The recognition of nature in the resolution of societal challenges has been growing in relevance. This recognition has been associated with the development of new concepts from science and policy such as natural capital, ecosystem services, green infrastructure, and more recently Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). NBS intends to address societal challenges in an effective and adaptive form providing economic, social, and environmental benefits. The overall aim of this PhD thesis is to develop an environmental and economic assessment of NBS for highly urbanised territories based on rationales and models underpinning ecosystem services, urban/landscape ecology, and life cycle thinking approaches. This combined evaluation approach would help to better understand if NBS are cost-effective or not. The aim is developed according to four specific objectives. The first objective corresponds to the characterisation of NBS in relation to urban contexts and the problematics that they can help to address or mitigate. To achieve this objective a critical review on the study of the relationship between NBS, ecosystem services (ES) and urban challenges (UC) was developed. As a main output, a graph of plausible cause-effect relationships between NBS, ES and UC is obtained. The graph represents a first step to support sustainable urban planning, moving from problems (i.e. urban challenges) to actions (i.e. NBS) to resolutions (i.e. ES). The second objective corresponds to the definition of an adequate set of biophysical and monetary assessment methods and indicators to evaluate the value of NBS in urbanised contexts. To achieve this objective, a review of existing methods on ecosystem services valuation, life cycle cost analysis and life-cycle assessment are developed. The review takes into account specific constraints such as easiness to use and availability of data. At the end, potential methods and indicators were selected, which will be later integrated in the combined assessment framework. The third objective corresponds to the design of a combined assessment framework integrating methods from life cycle assessment, landscape/urban ecology and ecosystem services that quantifies the environmental and economic value of NBS informing about the cost-effectiveness of its entire life cycle. To achieve this objective, a conceptual framework is developed. From it, a system dynamics model of ecosystem (dis)services is developed and coupled with a life cycle assessment method. The combined evaluation is tested with a relevant NBS type (i.e. urban forest) in a case study in the metropolitan area of Madrid. The fourth objective is the development of a decision support (DSS) tool that integrates the assessment framework as part of iterative design processes in urban planning and landscape design. The DSS intends to enhance the interrelation between science, policy and planning/design. To achieve this objective a user-friendly web-based prototype DSS on NBS, called NBenefit$®, is developed. The prototype DSS provides the user a simple form of quantifying the provision of multiple ES and costs over the entire life cycle (implementation, operational life, and end-of-life) of NBS. This thesis contributed to the characterisation of NBS and its environmental and economic assessment to inform urban planning and landscape design processes, allowing decisions that are more informed. / Il riconoscimento della natura nella risoluzione delle sfide sociali è diventato sempre più importante. Questo riconoscimento è stato associato allo sviluppo di nuovi concetti provenienti dalla scienza e dalla politica, come il capitale naturale, i servizi ecosistemici, le infrastrutture verdi e, più recentemente, le soluzioni basate sulla natura (NBS). NBS intende affrontare le sfide della società in una forma efficace e adattabile fornendo benefici economici, sociali e ambientali. Lo scopo di ricerca di questa tesi di dottorato è quello di sviluppare una valutazione ambientale ed economica delle NBS per territori altamente urbanizzati basata su logiche e modelli che hanno alla base i servizi ecosistemici, l'ecologia urbana e paesaggistica e degli approcci di approcio life cycle. Questo quadro di valutazione combinato aiuterebbe a capire meglio se le NBS sono costo effetive e se contribuiscono a uno sviluppo resiliente e sostenibile. Questo scopo di ricerca è sviluppato secondo quattro obiettivi specifici. Il primo obiettivo corrisponde alla caratterizzazione delle NBS in relazione ai contesti urbani e alle problematiche che possono aiutare ad affrontare o mitigare. Per raggiungere questo obiettivo è stata sviluppata una revisione critica dell letteratura sullo studio della relazione tra NBS, servizi ecosistemici (ES) e sfide urbane (UC). Come risultato principale, si ottiene un grafico delle relazioni causa-effetto plausibili tra NBS, ES ed UC. Il grafico rappresenta un primo passo per supportare la pianificazione urbana sostenibile, passando dai problemi (es. UC) alle azioni (es. NBS) alle risoluzioni (es. ES). Il secondo obiettivo corrisponde alla definizione di un set di metodi e indicatori di valutazione biofisica e monetaria adeguate per valutare il valore della NBS in contesti urbanizzati. Per raggiungere questo obiettivo, viene sviluppata una revisione dei metodi esistenti sulla valutazione dei servizi ecosistemici, l'analisi dei costi del ciclo di vita e la valutazione del ciclo di vita. La revisione tiene conto di vincoli specifici come la facilità d'uso e la disponibilità dei dati. Alla fine, sono stati selezionati potenziali metodi e indicatori, che saranno successivamente integrati nel quadro di valutazione combinato. Il terzo obiettivo corrisponde alla progettazione del quadro di valutazione combinato, integrando metodi di valutazione del ciclo di vita, ecologia paesaggistica / urbana e servizi ecosistemici che quantifica il valore ambientale ed economico della NBS informando sull'efficacia in termini di costi del suo intero ciclo di vita. Per raggiungere questo obiettivo, prima viene sviluppato un quadro concettuale. Da esso, viene sviluppato un modello di dinamica di sistemi per calcolare i servizi (e disservici) ecosistemici, il quale è interrelazionato con un metodo di valutazione life cycle. Questa valutazione combinata viene testata con un tipo di NBS pertinente (foresta urbana) in un caso di studio nell'area metropolitana di Madrid. Il quarto obiettivo è lo sviluppo di uno strumento di supporto decisionale (DSS) che integri il quadro di valutazione come parte dei processi di progettazione iterativa nella pianificazione urbana e nella progettazione del paesaggio. Il DSS intende migliorare l'interrelazione tra scienza, politica e pianificazione / progettazione. Per raggiungere questo obiettivo è stato sviluppato Nbenefit$® un prototipo di DSS online per la valutazzione NBS di facile uso. Il prototipo DSS fornisce all'utente una forma semplice per quantificare multipli ES e costi (internalizatti o no) durante l'intero ciclo di vita (implementazione, vita operativa e fine vita) del NBS. In conclusione, questa tesi ha contribuito alla caratterizzazione di NBS e alla sua valutazione ambientale ed economica per informare i processi di pianificazione urbana e progettazione del paesaggio, consentendo decisioni più informate.

This research has started from some issues affecting the debate in progress on policies for landscape and confronts itself with the actuality of a review of some paradigms of interpretation that could substantiate the practice of landscape transformation. The main questions that will be addressed is what the ordinary contemporary landscape is, experimenting the perception as a tool at first of interpretation, therefore potentially operating, from the demands of the European Landscape Convention, according to which “Landscape means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors†. Assuming the landscape perception as a means of expression of the relationship between society and territory, this study develops and tests a methodology for its comprehension, through kaleidoscopic visions which interpret the variety of the situated looks. By means of the methodology we aim to explore how a variety of people experience landscapes and – as a consequence - how they perceive them. The proposed approach refers to the landscape perception as a complex system in its multiple dimensions (physical/natural, symbolic/cultural, personal/ collective) that becomes significant as expression of a contemporary condition of living places. It begets a thinking material to understand values and themes, on which could be possible basing actions and policies for landscape. The Kaleidoscope, which is here proposed as device to represent perceived landscapes, derives from the sense of this research. Actually, the explicit reference to ordinary landscapes implies the awareness that the contemporary landscape can not be understood through a tale made of synthetic and mimetic/typological representations, but is expressed predominantly in ordinary contexts, whose not consolidated images neither shared attributions of meanings exist. The Kaleidoscope has set as a composition of diagrams and narratives, which are translated in looks type and themes for action, contributing to reify the problems the landscape poses as challenges to planning and the perception is offering to return. The research is substantiated by a long experimental stage, when - through an experience of understanding the perceived landscape in a valley place in Trentino - the themes tackled in the theoretical-critical part pit themselves strength the realm of a contemporary landscapes and the specificity of the ordinary ones, which more than others claim the experimentation of interpretative and operational tools. The experience has been set up as a cognitive practice, able to be consolidated and repeatable in the ordinary planning processes. It can therefore be understood as a paradigmatic experience of approach to contemporary landscape.

