Abstract:

Curriculum Articulation (CA) is an important practice in the teaching-learning process. Currently, a sound knowledge at the level of disciplinary contents implies holistic approaches, but also implies a transversal intervention, allowing the promotion of meaningful learning (Cosme & Trindade, 2012; Cosme, 2018; Leite, 2012; Lima, 2001; Morán, 2017; Morgado & Tomaz, 2009; Roldão, 2007) and the perception of knowledge as a whole, resulting from a series of relationships that are established. Based on these assumptions, we value a dynamic curricular design regarding the competencies and skills to be developed by students.

Over two academic years, we did a proposal to develop curricular articulation with 3rd year Basic Education students in a Polytechnic Institute of Portugal. This experience involved two Curricular Units: one in the field of Didactics, Didactics of Portuguese, and the other under internship conditions - Initiation to Professional Practice 3. These two Curricular Units present competences that should be developed in articulation. On the one hand, it is clear that there are contact points in terms of skills and content in this training process; on the other hand, the interconnection of knowledge is important to the students’ pedagogical practices in the future. In methodological terms, this is an exploratory study, since it is a first experience in this Curricular Unit, involving both students and teachers.

Our aim is to understand:
i) What choices did the students make in order to articulate the area of Education for Citizenship with other curricular areas in the planning proposals they presented?
ii) How do students perceive the CA experiment they were subjected to within the curricular units of Didactics of Portuguese and Initiation to Professional Practice 3?

Data were collected through participant observation, conversations and written documents (reports and reflections).

With regard to data analysis, the categories emerged from the data collected and the data was analysed in light of literature.

The results show that students made diverse choices and see many positive aspects in the CA, and it undeniably is an experience to be repeated by teachers. For the students, it is a possibility of carrying out tasks, evaluative and reflective moments mutual to both Curricular Units. It is also important the mobilization of knowledge, capacities, and skills relevant to both areas of further importance, which allow them to articulate learning. The students consider this articulation to be necessary, allowing the construction of fundamental knowledge and the experience of model situations which can be mobilized for their future practice. The teachers point strong points: the collaborative work involved in the planning of lessons and in the structuring of resources, highlighting the possibility of (re)building knowledge together.

Keywords:

Curricular Articulation, Initial Teacher Education, Students and Teachers' Perceptions.