Educação a distância e desenvolvimento rural : uma análise a partir do curso técnico a distância em agricultura nos polos de Canguçu e de São Lourenço do Sul (RS).

Abstract

This PhD thesis written in the Program of Graduate Studies in Regional Development of UNISC (University of Santa Cruz do Sul), provides an analysis of deployment Distance Courses aimed to professionally qualify farmer’s family in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul. Taking the Technical Course in Agriculture deployed in distance learning mode at two southern towns (Canguçu and São Lourenço do Sul) of Rio Grande do Sul State as empirical reference, is placed in question the contribution itself this expansion strategy of vocational education in rural areas through information technologies. Linked to the System Open School Technique of Brazil, launched in 2007 by the Brazilian government through the Ministry of Education and Culture with the purpose of offering professional and technological distance education, "democratizing access to technical courses in high level", which in 2011 was renamed Network e-Tec Brazil, the Technical Course in Agriculture which is the present thesis object of study is conducted, mostly by family farmers of the two municipalities where they are located Centers for Distance Education. It aims, in this sense, not only extend access to technical and vocational education for the farming families, but also through this access, contribute to the development of this type of agriculture, on the assumption that education is a fundamental dimension to the socioeconomic, political and cultural development of individuals, regions and society. This relationship is called into question in this thesis. Does technical and professional education accessed through distance courses offered from this public policy democratize access to education in rural areas where it is offered? Is it able to discuss the dynamics of development of rural areas, especially family farming, placing it as "development mechanism of family farming"? If, in fact, it contributes to the development of family farming in the area where courses are offered, do that development "promote" and that family farming serve? These were the questions that guided the survey, which resulted in this doctoral thesis here presented. Issues from the point of view of the research design, brought to face analytically from a set of data collection strategies: survey documents on the implementation of the Technical Course in Agriculture in the cities of Canguçu and São Lourenço do Sul, interviews with students while the study were taking the Technical Course in Agriculture offered in both cities, interviews with tutors, teachers, and coordinators of the Technical Course in Agriculture. From the theoretical and methodological assumptions adopted, the results of the research carried out indiscriminate about historical processuality the implementation of the course studied, to the contradictions and conflicts that are present in the context of implementation and realization of courses by students, sons and daughters family farmers. In this sense, the study indicates that students feel valued (personally and professionally) with access to technical and vocational education offered is understood that it is possible, by type of education by distance, balance work, family and study, observed that the distance learning mode allows access to technical and vocational education without abandoning the family and the farm, on the other hand, the finding of weakness in terms of financial resources and infrastructure to the completion of the course, the limited scope and selective students, uncertainty as to the very continuity and maintenance of the course, a pedagogy that emphasizes the competitive integration of family farming in the market, diminishing the questioning of the dynamics of family agriculture development in the region where the course is held, point to contradictory processes of social selectivity of social reproduction of inequality and social relations in agriculture based on the assumption of economic and competitive integration of family farming.