Teaching and Research in the preparation of future professionals

Developing countries are going through profound transformations, not only in search of economic growth, but attempting to achieve what is most precious in a society: its development^{( 1 )}. It is acknowledged that so-called advanced societies invested in their human capital. Therefore, education-related matters, ranging from its funding to the high-quality end product, are incorporated into the public agendas. In this context, universities play a central role in the supply of high-quality education, involving students in teaching and research activities. Educating young people in highly computerized societies with free information access imposes challenges on educators, ranging from their preparation for the use of innovative teaching strategies to the students' motivation to deepen reflections and seek new forms of solutions to the problems in a society that is undergoing major transformations, including health service quality, impact of violence, illegal drugs use, quality of life of patients with non-transmissible chronic conditions, among others. Collaborative initiatives between Undergraduate and Graduate Vice-Presidencies have stimulated technology use in education and encouraged relationships among faculty, students and the community in general^{( 2 )}. Therefore, if we want to truly educate technical-scientifically competent students with a bold and competitive profile, we need to encourage, since the start of undergraduate education, their interest in getting access to state-of-the-art knowledge on a given theme, stimulating the consumption of research results and students' inclusion in scientific initiation programs. When shared with faculty members, the research development and consumption process enables students to gain skills and competences to use tools, such as discipline, critical thinking and decision making based on the best evidence to develop or choose products, processes and services^{( 1 )}. Beyond its immediate product, the learning process will be useful throughout their lives. In this issue, we present Nursing research results developed in cooperation with undergraduate students, presenting issues to the scientific community related to higher nursing education, professional values like social practice, teaching and learning competences from a neuroscience perspective and innovative forms of healthcare, among other themes that show how educational research contributes to reconsider nursing education and nursing care in a changing society.

References

• ¹
  Boletim FAPESP. O círculo virtuoso do desenvolvimento intelectual. [acesso 7 maio 2013] . Disponível em: http://agencia.fapesp.br/17205
  » http://agencia.fapesp.br/17205
• ²
  Boletim FAPESP. Unicamp lança ferramenta educacional na internet. [acesso 7 maio 2013]. Disponível em: http://agencia.fapesp.br/17217
  » http://agencia.fapesp.br/17217

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  May-Jun 2013