o Projeto Othukumana | “Juntos” - Reforço das capacidades da rede diocesana católica de ensino pr... more o Projeto Othukumana | “Juntos” - Reforço das capacidades da rede diocesana católica de ensino pré-escolar, em implementação desde 2015, numa parceria entre a Diocese de Lichinga, Fundação Fé e Cooperação (FEC), Leigos para o Desenvolvimento (LD) e a Escola Superior de Educação de Paula Frassinetti (ESEPF), com o apoio da Misereor, Manos Unidas, Kinder Missionswerk, Rotary Club e Listas Telefónicas de Moçambique. O projecto pretende contribuir para a melhoria da qualidade e equidade da educação pré-escolar na Província do Niassa mediante o reforço das competências pedagógicas e trabalho em rede dos agentes educativos da Educação Pré-Escolar da Diocese de Lichinga; da sustentabilidade das Escolinhas Comunitárias do Niassa (ECN) através do fortalecimento do seu modelo de gestão; e das competências e acção da Comissão Diocesana de Educação (CDE) e a sua integração na estratégia nacional para a educação pré-escolar. O caderno de orientação pedagógica Juntos pela Criança é, assim, elaborado no âmbito deste projecto, visando apoiar o desenvolvimento das competências pedagógicas de monitores e educadores da educação pré-escolar
Abstract Tourism is one of the fastest growing economic sectors on an international scale. Based ... more Abstract Tourism is one of the fastest growing economic sectors on an international scale. Based on this growth, it became necessary to consider climatic-meteorological conditions as determinants for boosting tourism in some geographical areas. The main objective of this paper is to characterize the perception of bioclimatic comfort of tourists who visited the city of Porto in the summer seasons of 2019 and 2020 (in the on-going pandemic). Primary data were obtained from a questionnaire on perceptions of bioclimatic comfort and microclimatic measurements applied to 207 tourists in the summer of 2019, 146 in the winter of 2019–2020 and 210 in the summer of 2020. It took place in one of the main places of passage for tourists visiting the city of Porto. Based on statistical analysis, responses were parameterized according to the environmental and sociodemographic characteristics of the tourists. In addition, summary indicators (Physiological Equivalent Temperature – PET, Thermal Sensation Vote – TSV, Thermal Preference Vote – TPV) were used to characterize the profile of visiting tourists. The influence of microclimate conditions on the thermal comfort of tourists was evident, showing, however, that they still felt comfortable regardless of the situation. The results demonstrated a good effort to reduce thermal discomfort through adapted behavior. Air temperature and relative humidity seem to be more directly related to mean thermal sensation votes in the summer of 2019 (r2 = 0.86 and r2 = 0.68, respectively). In the winters of 2019–2020 and summer of 2020, these indicators do not show such a strong correlation. Anyway, it is verified that there is a greater tolerance for higher and lower temperatures than those that are verified for the residents, when compared to previous studies. The consideration of average thresholds for thermal comfort in tourism is crucial. In future studies and planning proposals, it will be necessary to consider the optimal climatic conditions of local climate change adaptation and mitigation policies.
Health policies seek to promote access to health care and should provide appropriate geographical... more Health policies seek to promote access to health care and should provide appropriate geographical accessibility to each demographical functional group. The dispersal demand of health-care services and the provision for such services at fixed locations contribute to the growth of inequality in their access. Therefore, the optimal distribution of health facilities over the space/area can lead to accessibility improvements and to the mitigation of the social exclusion of the groups considered most vulnerable. Requiring for such, the use of planning practices joined with accessibility measures. However, the capacities of Geographic Information Systems in determining and evaluating spatial accessibility in health system planning have not yet been fully exploited. This paper focuses on health-care services planning based on accessibility measures grounded on the network analysis. The case study hinges on mainland Portugal. Different scenarios were developed to measure and compare impact on the population's accessibility. It distinguishes itself from other studies of accessibility measures by integrating network data in a spatial accessibility measure: the enhanced two-step floating catchment area. The convenient location for health-care facilities can increase the accessibility standards of the population and consequently reduce the economic and social costs incurred. Recently, the Portuguese government implemented a reform that aimed to improve, namely, the access and equity in meeting with the most urgent patients. It envisaged, in terms of equity, the allocation of 89 emergency network points that ensured more than 90% of the population be within 30 min from any one point in the network. Consequently, several emergency services were closed, namely, in rural areas. This reform highlighted the need to improve the quality of the emergency care, accessibility to each care facility, and equity in their access. Hence, accessibility measures become an efficient decision-making tool, despite its absence in effective practice planning. According to an application of this type of measure, it was possible to verify which levels of accessibility were decreased, including the most disadvantaged people, with a larger time of dislocation of 12 min between 2001 and 2011. Plain Language Summary Equitable access to health services is a critical goal for overcoming health disparities, and many reform efforts have been carried out worldwide to improve equity. This case study from Portugal, using geospatial analysis of public transportation access points and health services, shows that, in this case, reform efforts failed because they did not take into account connection times between where people live, where transport hubs are, and where emergency services are delivered. According to the Portuguese Health Ministry, the multidimensional nature of adequate access to health care results from the unavoidable link between geographic dimensions: availability and proximity (Furtado &
