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- Collaborative training: faculty and Library combat plagiarism: the case of the Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto LibraryPublication . Braga, Inês; Moura, Isabel Santos; Valente, Iolanda; Abreu, AntónioThe study focuses on plagiarism in higher education and on the need for collaborative work between students, faculty, and librarians to prevent it. The university library assumes a significant role as an information literacy training agent, transmitting the importance of an ethical use of Information and the respect for intellectual property and copyright laws. The literature review includes: a theoretical reflection on the concept of plagiarism; on plagiarism legislation; on how Higher Education Institutions—HEIs—cope and embrace training as a pre-emptive measure. In our capacity as faculty and as librarians at Porto Polytechnic Accounting and Business School—ISCAP—we conducted an empirical study on the library, applying a case study methodology, and documental research as data collection technique. This study mapped the Information Literacy training provided by the library over a period of seven years (2015–2021) in response to a strategic design to improve academic success and to make students aware of the correct use of scientific information. The results obtained demonstrate that the library already has a sustained training program, well-defined audiences, contents aligned with the objectives of the educational process, and a fruitful dialogue with faculty. Yet, this dynamic should be expanded in the future by a more systematic and diversified training offer.
- To be or not to be... a plagiarist: training for the ethical use of information in academiaPublication . Braga, InêsIn a world dominated by the digital paradigm, the ethical use of information is one of the Information Literacy (IL) skills which is important for the survival of individuals of the 21st century in various contexts, such as the professional. Also in academia, the widespread absence of this skill in students represents a complex problem, resulting in something undesirable: plagiarism. Many authors have reflected and published on the subject, which has been the focus of our attention in the context of higher education. We are of the opinion that preventing plagiarism before it happens, should be better than having to fight it, once detected, with punitive measures. However, in addition to the imperative need for training, we argue that this must be precocious and take place before entering higher education. This research starts with a real problem that the researcher has as a teacher of higher education, and that corresponds to the question: How to avoid plagiarism, as a trainer? Thus, a review of the literature on the subject is made and an empirical study is presented. It took place in a Portuguese secondary school, with 10th graders, describing the way in which an IL training project took place, which involved the referred students, their Philosophy teachers, the School librarian and the researcher, in the role of the teacher librarian. One of the main objectives of this pedagogical experience conceived and implemented by us in the school library was to provide the students with skills that would help them to do, in a correct way, the academic work requested by the teachers. In order to reach this objective, the methodology we adopted was to provide a theoretical and practical training whose contents were: copyright, plagiarism and norms for the ethical use of information. To complement this information, we organized a conference on the theme "To plagiarize or not to plagiarize ... this is the question" given by a lawyer who addressed in a pedagogical way the issue of plagiarism and associated issues that will be described in this paper. The technique of collecting data to know the target audience and structure the training session, so as to better match the needs of the students, was a questionnaire given to a sample of students before that session. Another questionnaire was applied in the practical part of the session, in the form of a worksheet, a strategy that allowed to evaluate the knowledge learned by the students in the first theoretical part of the session. The results of the evaluation of the worksheet were quite good, which allows concluding that teaching to avoid plagiarism has positive practical effects. In addition, it was concluded that collaborative work involving students, teachers, librarians, information law specialists and school boards in a formal context is critical to sensitize and train students to use information properly and ethically and not to commit plagiarism. This collaborative dynamic is essential to overcome the absence or insufficient formal training on the subject in academic curricula at various levels of education. We believe that, in order to combat the scourge of plagiarism, there is no single solution but the adoption of several pedagogical strategies that lead to the training and awareness of those who are in a learning situation and that must deal ethically with information in various formats, with different objectives and public.
