Teacher Training in Non-Formal Context: The Experience in Popular Pre-University Courses

Abstract

The article presents the results of a doctorate research in Educational Sciences. The aim was to analyze the relationship between non-formal education in the context of higher education and teacher training. This investigation has a qualitative nature; data collection consisted of conducting 21 interviews, whose data were treated according to thematic content analysis. The research allowed the study of educational and training practices developed in two popular pre-university courses, Rede Emancipa and Conexões de Saberes, which aim to prepare groups from economically and socially disadvantaged classes to take the Enem test. Considering the functions that non-formal education can play, namely complementing formal and non-formal education, the results indicate that the analyzed educational practices are essential for training Teaching undergraduates since they enable the learning of theoretical and practical knowledge. These experiences studied are close to popular education, as the teaching practice follows a critical view. Furthermore, they are essential tools to democratize higher education in Brazil.