As múltiplas faces da evasão na educação superior a distância: a experiência do curso de tecnologia em gestão ambiental do IFRN em dois pólos de apoio presencial

This research presents a reflection on the dropout rates in higher education courses available through distance education in a context marked by deep changes in various spheres of society and by the uncontrolled growth of this educational method. For this, the object of analysis is related to the reality of students of Technology in Environmental Management offered by the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia, Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, through the distance education in presence support poles located in Mossoró (RN) and Martins (RN). In this field research development several strategies of data collection are used, such as participant observation of reality; analysis of documents related to distance education and to the classes in Technology in Environmental Management; questionnaires answered by students who dropped the course. The results of such research enable us to say that the dropout rates in distance higher education is mainly referred to the consequences of a combination of aspects involved in the course development, personal difficulties faced by students during the period they attend the lessons and elements inherent in the context in which the course and students are inserted. Nevertheless there are specific situations in which the student may drop the program due to the influence of a single aspect, whether it is inherent in the development of the course, a personal situation, or even a factor determined by the context in which the course or the student belongs to

Prospecção e formação no domínio das competências e habilidades em tecnologia da informação: o caso do projeto metrópole digital em Natal/RN

This study deals with cognitive competences and abilities that are relevant to selection and education regarding Information Technology (IT). These competences relate to problem solving, decision making, and practical intelligence that regard scholar and extracurricular knowledge mobilization. The research aimed to contribute for the improvement of a selection instrument, consisting of five arrays of skills (dealing with objectives and prospection), as well as the development and comprehension of those skills that are involved in IT education. This is done by means of an analysis on the selection instrument used in the first selective process that occurred at Metropole Digital an Institute at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil. This was evaluated aiming to acknowledge IT education (with basic training and emphasis on Web programming and electronics). The methodology used was of quantitative method involving performance scores relating education delivery. An Anova analysis of variance was done along with descriptive analysis involving socioeconomic data that was not observed in the meaningful relations between parental instruction and student performance in the graduate course. These analyses were able to point out the importance and need of the policies for vacancy reservation on behalf of public school students. A Spearman correlation analysis was done considering the instrument selection performance in the training course. The instrument is presented as a predictor that is significantly moderate and presents a good performance in the course as a whole. A Cluster and Regression analysis was also realized in the process. The first analysis allowed finding performance groups (Clusters) that ranged from medium and inferior. The regression analysis was able to point out association amongst criterion variables and the (average performance in basic and advanced modules) and explanatory (five matrixes). Regression analysis indicated that matrix 1 and matrix 3 were pointed out as being the strongest ones. In all the above analysis, the correlation between the instrument and the course was considered moderate. Thus this can be related in some of the aspects present in the course such as emphasis on evaluation itself as well as in technical contents and practical skills (educational ones) and competences and selection skills. It is known that the mediation of technological artifact in cultural context can foster the development of skills and abilities relevant to IT training. This study provides subsidies to reflect on the adoption of selection instrument and IT training in the Institute. Thus the research offers means to achieve a interdisciplinary discussion and enriching of areas such as Psychology and Information Technology; all of which regarding competencies and skills relevant in IT training