History teacher education “within the profession”? Relationshipsbetween university and school in Lisbon

Abstract

This article examines the links between universities and school education institutions in the
initial preparation of History teachers, taking as a reference the Master’s Degree in History
Teaching at the University of Lisbon. It addresses the problem of understanding to what
extent these connections foster integrated spaces of professional learning or reproduce the
divide between theory and teaching practice. Theoretically, the study engages with authors
who emphasize the centrality of everyday school life in the construction of professional
knowledge. Methodologically, a qualitative approach is adopted, based on interviews with
lecturers and students, combined with the observation of course activities. The findings
indicate the development of school-based formative arrangements, such as communities
of practice, networks of cooperating teachers, and “third spaces,” which reposition schools
as privileged sites for the production of professional knowledge. However, institutional,
cultural, and political tensions persist, limiting the consolidation of this model.