News from Portugal

January 2001 (pdf format)

October 2000

Universities and personnel involved

1. Technical University of Lisbon, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Responsible and National Key-person: Prof. Dr. David Rodrigues

2. University of Oporto, Faculty of Sciences of Sport and Physical Education, Responsible: Prof. Dr. Urbano Marques

Main tasks developed:

1. A questionnaire was organised and sent to the universities and Polytechnic high schools that organise teacher education in the field of Physical Education. The questions were directed mainly for the organisation and curricula of the overall course and specifically to the aspects of Adapted Physical Activity. The results of this questionnaire allowed for the first time to know the real situation in the field of Adapted Physical Activity, personnel involved, curriculum organisation and research projects going on in these high schools. It is planned for the beginning of the next academic year a national meeting with all the representatives of universities and schools in order to present the results of the questionnaire and discuss further developments.
2. Several interviews and meetings were organised with sport for disabled organisations in order to know their opinions about THENAPA and what could be the key points to be developed.
3. In the Portuguese participating universities (Technical University of Lisbon and University of Oporto) master ´s degree courses were organised and we intend to use the network of present and past students to establish a solid and integrated information network that can be established with the impulse given by THENAPA.
4. So, we would resume our activities in three aspects: 1) creating a network of academics and field workers in APA, 2) knowledge of the teacher education system in APA and 3) knowledge about the ongoing research.