ACTIVE METHODOLOGIES IN VOCATIONAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION - CONTRADICTIONS AND POSSIBILITIES

Abstract

This study analyzes the contradictions and possibilities of active methodologies in light of critical pedagogies within Professional and Technological Education (EPT). The investigated problem refers to the tensions between the growing use of active methodologies and the theoretical-critical foundations that guide integrated education. The general objective was to examine the representations of pedagogical practices in the teaching plans of technical courses integrated into upper secondary education across three campuses of the Federal Institute of Paraná (IFPR) regarding the use of active methodologies, identifying the contradictions and possibilities that emerge in light of critical pedagogies. A total of 438 documents referring to 13 courses were analyzed. The qualitative research was conducted in two stages: a literature review, including authors from EPT, critical pedagogies, and active learning methodologies; and a documentary analysis of the Teaching and Faculty Work Plans (PTD) obtained from the Teaching and Work Plan Platform (PLANIF). The data were organized in an analytical matrix with categories defined a priori: Critical Pedagogies (CP), Non-Critical Pedagogies (NCP), and Active Methodologies (AM), and examined through Content Analysis (Bardin, 2016). The results indicate that although there is significant use of active methodologies, 77.6% of the plans align with non-critical approaches, revealing a certain contradiction between institutional discourse and declared practices. The findings reveal challenges related to teacher training and the persistence of an education oriented toward the market, while also indicating a movement toward breaking with the banking model of education.