Team lifting is required in many workplaces, particularly where heavy and awkward lifts are prevalent. Despite the known risk factors associated with team lifting, it remains under researched, with almost no 4-person lifting studies. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate how members of a 4-person team coordinate their actions during a lifting task that involved an unexpected release from a single team member. It involved a novel approach to investigating the mechanisms associated with joint action and whether these mechanisms may alert the remaining lifters that a release is imminent, where the goal was to elicit an unexpected response from the group. Data collected for a previous team lifting study was used. Six groups of four male participants (n = 24) performed 30 lifts with a constructed 60 kg lifting apparatus designed to transition between a rectangular (2 x 4 ft or 61 x 122 cm) and a square (2 x 2 ft or 61 x 61 cm) configuration. A total of 8 trials (4 per configuration) were designated as “drop trials”. Vertical force at the hands and right-side electromyography (EMG) of the biceps brachii (BB), anterior deltoid (AD), upper trapezius (UT), and the lumbar erector spinae (LES) was collected for each participant. Means and standard deviation of vertical force was compared from the pre-drop phase for both drop and non-drop (lift) trials. No significant differences were found between drop and non-drop trials during the pre-drop phase. A comparison of time to peak force and time to peak muscle activity was performed for lifters adjacent to the release position. These times were compared against a 25 to 150 ms window to determine whether the muscle activity was considered reflexive or anticipatory to the dropped load. A small proportion of the peak muscle activity values were considered anticipatory (6 BB and 2 LES), suggesting that while it is possible for the dropper to disguise the release, perhaps joint action provides insight to the other lifters. The complex mechanisms that support joint action, their connection to biomechanics and their role in team lifting warrants further research in order to determine how large of a role they might play. / Thesis / Master of Science in Kinesiology

No description available.

A music performance is an exciting environment for studying joint action and nonverbal communication. This thesis utilized music ensemble performances to study nonverbal communication occurring from two different perspectives. We examined bi-directional communication between co-performers and uni-directional communication of the musicians to the participants. The first paper (Chapter 2) used statistical measures (i.e., Granger causality analysis) to quantify head movements as a measure of joint action during a musical performance. We observed a change in direction and magnitude of information flow between co-performers based on the availability of visual and auditory cues. We wanted to extend this line of research to see how audience perception of the performances may change due to the auditory and visual manipulations of the performers. The second paper (Chapter 3) examines participant ratings of expression, cohesion, and general liking of the performance when presented with audio-visual, audio-only, and visual-only stimuli. These ratings not only show which sensory modality allows for the highest sensitivity to performer manipulations, but also provide insight into how musicians change their performances to communicate to the audience. My aim was to create a cohesive examination of co-performer communication and observer perception of musical performances. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Cette thèse concerne la mise en application de la théorie de l’action conjointe sur les activités d'apprentissage conçues comme des "jeux d'apprentissage" en relation plus ou moins assurée avec les "jeux épistémiques". La thèse vise à faire une analyse à priori du manuel de français du collège en Syrie. Cette analyse a été faite au niveau de l’enseignement de la grammaire et du vocabulaire considérés comme des jeux épistémiques sources. Deux grilles d’analyses ont été effectuées. La grille d’analyse du vocabulaire où huit points ont été analysés et la grille d’analyse de la grammaire où quatre points analysés.Ces deux grilles d’analyse ont permis de constater que le manuel syrien n'offre pas toujours des garanties sérieuses sur le lien entre jeux épistémiques sources, inspirés par les méthodologies de l’enseignement du vocabulaire et de la grammaire et les jeux proposés aux élèves.La mise en application de la théorie de l’action conjointe a aussi permis de :• Cerner facilement les jeux d’apprentissage des deux domaines (c’est-à-dire, les élèves vont avoir un texte ou un exercice sous les yeux comme un milieu).• Identifier les jeux épistémiques des deux domaines (les élèves jouent quel jeu).• Proposer de nouveaux jeux épistémiques. / This thesis concerns the implementation of the theory of the joint action in learning activities, designed as "learning games" activities in relation more or less insured with the "epistemic games".The thesis aims to make an a priori analysis of the French manual of the college in Syria. This analysis has been carried at the level of the grammar and the vocabulary teaching, considered like sources of epistemic games. Two analysis grids have been realized. In the vocabulary analysis grid eight points have been analyzed and in the grammar analysis grid we analyzed four points.These two analysis grids permitted to note that the Syrian manual doesn't always offer any serious guarantees on the tie between epistemic games sources, inspired by the methodologies of the teaching of the vocabulary and the grammar and the games proposed to the pupils.The implementation of the theory of the joint action also permitted of:• To surround easily the training games of the two fields (that means, the pupils are going to have a text or an exercise under the eyes like an environment.• To identify the epistemic games of the two fields (which game the pupils are playing?).• To propose new epistemic games.

