Predatory private institutions: a theoretical essay on distance lato sensu postgraduate marketing

This study investigates the presence of predatory marketing in distance education institutions offering lato sensu postgraduate courses, exploring sales strategies, absence of human mediation in the educational process, and disregard for educational legislation. The analysis reveals a worrying prioritization of student recruitment at the expense of educational quality, compromising their holistic development. These practices, characterized by non-transparent advertising, lack of clarity, and unrealistic promises, undermine the credibility of institutions and hinder students' academic and professional development. A reflection on the importance of the presence of the teacher as a mediator in the learning process is presented, emphasizing the need to ensure the training of qualified professionals to meet market demands. The emphasis on asynchronous teaching materials highlights an instrumental and dehumanized approach to education, underscoring the need to rethink educational practices in distance learning.