Extensão universitária: um estudo de caso desenvolvido a partir das experiências do PRODAC- Programa de desenvolvimento e ação comunitária da PUC-MG

Abstract

This thesis consiste of a case study of the experiments in university extension carried out in within the comunity developmente and action program (PRODAC) of the pontific catholic university of Minas Gerais (PUC-MG). In this study, the educational experiences of the students, professors and communities involved in the various extension activities were assessed. The development of university extension activities at PUC-MG was described, from their bennings in the 60s, through the creation of the denship of extension and community action in 1983, to the completion of the extension activities in Vila Barraginha and Itaguara in 1984. In the context of these activities, focus was on the components of the community development and action program. In particular, progress reports, interviews with participating teachers, students and comunity nembers, as well as the documentary produced by PRODAC in 1983 called "They're talking about our land" ("Essa terra já virou tema") were analyzed. The analyses revealed that university extension programs, ehen approached from a critical, problem-solving point-of-view and with goal of integrating teaching and research, constitute a viable method of integrating theory and practice. The university extension activities of the Comunity Development and action program were also found to be a rich source of teaching experience, a constant stimulus for the reevaluation of theory and the production of new knowledge, as well as an opportunity for participating in the transformation of society and experiencing cross-disciplinary integration.