Implementation of a project-based engineering school: increasing student motivation and relevant learning

The School of Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM) implemented, starting in the 2012–2013 period, a unified academic model based on project-based learning as the methodology used throughout the entire School. This model expects that every year, in each grade, all the students should participate in a capstone project integrating the contents and competencies of several courses. This paper presents the academic context under which this experience has been implemented, and a summary of the work done to design and implement the Project-Based Engineering School at the UEM. The steps followed, the structure used, some sample projects, as well as the difficulties and benefits of implementing the programme are discussed in this paper. The results are encouraging as students are more motivated and the initial set objectives were accomplished.     

Satisfaction with Higher Education: critical data for student development

Higher education is a mainstay in the development and support of the economic, social and cultural development of the global society. Throughout history, academic institutions have sought to respond to the demands of endlessly changing and evolving environmental conditions. However, in the 21st century, a number of significant factors are changing the higher education landscape and challenging higher education institutions (HEIs) to interpret the vital needs of contemporary society to stimulate and enhance student development. Student development is an all-embracing concept that involves research focusing on students from recruitment to placement. Assuming that meeting student needs and stimulating and enhancing their development are crucial challenges for higher education institutions worldwide, the article focuses on a national study in Portugal designed to measure students’ expectations and satisfaction with their experience. On the basis of a nationwide survey, it examines these in the various types of higher education institutions in Portugal.     

Historical Dramas,Current Political Choices: Analyzing Partisan Selective Exposure With a Docudrama

This study investigates the docudrama hypothesis—the idea that fiction based on real stories can influence audience members’ perception of political reality—in the context of current debates on partisan selective exposure and reinforcement effects. It does so by analyzing the influence of an Oscar-nominated docudrama on viewers’ attitudes and behavioral intention using propensity score matching. By means of a representative survey, we find strong evidence of partisan selective exposure and avoidance. Furthermore, among respondents with a similar likelihood of film attendance, actual attendance has a strong association with positive retrospective evaluations of the political coalition glorified in the movie, and an indirect relationship—via retrospective evaluations—with voting intentions. Discussion of the findings shed light into potential real-world political effects of partisan selective exposure using content other than news.     

Disclosing biology teachers’ beliefs about biotechnology and biotechnology education

Teachers have been shown to frequently avoid addressing biotechnology topics. Aiming to understand the extent to which teachers’ scarce engagement in biotechnology teaching is influenced by their beliefs and/or by extrinsic constraints, such as practical limitations, this study evaluates biology teachers’ beliefs about biotechnology and biotechnology teaching. The findings of a survey administered to 93 secondary school teachers reveal that, in spite of holding positive beliefs about biotechnology, teachers overestimate the obstacles presented at biotechnology teaching, particularly concerning material and resource limitations. Implications of these findings for teacher training program design are discussed.     

Premarital Sex, Social Support, Submissive Behaviors, and Loneliness Among Turkish University Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether differences in social support, submissive behaviors, and loneliness existed among Turkish university students who had had premarital sexual intercourse and those who had not. Using self-reported questionnaires, students who had experienced sexual intercourse were contrasted with those who had not. Data were gathered on 420 university students in Ankara, Turkey. MANOVA statistics were used in the data analysis. Results indicated that more than 75?% of the total respondents reported that they had never had sexual intercourse; the frequency of sexual intercourse was higher among males than females. It was found that students who had had sexual intercourse reported less perceived support from family. The two groups were not significantly different, however, in perceived support from friends, submissive behaviors and loneliness. Possible interpretations of these data and implications for future study are suggested.     

Evaluating the performance of calculus classes using operational research tools

This paper compares the efficiency of calculus classes. Two kinds of classes are evaluated: the traditional ones and others that use computational methods in teaching. This experiment was performed at Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Brazil, from 1998 to 2000. The emphasis of this paper is on the quantitative evaluation using two operational research tools: multicriteria decision aid methods (mainly using the MACBETH approach) and data envelopment analysis. The evaluating variables are the level at which students enter the university and the performance of the students after studying calculus.     

Introduction

Reading and Writing -     

Analysis of the body composition of Paralympic athletes: Comparison of two methods

Body composition is a physiological variable associated with physical activity and, in some cases, is related to athletic performance. Our objectives were to describe the body composition of participants in three distinct Paralympic sports and to compare the values of body density and estimated body fat obtained from the Paralympic athletes on the National Team by air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) and by the anthropometric method (skinfolds (SFs)). The sample consisted of 70 volunteers of both genders. The body composition of the volunteers was evaluated using the ADP in a Bod Pod^® and seven SFs. There were no significant differences between the values obtained by ADP and SF for body fat percentage (p?=?.58) and body density (p?=?.49). Analysis by Bland–Altman plots showed mean differences of 0.56?±?4.94 (?9.12–10.23) and ?0.0017?±?0.0113 (?0.024–0.020) for body fat percentage and body density, respectively. In conclusion, body composition analyses of Paralympic athletes by the ADP and SF methods show similar results, and ADP should be used as the first option when available. When the use of ADP is not possible, estimating body density and fat percentage by SF is a viable alternative for Paralympic athletes when future comparisons will use the same analysis method.     

Relationship between physical activity,physical fitness and multiple metabolic risk in youths from Muzambinho's study

Negative associations between physical activity (PA), physical fitness and multiple metabolic risk factors (MMRF) in youths from populations with low PA are reported. The persistence of this association in moderately-to highly active populations is not, however, well established. The aim of the present study was to investigate this association in a Brazilian city with high frequency of active youths. We assessed 122 subjects (9.9?±?1.3 years) from Muzambinho city. Body mass index, waist circumference, glycaemia, cholesterolaemia, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured. Maximal handgrip strength and one-mile walk/run test were used. Leisure time PA was assessed by interview. Poisson regression was used in the analysis. The model explained 11% of the total variance. Only relative muscular strength and one-mile walk/run were statistically significant (p?相似文献