GEOTECNOLOGIAS EM EXTENSÃO UNIVERSITÁRIA: REESTRUTURAÇÃO E ALCANCE INTERNACIONAL DE UM CURSO REMOTO

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic required profound adaptations in teaching, research, and outreach practices across Brazilian universities. This article presents the experience of restructuring and expanding an extension course offered by the State University of Paraná (UNESPAR), titled “Mapping and Geoprocessing in QGIS,” which was adapted to a remote learning format. The main objective was to ensure the continuity of extension activities and to broaden access to knowledge in geotechnologies during the period of social distancing. The research adopted a qualitative approach, configured as a case study based on documentary and statistical analyses of data related to student enrollment, participation, and performance, collected through digital platforms such as Doity, YouTube, and Google Classroom. The results reveal a significant national and international reach of the course, with participants from various Brazilian states and from countries such as Angola, Mozambique, Canada, and Germany, among others. Originating in a context of adversity, the project has been progressively consolidated and expanded each year. The participants' profiles reflect substantial diversity in terms of age, gender, and academic background. It is concluded that the initiative successfully met the educational demands of the pandemic period, while also demonstrating technical, pedagogical, and institutional feasibility for its consolidation as a permanent university extension program.