Teaching Experience and University Extension in Adults Education

Abstract

The scope of this paper is to foster a dialogue on the formative processes of literacy associated with the university extension project developed with adults and older adults in the city of Juazeiro do Norte. The guiding question that directs this investigation is as follows: What pedagogical practices have been developed in the adult literacy project in Juazeiro do Norte, in partnership with the Community Association Friends of Dom Bosco? Based on this premise, we elaborated a theoretical and methodological framework aligned with the Freirean perspective, which conceives learners as active subjects in the dialogical process, materialized through action research that identifies the problem and seeks collective solutions, involving 17 learners and 13 educators. Through dialogical circles, we relate the act of learning to the participants’ dreams, places, and soundscapes, employing images, songs, and inclusive dynamics as instruments of expression and reflection. We understand that illiteracy is not merely a pedagogical issue but also a political one; therefore, the teaching–learning process requires from educators an ethical and transformative commitment that addresses such challenges.