A formação docente em odontologia: um processo curricular em construção

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine whether the academic master s programs in Dentistry, which are considered to reflect a high level of excellence, according the evaluation standards of CAPES (Committee for Postgraduate Courses in Higher Education), meet the current needs for academic formation. It is evident that there is a need to review the curricular and pedagogical structures in the academic formation courses, given that there is a tendency to prioritize research and neglect the learning processes. The study makes a theoretical reflection, in the areas of curriculum, professor training, and postgraduate educational policies. By means of a qualitative approach, the techniques of document analysis were used with the methodological resource of content analysis. The analyzed materials consist of the documents from academic master s programs that received grades of 6 and 7 from the CAPES Evaluation System 2001-2003 Triennium, as well as interviews and surveys with coordinators, assisting professors, and program professors. It was observed that the curricular structure of these programs is based on juxtaposed subjects, reinforcement of specialization, stratification of knowledge, and teaching activities restricted to one subject, also disconnected from the others. The incentive for research and scientific production conforming to international standards was also confirmed. It was then concluded that academic master s programs considered to reflect a high level of excellence, according to the evaluation standards of CAPES, do not meet the current needs for academic formation. The interviewees suggested, among other things: recover a cognitive system with interconnected subjects, introduce research on teaching, and the integration of public policies on education and health that further the complete formation of professors of Dentistry