- Author preferences for open access in Portugal: survey findingsPublication . Carvalho, Milena; Boock, Michael; Todorova, Tania Yordanova; Martins, Susana; Braga, Inês; Pinto, CláudiaIn its relatively short existence, open access—the free, online, and immediate availability of scientific outputs in journals and repositories—has contributed to the availability and impact of scientific knowledge across the globe. As a result, the authors hypothesize that researchers and students increasingly prefer that their work appears in open access journals or open access repositories, resulting in improved access to quality, peer-reviewed scientific information and faster scientific and technological advances. Surveying authors at doctoral-granting institutions of higher education in Portugal, the authors seek to determine the extent to which this is true among Portuguese university teachers and researchers, to gauge their familiarity with open access, the importance they attach to open access when choosing a publication outlet, and to determine their preferences for achieving open access. The results show that Portuguese researchers are aware of the benefits of open access, regularly publish in open access journals, and deposit their papers in institutional or disciplinary repositories. The authors recommend continued improvement of training on institutional open access policies, European open access goals, and funding body requirements to increase open access to the fruits of Portuguese research still more.
- Virtual learning environments: formal environments vs informal environmentsPublication . Gonçalves, Maria José Angélico; Camarinha, Ana P.; Abreu, António; Braga, InêsSociety is constantly evolving and has so many repercussions on a social level as well as within personal and professional life. Information Technology (IT) has an increasing impact, bringing new challenges and paradigms to Education, by combining formal and informal environments in the communication that takes place between teachers and students, as well as between themselves. Nowadays, in education, the use of a an informal communication environment is increasingly verified in parallel with the formal environments already implemented. Teachers present challenges in the Learning Management System (LMS), but give students the freedom to use tools in less formal environments, as long as they meet with the stated objectives. The synergy between these two tools promotes learning environments with a social and interactive presence, one that is able to promote student success in virtual environments. This article presents an exploratory study of the use of platforms to support traditional teaching, such as social networks and LMS, using methods and pedagogical approaches that value the experimentation, discovery, research and integration of knowledge and skills. The purpose of this article is to identify the functionalities of each of the tools that promote the improvement of these environments in both formal and informal learning situations. The methodology used to reach the objective, besides the review of the literature, is based on an exploratory study, using research and interviews.
- ALE - advanced learning environments: work-based learningPublication . P. Camarinha, Ana; Gonçalves, Maria José Angélico; Abreu, António; Braga, InêsCom o aumento do conhecimento e o progresso tecnológico da sociedade, as Tecnologias da Informação (TI) no desenvolvimento educacional têm sido reconhecidas mundialmente como prioritárias, a fim de apoiar o desenvolvimento acadêmico e científico, alcançar alcance universal e ampliar o conhecimento, bem como facilitar a educação ao longo da vida. Passamos da aprendizagem centrada no professor para a aprendizagem centrada no aluno, fornecendo meios pedagógicos modernos intuitivos e envolventes para que os alunos aprendam sozinhos. Existe, no entanto, uma componente essencial do saber-fazer que muitas vezes só é adquirida no mercado de trabalho, ou quando o ensino envolve actividades práticas do mundo real, o que não é comum nos cursos de primeiro ciclo (Quadro Europeu de Qualificações para a aprendizagem ao longo da vida (QEQ), nível 6). Em Portugal, no nível 4 do QEQ, equivalente ao ensino secundário, existem cursos profissionais especializados destinados a formar pessoas para uma vida profissional ativa muito mais cedo, sem a exigência curricular e científica que é normal no ensino superior. Em 2006, no âmbito do processo de Bolonha, foram implementados os Cursos Técnicos Superiores Profissionais correspondentes ao nível 5 do QEF. Estes cursos têm a propriedade de exigir um estágio obrigatório de 6 meses pela instituição de ensino superior que se realiza em empresas e organizações que exercem atividades profissionais na área para a qual o curso se prepara e que têm as qualificações do formando. Em cada um desses níveis de ensino os objetivos e metodologias de aprendizagem são diferentes e, portanto, os resultados também são diferentes. Hoje em dia, estamos tentando entender como o treinamento em ambientes do mundo real é importante para melhorar o aprendizado. O objetivo do nosso projeto é avaliar o impacto da mudança, enfatizando a inter-relação de organização, currículo, infraestrutura, pedagogia e práticas na construção do ambiente de ensino e aprendizagem (ELT). Este estudo basear-se-á na análise dos currículos, metodologias, durabilidade e competências adquiridas em cada um dos diferentes níveis, a fim de avaliar a pertinência da combinação de estratégias existentes nos diferentes percursos, podendo passar pela necessidade de reformular a realidade atual, quer introduzindo mudanças, quer aumentando os métodos pedagógicos ou os conhecimentos, com vistas a uma formação mais completa e próxima do mercado de trabalho sem descurar toda a formação essencial ao indivíduo e ao seu desempenho profissional.