Over the last few years, academic research and international aid organizations have been underlining the important role that the small towns of Sub-Saharan Africa have in promoting development in the surrounding rural areas and in reversing the polarization trend of major urban centers. Nevertheless, defining the particular characteristics of these towns—which the majority of African population lives in or refers to—and analyzing the relevant transformations that they are experiencing are still unsolved issues. Moreover, until now, policies, programs and projects related to African urban development have focused mainly on major urban centers, while small towns have an almost complete lack of planning on how to accommodate people coming from the surrounding rural areas and how to provide them with services. The aim of the research is to define a conceptual and methodological framework to support the spatial planning activity of local administrators and technicians in Mozambique small towns. To reach the objective of a spatial planning process that results from the thorough comprehension of this particular typology of human settlement, the research was based mainly on the analysis of case studies: Caia and Sena, two vilas rurales situated in a rural district in central Mozambique along the Zambezi River. Together with literature review, a field research was conducted by the author in the district of Caia that consisted of the analysis of already existing data and documents, direct observation, interviews with institutional and non-institutional actors, and a household survey in Sena. Afterwards, a SWOT analysis was used as a tool to manage such a greatly varied amount of information. The research process allowed to identify the main features of the small towns, that are here denominated as “rural towns”, and to understand the major trends related to the “rur-urbanization” process. The rural town is defined as a hybrid settlement pattern in which persisting elements of the rural world melt together with emerging urban characteristics. Vilas rurales, in fact, are traditionally rural contexts characterized by a dominance of vernacular settlement patterns and architectures. The socio-economic and cultural features of the towns, as well as their physical structure, are rapidly changing as a consequence of the ongoing “modernization”. The risk is that a rapid and uncontrolled urbanization process could threaten the natural, economic and cultural bases of the small towns without adequately replacing them. Thereby, some suggestions follow on how spatial planning can contribute to the sustainable growth of the rural towns. The central idea that is proposed herein is to preserve the rural characteristics, which are widely present within the rural towns, and to integrate them with the emerging “urban” features. This strategy aims to support the subsistence activities adopted by the majority of the population and to outline a spatial planning process that responds to the specific characteristics of this typology of human settlement by culturally appropriate means. The thesis consists of three parts. The first part presents the results of the literature review. The origin of the debate on small and intermediate urban centers of Third World countries in the late 1970s is presented in Chapter 1 while Chapter 2 actualizes this debate, also in the light of major processes occurring at global level and affecting African small towns. Chapter 3 stresses the big gap in urbanization theory and practices related to small towns of Africa and focuses on their characteristic of being predominantly vernacular settlements in which a “deculturation” process” is taking place as a consequence of the imposition/adoption of western cultural models. The second part of the thesis presents the analysis of case studies. The research methodology is outlined in Chapter 4. In Chapter 5, Caia and Sena are contextualized within their macro-institutional and regional contexts. Then, an analysis of the rural towns is proposed at the local level. Chapter 6 offers a snapshot of the emerging lifestyles in Sena through the results of the household survey. The rur-urbanization process is described in Chapter 7, first by analysing the spatial evolution of Caia and Sena from a historical perspective and, then, by proposing four key topics that identify the main features of the rural towns and describe the major trends related to the rur-urbanization process. The third part of the research, Chapter 8, presents the conclusions. First of all a definition and an assessment of the rural town is offered. Moreover, a conceptual framework is presented that relates key topics, risks, planning principles and actions related to the spatial planning activity in the rural towns. Finally, a methodological framework is proposed that translates the conceptual framework into more operational terms by outlining a spatial planning process aimed at the rural towns.

