This paper aims at assessing the evolutionist and creationist conceptions of Brazilian teachers. The work is developed within the framework of the European project BIOHEAD-CITIZEN (biology, health and environmental e...This paper aims at assessing the evolutionist and creationist conceptions of Brazilian teachers. The work is developed within the framework of the European project BIOHEAD-CITIZEN (biology, health and environmental education for better citizenship), which takes into account that scientific knowledge and teachers' attitudes and values can influence the teaching practices. The large questionnaire BIOHEAD-CITIZEN, which was constructed to be applied in 19 countries in Europe, Africa and Middle East countries, was applied, in this study, to six groups of Brazilian teachers: primary school teachers, biology teachers and Portuguese language teachers and corresponding teachers-to-be. For this paper the answers to questions about evolution were used as dependent variables. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were carried out. Biology teachers and biology teachers-to-be gave more importance to the natural selection and the evolution process than the other groups of teachers. Comparing to the BIOHEAD-CITIZEN countries, the total Brazilian sample showed a higher percentage of creationist conceptions, particularly the Brazilian biology teachers and teachers-to-be. As discussed herein, this may not be an obstacle for teaching evolution as they accept both creationist and evolutionist concomitantly.展开更多
In the United States, university buildings use 17% of total non-residential building energy per year. According to the NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), the average lifecycle of a building in a university...In the United States, university buildings use 17% of total non-residential building energy per year. According to the NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), the average lifecycle of a building in a university is 42 years with an EUI (energy use intensity) of 23 kWh/m^2/y. Current building and energy codes limit the EUI to 16 kWh/m^2/y for new school buildings; this benchmark can vary depending on climate, occupancy, and other contextual factors. Although the LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) system provides a set of guidelines to rate sustainable buildings, studies have shown that 28%-35% of the educational LEED-rated buildings use more energy than their conventional counterparts. This paper examines the issues specific to a LEED-rated design addition to an existing university building. The forum, a lecture hall expansion of to an existing building at the University of Kansas, has been proposed as environmentally friendly and energy-efficient building addition. Comfort and health aspects have been considered in the design in order to obtain LEED platinum certificate. The forum's energy performance strategies include a double-skin facade to reduce energy consumption and PV (photovoltaic) panels to generate onsite energy. This study considers various scenarios to meet NZEB (net-zero energy building) criteria and maximize energy savings. The feasibility of NZE criteria is evaluated for: (a) seasonal comparison; (b) facility occupancy; (c) PV panels' addition in relation to double skin facade. The results of NZEB approach are compared to LEED platinum requirements, based on Rol (return on investment) and PV panel's efficiency for this specific educational building.展开更多
文摘This paper aims at assessing the evolutionist and creationist conceptions of Brazilian teachers. The work is developed within the framework of the European project BIOHEAD-CITIZEN (biology, health and environmental education for better citizenship), which takes into account that scientific knowledge and teachers' attitudes and values can influence the teaching practices. The large questionnaire BIOHEAD-CITIZEN, which was constructed to be applied in 19 countries in Europe, Africa and Middle East countries, was applied, in this study, to six groups of Brazilian teachers: primary school teachers, biology teachers and Portuguese language teachers and corresponding teachers-to-be. For this paper the answers to questions about evolution were used as dependent variables. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were carried out. Biology teachers and biology teachers-to-be gave more importance to the natural selection and the evolution process than the other groups of teachers. Comparing to the BIOHEAD-CITIZEN countries, the total Brazilian sample showed a higher percentage of creationist conceptions, particularly the Brazilian biology teachers and teachers-to-be. As discussed herein, this may not be an obstacle for teaching evolution as they accept both creationist and evolutionist concomitantly.
文摘In the United States, university buildings use 17% of total non-residential building energy per year. According to the NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), the average lifecycle of a building in a university is 42 years with an EUI (energy use intensity) of 23 kWh/m^2/y. Current building and energy codes limit the EUI to 16 kWh/m^2/y for new school buildings; this benchmark can vary depending on climate, occupancy, and other contextual factors. Although the LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) system provides a set of guidelines to rate sustainable buildings, studies have shown that 28%-35% of the educational LEED-rated buildings use more energy than their conventional counterparts. This paper examines the issues specific to a LEED-rated design addition to an existing university building. The forum, a lecture hall expansion of to an existing building at the University of Kansas, has been proposed as environmentally friendly and energy-efficient building addition. Comfort and health aspects have been considered in the design in order to obtain LEED platinum certificate. The forum's energy performance strategies include a double-skin facade to reduce energy consumption and PV (photovoltaic) panels to generate onsite energy. This study considers various scenarios to meet NZEB (net-zero energy building) criteria and maximize energy savings. The feasibility of NZE criteria is evaluated for: (a) seasonal comparison; (b) facility occupancy; (c) PV panels' addition in relation to double skin facade. The results of NZEB approach are compared to LEED platinum requirements, based on Rol (return on investment) and PV panel's efficiency for this specific educational building.