Educational Research and policy: The Case of teacher education in Brazil Educational Research and policy: The Case of teacher education in Brazil Marta

Educational Research and policy: Educational Research and policy: The Case of teacher education in The Case of teacher education in BrazilBrazil

Marta Luz Sisson de CastroMarta Luz Sisson de Castro

PUCRS- BrazilPUCRS- Brazil

Educational Change in the Global Educational Change in the Global Context Prague, August 30th,3rd Context Prague, August 30th,3rd September 2010, Charles UniversitySeptember 2010, Charles University

Expansion of the Brazilian educational Expansion of the Brazilian educational system in the 1990’s created the system in the 1990’s created the need for more qualified teachers in need for more qualified teachers in order to attend the increased number order to attend the increased number of studentsof students

New education law of 1996 New education law of 1996 established new regulations for the established new regulations for the preparation of teachers and created preparation of teachers and created the Normal Superior Course, saying the Normal Superior Course, saying that the education programs at the that the education programs at the

the universities were not doing a the universities were not doing a good enough job.good enough job.

A policy the FUNDEF was A policy the FUNDEF was established by the Federal established by the Federal government requiring a Higher government requiring a Higher Education diploma for all Education diploma for all Elementary School Teachers, the Elementary School Teachers, the data period from 1997-2007 as a data period from 1997-2007 as a critical phase for this to be critical phase for this to be accomplished accomplished

In 2006, another curriculum was In 2006, another curriculum was proposed by the Federal government proposed by the Federal government for the School of Education, forcing all for the School of Education, forcing all teacher education programs to teacher education programs to change their curriculum in face of the change their curriculum in face of the new legislation.new legislation.

The new program is very general and The new program is very general and requires a lot of practice in the requires a lot of practice in the schools, and as the majority of the schools, and as the majority of the students work during the day andstudents work during the day and

and study at night some of the and study at night some of the regulations are very difficult to be regulations are very difficult to be implemented.implemented.

The Brazilian government The Brazilian government continues to implement policy continues to implement policy regarding teacher education regarding teacher education overlooking research results and overlooking research results and the complexity of the education the complexity of the education system with its multiple interfaces.system with its multiple interfaces.

In this paper we will present In this paper we will present data regarding three studies data regarding three studies regarding the negative or no regarding the negative or no effects of the policies effects of the policies regarding teacher education regarding teacher education established at the Federal established at the Federal Government in Brazil.Government in Brazil.

--Characteristics and conditions of Characteristics and conditions of work, selection for the job, work, selection for the job, professional development, career professional development, career plan, and salaries of municipal plan, and salaries of municipal teachers in the South Region of teachers in the South Region of Brazil.Brazil.

The case of Nova Prata do Iguaçu The case of Nova Prata do Iguaçu in Paraná, distance education in in Paraná, distance education in teacher education, new teacher education, new challenges and questionschallenges and questions..

A third example is from the A third example is from the study we are implementing study we are implementing right now, regarding the right now, regarding the conditions of work of conditions of work of municipal teachers in the municipal teachers in the South Region of Brazil.South Region of Brazil.

Teachers’ SalariesTeachers’ Salaries

According to the education According to the education census of 2007 there is a census of 2007 there is a shortage of teachers in the shortage of teachers in the areas of Math, Physics, and areas of Math, Physics, and Chemistry, and the main reason Chemistry, and the main reason for that shortage is for that shortage is salaries.These professionals salaries.These professionals usually opt to work in other usually opt to work in other areas such as banks where the areas such as banks where the salaries aresalaries are betterbetter..

A study done in South Brazil in A study done in South Brazil in the period of 2005-2007, looked the period of 2005-2007, looked at the management of at the management of municipal education in 15 municipal education in 15 municipalities and found that municipalities and found that despite the implementation of despite the implementation of Fundef during the years of Fundef during the years of 1997-2007 the situation of the 1997-2007 the situation of the teachers did not improve as teachers did not improve as much as expected.much as expected.

Brazil political and administrative division

Five factors related to the Five factors related to the conditions of work of conditions of work of teachers of South Region teachers of South Region were identified in the were identified in the studystudy

1.Teacher Education1.Teacher Education 2. Professional Development2. Professional Development 3. Career Plan for Teachers3. Career Plan for Teachers 4. Selection for the job through 4. Selection for the job through

competitive public examinationcompetitive public examination 5. Salary5. Salary

Teacher EducationTeacher Education

All teachers seem to be All teachers seem to be graduated and a high number graduated and a high number have graduate degrees, but it have graduate degrees, but it does not confirm the quality of does not confirm the quality of this education. The instruction this education. The instruction of most of the teachers was of most of the teachers was obtained in weekend courses obtained in weekend courses from near colleges or through from near colleges or through distance courses.distance courses.

