Formação pedagógica dos professores universitários: realidade, complexidade e possibilidades

Abstract

The speed of information that characterizes the technological age has direct repercussions on Education. The old teaching and learning methodologies, in which the professor would be at the center of the process, and the students would only absorb the contents taught in the classroom, are no longer sufficient to develop the potentialities required from 21st-century professionals. Higher Education Institutions are aware of this new reality and tend to demand from professors the application of innovative methodologies; however, they do not invest adequately in professor training and continue to privilege the academic degree, especially from stricto sensu graduate programs, as the main criterion for hiring these professionals. The research aimed to understand the limits and possibilities of the pedagogical training of professors and their implications for the teaching and learning process. The methodology used was qualitative and exploratory, using a case study in which professors answered questions about pedagogical training and university teaching. Regarding the results, the main limitations to the pedagogical training of professors are the lack of interest from Higher Education Institutions in investing in professor training, either in initial or in continuing education, the almost nonexistence of public policies, as well as the lack of interest from many professors, who believe that mastering the content is enough to teach good lessons. As regards to the possibilities, the investment in initial or continuing education by Higher Education Institutions, the implementation of public policies aimed at the pedagogical training of professors, and the professors’ commitment to having pedagogical training as a means to achieve the best possible teaching quality are worth highlighting.