltei was used as a nature-based solution to mitigate Hg contamination. • The impact was assessed on key-species, and in community-derived indicators. • Indicators improved in the restored meadow, when compared with the adjacent habitat. • Biomass on the restored meadow was on a par with the source meadow. • Indicators after one year of the transplant are already promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Saúde & Tecnologia is the property of Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saude de Lisboa-ESTESL and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Ovar coastline, located on the western coast of Portugal, is renowned for being one of the most erosion-prone and vulnerable areas in the country. Addressing the significant challenges faced by local communities requires the development of modern coastal adaptation strategies that encompass social, environmental, and economic factors. In this study, a participatory approach was employed to establish Climate Change Adaptation Pathways for the period between 2020 and 2100. The majority of the scenarios examined prioritize artificial nourishments, which are increasingly being acknowledged as a vital solution for mitigating coastal erosion worldwide. However, the effectiveness and durability of these measures rely on various design parameters, including placement location, frequency, volume, initiation, and the presence or absence of coastal works, among others. This research presents the primary findings of 12 scenarios simulated using the Long-Term Configuration (LTC) model and cost-benefit analysis using the COAST tool in combination with local ecosystem service value estimates (using meta-analytic function transfer) to take into account environmental benefits. This analysis aims to assess the physical and economic performance of artificial nourishments by examining the efficacy of different scenarios in mitigating coastal erosion, ultimately supporting decision-making processes related to coastal planning and management. The results highlight the intricate factors involved in determining the optimal nourishment option, which depends on aspects such as site-specific conditions, land uses and ecosystems services, and the main objectives of the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased concentrations of Total Phosphorus (TP) in freshwater systems lead to eutrophication and can contribute to a wide range of environmental effects. In the modern era, water quality models have increasingly been used globally for the development of management scenarios with the aim of reducing the eutrophication risk. However, the accuracy of these models is limited by the quality of the boundary conditions forcing data, namely TP concentration datasets. In this study, a novel methodology is proposed to improve machine learning prediction accuracy in the modeling of river TP concentration forced with small input training datasets. These models can then be used to increase the quality and consistency of the TP concentration datasets required to force water quality models. This new methodology relies on the generation of 100 new training datasets from the raw training datasets of input predictors through the implementation of an over/undersampling technique. The modeling approach used in this study was supported by the application of ten machine learning algorithms to estimate the TP concentration values in 22 rivers located in Portugal. The modeling approach also included an input feature importance evaluation, as well as model hyperparameter optimization. In general terms, the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Support Vector Regressor (SVR) models performed best overall, with the ensemble results recorded for both models working to increase the mean Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) across all the areas being studied by 96% (0.01 ± 0.22 to 0.31 ± 0.32) and reduce the mean percentage bias (PBIAS) by 43% (18.47 ± 17.31 to 10.60 ± 17.40). The results of this study suggest that the solution proposed has the potential to significantly improve the modeling of TP concentration in rivers with machine learning methods, as well as providing increased scope for its application to larger training datasets and the prediction of other types of dependent variables. Hopefully, the results of this study will further add to the body of information available in this area of research and aid the development of the water management process. [Display omitted] • The XGBoost and Support Vector Regressor were the best performing models. • A Bayesian optimization algorithm was used to optimize ML hyperparameters. • The training datasets were successfully modified by the application of SMOGN. • The solution proposed improved significantly the modeling of river Total P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract During decades, mercury (Hg) was discharged into the Aveiro Lagoon. Twenty-five years after the cessation of discharges, sediment cores were collected at two areas to assess the evolution of the mercury contamination status. Vertical Hg profiles differed considerably between bare and vegetated sediments. Bare sediments contained significantly less Hg (<8 mg kg−1) than historical data of 1995 (up to 40 mg kg−1), probably resulting from erosion. Salt marsh sediments were marked by a Hg sub-surface enrichment, reaching 44 mg kg−1 in the site closer to the industrial discharge point. High Hg concentrations in 2007, 2011 and 2016 were found at similar sediment layers. These results emphasise the role of halophyte plants in the cycling and retention of Hg in sediments. The persistency of high Hg in the upper marsh layers highlights the complexity in the recovery of historically contaminated marshes and the vulnerability to modifications in hydrology associated with climate changes. Highlights • Vertical Hg profiles differed considerably between bare and vegetated sediments. • Mercury concentrations in bare-bottom sediments have reduced over time reflecting erosion and export of contaminant. • Salt marsh sediments were marked by a Hg sub-surface enrichment, with similar concentration and depth from 2007 onwards. • The persistency of Hg in the upper marsh layers highlights the complex recovery of historically contaminated marshes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided imagery (GI) is a nonpharmacological intervention that is increasingly implemented in different clinical contexts. However, there have been no studies on the effect of GI on the comfort of inpatients of palliative care (PC) units. Therefore, the aimof this studywas to evaluate the effects of GI on the comfort of patients in PC. A 1-group, pretest-posttest, pre-experimental design was used tomeasure differences in heart rate, respiratory rate, pain, and comfort in patients (n = 26) before and after a 2-session GI program. The intervention featuring GI increased comfort, measured by an Abbreviated Holistic Comfort Scale and the visual analog comfort scale (P < .001), and decreased heart rate (P < .001), respiratory rate (P < .001), and pain, as measured by the (numerical) visual analog pain scale (P < .001). This study demonstrates that the use of an intervention featuring GI increases the comfort of oncology patients admitted to a PC unit. The use of GI by nurses is inexpensive, straightforward to implement, and readily available and may result in the provision of comfort care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing palliative care involves serious challenges for nurses, such as end-of-life decisions, contactwith people's suffering and dying, and increased risk of burnout. However, studies have revealed that the burnout level of health professionals working in palliative care is lower than that of health professionalsworking in other settings. This study aimed to describe the lived experiences of nurses caring in a palliative care unit. A phenomenological descriptive study was undertaken. Nine nurses were recruited froma palliative care unit in Portugal. Data were collected using individual interviews and analyzed following the method of Giorgi. Five themes reflect the essence of the lived experience: (1) experience centered on the relationship with the other (ie, the patient and the family), (2) experience centered on the relationship with one's own self, (3) exhausting experience, (4) rewarding experience, and (5) the team as a pillar. These findings can be valuable for understanding the challenges and strategies experienced by nurses caring in palliative care and for designing interventions that focus on reducing the risk of burnout among nursesVnot only those working in palliative care but also those working in other contexts who experience regular contact with suffering and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]