Whirlwinds and hopefulness

curriculum and assessment in teacher education during times of emergency remote teaching

Abstract

This article analyzes the adaptations in the curriculum and assessment of the course Curriculum Theories offered to an undergraduate class in Pedagogy and a graduate class in Education at the Federal University of Minas Gerais during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic and its whirlwinds. The critical-reflexive analysis is based on a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study of the development of the course plan adapted for emergency remote teaching. The article revisits the institutional processes involved in authorizing the continuation of educational activities remotely, redefining pedagogical planning, describing and analyzing the methodological choices for course development and assessment. It is argued that amid the undeniable turbulent whirlwinds caused by the pandemic, it was possible to collectively develop a teacher education course whose curriculum and assessment needed to be rethought and adapted at the University. Thus, the collective commitment to life and public education led to the development of pedagogical strategies that mitigated the weaknesses of remote teaching. There were numerous gaps towards equity; however, the combination of efforts enabled the structuring of an assertively adapted course, fostering hope in teacher education.