This thesis is mainly focused on the seismic behaviour of cross laminated timber (CLT) buildings. The document can be subdivided into three main sections closely related to each other. In the first part, after a short introduction on the state of the art on timber buildings regarding the constructive and legislative issues, the behaviour of CLT buildings is presented. The research is focused on the study on single shear-walls, on the multi-storey single-walls and on the behaviour of the whole buildings. The analyses are performed in order to assess the ductility level achievable by a CLT building as a result of different choices for the ductility of the connections at the foundation level. In order to estimate the ductility level, a large number of non-linear analyses were performed. This was possible thanks to a Matlab code, specifically developed, which allowed to reduce the computational burden. The results are used to evaluate a reliable set of behaviour factors to be applied in the seismic design of CLT buildings. In the second part of thesis, the low-cyclic fatigue strengths for different typologies of dissipative timber connections are presented. The low-cyclic fatigue strength represents a key-parameter in the assessment of the seismic behaviour of timber connections. In fact, high values of ductility associated with low values of strength degradation ensure a remarkable and reliable energy dissipation without a significant loss of strength. Despite the current version of chapter 8 of Eurocode 8 requires specific values of seismic demand for timber connections in terms of low-cyclic fatigue strength, no specific provision is reported to this regard in the European Standard for the cycling testing of timber connections and assemblage in seismic design (EN 12512). In This Standard the ductility capacity and the impairment of strength are calculated as separate mechanical parameters. For this reason, a proposal of revision of European Standard EN12512 is presented and discussed. The third and last part of the thesis describes an innovative connection for CLT buildings. This innovative connection was originally developed in order to absorb both traction and shear actions. Furthermore, a good performance has been obtained in terms of low-cyclic fatigue strength and ductility, with the aim of conceiving a connection able of satisfy the requirements of the current seismic European Standard. The design of this new connection was an iterative process, starting from some simplified numerical models. After some improvements, it was possible to obtain the expected performance levels. The strength and rigidity of the designed connection were initially obtained through numerical analysis, and then compared with the results of physical tests carried out in the Materials and Structures Testing Laboratory (MSTL), that is a part of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM) of the University of Trento.

[pt] Reclamações de consumidores podem ser feitas por diversos motivos, em sua maioria, a partir de episódios negativos de consumo. No entanto, há um grupo de indivíduos que realizam reclamações a empresas sem estarem necessariamente insatisfeitos. A essa conduta dá-se o nome de reclamação fraudulenta, que ocorre quando a finalidade do consumidor em realizar a reclamação visa algum lucro monetário ou social à custa da empresa. Apesar da relevância do tema, há poucos estudos a seu respeito na área de marketing, principalmente no Brasil. Ainda que existam autores que investiguem o assunto, é difícil afirmar o que motiva indivíduos a seguirem essa linha de comportamento. À frente desse quadro, o presente estudo visou analisar a relação entre as reclamações fraudulentas e a cultura brasileira, a partir das motivações que levam à adesão desse tipo de comportamento. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa, utilizando-se para a coleta de dados entrevistas em profundidade com 27 consumidores, guiadas pelo uso da técnica projetiva. A análise dos dados indica diferentes reações dos entrevistados a reclamações fraudulentas, divergindo entre a aceitação e a rejeição dos comportamentos oportunistas. Foi possível perceber que existe uma relação estreita entre cultura brasileira e reclamações fraudulentas, que giram em torno da ideia do jeitinho brasileiro, da malandragem, da esperteza, e da má fé, além da ligação entre religião e comportamentos considerados como errados. / [en] Consumer complaints can be made for many reasons, mostly from negative episodes of consumption. However, there is a group of individuals who make complaints to companies without necessarily being unsatisfied. This conduct is called a fraudulent claim, which occurs when the purpose of the consumer in making the claim is for some monetary or social profit at the expense of the company. Despite the relevance of the theme, there are few studies about it in the area of marketing, mainly in Brazil. Although there are authors who investigate the subject, it is difficult to affirm what motivates individuals to follow this line of behavior. Ahead of this framework, the present study aimed to analyze the relationship between fraudulent claims and Brazilian culture, based on the motivations that lead to support this type of behavior. For this, a qualitative research was carried out, using data interviews in depth with 27 consumers, guided using the projective technique. The analysis of the data indicates different reactions of respondents to fraudulent complaints, diverging between acceptance and rejection of opportunistic behavior. It was possible to perceive that there is a close relationship between Brazilian culture and fraudulent claims, which revolve around the idea of Brazilian way, trickery, cleverness, and bad faith, as well as the link between religion and behaviors considered as wrong.

This thesis addresses three interlinked aspects that are relevant for mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions in urban planning. The first aspect concerns the integration and use of ecosystem service knowledge in spatial planning. A literature review aimed at analysing practical applications of ecosystem services in real-life planning processes and instruments reveals both the outcomes generated and the procedures adopted to integrate them, as well as the main advantages, constraints, enabling factors, and open issues associated with ecosystem service knowledge integration in spatial planning processes and instruments. The second aspect is related to the use of spatial assessments of ecosystem service demand to support an effective planning of Nature-based Solutions at the city scale. An approach is developed to allocate and prioritize Nature-based Solutions in cities in order to deliver ecosystem services for addressing the existing urban challenges while maximising the benefits for residents. The approach is tested in the case study area of Valletta (Malta), identifying the potential sites for the implementation of eleven types of Nature-based Solutions, assessing the demand for five priority ecosystem services, and identifying what type(s) of Nature-based Solutions, among the eleven proposed, should be implemented in each potential site, as well as the sites that should be prioritized first. The third aspect involves the promotion of the implementation of Nature-based Solutions in urban plans through the use of suitable policy instruments. A matrix that links the suitable instruments identified to different typologies of Nature-based Solutions reveals the range of instruments that can be deployed to promote the implementation of each type of Nature-based Solution. The matrix is then applied to analyse which instruments are currently deployed and which are not in the two urban plans covering the case study area of Valletta, hence the missing opportunities that could be further exploited.

