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  • Mathematics classes for tourism undergraduate students and pre-service teachers with active methodologies using technologies
    Publication . Santos, Vanda; Pais, Sónia; Hall, Andreia
    In the last few decades, technology has advanced in multiple fields, including Education. Some of its benefits include improving student performance and motivation, fostering active learning and tracking student progress. Game-based learning platforms, like Kahoot!, can be used for reviewing content and motivating students for learning. The participants in the study are undergraduate and postgraduate students from two Portuguese public higher education institutions. The aim of the study is to investigate students’ perceptions of how Kahoot! can be used as a tool for reviewing class content or designing warm-up activities. A quantitative survey is being conducted to gather information about students’ insights on the use of Kahoot!. Other studies have also shown that higher education students are usually receptive to the use of this tool, finding it useful to increase their motivation and considering that technology can positively impact learning.
  • Empregabilidade e ensino superior: o estudo de caso do mestrado em Gestão e Direção Hoteleira - ESTM
    Publication . Viana, Ana Sofia; Pais, Sónia; Sousa, Ana Elisa; Schön, Michael
    Empregabilidade é uma meta para todos aqueles que fazem um mestrado ou outro curso superior. No entanto, mais importante do que conseguir um bom emprego é encontrar o emprego para o qual os estudantes foram preparados durante os estudos e permitir-lhes alcançar a carreira que desejam/ambicionam. Neste sentido, o mestrado em Gestão e Direção Hoteleira da Escola Superior de Turismo e Tecnologia do Mar (ESTM) do Politécnico de Leiria foi projetado para permitir que os estudantes desenvolvessem competências organizacionais das muitas responsabilidades operacionais necessárias para gerir um hotel e que estão ligadas a conceitos práticos da tomada de decisões de gestão. Para preparar melhor os estudantes para o que o mercado de trabalho precisa e os empregadores desejam, é importante entender como o mercado de trabalho recebeu os estudantes após a graduação e se os empregadores reconheceram essas qualificações. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi saber onde estão os mestres e o que estão a fazer no mercado de trabalho após o término deste mestrado, se sentem que a graduação foi importante e se lhes deu alguma vantagem no alcance de melhores posições de trabalho. Foi aplicado um método quantitativo a este estudo através da realização de um questionário a 19 mestres em Gestão e Direção Hoteleira. Os resultados mostraram que apesar do esforço das instituições de ensino superior procurarem, através dos mestrados, dar maiores competências aos futuros recursos humanos das organizações, a maioria das organizações ainda não reconhece nem valoriza muito estas formações.
  • Student receptiveness to Kahoot! in higher education
    Publication . Pires, A.; Pais, S.; Chagas, L.
    The use of technology in higher education has been increasing in the past few years and new online tools have emerged for very different purposes. Kahoot! is an example of a platform that can be used for reviewing content and motivating students for learning. Our research is based on data from a quantitative survey conducted in the previous school year and the participants were 86 undergraduate students from a Portuguese higher education institution. The preliminary results of the survey showed that students are very receptive to this tool and highly recommend it, as it promotes motivation. Other studies have shown that higher education students are usually receptive to web tools and consider technology can positively impact learning. To better understand students’ responses to the platform, in this study we aim at analysing the results according to area of study and investigating new correlations between variables, specifically (i) gender vs receptiveness to Kahoot!, (ii) gender vs recommendation of its use and (iii) technology readiness vs receptiveness to Kahoot!.
  • Enhancing students’ motivation with Kahoot!: a case study in English and mathematics
    Publication . Pais, S.; Pires, A.; Chagas, L.
    In the last few decades, technology has advanced in multiple fields, including Education. Some of its benefits include improving student performance and motivation, fostering active learning and tracking student progress. As a "new learning generation" is around, profound changes to the role and function of both teachers and students are particularly vital, so active, cooperative and participative methodologies of learning must be privileged. Given that most higher education students are technology savvy and very receptive to the integration of Web 2.0 tools in class, the teachers involved in this study began using Kahoot! in their classes as an alternative teaching methodology. The participants in the study are undergraduate students from a Portuguese higher education institution and encompassed the curricular units of Statistical Analysis and English. The aim of the study is to investigate students’ perceptions of how Kahoot! can be used as a tool for testing new vocabulary, reviewing class content or designing warm-up activities. A quantitative survey is being conducted to gather information about students’ insights on the use of Kahoot!. Similar studies have shown that students are generally receptive to the use of this tool and find it useful to increase their motivation.
  • Kahoot! and socrative in higher education: a comparative study
    Publication . Chagas, L.; Pires, A.; Pais, S.
    Technology brings new challenges and opportunities to higher education institutions, as it can promote learner-centered activities. Mobile devices such as smartphones are very popular among students and can easily engage them and promote motivation and active learning. In this study, we investigate Tourism undergraduate students’ perceptions on the use of mobile technology in the classroom, specifically two quiz makers in a comparative perspective: Kahoot! and Socrative. The purpose of this two-stage study is to identify and meet students’ preferences, so as to design activities that can truly promote learning. The participants are Mathematics and English students from a Portuguese higher education institution. At the first stage, in a preliminary survey, 33 students have identified their quiz preferences and most of them (87,88%) selected Socrative as their favourite quiz maker. At the second stage, students were also inquired about their general perceptions and preferred features, such as collaborative mode, competition mode, self-paced mode or immediate feedback. Similar studies have shown that these tools can promote engagement, motivation, concentration and learning. Therefore, we hope to contribute to a better understanding of how technology can improve the learning process.
