Teacher training in Portugal within the framework of the European Higher Education Area

Abstract

The change of the legal framework for the training of teachers and educators occurred within a context of development of hegemonic globalisation dynamics (Santos, 2001). In this context, the nation-state has lost its centrality, and regional economic-political entities of a supranational nature have emerged in an attempt for states to increase their influence on globalisation dynamics (Jessop, 2005). The European Union, an advanced form of ‘Network State’ (Castells, 2007), presents itself as the most developed institutional configuration and has affirmed an increasing role in social policies, e.g., in education (Moutsios, 2009). Within the process of transnationalisation of education, certain international and supranational organisations have gained increasing importance, including the World Trade Organisation (WTO) or the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In this context, the European Union (EU) stands out with a mandate that includes regulatory functions. Within the EU, education and training programs include initiatives in the context of the intergovernmental Bologna Process (Council of the European Union, 2009a). In this framework, key measures have been taken to structure the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) (Bergen, 2005), such as the definition of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), with the adoption of a single system of degrees, with the (suggestion of) adoption of the Anglo-Saxon model, in the modality 3 + 2 years, in other words 180 + 120 ects, in the first two cycles, and the implementation of a quality assurance and accreditation system, based on entities and procedures that are coordinated nationally and transnationally (Antunes, 2008). We focus on the discussion of educational policy options for the training of teachers of children aged 3 to 12 years in Portugal, assessing the degree of autonomy in the ways of achieving the process of Europeanisation by the evolution of solutions implemented at the level of conditions of access, objectives and structure of the training - duration, fields and weights of the areas of specific knowledge of teachers, psycho-pedagogical knowledge and educational practice - within the scope of the 1st and 2nd cycle training offer. To this end, in addition to the bibliographic review considered relevant, we engaged in the documentary analysis of a broad range of sources among the documents originating from international and supranational institutions, working groups and intergovernmental platforms - studies, reports, surveys and their results, programs, projects, treaties, etc. - as well as of the legislative production on this matter by the last Portuguese governments, in order to clarify education policy principles and options in the field of teacher education, including recruitment, professional profile and the organisation of study plans and educational offer. In global terms, the process of Europeanisation has contributed to a certain convergence of educational policies, with an impact on Portuguese higher education and at the level of initial teacher training. The political changes generated variations in the legal regimes of initial training of educators and teachers illustrating the permanence of the State as a regulator at the national level and as a counterpoint to a transnational regulation of education. A perspective of the teacher as an autonomous professional with a critical attitude, capable of evaluating his/her work, who investigates and constructively reflects his/her professional knowledge, seems to give way to a more technical view of the teacher's work, oriented towards and for results. Teacher training presents a two-stage structure, but with undeniable integration of the training dimensions, with the Portuguese tradition of structural models still prevailing to the detriment of the conceptual ones (Ferreira e Mota, 2013). Since November 2015, the political context in Portugal has changed and several education measures have been reversed. However, teacher training remains unchanged.