- Literacia da informação: diagnóstico e propostas de melhoria na formação superiorPublication . Braga, InêsEsta comunicação resulta de uma investigação de Doutoramento levada a cabo numa escola superior politécnica portuguesa sobre a formação para a Literacia da Informação (LI), sobre competências desenvolvidas nos estudantes e práticas de ensino adotadas, sendo que parte significativa destes dados não foi integrada na referida tese. O objetivo geral é averiguar se a formação superior contribui para o aumento dos níveis de LI dos estudantes do ensino superior politécnico, e alguns dos objetivos específicos são: analisar a perspetiva de estudantes e docentes sobre a LI, bem como as estratégias pedagógicas e a formação para LI. Uma revisão da literatura sobre LI, incidindo em referenciais de LI internacionais e estudos sobre o tema, nomeadamente boas práticas pedagógicas, suporta teoricamente este estudo. Quanto ao estudo empírico, recorre-se a metodologias qualitativas e quantitativas, dando-se relevo à perceção de docentes, coordenadores das oito licenciaturas e detentores de conhecimentos profundos sobre as mesmas, os quais testemunharão sobre o ensino- -aprendizagem da LI, sobre a presença, relações e impactos das TIC e dos média neste processo. Para além dos dados obtidos através da técnica de recolha de dados adotada – a entrevista semiestruturada ministrada aos coordenadores –, interpretar-se-ão e cruzar-se-ão esses dados com outras informações pertinentes, recolhidas junto de docentes e estudantes, através do inquérito por questionário. Através destas visões cruzadas, pretende-se fazer o diagnóstico de uma realidade tão importante, e ainda que a hipótese de que a formação recebida ao longo da licenciatura melhora as competências de LI se revele válida, a média da avaliação dos resultados de um teste de LI aplicado aos estudantes é negativa. Ora, perante resultados preocupantes, pretende-se perspetivar atuações futuras, potenciadoras de melhores resultados, através de boas práticas porque formar, com êxito, estudantes para a LI equivale a contribuir para que sejam cidadãos melhor in/formados, livres, responsáveis, críticos e participativos.
- E-commerce website accessibility assessment Portugal case overviewPublication . P. Afonso, Ana; Pinto, Agostinho Sousa; Braga, Inês; Oliveira, RuiThe World Wide Web, boosted the development and exponential growth, worldwide, of numerous online businesses. Most of organizations in the developed countries are present, in some way, online. It is based on this assumption that digital accessibility plays a fundamental role in democratizing the use of online technologies for all citizens, including the most physically disabled: with motor or perceptive difficulties. A website could be considered accessible if it is also functionally usable, which means, easiness to interpret the content as well as navigating through the web pages, offering the customer a satisfying and inclusive experience. In this context, we propose to develop an accessibility assessment tool, ShoppingForAll, targeting users with a low degree of disability, in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) for level A of compliance. This new tool will be applied to a restricted set of online stores, national or with an infrastructure in Portugal. The criteria used to select the websites under the study were native language and the position in the sales ranking. After analysing the results obtained, it was possible to establish a set of recommendations aimed at improving the accessibility of e-commerce websites. Our contribute aimed to promote and increase, albeit modestly, the accessibility on the Web. This tool can be used by experts in information technologies, by developers, and possibly e-commerce website managers.
