Trajetórias educacionais e sentidos do “tornar-se professor/a” para licenciandos da Universidade Estadual da Paraíba – Campus III

Abstract

This dissertation aims to analyze the educational trajectories and the meanings attributed to becoming a teacher by undergraduate students from working-class backgrounds at the Center for Humanities of the State University of Paraíba – Campus III. The research adopts a qualitative approach, as well as a quantitative component obtained through questionnaires. The study is grounded in Moscovici’s (2003) Theory of Social Representations and in the Bourdieusian theoretical perspective (1974), which shed light on the understanding of symbolic constructions, representational processes, and identity formation. The research sample consisted of 95 students enrolled in undergraduate programs in Pedagogy, Portuguese Language and Literature, English Language and Literature, History, and Geography, aiming to understand their school and academic trajectories and the meanings they attribute to "becoming a teacher." The results indicate that the choice of teaching is intrinsically linked to the students’ socioeconomic conditions, the lack of access to other academic pathways, and the influence of family and school experiences. Furthermore, it is observed that the decision to pursue a teaching degree is shaped by factors such as the proximity of their homes to the university campus and the pursuit of professional and, consequently, financial stability. The data from this research contribute to reflections on teacher education and the impacts of social inequality on the academic paths of undergraduate students. Through the lens of Social Representations, four representational dimensions of becoming a teacher were identified: the ethical-relational dimension; the professional dimension; the epistemopolitical dimension; and the personal-family achievement dimension. It is concluded that the choice of teaching, beyond being a vocation, is tied to a set of structural and subjective factors that shape the educational and professional possibilities of students. The research also highlights the need for educational policies that expand access to and support for persistence in higher education.