Loading...
15 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 15
- Assessment of pre-service teachers’ knowledge of the impact of livestock production on global warming: a comparative study between Portugal and SpainPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, Beatriz; Sánchez Emeterio, GemaIn this study we assess how higher education students (pre-service teachers) value and understand the impact of livestock production on global warming. We used a questionnaire with 91 students from a Portuguese institution and 111 from a Spanish one. The students had to mention measures to fight global warming, to explain the relationship between livestock production and global warming and to rank the impact of this cause compared to others. The Portuguese students showed a better understanding of this issue. Even so, the majority of the students do not recognize the high impact of livestock on global warming and consider other causes more relevant.
- Are shows with animals regarded as educational activities? a study with portuguese pre-service primary teachers and kindergarten educatorsPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, BeatrizFor centuries animals have been seen as instruments to satisfy human needs and desires (e.g. food, clothing, working force, amusement). However, this view is changing. As Franklin (2008) points out, since the sixties of the twentieth century, the idea that the exploitation of animals is the price to pay for the well-being of human beings has been challenged as a result of the emergence of several animal liberation movements. However, this changing has been slow and unequal in different societies. Thus, it is important to identify whether the new values are in fact internalized in different countries, especially in future education professionals who will play a role in the training of future generations. The present study seeks to know how pre-service primary teachers and kindergarten educators assess the educational interest of shows and exhibitions with animals. This type of entertainment has been considered a form of violation of animals’ wellbeing. But, at the same time, children show a special attraction for animals (Patrick and Tunnicliffle, 2011) and the contact with them, through different ways, can be seen a motivating element for learning about the living world and even to improve awareness for the need of its preservation. Therefore, 58 pre-service primary school teachers and 42 kindergarten educators answered an online questionnaire about the adequacy of including the following shows and exhibitions with animals in their teaching practice: horse competitions; birds of prey exhibitions; aquatic mammals’ shows; pets competitions and exhibitions; circuses with animals. The assessment of the adequacy of each exhibition was done through a likert scale (1 - nothing suitable up to 5 - very suitable) and a justification was also required. The results were analyzed globally and also comparing the two groups of future professionals, using inferential statistics. Globally, respondents were not particularly enthusiastic about this type of shows. The percentage of respondents who considered them suitable was: 12% in horse competitions; 25% in birds of prey exhibitions; 24% in aquatic mammals’ shows; 12% in pets’ competitions and exhibitions and exhibits; 10% in circuses with animals. Even so, the intermediate position (value 3) always ranged from 30% to 39%, in each show, which indicates that close to 1/3 of the respondents do not have a clear position about the present issue. The reasons given for the assessment of these shows as unsuitable were essentially related to the violation of animals’ wellbeing and their poor educational interest. Those who took an intermediate position pointed out their relative interest or the possibility of being relevant in a certain context of learning. Those who considered them as suitable emphasized the interest that animals arouse in children, and the fact that animals are well treated. However, kindergarten educators were more enthusiastic about these shows, with statistically significant differences occurring among the groups, with the exception of circus. Circus was the show considered less suitable, mainly for the mistreatment of animals. The other shows were less associated with this mistreatment, which proves some unfamiliarity with the other forms of training animals as in case of aquatic mammals or racing horses, for instance. Thus, the approach of the present issue seems to be relevant in the training of all these future professionals, for the development of their critical thinking about it.
- Las competencias científica y ambiental através de la literatura infantilPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, BeatrizLa literatura infantil permite trabajar un amplio abanico de competencias que pueden ser abordadas en un contexto formal de aprendizaje. El empleo de la literatura infantil permite generar un nexo entre lo real y la ficción, favoreciendo, más allá de la creatividad, el desarrollo de otras competencias como son la competencia en lectura, la competencia escrita y la competencia en comunicación oral, permitiendo así promover un amplio espectro de interacciones sociales. Pese a las ventajas que presenta el empleo de la literatura infantil, su potencial en los ámbitos científico y ambiental ha sido poco explorado. Así, encontramos obras en las que se aproximan los lenguajes literario y científico, pues la naturaleza en general, y los seres vivos en particular, han servido como fuente de inspiración a numerosos autores de literatura infantil. Por ello, en este tipo de obras suelen aparecer conceptos científicos que permiten enriquecer el léxico de niños y niñas, favoreciendo una comprensión más efectiva de los mismos, pues se aprenden en un contexto no asociado específicamente a la enseñanza de las ciencias. Esta aproximación entre los lenguajes científico y literario permite llevar a cabo un análisis más complejo de las obras. En este trabajo se ejemplifican estas cuestiones a través de dos obras: Nham, Nham de Mick Manning y Brita Granstrom (2000), y ¿Todavía nada? de Christian Voltz (2008), ambas adecuadas para 1º y 2º curso de Educación Primaria. Se señalan los diferentes conceptos científicos abordados en ambas obras, destacando algunas estrategias de exploración interdisciplinar. También se clasifican ambas obras de acuerdo a criterios para obras literarias de carácter científico y ambiental. Finalmente, se destaca cómo en este tipo de obras es complejo abordar separadamente los conceptos científicos y los valores sobre la naturaleza, demostrándose la relevancia de ambas cuestiones para promover la educación ambiental. Mediante estos ejemplos se pretende que los docentes puedan identificar otras obras con similar potencial, incluyéndolas en su práctica pedagógica.