A pesquisa objetivou compreender o processo de regulação da relação entre União e municípios do Rio Grande do Sul instituído a partir do Plano de Metas Compromisso Todos Pela Educação, por meio do Plano de Ações Articuladas (PAR). O Plano de Metas, concebido pelo Ministério da Educação, objetiva garantir o direito à educação básica com qualidade e equidade, ou seja, envolve qualificação de professores, adequada infraestrutura física das escolas, materiais pedagógicos em boa quantidade e adequados para cada etapa da educação básica, instituição de instrumentos da gestão democrática, práticas avaliativas que levem em consideração o processo de aprendizagem do aluno, entre outros elementos. O interesse pela pesquisa surgiu com a realização de um projeto de extensão relacionado à elaboração e implementação do PAR 2008-2011, quando foi observado que vinha ocorrendo um processo peculiar na articulação dos entes federados brasileiros na educação, processo este que supõe uma regulação das ações entre os entes federados no sentido de que a educação básica atinja o IDEB de seis pontos até 2020, o que, considerando parâmetros internacionais, indicaria uma educação de qualidade. A metodologia de pesquisa contemplou a análise de política pública, abrangendo análise de referenciais mais gerais da política, com ênfase no conteúdo do PAR (indicadores, ações e subações), e estudo da elaboração e implementação do PAR em municípios gaúchos. Com a pesquisa foi possível verificar que se estabelece uma forma de regulação embasada em metas a serem alcançadas. A política estabelece certa padronização das ações a serem desenvolvidas e da assistência técnica e financeira da União para com os demais entes federados. O PAR institui uma nova forma de relação entre os entes federados, na medida em que municípios e estados só recebem assistência técnica e financeira se atenderem aquilo que foi planejado como ações a serem executadas para a melhoria da educação. Essas ações podem ser de responsabilidade exclusiva da União, dos municípios e dos estados ou de responsabilidade compartilhada entre os entes federados. A regulação estabelecida pelo PAR nas relações entre os entes federados foi analisada em três categorias: regulação dos processos político-administrativos, que compreende as ações que se referem ao processo de gestão e de planejamento da educação; regulação pedagógica, que abrange as ações que devem ser realizadas no âmbito pedagógico; regulação normativa, que concerne a exigências de elaboração ou reformulação de leis, decretos, portarias e planos. Nos municípios analisados no Rio Grande do Sul, verifica-se que há maior incidência de ações inseridas na regulação pedagógica e normativa, em virtude da necessidade de (re)formulações de processos avaliativos, de projetos político-pedagógicos, de planos municipais de educação e de planos de carreira, ou, ainda, da necessidade de formação inicial e continuada de profissionais da educação, de reformas e construções de prédios e instalações escolares Desta forma, verifica-se que o PAR institui de fato mecanismos de regulação, ou seja, regras, objetivos a serem alcançados e executados para que ocorra, efetivamente, a melhoria da educação básica. / The research aimed to understand the regulating process of the relation between Union and municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul set from the Target Plan All For Education Commitment, through the Joint Action Plan (PAR). The Target Plan, developed by the Ministry of Education, pursuits to guarantee the right to basic education with quality and equity, in other words, involves qualification of teachers, adequate physical infrastructure of schools, good amount of teaching materials, appropriate for each stage of basic education, introduction of democratic management instruments, evaluation practices that consider student’s learning process, among other things. The interest in the research came with the realization of an extension project related to the preparation and implementation of PAR 2008-2011, when it was observed that a peculiar process was occurring in the joint action of Brazilian federal entities in education. Such process involves a regulation of activities among the federal entities so that basic education reach six points in IDEB until 2020, which, considering international standards, indicate an education of good quality. The research methodology included the analysis of public policy, including the analysis of more general policy references, with emphasis on the content of PAR (indicators, actions and sub-actions), and study of development and implementation of PAR in cities in the state. With the research it was possible to verify that it is established a type of regulation