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Au ho (s): Madu ei a Fe ei a, Juliene; de Suoza Amo im, Ka ia;
Mäkinen, Ma i a; Ga cia Mou a, Gab iela
Ti le: The ne wo k o meanings and educa ional psychology:
heo e ical and p ac ical possibili ies
Yea : 2016
Jou nal Ti le: P ocedia: Social and Beha io al Sciences
Vol and numbe : 217 : -
Pages: 501-511
ISSN: 1877-0428
Discipline: Psychology; Educa ional sciences
School /O he Uni : School o Educa ion
I em Type: Jou nal A icle
Language: en
DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.1016/j.sbsp o.2016.02.027
URN: URN:NBN: i:u a-201603161323
Subjec : educa ional psychology; human de elopmen ; ne wo k o
meanings
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P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 501 – 511
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1877-0428 © 2016 Published by Else ie L d. This is an open access a icle unde he CC BY-NC-ND license
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Pee - e iew unde esponsibili y o Fu u e Academy® Cogni i e T ading
doi: 10.1016/j.sbsp o.2016.02.027
Fu u e Academy®’s Mul idisciplina y Con e ence
The Ne wo k o Meanings and Educa ional Psychology: Theo e ical
and P ac ical Possibili ies
Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei aa, Ká ia de Souza Amo ima, Ma i a Mäkinenb, Gab iella Ga cia
Mou aa,
aUni e si y o São Paulo, A enida Bandei an es 3000, Ribei ão P e o, B azil
a Uni e si y o Tampe e, Ake lundinka u 5, Tampe e 33014, Finland
Abs ac
This pape aises ques ions ega ding he p ac ices o educa ional psychologis s in he school con ex . The aim is o
con ibu e o he cons uc ion o p ac ical knowledge by p esen ing a s udy o how he heo e ical pe spec i e o he
Ne wo k o Meanings can help p o essionals s uc u e hei p ac ices in school se ings. The dialogue su ounding
he p ac ice and he heo e ical pe spec i e o he Ne wo k o Meanings e eals ha educa ional psychology is
in ol ed in all wo k le els o he school space: pedagogical, adminis a i e and poli ical. In addi ion, he heo y’s
mul i-dimensional app oach o human de elopmen p o ides inpu o e lec on he ole o educa ional psychologis s
in schools as a whole. Thus, he Ne wo k o Meanings app oach is conside ed as an impo an amewo k o discuss,
elabo a e and implemen educa ional psychology p ac ices in he school space.
© 2016 The Au ho s. Published by Else ie L d.
Pee - e iew unde esponsibili y o Fu u e Academy® Cogni i e T ading.
Keywo ds: Ne wo k o Meanings; Educa ional Psychology; Human de elopmen .
1. In oduc ion
Repo ing esea ch esul s is always a ask ha challenges he au ho ’s abili y o iden i y and p io i ize indings ha
a e guided by he objec i es o he esea ch. Howe e , epo ing conside a ions ela ed o p ac ice is mo e complex,
as he esea che mus na ow down he impo an elemen s seen, h ough he eyes o hose who ha e li ed he
expe ience and which a e in e -connec ed, equal pa s o he p ocess. The discussions e ealed he e o igina ed om
an analysis o he sys ema ized p ac ices o i e educa ional psychologis s and an examina ion o he heo e ical
© 2016 Published by Else ie L d. This is an open access a icle unde he CC BY-NC-ND license
(h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Pee - e iew unde esponsibili y o Fu u e Academy® Cogni i e T ading
502 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 501 – 511
pe spec i e o he Ne wo k o Meanings as a me hodological amewo k o unde s and human de elopmen and o
s uc u e ac ions owa ds ha de elopmen in he school con ex . The pu pose is o aise ques ions ega ding
educa ional psychologis s’ objec i es in schools, highligh ing he possibili ies and con ibu ions o pedagogical
ma e s, wi h a ocus on human de elopmen a he han heal h clinical se ices in school.
In his sense, and wi h he in en ion o p ese ing objec i i y in his limi ed space, he ideas a e p esen ed om ou
pe spec i es. Fi s , we poin ou impo an conside a ions ega ding he heo e ical pe spec i e o he Ne wo k o
Meanings, while unde s anding he educa ional psychologis ’s ole in he con empo a y educa ional se ing,
especially he B azilian en i onmen . Nex , we b ie ly explain how he da a was cons uc ed and o e a
con ex ualiza ion o he educa ional se ing whe e his wo k o igina ed, he eby es ablishing a pla o m o hose
discussions conside ed ele an in he in e lacing o he speci ic heo e ical amewo k and educa ional psychology.
