Entre caminhos e conexões: reflexões sobre a jornada de aprendizagem docente, do grupo à comunidade de prática

Abstract

The continuous development and initial training of teachers play a central role in education, especially when conducted in collaborative environments such as Communities of Practice (CoPs). These formative contexts provide unique opportunities for sharing repertoires, strengthening professional identities, and creating networks of mutual support among educators. Accordingly, this thesis investigates the transformative potential of a group of prospective teachers and early-career educators who gather around pedagogical practice to form a Community of Practice (CoP). We argue that a collective of teachers, mutually engaged around a common domain of pedagogical practices, constitutes a powerful social learning structure: the Community of Practice (CoP). This structure proves particularly effective for the initial and continuous training of teachers, as mutual engagement among members enables the integration of academic knowledge and practical experiences, fostering the development of a collective professional identity and the construction of a shared repertoire that, from a collaborative perspective, enriches and strengthens pedagogical practices. The research was conducted in Óbidos, Pará, with prospective teachers and early-career educators, all affiliated with the Pedagogy program at the Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA). A qualitative approach was adopted, grounded in Collaborative Action Research, which provided an appropriate methodological framework for the investigated context. The main data collection tools included participant observation and a focus group session, which enabled an in-depth understanding of the participants' perceptions and interactions. For data analysis, particularly those derived from the focus group, Discursive Textual Analysis (DTA) was employed to organize and guide the interpretation of the findings. DTA structured the interpretative process into four analytical categories: three related to the coherence elements of a Community of Practice—mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire—and a fourth category addressing professional teacher development. The theoretical framework for this investigation was based on works by Marcelo Garcia (1999), Formosinho (2009), Formosinho and Niza (2009), Oliveira-Formosinho (2009), Fullan (2009), Canário (2013), Lave and Wenger (1991), Wenger (1998, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2013), Estevam (2015), Moraes (2021), Severino (2007), Guedin and Franco (2011), Nóvoa (2019), as well as theses, dissertations, and legal documents. The results indicate that the group demonstrated elements of a CoP, but the irregularity of meetings undermined engagement and the consolidation of a shared repertoire. Nonetheless, the initial stage of grouping was surpassed, with the emergence of a tacit repertoire and internal leadership capable of mentoring others. Additionally, a professional induction space, tailored to the participants' needs, was developed. With regular meetings, there is potential to consolidate a full CoP, with shared practices materialized into tangible elements to sustain its continuity. The replication of CoPs requires careful consideration of factors such as participants' profiles, institutional support, and organizational culture, avoiding generalizations that could compromise flexibility and relevance in diverse contexts.