grounded in goals to be achieved. The policy provides some standardization of the actions to be undertaken and of the technical and financial assistance from Union to other federal entities. PAR sets a new kind of relation between federal entities, since municipalities and states only receive technical and financial assistance if they fulfill what was planned as actions to be executed to improve education. These actions can be the sole responsibility of the Union, municipalities and states, or a shared responsibility between the federal entities. The regulation determined by PAR in relations between federal entities was analyzed in three categories: regulation of political and administrative processes, which includes the actions related to the management and education planning process; pedagogical regulation, which covers the actions that should be taken in pedagogical scope; normative regulation, which concerns the requirements of development or reformulation of laws, decrees, ordinances and plans. In the cities analyzed in Rio Grande do Sul, it appears that there is a higher incidence of actions included in pedagogical and normative regulation, because of the need of (re)formulations of evaluation processes, of political-pedagogical projects, of municipal education plans and of career plans, or even the need for initial and continuing education for teaching staff, and for improvement and construction of buildings and school facilities. Thus, it is observed that PAR actually establishes regulatory mechanisms, that is, rules, objectives to be achieved and implemented in order to occur an effective improvement of basic education.

Notre étude s’inscrit dans le courant de réforme du système éducatif tunisien. Elle s’inscrit également dans le courant des analyses des pratiques effectives à des fins compréhensives et celui de la didactique comparée. Elle vise à analyser et comprendre les pratiques ordinaires d’enseignement de la chimie dans deux classes terminales tunisiennes lors de l’enseignement de la variation du pH au cours de la réaction entre acide et base. Egalement, elle se focalise sur les continuités et les discontinuités dans l’avancée des savoirs, entre différents registres sémiotiques, entre champs empirique et théorique, entre niveaux microscopique et macroscopique. Sur le plan théorique, nous avons combiné des descripteurs empruntés à la théorie de l’action conjointe en didactique et d’autres descripteurs spécifiques des savoirs concernés. Nous avons filmé deux enseignants l’un expérimenté, et l’autre quasi-novice dans l’enseignement à ce niveau. Les vidéos ont été retranscrites, structurées, puis analysées. Ces analyses ont permis d’établir que les enseignants observés construisent seuls les savoirs dans la classe et les exposent linéairement, seul l’enseignant expérimenté y revenant dessus pour les approfondir. Par ailleurs, l’action didactique du professeur expérimenté est caractérisée par une continuité dans l’avancée du savoir. A l’inverse, l’enseignante novice crée à son insu une multitude de discontinuités dans cette avancée. Nous avons aussi inférés certains de déterminants de l’action didactique. Ainsi, l’action des enseignants peut se comprendre en référence à l’institution « classes de terminales » dans laquelle ils enseignent. Elle peut également se comprendre au regard d’un point de vue sur l’apprentissage selon lequel les élèves apprendraient à partir d’un exposé cohérent des savoirs et d’un point de vue sur les savoirs scientifique selon lequel ces derniers ne se discuteraient pas. Ces éléments pourraient être pris en compte dans la formation des enseignants. / Our study belongs to the trend of changes in the Tunisian educational system. It also belongs to the stream of teaching practices analysis. It aims at describing and understanding ordinary chemistry teaching practices linked to the teaching of the variation of pH during the titration of the reaction acid base. It also focuses on continuity and discontinuity during knowledge progress. The study is based on the joint action theory in didactics and on descriptors related to knowledge at stake. We have filmed two teachers, one is experienced, and the other is novice. Videos have been transcribed, structured and analysed. We have shown that the observed teachers build knowledge alone, and propose it linearly. Only the experienced teacher deepens them. Moreover, the experienced teacher’s action is characterized by the knowledge continuity while the novice teacher creates in his discourse many discontinuities. Finally, their viewpoint on learning, in the nature of chemistry knowledge, the grade of the class they teach in determines their action. These elements could be used in teacher training.

