ABSTRACT.
This study aimed to understand the transformations caused by the advent of Distance Education (EAD) in the Brazilian educational context, particularly in teaching practices. For this, the historical-theoretical reference describes the emergence of EAD learning mode in five different stages to the present, as well as a conceptual characterization of this educational practice. This was a qualitative research with semi-structured interviews with three subjects, teachers who worked in face-to-face and distance education. Data analysis was performed on the testimonies of the teachers’ professional history, comparing the practices of face-to-face and non-face-to-face teaching, and highlighting the problems, the limits and the perspectives of EAD. As a partial conclusion, we point to the risk of higher education in the distance learning modality losing fundamental characteristics of this educational stage: strict and systematic monitoring of the student, diversity of perspectives in the content taught, critical thinking and dialogue about the conditions of life in society.
Keywords:
Distance education; teaching work; professional practice