Finally, a e add essed elemen s ha we e ound o be impo an bu no ye explo ed, such as conce ns wi h he
aining o educa ional psychologis s ha hus a , in some g adua e uni e si ies in B azil, ha e no p epa ed
psychology s uden s o pe o m in schools, bu mo e o en in psychological o ices.
1.1 Educa ional Psychology and i s challenges
Educa ional psychology as a ield o s udy and a ocus o psychological esea ch is a ela i ely ecen phenomenon
ha is g owing and becoming widely deba ed globally due o i s po en ial con ibu ions in he educa ional con ex .
Howe e , despi e e o s o dissemina e esea ch esul s and he accumula ed ield knowledge, di icul ies wi h
iden i ying he ou comes in school p ac ices and educa ional policies pe sis (Ande man, 2011). Educa ional
psychology is mo e o en ecognized in s udies di ec ly ela ed o heal h and he educa ion o eache s in he school
con ex (e.g., Cap a a, Ba banelli, S eca & Malone, 2006; Ga ne & Waajid, 2008; Pyhäl ö, Soini, & Pie a inen,
2010; Pa ick, Ande man, B uening & Du in, 2011; Lohse-Bossenz, Kunina-Habenich & Kun e , 2013). Thus, his
esea ch aims o con ibu e o educa ional p ac ices by analysing he ole o he educa ional psychologis in he
school space, ein o cing he po en ial o his p ac ice h ough a c i ical educa ional iew (Ma inho-A aújo, 2010;
Malu , 2003).
This c i ical pe spec i e means ha opics such as iolence, lea ning di icul ies, school engagemen and d opou ,
ha we e and s ill a e he ocus o s udies in he a ea (Mei a & Tanamachi, 2003; Goeke-Mo ey e al., 2012; Bo ges
e al., 2011), mus be e iewed wi hin he p ac ical pe spec i e o psychological wo k inside schools. The ini ial
explo a ion o hese subjec s will e ol e a ound discussions abou he en i onmen whe e hese phenomena occu
and he indi iduals who pa icipa e in he p ocess (Ma inez, 2005; 2010; Almeida, 2003; Souza, 2007; Ma inho-
A aújo, 2010).
These discussions aim o build wo main ideas. Fi s , in he p o essional p ac ice sphe e, he aim is o dissec he
s uc u e o psycho he apeu ic se ice and he ollow-ups ha a e exclusi ely ocused on ques ions ela ed o men al
heal h in school. The second is o de elop a wo k ha is o ien ed o assis he schooling p ocess and o de elop he
social ela ionships wi hin school space/ins i u ions (Oli ei a & Ma inho-A aújo, 2009; Pa o 1990; Angelucci,
Kalmus, Papa elli & Pa o, 2004), he eby decons uc ing ideas ha deposi exclusi ely he esponsibili y o
de elopmen on he indi idual and dis ega d he social p ocesses (Souza, 2007). The e o e, by conside ing he
si ua ion whe e he educa ional psychologis is pa o he school’s s a , ques ions a e aised ega ding he
p o essional educa ion/ aining o ac in he school con ex , an issue ha has been examined om di e en
pe spec i es.
Re e ing o he B azilian se ing, aligned wi h he con inuous demand o conside a ion and discussion abou his
opic, he s uggle o ecogni ion and ampli ica ion o he psychologis ’s wo k wi hin schools s ill aces g ea
challenges. In he poli ical economic a ena, obs acles exis ega ding he implemen a ion o he egula ion (PL
3688/2000) ha add esses educa ional psychology se ices in all public schools; and, also, in he educa ional ambi ,
ega ding he app op ia e aining o hese p o essionals. The e o e, i is necessa y o illumina e he e lec ions and
p ac ices abou educa ional psychology ha indica e i s possible ole and con ibu ions o his ield o knowledge in
he school communi y, especially o elemen a y educa ion.
