Distance learning (EaD) in higher education is far from a novelty. However, in recent years, with advances in technology and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this educational model has gained many supporters who had previously been reluctant to begin undergraduate studies in an online format.

The expansion of distance learning was reflected in the data from the 2021 Higher Education Census, released last year by the Anísio Teixeira National Institute for Educational Studies and Research (Inep). Between 2011 and 2021, the number of new students enrolled in undergraduate programs through distance learning increased by 474%. Looking specifically at enrollment in teacher-training programs, of the 1,648,328 enrollments of this type in 2021, 35.6% were at public institutions and 64.4% at private institutions. Enrollment in in-person teacher-training programs accounted for 39%, while distance learning accounted for 61% of the total. 

The current state of Brazilian higher education, as evidenced by these census figures, calls for reflection and efforts to improve the distance learning model. In teacher-training programs, the reputation of distance learning is subject to some reservations regarding its effectiveness in the initial training of teachers.

According to Romero Tori, an associate professor at USP’s Polytechnic School, the quality of learning is not tied to the media used, but rather to the methodology and qualifications of the faculty.

“It is possible to achieve just as much effectiveness and quality in a traditional classroom as in online courses, just as it is possible to encounter low quality in both settings. Therefore, it is possible to fully train teachers through distance learning, without falling short of courses limited to a physical space. If there is a need for practical experience in physical settings—for training early childhood educators, for example—this will be addressed through internships, which, incidentally, would be just as necessary if the training took place in traditional classrooms, since this type of practical experience cannot be learned in a classroom,” says Tori.    

Celso Niskier, CEO of the Brazilian Association of Higher Education Institutions (ABMES), points out that the private higher education sector is responsible for training more than 70% of Brazil’s new teachers. “Private higher education institutions have been investing heavily in learning and teaching methodologies so that all students—including those in teacher-training programs—can graduate with a high-quality education, regardless of the mode of instruction they choose, whether in-person or online.”

In this context of investing in technology in general to improve the student experience, João Mattar, a professor in the Graduate Program in Intelligence Technologies and Digital Design at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP) and director of International Relations at the Brazilian Association of Distance Education (ABED), emphasized that discussions about the effectiveness of distance learning courses are not a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which merely further fueled this debate. 

“Several studies show that learning through distance education is no worse—and may even be better—than in-person learning. But when combined with blended learning (hybrid learning), the results are even better. The same can be said for the training of new teachers,” says Mattar, who adds: “Distance learning can contribute to teacher training just as much as in-person and hybrid training. But when these programs do not utilize technology, they are at a disadvantage, because teachers will be required to have digital skills, just as their students will also expect these skills from their teachers.”

In contrast, George Stein, founding director of Geostein Engenharia de Aprendizagem, believes that the potential loss of quality in distance learning for teacher training lies in the standardization of the process. He explains that the 100% distance learning model fails to provide future teachers with the classroom experience that would allow them to take on the role of a learner in practice, where they can observe, from a different perspective, the kind of classroom they experienced as children. 

“The distance learning model that can be effective in teacher training is the hybrid format, which includes an on-campus component. This makes it possible to conduct activities primarily focused on classroom practices so that new teachers can observe and experience the dynamics of the physical environment,” Stein points out. 

Access to higher education remains a challenge 

In Brazil, 35.9% of young people aged 18 to 24 are not enrolled in educational institutions and are not engaged in any professional activity. Our country’s so-called “neither-nor” generation ranks second only to South Africa, where 46.2% of young people are in the same situation. The data comes from the study *Education at a Glance 2022*, published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Ensuring young people’s access to and retention in higher education—in both public and private institutions—are challenges that must be addressed through additional public policies and new guidelines for higher education institutions. 

In public education, public policies such as the Higher Education Student Financing Fund (FIES) and ProUni are essential for young people to be able to enroll in undergraduate programs. Romero Tori believes it is essential to strengthen scholarship programs, student loans, and assistance with housing, transportation, and meals, in addition to inclusion policies and quotas, among other measures that prevent dropouts and keep students in college throughout their studies. 

“Ideally, every interested, motivated, and diligent student should be able to pursue their studies without interruptions or interference caused by socioeconomic factors,” says the professor. He also points out that distance learning and hybrid education are formats that can help expand access to education for every citizen. 

On the topic of government programs, Celso Niskier points out that one of the proposals put forward by the private higher education sector is that FIES be restructured so that loan repayments are proportional to the student’s income after graduation. 

“Other aspects also need to be reviewed, such as reassessing the list of requirements for applicants. Prouni also needs to be rethought to serve both higher education institutions and students with full scholarships in programs that are often overlooked, such as medicine. In addition, there needs to be support for students to help them stay in school,” says Niskier. 

He also comments on the reinvention of higher education to meet the needs of students and the job market. “Private higher education institutions have been adopting new teaching and learning approaches aimed at this transformation. Both faculty members and teaching practices need to reinvent themselves. On the other hand, new curriculum guidelines and regulations are needed so that higher education institutions have the freedom to create and reshape this new model of higher education,” concludes Niskier. 

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