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a technology that deals with location to support better re... more Geographic Information System (GIS) is a technology that deals with location to support better representations and decision making. It has a long tradition in several planning areas, such as urbanism, environment, riskiness, transportation, archeology or tourism. In academics context higher education has followed that evolution. Despite of their potentialities in education, GIS technologies at the elementary and secondary have been underused. Empowering graduates to learn with GIS and to manipulate spatial data can effectively facilitate the teaching of critical thinking. Likewise it has been recognized that GIS tools can be incorporated as an interdisciplinary pedagogical tool. Nevertheless more practical examples on how GIS tools can enhance teaching and learning process, namely to promote interdisciplinary approaches. The proposed paper presents some results obtained from the project "Each thing in its place: the science in time and space". This project results from the effort of three professors of Geography, History and Natural Sciences in the context of Didactics of World Knowledge curricular unit to enhance interdisciplinarity through Geographic Information Technologies (GIT). Implemented during the last three years this action-research project developed the research practice using GIS to create an interdisciplinary attitude in the future primary education teachers. More than teaching GIS the authors were focused on teaching with GIS to create an integrated vision where spatial data representation linked the space, the time and natural sciences. Accumulated experience reveals that those technologies can motivate students to learn and facilitating teacher's interdisciplinary work.
(UERJ), com o tema "Políticas educacionais, novas tecnologias e práticas pedagógicas inovadoras n... more (UERJ), com o tema "Políticas educacionais, novas tecnologias e práticas pedagógicas inovadoras no ensino de geografia no Brasil" 9 Projeto "Las marginaciones personales y la utilidad social del saber escolar"
A acessibilidade aos serviços de saúde assume um papel fundamental na organização do território i... more A acessibilidade aos serviços de saúde assume um papel fundamental na organização do território influenciando, desde logo, a perceção da qualidade de vida da população. Para tal, em cada território, a distribuição geográfica dos equipamentos de saúde deve ser adequada à estrutura demográfica da população, sob pena de aumentar o processo de exclusão social.
A área de estudo selecionada é o município de Guimarães onde se procura conjugar a oferta e a procura dos serviços de saúde. Considerando a necessidade de orientar o planeamento em saúde por padrões de melhoria da acessibilidade, este estudo pode ser um contributo sobre como recorrendo às ferramentas básicas do ArcGis é possível obter uma imagem mais realista do território.
Recorreu-se às potencialidades da análise espacial, nomeadamente das distâncias euclidianas, para demonstrar as desigualdades nos níveis de acessibilidade da população, a andar a pé, às unidades de saúde no município de Guimarães.
Over the years, cultural mapping methods have been used in several applications and contexts, for... more Over the years, cultural mapping methods have been used in several applications and contexts, for diverse cultural assets and to create new conditions for the development of local and regional resources. These methods were inspired by the development of big urban centres and regions, which have been the great engine of cultural mapping growth. The main objectives of the present paper are to provide a literature review on cultural mapping methodologies and to develop exploratory research on crowdsource tools on creative tourism which were applied to one Portuguese municipality in 2017. The research was supported by the implementation and integration of geographic information systems (GIS) and web mapping, which will become part of the solution for the growth of less developed territories and to make more interactive tourist activities. Web mapping’s contribution to enhance crowd participation was measured via analysis of 12 digital photos shared through crowdsourcing. The originality...
The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (in early 2020) has dictated significant changes in society and te... more The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (in early 2020) has dictated significant changes in society and territories by anticipating trends, changing priorities, and creating challenges, which are manifested in the territories. These are influenced by the levels of economic, cultural, and social restructuring, in the measures implemented by public administration or in attempts to redefine strategies for tourism destinations. This paper examines the perceptions and behaviors of tourists before and during COVID-19 in the municipality of Porto, the main area of the Porto Metropolitan Area, in Portugal. Research was based on the application of a questionnaire survey, probing the sensitivity of tourists to the crisis in the decision-making of daily routines, as well as future travel plans in the presence of a serious health concern. A total of 417 surveys were collected in the summers of 2019 and 2020. In addition to descriptive statistics, this paper also includes the results of the analysis of e...
Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, 2019
The recognition of the role of tourism planners in seeking to contribute to local residents’ well... more The recognition of the role of tourism planners in seeking to contribute to local residents’ well-being by mitigating the potential costs of tourism development has been given more attention in the last decades. Several studies on the perception of positive or negative impacts, based on sustainability (namely the three pillars: economic, sociocultural and environmental) have been developed. However, the studies have been somewhat limited in terms of approaches, namely with respect to the contribution and participation of stakeholders. In this study, we attempted to use a bidirectional analysis of involvement and tourism knowledge to segment the residents and analyse their perception of the impacts. A total of 373 valid surveys were applied in a rural mountainous municipality (Boticas) during 2015 and 2016. In this municipality, tourism (activity) is an emergent activity. The results show that more informed and more involved residents have more positive perceptions of tourism than ot...
2019 14th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI), 2019
This research project, carried out within the PhD in Educational Sciences, specializing in Educat... more This research project, carried out within the PhD in Educational Sciences, specializing in Educational Technology, is intended to deepen knowledge regarding the contributions and potential of Geographic Information Technologies (GIT) and Augmented Reality (AR) as digital tools that improve the teaching/learning process and promote the spatial thinking development of students of basic education (BE) in different learning contexts. Supported by the qualitative method, the project is based on case studies to assess the respective perceptions, usability, relevance and attractiveness of GIT and AR, both by students and teachers. With this research project, it is hoped to recognize the motivational and pedagogical value of GIT and AR as research and analysis tools that develop more complex levels of spatial thinking, as well as it is speculated that teacher training is fundamental for the recognition of the potentialities of these technologies by teachers, and for increased frequency of their integration in educational practices.
Os olhos das crianças com cor e bailar de lágrimas, retratam a terra e o mar que em procura const... more Os olhos das crianças com cor e bailar de lágrimas, retratam a terra e o mar que em procura constante, querem explorar. ÁFRICA! Continente separado por mares, onde há tanto para aprender e investigar: os climas, a população, a economia e tantos outros, mas que para uma criança é difícil lá chegar. Não! Já não é verdade. Estamos na era das tecnologias e todos gostam de as experimentar. As crianças já podem aprender geografia com um simples clicar!
The goal of this paper is to contribute to identify a set of resources and tourism products, whic... more The goal of this paper is to contribute to identify a set of resources and tourism products, which can enhance the development and sustainability of tourism in the low density municipality of Boticas, located in the north east of Portugal. Therefore, this paper tries to: i) produce a first analysis of the tourism potential of the municipality of Boticas; and ii) identify different perceptions of different stakeholders regarding the tourism potential of Boticas. To this end, the content analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted in 2014 to local and regional social and political stakeholders were used. Likewise, in 2015 two focus groups were conducted with main local stakeholders. The results highlight three main facts: first, there are unexplored tourism resources with potential to attract certain niches of tourist demand; second, the region has been investing in the diversification of its supply of leisure and recreational activities, as well as available tourism equipment; a...
Early education plays an important role in the education system and students success in a digital... more Early education plays an important role in the education system and students success in a digital society. Kindergarten pedagogy innovation by integrating technology is recognized as lacking research, however an area which needs to be improved. In this context, augmented reality showed an unprecedented growth, particularly in what regards society and marketing purposes, being recognized as having great potential this decade in the educational innovation area. This ongoing research-based methodology aims to understand both students and educator’s perceptions, abilities and difficulties in using augmented reality. The Case study reports to a Portuguese kindergarten with a class of five-year old students (N=24). The project was designed to enhance children's knowledge about the ocean species ́ characteristics (habitat, length/ size, food). A world map was produced and augmented reality was added to improve their motivation in the learning process and to acquire research skills. Fur...
Most of the strategies developed to “save” rural territories in Europe have not been successful. ... more Most of the strategies developed to “save” rural territories in Europe have not been successful. One of their main problems has been the adoption of the top-down paradigm when approaching the development of those territories. Portugal is a good example of the difficulty in adopting a bottom-up paradigm. The main objective of this paper is to present the perceptions of the local (including the residents) and regional stakeholders acting at Boticas, regarding the set of resources available and the development of the tourism industry. Boticas is a northern Portuguese, rural low-density municipality. In capturing those perceptions, the research contributes to the establishment of a more integrated and innovative development strategy and thus, a more capable strategy for profiting from the potential associated with the growth of the tourism industry that has been experienced recently in Portugal. The adoption of a mixed-method was suggested for evaluating these resources and capturing th...
