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- Grammar in language education: insights from portuguese sixth gradersPublication . Pereira, Susana; Rato, Valter; Valente, Bianor; Leite, Teresa; Ramos, AndreiaThe present paper presents the findings of research on the beliefs of primary school students (aged 11–12) about grammar instruction and its relationship to language learning and education. The present study sought to analyze the beliefs of 372 sixth grade students from 10 different school clusters in the Lisbon metropolitan area. To this end, a survey was administered in a research study that employed a mixed-methods approach. The findings indicate that students’ views on grammar are primarily centered on the assumption that grammatical knowledge improves oral, reading, and writing skills, reflecting an instrumental view of grammar. It is not eworthy that theoverwhelming majority of students, including those who face challenges with grammar, recognize the significance of grammar instruction in language education. Nevertheless, their perceptions of classroom practices suggest the persistence of transmissive methodologies. A comprehensive analysis of students’ perspectives, motivation levels, and challenges reveals a discrepancy between the perceived importance of grammar instruction and its perceived effectiveness. It is imperative to comprehend this discrepancy to implement adaptations that ensure the effective leveraging of grammatical knowledge. Such adaptations can promote the reading, writing, and speaking skills that the majority of students seek to achieve.
- Unpacking higher education students' relationship with AIPublication . PEREIRA DA COSTA FERREIRA, MARIA EDUARDA; Valente, Bianor; Antunes, Ana Cristina; Gama, Ana; Silva, Maria João; Xavier Catalão, Ana PaulaThis exploratory study examines higher education students’ engagement with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in Portuguese polytechnic institutions. Based on survey data from 171 students, the research analyzes usage patterns, motivations, perceived barriers, ethical concerns, and self-assessed competence. ChatGPT emerged as the most widely used tool, primarily for grammar correction, drafting texts, and summarizing articles. Students reported strong motivations linked to productivity and academic support, while concerns centered on information reliability, academic integrity, and data privacy. Although most students expressed moderate confidence in using AI, only 53% showed interest in formal training. Ethical engagement was evident through cautious use and information verification, yet formal practices such as citation were inconsistently applied. The findings highlight both the opportunities and challenges of AI use in academic contexts and underscore the need for inclusive, equity-driven educational strategies. Future research will explore how gender influences AI engagement and ethical awareness in higher education.
- Conceções dos professores na implementação de novas orientações curriculares em PortugalPublication . Leite, Teresa; Ferreira, Patrícia; Melo, Nuno; Caseiro, Ana; Valente, BianorAs atuais orientações curriculares para o ensino básico português traduzem-se em dois documentos principais, o Perfil dos Alunos à Saída da Escolaridade Obrigatória (PASEO) e as Aprendizagens Essenciais (AE), publicados em 2017 e 2018, respetivamente. Inicialmente estes documentos coexistiram com documentos curriculares anteriores e só em 2021, com o despacho n.º 6605-A/2021, que vem revogar os programas anteriores, é que se constituem como o único referencial para a gestão e flexibilização curricular. Para se poder compreender a funcionalidade e o modo como estes documentos serão implementados, é essencial conhecer as conceções dos docentes sobre estes instrumentos curriculares. Assim, neste estudo, foram realizados 6 grupos focais, com 17 professores do 1.º e 2.º Ciclos do Ensino Básico, tendo a informação recolhida sido tratada por análise de conteúdo. Procurou-se perceber como é que os professores perspetivam as atuais orientações curriculares e como equacionam a sua adequação aos contextos reais. Os resultados obtidos revelam que os participantes neste estudo conhecem os documentos curriculares atuais e refletem sobre as suas implicações, mas que a sua entrada em vigor e a revogação dos documentos curriculares anteriores não causou alterações significativas no seu modo de trabalho. Os docentes interpretam o PASEO como um referencial para o desenvolvimento de competências essenciais. Quanto às AE, apesar de críticos relativamente à sua formulação, os docentes rejeitam que estas constituam aprendizagens mínimas ou que tenham subjacente um decréscimo de exigência. Não obstante, alguns docentes referem ausência de realismo na sua definição e antecipam dificuldades na sua implementação.
- Aprender a ensinar: o percurso formativo visto por professores do 1.º e 2.º CEB recém diplomadosPublication . Valente, Bianor; Leite, Teresa; Maurício, Paulo; Ascenso, LaraEste estudo analisa as perspetivas de professores recém-diplomados do 1.º e do 2.º ciclo do ensino básico sobre a formação recebida no mestrado. A partir de entrevistas a 37 participantes, identificou-se um balanço ambivalente: apesar da satisfação global, apontam mais fragilidades do que pontos fortes. Entre os aspetos valorizados destacam--se as unidades curriculares de PES e de didática; entre as críticas, referem a escassa preparação para a prática, a repetição de conteúdos, a fraca articulação entre teoria e prática, o excesso de trabalhos e a falta de feedback. As sugestões de melhoria incluem o prolongamento dos estágios, uma maior aproximação à realidade escolar e a reorganização das estratégias formativas. Os resultados reforçam a necessidade de uma formação mais integrada, reflexiva e alinhada com as exigências da prática profissional.
