Há Aprendizagem que não seja Ativa?!

Definições, Irresoluções, Algumas Provocações e demais Considerações sobre Aprendizagem Ativa no Ensino Superior

Abstract

The present paper emerges from the educational project EQuIPES – Study of the Quality and Pedagogical Innovation in Higher Education, based on the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, and which main goal is to characterize and contribute to the quality of faculty’s pedagogical practices at this Higher Education Institution, with a special focus on Active Learning. Active Learning has been broadly announced in the discourse concerning Higher Education, at a national and international level. Relevant conceptual and definition issues subsist, however, as well as practical issues. In light of its advocated relevance in the context of Higher Education, as well as its centrality to the EQuIPES project, we propose to undertake the following in the present paper: (i) to explore the relevance of implementing Active Learning methodologies and/or strategies in Higher Education; (ii) to identify and describe Active Learning methodologies and strategies used in Higher Education; (iii) to analyze the concept(s) of Active Learning and discern its key-dimensions; and (iv) to make considerations about questions that have not yet been answered to, as well as critical areas in this field, namely referring to lines of research that could contribute to enlighten those who research Active Learning and/or those who implement Active Learning practices and, furthermore, to strategies to support the dissemination of practices oriented to Active Learning in Higher Education. These goals guided a revision of studies published on Active Learning in Higher Education, which underpins the present paper. Here, and starting from the premise that Active Learning is an ally of pedagogical quality in Higher Education, it might be crucial to accompany faculty, on the one hand, in reflecting on their pedagogical practices and, on the other hand, in incorporating Active Learning methodologies and/or strategies, namely in the context of projects associated to ways of being a teacher and practicing teaching in Higher Education.