Spatial Analysis, Modelling and Planning, Nov 28, 2018
The use of new photo sharing services in social networks has favoured a perception of the interes... more The use of new photo sharing services in social networks has favoured a perception of the interests of locals and visitors. The photos presented in these networks are geocoded by the users, residents or visitors, allowing extensive databases to be obtained. The research that was conducted between 2015 and 2016 followed an essentially quantitative approach. Based on the georeferenced photos on social networks, the main distribution patterns of places of interest to tourists, visitors, and residents were analysed in a rural emergent tourist destination in northeastern Portugal. We used geographical information systems (GIS) to apply various spatial and statistical analysis techniques. Among the main conclusions was that there is a high number of natural and cultural heritage locations with tourism potential, and, in some cases, their accessibility standards make them favourable destinations for tourists.
There are examples of using stones of the cultural heritage for teaching purposes. Information sy... more There are examples of using stones of the cultural heritage for teaching purposes. Information systems have found several potential uses in the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage. In this paper is considered the conceptual framework of an information system concerning features of geological interest (FGI) in the built heritage (without any consideration in terms of its software implementation). This FGI concept is used here in a very wide sense to encompass characteristics of geological materials that can be recognized with the naked eye and analogies of geological processes in the built environment. Two perspectives are considered for information organization: occurrences of FGIs in the built heritage (more suitable for Earth Sciences teaching) and FGIs as components of built heritage elements (more suitable for humanities teaching). The main issue that arises from the ensuing discussion was found to be the findability of a given FGI, depending on its visual contrast and the characteristics of the built heritage element. It is argued that, in this way, geological concepts can contribute to the promotion and conservation of the built heritage.
The teaching and learning process can be enhanced by Information and Communication Technologies w... more The teaching and learning process can be enhanced by Information and Communication Technologies which became a priority in the education process. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have the ability to deal with space and time information allowing, for example, to deeply understand location, relations or patterns. Geospatial technologies have seen an unprecedented growth in the last decade. Indeed fewer basic education schools are using them to promote spatial or technological skills. This text/research aims to discuss employability skills, attitudes and behaviours of 36 ten years old students coming from unstructured families of a deprived territory. The authors explore a practical example of the application of GIS in the teaching/learning process of primary education students. Simultaneously, the authors demonstrate the potential of those technologies to enlarge interdisciplinary analysis.
How to cite Complete issue More information about this article Journal's homepage in redalyc.org ... more How to cite Complete issue More information about this article Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Scientific Information System Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative
The concept of accessibility is linked to the level of opportunities available for spatial intera... more The concept of accessibility is linked to the level of opportunities available for spatial interaction (flows of people, goods or information) between a set of locations, through a physical and/or digital transport infrastructure network. Accessibility has proved to be a crucial tool for understanding the framework of sustainability policy in light of best practice planning and decision-making processes. Methods such as cost–benefit analysis, multi-criteria analysis and risk analysis can benefit greatly from embedding accessibility results. This book presents a cohesive collection of recent studies, modeling and discussing spatial interaction by means of accessibility indicators
o Projeto Othukumana | “Juntos” - Reforço das capacidades da rede diocesana católica de ensino pr... more o Projeto Othukumana | “Juntos” - Reforço das capacidades da rede diocesana católica de ensino pré-escolar, em implementação desde 2015, numa parceria entre a Diocese de Lichinga, Fundação Fé e Cooperação (FEC), Leigos para o Desenvolvimento (LD) e a Escola Superior de Educação de Paula Frassinetti (ESEPF), com o apoio da Misereor, Manos Unidas, Kinder Missionswerk, Rotary Club e Listas Telefónicas de Moçambique. O projecto pretende contribuir para a melhoria da qualidade e equidade da educação pré-escolar na Província do Niassa mediante o reforço das competências pedagógicas e trabalho em rede dos agentes educativos da Educação Pré-Escolar da Diocese de Lichinga; da sustentabilidade das Escolinhas Comunitárias do Niassa (ECN) através do fortalecimento do seu modelo de gestão; e das competências e acção da Comissão Diocesana de Educação (CDE) e a sua integração na estratégia nacional para a educação pré-escolar. O caderno de orientação pedagógica Juntos pela Criança é, assim, elaborado no âmbito deste projecto, visando apoiar o desenvolvimento das competências pedagógicas de monitores e educadores da educação pré-escolar
