| 1. Internet development in Portugal
In Portugal, Internet access is granted by private providers (mainly to commercial enterprises and private individuals) and by the National Network for the Scientific Community which links academic and research institutions. Over the past four years we have seen a real explosion of the Internet in Portugal with the number of Portuguese Web sites growing and increased institutional efforts to develop this important communication medium. Presently, the number of sub-domains under the PT top domain is about 3000 and this number is increasing by 100 each month (by the end of 1995, there were 207). Currently there are two main programmes, supported by the Government, to develop an educational approach for the Internet:
1.1. "Internet in Schools"
"Internet in School" is a national initiative led by the Ministry of Science and Technology within the framework of the Green Paper for the Information Society. By September 1997, all schools from 5th to 12th years of scholarship as well as some primary schools, associations (teaching, professional and scientific) and libraries were connected to the Internet through the Science, Technology and Society Network. This network promotes communication between schools and the scientific community, and offers free Internet access with an advanced ISDN connection, technical assistance and helpdesk services.
1.2. "Nónio Século XXI
The Ministry of Public Instruction's Information and Communication Technologies in Education programme, "Nónio Século XXI", has five objectives:
(a) To supply primary and secondary schools with multimedia equipment and simultaneously provide the respective teachers with appropriate training, both initial and continuing, so that full advantage can be taken of the equipment installed,
(b) To support the development of school projects in collaboration with institutions which are especially directed towards this effect, thereby promoting their feasibility and sustainability,
(c) To stimulate and support the creation of educational software and dynamise the editing market,
(d) To promote the introduction and generalisation in the system of information and communication technologies resulting from the dynamics referred in (b) and (c) which make it possible to satisfy the needs and which guarantee the development of the education system
and
(e) To promote the dissemination and interchange, both national and international of information on education, namely through networking and through support to congresses, symposia, seminars and other scientific and pedagogical meetings.
2. Earth Science links in Portugal
The preparation of scientific and pedagogical materials to be posted on the Internet is not a priority for the Portuguese geological community. The exceptions are carried out with individual effort of a few local enthusiasts. This lack of initiative is particularly serious because a huge amount of information available on the Internet (scientific and pedagogical) remains inaccessible to Portuguese students (mainly the younger ones) due to difficulties in understanding foreign languages. The development of multimedia contents in Portuguese should be faced as an urgent task by our political and scientific leaders. In Portugal, the main source of geological information on the Internet is provided by the following University Earth Sciences Departments and public institutions:
Of the nine existing Portuguese geological journals, only the folowing three provide on-line access to their contents/abstracts (Portuguese and English language versions):
- Memórias e Notícias - published by the Earth Sciences Department - University of Coimbra
- Gaia - published by the Natural History Museum
- Estudos do Quaternário - published by the Portuguese Association for the Study of Quaternary
3. Some existing projects
The authors are currently working on two projects which involve the preparation of pedagogical material to be distributed on CD-ROM and via the Internet:
3.1. Geopor
"Geopor" - Geology in Portugal - is a site that will contain a wealth of information about the Earth Sciences in Portugal. Users will be able to make contact with representatives from the national geological institutions; consult thesis and paper abstracts (sorted by subject); learn about recent advances in Geology; obtain information about mailing lists and enter into discussions with mailing list subscribers, etc. This year, Web pages for students and teachers will be developed containing information about university Geology courses; suggestions for field trips (as well as presenting virtual field trips); simple experiments to carry out during classes; "ask a geologist"; a database of photographs of Portuguese geological features and useful links to other sites, etc.
3.2. Geira
"Geira" - the name of the ancient Roman road linking northern Portugal with northern Spain - is a project, vast in its scope, with two main aims:
- diffusion of the scientific and technological potential of the North Portugal region;
- use of science and technology in the valorization of the cultural heritage and in the protection and conservation of environment.
As regards Earth Sciences, this project will develop material on the four National Parks in northern Portugal to be distributed on CD-ROM and via the Internet. |