[pt] O presente trabalho tem como objetivo central discutir as experimentações técnicas de Sándor Ferenczi frente aos impasses oriundos de sua clínica com pacientes difíceis . Neste sentido, buscamos apresentar como seus remanejamentos teóricos e reformulações técnicas foram, aos poucos, se distinguindo dos pressupostos básicos da técnica psicanalítica formulada por Freud. Assim, após uma discussão pormenorizada sobre os limites da técnica e da análise nos dois autores, abordamos as inovações de Ferenczi como possíveis norteadores para pensarmos os impasses da clínica contemporânea. Além disso, mostramos como sua obra pode ser tomada como matriz teórica para outros desenvolvimentos conceituais em psicanálise, sobretudo, os de Michael Balint e Donald Winnicott. / [en] The aim of this dissertation is to discuss the technical experiments of Sándor Ferenczi born from his clinic with difficult patients . In order to explain his efforts, we present how his theoretical changes and technique reformulations were gradually distinguishing from the basic knowledge of psychoanalytic technique formulated by Freud. So, after a detailed discussion of the limits of psychoanalytic technique in both authors, we present Ferenczi s innovations as a possible guide to think the difficulties in contemporary clinic. In addition, we explain how his work can be taken as theoretical framework to other conceptual developments in psychoanalysis, especially in the work of Michael Balint and Donald Winnicott.

[pt] Para combater as alterações climáticas, os sistemas energéticos modernos estão a passar por uma transição baseada na descarbonização, envolvendo uma vasta implantação de fontes de energia renováveis e a electrificação das sociedades. Para que esta transição seja bem sucedida, vários desafios associados à produção de energia renovável precisam de ser abordados nas operações do sistema energético. Esses desafios decorrem da alta variabilidade de produção, juntamente com previsibilidade e controlabilidade limitadas, levando a necessidades de flexibilidade nas operações do sistema de energia. O fluxo de potência ideal (OPF) e o comprometimento da unidade (UC) estão entre as ferramentas computacionais mais importantes para os operadores do sistema determinarem o estado do sistema de potência. Este cálculo é realizado para otimizar diversas decisões na rede, para despachar os componentes da rede e para reconfigurá-los. Além disso, o cálculo é utilizado para precificar os serviços prestados por geradores de grande escala e, progressivamente, por entidades descentralizadas como famílias e pequenas empresas que, além de consumirem, também geram e armazenam energia, e assim, têm um papel no equilíbrio energético através de sua flexibilidade. Várias simplificações são feitas no OPF e no UC para lidar com a carga computacional dos modelos, que tende a ser elevada para sistemas realistas. A imprecisão do modelo devido à simplificação das equações de fluxo de potência ou ao ignorar a estocasticidade, está causando cada vez mais altos custos para as operações do sistema, à medida que a situação real se desvia da previsão, implicando ações dispendiosas por parte dos operadores do sistema em tempo real. Esta tese centra-se nos desafios das operações dos sistemas de energia modernos, tais como gestão coordenada de congestionamento e tensão, programação de energia e reservas, bem como cálculo de preços. Em primeiro lugar, a tese constrói métodos e algoritmos para melhorar a capacidade computacional e a precisão do modelo para problemas de UC e OPF com restrita de rede e corrente alternada (AC) através do desenvolvimento de uma aproximação melhorada das leis físicas que governam os fluxos de potência. Em segundo lugar, aplica estes métodos e algoritmos ao problema de coordenação entre múltiplos Operadores de Redes de Distribuição (DSO) e Operadores de Redes de Transmissão (TSO), introduzindo novas técnicas de optimização descentralizada para gerir problemas de congestionamento e tensão, bem como abordar aspectos de troca de informação de rede. Por fim, a tese propõe novos mecanismos de precificação, abordando endogenamente as decisões operacionais não convexas de energia e programação de reservas para o planejamento do dia seguinte, considerando a estocasticidade da geração de energia renovável. Os benefícios computacionais e de precisão são ilustrados em estudos de caso, empregando diversas métricas desenvolvidas. / [en] To counter climate change, modern power systems are undergoing a decarbonisation-based transition involving vast deployment of renewable energy sources and electrification of societies. For this transition to succeed, various challenges associated with renewable power production need to be addressed in power system operations. These challenges stem from high output variability along