Um estudo da educação a distância via internet em instituições brasileiras de ensino superior pela perspectiva das competências organizacionais

Abstract

The aim of this Dissertation was to describe and to analyze the development of organizational competencies by higher education institutions in Brazil in order to supply distance education courses through internet. Two Brazilian universities authorized by the Ministry of Education to offer distance education courses were investigated through a case study. One of them is located in the South and the other one is located in the Southeast of Brazil. The Dissertation was made up by a descriptive/qualitative research methodology. It is based on testimonials, documental analysis of institution records, direct observation and bibliographical findings were put togheter to shape the scope of the concepts, build the Dissertations conceptual framework and to analyze the results. The conclusion is that in an environment characterized by changes and uncertainties, the higher education institutions investigated are developing competencies in the field of distance education courses through internet because they assume there are opportunities for growth and better performance in the future. As new technologies are incorporated to distance education, a special structure of complex process organization is emerging. The higher education institutions are then being forced to adopt strategies based on greater planning, division of labor and on better organization. In this context, three competencies common to the institutions investigated were identified: the development and administration of a virtual learning platform, the elaboration and production of courses and didactic material and the planning, production and supply of courses. The main means to upgrade the competencies of the institutions are learning by doing (accumulation of on the job experience) and the individual efforts of study and research by their members. The institutions are also forming alliances in order to access the resources necessary to upgrade their competencies. The results indicate that the need to develop competencies to supply distance education courses through internet is leading the higher education institutions investigated to an increasingly incorporation of principles of Business Management in educational activities and also to a possibleapproximation of organizational and individual competencies perspectives in academic research.