Educação a distância no Brasil: um estudo preliminar do curso de Administração Pública da UFPB

Abstract

Distance Education (EAD) is a teaching modality that has been consolidated in Brazil as an effective alternative to expand access to higher education, especially in regions with geographic, structural, and financial limitations. Thus, this study on distance education and the role of educational policies, focused on the public administration course, seeks to analyze in general how pedagogical strategies and teaching methodologies impact the implementation of EAD and the training of professionals in the area of public administration at UFPB in the period from 2013 to 2023. Specifically, it aims to: a) compare the pedagogical strategies and teaching methodologies between the BAPs of Paraíba, Bahia, and Santa Catarina adopted in the Public Administration course at UFPB between 2013 and 2023; b) analyze the flow of students in the Public Administration course at UFPB, based on reports on admissions, retentions, and graduates, with the objective of understanding the factors that influence the permanence and success of students in the distance modality; and, c) analyze the data on admission, cancellation, suspension and completion of courses by students in the distance learning modality. To this end, a review of the literature on distance education in Brazil, the public policies used to desocialize distance learning, as well as actions by the Ministry of Education (MEC) to measure the quality of distance learning were used as a theoretical framework. The methodology adopted in the research follows a qualitative and exploratory approach through bibliographies, reports and pertinent data on the subject, of a descriptive and analytical nature. The results found indicate that the Public Administration – Distance Learning course at UFPB adopts an effective pedagogical approach, but faces challenges related to infrastructure and ongoing student support. Dropout and retention rates indicate the need for improvements in academic support strategies and in the student experience. Future studies should explore external factors and academic support strategies.