Objective: To evaluate and compare basic indicators of the health of children under 5 years old in the urban area of Rio Grande, RS, Brazil, for 1995 and 2004.Methods: Two cross-sectional population studies were carried out in the city. Interviewers were previously trained and applied standardized questionnaires during visits to families with children under 5 years old. The following variables were investigated: family income, maternal education, type of construction of home (wooden/ masonry etc.), availability of toilet, running water, sewage system and domestic appliances. Data collected on the children themselves included number of antenatal consultations and age at first antenatal, type of delivery and medical care received during delivery, breastfeeding and dietary patterns, morbidity and health services utilization. Children were weighed and measured for height/length. Comparisons of frequencies between the two datasets were made using the chi-square test.Results: In 1995, 395 children were studied and in 2004 there were 384. During the intervening period improvements had taken place in type of construction, number of homes with flush toilet, the availability of running water and in breastfeeding pattern and duration. The frequency of diarrhea reduced, while rates of basic vaccination coverage, growth monitoring, patients in possession of their own medical cards and reporting of birth weights all increased. There was a deterioration in families purchasing power and in the mean number of antenatal consultations. The prevalence of childhood obesity increased by 92%, while the incidence of malnutrition remained practically unchanged. Conclusions:Comparing health indicators from the two periods revealed that, in addition to improvements in the majority of the indicators assessed, there had been a substantial increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity.

Objective: To evaluate and compare basic indicators of the health of children under 5 years old in the urban area of Rio Grande, RS, Brazil, for 1995 and 2004.Methods: Two cross-sectional population studies were carried out in the city. Interviewers were previously trained and applied standardized questionnaires during visits to families with children under 5 years old. The following variables were investigated: family income, maternal education, type of construction of home (wooden/masonry etc.), availability of toilet, running water, sewage system and domestic appliances. Data collected on the children themselves included number of antenatal consultations and age at first antenatal, type of delivery and medical care received during delivery, breastfeeding and dietary patterns, morbidity and health services utilization. Children were weighed and measured for height/length. Comparisons of frequencies between the two datasets were made using the chi-square test.Results: In 1995, 395 children were studied and in 2004 there were 384. During the intervening period improvements had taken place in type of construction, number of homes with flush toilet, the availability of running water and in breastfeeding pattern and duration. The frequency of diarrhea reduced, while rates of basic vaccination coverage, growth monitoring, patients in possession of their own medical cards and reporting of birth weights all increased. There was a deterioration in families purchasing power and in the mean number of antenatal consultations. The prevalence of childhood obesity increased by 92%, while the incidence of malnutrition remained practically unchanged.Conclusions: Comparing health indicators from the two periods revealed that, in addition to improvements in the majority of the indicators assessed, there had been a substantial increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity. Métodos: Foram realizados dois estudos transversais de base populacional nessa cidade. Entrevistadores previamente treinados aplicaram questionários padronizados em domicílios com crianças menores de 5 anos. Foram investigados: renda familiar, escolaridade materna, tipo de construção da moradia, disponibilidade de sanitário, água encanada, rede de esgotos e eletrodomésticos. Sobre as crianças, investigou-se número de consultas e idade de início do pré-natal, tipo e atendimento ao parto, padrão de amamentação e dieta, morbidade e utilização de serviços de saúde. As crianças foram pesadas e medidas para altura/comprimento. A comparação de freqüências nos dois estudos foi feita através do teste do qui-quadrado.

Esta discussão é pautada nos resultados de um projeto de investigação financiado pela FAPESP, que envolve uma experiência realizada com dez professoras dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental, de duas escolas da rede pública da cidade de São Paulo, e pesquisadores de uma Universidade de caráter privado. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar as contribuições e limites de um projeto que envolve grupos colaborativos e a metodologia de formação de professores denominada Lesson Study (Estudo de Aula). Entre os resultados, destacam-se a importância da constituição do grupo colaborativo para a melhoria das práticas das professoras e a valoração que elas passaram a dar para a dinâmica grupal, tanto na primeira como na terceira etapa da metodologia Lesson Study. Houve um avanço considerável na preparação e análise das aulas das professoras, na apropriação e consecução de pesquisas, e na análise de orientações curriculares nos momentos de reunião do grupo colaborativo.

This paper aims to present conceptual characteristics of virtual learning environments and their contributions to the mediation and monitoring of the Supervised Curricular Internship within the distance modality. In order to do so, through a bibliographic review, it was verified that virtual learning environments are considered important locus in the EAD mediation, so that it harmonizes the interaction between the subjects involved in the process and in the interactivity with the available resources, adding flexibility Of time, autonomy, breaking geographical limitations. As a consequence, the use of virtual environments in the monitoring of Supervised Internship is an open field of possibilities and can bring several benefits for students and tutors and to mediate this relationship. Such potentialities are not generated without the counterpart of challenges to be overcome to be realized, especially the adequate preparation of tutors for the correct and effective use of the available applications.

We are experiencing a period of intense transformation and innovation, and managing knowledge has become a must for organizations that want to survive the competition. However, the challenge is that many organizations do not have a structured training policy or do not yet have professionals prepared to encourage employees as they should. In these terms, new formats for knowledge sharing have been proposed, such as communities of practice, which are spontaneous groups created for the exchange of knowledge and information. The present work aims to present conceptual characteristics of communities of practice and analyze the benefits between communities of practice and training and development of people. Therefore, through a bibliographical review, it was verified that communities of practice can be inserted within the organizations, which, however, will have to adopt methods and teaching techniques compatible with the objectives, contents and objects of the training . As a consequence, communities of practice will be able to contribute to the training and development of people, as they offer members access to new knowledge to reveal functional value.