Abstract Tourism is one of the fastest growing economic sectors on an international scale. Based ... more Abstract Tourism is one of the fastest growing economic sectors on an international scale. Based on this growth, it became necessary to consider climatic-meteorological conditions as determinants for boosting tourism in some geographical areas. The main objective of this paper is to characterize the perception of bioclimatic comfort of tourists who visited the city of Porto in the summer seasons of 2019 and 2020 (in the on-going pandemic). Primary data were obtained from a questionnaire on perceptions of bioclimatic comfort and microclimatic measurements applied to 207 tourists in the summer of 2019, 146 in the winter of 2019–2020 and 210 in the summer of 2020. It took place in one of the main places of passage for tourists visiting the city of Porto. Based on statistical analysis, responses were parameterized according to the environmental and sociodemographic characteristics of the tourists. In addition, summary indicators (Physiological Equivalent Temperature – PET, Thermal Sensation Vote – TSV, Thermal Preference Vote – TPV) were used to characterize the profile of visiting tourists. The influence of microclimate conditions on the thermal comfort of tourists was evident, showing, however, that they still felt comfortable regardless of the situation. The results demonstrated a good effort to reduce thermal discomfort through adapted behavior. Air temperature and relative humidity seem to be more directly related to mean thermal sensation votes in the summer of 2019 (r2 = 0.86 and r2 = 0.68, respectively). In the winters of 2019–2020 and summer of 2020, these indicators do not show such a strong correlation. Anyway, it is verified that there is a greater tolerance for higher and lower temperatures than those that are verified for the residents, when compared to previous studies. The consideration of average thresholds for thermal comfort in tourism is crucial. In future studies and planning proposals, it will be necessary to consider the optimal climatic conditions of local climate change adaptation and mitigation policies.
Health policies seek to promote access to health care and should provide appropriate geographical... more Health policies seek to promote access to health care and should provide appropriate geographical accessibility to each demographical functional group. The dispersal demand of health-care services and the provision for such services at fixed locations contribute to the growth of inequality in their access. Therefore, the optimal distribution of health facilities over the space/area can lead to accessibility improvements and to the mitigation of the social exclusion of the groups considered most vulnerable. Requiring for such, the use of planning practices joined with accessibility measures. However, the capacities of Geographic Information Systems in determining and evaluating spatial accessibility in health system planning have not yet been fully exploited. This paper focuses on health-care services planning based on accessibility measures grounded on the network analysis. The case study hinges on mainland Portugal. Different scenarios were developed to measure and compare impact on the population's accessibility. It distinguishes itself from other studies of accessibility measures by integrating network data in a spatial accessibility measure: the enhanced two-step floating catchment area. The convenient location for health-care facilities can increase the accessibility standards of the population and consequently reduce the economic and social costs incurred. Recently, the Portuguese government implemented a reform that aimed to improve, namely, the access and equity in meeting with the most urgent patients. It envisaged, in terms of equity, the allocation of 89 emergency network points that ensured more than 90% of the population be within 30 min from any one point in the network. Consequently, several emergency services were closed, namely, in rural areas. This reform highlighted the need to improve the quality of the emergency care, accessibility to each care facility, and equity in their access. Hence, accessibility measures become an efficient decision-making tool, despite its absence in effective practice planning. According to an application of this type of measure, it was possible to verify which levels of accessibility were decreased, including the most disadvantaged people, with a larger time of dislocation of 12 min between 2001 and 2011. Plain Language Summary Equitable access to health services is a critical goal for overcoming health disparities, and many reform efforts have been carried out worldwide to improve equity. This case study from Portugal, using geospatial analysis of public transportation access points and health services, shows that, in this case, reform efforts failed because they did not take into account connection times between where people live, where transport hubs are, and where emergency services are delivered. According to the Portuguese Health Ministry, the multidimensional nature of adequate access to health care results from the unavoidable link between geographic dimensions: availability and proximity (Furtado &
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a technology that deals with location to support better re... more Geographic Information System (GIS) is a technology that deals with location to support better representations and decision making. It has a long tradition in several planning areas, such as urbanism, environment, riskiness, transportation, archeology or tourism. In academics context higher education has followed that evolution. Despite of their potentialities in education, GIS technologies at the elementary and secondary have been underused. Empowering graduates to learn with GIS and to manipulate spatial data can effectively facilitate the teaching of critical thinking. Likewise it has been recognized that GIS tools can be incorporated as an interdisciplinary pedagogical tool. Nevertheless more practical examples on how GIS tools can enhance teaching and learning process, namely to promote interdisciplinary approaches. The proposed paper presents some results obtained from the project "Each thing in its place: the science in time and space". This project results from the effort of three professors of Geography, History and Natural Sciences in the context of Didactics of World Knowledge curricular unit to enhance interdisciplinarity through Geographic Information Technologies (GIT). Implemented during the last three years this action-research project developed the research practice using GIS to create an interdisciplinary attitude in the future primary education teachers. More than teaching GIS the authors were focused on teaching with GIS to create an integrated vision where spatial data representation linked the space, the time and natural sciences. Accumulated experience reveals that those technologies can motivate students to learn and facilitating teacher's interdisciplinary work.
