Intervention research in a pedagogy course: A critical-collaborative Study Group on reading process

This dialogue paper presents a Study Group (SG) as an intervention research aimed at creating new modes for educating undergraduate students as proficient readers. The methodological framework was based on Vygotsky’s discussions of method as praxis (Vygotsky, 1921-23/1997, 1930/1999, 1931/1997, 1926- 30/1996), in the Marxist practical–materialistic–revolutionary activity, Engeström’s (2008, 2009) extensions of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), and on Magalhães’ discussion of collaboration (Magalhães, 2011, 2014, 2015). The work at the Pedagogy Course was motivated by students’ limited awareness of reading. The goal was to involve the Study Group as a community in understanding and transforming the ways in which reading is used in their lives. The methodology used for organizing and carrying out the study was Critical Collaborative Research, considered as an activity system that offers an important context for the critical-collaborative construction of knowledge in Study Group environment. Data was analyzed following Collaborative Argumentation categories (Liberali, 2013). The theoretical and practical work developed was targeted at creating a mutual Zone of Proximal Development that would support undergraduate students through the appropriation of reading as a process. The results showed that the critical-collaborative organization of the Study Group as interrelated activity systems enhanced the students’ prospects of appropriating the reading teaching-learning processes. It focuses on the dialogue to create with language an understanding, completing and expanding environment for the articulation of different points of views, supports, counterarguments, conclusions.