503
Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 501 – 511
1.2 The Ne wo k o Meanings as a heo e ical basis o he unde s anding o human de elopmen and educa ional
psychologis ’s o ma ion
Faced wi h he challenges o unde s anding he complexi ies o human de elopmen in he con ex o dayca e
cen es, a g oup o esea che s s uc u ed he Ne wo k o Meanings RedSig* (Rosse i-Fe ei a, Amo im, Sil a &
Ca alho, 2004), a heo e ical/me hodological amewo k ha would allow hem o deal wi h he mul iple and
dynamic elemen s p esen in he phenomena. Based in he social-his o ical pe spec i e (Vygo sky, 1991, 1996), he
pe spec i e es ablishes a dialogue among heo is s ha b ing in o he discussion e e ences ha could complemen
and ampli y he o e iew o he s udy o human de elopmen . Bu wha is he Ne wo k o Meanings?
RedSig, om he heo e ical-me hodological pe spec i e, is cha ac e ized as “a ool able o assis he cons uc ion o
in es iga i e p ocedu es in he comp ehension o he p ocess o human de elopmen ” (Rosse i-Fe ei a e al., 2004,
p. 23). The Ne wo k o Meanings p oposes unde s anding abou he p ocess o human de elopmen , wo king as
lenses o esea che s in his ield o design hei s udies. The e o e, he Ne wo k o Meanings does no de ine, a
p io i and by i sel , a speci ic me hod o esea ch o ac ion, bu wo ks as a media o o he look a human
de elopmen , helping us o widen ways o unde s and and access he phenomenon. The heo e ical e e en ial
unde lying he cons uc ion o he Ne wo k o Meanings a e he Bioecological Theo y o De elopmen and he
sys emic cha ac e o social ela ionship comp ehension (B on enb enne , 1996); he no ion o complexi y (Mo in,
1990); and he cul u al-his o ical heo y, wi h special emphasis on dialec ic and dialogic concep ion (Valsine , 2000;
Vygo sky, 1991, 1996; Bakh in, 1979). In each o hese heo ies, poin s a e ound ha s uc u e he idea o p ocesses
and/o ne wo ks, which allow o in e lacing elemen s o compose a way o look in o he de elopmen al
phenomenon. This “way o looking” sea ches o comp ehend he complexi ies ha in ol e such human
de elopmen p ocesses, inco po a ing a whole se o i s con adic ions, dynamics and in luences.
In his app oach, human de elopmen is unde s and as occu ing as imme sed in an in e lacing o semio ic elemen s.
These elemen s a e concei ed as in e ela ing dialec ically; and, he people in e ac ing and he speci ic con ex s a e
unde s ood as cons i u ing each o he mu ually. RedSig highligh s he in e ac i e cha ac e o human de elopmen ,
comp ising no jus a speci ic being, bu he se o ela ional p ocesses es ablished in a speci ic con ex . Thus, using
he ne wo k me apho , i is assumed ha “ he analysis o psychological de elopmen p ocesses migh conside he
people in de elopmen as pa o sys ems and sea ch o app ehend he ela ionship be ween he, o he s and he
phenomenon a ound” (Rosse i-Fe ei a e al., 2008, p. 151).
The concep ion o de elopmen aised h ough he elabo a ion o he heo e ical pe spec i e opposes a de e minis ic
ision o he p ocess ( h ough he sequence o p ede e mined s ages). In con as , i highligh s he “possibili ies o
mul iple pa hs o de elopmen , “(. . .) unexpec ed pa h, in a con inuous low, cons an , co-cons uc ing and
changing, a he same ime ha con ibu e o cons i u e he o he and he si ua ion” (Rosse i-Fe ei a e al., 2004, p.
30). The elemen ha de ines o in luences he pa h ha he de elopmen will ake is he composi ion o he
meanings ha he ne wo ks p o ide o each indi idual a a ce ain ime in he p ocess. To ully unde s and he
de elopmen , i is necessa y o inco po a e hose connec ions, a emp ing o g asp he way in which he composi ion
is ci cumsc ibing he indi idual’s ela ions and de elopmen .
The e o e, his esea ch b ie ly add esses ou main ideas ha su ound he de ini ion o human de elopmen and
ha ma k he Ne wo k o Meanings concep , and which a e impo an o he discussions o be highligh ed he e. The
i s is he connec ion be ween di e en elemen s: acco ding o he momen , he con ex and he cha ac e is ics o
people in e ac ing, some meanings and sense acqui e majo impo ance. Acco dingly, h ough analysis o he
in e ac i e con igu a ions p esen in he di e en si ua ions, a semio ic uni e se will be s uc u ed, p omo ing he
eme gence o a se o meanings and senses o possibly be a ibu ed o he si ua ion. When some changes occu in
some o he in ol ed dimensions, i s di e se elemen s can be e-linked, he eby eo ganizing i s con igu a ion. This
504 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 501 – 511
new con igu a ion can lead o he eme gence o new meanings, changing he ajec o y o he ac ions, emo ions and
concep ions o an indi idual’s de elopmen .