(UERJ), com o tema "Políticas educacionais, novas tecnologias e práticas pedagógicas inovadoras n... more (UERJ), com o tema "Políticas educacionais, novas tecnologias e práticas pedagógicas inovadoras no ensino de geografia no Brasil" 9 Projeto "Las marginaciones personales y la utilidad social del saber escolar"
A acessibilidade aos serviços de saúde assume um papel fundamental na organização do território i... more A acessibilidade aos serviços de saúde assume um papel fundamental na organização do território influenciando, desde logo, a perceção da qualidade de vida da população. Para tal, em cada território, a distribuição geográfica dos equipamentos de saúde deve ser adequada à estrutura demográfica da população, sob pena de aumentar o processo de exclusão social.
A área de estudo selecionada é o município de Guimarães onde se procura conjugar a oferta e a procura dos serviços de saúde. Considerando a necessidade de orientar o planeamento em saúde por padrões de melhoria da acessibilidade, este estudo pode ser um contributo sobre como recorrendo às ferramentas básicas do ArcGis é possível obter uma imagem mais realista do território.
Recorreu-se às potencialidades da análise espacial, nomeadamente das distâncias euclidianas, para demonstrar as desigualdades nos níveis de acessibilidade da população, a andar a pé, às unidades de saúde no município de Guimarães.
Over the years, cultural mapping methods have been used in several applications and contexts, for... more Over the years, cultural mapping methods have been used in several applications and contexts, for diverse cultural assets and to create new conditions for the development of local and regional resources. These methods were inspired by the development of big urban centres and regions, which have been the great engine of cultural mapping growth. The main objectives of the present paper are to provide a literature review on cultural mapping methodologies and to develop exploratory research on crowdsource tools on creative tourism which were applied to one Portuguese municipality in 2017. The research was supported by the implementation and integration of geographic information systems (GIS) and web mapping, which will become part of the solution for the growth of less developed territories and to make more interactive tourist activities. Web mapping’s contribution to enhance crowd participation was measured via analysis of 12 digital photos shared through crowdsourcing. The originality...
The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (in early 2020) has dictated significant changes in society and te... more The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (in early 2020) has dictated significant changes in society and territories by anticipating trends, changing priorities, and creating challenges, which are manifested in the territories. These are influenced by the levels of economic, cultural, and social restructuring, in the measures implemented by public administration or in attempts to redefine strategies for tourism destinations. This paper examines the perceptions and behaviors of tourists before and during COVID-19 in the municipality of Porto, the main area of the Porto Metropolitan Area, in Portugal. Research was based on the application of a questionnaire survey, probing the sensitivity of tourists to the crisis in the decision-making of daily routines, as well as future travel plans in the presence of a serious health concern. A total of 417 surveys were collected in the summers of 2019 and 2020. In addition to descriptive statistics, this paper also includes the results of the analysis of e...
Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, 2019
The recognition of the role of tourism planners in seeking to contribute to local residents’ well... more The recognition of the role of tourism planners in seeking to contribute to local residents’ well-being by mitigating the potential costs of tourism development has been given more attention in the last decades. Several studies on the perception of positive or negative impacts, based on sustainability (namely the three pillars: economic, sociocultural and environmental) have been developed. However, the studies have been somewhat limited in terms of approaches, namely with respect to the contribution and participation of stakeholders. In this study, we attempted to use a bidirectional analysis of involvement and tourism knowledge to segment the residents and analyse their perception of the impacts. A total of 373 valid surveys were applied in a rural mountainous municipality (Boticas) during 2015 and 2016. In this municipality, tourism (activity) is an emergent activity. The results show that more informed and more involved residents have more positive perceptions of tourism than ot...
