Análise geográfica sobre o espaço virtual de ensino a partir das experiências na educação a distância da Universidade Aberta do Brasil no norte de Minas Gerais

Abstract

Based theoretically in geographical science, based on teaching experience, using imaginative method on postmodern perspective, in part with methods of analysis of historical materialism, dialectics and of qualitative research, we direct our creative freedom of researcher in the construction of this thesis. Our goal is to analyze the virtual space of teaching in information and communication technologies-ICT, through the Open University, in the mode of online education. The intention was to try to answer questions about the differentiated classroom through the virtual teaching and learning environment. How are relations of teachers and students in virtual education environment? Anyway, how can we understand the online education space? The geographical category Space collaborated on approaches in order to figure out our lines of reflection, in the area of distance learning online.The qualitative methodology attached in experience as Geography professor in the usual classroom and UAB/Unimontes teaching, served as a support for the analysis of Open University \"local\"documents in the North of Minas Gerais. The field work in the investigation served to aggregate information about the Open University experiences and to identify teacher perception about the virtual teaching space in other realities, besides Brazil. In this case, we wentto the \"global\" through the European reality in Lisbon/Portugal. So, to explore the reality of the pedagogical proposal of the Unimontes Geography degreecourse (2008), tied to the research on Open University of Lisbon courses methodology (2007) and teachers interviews, we identified that the teaching both face-to-face as distance online, feature a large apparatus from the information and communication technologies- ICT. These move in networks, in various spaces for leisure, work and education. Virtual spaces networks, such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Skype, Hangouts, and others, have access points where all of us are responsible for disseminating large amounts of information. However, the information processing for communication and subsequent knowledge production in the formation of the subject may or may not implement these spaces. Thus, the teacher becomes the main link in the process, leading the student interact and guide knowledge to integral formation. So, they should possess skills and expertise to assume beyond educator the roleof mediator of virtual spaces intersections. In this way, education faces the challenge of forming a professional who knows how to handle the instruments and interpret the digital codes. Educational proposals should target teacher training for skills, time management and organization of information, in different virtual spaces, regardless of the mode of education, whether in person or online. Finally, we contribute with geographic analysis and teaching, through theoretical discussion about the virtual space. Because of the affinity with our training, we suggest that the Geography guide linesshould be reconsidered in the graduation curriculum, for the initial and continuing teacher formation, emphasizing their insertion and their students in the various virtual spaces overthe ICT networks.