Docência no ensino superior : dilemas e desafios do professor iniciante

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

The focus of this study is on the constitution of university teachers starting their higher education teaching career. The qualitative research was developed around the following question: What are the problems/challenges faced by teachers in the beginning of their higher education teaching career? The general objective of this study was to analyze the professional development process of teachers starting their higher education teaching career, by identifying problems and challenges experienced, to improve teachers performance at this level. In order to achieve this goal, we reported to a descriptive-exploratory study consulting college teachers with a five year-experience of teaching in a private institution from the region of Londrina through questionnaires and interviews. Discussion and analysis of the elevant aspects of the data collected by the hermeneutic-dialectic method showed that since the very beginning, higher education teaching has specific characteristics and thus deserves close attention. Teachers miss a specific pedagogic education for higher education and acknowledge the need to continue with their studies at the graduate level. Moreover, it pointed out as problems and challenges, among others, the need to overcome the felling of insecurity generated by lack of experience; to develop teaching autonomy; to dedicate more time to class preparation; to manage classroom time and to learn to get along with the heterogeneity and diversity of those who come to school, to deal with overcrowded classrooms; to overcome difficulties related to the assessment of learning contents and, last but not least, the need to have a dialogue with his /her peers in order to share teaching and learning experiences. Results also emphasized the difficulties generated by the wages question in our country. This study has also pointed out that teacher?s autonomy is a process and is developed through experience gained by his/her own teaching. It also confirmed the need for a specific higher education pedagogic education since the beginning of their careers as well as the continuity of this education for the quality of teaching.

ASSUNTO(S)

ensino superior - formação de professores professores iniciantes - ensino superior higher education teacher training novice teachers hizher education

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