DISTANCE LEARNING IN A MILITARY SCHOOL

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1 SomeBest cap09a 8/16/06 3:50 PM Page 79 DISTANCE LEARNING IN A MILITARY SCHOOL Robson Santos da Silva 9.1 Introduction The formation of human talents that compose the variety of necessary personnel for the exercise of the military profession has always been present in the Brazilian Armed Forces. Particularly in the Army, since 1915, there has been of interest to have appropriate conditions for the effectiveness of the established policies and education programs. In that context, seeking for constant evolution, the Department of Teaching and Research (DEP) was created in 1970, with the mission to systematize, to administer and to execute the teaching and research policies in the Brazilian Army. Due to the high number of schools and education levels under its responsibility, including Basic and Higher Education, DEP created the Preparatory and Assistance Teaching Office (DEPA). It is an administrative center for technical-normative support responsable for coordinating the activities in Middle and High School Teaching levels offered in the 12 (twelve) Military Schools under its responsibility. Inserted in this context, there is the Military School of Manaus (CMM). Founded in 1972, it is the only Army Military High School present in the Amazonian Region. Therefore, CMM has some peculiar characteristics, particularly due to the enormous territory under its jurisdiction, and to the logistics difficulties because of its location amid the largest equatorial forest of the world and to the social, economical and cultural diversity present in the Amazonian Region. Such peculiar aspects induces CMM to extrapolate its noble mission, giving an important social meaning to it. The differentiated condition of CMM and its students was decisive for the DEP to approve the creation of the project denominated Distance Learning of the Military School of Manaus (EAD/CMM) in 2002, initially aiming to allow continuity of study for the children of military people in duty in the border areas of Brazilian Amazonian Region. The challenge was: to plan and execute a distance learning project that could assist youths in regular school age, in other words, from 10 to 17-years-old learners, in the Amazonian Region.

2 SomeBest cap09a 8/16/06 3:50 PM Page Distance Learning in Brazil: Best Practices Brief History Figure 9.1 CMM coverage in the Amazonian Region Figure 9.2 CMM coverage in the World The success achieved by the project since its implantation already allows the Army to begin making it into a program, integrating it in a definitive way into the institution s structure. The general picture of the activities developed along the last five years reinforces this tendency: 2002 and The Middle School level was offered to militaries children in border areas located in the Amazonian states and Facing the problems suffered by the youths that accompany their parents in mission in other countries, the project started assisting, also in

3 SomeBest cap09a 8/16/06 3:50 PM Page 81 Distance Learning in a Military School 81 the Middle School level: Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Surinam, Guyana, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, USA, Canada, England, Portugal, Spain, France, Poland, Italy, Russia, China, Indonesia, Mozambique, and Angola. Once the same difficulties are faced by the Navy and the Air Force, the project also started assisting the children of those military personnel It has been established a partnership among the Army, Ministry of Education, the Brazilian Air Force and the General Office of Education of the State of Amazon to initiate distance learning at High School level. Besides the benefits brought in itself, it has been possible for the communities that live around Border Special Platoons (PEF) to be assisted. Now, the project has 275 students located at the places indicated in the maps (see Figures 9.1 and 9.2). 9.3 Conception of the Project The peculiarities of the project demanded a lot of planning and firmness in the adopted actions. However, there was an essential factor in its conception that can be evidenced according to ALVES (1981, p. 42): All knowledge begins with a dream. The knowledge is nothing else than the adventure into an unknown sea in search of the dreamed land. But dreaming cannot be taught. It springs from the profundities of your body, as the water springs from the profundities of the earth. As a teacher I can only tell you a thing: Tell me your dreams so that we can dream together. Many were the doubts that haunted the work team s minds, but there were some that based all the others: How to make distance learning a reality for children? How to break through the borders of teaching to get into education? What didactic materials would be appropriate? How to establish the connections with areas that don t have communication services or regular telecommunications? What are the costs and investments involved? Finally, will it be possible? Does the research made before the implantation of the project correspond to the reality? Hypotheses and critical factors estimated, preliminary measures taken, there was only one alternative: to go on! For this, the first decision to be taken was which pedagogic line should be adopted. The choice was made following the orientations from the Brazilian Educational Law (LDB, 1996) and the Army Educational Law. The option chosen was the pluralism of conceptions and ideas. By centering the actions on the students, it was attempted to reach the objectives together with the development of the abilities and competences. The actions should not look for excessive theory or the overvalue of practicing, but the possibility of application of acquired knowledge in the improvement of conditions for student s learning as a human being and a social component. Even regular education problems are increasingly challenging these days, so how to proceed so that distance learning could obtain success in such an enormous context? According to Assmann (1998), the team should make an effort to design a pedagogic atmosphere capable to allow fascination and inventiveness. Some measures were taken:

4 SomeBest cap09a 8/16/06 3:50 PM Page Distance Learning in Brazil: Best Practices 2006 the making of didactic materials according to the quality standards of the Brazilian Army Military School System, but starting from the peculiarities of Distance Learning, as well as inaccordance to the Traverse Themes and National Curriculum Parameters (PCN), allowing the interaction of cross school subjects; development of interactive games, contents in CD-ROM and DVD, and, most of all, implementation of a virtual atmosphere for learning. 9.4 Administrative and Pedagogic Support To accomplish the administrative and pedagogic administration of the project, the Section of Distance Learning (SEAD) was created, with the following structure: SEAD Chief (Ch SEAD). Management of all aspects related to administrative, technical, and pedagogical works. Subsection of Coordination and Psicopedagogy (SCP). Pedagogical coordination conducted in an interdisciplinary way by integrating knowledge and perfecting the teaching-learning process through the use of psychological and pedagogical theories. Tutoria (Tu). Team of teachers from each subject, who are responsible for assisting students in the teaching-learning process by helping pupils overcome their difficulties, explaining doubts concerned to each school subject, supporting the execution of curriculum tasks, and proposing and applying evaluations. Subsection of Support and Logistics (SALT). It joins the general office, protocol and logistical support. It is a fundamental component of SEAD, once great part of the difficulties is in the logistical aspects and administrative support to students. Guide (Or). Military or teacher designated for supporting students over the places. In the case of overseas, that attribution falls to the student s parents. His or her action is fundamental, since they are responsible for the application of the evaluations and for all the documentation regarding the connections among CMM, students and their responsible. They are also the people in charge of the conduction of the several orientations for administrative procedures such as: enrollments, cancellations, payment of compensations, certification, information on test results, besides the strict contact with the team of tutors of CMM. Military Organizations for Support to EAD/CMM (OM). All Military Organizations that have military whose dependents are enrolled in the courses are considered a support element, since they are a fundamental link for the whole logistic and administrative flow of the project. 9.5 Methodology The team of tutors of SEAD, formed by educators and specialists from each area of the knowledge in the basic education, is the responsible for the preparation of all didactic materials used in the project. The pedagogic structure is based on printed materials. However, different medias are also used so that students can be motivated to study. For that, the section prepares CDs, DVDs, videos and special contents for the Virtual Environment of Learning (AVA) on the web, allowing maximum interactivity. As soon they are ready, the materials are sent in two stages for students. The first is usually executed by the mail service whose responsibility is to deliver materials to the

5 SomeBest cap09a 8/16/06 3:50 PM Page 83 Distance Learning in a Military School 83 main Headquarters of the Military Organizations involved. After that the materials are sent to the Special Border Platoons and other military groups (see maps). The materials travel on Air Force airplanes, the only means of transportation possible in these distant places. Once students receive the materials and study guides, their study is accomplished in an autonomous way. Students doubts can be discussed by means of telephone, FAX, e- mail, in chat rooms and forums in AVA, or even during meetings arranged by the local guides. 9.6 Pedagogic Specifities The course has 200 school days, distributed in four terms of two months each. The Middle School course is structured on the following areas: Portuguese Language, Mathematics, History, Geography, Sciences, English Language, and Interdisciplinary Activities. The High School course is structured in the same way. However, there are some differences, increments and constituents of the following subjects: Portuguese Language, Brazilian Literature, History, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Language, Philosophy, and Sociology. The students permanent attendance is made through pedagogic and administrative evaluations. The verification of the teaching-learning process happens through local evaluations and individual works that, once finished, are sent to SEAD/CMM, where they are corrected and returned to the students for the necessary adjustments. Bimonthly, there are Formative Evaluations (AF), Formal Tests (AS) and Interdisciplinary Works (TI) that will compose the calculations for the students averages along the year. The Formative Evaluation can be in a traditional mode (accomplished at a predetermined time) or time and place of the students choice (in this particular case, the guide must observe only the deadline for sending the works to SEAD). The Formal Tests are individual and applied in prescheduled date and time. The Interdisciplinary Works are based on teachers researches. They are fundamental elements in the evaluation process, according to the Brazilian Educational Laws, since it makes possible the holistic understanding of explored contents at the same time it allows the students to use of their school knowledge in their daily life. For the evaluation of the technica-administrative process in the course, polls are used to collect the necessary information from students, guides, and Commanders for the improvement and validation of the actions. 9.7 Main Challenges The challenges encountered in the project are countless, standing out, mainly: The peculiar difficulties faced by operational Military Organizations of border areas, which hinder the educational attributions. The need to prepare and form guides and parents so that they can be more active in the process, which is highly difficult to meet due to personnel s high rotation. The logistics complexity is immense regarding to time spent so that the materials arrive on planned time as well as the involved operational costs. Nowadays, if takes 20 to 40 days for materials to be on students hands.