- Conhecimento e perceção da importância das áreas protegidas: Um estudo com futuros docentes do 1.º e do 2º cicloPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, BeatrizEste estudo envolveu 54 estudantes do Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa e visou identificar o seu conhecimento e perceções acerca das áreas protegidas através da administração de um questionário. Os estudantes identificaram algumas das áreas protegidas de Portugal mas em número limitado. Globalmente, possuem ideias claras acerca das atividades a permitir e proibir no seu seio. Revelam alguma dificuldade em posicionar-se acerca da presença humana e da implementação do turismo no seu interior, assim como do seu papel no desenvolvimento económico. Tendem ainda a ignorar a dimensão cultural a elas associado. Defendem a suo visitação pela Escola, por motivos de sensibilização ambiental e de aprendizagem científica.
- Animals as performers or exhibits: a study of their relevance to Portuguese, Spanish, and Greek pre-service teachersPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, Beatriz; Papadopoulou, PenelopeThis study involves Portuguese, Spanish and Greek pre-service primary teachers (n = 210) and pre-service kindergarten teachers (n = 195) and identifies through a questionnaire a) their personal opinions and b) perception of the didactic value of eight performances with live animals. The results were compared by course among countries and between courses in the same country. Globally, the pre-service teachers neither showed a great personal interest, nor recognized great didactic relevance in these shows. Pre-kindergarten teachers from Portugal and Spain tend to value them more positively as a way to bring children closer to animals. Shows with aquatic mammals received the greatest appreciation in both dimensions, especially in the Greek sample; birds of prey shows were valued more by the Iberian participants. Violent shows, such as fighting animals and bullfighting, were very negatively viewed. Shows with pets and birds of prey were viewed frequently as more detrimental to animals than they are. The results show that a better understanding of the impact of each show on animals is needed, if pre-service teachers are to make informed decisions in their professional future.
- Changing negative perceptions of animals through teaching practice: a research in primary educationPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, Beatriz; Silva, TeresaThis research focused on whether teaching practice could improve children’s perceptions of animals with a bad image. For this purpose, children from the 5th year of schooling approached the topic “diversity of animals” differently. The experimental group, 50 children from three classes (25 boys and 25 girls) aged 10 to 13, adopted an approach more focused on the role of the ecosystem and benefits of the animals for humans. The control group, 53 pupils from another three classes (27 boys and 26 girls) within the same age range, adopted a more descriptive approach based on the morphology, physiology and behaviours of the different animals. A pre-test and a post-test were administered to identify children’s empathy with ten animals with a bad image and to assess both their attractiveness and dangerousness. The experimental group significantly increased their empathy with the ten animals and only the assessment of their dangerousness was less conclusive. Even so, the dangerousness of the shark and of the mouse decreased significantly in this group. The research seems to be important as an aid to the design of didactic approaches related to the present issue both in continuous and pre-service training courses for primary teachers.