Ano he impo an poin in ol es he comp ehension o de elopmen un old om he in e ac ions be ween di e en
indi iduals. Thus, i is s a ed ha he social ela ionship is he a ena and he mo o o he de elopmen al p ocess. In
in e ac ions, people nego ia e places and oles, sha ing meanings and cons uc ing cul u e. They cons i u e one
ano he in a dynamic and dialogical way. In he same di ec ion, in his heo e ical pe spec i e, social oles a e
pe o med in di e en con ex s and in he p esence o di e en people; he same pe son can pe o m di e en oles
in di e en social ela ionships in di e en con ex s. The e o e, he low o people’s beha iou is delimi ed and
in e p e ed by he o he s and by hemsel es. This idea acknowledges he possibili y o mul iple beha iou s unde
simila si ua ions bu wi h di e en pe sons, and he necessi y o inco po a e mul iple social iden i ies ha a e pa
o he indi idual du ing he p ocess o de elopmen . Human de elopmen does no ollow a unique and p edic able
pa h. In opposi ion, mul iple and unexpec ed possibili ies o ajec o ies/pa hs can eme ge. E e y ne wo k
con igu a ion can open a se o meanings, each one guiding o speci ic (and maybe di e se) ajec o ies.
Simul aneously, he same con igu a ion es ic s and limi s some ac ions, ci cumsc ibing ce ain places and
posi ions.
All he abo e-men ioned elemen s emphasise he complex ac o s in he p ocess o human de elopmen . I is
impo an o highligh ha one o he main poin s in RedSig is exac ly i s acknowledgemen ha human de elopmen
is cons i u ed “in” and “ h ough” he complexi ies ha in ol e human singula i y (Rosse i-Fe ei a e al., 2008). I
is impossible, hen, o neglec , dis ega d o di ide he elemen s o he equa ion ha s uc u es he human
de elopmen analysis. In con as , i is necessa y o accep he con adic ions, he incomple eness and he de aul s
ha will come wi h he phenomena. The e o e, RedSig enables he conside a ion o he in e sec ion o many
his o ies and expe iences o each one o hese indi iduals, wi hin en i onmen s wi h speci ic dynamics.
The i s s age o cons uc ing an in es iga i e p ocess ( esea ches, ins i u ional analysis, e c.) based on he
pe spec i e o he Ne wo k o Meanings is he P elimina y Analysis. This consis s o an ini ial esea ch expe ience
in/wi h he esea ch si e, ollowing he si ua ion as a whole, d awing upon he di e en con igu a ions o ne wo ks
in which he di e se people in e ac , linking hem. I is necessa y o “imme se” he esea che in o he si ua ion,
allowing him o he o comp ehend he o e all elemen s in ol ed. This ini ial expe ience es ablishes an empi ic
basis o sys ema ize he esea ch, he da a collec ion, and he esea ch co pus cons uc ion.
To design he s udy, The Ne wo k o Meanings is based on he assump ion ha he esea che should be conside ed
a “ oolmake ”. This assump ion is based on Vygo sky’s social-his o ical pe spec i e, which e u es he dominan
posi ion ha he me hod is sepa a e om he esul s and con en o he esea ch. Ra he , he me hod is some hing o
be p ac iced and no applied. The au ho e used he idea o “Ins umen - o- esul ” and p oposed he dialec ic no ion,
“Ins umen -and- esul ”. The e o e, he me hodology will be unde s ood in he in e io o he s udied si ua ion and
no ou side o i . Hence, he me hod is no de ined and no e en p ede e mined (Newman & Holzman, 2002).
In his ega d, he cons uc ion o an in es iga ion’s co pus, he da a collec ion and i s analy ical s a egies can
happen h ough di e en ins umen s, such as in e iews, obse a ions, ideo- eco ding, ield dia ies and
ques ionnai es. Analysis can be made h ough da a in e p e a ion wi h con en analysis, discou se analysis, mic o-
gene ic analysis, e c. The ins umen ’s composi ion will be di ec ly ela ed o he ype o ques ion (s udy ques ion)
and he esea ch/ac ion ield. Fu he , he Ne wo k o Meanings helps he esea che o obse e he ield and iden i y
he bes way o s uc u e he da a collec ion p ocess, by conside ing he sys em in ol ed and he in e lacing o he
ne wo k cons i u ed by he sys em’s componen s.
