Ensino de Parasitologia no curso de graduação em Medicina Veterinária da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro: um estudo descritivo

Abstract

Veterinary Parasitology teaching has becoming an important issue by several scientific magazines publications. However these studies are rare in Brazil. The current research had the purpose to set out the way knowledge changes and therefore the teaching-learning, can be reflecting on the pedagogic-didactic experience of the Veterinary Parasitology teaching in the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) Veterinary Medicine Graduation Course. The descriptive study was the methodology used. The research was developed with the Animal Parasitology Department Teachers and the Veterinary Medicine Students, from October 2000 to December 2000. The data was obtained by applying student questionnaires, teachers interviews and theoretical and practical classes survey. It was divided into three articulated chapters. First we look for the relation between the university knowledge and the society, the University history, the today University crisis and its renewal proposals. Second we tried to understand the teaching-learning process in the University. In the third chapter we linked the themes from the first and second to the questionnaires results. They reveal teachers and students points of view as well as the way practical and theoretical classes can dialogue with the teacher-student-knowledge in the UFRRJ Veterinary Parasitology teaching context. The results analysis indicate the teachers are considered competent at their functions. A better theoretical and practical classes time management is required in some cases. The practical classes became the most democratic forum for the pedagogical doing and a more progressive educational action. The results also indicate a study organization difficulty among the students, nevertheless they are aware of the parasitology knowledge importance for their professional lives. Testing was considered the best evaluation method. Practical evaluation with free consultation, CD ROM and specific revision aid utilization were initiatives praised by the students. The university teacher attributions go beyond the simply teaching by teachers points of view. They are all involved with research and, although they don´t have a pedagogic specific education, they consider themselves as full educators. Teaching changes, due to the new social realities, are also mentioned as an important necessity. A conjugation of conservative and emancipative pedagogic conceptions exists and the transforming of the teaching into a research field would be a direction to renew and amplify the Parasitology in UFRRJ.