Os significados do trabalho para docentes da Educação Profissional e Tecnológica do Instituto Federal de Pernambuco

Abstract

This dissertation aimed to analyze the meanings attributed to work by teachers of Professional and Technological Education (EPT) at Instituto Federal de Pernambuco (IFPE), seeking to answer the following question: what meanings do EPT teachers at IFPE attribute to work? Grounded in authors from the historical-dialectical perspective such as Marx (2002), Lukács (1981), Antunes (1995, 2013, 2020), Saviani (2007), and Freitas (2004, 2018), the study adopted a qualitative methodology, using a sociodemographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers from Recife, Vitória de Santo Antão, and Afogados da Ingazeira campuses. Data were analyzed based on Bardin (2016). The survey of the state of knowledge showed that the theme of the meanings of work has been addressed by different fields, with diverse theoretical and methodological approaches. It was found that the debate remains current and expanding, since work, as a social and subjective phenomenon, is in constant transformation. The research results revealed that teaching work in EPT constitutes a field of contradictions: a space for personal fulfillment and social commitment, but also one of challenges such as overload, bureaucracy, and difficulties in balancing personal and professional life. From the findings, it is concluded that work experienced with meaning—sustained by identification with the profession, the perception of social usefulness, and the purpose of activities—proves capable of overcoming strain, fostering satisfaction and commitment even in adverse contexts. The implementation of the Educational Product (pedagogical workshop) demonstrated the transversality of these issues, highlighting shared experiences between teachers and technical-administrative staff within the institutional context