- Exploring alginate/zinc oxide-based 3D-printed structures for application as customizable wound dressingsPublication . Cardoso, Sara; Martin, Victor; Leal, Catarina; Monge, Nuno; Colaço, Bruno; Gomes, Pedro; Bettencourt, Ana F.; Ribeiro, Isabel A.C.Chronic wounds represent a significant global healthcare burden due to the limited effectiveness of current therapeutic strategies. To address this critical need, we developed 3D-printed regenerative wound dressings that can be customized with antimicrobial drugs tailored to individual patient requirements. A novel semisolid extrusion ink combining the biocompatibility and printing properties of alginate (Alg) with the regenerative properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) was produced. Two types of dressings were successfully printed by varying the concentrations of ZnO and HPC: ZnO:HPC at 11:10 and 20:20 % (w/v). Both inks presented an adequate rheological shear-thinning behavior, resulting in wound dressings with a stable matrix structure. Moreover, to grant antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity, an octenidine (OCT)-hydrogel was loaded into the dressing’s macropores. The unloaded dressings with ZnO at 20 % (w/v) and all the OCT-loaded dressings presented antibiofilm activity, showing a biofilm reduction of ~ 75 % against S. aureus. In vitro cellular assays indicated that the unloaded dressings provided regenerative potential by showing wound closure approximately completed in 48 h, highlighting the regenerative potential of the Alg:ZnO:HPC ink. These dressings exhibited in vitro and in vivo cytocompatibility, along with regenerative potential evidenced by collagen deposition and rapid wound closure. OCT-loaded matrices retained the regenerative potential and biocompatibility of the unloaded dressings, supporting their suitability as a platform for advanced wound management.
- Using plasma-mediated covalent functionalization of rhamnolipids on polydimethylsiloxane towards the antimicrobial improvement of catheter surfacesPublication . Dardouri, Maïssa; Bettencourt, Ana; Martin, Victor; Carvalho, Filomena A.; Santos, Catarina; Monge, Nuno; Santos, Nuno C.; Fernandes, Maria H.; Gomes, Pedro S.; Ribeiro, Isabel A. C.Controlling bacterial biofilm formation on silicone-based bloodstream catheters is of great concern to prevent relatedinfections. Inthis study, rhamnolipids(RLs),glycolipid biosurfactants,specifically a RLs mixture andthepurifieddi-RL (RhaRhaC10:0C10:0) were covalently bonded to silicone with the intention of reaching long-lasting antibiofilm surfaces. RLs mixture and di-RL wereidentified by an UHPLC-MSmethodthat also allowed the confirmation of compound isolation by automated flash chromatography. Silicone surfaces underwent air-plasma treatment, inducing reactive oxygenradicals able to promote theRLs grafting that was confirmed by contactangle,FTIR-ATR andAFMmeasurements. The antibiofilm activity towards different Gram positive strains was evaluated by colony forming units (CFU) count and confocal laser microscopy. In addition, protein adsorption and biocompatibility were also investigated. RLs were successfully grafted onto silicone and RLs mixture and RhaRhaC10C10:0 functionalized specimens reduced the biofilm formation over 2.3 log units against methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, a decrease of 1 log unit was observed against methicillin resistant S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Functionalized samples showed cytocompatibility towards human dermal fibroblasts, hemocompatibility and no vascular irritation potential. The results mentioned above revealed a synergy between the antimicrobial and the anti-adhesive properties of RLs, making these compounds good candidates for the improvement of the medical devices antibiofilm properties.
- Improving chitosan hydrogels printability: a comprehensive study on printing scaffolds for customized drug deliveryPublication . Cardoso, Sara; Narciso, Francisco; Monge,Nuno; Bettencourt, Ana; Ribeiro, Isabel A. C.Chitosan is an interesting polymer to produce hydrogels suitable for the 3D printing of customized drug delivery systems. This study aimed at the achievement of chitosan-based scaffolds suitable for the incorporation of active components in the matrix or loaded into the pores. Several scaffolds were printed using different chitosan-based hydrogels. To understand which parameters would have a greater impact on printability, an optimization study was conducted. The scaffolds with the highest printability were obtained with a chitosan hydrogel at 2.5 wt%, a flow speed of 0.15 mm/s and a layer height of 0.41 mm. To improve the chitosan hydrogel printability, starch was added, and a design of experiments with three factors and two responses was carried out to find out the optimal starch supplementation. It was possible to conclude that the addition of starch (13 wt%) to the chitosan hydrogel improved the structural characteristics of the chitosan-based scaffolds. These scaffolds showed potential to be tested in the future as drug-delivery systems.
