O desenvolvimento curricular em estrutura modular

: um estudo do sistema modular em duas escolas profissionais

Abstract

The focus of this research, which integrates the Master of Education dissertation in Education Sciences, in the specialized area of Pedagogical Supervision and Teachers‟ Evaluation, presented to the Faculdade de Educação e Psicologia da Universidade Católica Portuguesa the Curricular Development in Modular Structure, its specificity and potentialities. Thus, this research aimed to inquire, in the vocational schools within its scope, if and in what way this modular system is being implemented / developing, how the schools‟ leaderships regard it, how both teaching and learning are being processed. This study has been supported by a theoretical framework related to areas such as curriculum and curricular development, with a specific timeframe (from the 1930‟s to the 1990‟s), to understand the theories substantiating the said curricular practice, and whether this organizational model corresponds to a better adaptation to the new emerging school: the “school for the masses”, a school for all. In its empirical component, this research has followed a method of qualitative approach, based not only on interviews made to relevant participants, but also in-class observation and documental analysis. The resulting data was observed with the appropriate instruments, described and justified in the study, therefore proving the conclusions sustained, holding the objectivity proper to a descriptive study. This research was developed in two private vocational schools in Porto, and the data was gathered using the semi-structured interviews to their pedagogical directors, course coordinators, teachers and students, in-class observation of four subjects and documental analysis of the two schools‟ educational projects. The study showed that after twenty-five years, the modular structure is still being implemented in vocational schools, albeit with inefficiencies, and although its structural principles are known by the participants, few are applied. The modular structure is used with contradictions, as there is acceptance to traditional reasoning, but also a mixture of teaching practices. Regarding the evaluation, the “test mode” is the predominant element, which indicates a divergence concerning the purpose of the curricular model.
The setup of teaching and learning spaces is a traditional one, although practices outside the classroom were also observed. Both schools showed openness towards the community, not only because of the activities included in modules, as well as those integrated in community programmes, but also because of the development and accomplishment of the Professional Training Program as well as the Final Evaluation of the Professional Project, in which consolidated partnerships were observed.

Date of Award	5 May 2017
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Maria do Céu Roldão (Supervisor)