A pesquisa objetivou compreender o processo de regulação da relação entre União e municípios do Rio Grande do Sul instituído a partir do Plano de Metas Compromisso Todos Pela Educação, por meio do Plano de Ações Articuladas (PAR). O Plano de Metas, concebido pelo Ministério da Educação, objetiva garantir o direito à educação básica com qualidade e equidade, ou seja, envolve qualificação de professores, adequada infraestrutura física das escolas, materiais pedagógicos em boa quantidade e adequados para cada etapa da educação básica, instituição de instrumentos da gestão democrática, práticas avaliativas que levem em consideração o processo de aprendizagem do aluno, entre outros elementos. O interesse pela pesquisa surgiu com a realização de um projeto de extensão relacionado à elaboração e implementação do PAR 2008-2011, quando foi observado que vinha ocorrendo um processo peculiar na articulação dos entes federados brasileiros na educação, processo este que supõe uma regulação das ações entre os entes federados no sentido de que a educação básica atinja o IDEB de seis pontos até 2020, o que, considerando parâmetros internacionais, indicaria uma educação de qualidade. A metodologia de pesquisa contemplou a análise de política pública, abrangendo análise de referenciais mais gerais da política, com ênfase no conteúdo do PAR (indicadores, ações e subações), e estudo da elaboração e implementação do PAR em municípios gaúchos. Com a pesquisa foi possível verificar que se estabelece uma forma de regulação embasada em metas a serem alcançadas. A política estabelece certa padronização das ações a serem desenvolvidas e da assistência técnica e financeira da União para com os demais entes federados. O PAR institui uma nova forma de relação entre os entes federados, na medida em que municípios e estados só recebem assistência técnica e financeira se atenderem aquilo que foi planejado como ações a serem executadas para a melhoria da educação. Essas ações podem ser de responsabilidade exclusiva da União, dos municípios e dos estados ou de responsabilidade compartilhada entre os entes federados. A regulação estabelecida pelo PAR nas relações entre os entes federados foi analisada em três categorias: regulação dos processos político-administrativos, que compreende as ações que se referem ao processo de gestão e de planejamento da educação; regulação pedagógica, que abrange as ações que devem ser realizadas no âmbito pedagógico; regulação normativa, que concerne a exigências de elaboração ou reformulação de leis, decretos, portarias e planos. Nos municípios analisados no Rio Grande do Sul, verifica-se que há maior incidência de ações inseridas na regulação pedagógica e normativa, em virtude da necessidade de (re)formulações de processos avaliativos, de projetos político-pedagógicos, de planos municipais de educação e de planos de carreira, ou, ainda, da necessidade de formação inicial e continuada de profissionais da educação, de reformas e construções de prédios e instalações escolares Desta forma, verifica-se que o PAR institui de fato mecanismos de regulação, ou seja, regras, objetivos a serem alcançados e executados para que ocorra, efetivamente, a melhoria da educação básica. / The research aimed to understand the regulating process of the relation between Union and municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul set from the Target Plan All For Education Commitment, through the Joint Action Plan (PAR). The Target Plan, developed by the Ministry of Education, pursuits to guarantee the right to basic education with quality and equity, in other words, involves qualification of teachers, adequate physical infrastructure of schools, good amount of teaching materials, appropriate for each stage of basic education, introduction of democratic management instruments, evaluation practices that consider student’s learning process, among other things. The interest in the research came with the realization of an extension project related to the preparation and implementation of PAR 2008-2011, when it was observed that a peculiar process was occurring in the joint action of Brazilian federal entities in education. Such process involves a regulation of activities among the federal entities so that basic education reach six points in IDEB until 2020, which, considering international standards, indicate an education of good quality. The research methodology included the analysis of public policy, including the analysis of more general policy references, with emphasis on the content of PAR (indicators, actions and sub-actions), and study of development and implementation of PAR in cities in the state. With the research it was possible to verify that it is established a type of regulation grounded in goals to be achieved. The policy provides some standardization of the actions to be undertaken and of the technical and financial assistance from Union to other federal entities. PAR sets a new kind of relation between federal entities, since municipalities and states only receive technical and financial assistance if they fulfill what was planned as actions to be executed to improve education. These actions can be the sole responsibility of the Union, municipalities and states, or a shared responsibility between the federal entities. The regulation determined by PAR in relations between federal entities was analyzed in three categories: regulation of political and administrative processes, which includes the actions related to the management and education planning process; pedagogical regulation, which covers the actions that should be taken in pedagogical scope; normative regulation, which concerns the requirements of development or reformulation of laws, decrees, ordinances and plans. In the cities analyzed in Rio Grande do Sul, it appears that there is a higher incidence of actions included in pedagogical and normative regulation, because of the need of (re)formulations of evaluation processes, of political-pedagogical projects, of municipal education plans and of career plans, or even the need for initial and continuing education for teaching staff, and for improvement and construction of buildings and school facilities. Thus, it is observed that PAR actually establishes regulatory mechanisms, that is, rules, objectives to be achieved and implemented in order to occur an effective improvement of basic education.