  • Using an interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of solid geometry in a professional development course for preschool and primary school teachers
    Publication . Hall, Andreia; Pais, Sónia
    This paper presents some results of a professional development course for teachers where the participants studied basic solid geometry and developed applied projects in an interdisciplinary context. The course took place in a Portuguese university, from February to May 2020, and involved 19 teachers of preschool and primary levels (grades 1 to 4). The authors have developed a qualitative case study to evaluate how an interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of solid geometry is perceived, by the mathematics teachers, as a contribution to the teaching/learning process of geometry. Overall, the activities developed have proved to be successful examples of interdisciplinary methodologies. Moreover, the approach followed during the course helped the teachers develop their geometric competences concerning solid geometry in a more consistent appropriation and application of the geometric concepts involved.
  • The perception of tourists regarding the use of social networks to choose and book a hotel
    Publication . Sousa, Ana Elisa; Pais, Sónia; Viana, Ana Sofia
    The internet, and in particular social networks, has transformed the relationship between the consumer and the hotel industry, increasingly imposing itself as an alternative to traditional means in choosing and booking a hotel. The hotel sector, recognizing the importance of social networks, has increased its commitment in promoting its services through them. The main objective of this study is to verify the perception of the consumer regarding the use of social networks to choose and book a tourist accommodation. Our research is based on data from a quantitative online survey, with a descriptive and inferential analysis of the data collected. The findings reveal that the importance of hotel establishments being present online is unavoidable today, as the analysis of information collected online about accommodations, user comments, as well as publications made by influencers, are a decisive factor when choosing and book a hotel establishment.
  • Game-Based Learning in Higher Education: A Comparative Study In Tourism Degrees
    Publication . Pais, Sónia; Chagas, Laura; Pires, Ana
    New strategies regarding student-centered approaches have emerged in higher education contexts, in order to promote student motivation and engagement towards the learning process. Online quiz platforms such as Kahoot! seem to contribute to the consolidation of learning, particularly through content review. A quantitative survey was conducted among 86 students from a higher education institution offering undergraduate degrees in the area of Tourism, specifically within the subjects of English and Statistical Analysis. Following a consistent application of Kahoot! quizzes in class for reviewing purposes, the survey was implemented in order to allow for an examination of how the students perceived the usage of this game-based learning tool. Results show that most students consider the use of Kahoot! in classes to make learning more challenging and dynamic, while positively contributing to content consolidation.. However, the results obtained evidence that further studies are needed to confirm the effect on the use of Kahoot! in student performance.
  • The use of diversified active learning methodologies in mathematics classes: A case study with pre-service teachers
    Publication . Hall, A.; Pais, S.
    Mathematics is one of the school subjects where demotivation, dislike and failure are frequent concerns. It is necessary to engage students in the classroom and look for resources that make classes attractive and engaging, thus leading to meaningful learning experiences in mathematics. Active learning methodologies provide alternative options to traditional lecturing, actively engaging students in the learning process. The use of a single methodology may not be the best option to address this problem. A diversified approach that incorporates various methodologies and their combinations appears to be a preferable solution, as diversity not only leads to a more dynamic teaching style but also attends to the variety of preferences and needs of the students. In this work, we present a case study where we implemented and combined a range of active learning strategies to enhance student engagement and success in mathematics. Across one semester of undergraduate coursework, we emphasized collaborative group work and discussion groups, integrated peer teaching, flipped classroom, and role-play methodologies, used game-based learning through Kahoot! and Quizizz, and regularly incorporated mathematical magic tricks. The participants in the study are pre-service teachers from a Portuguese higher education institution enrolled in a first year mathematics course. In order to understand how these methodologies were perceived by the students, a survey was conducted. Our findings suggest that this multi-faceted approach effectively increased student interest and improved learning outcomes in mathematics.
  • Tourism students' experience of emergency remote teaching due to COVID-19 pandemic
    Publication . Pais, Sónia; Sousa, Ana E.
    The upsurge of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown led to school closure globally. Across the globe, students have been away from schools and their teachers. To cope up with this educational emergency, in Portugal all levels of education suspended face-to-face classes and were replaced by online activities. Within this context, the teacher involved in this study sought to adapt the activities and teaching materials to the exclusive use of technology and promoted asynchronous tasks, which could be developed independently and in an autonomous way by the students. In order to understand students´ perspectives on the transition to emergency remote teaching, a quantitative survey was conducted. The participants in the study are undergraduate students from a Portuguese Higher Education institution attending the curricular unit of Public Relations in Tourism. The analysis of the students’ responses to the questionnaire applied highlighted the main positive and negative aspects experienced, bringing contributions to a discussion on factors that determine the success of remote education.