Professional developmentProfessional development As observed in the data, the As observed in the data, the

most common professional most common professional development strategies are the development strategies are the seminars and courses offered to seminars and courses offered to all municipal teachers or the all municipal teachers or the graduate courses offered graduate courses offered through partnerships with local through partnerships with local or regional colleges. or regional colleges.

Career Plan for teachersCareer Plan for teachers Most of the municipalities Most of the municipalities

have or are trying to have or are trying to implement a career plan for implement a career plan for teachers. For a series of legal teachers. For a series of legal reasons, these plans did not reasons, these plans did not improve teachers’ working improve teachers’ working conditions conditions

The career plans tended to be The career plans tended to be very conservative and do not very conservative and do not offer significant change in offer significant change in salary from the initial to the salary from the initial to the final phase of professional lifefinal phase of professional life

Competitive examinationCompetitive examination Selection for the job through a Selection for the job through a

public examinationpublic examination Teacher’s competitive Teacher’s competitive

examinations are a standard examinations are a standard procedure in the South Region. procedure in the South Region. Most of the municipalities selected Most of the municipalities selected their teachers through this method.their teachers through this method.

In a former study (CASTRO; SOUZA, In a former study (CASTRO; SOUZA, 1999), in some municipalities 1999), in some municipalities studied, the teachers were studied, the teachers were contracted; having a renewal each contracted; having a renewal each year they did not know what could year they did not know what could happen the next year. With the happen the next year. With the examination and career plan, the examination and career plan, the working conditions of the teachers working conditions of the teachers from the South Region were better from the South Region were better than ten years ago, but it seemed than ten years ago, but it seemed that it did not bring the expected that it did not bring the expected improvementimprovement

SalarySalary The study identified differences The study identified differences

between the states. In Rio between the states. In Rio Grande do Sul, the municipal Grande do Sul, the municipal teacher received better salary teacher received better salary than the state teacher. In than the state teacher. In Paraná, the situation was just Paraná, the situation was just the opposite, with better the opposite, with better conditions for the state conditions for the state teachers. In Santa Catarina the teachers. In Santa Catarina the data was not so cleardata was not so clear

Final ConsiderationsFinal ConsiderationsThe data shown indicate that The data shown indicate that

most of the municipal teachers most of the municipal teachers in the South Region have a in the South Region have a degree in Education and a degree in Education and a significant number have a significant number have a graduate degree. Most of the graduate degree. Most of the municipalities offer professional municipalities offer professional development for the teachers, development for the teachers, generally through seminars in generally through seminars in the own region. On the other the own region. On the other side, teacher’s individual side, teacher’s individual participation in courses and participation in courses and congresses is rarecongresses is rare

The municipalities have already The municipalities have already implemented career plans; only a implemented career plans; only a few cities did not. few cities did not.

Although there are improvements Although there are improvements in the teachers’ formal education, in the teachers’ formal education, salaries are still low among salaries are still low among municipal teachers in the South municipal teachers in the South region. The data indicate this region. The data indicate this formal education improvement formal education improvement still did not influence salaries, still did not influence salaries, working conditions and much less working conditions and much less the quality in teaching. the quality in teaching.

The case of Nova Prata do The case of Nova Prata do Iguaçu, ParanáIguaçu, Paraná

Distance Teacher EducationDistance Teacher Education In the first phase of the study, this In the first phase of the study, this

municipality, presented several municipality, presented several distance course as a strategy for distance course as a strategy for teacher education and professional teacher education and professional development.development.

The superintendent of schools The superintendent of schools contracted a nearby institution to contracted a nearby institution to offer a program of Normal Superior.offer a program of Normal Superior.


The municipality was really The municipality was really small with less than 10.000 small with less than 10.000 inhabitants. The teachers paid inhabitants. The teachers paid for their own course, and they for their own course, and they wanted to qualify because of wanted to qualify because of the demands of the FUNDEF the demands of the FUNDEF that required that all Brazilian that required that all Brazilian teachers had a higher education teachers had a higher education diploma up to 2007. diploma up to 2007.


The course met once a week in a The course met once a week in a local school. A tutor, was present to local school. A tutor, was present to lead the discussion.lead the discussion.

The class was recorded in a CD and The class was recorded in a CD and presented in a screenpresented in a screen

The content was discussed under The content was discussed under the supervision of the tutorthe supervision of the tutor

Tasks related to the readings were Tasks related to the readings were due each class meeting due each class meeting


The majority of the teachers in the The majority of the teachers in the municipality attended the course.municipality attended the course.

