Representações sociais de professores bacharéis iniciantes sobre práticas pedagógicas em cursos de Engenharia da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) - Campus Santa Mônica

Abstract

This doctoral research, developed within the field of Educational Knowledge and Practices, investigates the social representations constructed by novice bachelor professors teaching in Engineering programs at the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), and how these representations influence their pedagogical practices. Grounded in Moscovici’s Theory of Social Representations, the study adopts a quali-quantitative approach. Data were collected through questionnaires (open- and closed-ended questions), the Free Word Association Technique, and focus group discussions. Data analysis was conducted based on Bardin’s Content Analysis framework, combined with the use of EVOC software, enabling the identification of the central core and peripheral system of the social representations. The findings reveal that the professors’ representations are strongly anchored in prior formative experiences, particularly those lived as students, which guide teaching planning, instructional strategies, teacher-student relationships, and assessment processes. The study also identifies weaknesses related to the lack of systematic pedagogical training and to institutional working conditions marked by workload overload and multiple demands. Additionally, representations permeated by feelings of pedagogical isolation and insecurity emerge, coexisting with meanings associated with institutional belonging and commitment to quality education, often linked to the conception of teaching as a transformative practice. The thesis argues that social representations function as symbolic matrices that guide, legitimize, and tension pedagogical practices. It highlights the need for institutional policies aimed at continuous teacher education and professional development, as well as for the valorization of teaching in higher education, as essential conditions for strengthening University Pedagogy.