Time for action! ICT integration in formal education : key findings from a region-wide follow-up monitor

This paper is a report on the key findings of a region-wide monitoring study conducted in Dutch-speaking schools in Belgium. First, we elaborate on the building blocks of the instrument, which has been updated and improved since its first deployment in 2007. In particular we focus on the core indicators, along with the multi-actor approach, the sample design and the ways in which new phenomena such as media literacy and gaming have been operationalized. Secondly, we highlight the main trends and patterns within pre-school, primary and secondary education. The first descriptive analyses show quite disappointing results with regard to ICT use at the micro level and the available infrastructure, while headmasters, teachers and pupils reported positive perceptions of different aspects of ICT integration. These results indicate an urgent need to take appropriate action. Therefore, the final part of the paper examines how ICT integration could be improved via structural changes and appropriate policymaking with regard to budgeting, teacher training and the particular role of ICT coordinators in schools

Quality of Organic vs. Conventional Food and Effects on Health

This report analyses the nutritional quality of organic and conventional food as well as the health effects of pesticide residues, nitrates, mycotoxins and artificial additives and gives an overview of animal and human experiments

Evolução do aleitamento materno em Portugal

Projeto de Graduação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Licenciada em EnfermagemSão inúmeras as vantagens do aleitamento materno tanto para mãe como para criança. Para mãe facilita na involução uterina, ajuda na proteção contra o cancro da mama e ovário, além de proporcionar um prazer indescritível. (Levy, L; Bértolo, H, 2008). Para a criança previne infeções gastrintestinais, respiratórias e urinárias, previne contra alergias é de fácil digestão (Levy, L; Bértolo, H, 2008). Devido a isto, é importante que em Portugal continue com as intervenções que ajudam a promover o sucesso do aleitamento materno. Com este estudo, pretende-se conhecer a evolução do Aleitamento Materno em Portugal. Para uma evolução progressiva e bem sucedida da adesão e prevalência ao aleitamento materno, é necessário verificar qual a melhor forma de atuar para a melhoria da promoção e apoio da amamentação por parte dos profissionais de saúde, nomeadamente os enfermeiros. Trate-se de um estudo de revisão bibliográfica baseada em artigos, revistas e estudos científicos. Os resultados através da análise, e organização de vários estudos científicos relacionado com o tema, verifica-se que em Portugal as taxas de prevalência do aleitamento materno a saída da maternidade ultrapassam os 90%. Segundo os estudos de Lopes, B; Marques, P. (2004) é de 97, 5%, nos estudos realizados por Sandes, A. et al. (2005) o valor é de 91%, já nos estudos de Sarafana, S. et al. (2006) as taxas são de 98,5% de prevalência do aleitamento materno a saída da maternidade. Porém, é evidenciado o abandono precoce logo após o 1º mês de vida, segundo os estudos de Lopes, B; Marques, P. (2004), este abandono é de 65,7%, 50% e 35,4%, aos dois, quatro e seis meses de vida da criança. De acordo com Sandes, A. et al. (2005) verifica-se, 54,7% aos três meses, caindo para 34,1% aos seis meses. Nos estudos realizados por Sarafana, S. et al. (2006) a taxa de abandono é de 75% ao 1º mês, 55% ao 3º mês e de 36% ao 6º mês.There are a lot of vantages of the maternal breast-feeding for the mother likewise for the child. For the mother it gets easier for the uterine involution, it helps in the protection against the breast and the ovary`s cancer and in the approximation with your son. To the child, it prevents digestive, respiratory and urinary tract infections, allergy and it`s easily digestive. Due to this, is important that Portugal keep with the interventions that help promoting the success of the maternal breast-feeding. With this study, they pretend meet the evolution of the Maternal Breast-feeding in Portugal. For a successful and progressive evolution of the accession and prevalence to the maternal breast-feeding. Is needed to verify which is the best way of act for the improvement of the promotion and support of the breast-feeding by the health professionals, namely, the nurses. It is a bibliographic review, based on articles, magazines and scientific studies. The results by the analysis, and organization of some scientific reviews related with the topic, they verify that on Portugal the prevalence rate of the maternal breast-feeding at the way out of the maternity exceeds the 90%. According to the reviews of Lopes, B; Marques, P. (2004) the rate is 97, 5%, and in the reviews of Sandes, A. et al. (2005) the rate is 91%, but in the reviews of Sarafana, S. et al. (2006) the rate is 98, 5% of prevalence of the maternal breast-feeding at the way out of the maternity. However, is evidenced the precocious abandonment right after the first month of life, according to Lopes B; Marques, P. (2004), reviews, this abandonment is of 65,7%, 50% and 35,4%, on two, four and six months of life of the child. According to Sandes, A. et al. (2005) he verified 54,7% on the three months, falling 34,1% on the six months. In the reviews made by Sarafana, S. et al. (2006) the rate of abandonment is, of 75% in the first month, 55% in the third month and 36% in the sixth month

A new way to learn? Bite-sized Twitter training at Swansea University

No abstract available

Monitor for ICT Integration in Flemish Education (MICTIVO) : research set-up and some preliminaries

MICTIVO is a monitoring tool to evaluate ICT integration in the formal Flemish education. It was first conducted in 2008, based on a literature review of several European monitors for mapping the adoption and diffusion of technology for teaching and learning purposes to evaluate the return on investment and effects of ICT on educational practice. The tool consists of different aspects concerning ICT: infrastructure and policy, perceptions, competences and integration at micro-level. In 2008, MICTIVO was tested a first time, the indicators for the different components were validated and empirically tested. In 2013 and 2018 a follow up study was conducted to monitor the current state of ICT integration. The scale and breadth of MICTIVO makes it possible to get representative information on the status of ICT integration in Flanders and the evolution of trends through time

Productivity simulation model for optimization of maritime container terminals

This article describes a proposed productivity simulation model enabling container terminal operators to find optimization possibilities. A research of more than forty terminals has been done, in order to provide a helping tool for maritime container terminals. By applying an adequate simulation model, it is possible to measure and increase the productivity in all subsystem of the maritime container terminal. Management of a maritime container terminal includes a vast number of different financial and operational decisions. Financial decisions are often in a direct connection with investments in infrastructure and handling equipment. Such investments are very expensive. Therefore, they must give back the invested money as soon as possible. On the other hand, some terminals are limited by the physical extension and are forced to increase annual throughput only with sophisticated equipment on the berth side and on the yard as well. Considering all these important facts in container and shipping industry, the proposed simulation model gives a helping tool for checking the productivity and its time variation and monitoring competitiveness of a certain maritime terminal with terminals from the same group