Pedagogical residency in physical education: the relationship between theory and practice in initial teacher training

Abstract

Introduction.  The research aimed to analyze the relationship between theory and practice in the dynamics of the school-field and university partnership in the training of residents of the Physical Education course at the University of Pernambuco in the Pedagogical Residency Program.

Methodology.  This is a documentary study. After an exploratory reading of 85 resident reports from the three editions of the program, 31 were selected, and content analysis was performed. Two analytical categories were defined (relationship between theory and practice in teacher training and Pedagogical Residency Program) and two context units (understanding and relationship between the school-field and the university).

Results.  Different approaches between theory and practice were identified among the residents. At the same time, it was noted that participation in the Physical Education subproject expressed a minimization of the theory-practice dichotomy in the training process of the undergraduate students.

Discussion.  It is evident that the relationship between theory and practice, in the analyzed dynamics, was directly influenced by the reality of teacher training policy in the country.

Keywords
Physical Education; educational policy; teacher training; pedagogical residency.

Resumo

Introdução.  A pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar a relação entre teoria e prática na dinâmica da parceria escola-campo e universidade na formação dos residentes do curso de Educação Física da Universidade de Pernambuco no Programa de Residência Pedagógica.

Metodologia.  Trata-se de um estudo documental. Após uma leitura exploratória de 85 relatórios de residentes das três edições do programa, foram selecionados 31 e realizou-se a análise de conteúdo. Definiram-se duas categorias analíticas (relação teoria e prática na formação de professores e Programa de Residência Pedagógica) e duas unidades de contextos (entendimento e relação entre a escola-campo e a universidade).

Resultados.  Foram identificadas diferentes aproximações entre teoria e prática por parte dos residentes. Ao mesmo tempo, notou-se que participação no subprojeto Educação Física expressou uma minimização da dicotomia teoria-prática no processo formativo dos licenciandos.

Discussão.  Evidenciou-se que a relação entre teoria e prática, na dinâmica analisada, foi diretamente influenciada pela realidade da política de formação de professores no país.

Palavras-chave
Educação Física; política educacional; formação de professores; residência pedagógica.

Resumen

Introducción.  Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo analizar la relación entre la teoría y la práctica en la dinámica de la colaboración escuela-campo y universidad en la formación de residentes en el curso de Educación Física en la Universidad de Pernambuco en el Programa de Residencia Pedagógica.

Metodología.  Se trata de un estudio documental. Después de una lectura exploratoria de 85 informes de residentes de las tres ediciones del programa, se seleccionaron 31 y se realizó un análisis de contenido. Se definieron dos categorías analíticas (relación entre la teoría y la práctica en la formación docente y el Programa de Residencia Pedagógica) y dos unidades de contexto (comprensión y relación entre la escuela-campo y la universidad).

Resultados.  Se identificaron diferentes enfoques entre la teoría y la práctica entre los residentes. Al mismo tiempo, se observó que la participación en el subproyecto de Educación Física expresó una minimización de la dicotomía teoría-práctica en el proceso de formación de los estudiantes de pregrado.

Discusión.  Se evidenció que la relación entre la teoría y la práctica, en la dinámica analizada, fue influenciada directamente por la realidad de la política de formación docente en el país.

Palabras clave
Educación Física; política educativa; formación docente; residencia pedagógica.

1 Introduction

The Programa de Residência Pedagógica (PRP) was established by the Ministério da Educação (MEC) in 2018. Combined with the Programa de Iniciação à Docência (Pibid), created in 2007, the PRP is connected to the national teacher training policy. It is important to note that the PRP, including its approval and development, especially in the first two editions, occurred in a political context marked by cuts and freezes in education funding, secondary education reform, and the approval of the Base Nacional Comum.Curricular (BNCC) (Brazil, 2018a; Silva, 2018). Its third and final edition was planned for 2022, a period also marked by an agenda of attacks to public education and teacher training policy (Anfope et al., 2022).

Through Portaria de Gabinete No. 39, of February 28, 2018, the PRP was established to support Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the country “[...] in the implementation of innovative projects that encourage the articulation between theory and practice in undergraduate courses, conducted in partnership with public basic education networks [...]” (Brazil, 2018b, p. 1). The program was designed under the responsibility of implementation, monitoring, and evaluation by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) to include students who are regularly enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and have completed at least 50% of their coursework or are in their fifth semester or higher.

