One of the benefits of generative AI is the ability to transform one media from text, to speech, to imagery to video. In this post Andy Tattersall explores one aspect of this ability, by transforming his archive written blogposts into a podcast format, Talking Threads, and discusses why and how this could be beneficial for research communication. … Read More →
The Open University of Brazil in the management of student permanence in Pedagogy courses
The growth of distance education (Educação a Distância, EaD) in Brazil, coupled with the high dropout rates in this modality, brings with it the need to renew school management models, with the aim of keeping students until they graduate. Based on an analysis of the Pedagogy courses at the Open University of Brazil, researchers have developed alternative guidelines to guarantee student retention. … Read More →
Web platform can revolutionize the essay correction process
In search of an alternative to the laborious process of correcting essays, more specifically regarding identifying deviations from the theme in essays, researchers have developed a text feedback platform that simulates the National High School Examination (Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio, ENEM) guidelines and grades, the Corrector of Essays by Artificial Intelligence (Corretor de Redações por Inteligência Artificial, CRIA). The tool is already being used by students and education professionals. … Read More →
How do young people experience the democratization of access to higher education?
Educational expansion, marked by the tension between meritocracy and pragmatism in access to higher education, confronts the aspirations and realities of young people, especially those from working class backgrounds, amid the erosion of traditional notions of career and stability. While some seek any degree as a means of social mobility, others aim for specific careers, trying to adapt in the face of obstacles. … Read More →
Pedagogical practices for student retention
Professional education has been undergoing transformations, so schools are challenged to re-signify the way they maintain a link with society. Student dropout is one of the major problems faced, and pedagogical practices are aimed at getting students more involved with the institution. … Read More →
Collective constructions: open peer review of an article on indigenous literature
Open peer review is critical to ensuring the integrity and quality of academic research, enabling greater transparency and collaboration. According to the researchers, the dialogical process between authors and reviewers and the resulting knowledge exchange guaranteed a significant improvement of the research. … Read More →
Structured questionnaires can make peer review more efficient
In order to make peer review more efficient, a study proposes adopting a standard form to be answered by reviewers, so that no important aspect of the manuscript’s evaluation goes unnoticed. Available in Portuguese only. … Read More →
On preprints, journals, open access and research evaluation: the repercussions of the Gates Foundation’s decision
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently announced that it will no longer fund APCs for open access journals and is prioritizing the adoption of preprints. A series of recent posts discusses how the Gates Foundation’s announcement has resonated with the scientific community, prompting considerations about open access and its forms of funding, peer review and ultimately, how these changes influence the evaluation and integrity of research. … Read More →
AI agents, bots and academic GPTs
Bots and academic GPTs are based on large language models, such as ChatGPT, designed and sometimes trained for more specific tasks. The idea is that by being specialized, they will deliver better results than “generic” models. This post presents some of the bots and academic GPTs. Available in Portuguese only. … Read More →
Is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s new OA policy the start of a shift towards preprints? [Originally published in the LSE Impact blog in April/2024]
Following the announcement of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s new open access policy, Richard Sever assesses whether this change signals the beginning of a wider preprint-led open access transition. … Read More →
Representing the Humanities collection on the SciELO platform (2022-2023)
In this post, the representatives of the Humanities and Applied Social Sciences Collection on the SciELO platform’s Advisory Committee discuss their work fronts in the 2022-2023 biennium and the challenges that remain for the coming years. Besides issues related to the Open Science Program, we discuss the threats posed to our journals’ sustainability. … Read More →
Paper mills
Paper mills have begun to produce and sell large numbers of low-quality articles with false or plagiarized data. And, more recently, they are trying to entice journal editors by offering generous sums in exchange for the rapid acceptance of articles and by offering questionable editors and reviewers for special issues. … Read More →
The influence of implicit biases on the adoption of DEIA principles
Adherence to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) has been hampered by implicit biases, relating to implicit memory, which influences actions and decisions unconsciously. Progress involves institutional commitment, changing the culture, setting goals, and developing operational strategies. … Read More →
Large Language Publishing [Originally published in the Upstream blog in January/2024]
The New York Times ushered in the New Year with a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. OpenAI and its Microsoft patron had, according to the filing, stolen “millions of The Times’ copyrighted news articles, in-depth investigations, opinion pieces, reviews, how-to guides,” and more—all to train OpenAI’s LLMs. … Read More →
How to reformulate scholarly publishing to face the peer review crisis
The time between submission and publication of articles in the field of microbiology has been increasing in recent years. In addition, editors are having to invite more and more reviewers to identify those willing to evaluate manuscripts. What are the implications of this for peer review? Available in Portuguese only. … Read More →
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