- Cave paintings, the case of Altamira as an issue to promote an interdisciplinary approachPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, BeatrizInterdisciplinarity arises frequently in the institutional discourse and appears to reflect the need to re-acquire a certain unity of knowledge in a world dominated by increasing specialization. However, institutional practice, even in the early years of schooling, departs quite often from modalities of interdisciplinary articulation which require a lot of work preparation, and time is always scarce in the growing range of tasks that are posed to teachers. However, interdisciplinarity does not have to be a question of all or nothing, and can naturally take different degrees and involve a greater or smaller range of subjects or areas of knowledge. In more practical terms, the implementation of interdisciplinarity can be achieved in different ways, like: starting a theme approach, defining a problem situation, treating a problem of holistic content, adopting a certain didactic approach or even during an activity. In this paper we discuss the potentialities of the subject "Cave paintings: the case of Altamira" in the promotion of arts education and scientific and environmental literacy, especially in their dimensions related to ‗learn Science‘ and to ‗reflect about the nature of Science‘. The implications in terms of acquisition of knowledge related with human history are also addressed, since the present theme intersects with paleoclimatic and ecosystemic aspects of the dynamics of the planet and of the evolution of the human being. This work seeks to draw the attention of in service teachers and future teachers to the enormous potential of this theme in promoting interdisciplinarity, indicating ways for its exploitation which are intended to be developed and tested in a formal learning context. It is also hoped that this example will promote other knowledge connections that can be materialized in the context of basic education, both in Portugal and in Spain.
- Perceptions of pre-service teachers on seismic risk and their implications for science education: a comparative study between Spain and PortugalPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, Beatriz; Rodrigues, IsildaThis study investigated the importance given by two groups of pre-service teachers of primary education from Spain and Portugal to seismic risk in a framework of different natural risks, both in personal terms and as future teachers. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Some questions about the seismic phenomenon were also included. The sample groups consisted of 110 students from an institution in Spain and 121 from one in Portugal. Both institutions are in cities affected by the historic Lisbon earthquake of 1755. The results showed that the risk of forest fire was the first choice for classroom study in both cases. The Spanish group was also more focused on the importance of other risks like flood and drought. The Portuguese group showed a greater concern with seismic risk, frequently referring to their own historic earthquake of 1755. A few gaps in knowledge concerning earthquake prediction and comparing seismic risk in different regions of their own countries were also found. In accordance with the results, it is suggested that training courses for primary school teachers should include Disaster Risk Education in Science Education for a better understanding of the impact of various hazards and a greater concern with seismic risk due to its particular features, especially in regions where the seismic pattern is characterized by long seismic cycles with major earthquake episodes.
- Attitudes towards animal welfare in Portuguese students from the 6th and the 9th year of schooling: implications for environmental educationPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, BeatrizThis study aimed to identify attitudes towards different uses of animals in two groups of students: 264 pupils from the 6th year of schooling and 199 from the 9th, using an adaptation of the Animal Attitude Scale – 10-item version. Inferential statistics was used to check differences between groups, and in each group considering gender and mammal pet owners. The effect size (r value) was applied to identify the magnitude of the differences found. The results showed positive attitudes about animal welfare, with the exception of meat consumption. The younger group favour zoos, since they think animals are better protected; the older group favours the inevitability of the use of animals in medical research. Girls and owners of mammals as pets tended to be more concerned about the impact of the uses on animals but these differences showed low or medium magnitude. The results may help the interconnection of animal welfare issues in environmental education, reinforcing non-anthropocentric approaches in this field.
- Students’ Ideas About Global Warming: A Comparative Study Between Portuguese and Spanish Pre-service TeachersPublication . Almeida, António; García Fernández, BeatrizThis study aimed to verify the knowledge of 149 Pre-Service teachers (91 from a Portuguese institution and 58 from a Spanish one) about global warming, a subject that is approached in their courses and that they will have to teach in the future, since it is part of the Primary school curricula in both countries. For this purpose, a questionnaire was administered at the beginning of the present school year, after the approach of the subject in the last school year in a curricular unit dealing with environmental issues, present in the study plans of both courses. The questionnaire included several open questions related to the causes and the consequences of global warming. Due to space limitations, only the results of the following three questions are presented in this paper: 1) How does the use of fossil fuel contribute to global warming?; 2) How does the emission of CFCs and other equivalent gases contribute to global warming?; 3) How does deforestation contribute to global warming? The answers were classified based on their correction, from a defined standard response. The Spanish students performed a little better than the Portuguese ones in the first two questions and the reverse occurred with the third question. However, globally, less than 40% of the students were able to answer questions 1 and 3 correctly, and less of 10% question 2. Several misconceptions were revealed by the students, who confused global warming with the ozone layer depletion or revealed wrong ideas about the photosynthetic process, just to mention two of the most frequent mistakes. The results suggest that some improvements in dealing with global warming in teacher training courses are necessary, through the design of activities that include, for instance, the deconstruction of some of the ideas expressed by the students in the present and other similar studies.