Although the three calls for proposals presented changes in some of their characteristics - such as objectives, context, workload, length of stay for residents, organization of activities, and number of residents per field school - they all had in common the fact that they were configured as an expanded space for the initial training of teachers through their insertion into basic education schools. Furthermore, residents were required to submit a final report as an experience report at the end of their participation in the program, according to a template provided by each HEIs.

In this and other PRP documents, students came to be referred to as residents. In addition to these, each edition included the following participants: a supervising professor, from the HEI responsible for guiding and monitoring the residents' internship in relation to theory and practice; a preceptor, who is a basic education teacher responsible for monitoring the residents' activities at the designated field school; and an institutional coordinator, who is a professor from the higher education institution responsible for the institutional project submitted to CAPES.

Regarding the teacher training process, it has been observed, especially since the 1990s, that there has been an increase in discussions pointing to the need to overcome theoretical perspectives based on the dichotomy between theory and practice (Tardif, 2014). This context expresses a new articulation “[...] between the knowledge produced by universities regarding teaching and the knowledge developed by teachers in their daily practices” (Tardif, 2014, p. 23).

Magnavita, Fontes, and Siqueira (2022) emphasize the importance of investigating whether the PRP offers opportunities for change in teacher training in Brazil or if it is an attempt to control the teaching profession. In any case, regardless of the answers, scrutinizing this and other similar programs is important to inform actions related to teacher training policy in our country. Similarly, Tardin and Ananias (2023), when analyzing the relationship between the PRP and supervised internships as formative spaces, highlight the importance of investing in research related to the program so that this, as well as other teacher training policies, can be restructured or implemented in a way that preserves the distinct characteristics and functions of supervised internships.

Specifically, in the initial training of physical education graduates, the difficulties in understanding the relationship between theory and practice take on other forms in addition to the challenges common to other undergraduate degrees. Because the elements that make up body culture are the systematized contents worked on by the area (Collective of Authors, 2014), the notion of practice in the field of Physical Education has historically been understood only as the performance of bodily practices, reinforcing the dichotomous reading of theory as knowledge (organized ideas about a given topic) and practice as the moment in which the centrality lies in the bodily action.

In light of the presented context, we propose the following issue for investigation: How did the relationship between theory and practice manifest in the PRP for students enrolled in the Physical Education program? Thus, our objective is to analyze the relationship between theory and practice in the dynamics of the school-field and university partnership in the training of residents of the Educação Física da Escola Superior de Educação Física da Universidade de Pernambuco (ESEF-UPE) in the PRP.

2 Methodology

This study was characterized as documentary research, supported by a qualitative-descriptive approach. The choice of this approach stemmed from a desire to deepen and broaden the understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. This approach allowed us to grasp the nuances in the relationship between theory and practice in the dynamics of the school-field and university partnership in the Physical Education subproject of the ESEF-UPE PRP (Minayo, 2014).

In documentary studies, according to Severino (2018), we use raw material from written documents as reports to develop scientific research. Thus, the data sources were 85 final reports from residents participating in the three editions of the aforementioned program, with 25 from the 1st edition, 37 from the 2nd, and 24 from the 3rd and final edition. It is important to note that the total number of residents participating in the three editions was 86; however, one report had a corrupted file and could not be included in the analysis. Chronologically, the scope covered the period from 2020 to 2024.

To ensure the anonymity of the report authors, here they are identified as R1, R2, and R3, with the numbering established randomly among the three editions. We conducted an exploratory reading of all reports and, based on the presence of one or more of the terms: "practice," "theory," "theoretical," and "praxis," we identified that 31 of them presented, in a more elaborate or diffuse way, the relationship between theory and practice in the dynamics of the partnership between school-field and university originating from the following editions: 11 from the first, seven from the second, and 13 from the third.

The other 54 reports, while potentially related to theoretical or practical issues, did not address the relationship between them. Their content focused on: the structure of the PRP, school infrastructure issues, remote learning, descriptions of activities carried out, and the return to in-person teaching.

