Continuing Education and Educational Policies: Trends and Perspectives

Introduction: This study discusses continuing teacher education and educational policies, their trends, and perspectives. Objective: The objective of the study was to map and reflect on the concepts surrounding continuing education, as well as the educational policies that guide this debate, in order to contribute to new analyses of continuing education for teachers and educational institutions. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework draws from official documents such as the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education 9,394 of 1996 (LDBEN), considering the perspective of continuing education it presents, as well as definitions presented by authors such as Gatti, Barreto, and André (2011), Imbernón (2009), Nóvoa (1995), and Freire (2001). Method: The research follows a qualitative, bibliographical approach, with a reference survey on digital platforms such as Scielo. Because this is a bibliographical study, questionnaires or interviews were not used. Results and Discussion: The results show that, across various concepts, the influence of liberal economic thought in the context of continuing teacher education is evident. The debate on educational policies demonstrates the creation and implementation of measures that reveal the need to rethink public investment in teaching. Research Implications: Studies on teacher education policies in the Brazilian context need to gain more space, especially because the political climate of the 21st century has deepened the challenges of teaching practice, highlighting the devaluation of teachers and their work, and increasingly establishing the precariousness of teacher work. Originality and Value: The research enabled a broader debate on continuing teacher education, as well as the role of the government in this training, which is responsible for promoting training policies that truly address the demands of teachers and the school community.