Beliefs and representations of teachers about constructivism, national curricular parameters and pedagogic innovations within the context of the directives proposed for basic teaching starting from the new LDB. 2002

Author(s)

Patrícia Rossi Carraro

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2003-02-05

Examining board members

Antonio dos Santos Andrade; Durlei de Carvalho Cavicchia; Ana Raquel Lucato Cianflone

• Advisor: Antonio dos Santos Andrade

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate, based on the Teacher\'s Thought research line, the beliefs and representations of basic education teachers concerning constructivism, the national curricular parameters and the pedagogic innovations derived from the new LDB. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were held with forty basic education teachers at two schools of the Public Education Network in a city in the interior of the state of São Paulo, in two sessions. The objective of the first was to determine the context of the training, history and professional practice of the teachers and also to establish a more favorable tie that would facilitate the participation of the interviewees. The second interview investigated the beliefs and representations concerning the constructivism, the national curricular parameters and the innovations of current teaching. The results of the interviews, which were taped and transcribed literally, were submitted to content analysis and revealed that most of the teachers are not unfavorable to changes in daily school activity since they believe that such changes are necessary and important. What they do not agree about is the way these transformations are implanted and conducted. Most of the teachers were found to have an imprecise and, at times, even equivocal notion of constructivism. According to many of them, this is a teaching method whose essential characteristic is that the child constructs his/her own knowledge. With respect to the national curricular parameters, most teachers showed a superficial vision and feel obliged to insert them into their planning and practice although they are not aware of the fact that the theoretical foundation of the national curricular parameters is the constructivist perspective. The few who talked about this topic were also unclear about this relation. As to the pedagogic innovations, most of the teachers declared that these innovations are not duly orienting the teaching task and that they feel unprepared for, and disrespected by, the educational policies. They were not favorable to continued progression, which they consider to bring a lot of discomfort and insecurity in the execution of school activities. Most of them feel unprepared to work with constructivism, with the national curricular parameters or with continued progression because of lack of study, of guidelines and of support from the school. It could be seen that the teachers feel that the reforms are being imposed and must be assimilated very rapidly. They believe that, if the changes in teaching were properly treated they would bring good results. The data obtained confirm literature reports. Among the educational implications stated, we emphasize a greater investment and engagement in the initial and continued training of teachers. The knowledge, experience and educational context of the teachers should be taken into account if successful changes in teaching are desired. The process of educational reform must offer space for reflexion to the teachers, who should be involved, at least at a minimal level, in the process of elaboration of the proposals of changes in education and should then receive the proper support after their implantation, so as to be able to contribute to their success (AU)