Based on this initial analysis, the 31 reports underwent an analytical process, supported by the technique of categorical content analysis by theme (Bardin, 2011). This type of analysis aims to identify the thematic core through categories. These categories allow for operationalization and ensure scientific rigor in the research. They give greater relevance to the senses and meanings of the content and use quantifiable questions for context analysis. Our analytical categories were: the relationship between theory and practice in teacher training and the PRP.

With regard to the coding of the content of the reports, after the delimitation of the categories, the data concerning the object were broken down into “[...] units of registration and context [that] must respond pertinently [to the object investigated]” (Bardin, 2011, p. 134). The context units were: (1) understanding; (2) school-field and university relationship. These are related to the analytical categories and express elements that compose them in a broader dimension than the registration units. Registration units, on the other hand, represent the raw data extracted from the source about the object in its entirety. The registration units linked to context unit 1 were dichotomy, praxis, contradiction, and superficiality/imprecision. For Unit 2, the recording units were dilemmas, contradictions, qualitative leaps, initial training preceptors, possibilities, and socialization.

3 The relationship between theory and practice in initial teacher training: tensions in educational policy

Teacher training constitutes a field of political and academic debate in Brazil, with approaches and perspectives that express tensions permeating the formulation and implementation of educational policies, both broadly and in the specificities of these policies. In this sense, Gatti (2021) discusses the discontinuity in the implementation of policies and the fragmentation of actions in Brazil's teacher training programs and policies. Furthermore, the brief history of teacher training in the country, according to Carvalho, Barcelos, and Martins (2020), demonstrates the persistent dichotomy between theory and practice that permeates the field.

André (2009), in analyzing academic production on teacher training, based on dissertations and theses produced between 1990 and 2000, recognizes a growing interest in the topic, with production increasing from 6% in the 1990s to 14% in the 2000s. The author also highlights the shift in research focus. In the 1990s, the focus was on initial teacher training, accounting for 72% of the analyzed studies. In the 2000s, the focus shifted to teacher identity and professionalization, represented in 41% of studies.

In addition to demonstrating the consolidation of interest in the topic, the study by Urbanetz, Romanowski, and Urnau (2021) highlights the complexity of the discussions. The research, through an integrative review of teacher training between 2007 and 2019 in the journal Retratos da Escola, identified 33 publications related to the topic and classified them into three main areas: initial and continuing teacher training; training for professional practice; and public policies and their impacts. Regarding the field of physical education, Leão and Barros's (2018) integrative review also identified a growing body of work on teacher training. Twenty-six articles focusing on this topic were published between 2014 and 2017. Even with the focus on physical education teacher training, the authors identified that the productions primarily engage with the broader field of education.

In this scenario, it is important to highlight the enactment of Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDBEN) No. 9,394/1996 as a regulatory milestone for teacher training. This is mainly due to Article 62, which establishes the need for a higher education degree to work in basic education. However, it admits the possibility of teaching in early childhood education and elementary school with a high school degree in the regular modality.

According to Silva (2018), higher education can be considered one of the qualifying indicators for teacher training; however, it is necessary to note that, from the 2000s onwards, neoliberal initiatives/influences have become particularly evident in Brazilian higher education, with the creation of quality parameters for teacher training based on market logic. According to Albino, Rodrigues, and Dutra-Pereira (2024), teacher training policies in the country are marked by patchwork and violent colonial impositions that lead to the formation of a certain type of human being. These policies have also followed neopragmatist perspectives¹, which are presented as a great innovation, but are nothing more than the already well-known neoliberal recipe.

In this context, Isobe et al. (2022) draw attention to the fact that many educational policies aimed at teacher training in Brazil are fragmented actions, responding to immediate pressures without planning. However, according to Isobe et al. (2022), teacher training policies should invest in comprehensive actions guided by solid initial training principles, including those concerning the relationship between theory and practice.

Acknowledging the dichotomy between theory and practice, Lüdke (2020) emphasizes the urgent need to discuss the concept of practice and its relationship with theory in teacher training courses. After all, placing the responsibility for effective contact with the practical reality of teaching solely on the internship, in addition to reinforcing the aforementioned dichotomy, the very concept of practice ends up collapsing within teacher training courses (Lüdke, 2020).

