Diálogos sobre a tecnologia: a extensão universitária em saúde da UERJ durante a pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract

Emergency Remote Teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic raised some questions about the use of Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) whithin university context. One of them refers to the use of these resources in university extension, which constitutes one of the three inseparable pillars of the university in Brazil. Based on this broader question, the aim of this study is to identify the role played by DICT in university extension projects in health area at Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) given the necessity of physical isolation to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Thereunto, three procedures were carried out: (1) interviews were realized with people who have already been responsible for the Pro-Rectory of Extension and Culture to contextualize the university extension at UERJ; (2) a document analysis was done to identify the active projects in the year the pandemic began; and (3) questionnaires were applied to the coordinators of the projects surveyed to understand changes that occurred during the pandemic period and future prospects for the use of technologies in activities. The results include indications that the university extension at UERJ has been expanding in recent years. Moreover, DICT played a role within all respondent projects that remained active during the isolation period. Thus, the participating projects can be divided into two main groups: the ones that made only occasional use of DICT and the ones that intend to continue using it. This suggests that, for at least a portion of the responding projects, DICT will continue to be present. From these findings, the research presents discussions based on the works of Paulo Freire, bell hooks, Andrew Feenberg and Renato Dagnino. Therefore, this research suggests that the debate on the use of DICT should be further expanded, considering the concerns and possibilities that surround the theme from the perspective of the different groups involved in the activities.