Mapping of extension actions in Physical Education and the challenges of curricular integration in a 'campus-less' course

Abstract

This article examines the challenges of integrating extension activities into the curriculum of the Physical Education program at UFJF-GV within a context of structural precariousness. The central problem lies in the contradiction between legal requirements for incorporating extension activities into curricula and the lack of adequate structural conditions for their qualified implementation. The study aimed to map extension initiatives at the Governador Valadares campus and analyze the impacts of infrastructure deficiencies, based on the hypothesis that precarious conditions limit the transformative potential of university extension. The methodology combined document analysis and empirical data collection, organized around three axes: examination of the curricular integration process, mapping of active projects (2023-2024), and assessment of impacts on professional training. Results demonstrate that 92% of the 19 analyzed projects relied on off-campus facilities, revealing institutional fragility. Professional training was compromised by the inability to maintain consistent extension experiences, while the local community remained distant from the University despite widespread geographical distribution of activities. Faculty overload and insufficient student support policies emerged as additional challenges. The study concludes that structural precariousness perpetuates educational and social inequalities, requiring institutional policies to ensure: a) adequate infrastructure; b) expansion of scholarship programs; and c) dignified working conditions for faculty. The research underscores the urgent need for investments to consolidate extension activities and establish the UFJF-GV campus as a reference institution in the Rio Doce Valley.