with limited predictability and controllability, leading to flexibility needs in power system operations. Optimal power flow (OPF) and unit commitment (UC) are amongst the most important computational tools for system operators to determine the state of the power system. This computation is performed to optimise various decisions on the grid, to dispatch the components in the network, and to reconfigure them. Additionally, the computation is used to price the services provided by large scale generators and, progressively, by decentralised entities such as households and small enterprises which, apart from consuming, also generate and store power, and thus, have a role in energy balancing through their flexibility. Various simplifications are made in OPF and UC to tackle the computational burden of the models, which tends to be high for realistic systems. Model inaccuracy due to simplification of power flow equations or ignoring stochasticity, is increasingly causing high costs for system operations, as the real situation deviates from the forecast implying costly actions by system operators in real-time. This thesis focuses on challenges in modern power system operations, such as coordinated congestion and voltage management, energy and reserve scheduling as well as price computation. Firstly, the thesis constructs methods and algorithms to enhance computational capability and model accuracy for Alternating Current (AC) Network-Constrained UC and OPF problems through devising an improved approximation of the physical laws governing power flows. Secondly, it applies these methods and algorithms to the coordination problem amongst multiple Distribution System Operators (DSO) and Transmission System Operators (TSO), introducing novel decentralised optimisation techniques for managing congestion and voltage problems as well as addressing network information exchange aspects. Finally, the thesis proposes new pricing mechanisms, endogenously tackling the non-convex operational decisions for energy and reserve scheduling for day-ahead planning, considering stochasticity of renewable energy generation. Computational and accuracy benefits are illustrated in case studies by employing various metrics developed.

[pt] Esta dissertação apresenta um debate sobre a técnica que aproveita os materiais disponíveis no local. Este debate começa pelo próprio conceito de técnica e pela ideia de progresso técnico, para se esclarecer mais sobre a natureza da técnica que estamos pesquisando. Diferentes movimentos que se relacionam à técnica que estamos pesquisando são apresentados, como a tecnologia apropriada, a permacultura e a arquitetura popular tradicional. O objeto de estudo é a construção em terra crua, bambu e fibras naturais, que são os materiais pesquisados no Laboratório de Investigação em Living Design (LILD). É utilizada a metodologia prática deste laboratório e sua experiência prévia com técnicas que trabalham com estes materiais para dar prosseguimento à investigação. / [en] This dissertation presents a discussion on the technique that uses materials available on site. This discussion begins with the concept of technique and the idea of technical progress, to further clarify the nature of the technique that we are researching. Different movements that relate to the technique that we are researching are presented, such as appropriate technology, permaculture and traditional folk architecture. The object of investigation is buildings with mud, bamboo and natural fibers, which are the materials studied by the Laboratório de Investigação em Living Design (LILD). This study uses the practical methodology of the laboratory and its previous experience with techniques that work with these materials to continue the investigation.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T18:23:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Christina da Silva Firmino Cervera.pdf: 1476608 bytes, checksum: 6b5a68b76019c7016db3ec84b6737c23 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-08-19 / Reading comprehension and textual production (writing) teaching in the mother language has been focus of many academic researches (Machado & Cristóvão, 2006; Machado, 2004; Muniz-Oliveira, 2005; Souza, 2003 and many others) that reveal their importance to a more productive learning process. Studies about specific didactic sequences for each genre and each production situation, more specifically the academic one, has also brought us important contributions to the teaching and language studies area (Machado, Lousada & Abreu-Tardelli, 2004a, 2004b, for example). At this context, the objective of this research is to analyze a didactic sequence of the critical review genre written by me (inspired from Machado, Lousada & Abreu-Tardelli, 2004a) and applied to college students from the night first