Aprendizagem baseada em projetos e o design centrado no ser humano na extensão universitária no curso de Direito

Abstract

The doctoral research was developed within the Postgraduate Program in Education at the University of Oeste Paulista (Unoeste), in the research line 2: Formation and action of teaching professionals and educational practices. The hypothesis guiding the research was that university extension, mediated by project-based learning and human-centered design in the Law degree program, contributes to social transformation and impacts the students' academic education. The general objective was to analyze the development process of an extension project utilizing project-based learning and human-centered design methodologies within a Law degree program. The adopted approach was qualitative and intervention-based, with the research conducted in the Law undergraduate program at a private university located in the interior of São Paulo state, and a charitable organization that supports individuals with visual impairments. The intervention was carried out through an extension project using project-based learning and human-centered design, led by the researcher with a team of 24 Law students, the project was developed alongside 10 individuals with visual impairments who participate in the charitable organization. Data collection instruments included: a) a questionnaire assessing the profiles of the Law students participating in the research and the individuals with disabilities; b) a discussion circle between Law students and visually impaired individuals supported by the Association of the Blind, aimed at identifying potential issues related to the rights guaranteed by the Brazilian Statute of the Persons with Disabilities; c) observation of the discussion among the Law students participating in the research, aimed at identifying the issue and proposing solutions through brainstorming to define the problem and potential approaches to address it; d) the intervention was documented on the Trello platform throughout the data collection process, incorporating project-based learning alongside human-centered design; e) a discussion circle to assess the impact of the extension project on the students' academic education and on social transformation, guided by project-based learning and human-centered design. Data analysis was performed through floating reading and cross-referencing with the theoretical framework, identifying the following analytical axes: the development of a university extension project in the Law degree program; project-based learning for university extension in the Law degree program; and project-based learning and human-centered design. The research concluded that project-based learning and human-centered design offer innovative elements that align with the objectives of university extension. These pedagogical approaches positively influenced the construction of knowledge, thereby making a significant impact on society. The integration of these methodologies fosters autonomy, collaboration, and creativity, enriching both academic learning and social development.