- Active learning in higher education: students and multiple skills in the spotlightPublication . Braga, InêsThe active learning which presupposes an active and deep student learning rather than a passive and shallow student stance aligns with the Bologna process assumptions that place higher education students at the center of learning in order to develop skills of different natures. In opposition to the traditional teaching model, the protagonists of this new and necessary learning process are no longer the teachers who debit material that students memorize to reproduce mechanically and without critical judgment at the moment of assessment. Nowadays, students are in the spotlight, they should be the focus of all attention, always bearing in mind that they learn better the more opportunities they are given to be the protagonists of building their knowledge, according to their interests and needs. We intend to review the literature on some motivating and enhancing pedagogical strategies for the development of skills for the 21st century, as they are proven to be useful for the success of individuals not only in the academic context but also in the professional environment. We will highlight role-play, as it’s a strategy that we consider to be less pedagogically explored but very suitable for teaching in which we want students to learn better, with more pleasure, recognizing usefulness in their learning and obtaining better results. We will complete the investigation with the report of a pedagogical experience implemented with Portuguese polytechnic higher education students that fit the theme under study and which we consider beneficial.
- Dealing with plagiarism in undergraduate education to achieve intelectual property rightsPublication . Braga, InêsWe intend to reflect on a worrying issue in higher education – plagiarism, a practice that has existed for a long time but is now easier. In fact, it is worth remembering that the digital paradigm has been gaining even greater expression in the current context of a pandemic in which personal, academic, social and professional life has been predominantly reorganized digitally. This investigation is based on the concepts of Plagiarism and Intellectual Property Rights, within the framework of higher education in which the author has vast experience as a teacher who has always been concerned with instilling in students the ethical use of information, one of the aspects of Information Literacy. The methodology of this study includes a literature review, favoring good practices carried out by reference institutions in the field, such as The International Center for Academic Integrity and several universities that, in an organized and responsible manner, aim to promote an academic culture of honesty and intellectual integrity, guiding and training teachers and students. We highlight the University of Waterloo which has an Office of Academic Integrity, the Purdue University which has the Online Writing Lab (OWL), and the University of California San Diego whose website has a tab titled "Excel with integrity", all of them providing guidance, training, advice and pedagogical approaches related to academic integrity. In short, all this qualified information available on the internet, very easily, at the distance of a click, it is undoubtedly a very important help, above all, for students, to obtain knowledge and skills about what plagiarism is, ways to fight it, to achieve academic success while respecting legal issues and copyright. In conclusion, we are of the opinion that, more than punishing, Education policies should focus on training the various educational agents to fight a reprehensible and illegal intellectual act, they should clarify and clearly define important concepts related to this complex issue and should promote open debate on the subject. They must also invest resources and promote marketing policies in favor of intellectual property rights and must instill in teachers the courage to denounce and report the unethical use of information by students, even if this represents an inconvenience and an increase in work, at the bureaucratic level. Finally, it will certainly be through a collaborative work between Ministries, educational institutions, their leaders, teachers and students that the task of training for the safe and ethical use of information in an academic context will have more impact and better results.
- O processo de Bolonha e a inevitável mudança na área da Ciência da InformaçãoPublication . Braga, InêsSão descritos os princípios fundamentais da Declaração de Bolonha e algumas alterações que ela pressupõe. Evoca-se a história da formação dita BAD, em Portugal, destacando-se o aparecimento das primeiras licenciaturas nacionais, dentre as quais a de Ciências e Tecnologias da Documentação e Informação (CTDI) da Escola Superior de Estudos Industriais e de Gestão do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, demonstrando-se o modo como foi feita a adequação da referida licenciatura de CTDI, ao abrigo de Bolonha, e sublinhando-se, no novo modelo de ensinoaprendizagem, o protagonismo, a autonomia e a responsabilização dos alunos. Caracteriza-se a actual licenciatura multidisciplinar, de banda larga, referindo-se as competências que um licenciado deve adquirir, tendo em conta a necessidade do surgimento de um novo perfil para os actuais Profissionais da Informação.