A pesquisa objetivou compreender o processo de regulação da relação entre União e municípios do Rio Grande do Sul instituído a partir do Plano de Metas Compromisso Todos Pela Educação, por meio do Plano de Ações Articuladas (PAR). O Plano de Metas, concebido pelo Ministério da Educação, objetiva garantir o direito à educação básica com qualidade e equidade, ou seja, envolve qualificação de professores, adequada infraestrutura física das escolas, materiais pedagógicos em boa quantidade e adequados para cada etapa da educação básica, instituição de instrumentos da gestão democrática, práticas avaliativas que levem em consideração o processo de aprendizagem do aluno, entre outros elementos. O interesse pela pesquisa surgiu com a realização de um projeto de extensão relacionado à elaboração e implementação do PAR 2008-2011, quando foi observado que vinha ocorrendo um processo peculiar na articulação dos entes federados brasileiros na educação, processo este que supõe uma regulação das ações entre os entes federados no sentido de que a educação básica atinja o IDEB de seis pontos até 2020, o que, considerando parâmetros internacionais, indicaria uma educação de qualidade. A metodologia de pesquisa contemplou a análise de política pública, abrangendo análise de referenciais mais gerais da política, com ênfase no conteúdo do PAR (indicadores, ações e subações), e estudo da elaboração e implementação do PAR em municípios gaúchos. Com a pesquisa foi possível verificar que se estabelece uma forma de regulação embasada em metas a serem alcançadas. A política estabelece certa padronização das ações a serem desenvolvidas e da assistência técnica e financeira da União para com os demais entes federados. O PAR institui uma nova forma de relação entre os entes federados, na medida em que municípios e estados só recebem assistência técnica e financeira se atenderem aquilo que foi planejado como ações a serem executadas para a melhoria da educação. Essas ações podem ser de responsabilidade exclusiva da União, dos municípios e dos estados ou de responsabilidade compartilhada entre os entes federados. A regulação estabelecida pelo PAR nas relações entre os entes federados foi analisada em três categorias: regulação dos processos político-administrativos, que compreende as ações que se referem ao processo de gestão e de planejamento da educação; regulação pedagógica, que abrange as ações que devem ser realizadas no âmbito pedagógico; regulação normativa, que concerne a exigências de elaboração ou reformulação de leis, decretos, portarias e planos. Nos municípios analisados no Rio Grande do Sul, verifica-se que há maior incidência de ações inseridas na regulação pedagógica e normativa, em virtude da necessidade de (re)formulações de processos avaliativos, de projetos político-pedagógicos, de planos municipais de educação e de planos de carreira, ou, ainda, da necessidade de formação inicial e continuada de profissionais da educação, de reformas e construções de prédios e instalações escolares Desta forma, verifica-se que o PAR institui de fato mecanismos de regulação, ou seja, regras, objetivos a serem alcançados e executados para que ocorra, efetivamente, a melhoria da educação básica. / The research aimed to understand the regulating process of the relation between Union and municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul set from the Target Plan All For Education Commitment, through the Joint Action Plan (PAR). The Target Plan, developed by the Ministry of Education, pursuits to guarantee the right to basic education with quality and equity, in other words, involves qualification of teachers, adequate physical infrastructure of schools, good amount of teaching materials, appropriate for each stage of basic education, introduction of democratic management instruments, evaluation practices that consider student’s learning process, among other things. The interest in the research came with the realization of an extension project related to the preparation and implementation of PAR 2008-2011, when it was observed that a peculiar process was occurring in the joint action of Brazilian federal entities in education. Such process involves a regulation of activities among the federal entities so that basic education reach six points in IDEB until 2020, which, considering international standards, indicate an education of good quality. The research methodology included the analysis of public policy, including the analysis of more general policy references, with emphasis on the content of PAR (indicators, actions and sub-actions), and study of development and implementation of PAR in cities in the state. With the research it was possible to verify that it is established a type of regulation grounded in goals to be achieved. The policy provides some standardization of the actions to be undertaken and of the technical and financial assistance from Union to other federal entities. PAR sets a new kind of relation between federal entities, since municipalities and states only receive technical and financial assistance if they fulfill what was