03-02-2025
02-08-2026
The teaching profession is undergoing significant transformations and faces multiple challenges globally, impacting both initial teacher education (ITE) and the broader professional development of teachers. This research addresses critical issues such as the declining attractiveness of teaching, increased workload and bureaucratization, an ageing teaching population, and the need for effective induction and ongoing professional development. The study recognizes the pivotal role of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in shaping teachers' professional development and identity. Effective ITE is essential for socializing individuals into the teaching profession, emphasizing the need to align teacher education with the teaching profession. While acknowledging the importance of socialization processes in constructing a professional teaching identity, the project emphasizes the significance of intergenerational dialogues as a means to enhance knowledge transfer, promote mutual learning, prevent the loss of shared knowledge, and contribute to teachers' professional development. Despite the recognition of intergenerational learning in some professional development models, the study highlights a research gap, as existing studies often focus on specific career phases. The project aims to overcome this limitation by adopting a whole-career perspective, exploring the impact of intergenerational dialogues on student teachers and teachers at different career stages. This project's main goal is to explore the influence of intergenerational learning on teachers and student teachers in Portugal, with a focus on its effects on professional development, knowledge transfer, and the overall attractiveness of the teaching profession. The study employs a multifaceted approach, encompassing a comprehensive literature review, biographical interviews, and implementing intergenerational workshops. The research will involve teachers at various career stages, from mid-career to late-career teachers, as well as student teachers from three subject areas: Portuguese, Mathematics and, Physics and Chemistry. For its development, the project is organised into five tasks. The literature review (Task 2) will provide a theoretical framework and map research on intergenerational learning, teacher professional development, and teacher education policies from the last decade. This will contribute to understanding the context within which intergenerational learning occurs and its potential impact on the teaching profession. Task 3 involves biographical interviews with teachers and student teachers in different career stages, exploring their perceptions of professional experiences, challenges, and intergenerational relationships. This phase seeks to identify continuities and discontinuities throughout teachers' careers and the potential impact of intergenerational dialogues on student teachers' socialization with the profession. The heart of the project lies in Task 4, where intergenerational workshops will be held based on the data collected in Task 3, namely the use of vignettes. These workshops, grounded on action research principles, aim to facilitate knowledge transfer, promote mutual learning, and contribute to the professional development of their participants. Participants will create digital portfolios that allow them to reflect on the process and experience. This activity will also involve the development of focus groups which, once analysed, will inform the development of recommendations. This project has significant implications for the teaching profession in Portugal and beyond, addressing the challenges posed by an ageing teaching population and the need to attract and retain teachers. The project seeks to bridge generational gaps, prevent knowledge loss, and contribute to a more dynamic and attractive teaching profession by fostering intergenerational dialogues. The outcomes aim to inform policy and practice, promoting a holistic approach to teacher professional development across different career stages.
IDEAFor - Identity, Democracy, School, Administration and Training
FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e para Tecnologia
CIIE/Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto (FPCEUP), Portugal
Universidade Lusófona do Porto, Portugal