A Aprendizagem Baseada em Problemas (PBL) em um curso de curta duração para formação de empreendedores

Abstract

This dissertation was presented and defended in the Master's Program in Education of the Universidade do Oeste Paulista - Concentration Area: Educational Institution and Educator's Training (UNOESTE). Unlike the traditional model of teaching, which treats students as passive recipients of knowledge, Problem-Based Learning (PBL), it uses problems to encourage, motivate and, above all, promote learning through a methodology active teaching. The PBL emerged in the late 1960s with the aim of improving the teaching of health related subjects, however, over the years, other areas also began to use it as a pedagogical practice. In view of the above, the present research has the general objective of analyzing the application of the Problem Based Learning (PBL) method in a short course for the development of skills needed by entrepreneurs. This research was carried out according to the qualitative, research-intervention type. For this purpose, the PBL was applied as a teaching and learning strategy in a city in the interior of São Paulo during the course of seven weeks, with a single meeting lasting approximately two hours and thirty minutes each week. With regard to the participants of the research, there were 20 people, men and women, of different ages and areas of formation. For the data collection, we used the observation and later description of the classes; analysis of the work produced by the students; application and analysis of PBL evaluation questionnaires and self-evaluation of performance, as well as conversations among participants made in groups by the Whatsapp messaging application. Finally, the interpretation and discussion of the data were worked through the content analysis of Bardin. Regarding the results, it was possible to verify that most of the students considered having developed attitudes and abilities when studying with the PBL, which resulted in the development of certain entrepreneurial skills. Concerning the legitimacy of the PBL, although most of the students evaluated it in a positive way, there were also statements that a hybrid methodology, mixing the PBL with expository classes, would, in their view, be the ideal. Finally, some limitations and suggestions for improvements for future research were also pointed out. In this way, the PBL, as it was used in this research, proved to be efficient as a methodological resource capable of developing the necessary skills for the entrepreneurs.