Orlando Fals Borda and Paulo Freire in upper Secondary Education

participatory acton research, territory and student protagonism

Abstract

This article presents a synthesis of a dissertation that connects Orlando Fals Borda’s Participatory Action  Research with Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, focusing on student protagonism and meaningful learning in upper secondary education. Its aim is to systematize theoretical and pedagogical guidelines capable of supporting inquiry-based practices situated in the school territory. The study is
bibliographic and qualitative, based on a systematized literature review and thematic analysis of a theoretical and documentary corpus. The findings indicate that student
participation becomes educationally meaningful only when it includes shared decision making, evidence production, collective interpretation and social feedback. The Educação, 
analysis also highlights tensions related to teacher mediation, the possible emptying of student protagonism, and the need for formative assessment tools. The article
concludes that the Fals Borda-Freire dialogue can sustain a practical guide for teachers, provided that PAR is not reduced to a technical sequence but understood as
situated educational praxis.