Continuing education: a necessary action for the practice of teaching

Abstract

This study examines the continuing education of teachers, considering their initial training and the professional development programs offered by the Ministry of Education (MEC), such as UAB, PARFOR, and PROCAMPO. It is a qualitative, bibliographical research study, based on classic authors such as Gatti (2008), Demo (1994), Candau (1997), and Nóvoa (1992), as well as the legal frameworks of the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education – LDBEN (BRAZIL, 1996) and Decree No. 6,755/2009. The study also engages with recent contributions (SIQUEIRA; VASCONCELOS, 2021; FERREIRA; MENDONÇA, 2023; DUARTE et al., 2024; ALMEIDA et al., 2025) that discuss digital competencies, multiliteracies, and active methodologies. The objective is to analyze the challenges faced by teachers regarding the use of Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) in the classroom and to discuss the relevance of continuing education for the improvement of pedagogical practices. The analysis shows that, although government programs have expanded training opportunities, there are still gaps regarding the critical integration of DICT and the consideration of the historical, political, and economic aspects that permeate teaching practice. The theoretical perspective adopted is close to constructivism, valuing learning to learn, but also engages with the historical-cultural approach (VYGOTSKY; LEONTIEV; DAVÍDOV), which understands teacher training as a process of human development and pedagogical praxis. It is concluded that continuing education should be continuous, critical, and collective, articulating public policies and school practices, in order to favor teacher protagonism and the construction of an emancipatory education.