University of Lisbon / Portugal

To the website in Portugese

The Portuguese University was founded by King Dinis in 1290, was transferred to Coimbra in 1308 to Lisbon in 1354 and again to Coimbra. In 1377 King Fernando established the University back in Lisbon. The University has 8 faculties and several institutes, 20 000 students, 1800 teachers and more than 1200 administrative staff. The Faculty of Sciences was established in 1911. There are several research centres, one of which is the Centre for Research in Education, created in 1994, with a view to framing and promoting the educational investigation carried out in the Department of Education. The activities of the centre include areas which reflect the diversity of developing paths and interests of its 64 members. The main areas of research are mathematics and science teaching; learning and development; education and culture; teacher education, professional development, school organization and leadership. Within these areas, several projects have been developed, some international: Project Induction for Beginning Teachers in Europe (COMENIUS); Curriculaire et Apprentissages Essentiels à l’enseignement de base (SOCRATES); IDMAMIM Project – Didactic innovation in mathematics and technological tools in multicultural contexts, with immigrant or minority pupils (SOCRATES – COMENIUS); Creative learning and students’ perspectives (CLASP) (SOCRATES); Re-integration-transnational evaluation of social and professional reintegration programmes for young people (2001-2004); Velvitt –Virtual electronic learning in vocational initial teacher training (2002-2005) – (LEONARDO da VINCI II). The Centre for Research in Education had the classification of Excellent in the two external evaluations by an international jury.

Professor Cecília Galvão from the Centre for Research in Education has considerable experience in science education in Portugal. She co-ordinated the team responsible for the document of Specific Competences in Physical and Natural Sciences, which integrates the National Curriculum. She was also the co-ordinator responsible for the document Curricular Guidelines for Physical and Natural Sciences for the 3^rd  cycle of Basic Education (12-15 age group) that was implemented in 2002/2003, and developed various materials for science teachers, including a book (in press) on science competences’ evaluation. Presently, she integrates the project Problem based learning in higher education and the international project (as coordinator) Science as culture, with Brazil.

Professor Pedro Reis taught biology in secondary schools before moving to the Superior School of Education at Santarém, where he is currently Head of the Sciences and Mathematics Department, coordinator of ³Basic Education Teachers' Degree² and trainer of inservice teachers. He is also a member of the Research Centre on Education at the Faculty of Sciences in Lisbon University. He is supervisor of Ph.D. students and master students in the field of science education, teachers¹ professional development and ICT integration in schools. He has been involved in research, teacher trainingand curriculum development projects in Portugal, other European countries(supported by the European Commission), Africa (supported by the World Bank)and Brazil (supported by the Portuguese and the Brazilian Governments). Hehas strong connections with the Portuguese Biologists¹ Association, where hewas the Director responsible for the Education section.

Dr. Sofia Freire is employed to work on this project together with Cecília Galvão and Pedro Reis. She has a PhD in Psychology of Education and a background in Special Needs Education. She is also a member of the Research Centre on Education at the Faculty of Sciences in Lisbon University. She has been involved in research projects in the field of special needs education, social interactions and science education.

fileadmin/parsel/Intentions/Lisboa/Statement__from__Lisbon_University_team1.doc