So, Gimenes (2019) emphasizes that training cannot be restricted to the theoretical dimension, as we would run the risk of limiting students' understanding only to the contemplation of reality; similarly, practice cannot be effective without the former, since this action demands a dialectical relationship with theory. According to the author, praxis presupposes an intentional action to transform reality. The teacher training process is a constitutive part of social practice and can be related to this movement.

Vázquez (1977) helps us reflect on praxis, grounding it as a concept and action to confront the dichotomy between thinking and acting, between theory and practice, leading us to the need to overcome the understanding of practice as a utilitarian and immediate action. For the author, theoretical activity² only exists through practice and in relation to practice; however, practice, by itself, does not transform reality. It can even transform our awareness of facts and ideas about things (perceptions, representations, concepts), but not the things themselves, because it lacks the material and objective dimension. Practical activity, on the other hand, presupposes effective action in the world that results in a real transformation of it.

Finally, Vázquez (1977) helps us understand praxis as a human activity that transforms the world and oneself, configuring itself as a real, objective activity and, at the same time, an ideal, subjective, and conscious one, establishing itself in a unity between theory and practice, which also implies a certain distinction and relative autonomy.

Despite the contradictions in teacher training policies in Brazil, it is worthwhile to analyze the PRP experience and identify how theory and practice are related in resident training.

4 Teaching residency in Physical Education at ESEF-UPE: the context of the residents' experience

When seeking to understand the relationship between theory and practice, we identify understandings that point to a dichotomy between the two. In this dichotomy, theory is associated with knowledge acquired at university, while practice is associated with the application of that knowledge.

Immersion in a school environment during training is crucial, and residency offers the chance to apply the knowledge acquired at university in practice (R16, p. 8).

To promote quality teaching, teachers must have professional experience to apply their academic knowledge, seeking articulate theory and practice (R13, p. 3).

I consider the following to be positive points: including students in a public school that would otherwise be difficult to access; meeting with internship groups that were not included in the program; and attempting to strengthen the relationship between higher education institutions and schools. After all, good teacher training is possible only through the combination of university theory and school practice (R6, p. 11).

According to extracts from these reports, one challenge to be overcome within the initial training process at ESEF-UPE is the relationship between theory and practice at the university, which confirms Silva's statement (2020, p. 117-118):

There are numerous challenges to consider when it comes to teacher training courses. These challenges range from increasing university involvement with schools and consequently fostering relationships between university professors and basic education teachers to the idea that quality teacher training depends on a strong teaching profession and overcoming the theory-practice dichotomy in the training process. It is important to understand that both schools and universities incorporate theory and practice, and that the theory and practice of universities must align with those of schools. This alignment requires the appropriation of teaching knowledge necessary for teaching practice.

In another section of the R13 report, the concept of practice as a setting for applying knowledge is reinforced, even as elements that distinguish the transition between theory and practice are presented. For example, despite the existence of a theoretical framework that supports planning, this framework was modified to adapt to the dynamic realities of the different school classes.

Regarding the production of lesson plans, I had the opportunity to apply what I learned at the higher education institution, adhering to the constituent elements of a lesson plan, namely: objective, content, methodology, materials, facilities, and assessment. As the classes progressed, I came to understand that each class had its own peculiarities and that it was necessary to make changes to the strategies in order to achieve the objectives, but without altering the objectives themselves. In some classes, there were students with hearing impairments; in another specific class, there was a student in a wheelchair physical disability) [...] (R13, p. 4).

Based on these experiences during the Teaching Residency program, it was possible to perceive the importance of the program in the training of future teachers, offering a practical experience of the theoretical content learned, in addition to immersion in the reality of teachers and students, facing real challenges and learning to deal with everyday problems (R10, p. 6).

According to Veloso and Pivovar (2021), educational debates must be considered to combat the segmentation between theory and practice in initial teacher training, ensuring that this training is not superficial.

The imprecision/superficiality was another way we identified to understand the relationship between theory and practice, based on the term "union" between theory and practice. What kind of union? Is one predominant? Does this union presuppose a new construct that feeds back on itself? There are no other passages in the aforementioned account that allow us to make these inferences. “We confirm the importance of the Pedagogical Residency Program for the training of undergraduate students in teacher training courses, as it combines the theory learned in the classroom with practice in field schools” (R17, p. 8).