One o he limi s o his me hodological app oach is he esea che ’s di icul y wo king wi h a high olume o da a
(Rosse i-Fe ei a, Amo im, Soa es-Sil a & Oli ei a, 2008). A he same ime, while he esea che is conce ned
wi h he huge olume o da a, he numbe o complex elemen s belonging o he phenomenon should no be
educed. F om his pe spec i e, despi e he Ne wo k o Meanings helps o s uc u e ways o looking a he
complexi y, i does no in ol e he phenomenon’s o ali y (also s a ing ha any me hod would be able o do his),

505
Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 501 – 511
and always indica es he need o conside ing he incomple eness, ambigui y and con adic ions p esen in he s udied
phenomenon.
On he o he hand, he Ne wo k o Meanings o e s signi ican ad ances o he s udy o human de elopmen , once i
ela es many sou ces and dis inc elemen s in he phenomenon’s analysis. I allows he esea che o s udy he
p ocesses and he meanings p oduced in di e en con ex s, ampli ying obse a ions o he phenomenon s udied and
o e ing s a egies o p ac ical in e en ion.
2. Me hods
This s udy is he esul o a pa icula e lec i e p ocess by a g oup o i e educa ional psychologis s abou hei own
p ac ices in he school ield. This g oup o p o essionals is pa o he academic s a o a aining school in one o
he Fede al Uni e si ies in B azil (public ins i u ions). The e lec i e p ocess occu ed due o he demand o a
eo ganiza ion o he ac i i ies and he wo k’s me hodology in he educa ional psychology depa men o ha uni .
This eo ganiza ion demanded ha he g oup e lec on hei own ac i i ies and he ole o educa ional psychology in
he elemen a y school. The da a allowing o he assump ions aised he e we e cons uc ed in he second semes e o
2013, bu he elabo a ion o he a gumen a ion p esen ed in his pape is as a esul o ongoing discussions abou his
opic wi h membe s in di e en academic con ex s.
As he pu pose o he whole p ocess was o collec da a ha would allow he p o essionals o e lec on hei
p ac ices and no o ca y ou any speci ic esea ch on he opic, he me hodology was designed o be simple and
cohe en wi h he objec i e. Obse a ions o he ac i i ies and i s epo s, as well as ield no es o he discussions
be ween he p o essionals, a e he main ma e ial o analysis.
2.1 Pa icipan s
The pa icipan s we e i e educa ional psychologis s who a e membe s o he eaching s a o a aining school in
one o he Fede al Uni e si ies in B azil. They wo k in pe manen posi ions as educa ional psychologis s and a e
esponsible o he ollow-up o 1,000 s uden s om ea ly childhood educa ion o he 9 h g ade o elemen a y
educa ion. In addi ion, hey a e esponsible o he educa ion/ aining o psychology s uden s who a e doing hei
in e nship and p ac ical placemen s.
2.2 Con ex
The aining school whe e he da a was cons uc ed is cha ac e ized as Special Uni o a Fede al Uni e si y in
B azil. The eache s o ha school a e pa o he uni e si y s a and a e esponsible o lec u ing on elemen a y
educa ion and supe ising he ac i i ies o he unde g adua e s uden s. Fi e eache s (psychologis s wi h bachelo
deg ees and pedagogical aining) compose he educa ional psychology depa men ; each one is esponsible o a
sec o o he school, gua an eeing ha all s uden s ha e assis ance i needed.
2.3 Da a
Each o he i e psychologis s egis e ed hei indi idual demands, ac i i ies and he heo ies ha sus ained hei
wo k me hodology. The pa icipan s also obse ed each o he ’s p ac ices, and ield no es made h oughou he
p ocess we e discussed in egula weekly mee ings. F om ha p ocess, he pe sonal no es o one o he componen s
o he g oup we e conside ed o suppo he discussions p esen ed he e. The e o e, he da a used a e he ma e ials
acqui ed om he ield no es o he obse a ions and he w i en eco ds o he discussions aken du ing he
mee ings. I is impo an o highligh ha he esea che pe sonally cons uc ed hese ma e ials, which he g oup o
psychologis s a e ee o use as hey wish since all eco ds a e a ailable in he eco ds’ book o he school.