- 3D-printed biosurfactant-chitosan antibacterial coating for the prevention of silicone-based associated infectionsPublication . Narciso, Francisco; Cardoso, Sara; Monge, Nuno; Lourenço, Madalena; Martin, Victor; Duarte, Noélia; Santos, Catarina; Gomes, Pedro; Bettencourt, Ana; Ribeiro, Isabel A. C.Infections associated with the surfaces of medical devices represent a critical problem due to biofilm formation and the growing resistance towards antibacterial drugs. This is particularly relevant in commonly used invasive devices such as silicone-based ones where a demand for alternative antibiofilm surfaces is increasing. In this work, an antimicrobial chitosan-biosurfactant hydrogel mesh was produced by 3D-printing. The 3D structure was designed to coat polydimethylsiloxane-based medical devices for infection prevention. Additionally, the porous 3D structure allows the incorporation of customized bioactive components. For this purpose, two biosurfactants (surfactin and sophorolipids) were biosynthesized and tested for their antimicrobial activity. In addition, the printing of surfactant-chitosan-based coatings was optimized, and the resulting 3D structures were characterized (i.e., wettability, FTIR-ATR, antimicrobial activity, and biocompatibility). Compared with surfactin, the results showed a better yield and higher antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria for sophorolipids (SLs). Thus, SLs were used to produce chitosan-based 3D-printed coatings. Overall, the SLs-impregnated coatings showed the best antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus planktonic bacteria (61 % of growth inhibition) and antibiofilm activity (2 log units reduction) when compared to control. Furthermore, concerning biocompatibility, the coatings were cytocompatible towards human dermal fibroblasts. Finally, the coating presented a mesh suitable to be filled with a model bioactive compound (i.e., hyaluronic acid), paving the way to be used for customized therapeutics.
- Hierarchical twist: chirality across scales in cellulose cholestericsPublication . Monge, Nuno; Pinto, L. F. V.; Ferreira, E.; Almeida, P. L.; Figueirinhas, J. L.; Carvalho, A. L.; Sebastião, P. J.; Godinho, M. H.One of the unresolved aspects of cellulose-based liquid crystalline phases is their chirality. Although cellulose is intrinsically chiral, both left-handed (LH) and right-handed (RH) chiral nematic phases are reported in cellulose derivatives under different conditions. The origin of these discrepancies—and whether LH and RH twisted structures coexist within a single material—has remained unclear. Here, the first direct evidence of hierarchical LH and RH twisted structures coexisting in a solvent-free, thermotropic cellulose derivative at room temperature is provided. Free-standing cholesteric films exhibit distinct LH and RH twisted domains, whose pitches respond oppositely to uniaxial mechanical strain: the LH pitch increases, while the RH pitch decreases with increasing strain. This contrasting response results from the coexistence of intertwined LH and RH twisted structures, whose optical axes are oriented differently relative to the strain direction. Notably, after stretching beyond their elastic limit, the films spontaneously recover their original shape within minutes. During this recovery, circular dichroism (CD) measurements reveal an increase in RH pitch and a decrease in LH pitch, evidencing reversible, strain-responsive behavior. Multiscale structural characterization confirms the hierarchical chiral organization and its mechanoresponsive nature, providing new insights into the origin of chirality in cellulose-based liquid crystalline materials.
- A inovação pedagógica para o bem-estar, inclusão e sucesso na educação superiorPublication . Albuquerque, C.; Cruz, J.; Gonçalves, D.; Silva, Maria João; Mateus, D.; Fernandes, F. P.; Pacheco, C.; Serra, J.Documento produzido no âmbito de um grupo de trabalho do CNIPES, focado no bem-estar, inclusão e sucesso dos estudantes na educação superior. Desenvolve-se a partir da seguinte nota conceitual. A inovação pedagógica deve ultrapassar a transformação metodológica localizada e integrar o desenvolvimento sustentável do bem-estar, inclusão, participação e aprendizagem, apoiado em recursos educativos adequados a contextos académicos cada vez mais complexos e diversos. O tríptico bem-estar, inclusão e sucesso na educação superior organiza uma leitura sistémica do ensino superior, na qual qualidade pedagógica, experiências de ensino e aprendizagem, recursos educativos, monitorização das aprendizagens e governança institucional se tornam dimensões interdependentes. A transformação pedagógica sustentável depende menos de iniciativas isoladas e mais da capacidade institucional de articular práticas, políticas, investigação, acompanhamento e aprendizagem organizacional.