Performance Indicators in a Classroom: Proposal of a Framework Based on the Balanced Scorecard Methodology
Higher education; Performance indicators; Teaching-learning process.
Introduction: The labor market and disruptive digital culture demand inclusive and sustainable methodologies in higher education in Brazil. Conversely, resource scarcity necessitates the development of tools that effectively evaluate academic performance and competency development. Grounded in the pedagogies of Paulo Freire (1968) and Jose Libaneo (1994), this theoretical study proposes a framework based on the Balanced Scorecard methodology (KAPLAN; NORTON, 1992), adapted to the educational context.
Objective: This dissertation proposes a performance evaluation framework for higher education classrooms, focusing on inclusion, sustainability, and resource scarcity. The proposed framework is developed through the confluence of Freire’s critical pedagogical perspective (1984), Libaneo’s civic education didactics (1994), Perrenoud’s teaching competencies (1999), and Le Bortef’s professional competencies (2003), utilizing Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard (1992) for measuring and analyzing the feasibility of educational performance indicators.
Research Method: From an epistemological standpoint, this is a study within the critical-emancipatory paradigm, theoretical and exploratory in nature. In terms of objectives, it is propositional, with a qualitative approach, focusing on the higher education classroom in Brazil. It employs document analysis as a data collection technique and content analysis as an analytical technique. The stages include: (i) literature review and document analysis; (ii) framework development; and (iii) theoretical validation. In the process of scientific knowledge transformation, educational theories, Balanced Scorecard theories, and institutional documents are considered ainputs; literature systematization, document analysis, and conceptual development as processes; and the framework and discussions as outputs.
Results: The proposed framework is expected to offer an innovative approach to performance evaluation in classrooms of Brazilian public universities. In addition to the indicators proposed by the literature, it aims to create indicators for continuous, inclusive evaluation, focusing on academic, socio-emotional, and professional competencies. Due to its low cost and cloud-based approach, it becomes sustainable within the geographical scope. Furthermore, it addresses gaps in the practical application of the BSC in the classroom educational environment, rather than at departmental or institutional levels, which are commonly studied. Additionally, this research opens avenues for future studies, such as empirical validation of the framework, application at different levels and/or modalities of education, implementation challenges, and comparison with other educational performance evaluation methodologies.