13/06/2005

What’s going on in the Brazilian Higher Education System?

Carmem Maia

Andreia Santos

Higher Education in Brazil

Overview

Higher Education in Brazil Higher Education Reform Distance Education Policies for Distance Education Ethnographic Research Online courses

Higher Education in Brazil

Higher Education in Brazil

Number of students per year Public & private universities (75% private HE) Profile of the Brazilian undergraduate student Courses Market Needs

Higher Education in Brazil

Higher Education ReformMain proposed points:

Social Responsibility

Commitment to academic freedom

Promotion of cultural diversity Characteristics of universities

Democratic management of the institutions (social representatives and members of the community)

Higher Education in Brazil

Main proposed points - continued

University autonomy (financial)Increased professional recognition of

academics and administrative staffCareer Plan Institutional Development Plan (PDI)Every 5 years (signed commitment to meet and

improve educational quality standards; offer increased community services)

Higher Education in Brazil

Main proposed points - continued

Politics of affirmative actions

Equal opportunities and social inclusion actions

Allocation of racial quotas to HE access

50% of places in public universities

ProUni

Increase of funding for public universities

70 – 75%

Higher Education in Brazil

Controversial Points

Many polemic points:

More autonomy for private universities Distance Education – New Technologies Educational bureaucracy

Increase of qualified tutors

Quality standards

Higher Education in Brazil

2nd proposal – what has changed?

Reservation of places – 50% to public education; Distance Education; Autonomy for private HE; Community Council – non “punitive”; 50% HE Institutions faculty = MS (25% PHD); Evening courses offered by public institutions;

Higher Education in Brazil

Distance Education in Brazil

More than 50 years Printed material – literacy – bad quality From 15 years – web-based Corporative e-learning HE and Distance Learning – institutions and

courses

Higher Education in Brazil

Distance Education in Brazil - continued

Main technologies for Higher Education Virtual Networks Brazilian Open University

Higher Education in Brazil

Distance Education – legislation in Brazil

Distance Education has been legally indicated in the “Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional” (LDB, 1996)- Law for National Education.

Distance Education could be used for fundamental, second and higher education

Higher Education in Brazil

Policies in Distance Education

Formal legalization is still in process:

LDB art. 80 – for public discussion- available at MEC’s website

- 20% of total amount o hours studied in a course can be taken at a distance;

- Face-to-face exams

Higher Education in Brazil

Digital divide

IBGE – Brazilian Institute of Statistical Geography

15.3% Brazilian homes have a computer;

11.4% are connected to the internet

Program: Connected PC – cheaper computers (to be launched last April but postponed)

Higher Education in Brazil

Some more numbers…

Corporate sector: 2 million Brazilians study online

51 registered courses by MEC – only 90.000 people study online

Higher Education in Brazil

Distance Education - technologies

Teleduc (made in Brazil, delivered free of charge)

AulaNet – PUCRJ Blackboard WebCt

Higher Education in Brazil

The Experience at Unis@Digital

Institutions have to be “approved and registered by the Ministry of Education” to be able to offer courses

10 quality indicators used by the committee

The institution has to :

1) be integrated with national standards for national HE

Higher Education in Brazil

Quality indicators

2) Have a project design (with a specific ‘identity’)

3) Have a multidisciplinary team

4) Emphasise communication and interaction between tutor and students

5) Provide quality in educational resources

Higher Education in Brazil

Quality indicators

6) Provide appropriate infra-structure

7)Have continuous and encompassing course quality evaluations

8) Ideally have partnerships

9) Provide good information about the courses

10) Consider costs for implementation and maintenance of courses

Higher Education in Brazil

The experience at Unis@Digital

6-month ethnographic experience

1st year undergraduate course – blended learning

Resistance from faculties and students Face-to-face component Assessment

Higher Education in Brazil

Demos

Un s@ t i Digi a

Anhembi-Morumbi

http://www2.anhembi.br/html/ead/

http://www.anhembi.br/unidadeweb

Higher Education in Brazil

Thank you!

Carmem Maia – London Knowledge Labcarmem@anhembi.br

Andreia I. Santos – The Open University- UKa.i.santos@open.ac.uk