Conceitos e pré-conceitos: avaliação de programa de mestrado

Abstract

The mission to evaluate the Post graduation performance in Brazil is in charge of CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), a division of Education Ministry. The root of this evaluating system raises from operation of I Post graduation National Plan, a part of II Development National Plan, put in 1975. As long as this evaluation is an one-sided process, executed by an official agency, it furnishes several data and information used at the analysis of the financial resources distribution. These resources are destinated to maintenance and investment of research activities developed by Universities. It means that departments and Institutes whose acquired reputation has been satisfactory, will get the resources early, to the detriment of others. In front of the natural polemic that an evaluation system like this can offer, several not official organizations, related to scientific community, propose alternative ways to evaluate the Post graduation System. The specified literature qualifies this evaluation system like technicality form, favoring the out put aspects instead of throughput aspects; in addition, the current process gives emphasis to quantitative information's, measured by indicators, chosen by appraiser department. In the face of this, it is perceived that Post graduation has an specified meaning to CAPES. This study looks for apprehending the meaning of Rural Administration Master Course at the view of different subjects: student body, academic staff and Institutional view across Administration and Economy Department. This purpose, besides including other groups like students e.g., makes possible to analyse the evaluation current standard and check the confidence level which is obtained at present. To apprehend the meaning of an organization is the same as to comprehend this organization by the different views of the involved subjects. In this case, the phenomenological approach was used believing there is no conscience to itself but intentional conscience, conducted to the object. Interviews were used as away of catch meanings, across semistructered schedule and documental analysis from Administration and Economy Department. The body student meaning, academic staff meaning and the Institutional meaning were confronted to the CAPES view. To the student body, the Rural Administration Master Course signs the possibility to specialize into proper matter, to fill up the blanks determined at faculty period and the preparation to the job market and so one. To academic staff view, the Rural Administration College signs the possibility for body student training looking for activities at particular organizations in general; manager development and improvement of managerial effectiveness, able to propitiate an instrumental vision of management; qualify human resources to important discussion of land aspects in Brazil and so one. The analysis of distinct meanings exhibited the frailty of current evaluation system in front of contradictory purposes observed at different depositions and meanings took.