506 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 501 – 511
2.4 Analysis
Taking in o conside a ion he g oup’s e lec i e ask a hand, he p ocedu es ollowed he ollowing s eps: (1)
Ca ego izing he da a based on he demands ha we e iden i ied in he p o essionals’ wo k; (2) Analysis o he
ca ego ies unde di e en heo e ical pe spec i es; and (3) Elabo a ion o a me hodology ha could sys ema ize and
help o p io i ize he demands and, he e o e, he ac ions o he p o essionals. Du ing he ca ego iza ion, simple and
s anda d con en analysis was applied. Each o he demands we e desc ibed and ga he ed in ca ego ies acco ding o
whom hey e e ed (s uden , pa en s, eache s o he school’s manage s).
Wi h he desc ip ions o each school demand and i s ca ego iza ion, i was possible o gain an insigh in o he kind o
wo k he educa ional psychology depa men pe o med in his speci ic school. Du ing he ca ego iza ion p ocess, i
was possible o iden i y ha , in his pa icula school, he g oup’s demands a e mainly dis ibu ed in ou a eas:
(1) Ac ions ha equi e in e ac ing di ec ly wi h he child en: e alua ion o cogni i e abili ies; in e en ions due o
disciplina y ma e s and iolence in school; in e en ions due o heal h and psychological issues – e alua ion and
o ien a ion; collec i e in e en ions o deal wi h in e - ela ional p oblems be ween s uden s in he class oom;
(2) Ac ions ha equi e in e ac ions among he eache s: assis ance wi h elabo a ing pedagogical planning o
child en wi h special needs; o ien a ions o elabo a e in e en ions due o disciplina y p oblems; ca e o eache ’s
pe sonal ma e s (p o iding guidance o u he ea men s);
(3) Ac ions ha equi e in e ac ing wi h pa en s: eedback on he child en’s de elopmen in school; a en ion o
amily p oblems ha may be a ec ing he s uden ’s school li e; media ing ma e s be ween amily and
eache s/ amily and school managemen and amilies, when child en a e ha ing p oblems wi h each o he in school;
and
(4) Ac ions ha equi e in e ac ing wi h he managemen o he school: assis ance wi h p o iding con inuous
aining o eache s on speci ic opics ha a e ela ed o human de elopmen o o he aspec s o psychology;
assis ance wi h he o ganiza ion and coo dina ion o school which also includes policies; and assis ance wi h
pedagogical o ganiza ion in o he school depa men s.
Clea ly, educa ional psychologis s who a e pa o he school s a a e in ol ed in a wide ne o ac ions and pe o m
di e en oles. Howe e , wha is he main pu pose o his p o essional in he school space? How could psychology
be in ol ed in all hese ields, and deli e a c i ical and e lec i e pe spec i e abou he phenomena p esen in he
school space? How does he psychologis emain objec i e while dealing wi h a ious di e en and complex
elemen s simul aneously ha sha e he same space?
The pu pose o he e lec i e p ocess was o p io i ize ac ions, and hen di ide o edis ibu e he wo k. The e o e,
hose ques ions guided he ollowing s ep – he analysis unde di e en heo e ical pe spec i es – and led us o he
inco po a ion o he Ne wo k o Meanings in he p ocess o he analyses.
3. Resul s and discussions
The RedSig app oach con ibu es o he de ini ion o some in es iga i e ways, he objec and he ins umen in
which his p ac ice can be s uc u ed and ealized. In o he wo ds, he ole o he psychologis is acknowledged as
o e ing a egula c i ical discussion wi hin he school, in an a emp o p e en disc imina o y p ocesses and
con ibu e o a democ a ic, laic and quali y school. Howe e , his c i ical/poli ical look is no a p i ilege exclusi e o
he psychology p o essional, o he knowledge o scien i ic ields can pe o m his ole, some imes in a
con empla i e way as, o example, philosophy o an h opology. When in dialogue wi h he Ne wo k o Meanings,
i becomes e iden ha educa ional psychology pe o ms a mo e speci ic ole and makes impo an con ibu ions,
507
Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 501 – 511
p o iding a deepe iew owa ds human de elopmen and he p ocesses o meaning cons uc ion aking place in his
space.
