Teachers' Knowledge and Health Education: a literature review

Abstract Background The need to rethink teachers’ education and performance has been prominently incorporating the framework of Teaching knowledge in the health field. Objective To discuss teaching in the health field by analyzing the contributions of Maurice Tardif's theoretical approach in the Brazilian academic production. Method For such, this paper relies on a bibliographical review using the scientific bases Portal Periódicos Capes and Virtual Health Library. Twelve articles were selected and organized according to their research problems, theoretical references and main findings. Results We identified three research problems: knowledge used in teachers’ practice; training models: teachers' approaches and perceptions; and life trajectories and the constitution of knowledge. Conclusion Drawing on the necessary renewal of educational practices, the studied articles emphasize the importance of teachers’ as protagonists, as well as the need to review the models of teacher education, valuing their socially constructed knowledge. In addition, the articles highlight the prevalent imbalance between research, teaching and extension activities, which highlights the tension in the construction of professional teaching in health.