Another superficiality/imprecision was evident when the relationship between theory and practice was presented as important, but the data presented subsequently do not allow us to infer how this importance was recognized. Although imprecise, we infer that the resident indicates their undergraduate experience, referred to here as "university," is based on a reality distinct from that in schools.

The first point to highlight is the importance of the Pedagogical Residency Project, given that,in our training, we have very few moments where we deal with the reality of the school environment. Therefore, when we look at our training and highlight the importance of the relationship between theory and practice in this process, beyond the reality of the university, which is different from schools, I affirm that this project, by assisting the university, allows us to deal with situations that prepare us for our teaching careers. Through it, we were able to refine our professional conduct, plan, and organize all the content and activities developed in the school (R11, p. 11-12, our emphasis).

In this context, thinking about this relationship also involves reflecting on the frame of reference that constitutes the interpretation of such a relationship. Considering this, Carvalho (2013, p. 323) argues, from a historical-critical pedagogy perspective, that the relationship between theory and practice in initial teacher training “[...] occurs in the relationship with reality itself, not in a unilateral relationship where the student goes to the school unit to test the theories learned at the university, but rather in a dialectical relationship [...]”. So, the particularities and contradictions present in the reality of pedagogical practice will be accessed.

In one of the reports, it was possible to understand that the relationship between theory and practice was considered contradictory, because it was recognized that Physical Education in the school, in general, acknowledge the technical/sports approach as no longer consistent with the configuration of the curricular component; however, the reality found in the field school revealed that such an approach is still central to the classes. Thus, the experience in the PRP allowed for questioning practice through theory and implementing change.

Thus, a technical approach focused on physical development predominates in schools. However, we seek to promote a critical and reflective approach to provide students with a more comprehensive and meaningful physical education. We had the opportunity to reflect on the theoretical foundations we studied at university and the challenges presented by the field school (R22, p. 6).

Although the instructor prioritized sports as the main theme for the semester, at the end of the period, students were able to choose between dance, gymnastics, or martial arts to be explored in class, with an emphasis on their history, practice, and social importance. While this approach was successful and well-received by the students, we recognize that not all teachers, besides the instructor who accompanied us, can consistently adopt this agreement (R22, p. 5-6).

Still exploring the relationship between theory and practice, in examining the connection between the school field and the university, we identify practice as a space for expanding and deepening theoretical knowledge. It goes beyond the mere application of knowledge.

The program is a great opportunity to combine the theory studied at university with the teaching practice that takes place in schools, making the student's learning process even more meaningful. [...] in light of the above, the resident's work encompassed all spheres involving the school environment: studies, analyses, problem-solving, reflection, and proposing solutions during the teaching-learning process carried out by the resident at the field school. It can be noted that the resident was able to combine the theory learned at the university with teaching practice at the school, even though the activities took place through Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). Several difficulties were encountered during ERT, but through the studies and training undertaken by the resident during the PRP, it was possible to overcome and manage these challenges (R9, p. 3; 10).

In his report analyzing observations made during his preceptor's classes, another resident expresses his understanding that the relationship between theory and practice should be inseparable. He then constructs arguments explaining why he holds this view.

The classes are structured and end up feeling somewhat disjointed; the practical exercises don't connect with the theory, which, in my opinion, based on the foundations acquired during my undergraduate studies and the theoretical knowledge gained through practical experience, makes it possible to solve the problem, as theory and practice are inseparable for obtaining knowledge. Critical reflection should not be confined to the classroom, but should encompass the universe encompassed by the educational institution, the community, and society (R12, p. 9).

The term "praxis" was cited in two reports, understood as the relationship between theory and practice in the movement of the reality of the school, of pedagogical practice.

[...] Therefore, the Pedagogical Residency Program is an important factor in initial teacher training while students are preparing to become professionals. Experiencing school life provides practical experience beyond the school's organization, including coordination and class councils. In this way, ‘[...] producing the life of the teacher implies valuing, as content of their training, their critical-reflective work on the practices they carry out and on their shared experiences’ (Pimenta,1996, p. 85) (R26, p. 5-6).

