Criteria to evaluate printed materials of History of Science for Distance Education

Abstract

This paper proposes criteria for the evaluation of printed materials (MDI) of History of Science for Undergraduate Distance Learning School. The construction of the criteria was based on official documents of Undergraduate and High School of Brazil, models of teacher training by Porlán and Rivero (1998) and in the theoretical History of Science teaching. The criteria were divided into five blocks: Block I: legislation, Block II: textual elements, Block III: Undergraduate student, Block IV: references, glossaries and answers and Block V: editorial design. Census Data, organized by the Brazilian Association for Distance Education (ABED, 2011) show that despite the increasing technological development, printed material is still the main learning object used by institutions for distance learning. The data from this census show a progress in the number of student enrollment in Distance Education between the years 2009 and 2011. The construction of the criteria for evaluation is relevant because this increase in enrollment in Distance Education signals a greater demand for the production of learning objects generating a concern on the quality of the content and exercises contained in these materials. Perhaps, the criteria to evaluate MDI of History of Science, that this article describes, are the beginning for the construction of criteria to evaluate MDI from other disciplines of EAD. This set of assessment instruments could be inserted into a desirable National Textbook Program for Undergraduate Distance Learning Courses, aiming to improve the quality of these materials.