Extensão curricularizada na prática: desafios, dificuldades e possibilidades

Abstract

University extension as a practice in higher education institutions has been a reality for some time. It became mandatory for all undergraduate courses after the publication of resolution no. 7 of 2018, with the requirement to constitute 10% of the workload for all courses starting in 2021. University extension is an academic practice characterized by the interaction of the institution of higher education with society, aiming to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences between the institution and the community. However, in practice, is extension achieving its objectives in institutions ? How are projects in extensionist disciplines being developed since the mandatory inclusion in the curriculum? In an attempt to answer these questions, the objective of this study is to analyze documents related to the curricularized extension of a University Center in the interior of the state of São Paulo, seeking evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of extension as a training process aligned with its goals as proposed in theoretical and legal requirements. To achieve this, a bibliographic survey and documentary research were conducted on 29 extensionist disciplines taught in the first semester of 2023. The results showed that there is an effort to meet the assumptions of extension, especially regarding the role of extension in professional training. However, there are difficulties in establishing clear objectives for the community and in evaluating the impacts of extension. This difficulty may be due to the inexperience and limited time with extensionist disciplines, as teachers are accustomed to thinking about educational objectives for students and not for the community. One possibility for a change in this aspect is to intensify training in a dialogical format, allowing teachers to bring their difficulties and share them with others in search of collective solutions. However, it is important to emphasize the role that extension plays in professional training, placing undergraduate students in contact with the reality of the community and seeking ways to solve real problems according to the training profile of each area. Additionally, it brings the institution closer to the community, contributing to the exercise of citizenship and the integration of future professionals into the world of work. It is important to highlight that institutions should propose evaluation instruments for actions and resolution indicators to measure the impacts on the community. Such instruments are essential so that teachers and students can plan their actions more accurately, truly seeking to improve the quality of life for the community targeted by the extension.