Publicação
The flexibility and autonomy in the study plans of Bachelor's Degree programs in Basic Education
| Resumo: | Curricular flexibility and student autonomy in higher education are fundamental principles for ensuring quality at this level of education and for the training of future teachers. This study investigated curricular flexibility and autonomy in the study plans of 25 Bachelor's degrees in Basic Education (BE) in Portugal. The comparative document analysis examined the nature and duration of the curricular units (CU) as well as the distribution of the workload between contact hours and autonomous work. The results showed that, although all BE programs include elective CU, which can be chosen by students, these account for less than 5% of the total credits in most institutions, thereby limiting student choice. The total workload in the degrees ranges from 4500 to 5040 hours, with significant differences in the proportion of contact hours and autonomous work between institutions and training components. The inclusion of year-long CU and the high number of contact hours were identified as barriers to student mobility and autonomy, reducing students' opportunities for choice. It is concluded that curricular flexibility and the promotion of autonomy are underexplored, highlighting the need for adjustments to align study plans with student-centered best practices, as advocated by the Bologna Process. |
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| Autores principais: | Valente, Bianor |
| Outros Autores: | Feio, Mariana; Leite, Teresa |
| Assunto: | Licenciatura em Educação Básica Formação inicial de Professores Flexibilidade Curricular Autonomia Degree in Basic Education Initial teacher training Curricular Flexibility Autonomy Grado en Educación Básica Formación inicial de Profesores Flexibilidad curricular Autonomía Licence en Éducation de Base Formation initiale des Enseignants Flexibilité Curriculaire Autonomie |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | unknown |
| Instituição associada: | Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudos Educacionais |
| Idioma: | português |
| Origem: | Da Investigação às Práticas |
| Resumo: | Curricular flexibility and student autonomy in higher education are fundamental principles for ensuring quality at this level of education and for the training of future teachers. This study investigated curricular flexibility and autonomy in the study plans of 25 Bachelor's degrees in Basic Education (BE) in Portugal. The comparative document analysis examined the nature and duration of the curricular units (CU) as well as the distribution of the workload between contact hours and autonomous work. The results showed that, although all BE programs include elective CU, which can be chosen by students, these account for less than 5% of the total credits in most institutions, thereby limiting student choice. The total workload in the degrees ranges from 4500 to 5040 hours, with significant differences in the proportion of contact hours and autonomous work between institutions and training components. The inclusion of year-long CU and the high number of contact hours were identified as barriers to student mobility and autonomy, reducing students' opportunities for choice. It is concluded that curricular flexibility and the promotion of autonomy are underexplored, highlighting the need for adjustments to align study plans with student-centered best practices, as advocated by the Bologna Process. |
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