planned as actions to be executed to improve education. These actions can be the sole responsibility of the Union, municipalities and states, or a shared responsibility between the federal entities. The regulation determined by PAR in relations between federal entities was analyzed in three categories: regulation of political and administrative processes, which includes the actions related to the management and education planning process; pedagogical regulation, which covers the actions that should be taken in pedagogical scope; normative regulation, which concerns the requirements of development or reformulation of laws, decrees, ordinances and plans. In the cities analyzed in Rio Grande do Sul, it appears that there is a higher incidence of actions included in pedagogical and normative regulation, because of the need of (re)formulations of evaluation processes, of political-pedagogical projects, of municipal education plans and of career plans, or even the need for initial and continuing education for teaching staff, and for improvement and construction of buildings and school facilities. Thus, it is observed that PAR actually establishes regulatory mechanisms, that is, rules, objectives to be achieved and implemented in order to occur an effective improvement of basic education.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-02-17T09:38:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 amandamendessoares.pdf: 1197918 bytes, checksum: 849b1e156ecfb561bdb18ab0f6f8d473 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-02-26T12:41:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 amandamendessoares.pdf: 1197918 bytes, checksum: 849b1e156ecfb561bdb18ab0f6f8d473 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-26T12:41:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 amandamendessoares.pdf: 1197918 bytes, checksum: 849b1e156ecfb561bdb18ab0f6f8d473 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-24 / O presente trabalho tem como objetivo principal analisar o Plano de Ações Articuladas (PAR) do município de Juiz de Fora, buscando entender como se encontra a configuração da autonomia do sistema de ensino deste município mediante sua adesão ao Plano. Para melhor entendimento da questão em estudo, alguns temas foram escolhidos como de importância fundamental, como o Plano de Desenvolvimento da Educação (PDE), no qual se insere o Plano de Ações Articuladas (PAR); a centralização/descentralização das políticas de educação no Brasil; a municipalização do ensino, explicitando-se o modelo federativo brasileiro estabelecido após a Constituição de 1988; a autonomia municipal em seu contexto e na literatura utilizada; além das especificidades do município em que foi realizado o estudo. Para o alcance do objetivo, foi realizada uma investigação qualitativa, pois esta privilegia a compreensão dos fenômenos sociais que são complexos e dinâmicos. Para concretização da pesquisa, foram analisados o Plano Decenal Municipal de Educação de Juiz de Fora (PDME-JF); o Plano de Ações Articuladas; e as Questões Pontuais que compõe o PAR do município. Além disso, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com técnicos da Secretaria de Educação que participaram do processo de elaboração do Plano, bem como uma Secretária de Educação do Município de Juiz de Fora. O trabalho possibilitou compreender que é grande o impacto da descontinuidade das políticas educacionais para a política do município e que, historicamente, houve momentos em que o município apresentou maior e menor autonomia. Por meio das entrevistas realizadas, observou-se que na percepção dos entrevistados a autonomia do sistema de ensino do município pesquisado não tem sido afetada diretamente pelo PAR e que a concretização da política apresenta comprometimentos devido a carências e limitações do município que incidem, principalmente, na insuficiência de recursos financeiros. A pesquisa mostrou, ainda, que a insuficiência ou mesmo ausência desses recursos foi um grande indutor da adesão do município às propostas apresentadas pelo Governo Federal. O estudo dos documentos possibilitou observar certa sintonia entre as diretrizes e metas apresentadas no PDME e ações e subações propostas no PAR do município de Juiz de Fora. Essa confluência observada denota que, com a Constituição de 1988, a LDB, o PNE e as políticas de avaliação externa parecem estar se confirmando encaminhamentos comuns na definição das políticas públicas para a educação brasileira. / This study aims to analyze the Joint Action Plan (PAR) in the city of Juiz de Fora, trying to understand the nature of its educational system‟s autonomy concerning its implementation to the Plan. To better understand the issue under study, some subjects were chosen as the utmost importance, such as the Education Development Plan (PDE), which incorporates the Joint Action Plan (PAR), the centralization/decentralization of educational policies in Brazil, the municipalization of education, explaining the Brazilian federative model established after the 1988 Constitution; municipal autonomy in its context and in the