The experience with early childhood education in rural areas in the context of Paraiba: the public university as a space of articulation

Abstract

This paper reflects upon the possibilities the public university in Brazil offers to promote actions for the consolidation of an area of emergent studies and practices called Early Childhood Education in Rural Areas (ECERA). The objective here is to discuss experiences in the light of Teaching and Research in the realms of the Federal University of Campina Grande (Universidade Federal de Campina Grande – UFCG), which, via professors-researchers, has contributed for the construction of knowledge and for the strengthening of practices directed to the mentioned area since 2010. The paper also enlightens advancements and situations the University needs to solve in order to consolidate the commitment for knowledge construction and for social transformation. To do so, historical aspects related to the organization of the ECERA are discussed and action regarding ECERA is taken, mainly involving Teaching and Research at UFCG. It is already possible to foresee the presence of ECERA in Teaching and Research carried out especially at Unidade Acadêmica de Educação (UAEd) [Academic Unit of Education], associated with Centro de Humanidades (CH) [Humanities Centre] of UFCG. However, some other actions must be taken in order to reinforce the ongoing action and to advance in different directions relevant to the university, just like the Extension.

Keywords

• educação infantil
• campo
• ensino