THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEACHING PRACTICE IN THE CONSTITUTION OF TEACHING KNOWLEDGE AMONG NURSING COURSE PROFESSORS AT THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF PIAUI, BRAZIL

This study sought to investigate teaching knowledge and analyze the contribution of this knowledge towards the pedagogical practices of the Nursing Course professors at the Federal University of Piaui, Brazil. The Oral History approach of a socio-educational nature within a descriptive-interpretative perspective was used. The subjects were 10 professors from the course. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews from September, 2005 to April, 2006. Bardin's Content Analysis was used and uncovered the following categories: the need for specific training to carry out teaching, the knowledge valued by the teachers in the practice of teaching, and the significance of professional experience among the teaching staff. From interview responses from the subjects, it emanates that knowledge is produced school during the initial formation of the professors and throughout their teaching practice. Both contribute equally, since without this combination there would only be the well known phenomena of knowledge reproduction.