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How will be the University of the Future? A case study in the State University of Bahia – UNEB
Jerônimo Freire Instituto Natalense de Educação Superior – INAES facen.dir@ipeprn.edu.br
Arnon Alberto Mascarenhas de Andrade UFRN – PPGED arnon_andrade@uol.com.br
Gilmara A. Cavalcante Faculdade de Ciências Empresariais e Estudos Costeiros de Natal – FACEN gialcar@zipmail.com.br
TEMA: Questões de qualidade institucional relacionadas a aspectos da Educação à Distância, Flexível e Baseada em TIC. CATEGORIA: Educação pós-secundária ou universitária The state of art knowledge of the communication and information process with emphasis on the educational environments, mainly from superior education, is very important so that if it can plan the future scenes. Data from literature confirm the importance of the digital supports, mainly the Internet, as enrichment factor of the methodologies used in the pedagogical process. This work has as proposal to evaluate the opinion of the students about the University of the Future with the objective of collaborate in the research for the Technology and Communication use. The case study was the procedure adopted and it was applied to a group of 36 students from the half-actual course of specialization in Social Communication teaching from the Department of Human Sciences III – UNEB (Juazeiro – BA), using a qualitative analysis of two blocks of questions related to aspects of academic past from the interviewed students and the future of the university, respectively. The analyses realized affirm the forecasts of the educational scene to the University of the Future, connected, assisted by auxiliary technologies, with actions from its main actors, and important for the challenges of the society of the knowledge that “beats our door”. Keywords: new technologies, educational scenes, supports, education on distance, future of the universities
2 1 – Introduction It is common to imagine the educational activity which is submitted the student, associated with the professor’s lesson and notes taken in these synchronous moments. This is an old ritual, from the conception that the teachers have all knowledge and only they present the contents. The student in this scene is passive and his evolution in studies depends, in part, to the actual class, his searches in books, papers, and others. The experiences show that to teach doesn’t means that the student can learn; in reality, to learn someone depends much more from his desire of learning than the teacher wants to teach that. However, external factors to the classroom, proportionate by New Technologies of Information and Communication (mainly the Internet) created situations of stimulation to the assimilation process of the knowledge by the student. We can find opinions from various researches, with total support to the new digital resources. Moran (1998) emphasizes the potential of the electronic networks to the education, with respect to the pedagogical use, when these constitute in knowledge resources, research, as well as support to education, and personal communication. Hackbarth (1997) says that the computer network has characteristics which identify a distinct way of teach-learning. They are: (a) facility of access to the information presented in many formats (texts, sound, images and animations) not found in someone combinations of other resources; (b) availability of the content of the network that, in general, only can be acquired in the original papers from the authors; (c) possibility of sharing of the teacher and students papers with all the world, in an different way from the traditional environment of education; and (d) possibility to influence the attitude of the students who, in general, use the Internet with motivation respect, knowing that it is a top technology, used by the best professionals. The new scene for the cited education is based on the computer and Internet, a typical support, easy to have access, to handle, well pleasant to the directions (audiovisual and interactive), relatively of low cost and that support all professional areas (banks, stores, telecommunications, entertainment, the medias etc). In this form, how does systemize dynamics that propitiate actions of teach-learning that fit with this scene, when activities like to study, to teach, to evaluate, to discipline and to experiment make part of it? It is necessary to rethink new procedures in this amount of information that we are “dived”, considering all the tasks related with the manipulation, filling, recovery and dissemination of information, as well as all types of works that deal directly with symbolic, literal, numerical, visual and auditory data that need to fit to this new referential: the digital one. Citing Levy (1998), “We live today in one of these bordering times at which all the old order of the representations and of the knowledge oscillates, giving place to the imaginary, ways of knowledge and styles of social regulation still few stabilized. (..) a new relation with the cosmos, a new style of humanity is invented.” To think the education about the current and future context demands of us, educators, a reflection well ampler, that contains the rethink of the proper concepts of education and technology, over an integrated view, in the sense of creating pedagogical proposals that include the potentialities that the new
