Theory, research and practice in Education: the formation of the teacher-researcher

Abstract

The objective of this article is to point out factors that contribute to the dissociation between educational theory and practice, and to present the strategies for their reunification. The text deals with the devastating effect of this conceptual rift, which gives rise to an endless dilemma involving researchers, teachers, and educational managers. In such scenario, because of the lack of a communication channel between Science and current pedagogical practices, the results of this study reveal: a) the existence of feelings of threat to the credibility of Education as a profession; b) the possibility of scientists inadvertently outlining conceptual models distanced from the reality of the classrooms; and c) the risk that those responsible for public policies begin to defend educational practices that turn out to be ineffective in our days. Therefore, the article shows guidelines for the reunification of the concepts of educational theory and practice, emphasizing: a) the professional education of the teacher-researcher; b) the participation of the researcher in the school daily life; and c) the collaborative work between the academic researcher and the teacher in the classroom. Lastly, the work presents two North American educational programs that succeeded in associating academic research to school practice, using as their support a developmentalist model of work.