semester at a private superior teaching institution from São Paulo, from the results got for them at this process. The justification for this search starts from the assumption that an appropriate educational material, based on the development of didactic sequences, for teaching a particular genre, could be an important tool in the field of production of this genre in particular, what can be valuable to a public that starts the graduation without having the control about the field on the academic genres production. Besides, my choice for the focus on the critical review teaching occurred because this genre also presupposes the development of reading skills, (although this will not be the object of this research) requiring that we students discoursive operations from the order of describing, assessing and interpreting as well (Beacco & Darot, 1984, as resumed by Machado, 1996: 142), very requested in texts of different genres in higher education. The theoretical and methodological basis for this research is the Sociodiscoursive Interactionism - ISD - (Bronckart, 1997/2003; 2004, 2006, among others), which say that the primary function of language is the textual genres appropriateness which circulate in a given society and this is a basic condition for the development of the language skills of the users of a language. To establish a didactic sequence, I was based in Dolz & Schneuwly (1998) works and specially to treat about the critical review genre, I was based in Machado, Lousada and Abreu-Tardelli (2004a) and other works produced by Machado in this area as well. The results show that to work the production of academic critical reviews from a didactic sequence can offer to the students opportunities for reflecting and appropriating of such a genre. However, so that the work can be more effective, the didactic sequence developed and applied at this search requires adjustments in some aspects, particularly about those commented at the end of the dissertation / O ensino de leitura e produção textual em língua materna centrado na noção de gêneros tem sido alvo de muitas pesquisas acadêmicas (Machado & Cristóvão, 2006; Machado, 2004; Muniz-Oliveira, 2005; Souza, 2003, dentre outros), que revelam a sua relevância para um processo de aprendizagem mais produtivo. Estudos sobre seqüências didáticas específicas para cada gênero e para cada situação de produção, mais especialmente a acadêmica, têm também trazido importantes contribuições para área de ensino e estudos da linguagem (Machado, Lousada & Abreu-Tardelli, 2004a, 2004b, por exemplo). Nesse quadro, insere-se o objetivo desta pesquisa, que é analisar uma seqüência didática do gênero resenha crítica elaborada por mim (inspirada em Machado, Lousada & Abreu-Tardelli, 2004a) e aplicada a alunos universitários de primeiro semestre noturno em uma instituição de ensino superior particular de São Paulo, a partir dos resultados obtidos por eles nesse processo. A justificativa para esta pesquisa parte do pressuposto de que um material didático adequado, baseado na elaboração de seqüências didáticas para o ensino de um determinado gênero, pode se constituir em uma ferramenta importante para o domínio de produção desse gênero em particular, o que pode se mostrar valioso para um público que entra no ensino superior sem ainda ter o domínio sobre a produção de gêneros acadêmicos. Além disso, minha opção pelo foco no ensino da resenha crítica se deu, porque esse gênero pressupõe também o desenvolvimento das capacidades da leitura, (embora essa não vá ser objeto desta pesquisa) requerendo que adotemos dos alunos operações discursivas da ordem do descrever, do apreciar e do interpretar (Beacco & Darot, 1984, conforme retomados por Machado, 1996: 142), muito solicitadas em textos de diferentes gêneros no ensino superior. A base teórico-metodológica pela qual optei é a do Interacionismo sociodiscursivo ISD - (Bronckart, 1997/2003; 2004; 2006, dentre outros), que postula que a função primordial da linguagem é a apropriação dos gêneros textuais que circulam em uma determinada sociedade e esta é uma condição basilar para o desenvolvimento das capacidades de linguagem dos usuários de uma língua. Para elaborar a seqüência didática, parti de aportes dos trabalhos de Dolz & Schneuwly (1998) e, especialmente para tratar do gênero resenha crítica, inspirei-me nos trabalhos de Machado, Lousada e Abreu-Tardelli (2004a) e em outros trabalhos produzidos por Machado nessa área. Os resultados mostram que trabalhar a produção de resenhas críticas acadêmicas a partir de uma seqüência didática pode ser um meio de reflexão e apropriação desse gênero pelo aluno. Entretanto, para que o trabalho seja mais eficaz, a seqüência didática elaborada e aplicada nesta pesquisa requer ajustes em alguns aspectos, sobretudo em relação aos comentados ao final da dissertação