[...] the program helps graduates put into practice the knowledge they are building throughout their training, relating the process of theory and practice (praxis) in the teaching field. In this way, through experiences and dialogues with the school community, they build autonomy and a teaching identity. [...] thus, it is noteworthy to observe that, with each meeting, lesson plan created, and class taught, each member was gradually building a teaching identity; furthermore, recognizing the existing relationship between theory and practice, which go hand in hand, and not along separate lines. (R2, p. 2; 8).

These two reports allow us to identify praxis as a continuous and contradictory movement. In this movement, pedagogical practice is imbued with conscious decisions about educational reality that are grounded in theory. However, if practice fails to express itself in the face of theory, our critical reflection becomes limited. In turn, it is important that theory be fed back with problems from practice, thus highlighting the inseparability between theory and practice.

Man acts by knowing, just as he knows himself through action. Human knowledge as a whole is integrated into the dual and infinite human task of transforming both external and internal nature. However, knowledge does not directly serve this practical, transformative activity. Rather, it relates to it through its purposes. The relationship between thought and action requires the mediation of the goals that man sets for himself (Vázquez, 1977, p. 192).

We can therefore see that praxis, as a theory-practice unity, allows us a critical and reflective look at training, in light of our own teacher training process, at the same time as we are conducting student training processes, as in the PRP.

According to Silva and Castro (2022), it is important that teachers are aware of this recognition, as it implies significant transformations that have the potential to change the way the educational phenomenon is interpreted in schools.

In another report, praxis is understood as an expression of the relationship between theory and practice, being delineated with greater clarity and consistency.

[...] The Pedagogical Residency Program [...] provided knowledge of the educational field and a visualization of the possibilities for combining initial training and professional expertise for the future, also allowing reflection on teaching and learning actions and their purposes to build, create, and redefine pedagogical practice and improve it. [...] Furthermore, we identified that several challenges and dichotomies within the teaching profession still need to be overcome. [...] participation in the Pedagogical Residency Program was significant for pedagogical practice, providing support from preceptors and supervising professors, which was fundamental to our professional and personal growth (R31, p. 10-11).

Freire (1987, p. 38) says that the stage of reflection should not be separated from the stage of action in the formation process. The concreteness of praxis is important. This “[...], however, is reflection and action of men on the world to transform it. Without it, overcoming the oppressor-oppressed contradiction is impossible”.

Reflection on practice, achieved through participation in mini-courses and meetings between residents, preceptors, and supervising professors, is described in one of the reports as a pivotal moment in an undergraduate student's training process. This idea marks an overcoming of the dichotomy between theory as knowledge constructed at the university and practice as its applicability.

During Module 1 of the Pedagogical Residency Program in the Physical Education project at the Universidade de Pernambuco, accompanied by our supervising professor and preceptor, we, the residents, had the opportunity to observe, plan, and teach classes in basic education in public schools. We also had the opportunity to participate in enriching moments of study and discussion, which are crucial for reflecting on practice, and in courses and mini-courses that contributed to our training as licensed teachers (R8, p. 1).

The importance of communication and interaction between preceptors and residents is a key element in enhancing initial training, since preceptors are often more experienced teachers within the school setting and act as co-trainers for future graduates. Such is the recognition that, during the pandemic, when this interaction was restricted, Tardin and Romero (2022) highlighted this relationship, via resident data, as a weak point in the second edition of the PRP, given the contribution of preceptors to the training process.

Among the criticisms received by the PRP is its connection to the BNCC. In one of the reports, the relationship between the school-field and the university is presented as a possibility for overcoming dilemmas and a fruitful space for demarcating political positioning in relation to, among other things, current curricular and training policies.

Even with criticisms and concerns about the program as a whole, I believe that in our reality, we managed to make a difference, respecting but adapting certain conflicting issues to our reality, such as, for example, fidelity to the guiding documents required in relation to the content of the classes. To be more incisive, I want to say that, together with the supervising teacher and the guiding professor, we had the maturity to discuss and contextualize the possibilities that the BNCC offered, not always materializing what the documents asked for verbatim, but adapting and contextualizing it to our reality, always with a good justification discussed beforehand (R15, p. 9).

