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(Reference retrieved automatically from SciELO through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Characterization factors of non-formal education: a literature review

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Author(s):
Joana Brás Varanda Marques [1] ; Denise de Freitas [2]
Total Authors: 2
Affiliation:
[1] Universidade Federal de São Carlos - Brasil
[2] Universidade Federal de São Carlos - Brasil
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: Educ. Pesqui.; v. 43, n. 4, p. 1087-1110, 2017-02-02.
Abstract

Abstract This article reports the results of a document analysis in the field of non-formal education. Non-formal education is a growing area, which has been given increasing attention and importance. However, in general, it is an ill-defined and ambiguous sector of knowledge in the sense that the terms used are polysemic and there is no consensus on their uses and definitions. In order to clarify the definitions of the different education typologies, including non-formal education, we asked: What characteristics do these education typologies have? What criteria or factors are used in the literature to define them? In order to answer these research questions, we conducted a literature review analyzing 28 national and international documents, by means of documentary analysis and content analysis techniques. We found that most of the national literature uses the terminology formal, non-formal, informal education. We confirmed the difficulty in defining and establishing boundaries between different education typologies and highlighted that their definitions involve a large number of factors of different natures. We investigated 21 factors used in the characterization of the different education typologies, divided into four analytical dimensions – structure, processes, purpose and content. We found that, despite the diversity of factors used in the definitions, a core set is adopted more often, associated mainly to structural characteristics, such as location, degree of planning, or duration of learning. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 12/23088-8 - Non-formal education and popularization of astronomy in Brazil: what is the expert opinion and what says the literature?
Grantee:Joana Brás Varanda Marques
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master