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Revisión del libro del Prof. Francisco Michavila, uno de los personajes españoles más relevantes y activos en relación al sistema universitario español. Al hilo de su propia biografía, el autor va describiendo la evolución de la universidad española durante los últimos 50 años. A dicho recorrido temporal, el autor va añadiendo muy valiosas consideraciones de índole académica, pedagógica y política sobre el pasado reciente de nuestras universidades y sobre el futuro previsible que nos espera.

In this article we discuss the problem of university teachers’ development as the transformation of the personal epistemology of a teacher, that is to say, the individual representation of his/her pedagogical activity with all its possibilities and limitations. This representation acts as a set of assumptions, which can explain the actions of an individual and can be shared (or not) by a community of peers. In order to do this, and considering teacher development as process in the field of adult education, we have used Mezirow’s transformative learning theory. Mezirow proposes a model where the actions of adults are shaped by two different kinds of assumptions: perspectives of meaning and schemes of meaning, which are generalised sets of expectations that condition the actions, feelings and thoughts of a person. This theory allows us to argue that the model of paradigm change has its limitations in the field of teacher development since it implies the idea of a revolution from a normal science state to another, situation that does not seem to be observed in the reality of teachers. We show that in this case Lakatos’ model of research programmes seems to be more adequate for understanding this process. Therefore, we propose that teacher development programs should stress personal reflexion and work on the personal experiences of the participants, in a collective and individual way.

Los crecientes desafíos a la educación superior están exigiendo de las instituciones esfuerzos para rever e innovar los currículos, expresar comunicaciones atractivas para sus públicos potenciales y articular las formas de gestión con el discurso de la mejora de la calidad. En la perspectiva epistemológica, es preciso abordar la temática conceptual que vincula enseñanza e investigación, ampliando la reflexión sobre la naturalización con que ese discurso viene sustentando la calidad de la educación superior. Desde el campo de los conocimientos pedagógicos se exige una base de investigación y reflexión, focalizando en el currículo, los procesos de enseñar y aprender y su dimensión de calidad. Esa perspectiva incide fuertemente en la concepción de docencia y en los saberes necesarios para su ejercicio. También debe ser objeto de preocupación política que podrá ser la más compleja, pues envuelve la revisión de culturas, visiones e intereses corporativos que se fueron consolidando Através de la tradición. Recurrir a la investigación-acción como herramienta para la producción de conocimientos acerca de las prácticas de enseñar y aprender en la universidad puede ser una significativa estrategia que altere la ecuación usual de investigar sobre los profesores para hacerlo con los profesores. Y esa condición se constituye en un desafío para concretar los esfuerzos de democratización de la educación superior, “calificando la calidad”[1]de la práctica pedagógica mediante la relación enseñanza e investigación. [1] N del T: en el original en portugués la expresión “qualificando a qualidade” conlleva un juego de palabras que tal vez se pierda en español. ABSTRACT Research and teaching: scenarios and epistemological impasses for qualifying higher education. The growing challenges for higher education are requiring institutions efforts to revise and innovate curriculum, to express attractives to their potential audiences and articulate ways of managing the discourse of quality improvement. In epistemological perspective, it’s needed to invest in the conceptual theme that combines teaching and research, expanding the reflection about naturalization that this discourse is sustaining the quality of higher education. From the field of pedagogical knowledge is required a base of research and reflection, focusing on curriculum, teaching and learning processes and their quality dimension. This perspective focuses heavily on the design of teaching and knowledge necessary to its exercise. Should also be a concern that the political dimension may be more complex because it involves the review of cultures, visions and corporate interests that were consolidated by tradition. Make use of action research as a tool for the production of knowledge about the practices of teaching and learning at university can be a significant strategy to change the usual equation of research on teachers to do it with teachers. And this condition constitutes a challenge to achieve the democratization efforts of higher education, “qualifying the quality” of pedagogic practice for the relationship teaching and research.

In this study we present a pilot experience concerning the pedagogical training of faculty which aim is to test a training device based upon a collaborative and co-operative approach and that includes faculty teaching portfolios. The study presupposes an involvement of faculty similar to the one found in communities of practice (and learning). The formal moments when training took place alternated with periods dedicated to the portfolio elaboration. It was the project’s intention that the self-reflexion along with the feedback from the other participants and from the consultant that accompanied the group might cause changes in the conceptions as well as in practical aspects of the teaching process and that those changes would be reflected and documented in the portfolio. We have verified that this device is very efficient although the process is very demanding in terms of time and involvement from faculty. A high level of satisfaction with the experience manifested by the group encourages the dissemination of the project to other groups that may be also motivated to improve their performance in this area.

In Finland, teachers’ pedagogical education is required at all levels from kindergarten to polytechnics except at the university level. In the 2010s, most Finnish universities are aiming at raising teachers’ level of pedagogical competence. Pedagogical training has organised systematically since 1990s and at the moment most universities have preparedness to offer pedagogical education for all new university teachers, and also to the permanent teachers, who are willing to participate.

Neste estudo apresentamos uma experiência-piloto de formação pedagógica de docentes do ensino superior que pretende testar um dispositivo de formação baseado numa lógica colaborativa e cooperativa com recurso ao portefólio. Pretendeu-se o envolvimento dos docentes numa lógica de comunidade de prática (e de aprendizagem) em que os momentos formativos formais que eram constituídos por workshops trimestrais com a duração de dois dias alternavam com períodos de elaboração do portefólio de docência de cada docente. Pretendia-se que a autorreflexão conjugada com o feedback dos restantes participantes e da consultora que acompanhou o grupo pudessem promover mudanças nas conceções e na prática docente de cada um que seriam refletidas e documentadas no portefólio. Constatamos que este dispositivo se mostrou eficaz não obstante a exigência do processo quer em termos de tempo quer de empenho por parte dos participantes. O nível elevado de satisfação do grupo com a experiência encoraja a sua disseminação por outros grupos que estejam motivados para melhorarem o seu desempenho nesta área.ABSTRACTThe teaching portfolio as a training strategy for higher education teachers in Portugal: a case study.In this study we present a pilot experience concerning the pedagogical training of faculty which aim is to test a training device based upon a collaborative and co-operative approach and that includes faculty teaching portfolios. The study presupposes an involvement of faculty similar to the one found in communities of practice (and learning). The formal moments when training took place alternated with periods dedicated to the portfolio elaboration. It was the project’s intention that the self-reflexion along with the feedback from the other participants and from the consultant that accompanied the group might cause changes in the conceptions as well as in practical aspects of the teaching process and that those changes would be reflected and documented in the portfolio. We have verified that this device is very efficient although the process is very demanding in terms of time and involvement from faculty. A high level of satisfaction with the experience manifested by the group encourages the dissemination of the project to other groups that may be also motivated to improve their performance in this area.