The Policy of Institutionalization of Presential Supp ort Poles of the Open University of Brazil

Abstract

The article treat of the policy of institutionalization of presential support poles of the Open University of Brazil system. It presents the administrative, pedagogical and organizational meanings attributed to the institutionalization of the poles for the purpose of expansion and internalization of higher education and a discussion about the concept of “institutionalization”, considering the public policies of Distance Education at the Open University System of Brazil. The methodology used is based on the qualitative resource, with discussion of the literature, complemented by analysis of interviews with polo coordinators. It is concluded that there is a restrictive notion of the institutionalization, interconnected to pedagogical, administrative and organizational aspects of the distance education modality, which disregards or belittles the public and educational policies themselves. The consortium that establishes the poles, from a conception that flexibilizes an organization, sponsors its own (dis) institutionalization.