Da universidade à fábrica: a extensão universitária como instrumento de transformação social

Abstract

This article presents reflections on experiences developed in 2023 with professors, university students, and workers from a clothing factory located near the Federal University of Alagoas, within the scope of the interinstitutional extension project "Mathematics and Philosophy Beyond the Walls of Universities." The project aimed to strengthen the integration between the university and the community, contributing to the academic, civic, and social development of the participants. The study seeks to understand how university extension can favor the educational, social, and economic development of people distanced from formal education, highlighting the role of the university in the democratization of knowledge and in bringing people closer to the community. The research has a qualitative and quantitative approach, of an exploratory and descriptive nature, using document analysis and semi-structured interviews. The theoretical framework is based on the contributions of Paulo Freire, especially regarding liberating education, dialogue, and the valuing of popular knowledge. It also engages with Lev Vygotsky, highlighting learning mediated by social interactions, and with Jean Piaget, emphasizing the active construction of knowledge. The results indicate that the project contributed to strengthening critical thinking, expanding knowledge in mathematics and philosophy, and sparking interest in resuming studies. It is concluded that university extension constitutes an important instrument for the democratization of knowledge, educational inclusion, and social transformation.