Wi h RedSig pe spec i e, analysis is delimi ed by he in es iga i e p ocess, wi h i s main ocus on he in e ac ions
and mul iple possibili ies o in e lacing h ough ca e ul, me iculous and con inuous obse a ion o ac ions and
eac ions caused and li ed in his en i onmen . Unde s anding human de elopmen h ough hese in e ac i e
p ocesses, which a e imme sed in a complex in e lacing o social, poli ical and cul u al elemen s, helps he school
psychologis o enable in e en ions ocused on he cons uc ion o pedagogical p ac ices ailo ed o he needs o he
indi idual (s uden ). The Ne wo k o Meanings, besides i s e idence, o e s heo e ical esou ces o unde s and hese
p ocesses, b inging o his con ex o analysis he sys emic iew o social unc ioning. A he same ime, i indica es
pa hs o s uc u e an in es iga i e me hodology o he human de elopmen phenomenon.
In his aspec , RedSig opens space o a discussion abou he in es iga i e ole, one which he school psychologis
should/could adop o unde s and he con ex in which he o she will ac . This should happen wi hou losing sigh o
he main objec i e o he wo k, which is he easibili y o he p ocesses ha con ibu e o he human de elopmen o
he subjec wi hin his space, whe he hey a e s uden s, eache s o o he employees.
3.1 Iden i ica ion, analysis and ac ions owa ds school’s demands: discussing he aim o he educa ional
psychologis in he educa ional ins i u ion
The echnical unc ions o he educa ional psychologis appea in all documen s conce ning p o essional
pe o mance, such as he School/Educa ion Psychology Manual (Cassins e al., 2007), as well as nume ous wo ks on
he opic, such as Guzzo (2005), Ma inez (2010) and Souza (2010) who emphasize he ex ensi e possibili ies o he
ac ions o educa ional psychology in di e en si ua ions ega ding schooling and school demands. Th ee main a eas
o school/educa ional psychologis ac ing a e iden i ied in hese wo ks: (1) s uden se ice – mainly conce ning
esponding o school complain s; (2) eache s – a con inuous educa ion/ aining p ocess and employee heal h
assis ance; and, (3) school managemen – bo h he ins i u ional analysis and he coo dina ion o speci ic p ojec s,
such as ela ions wi h amily/school.
Admi edly, hese demands can be answe ed wi h he in e en ion o educa ional psychology, and as can be seen,
hey a e p esen among he demands o he g oup o psychologis s in his s udy. Howe e , he possibili y o
ampli ying he wo k ield o his p o essional by conside ing he pe spec i e o RedSig and how i deals wi h he
analy ical complexi y o he phenomenon can be added o he discussion, keeping he ocus on he human
de elopmen p ocesses wi hin school. This pe spec i e migh change he pa adigm o how o deal and in e ene in
he school space, since unde his heo e ical pe spec i e, ins ead o di iding and dealing wi h each o he demands
sepa a ely, i indica es inco po a ing all elemen s simul aneously. The ocus is no longe he demand, bu he child
i sel , and mo e speci ically, his o he de elopmen .
B inging he Ne wo k o Meanings in o he discussion, i is possible o see ha he way o deli e he wo k is
pe haps by accep ing i s complexi y and dealing wi h i s mul iple elemen s. The Ne wo k o Meanings no only
jus i ies he pa adigm o inco po a ion, bu also shows h ough he me hodology in which i was cons uc ed, how i
migh be possible o s uc u e a p o essional ac ion in educa ional psychology. I is unde s ood ha he basic
objec i e o he school/educa ional psychologis in an elemen a y educa ion ins i u ion is o unde s and he
dynamics o ins i u ional unc ioning and enable si ua ions ha con ibu e o indi iduals’ p ocesses o de elopmen .
Fo his, he p o essional mus pa icipa e in his p ocess, and help in he cons uc ion o indi iduals’ iden i ies,
while o e ing space o pe sonal and ins i u ional ans o ma ion.
By conside ing he whole sys em as a ield o a con inuous and mul iple indi idual o collec i e in e en ion ( om
he needs o each subjec ’s de elopmen , a he han wo king wi h a speci ic equi emen (i.e., s uden ea men ,
eache aining, amily, e c.), school psychologis s can change hei pe spec i e on iden i y cons uc ion. Thus, he
con ibu ion o RedSig o he ield o school/educa ion psychology emphasises he impo ance o unde s anding he
508 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 501 – 511
mul iple pa hs o human de elopmen and hei in e ela ion wi h pedagogy, didac ics and school cu icula. This
iew co obo a es Ma inho-A aújo (2010), who main ains ha he pilla o an educa ional psychologis ’s wo k,
“should be a conscious and in en ional choice o a p e en i e ac ing sus ained o psychological heo ies whose
ocus p i ileges a ision o man and socie y dialec ically cons uc ed in i s his o ical and cul u al ela ionships.” (p.
