Possible strategies to operate the educational legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games: the case of Transforma Rio 2016 education program

Abstract

The study carried out in this piece of work aimed at the Rio 2016 Transforma Program, an international educational program conducted by the Organizing Committee of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games that provided sports and social training to the public and private educational system in Brazil. The main objective of this dissertation was to ascertain the results, impact and legacy of the Program and, if possible, suggest strategies and actions that could extend the positive consequences of similar projects and programs, avoiding negative impact factors. A bibliographic review was carried out focusing on specific themes related to the Program and its evaluation, including the impact of sports mega events, sustainability and legacy, principles of Olympic Education and management of educational projects. It was also conducted a brief verification of the educational scenario in Brazil, as well as the role of Physical Education as a means of forming citizens in this context. The research methodology included - besides the aforementioned review - the application of an electronic questionnaire composed of 32 questions to verify the results, impact and legacy of the Program. The research universe was composed of 17873 teachers, managers and educators, from which 942 questionnaires with complete answers were obtained. The analysis of the results suggests that the Program was considered positive by more than 80% of the participants and that it reached its main objectives for more than 90% of respondents, disseminating new physical and sports practices, as well as Olympic values. As opportunities for improvement, it was observed that there is a need to accompany the trainings with the provision of appropriate sports material for the activities practice, as well as a greater appreciation of the Physical Education discipline and restructuring of the Program to deal with specific regional differences and demands.