Abstract:
Recent studies in the area of teacher education have shown concern in understanding which knowledge is involved in teaching practice as well as the development processes of such knowledge. Inserted in the paradigm of practical rationality, this work is based on the conception that the construction and accumulation of knowledge by the teacher takes place during his/her life by means of personal and professional experiences, and sees reflection as a source of professional learning. Graduate students of the BSc in Biological Sciences participated in this research during their compulsory curricular traineeship, whose formative practices configured a learning community. We assessed the different types of knowledge among teachers, and in which learning environments its acquisition was favored during the internship period. The potentialities of the initial stage as a period of intense teacher learning, as well as some difficulties and suggestions, are discussed.
Key words:
Initial teacher education; Compulsory traineeship; Reflective practice; Biology teaching; Learning environment