Having in mind the mission and objectives of the University of Minho and
the Institute of Education, the Department of Curriculum Studies and
Educational Technology undertakes as its mission the development of
innovative projects on teaching, research and interaction with society
within these scientific fields, searching for connections among
themselves and other fields so as to contribute to the quality of
research and the educational offer of the Institute. These two fields
are active in various educational and training contexts, and at all
stages of learning and human development through specific competencies
and interfacing with other departments of the Institute.
Specific scientific fields
The field of Curriculum Studies is aimed at the design, development and
evaluation of the integrated curriculum projects, implemented in the
management of educational and training processes that serve as learning
promoters, and framed in the analysis of the Curriculum Theory,
curriculum policies and the diverse educational contexts.
The field of Educational Technology is aimed at the design, development
and evaluation of the learning systems, processes and environments,
involving dimensions of scientific and technological innovation,
communicative approaches and knowledge construction, supported by
Information and Communication Technologies in Education.
The dialogue between these two fields is constructed in educational,
training and mediation contexts, projects and practices, sustained in
critical thinking on curriculum theories, communication and educational
innovation, and implemented in learning devices supported by Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT), essential to promote new forms of
access to and construction of knowledge.
Thus, the Department of Curriculum Studies and Educational Technology
undertakes as its scientific referent the nuclear areas: i) Curriculum
Theory and Development; ii) Educational and Curriculum Change and
Innovation; iii) the Curriculum Integration of ICT; iv) Educational
Communication and Technology; and v) E-learning and Distance Education.
Scientific fields of interface
The priority areas of interface with other Departments are: i)
Integrated Supervision of the Teaching Practice; ii) Curriculum
evaluation and its relationship with other dimensions, such as:
professional, learning and institutional evaluation of projects and
programmes; iii) Development and Professional Identities; iv)
Educational Mediation; v) Research Methodology in Education.