2019 14th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI), 2019
This research project, carried out within the PhD in Educational Sciences, specializing in Educat... more This research project, carried out within the PhD in Educational Sciences, specializing in Educational Technology, is intended to deepen knowledge regarding the contributions and potential of Geographic Information Technologies (GIT) and Augmented Reality (AR) as digital tools that improve the teaching/learning process and promote the spatial thinking development of students of basic education (BE) in different learning contexts. Supported by the qualitative method, the project is based on case studies to assess the respective perceptions, usability, relevance and attractiveness of GIT and AR, both by students and teachers. With this research project, it is hoped to recognize the motivational and pedagogical value of GIT and AR as research and analysis tools that develop more complex levels of spatial thinking, as well as it is speculated that teacher training is fundamental for the recognition of the potentialities of these technologies by teachers, and for increased frequency of their integration in educational practices.
Os olhos das crianças com cor e bailar de lágrimas, retratam a terra e o mar que em procura const... more Os olhos das crianças com cor e bailar de lágrimas, retratam a terra e o mar que em procura constante, querem explorar. ÁFRICA! Continente separado por mares, onde há tanto para aprender e investigar: os climas, a população, a economia e tantos outros, mas que para uma criança é difícil lá chegar. Não! Já não é verdade. Estamos na era das tecnologias e todos gostam de as experimentar. As crianças já podem aprender geografia com um simples clicar!
The goal of this paper is to contribute to identify a set of resources and tourism products, whic... more The goal of this paper is to contribute to identify a set of resources and tourism products, which can enhance the development and sustainability of tourism in the low density municipality of Boticas, located in the north east of Portugal. Therefore, this paper tries to: i) produce a first analysis of the tourism potential of the municipality of Boticas; and ii) identify different perceptions of different stakeholders regarding the tourism potential of Boticas. To this end, the content analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted in 2014 to local and regional social and political stakeholders were used. Likewise, in 2015 two focus groups were conducted with main local stakeholders. The results highlight three main facts: first, there are unexplored tourism resources with potential to attract certain niches of tourist demand; second, the region has been investing in the diversification of its supply of leisure and recreational activities, as well as available tourism equipment; a...
Early education plays an important role in the education system and students success in a digital... more Early education plays an important role in the education system and students success in a digital society. Kindergarten pedagogy innovation by integrating technology is recognized as lacking research, however an area which needs to be improved. In this context, augmented reality showed an unprecedented growth, particularly in what regards society and marketing purposes, being recognized as having great potential this decade in the educational innovation area. This ongoing research-based methodology aims to understand both students and educator’s perceptions, abilities and difficulties in using augmented reality. The Case study reports to a Portuguese kindergarten with a class of five-year old students (N=24). The project was designed to enhance children's knowledge about the ocean species ́ characteristics (habitat, length/ size, food). A world map was produced and augmented reality was added to improve their motivation in the learning process and to acquire research skills. Fur...
Most of the strategies developed to “save” rural territories in Europe have not been successful. ... more Most of the strategies developed to “save” rural territories in Europe have not been successful. One of their main problems has been the adoption of the top-down paradigm when approaching the development of those territories. Portugal is a good example of the difficulty in adopting a bottom-up paradigm. The main objective of this paper is to present the perceptions of the local (including the residents) and regional stakeholders acting at Boticas, regarding the set of resources available and the development of the tourism industry. Boticas is a northern Portuguese, rural low-density municipality. In capturing those perceptions, the research contributes to the establishment of a more integrated and innovative development strategy and thus, a more capable strategy for profiting from the potential associated with the growth of the tourism industry that has been experienced recently in Portugal. The adoption of a mixed-method was suggested for evaluating these resources and capturing th...
Spatial Analysis, Modelling and Planning, Nov 28, 2018
The use of new photo sharing services in social networks has favoured a perception of the interes... more The use of new photo sharing services in social networks has favoured a perception of the interests of locals and visitors. The photos presented in these networks are geocoded by the users, residents or visitors, allowing extensive databases to be obtained. The research that was conducted between 2015 and 2016 followed an essentially quantitative approach. Based on the georeferenced photos on social networks, the main distribution patterns of places of interest to tourists, visitors, and residents were analysed in a rural emergent tourist destination in northeastern Portugal. We used geographical information systems (GIS) to apply various spatial and statistical analysis techniques. Among the main conclusions was that there is a high number of natural and cultural heritage locations with tourism potential, and, in some cases, their accessibility standards make them favourable destinations for tourists.
