Education without Frontiers: Monitoring as a Bridge to Distance Learning

Abstract

This article analyzes an academic monitoring experience developed in the Mathematics Degree course, offered in distance learning mode by the Federal Institute of Bahia in partnership with the Open University System of Brazil (UAB). The initiative was conceived as an institutional strategy to address the challenges associated with school dropout, a recurring and multifactorial phenomenon in Distance Education. The tutoring activities were conducted predominantly in a virtual environment, using resources such as Google Meet, WhatsApp, educational videos, GeoGebra software, and math games to increase interaction, pedagogical support, and student engagement. The study, which was qualitative in nature and took the form of an experience report, also incorporated quantitative data related to retention and dropout rates. The results point to positive effects on the students' educational trajectory, showing a reduction in dropout rates, greater participation in activities, improved academic performance, and strengthened collaborative learning. It is concluded that tutoring is an effective pedagogical strategy to promote retention, encourage student leadership, and improve teaching and learning processes in distance education, contributing to the consolidation of institutional practices that increase inclusion, engagement, and academic success.

Keywords: Monitoring. Distance learning. Permanence. Evasion. Degree.