3 technologies, in special the digital support, bring to the process of mediation between its main actors – the teacher and his pupils. As educators and citizen of a world in transition, we must be prepared to coexist with a different education of that which was used in the last few decades, with respect to the environment (physical space), to the use of the supports, to the teach methodology, to the evaluation and to the research that was used by our grandmothers, parents and we ourselves, at the same to similar processes lived by other sectors of the society, as the medicine, the commerce and the transports. It is in course a deep transformation, of world-wide reach, where a new paradigm is found in this base, organized around the technologies of information and communication. Castell (1999) says: “What it characterizes the current technological revolution is not the concentration of knowledge and information, but the application of this knowledge and this information for the generation of knowledge and processing/communication devices of the information, in a cumulative feedback cycle between innovation and its use”. Having this exposition made, this work continues with the reflections about the new educational scenes and presents the result of a research applied to the students of the course of specialization in teach of Social Communication from the Department of Human Sciences III – UNEB (Juazeiro - Ba) in the first semester of 2005. It has as intention to evaluate the answers of the questionings about how will be the University of the future, with respect to the new technologies, evaluating the agreement about the educational supports and practices. 2 – The University has history Brunner (2000) shows that, in the appearing of the writing, we can know a little of the origin of the teach institution - at least that one of where descends the modern school structure, a phenomenon relatively recent. There are few certifications of the existence and functioning of the first medieval schools, before century XV. The historians inform that they were private institutions, dependent of the Church and territorially dispersed in the “old world”. It properly did not have a designed, coordinated and unified school system. However, to teach in these schools, it was necessary a teaching license granted by the responsible bishop for determined jurisdiction. Before, despite they were few ones, it was great the diversity of them, cause they had to take care of to a variety of groups (noble, urban and agricultural people). The education method was the repetition, the students were few and they organized themselves in groups. The education had beginning early, to the nine years old and finished to the fifteen years old. Its objective was to form good Christians and to prepare staff for the ecclesiastical tasks. The courses ware free and, initially, they served only to that wanted to follow the sacerdotal career. The practical education, in turn, was at the hands of the family, of the ateliers and of the community. Only when the universities appear is that the education extends itself beyond the puberty. Exactly thus, There were not yet the notion of a sequential curriculum of disciplines. The literature identifies Salermo (1150), Bologna (1158) and later Paris (1220) as the first universities. In centuries XIV and XV, the schools had grown in many European cities with support of the kings and princes. The freedom of many teachers in giving his lessons of
4 independent form from the power of the church was determinative to the sprouting of some centers of studies, giving origin to the universities. From this set of knowledge offered for an intellectual corporation appeared the term “university” (universitas). The universities left for the schools the teach of the liberal arts and had been with the professional part; however, in century XVIII, the university lives a quandary for clearly not having a concept on its mission. There was a weakness of the faculties of Philosophy and almost the disappearance of the faculties of Theology, while appeared the literary sciences, Filologics and experimentals. In 1737, the German university of Gottinger pioneering placed, between its objectives, to conciliate education and research. But it was in 1809 that the university defined in fact its great paper in the society. Hambold, a German citizen, launched the bases for foundation of the University of Berlin. His main proposal was in the condition to become the university independent and producer of knowledge by means of the research. 3 – Results and Research discussion 3.1 – The Methodology The methodology used in this work encloses one of the areas of the Statistic called Descriptive Statistics. The collection of the data had as method the direct observation, with questionnaires applied as research instruments. In 2005, it was concluded the course of specialization in teach of Social Communication of the Department of Human Sciences III – UNEB (Juazeiro - Ba), with the discipline Popular Movements and Communication. In that occasion it was delivered, for the fulfilling, the questionnaire to the students, which was arbitrary or not to participate of the research. In this form, amongst that had shown interested is distinguished a simple random sample of 24 participants, pointing out that who had made the biggest amount of questions in a small group, minimizing the effect of dispersion in the answers in a bigger group of interviewed. 