27). Thus, i is possible, o example, o conduc wo ks among s uden s ha ha e as an objec i e he cons uc ion o
he eache ’s iden i y. O , conside in e en ions in he class oom ha aim o help s uden s de elop in e nal
esou ces mo e adequa e o he esolu ion o pe sonal p oblems. Elemen s ha , conside ed sepa a ely, may no ha e
been possible o iew as a demand o educa ional psychology, bu analysed wi hin he pe spec i e o a complex and
mul i-de e mined sys em unleash ac ions and eac ions ha in e e e wi h he p ocesses o human de elopmen and
schooling.
3.2 A conce n: he educa ion/ aining o educa ional psychologis s o ac in he school space
The educa ion and aining o u u e educa ional psychologis s is one o he majo poin s ye o be discussed. In his
ega d, his discussion opens by aising wo c ucial poin s on he opic: (1) he space and con ex o he
school/educa ional psychologis ’s pe o mance; and (2) he psychology unde g adua e cou se cu iculum. On he
i s poin , i is unde s ood and de ended ha he e is a big di e ence be ween being an educa ional psychologis on
he s a o a school, and ac ing as a school psychologis in a p i a e o ice ou side he ins i u ion. E en hough he
p o ession is de ined by educa ion (deg ee) and he pu pose o he wo k ( esponding o school’s demands), i is
unde s ood ha he local/posi ion in which he p o essional s ands makes a big di e ence in he ole o i s ac ions.
Consequen ly, di e en elemen s a e equi ed in he p ocess o he indi idual’s educa ion/ aining, such as:
knowledge abou educa ional policies, o ganiza ion and laws; aining o deal wi h ins i u ion dynamic and con inues
educa ion and e c.
On he second poin , i is de ended ha he school en i onmen and he whole s uc u e ha delimi s his space
should be conside ed when choosing disciplines and he me hod o knowledge cons uc ion o unde g adua e
cu icula design, he eby expanding he p o essional’s insigh in o o he knowledge ields, such as educa ion and
poli ics, among o he s. Abou he pe o mance o educa ional psychologis s ou side (as consul an s o au onomous
p o essionals) and inside he school (as pa o he eache / unc iona y boa d), a discussion is p oposed be ween he
p o essional p ac ice and he e lec ions enabled by he concep ual applica ion o he Ne wo k o Meanings
(Ped osa, 2004). Such discussion is based on he assump ions ha sus ain RedSig heo y, conside ing especially ha
“i is in he in e ac ion wi h hei pee s ha human being is cons i u ed as pe son (. . .) he e o e, cons uc ing and
sha ing social, cul u al and his o ical p ocesses”, and ha “ he psychic eali y de i ed om in e ac ion wi h his
en i onmen , in his en i onmen , he o he pe son is his p i ileged a ge (. . .) de ine and link senses, oles and
posi ioning, i cons i u es his iden i y (. . .)” (Ped osa, 2004, p. 211-212) wi hin he his o ical con ex /space. In he
ace o wha is exposed, i is unde s ood ha he e a e dis inc and basic elemen s ha de ine di e ences in he
ac ing o his p o essional.
When analysing he a iances in pe o mance o he educa ional psychologis who has as e e ence he in e ac i e
p ocesses ( ela ionships) ha may a ise in hese wo si ua ions, i is unde s ood ha he p o essional cons i u ion also
changes; once he Ne wo k o Meanings p oduced in he wo si ua ions di e , he senses and meanings cons uc ed
will also be dis inc .
In he i s case, he psychologis is a p o essional who is no in he space and cons uc ions inside he ins i u ion on
a daily basis. Then, his o he ac ions a e s uc u ed as someone “ou side he p oblem” and whose goal is o help in
he p ocess, bu no necessa ily be pa o i . In his condi ion, he psychologis ac s much mo e as a esea che in he
analysis o human de elopmen . His o he ac ions can be di ec ly ela ed o wo king wi h he s uden (answe ing
he demand o a school complain ), eache s ( eache ’s o ma ion p ocesses), o school managemen (as a consul an
o many ields). Howe e , he psychologis ’s pa icipa ion in his space is a esul o a combina ion o di e en
mesosys ems – he school and he o ice/company whe e he p o essional wo ks. The e o e, i is elabo a ed ha his
pe o mance will no necessa ily conside all he complexi ies p esen in he wo in e laced mesosys ems.