literature used, including the specifics of the region in which the study was conducted. To achieve this goal, a qualitative investigation was carried out, as it favors the understanding of social phenomena that are complex and dynamic. For this research, we analyzed the Ten Year Municipal Educational Plan of Juiz de Fora (PDME-JF), the Joint Action Plan, and the specific issues that make up the region‟s PAR. In addition, we held semi-structured interviews with technicians of the Department of Education who participated in the preparation of the Plan, as well as with a Secretary of Education of Juiz de Fora. The work made it possible to understand the large impact of discontinuity of educational policies to the municipal policy and that, historically, there were times when the city had greater and lesser autonomy. Through the interviews conducted, it was observed that respondents believe the autonomy of the municipal education system in case has not been directly affected by PAR and the implementation of the policy presents compromises due to deficiencies and limitations of the municipality that lie mainly in shortage of financial resources. The survey also showed that the shortage or even absence of these resources was a major inducer of adhesion of the municipality to proposals from the Federal Government. The study of documents showed certain connection between the guidelines and targets presented in PDME and actions proposed in the PAR for the municipality of Juiz de Fora. This confluence denotes that with the 1988 Constitution, the LDB, the PNE and the policies for external evaluation seem to be confirming common referrals in defining public policies for Brazilian education.

The thesis seeks to develop an account of collaborative activities within the framework of ecological realism—an approach to psychology developed by James J. Gibson in the course of work on visual perception. Two main questions are addressed; one ontological, and one methodological. The ontological question is: given that collaborative activities take place within an environment, what kinds of structure must this environment contain? The response emphasizes the importance of relations which exist between entities, and which connect a given perceiver-actor with the other objects and individuals in its surroundings, and with the relations between those entities. It is held that activities take place within a field of relations. This description draws on the radical empiricist doctrine that relations are real, are external, and are directly perceivable. The present proposal insists that, in addition to being directly perceivable, relations can also be directly acted upon: throwing a ball for a dog is acting on a relation between dog and ball in space. The relational field account of collaboration naturally extends to an account of speaking: people, through their history of acting in an environment populated by other speakers, come to stand in a set of relations with objects and events around them, and these relations can be directly acted upon by others through the use of verbal actions. Verbal actions serve to direct the attention of others to relevant aspects of the environment, and this allows us as speakers to coordinate and manage one another’s activity. The methodological question is this: granting that the environment may be structured as a field of relations, how are we to conduct our empirical investigations, such that we can ask precise questions which lead to useful insights about how a given collaborative activity is carried out in practice? The central issue here concerns the concept of the task. Psychologists are in the habit of using this term quite loosely, to denote the actions of an individual or a group, in a laboratory or outside. This creates confusion in discussions of collaborative phenomena: who is the agent of a ‘collaborative task’? The definition offered here states that a task is a researcher-defined unit of study that corresponds to a change in the structure of the environment that has a characteristic pattern and that is meaningful from the first-person perspective of a particular actor. On this definition, the task is a tool that allows ecological psychologists to carve up the problem space into specific, tractable questions; the task is the equivalent of the cognitivist’s mental module. Task-oriented psychology encourages us to ask the question: which specific resources is the individual making use of in controlling this particular activity? The methodology is developed through an examination of the alarm calling behaviour of vervet monkeys, which is explained in terms of actions on the relational field, and through an analysis of corpus data from a laboratory-based collaborative assembly game. The relational field model promises to provide a way of studying social and collaborative activities on ecological realist principles. The concluding chapter identifies two particular areas in which the model might fruitfully be developed: in the study of learning, and in the theory of designing objects and spaces for interaction.