Introduction: Population ageing presents a significant global challenge, necessitating sustained efforts to promote active and healthy ageing throughout life to improve quality of life in later years. This study aims to characterise the physical, mental, and social well-being of middle-aged adults (aged 55–64) in Baixo Alentejo, Portugal, and to analyse associations between these dimensions and sociodemographic variables. The findings aim to inform policies and interventions supporting active and healthy ageing, a cornerstone for quality longevity. Methodology: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted between 02 May 2023 and 29 February 2024 among individuals aged 55–64 registered at health centres in Baixo Alentejo, Portugal. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire evaluating disability, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and satisfaction with social support. Instruments included the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0-PT12), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a self-reported life satisfaction score, and the Social Support Satisfaction Scale (SSSS). Statistical analysis employed Student’s t-test and one-way ANOVA. Ethical approval was obtained, and all participants provided informed consent. Results: The study included 698 participants. Women, individuals with lower educational attainment, and the unemployed demonstrated significantly higher functional disability scores. Women and unemployed participants also had higher depressive symptom scores. Conversely, men reported greater life satisfaction. Older participants and those with lower socioeconomic status exhibited greater physical limitations, depressive symptoms, and dissatisfaction with social support. Economic stability was positively associated with mental well-being and life satisfaction, underscoring the importance of financial security in enhancing perceptions of social support. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive characterisation of middle-aged adults in Baixo Alentejo, revealing significant associations between sociodemographic factors and physical, mental, and social well-being. The findings highlight the need for tailored socioeconomic and health interventions to promote active and healthy ageing. Public policies designed to address the unique needs of middle-aged adults in the region are critical to improving health outcomes and fostering quality longevity.

Ethics has emerged as a central dimension of the teaching profession, although it is not always explicitly addressed in initial teacher training study plans. In this context, a quantitative study was conducted to examine, from a comparative perspective, the perceptions of undergraduate students in Elementary Education from two Portuguese higher education institutions regarding the treatment of the ethical dimension in their course study plans. Data was collected from 141 students using a questionnaire survey. The objectives were: (i) to determine whether the Elementary Education degree study plan adequately addresses ethical issues; (ii) to assess whether ethics should be taught as an integral part of the study plan; (iii) to gather possible suggestions and ways to improve the ethical approach in the Elementary Education degree. The results indicate that, while participants believe the study plan adequately addresses ethical issues, they also feel that ethics should be an integral component of the Elementary Education degree. Additionally, they suggested other ways to enhance the ethical approach in initial teacher training.

O insucesso escolar, as suas causas, e a promoção do sucesso académico têm sido uma preocupação do sistema educativo português partilhada por diferentes ideologias políticas, e que se tem mantido como um problema educativo prioritário ao longo de várias décadas. No sentido de contribuir para compreender as causas do insucesso escolar e melhor promover o sucesso educativo analisam-se os dados de três investigações (uma com 572 alunos do ensino básico e secundário, outra com 15 professores dos três níveis do ensino básico e outra com 186 alunos do 1.º ciclo do ensino básico) que procuraram verificar quais as relações que existem entre as condutas agressivas entre pares, percecionadas e auto relatadas pelos alunos e o seu sucesso escolar, por um lado, e as perceções dos professores sobre as condutas dos seus alunos e o seu sucesso escolar, por outro. Foram utilizados questionários de autorrelato e hétero-relato no caso dos alunos e os professores preencheram um questionário por cada um dos seus alunos. Os dados obtidos nestes questionários foram relacionados com uma medida de sucesso escolar (aprovação/reprovação no final do ano letivo). Os resultados sugerem uma relação entre o comportamento agressivo dos alunos e o insucesso escolar, quer nos auto e hétero-relatos dos alunos, quer através da perceção dos docentes, sugerindo que programas de prevenção de bullying, indisciplina e agressão entre pares, podem contribuir para a promoção do sucesso escolar, e consequentemente para a inclusão de todos os alunos. Palavras chave: agressão; vitimação; insucesso escolar

The use of video games as an educational resource has generated great interest in recent years, due to their potential to motivate and engage students in the learning process. As technology becomes an increasingly accessible and ubiquitous tool, educators have begun to explore the potential of video games to support learning and improve student engagement in the classroom. The aim of this article is to analyze the opinions, attitudes and perceptions that students in the "Basic Education" degree program have on the use of video games as an educational resource. The main objective is to analyze the position of future teachers regarding the use of this type of resource as didactic material, whether they are in favor or against its use. For this purpose, a mixed research was designed, in which qualitative aspects were analyzed through an open question and quantitative aspects were analyzed through a questionnaire with Likert scale questions with five values, in order to obtain more information on the topic of study. A sample of fifteen students from the Escola Superior de Educação e Ciências Sociais (ESECS) of the Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre (Portugal) was used. Among the conclusions obtained, it can be affirmed that, for the most part, students are in favor of using video games as educational resources due to their high motivational potential and possibilities. It was also observed that they considered ICT as necessary resources for teaching mathematics.