According to Milani, Gomes, and Souza (2021), both the BNCC and Resolution No. 2/2019 of the Conselho Nacional de Educação (Brazil, 2019), which establishes new guidelines for the training of basic education teachers and institutes the National Common Base for initial teacher training, are among the actions imposed on the training process, from basic education to higher education, that disregard the accumulated epistemological body of knowledge and point towards meeting the immediate demands of the labor market. We agree with the authors and understand that exercising the process of critical analysis of the BNCC and its implications regarding the relationship between theory and practice in the initial teacher training process has emerged as a possibility to overcome the limitations inherent in the program in the investigated reality.

About socialization, it is pointed out from within the school-field-university relationship as a way of giving back to society and to the school-field itself, what the PRP experience was for the participants involved. Since this program is funded by public money, it must return value to society. This includes providing concrete data on investments made in teacher training for the evaluation process.

Thus, it serves to bring academic training closer to the real demands of public education, and, in my opinion, little needs to be changed, since the Pedagogical Residency differs from the traditional internship because it offers the student teacher greater tools in terms of this improvement, which includes broader activities, for example, there are pedagogical interventions beyond classroom teaching sessions. These interventions include mentoring by a teacher/preceptor from the school who offers support and assistance related to all aspects of pedagogical practice. There is also the creation of academic papers that provide feedback to society and the school on all that was produced during the immersion period (R30).

[...] we received all the necessary support from UPE and the field school to carry out the activities, whether teaching classes or presenting seminars, study groups, meetings, and any other needs throughout the residency. Regarding the issue of socializing among undergraduate students and Physical Education residents, I believe future editions could include more expository meetings, seminars, and congresses, considering that these presentations bring us greater exchanges of knowledge, debates with the participation of more professors, the possibility of relating them to the activities of our own Higher Education Institution, and the expository nature of these meetings/seminars, in a way, motivates us to study more (R14, p. 11).

The three editions of the PRP included opportunities to share what was being built within the program, whether in events open to the public outside the university or in events aimed at the academic community of ESEF-UPE itself.

Based on the reports, we identified an understanding of progress among those who participated as residents in the relationship between theory and practice in its articulation between the school field and the university. Although the writing is concise, it allows us to infer that the naming of another reality refers to a qualitative leap in the initial formative process, because the contradictions and challenges that the dynamics of daily life at school bring to light mobilize critical thinking/action in the face of that reality.

A few weeks after our arrival, the school's internal games began, in which we participated by assisting in the organization of both the internal games and acting as referees and scorekeepers. This was an important experience for our training, because during university we learned in theory how to organize an event project or put it into practice within other projects offered at the university; however, applying the idea within a school where the Physical Education teacher is solely responsible is a different reality (R5, p. 4).

Freitas (2023), in investigating the contribution of the PRP to the initial training of graduates from the 1st and 2nd editions, in the context of ESEF-UPE, identifies, based on documents and interviews with former residents, the role of work based on the relationship between theory and practice as an integral part of the construction of teaching identity. A qualitative leap in the training of residents.

The reports also highlighted the influence of preceptors and supervising professors in building the relationship between theory and practice. They identified preceptors as representatives of school institutions and supervising professors as representatives of field institutions. However, they carried out collaborative work in analyzing and acting upon the reality of basic education.

The Teaching Residency program was a milestone in my undergraduate studies. [...] This helps us approach basic education more comprehensively and with greater stability, as we have two professionals supporting us (a supervising professor and a preceptor), providing greater support in this process, establishing not only a more effective relationship between theory and practice in training, but also providing spaces for the construction and implementation of activities based on theory and experiences gained during undergraduate studies. So, I was able to receive training that provided an opportunity to reflect on possible courses of action when faced with the particularities of each student and the field school (R1, p. 10).

Beyond recognizing the preceptor's unique contribution to the initial training process of residents, the reports reveal that a more organic arrangement between the field school and ESEF-UPE has the potential to bring more depth to the training, considering the profession-training binomial. Furthermore, the relationship between school, fieldwork, and university is an important point because it encourages residents to reflect on their training process.

Hence, I reaffirm the importance of undergraduate students participating in the Pedagogical Residency Program. In addition to what has been noted in this report, residents can use this experience to evaluate their progress and propose improvements for subsequent participants (R19, p. 5).

