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 Reform Main 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 staff Career 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 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  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 6-month ethnographic experience 1 st year undergraduate course – blended learning  Resistance from faculties and students  Face-to-face component  Assessment

Higher Education in Brazil Demos   Anhembi-Morumbi

Higher Education in Brazil Thank you! Carmem Maia – London Knowledge Lab Andreia I. Santos – The Open University- UK