A experiência de tornar-se universitário no ensino remoto : “não tinha caído a ficha que eu estava na UFMG”

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students who enrolled in undergraduate programs at UFMG between 2020/02 and 2021/02 became acquainted with the university through Remote Learning, far from the campuses and the shared experiences in its various spaces, a reality not unlike many other universities in Brazil. Grounded in Heidegger's concept of dwelling, we understand that the university campus both invites and delimits the ways in which students live their lives, their academic journey, and their education. It is in the intercorporeal and interaffective coexistence among students, as they interact and mutually affect each other in shared spaces, that the process of becoming a university student takes place. This process involves cocreation of social worlds and affiliation with a new culture. Based on these understandings and recognizing that the experience of entering university has its specificities, challenges, and opportunities, this dissertation sought to comprehend the phenomenon of becoming a university student based on the experiences of students who entered university during Remote Learning. The specific objectives were as follows: 1) to understand, based on the literature, the ways of becoming a university student in the in-person and Remote Learning formats; 2) to describe the experience of entering university and becoming a university student during Remote Learning, based on students' accounts; 3) to consider the implications of Remote Learning for the process of becoming a university student. The methodological approach followed the principles of phenomenological-existential hermeneutic qualitative research. Two focus groups were conducted with undergraduate students who began their courses at UFMG during the remote period, using the following guiding questions: What was the experience like when you initially arrived at UFMG in person? What was it like to enter university during Remote Learning? The analysis of the recorded and transcribed narratives revealed four thematic units, named using fragments from the students' statements: 1) "I am part of UFMG, but it's not the same; something is missing"; 2) "One eye on the screen and the other on my home"; 3) "I didn't put in as much effort as I would have liked"; "I wasn't performing as well"; 4) "Social interaction is a bit odd." From the participants' accounts, it is evident that Remote Learning did not replicate the university experience in all its dimensions, opportunities, and ways of experiencing university life as it is in the in-person format. Despite the technological resources and pedagogical strategies employed in this context, a sense of detachment persisted, not only on a physical level but also as a feeling of not belonging for those students who had just arrived and were not yet familiar with university life. The research demonstrated that it is through encounters with others that new students discover what it means to be part of the academic world and the common paths to be followed. However, through screens and digitalplatforms, Remote Learning students were unable to share the affective and intercorporeal nuances that permeate an environment experienced collectively. Consequently, they did not feel like undergraduate students and did not feel a sense of belonging to UFMG. These results contribute to discussions about remote university education and pave the way for further studies and reflections on the subject.