Following this “Normal Superior Following this “Normal Superior Course” the municipality offered Course” the municipality offered other graduate programs in the other graduate programs in the areas of special education, areas of special education, psychopedagogy, and so on. These psychopedagogy, and so on. These graduate programs were offered graduate programs were offered as weekend or night courses. as weekend or night courses.


A significant number of teachers A significant number of teachers who concluded the normal superior who concluded the normal superior program later attended one of these program later attended one of these graduate courses.graduate courses.

When we visited the municipality in When we visited the municipality in August, 2008, the diploma was not August, 2008, the diploma was not recognized because the institution recognized because the institution that offered the course did not have that offered the course did not have the credentials to offer a distance the credentials to offer a distance program.program.

The case of Nova Prata do The case of Nova Prata do Iguaçu, ParanáIguaçu, Paraná So all the graduate courses the So all the graduate courses the

teachers took could only be teachers took could only be recognized after the higher recognized after the higher education diploma was accepted education diploma was accepted and registered.and registered.

The municipality gave the teachers The municipality gave the teachers the advances in the career plan, the advances in the career plan, but if they apply for jobs elsewhere but if they apply for jobs elsewhere their course is not valid.their course is not valid.

The case of Nova Prata do The case of Nova Prata do Iguaçu, ParanáIguaçu, Paraná Despite all the problems and Despite all the problems and

limitations of this distance course, it limitations of this distance course, it seemed to have affected in a seemed to have affected in a positive way the teachers and the positive way the teachers and the students. The teachers felt that the students. The teachers felt that the Normal Superior Course was an Normal Superior Course was an unique opportunity for them after unique opportunity for them after years without education, to study years without education, to study again, and they felt motivated. They again, and they felt motivated. They could not be able to do it by them could not be able to do it by them selvesselves


The students presented a very The students presented a very good result in the IDEB of 2007 good result in the IDEB of 2007 ( is a Brazilian indicator of ( is a Brazilian indicator of quality that combines the results quality that combines the results of SAEB-System of evaluation of of SAEB-System of evaluation of Basic Education and the number Basic Education and the number of promotion and dropout in of promotion and dropout in every school) 2007.every school) 2007.

This result was a surprise for usThis result was a surprise for us


So , even a very limited So , even a very limited teacher education program teacher education program can have very positive can have very positive effects depending on the effects depending on the contexts and the needs of contexts and the needs of the teachers.the teachers.

Conditions of work of Conditions of work of municipal teachers in municipal teachers in

South BrazilSouth Brazil In one of the first municipalities we In one of the first municipalities we

studied in the state of Rio Grande studied in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the “concurso”. A selection do Sul, the “concurso”. A selection of teachers through public of teachers through public examinations was applied in the examinations was applied in the municipality. And they had a municipality. And they had a surprise, not a single residing in the surprise, not a single residing in the municipality was approved in the municipality was approved in the examination, so they had all new examination, so they had all new teachers from nearby locations.teachers from nearby locations.

This result created a new and This result created a new and inexpected problem for the local inexpected problem for the local education administration, they have education administration, they have to pay now extra for the transport of to pay now extra for the transport of these teachers. And as they live far these teachers. And as they live far away they are not available for away they are not available for meetings and extra-classe activities.meetings and extra-classe activities.

The integration between the school The integration between the school and the community is a new problem and the community is a new problem for the school system.for the school system.

So the results of the Concurso, So the results of the Concurso, showed the complexities of the showed the complexities of the Educational system, the idea of Educational system, the idea of selecting teachers through public selecting teachers through public examination was considered very examination was considered very good. We will be able to select the good. We will be able to select the best teachers, the ones with best best teachers, the ones with best knowledge, and then we had this knowledge, and then we had this new and unpredicted situation.new and unpredicted situation.

Common Challenges for Common Challenges for Teacher Education Teacher Education Programs Programs WorldwideWorldwide How to attract and retain better How to attract and retain better

candidatescandidates Improving the conditions of Improving the conditions of

working for teachers worldwide, working for teachers worldwide, especially in developing especially in developing countriescountries

Prepare the future teacher to Prepare the future teacher to create a more integrated create a more integrated “internationalized world”“internationalized world”

Common Challenges for Common Challenges for Teacher Education Teacher Education Programs Programs WorldwideWorldwide How to react, use the process of How to react, use the process of

evaluation “testing” in a more evaluation “testing” in a more positive waypositive way

How to integrate the results of How to integrate the results of research with better policy research with better policy making.making.

Global responsibility for Global responsibility for educationeducation

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Educational Research and policy: The Case of teacher education in Brazil Educational Research and policy: The Case of teacher education in Brazil Marta