There are examples of using stones of the cultural heritage for teaching purposes. Information sy... more There are examples of using stones of the cultural heritage for teaching purposes. Information systems have found several potential uses in the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage. In this paper is considered the conceptual framework of an information system concerning features of geological interest (FGI) in the built heritage (without any consideration in terms of its software implementation). This FGI concept is used here in a very wide sense to encompass characteristics of geological materials that can be recognized with the naked eye and analogies of geological processes in the built environment. Two perspectives are considered for information organization: occurrences of FGIs in the built heritage (more suitable for Earth Sciences teaching) and FGIs as components of built heritage elements (more suitable for humanities teaching). The main issue that arises from the ensuing discussion was found to be the findability of a given FGI, depending on its visual contrast and the characteristics of the built heritage element. It is argued that, in this way, geological concepts can contribute to the promotion and conservation of the built heritage.
The teaching and learning process can be enhanced by Information and Communication Technologies w... more The teaching and learning process can be enhanced by Information and Communication Technologies which became a priority in the education process. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have the ability to deal with space and time information allowing, for example, to deeply understand location, relations or patterns. Geospatial technologies have seen an unprecedented growth in the last decade. Indeed fewer basic education schools are using them to promote spatial or technological skills. This text/research aims to discuss employability skills, attitudes and behaviours of 36 ten years old students coming from unstructured families of a deprived territory. The authors explore a practical example of the application of GIS in the teaching/learning process of primary education students. Simultaneously, the authors demonstrate the potential of those technologies to enlarge interdisciplinary analysis.
How to cite Complete issue More information about this article Journal's homepage in redalyc.org ... more How to cite Complete issue More information about this article Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Scientific Information System Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative
The concept of accessibility is linked to the level of opportunities available for spatial intera... more The concept of accessibility is linked to the level of opportunities available for spatial interaction (flows of people, goods or information) between a set of locations, through a physical and/or digital transport infrastructure network. Accessibility has proved to be a crucial tool for understanding the framework of sustainability policy in light of best practice planning and decision-making processes. Methods such as cost–benefit analysis, multi-criteria analysis and risk analysis can benefit greatly from embedding accessibility results. This book presents a cohesive collection of recent studies, modeling and discussing spatial interaction by means of accessibility indicators
Journal of Spatial and Organizational Dynamics, Vol. IV, Issue 2, Jun 30, 2016
AbstrAct The goal of this paper is to contribute to identify a set of resources and tourism produ... more AbstrAct The goal of this paper is to contribute to identify a set of resources and tourism products, which can enhance the development and sustainability of tourism in the low density municipality of Boticas, located in the northeast of Portugal. Therefore, this paper tries to: i) produce a first analysis of the tourism potential of the municipality of Boticas; and ii) identify different perceptions of different stakeholders regarding the tourism potential of Boticas. To this end, the content analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted in 2014 to local and regional social and political stakeholders were used. Likewise, in 2015 two focus groups were conducted with main local stakeholders. The results highlight three main facts: first, there are unexplored tourism resources with potential to attract certain niches of tourist demand; second, the region has been investing in the diversification of its supply of leisure and recreational activities, as well as available tourism equipment; and third, the region is facing serious difficulties in creating a local and regional stakeholder network in order to provide an integrated promotion of tourism. We conclude by identifying few policy recommendations on development issues for the municipality of Boticas or other rural areas presenting similar constraints.
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Papers by Vitor Ribeiro
A área de estudo selecionada é o município de Guimarães onde se procura conjugar a oferta e a procura dos serviços de saúde. Considerando a necessidade de orientar o planeamento em saúde por padrões de melhoria da acessibilidade, este estudo pode ser um contributo sobre como recorrendo às ferramentas básicas do ArcGis é possível obter uma imagem mais realista do território.
Recorreu-se às potencialidades da análise espacial, nomeadamente das distâncias euclidianas, para demonstrar as desigualdades nos níveis de acessibilidade da população, a andar a pé, às unidades de saúde no município de Guimarães.
A área de estudo selecionada é o município de Guimarães onde se procura conjugar a oferta e a procura dos serviços de saúde. Considerando a necessidade de orientar o planeamento em saúde por padrões de melhoria da acessibilidade, este estudo pode ser um contributo sobre como recorrendo às ferramentas básicas do ArcGis é possível obter uma imagem mais realista do território.
Recorreu-se às potencialidades da análise espacial, nomeadamente das distâncias euclidianas, para demonstrar as desigualdades nos níveis de acessibilidade da população, a andar a pé, às unidades de saúde no município de Guimarães.