Author(s)

Maria Eliza Mattosinho Bernardes^*, Adriano Agricio Alves

College of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

This research analyzes the personal transformation process of students in the teacher training course, from the mediation of theoretical knowledge on the relationship among teaching, learning, and human development. The goal is to investigate the influence of the set of action methods in the pedagogical activity, in the training of future natural science teachers. The issue is analyzed from the Cultural-Historical Theory, from which three aspects are highlighted: the constitution and the development of human psyche through symbolic mediation in social relationships: learning as the trigger for the development of higher psychological functions; and the importance of scientific concepts in the development of higher psychological functions in subjects. Data were collected through a field research that used questionnaires sent to students in the teacher training course of a large state university in Brazil, in classes of 2013 and 2014, and another questionnaire to the monitors of the respective groups. The analysis of data is based on the relationship between the frequency of answers and the subjects’ narrative from the analysis elements: reasons and life experiences, teaching processes, contents, learning evaluation, and personal transformation. The results show the influence of the action methods in the pedagogical activity, which aims to the personal training of students and the relevance of collective and collaborative actions in the active participation of all subjects in the teaching and learning process.

Teacher Training, Pedagogical Activity, Cultural-Historical Theory, Teaching and Learning, Psychological Development

Bernardes, M. and Alves, A. (2015) The Pedagogical Activity in the Training of Teachers: Contributions from the Cultural-Historical Theory. Creative Education, 6, 1496-1507. doi: 10.4236/ce.2015.614150.