EDUCAÇÃO A DISTÂNCIA NO TOCANTINS: A IMPLANTAÇÃO DOS POLOS DA UNIVERSIDADE ABERTA DO BRASIL (2007 – 2015)

Abstract

Distance Education - EaD is a teaching modality that has its own characteristics, among them the flexibility of time and space that allows its constant expansion, the increase of supply and demand, besides becoming a tool for social inclusion, already which as an alternative of training uses and creates information, knowledge and competence to support the intellectual development of the human being. In order to carry out this public policy of expansion and internalization of the EaD, it is necessary to implement the poles of physical attendance, which is the physical and operational space for carrying out the mandatory presential activities of the courses offered, in addition to promoting socioeconomic development in the municipality and environment where it is deployed. In Tocantins, EaD, as a mediated and effective teaching methodology, has been transforming the reality of hundreds of people and reclassifying basic education teachers throughout its implementation in 2006, with great acceptance for the democratic way it is founded and internalized, avoiding the migration flows to the largest cities and other states in Brazil, as well as flexible learning and superior and technical training that proposes and that consolidates each year. With this focus, this research sought to identify the transformations generated in the socioeconomic development of the municipalities and environments where the EADS poles are implemented, perceived by the macro and managerial vision of the coordinators of the poles that offer distance courses through the Open University of Brazil - UAB and other federal programs, such as Rede e-Tec Brasil, maintained in partnership with the state government. Toreachtheobjectives, theresearchisclassified as exploratoryanddescriptive, using standard techniques for data collectionand a qualitativeandquantitative approach in theanalysisoftheresultsthatwereproducedbasedonbibliographical,documentaryandapplicationofthequestion naireswithquestions open andclosedtothoseinvolvedonthesubjectanddaily, whichmade it possibletoverifythenumerouschangesproducedlocally, amongthem, greateraccesstohigher education, betterremunerated professional training opportunitiesandconsequentlyeconomicgrowthwhichreflectsonthesocioeconomicdevelopmentofthemunici pality, its surroundingsandtheentirestate. Severaltheoristsandauthorssupportedthetheoreticalcontributionofthisworkbytheparityoftheresearchestheyd evelopedexpressed in books, scientificarticles, dissertations, theses, amongothers.