VOICES AND ACADEMIC LITERACIES: NARRATIVES OF PEDAGOGY STUDENTS

Abstract

Entering higher education represents a transformative milestone, especially for students who choose courses in the education field, such as Pedagogy, often moved by a combination of a professional calling and aspirations for personal and social transformation. This qualitative study, in the narrative and interpretative tradition, investigated the narratives and profile of 22 incoming students in the Pedagogy course at a state public university, through a socio-educational questionnaire and the production of narrative texts. The objective was to understand the underlying motivations for their choices, their future expectations, and the challenges they face, with particular emphasis on the process of integrating into academic literacies. The analysis of student narratives revealed a heterogeneous profile and multifaceted motivations for choosing the course, including family encouragement, previous experiences, a desire for personal growth, and an aspiration for social transformation. Future expectations, although high, are shaped by individual sociocultural contexts. A central finding of the research lies in the significant challenges related to academic literacies: students reported difficulties in writing, interpreting complex texts, and adapting to institutional demands. These barriers interact with their expectations and self-assessment, highlighting the complexity of the transition to university culture. The study concludes there is a pressing need for contextualized support to develop these competencies and strengthen student autonomy. The research contributes to a better understanding of the choice for the Pedagogy course and highlights the urgency of strategies that enhance the holistic development of future educators.