3.2 – Result Presentation The Descriptive Statistic treated in this work constitutes itself in a set of techniques that objectify to describe, to analyze and to interpret the numerical data of a population or sample. In this work five tables related to the percentile data gotten in the sample are presented and is made immediately a brief interpretation of the results that represent, in synthetic way, the information about the behavior of the numerical variables researched through this process. The tables are presented divided in two blocks with focus, respectively, in the questionings of the past and in the expectations of the future, with respect to pedagogical practical. Block 1 – this block presents the questions related with the university past of our interviewed people, students of after-graduation of the UNEB with technological profile defined in the work published by the authors in specialized
5 magazine (Freire, 2006). We will make a summary of the main data of the pictures for block and later we present our general and comparative analysis. 1. Do you think that you learned all that the teachers taught in the Institution (in your graduation course)? Table 01 – Amount of interviewed and their opinions about the best form of learning in the graduation course. Juazeiro (Ba), 2005. Learning Level Absolute Frequency Percentile Frequency 20% 1 4,2 30% 1 4,2 50% 3 12,5 60% 4 16,7 70% 9 37,5 80% 4 16,7 90% 2 8,3 Total 24 100,0 Font: Primary data
2. Thinking about the process of learning in the Educational Institution, you would say that the best form for which you (in the graduation course) learned was: Table 02 – Amount of interviewed and their opinions about the best form of learning in the graduation course. Juazeiro (Ba), 2005. Interviewed Opinion Learning Forms Yes No 9 15 Through expositive lesson 37,5% 62,5% 6 18 Studying alone in house / library 25,0% 75,0% 10 14 Doing work in group / seminars 41,7% 58,3% 10 14 Doing practical researches 41,7% 58,3% 1 23 Taking information by Internet 4,2% 95,8% Watching classes through long-distance 0 24 courses by Internet 0,0% 100,0% 1 23 Others 4,2% 95,8% Font: Primary data
03. In your opinion, the environments from the majority of the Educational Institutions (physical space, layout, furniture and content presentation equipment) are adjusted to new technologies?
6 Table 03 – Amount of interviewed and their opinions about the best form of learning in the graduation course. Juazeiro (Ba), 2005.
Environments of the Superior Educational Institutions Adjusted to the New Technology Yes No I don’t no Total
Absolute Frequency
Percentile Frequency
0 24 0 24
0,0 100,0 0,0 100
Font: Primary data
We observe in Table 1 that a percentage of approximately 90% of the interviewed ones admits that they had learned above of 50% of everything what it was taught in their graduation course. With bigger prominence for approximately 40% of the interviewed ones that they had defined a level of 70% learning. In table 2, with a percentage above of 40% of the interviewed ones, it was registered that best the practices of learning give themselves through the expositive lesson, work in group and practical activities. Another important point is that the totality of the interviewed ones does not agree to watch classes with the use of the Internet. In table 3, 100% of the interviewed ones affirm that the environments of the educational institutions are not adjusted to the implantation of the new technologies. Block 2 – This block consists of two tables of questions that allow the interviewed ones to opine about the University of the future; after the tables, we present a summary of the significant data, for after that to describe the general and comparative analysis. 04. How will be physically the University of the Future? Table 04 – Amount of interviewed and their opinions about the best form of learning in the graduation course. Juazeiro (Ba), 2005. Interviewed Opinion Style of the University of the Future Yes No 2 22 Even today, it will not change 8,3% 91,7% 19 5 More computerized, modern, with more resources 79,2% 20,8% 0 24 Small reforms, more elevators, more illumination, cleaner 0,0% 100,0% 2 22 Smaller, with few students, with small classrooms 8,3% 91,7% 1 23 Bigger, with more buildings, more classrooms 4,2% 95,8% 2 22 More laboratories 8,3% 91,7% 3 21 There will not be physical space, it will be virtual 12,5% 87,5% 2 22 Interlinked buildings, closer 8,3% 91,7% 1 23 More books, bigger libraries 4,2% 95,8% Font: Primary data
