Victor Cavaleiro

Simplified Model of Road-User Costs for Portuguese Highways

When evaluating road design, maintenance, and rehabilitation, the Portuguese Road Administration does not consider road-user costs. A simplified model of road-user costs for highway networks and the selection of input values for Portuguese conditions were defined, with 2006 as the base year for calculations. The steps in defining the model were the analysis of the most important models of current road-user costs to provide the conceptual framework for a simplified and new model; the characterization of Portuguese highways by input data definition; and the inventory of official sources, formulations, and definition directives for input data. With the simplified formulation, user costs can be integrated in management frameworks in an easy, fast, and reliable way. A consideration of extended transport costs (construction, maintenance, and user costs) will allow a more accurate life-cycle economic analysis and will contribute to the sustainability of road infrastructure. Two applications of the model to Portuguese road networks under concession are presented.

Teaching Methodologies in Spatial Planning for Integration of International Students

Nowadays, the spread of international exchanges is growing among university students, across European countries. In general, during their academic degrees, the high education students are looking for international experiences abroad. This goal has its justification not only in the reason of pursuing their studies, but also in the desire of knowing another city, a different culture, a diverse way of teaching, and at the same time having the opportunity of improving their skills speaking another language. Therefore, the scholars at the high level of educational systems have to rethink their traditional approaches in terms of teaching methodologies in order to be able to integrate these students, that every academic year are coming from abroad. Portugal is not an exception on this matter, neither the scientific domain of spatial planning. Actually, during the last years, the number of foreign students choosing to study in this country is rapidly increasing. Even though some years ago, most of the international students were originated from Portuguese speaking countries, comprising its former colonies such as Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde or Mozambique, recently the number of students from other countries is increasing, including from Syria. Characterized by a mild climate, a beautiful seashore and cities packed with historical and cultural interests, this country is a very attractive destination for international students. In this sense, this study explores the beliefs about teaching methodologies that scholars in spatial planning domain can use to guide their practice within Architecture degree, in order to promote de integration of international students. These methodologies are based on the notion that effective teaching is student-centred rather than teacher-centred, in order to achieve a knowledge-centred learning environment framework in terms of spatial planning skills. Thus, this article arises out of a spatial planning unit experience in the Master Degree in Architecture (MIA) course, at the University of Beira Interior (UBI) in Portugal, to understand more about teaching methodologies, in order to promote the integration of international students. The study explores the teamwork tasks and the hetero-evaluation as new approaches in the teaching methodologies focused on the student-centred teaching. This research main conclusion is the need of promoting a shift from lecture-based and teacher-centred practices to student-centred approach.

Modeling and Mitigation of Noise on the A23 Motorway Using GIS

Rendering at the European Directive 2002/49/EC, all EU members have to draw up a strategic noise map for all agglomerations with more than 250,000 inhabitants and for all major airports, roads and railways. A study of environmental impact assessment on motorway A23 in the stretch between Castelo Branco–Alcains (Portugal), based in the impact of the environmental noise, allowed the modeling the noise variation, which can be useful for establishing mitigation measures. The results show that noise model can be a useful tool for the monitoring noise impact in surrounding of motorways.

Collaborative Learning Advancing International Students

Universities are making great efforts in order to improve their rates in terms of internationalization. With the rise of international mobility, among students, new challenges are emerging on the high education system. In this sense, this paper aims to show some key strategies in terms of teaching methodologies that Universities should follow forward to a better internationalization performance. It is based on the case of University of Beira Interior in Portugal, in a multidisciplinary approach, which involves scholars from the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and from the Department of Mathematics, teaching at the Civil Engineering studies. The main research questions of this paper are the following: are the currently used teaching methodologies prepared to accommodate international students who have different standards of proficiency whether in terms of language or in basic knowledge of mathematics? Which are the challenges of high education system, in order to improve the performance of international students, engaging them as part of a collaborative learning approach? The conclusions show that there is the need of following new teaching methodologies in a more collaborative approach, in order to promote the integration of international students.