Systematization of good tutoring practices in community Engagement for training future Chemistry and Biology teachers

Abstract

Community engagement is one of the important components of preparing future teachers as it makes possible the connection between theoretical knowledge and community needs in education. The aim of this study is to systematize the successful practices of community engagement used in training the students of the Experimental Sciences Pedagogy program (majoring in Chemistry and Biology) from 2024 to 2026. The research employed qualitative methods and had a descriptive and interpretative focus. The design of the research was non-experimental and retrospective, and the modality used was documentary. The object of the research was the tutoring experience and activities carried out by 75 students who took 96 hours of community engagement. The materials for the research were collected by the analysis of the students’ reports, attendance sheets, photos, assessment products, reports on monitoring, and educational institutions’ documentation. The systematization revealed that success practices included preliminary induction, collaboration on planning, tutoring support throughout the process, feedback, and interaction with the partner organizations. Activities on environmental education, school gardening, recycling, landscaping, and educational spaces improvement were organized as well. The study concludes that the gained experience allowed the appropriate application of Chemistry and Biology knowledge, development of pedagogical skills, and fostering the social responsibility of future teachers.