Continuing Teacher Education: Informal Collaborative Teacher Network as a Response to the Emergency Context Created by COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to the education sector, necessitating a rapid transition to emergency distance learning and highlighting the need to train teachers to maintain educational continuity under lockdown restrictions. In response, initiatives such as “Online Pedagogical Sharing” emerged, comprising short-term training activities aimed at educators and teachers at all levels of education in Portugal. This case study, conducted within a qualitative paradigm, explores how training organised by this informal collaborative network contributed to the continuous professional development and adaptation of teaching practices during the pandemic. It utilised digital technologies to meet the demands of distance learning and improve the pedagogical use of new technologies. The sessions, which took place between June and July 2020, were widely accessible, facilitating a meaningful collaborative approach in the teaching environment. By analysing data collected during these sessions, the study highlights the network’s effectiveness in facilitating collaborative learning and the impact of educational technologies during a time of significant pedagogical change. This work not only documents the immediate response to the crisis but also suggests avenues for future use of similar practices in post-pandemic contexts, emphasising the need for further analysis of the resilience and effectiveness of these adapted pedagogical strategies.