Dialogues on action research, school inclusion and continuing education

Abstract

The inclusive perspective adopted by Brazilian policies and research in the field of Special Education indicate the relevance of continuing education for teachers, especially when they occur in the context of the school, to meet the demands arising from the school inclusion process. The aim here is to understand how continuing education, especially that one focused on school inclusion, has been thought and carried out in the context of a public school in Serra, in the State of Espírito Santo/Brazil, simultaneously collaborating to implement a critical reflection process at school. The analysis focuses on the epistemological bases that support the conceptions of school professionals regarding their professional development, the interests and assumptions that they serve, as well as its practical implications. Collaborative-critical action research is assumed as a theoretical, methodological and epistemological referent, constructed on Habermas' communicative rationality. Data collection is based on participant observation, with records in a logbook, semi-structured interviews, and semi-open questionnaires. The analysis indicates the absence of a systematic process of continuing education at school, although professionals recognize its necessity. In addition, discourses about professional development are usually related to instrumental rationality, although there are evidences of transformation towards a critical, and possibly communicative, rationality.