Tecnologia de informação como mediadora do processo de aprendizagem na educação superior em administração: o caso do PROIN

Abstract

The technology of information reaches the universities stimulating professors and students into adequating their roles in the educational process. Aiming at identifying meanings, limitations as well as potentialities of the use of information technologies in the Administration Course at the Universidade Federal de Lavras (Lavras - Minas Gerais - Brasil), a complementation was intended in this case study at PROIN/CAPES, installed in the Administration and Economy Department at UFLA, to the verticalization found through qualitative approach with the amplifícation of data collected through the quantitative analysis to the whole research universe, besides seeking for the support offigures which would attest for the veracity ofthe newly found facts. Some characteristics of the teaching-learning relation mediated by the information technology have been determined, which may be interpreted as fear or insecurity towards what is "new". Classes have become more attractive, interesting, of better planned, thus allowing for a better development on the students' behalf; the technology of information and Iearning cannot substitute the professor, as it is only a complementation, altough it does require from the professional a critic attitude concerning his/her conceptions about education. The limitations found are related to the lack of didatic preparation on the professors' behalf as well as the lack of technical capacitation both on the professors'and the students' behalves. Moreover, the primitive conceptions of the projecfs planning were not reached. One conclusion reached is that it is necessary to set up criteria under which the professors will conciously select their options concerning the use oftechnology in education in a criticai way, analysing their limits and potentialities based on their conception of education and the contextualized analysis of the environment to which the students, professors and schooling institutions belong. Through the knowledge of such factors allied to the needs imposed by the job market one may glimpse an approximation of both, without implying in a loss of specificity for education nor despising the opportunity offorming a critic, conscious citizen, ready to face the job market.