The Pedagogical Residency Program aims to improve, induce, strengthen, and promote adequate practical training in undergraduate courses,consolidating the relationship between university and school; it allowed me, through my participation, to realize the importance of the program's contribution to my professional development, because I was able to put into practice all the knowledge I acquired during my undergraduate studies,I was also able to expand my knowledge, I always tried to study to make classes more dynamic andI saw where all my limitations lay and how far my possibilities could extend, all of this was possible because we received a great deal of pedagogical support from our preceptors and our supervising professor. (R3, p. 8, our emphasis).

Based on the data and analyses from the reports of three editions of the PRP in its articulation with the field schools, we share the same desire as Castellani Filho (2023, p. 47):

Those experiences in Basic Education are the subject of theoretical abstraction on the part of those who experience them, to go beyond the simple apprehension of what they show us in their appearances. Studies originating in higher education should be based on educational practices present in the daily school routine. However, the analysis of that routine should not be neglected due to its influence on the aforementioned pedagogical practice.

Thus, we hope that the data from the residents' final reports will allow us to reflect on the concreteness of the relationship between theory and practice in initial teacher training, specifically at ESEF-UPE, as well as in other higher education institutions.

5 Final considerations

After analyzing the data and engaging with the literature, we argue that the participation of residents in the PRP, Physical Education subproject, minimized the theory-practice dichotomy in the training process of undergraduate students. It can be said that the relationship between theory and practice in the initial training process for physical education teachers is still a challenge for the entire training group, including the course coordinator, internship coordinator, and teachers. This relationship should not be evident solely through participation in certain programs, such as the PRP program, or mandatory internship components of the curriculum, since not all students have the opportunity to participate in programs with limited positions.

The work method (in-person or from home) and systematic monitoring of residents' interventions were necessary elements for qualitative leaps to occur in school physical education classes and the training process of graduates, unifying theory and practice.

Therefore, discussing and presenting proposals aimed at qualifying the principle of unity between theory and practice gains singular relevance in the current moment, the year 2026, when the new undergraduate course in Physical Education is in the implementation period through Resolution No. 6/2018 (Brazil, 2018c), permeated by doubts, conflicts with the single entry point, common training stage and, subsequently, the student's choice between a bachelor's or licentiate degree in Physical Education, which includes a brief mention of the effective application of this principle during the training process.

Although three consecutive editions of the PRP were experienced, the context of each one was different. Therefore, we understand that the relationship between theory and practice, in the dynamics of the school-field-university partnership, is influenced by the reality experienced by teacher training policy in our country and highlights the importance of having a critical analysis and positioning regarding the possibilities presented for initial teacher training.

Although we face different circumstances, we share a common belief in the need for Brazilian schools, especially public schools, to ensure the quality of their teachers. Within the context of improving initial teacher training, we emphasize the importance of participating in programs such as the PRP, which promote recognizing and practicing the relationship between theory and practice. As the literature shows, this relationship is a perennial issue in teacher training with direct implications for effective performance in schools.

• How to cite this article (ABNT):
  TENÓRIO, Kadja Michele Ramos; SILVESTRE, Bruno Modesto; SOUZA JÚNIOR, Marcílio. Residência Pedagógica em Educação Física: a relação teoria e prática na formação inicial de professores. Educação & Formação, Fortaleza, v. 11, e15977, 2026. Disponível em: https://revistas.uece.br/index.php/redufor/article/view/e15977
• Ad hoc experts:
  Samara Abreu and André Façanha
• 1
  Neopragmatism, according to Albino, Rodrigues, and Dutra-Pereira (2024, p. 10), “[...] consists of an important ideological representation in the process of restructuring capital when it advocates, in an additive way, theory and practice as if they were simple sums for thinking about human formation”.
• 2
  “The meaning of theory applies to a body of knowledge gathered around a unifying principle that articulates and systematizes it, thus constituting a specific scientific field” (Vázquez, 1977, p. 193).

Data availability:

The research data is available in the document.

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• Responsible editor:
  Lia Machado Fiuza Fialho

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  15 June 2026
• Date of issue
  2026

History

• Received
  23 Sept 2025
• Accepted
  28 Feb 2026
• Published
  18 Apr 2026