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05. How will learn the college student of the future? Table 5 – Amount of interviewed and their opinions about the best form of learning in the graduation course. Juazeiro (Ba), 2005. Forms of Learning of the students in the University of the Interviewed Opinion Future Yes No With teacher, TV / Video and some classes on distance by the 12 12 Internet (via teach platform) 50,0% 50,0% Some classes with teacher and others on distance by Internet 10 14 (half-actual) 41,7% 58,3% With teacher supported by TV and Video (videoconference – 6 18 teleconference) 25,0% 75,0% 0 24 Only with the teacher – expositive classes e de campo 0,0% 100,0% The own student will learn through the Internet, will mount his 2 22 courses, will only make the tests in the University (in actual form) 8,3% 91,7% 0 24 Only by courses on distance by Internet 0,0% 100,0% Font: Primary Data
Table 4 shows that approximately 80% of the interviewed ones affirm that the university of the future will be modern, computerized and with more resources. An interesting point is that only 4.2% of the interviewed ones believe that the library will be bigger and will have more books. A significant data has relation with the teacher. According to analysis, 95.8% of the interviewed ones don’t agree to the idea that the teacher will be substituted. All the participants don’t agree to the idea that the books in paper will leave to exist. Among important data, we find the constants in the last table, according to which the majority agrees that the expositive class centered in the teacher will leave to exist; only the technology will not responsible for the success of the student. 4.0 – Final Considerations. The Education influences each one of the man’s dimensions, that is, the person as an individual being, as a member of the family, as a citizen, as an apprentice for all the life, as participant of aesthetic and leisure activities, as a consumer and as a producer of good and/or services (Parnell, 1995). Such papers generate actions that influence many aspects of his community life, amongst them the politician, government, demography, services of health, activities of production of goods and services, work, social security, education and science and technology systems, not intending to have an exhausting list (Enrique, 1999). Most educational institutions, from a physical structure, presents itself as a building in a box form with uncomfortable seats, tables and blackboard for the process of teach-learning in the actual form by the teacher, although, with respect to comfort related with illumination and climatization, it is much better. This reflection is based in the answers given in tables 3 and 4. With respect to the development and use of the supports for the University of the Future, this research emphasizes the use of the digital resources over the manual supports (paper). We can point the innumerable advantages of these supports for the teaching already consecrated in the
8 present. Among them, the reduced cost, the process speed, the potential amplitude of access and dissemination, the data inclusion based on time (video, audio and animation), the easiness of update and/or include new data, the search and indexation functions of articles and the hypertext network with anchors for other similar documents. One another important point of this research is in the approach percentage of 95% of that don’t believe the physical magnifying of the Library and the increase of the quantity of books. With the possibility to access libraries, information centers and databases via telecommunication networks, hardly the investments will go for magnifying and increase of the number of books in the library of the future. In contrast, it will decrease the number of persons who make the real access in comparison to ones that make the virtual access. The education affected the past of the communities, is affecting the present and will affect the future. In our analysis, we limit to a small percentage of interviewed that are inserted in this society with focus in superior education (State University of the Bahia). The collected data and the analyses support the forecasts of the educational scene of the University of the future, connected, assisted by auxiliary technologies, with action of its main actors, important for the challenges of the knowledge society that “beats our door”. Bibliographical references LEVY, Pierre. O futuro do pensamento na era da informática. As Tecnologias da Inteligência. São Paulo, editora 34, 1998. MORAN, J. M. Mudanças na comunicação pessoal: gerenciamento integrado da comunicação pessoal, social e tecnológica. São Paulo: Paulinas, 1998. HACKBARTH, S. Integrating Web-Based Learning Activities into School Curriculums. Educational Technology, Englewood Cliffs (New Jersey), v. 37, n. 3, p. 59-66, 1997. FREIRE, J; ANDRADE, A; CAVALCANTE, G. Revista Técnica do FIPEP, São Paulo, vol. 6, N.1 – pág. 9, 2006. CASTELLS, M. “A Revolução da Tecnologia da Informação”. A Sociedade em rede. São Paulo, Paz e Terra, 1999. BRUNNER, J. J. Educação: cenários de futuro. Novas Tecnologias e sociedade da Informação. Em formato eletrônico. www.preal.cl visitado em 12/01/2006. PARNELL, D. (1995). Whydo I have to learn this? Teaching the way people learn best. Waco, TX: CORD Communications. HENRIQUES, P. T. C. (1999). Changing of paradigm: developing a contemporary strategy for technological education in Brazil. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.