Theory-Practice Integration In Health Education: Analysis Of Thiollent's Action Research Methodology

Abstract

Action research was initially developed by Kurt Lewin during World War II and was consolidated in the Social Sciences as a methodology aimed at promoting changes in the contexts studied. Its participatory character allows the integration between theory and practice, valuing the collaboration between researchers and participants to solve problems and generate new knowledge. In Brazil, it was popularized by Michel Thiollent, standing out for uniting social transformation with critical reflection. Currently, action research is applied in several areas, especially in education and organizational contexts. In this context, the main objective of the present study is to analyze, according to the scientific production, how Thiollent's Action Research methodology promotes the integration between theory and practice in the process of training and professional education in health, aiming at improvements in care and educational practices. The present research sought to answer the following question: How can the application of Action Research, according to Thiollent's model, contribute to the formation and development of collaborative and reflective practices in professional health education? To investigate this issue, we analyzed articles indexed in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) and Nursing Database (BDENF) databases, focusing on publications from the last 10 years that were available in full and free of charge. The search was carried out using the following keywords: "Professional education" OR "Continuing Education" OR "Health Professional" OR "Nursing" OR "Primary health care" AND "action research" and their equivalents in Portuguese. The selection of studies followed inclusion criteria that favored relevance and alignment with the theme of action research in the context of professional health education. Thiollent's Action Research, applied to professional training in health, promotes the integration between theory and practice, developing critical and reflective skills through collaborative solutions and valuing the role of professionals and users in the continuous improvement of educational and care practices