6 SomeBest cap09a 8/16/06 3:50 PM Page Distance Learning in Brazil: Best Practices 2006 The need of high initial investment for the implantation of the project. Difficulty of access to computers and the Internet to a significant portion of the students, due to little knowledge on computing or not possessing computers or other communication means. Need of good didactic material to meet the specificities of Distance Learning. The parameters and didactic-pedagogic limits for Distance Learning regarding the target population, particularly, at the Middle School level. 9.8 Innovations Along the process, a series of innovations was implemented. Among those, the following stand out: Development of a specific logistic support system to respond to the peculiarities of the Amazonian Area. Accomplishment of digital inclusion from printed materials to the use of e- learning in less than 4 years of project. Development of a specific methodology for Distance Learning for children, making EAD/CMM a pioneer in this field in the Amazonian Region and one of the most significant experiences in the world. Creation of a specific system of evaluation for the teaching-learning process, meeting the peculiar needs of Distance Learning for children. 9.9 Results 85% of the parents, students and advisors consider the course excellent or very good. The dropout rate of only 6% is considerably lower than the international average for distant learning courses. In 4 years, the number of enrolled students grew about 200%. There is an excellent acceptance of the Didactic Material and of the pedagogic complements made by the SEAD team. Students that left EAD/CMM are fully adapted to the regular teaching, having been accepted in recognized high quality schools in the whole country. In spite of the difficulties in accessing the Internet, the students number that use it for their school activities has duplicated in 4 years, achieving 76% of the pupils Final Considerations Along five years of work, many were the challenges overcame, which can be testified by the satisfaction of the families assisted by the project and by the success that the students have been achieving during their school lives. However, it s still necessary to do many things.

7 SomeBest cap09a 8/16/06 3:50 PM Page 85 Distance Learning in a Military School 85 The problems from complex logistics, the need of high investments, the difficulty of the students to access computers and the Internet is the main factors that should still be solved. For that, SEAD/CMM has not just been counting on the orientation and financial resources of DEP/DEPA, but also with important and relevant organs that work directly for the development of the Amazonian Region. The help provided by the Calha Norte Program (PCN) and the System of Protection of the Amazonian Region (SIPAM) always had a priceless value. New horizons approach, as well as more and more challenges, but the certainty of the importance of accomplished work reinforces the idea that the correct road is being taken and that the project slogan is fully adapted to the challenge Wherever there is Amazonia. At any time, in every place!. To get to know a little more about the project, visit References ALVES, RUBEM. Conversas com quem gosta de ensinar. São Paulo: Cortez, ASSMANN, Hugo. Reencantar a educação: rumo à sociedade aprendente. Petrópolis: Vozes, BELLONI, Maria Luíza. Educação a distância. Campinas: Autores Associados, BORDENAVE, J. As novas tecnologias de comunicação e a educação a distância. Niterói: Centro Educacional, CÚPULA DAS AMÉRICAS. Plano de ação. Brasília: FREIRE, P. Política e educação: ensaios. São Paulo: Cortez, GROSSI, Esther Pillar. A coragem de mudar em educação. Petrópolis: Vozes, IMBERNON, Francisco. A educação no século XXI. Porto Alegre: Artmed, LIBÂNEO, J. C. Democratização do ensino fundamental e médio: a pedagogia crítico-social dos conteúdos. São Paulo: Loyola, LITWIN, Edith (org). Educação a distância: temas para o debate de uma nova agenda educativa. Porto Alegre: Artmed, LOBO NETO, Francisco. Educação a distância: regulamentação. Brasília: Plano, MORIN, Edgar. Os sete saberes necessários à educação do futuro. Trad. Catarina Eleonora e Jeanne Sawaya. 6 ed. São Paulo: Cortez, UNESCO, ROSENBERG, Mark. E-learning. Trad. Luciana Penteado. São Paulo: Mackon Books, Robson Santos da Silva [email protected] Site: