A ocupação de espaços digitais para divulgação de tema transversal em ambiente virtual de aprendizagem na UTFPR: uma abordagem complexa

Abstract

This work examines the means for claiming and occupying available digital spaces for disclosing social themes in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), in a University with technological characteristics. For that, the importance of providing a digital element as a resource for including transverse themes into didactic electronic archives accessible to the students is highlighted. The need to fully understand the importance of practices that adopt the linear and reductionist thinking derived from the classical logic and the comprehension of its limitations, that can be overcome with alternative approaches were the starting point for this research. The questions posed by the duality between Technology and Education, considering a complexity point of view associated with a transdisciplinar approach, allowed the integration of a diversity of elements such as: the use of technological resources in Education, the communication role in the learning process, pedagogical practices, educational issues, transversal themes and a VLE. From that, novel and challenging connections could be established. Examining the aspects of Education Emergent Paradigm along with the responsibilities attributed to the Brazilian Educational System induced a wide range preoccupation over legal questions associated to the educational context. The research structure is based on the complexity theory proposed by Edgar Morin, aligned with the transdisciplinarity ideas suggested by Basarab Nicolescu. The scope on the Education field included: progressist observations from Paulo Freire works, innovative pedagogic model from Maria Aparecida Behrens, communication in Education from José Manuel Moran, technological possibilities considering the views from Andrew Feenberg, Pierre Lévy e Lucia Santaella, and, finally, the thought from Isabel Petraglia, who suggests that the school should merge antagonistic dualities such as: reason and emotion or theory and practice. This investigation aims at structuring the process for developing and inserting a digital element of transdiciplinarity suggestion (ovst) to highlight the potential usage of available spaces in a VLE and provide visibility to transdisciplinarity in Education. To fulfill this objective, besides a thorough references examination and the derived connections development, a survey which involved the inclusion of an ovst in courses posted in the VLE-Moodle, at Federal University of Technology of Parana. To support the theoretical and methodical approach and guide the field research, the Content Analysis Techniques proposed by Laurence Bardin, were applied. The characteristics of the courses in the VLE were identified by specific set of criteria seeking to verify the occurrence of Environmental Education, a social and transdisciplinar theme, inside them. The analysis indicated that there is low level of transdisciplinar practices by UTFPR lecturers. This research has confirmed that it is possible to promote the dialogue between different disciplines. Additionally, the flow of a complexity thought for the examined field could be demonstrated. The contributions of this research are the extensive references review on the virtual objects, a consistent approach to explore the materials posted in the VLE and a proposed systematic to structure and define an ovst involving themes with distinct points of view.