LEARNING METHODS FOR UNDERSTANDING LEGISLATIVE CHANGES: A STUDY ON THE STRATEGIES USED BY PUBLIC SERVANTS IN THE JUDICIARY OF CARUARU/PE

Abstract

The Brazilian normative reality, marked by the frequency and depth of legislative reforms, imposes intense demands on employees of the Judiciary, who need not only to understand the changes but also to incorporate them into their institutional practices effectively and quickly. This tension between constant legal variations and the rigidity of traditional training practices highlights a critical gap between the normative apparatus and the institutional capacity to respond. When educational processes remain centered on unidirectional models of content transmission, the opportunity to strengthen adaptive and interpretive skills, so essential in a dynamic legal environment, is lost.

In contrast, the field of Adult Education offers theoretical support that challenges such conventional approaches. Malcolm Knowles (1970; 1984) presents andragogy as “the art and science of helping adults learn,” postulating six assumptions that guide the design of training for this audience (e.g., “need to know,” “prior experience,” “self-direction”) (KNOWLES, 1984). These postulates indicate that adults learn more effectively when they perceive immediate relevance in the content, can utilize their accumulated experiences, and assume a leading role in the learning process—elements often neglected in the context of public sector training.

In the institutional context, the challenge becomes even more complex, as educational practices are mediated by an organizational culture that prioritizes consolidated routines and rigid hierarchies. This scenario favors the repetition of stagnant pedagogical models, insensitive to the specific needs of employees and the contextual demands of their work. Consequently, training programs often diverge from functional reality, limiting engagement and the applicability of knowledge. The literature on organizational learning demonstrates that the alignment between institutional goals and training processes is a condition for learning to translate into effective improvements (ARGYRIS; SCHÖN, 1996; SENGE, 1990).

In response to this gap, innovative methodologies such as design thinking are gaining ground in the public sector as a strategy for collaborative construction centered on user needs. Design thinking proposes iterative stages of empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing, stimulating creativity and the solution of real problems from the user's perspective. In public policies, this approach has been adopted as a resource to rethink services, products, and processes, promoting greater interaction between different institutional and public actors (CAVALCANTE et al., 2019). Within the scope of public administration, design thinking is integrated as a tool to transform practices and foster organizational innovation (CUNHA, 2021).

Another emerging instrument is the Nudge technique, originating from behavioral economics and proposed by Thaler and Sunstein (2008). Unlike coercive interventions, the nudge acts through subtle "pushes" towards the desired behavior without restricting options. In the institutional training environment, resources such as reminders, contextual suggestions, encouraging messages, or well-structured choices can boost the adoption of appropriate normative practices and motivate the consolidation of transformed routines. By encouraging small structural changes in the behavior of civil servants, nudges can enhance the influence of formative experiences in everyday reality.

The combination of these innovative methodologies with educational technologies enables hybrid training models that overcome limitations related to physical or temporal zones. Online learning platforms, collaborative virtual environments, and interactive resources allow civil servants to access content on demand, participate in network activities, and receive continuous feedback. This flexibility directly aligns with the characteristics of adult learners, as advocated by scholars of andragogy: autonomy, relevance, and the use of prior experience become more effective when associated with technological tools that support the learning process.

When training incorporates design thinking, nudges, and technological mediation, it creates an adaptable, participatory, and practice-oriented learning environment. In this environment, civil servants can co-create solutions, test hypotheses, and adjust their processes according to emerging demands, converting learning into institutional transformation. Instead of merely receiving static content, they become co-authors of their development process.

This study aims to analyze how learning methods and continuing education strategies are currently used by public servants in the Judiciary in Caruaru/PE, identifying their challenges and points of rupture. The research also seeks to identify opportunities for the integration of innovative approaches such as design thinking and nudges, and to articulate guidelines that allow overcoming the limitations of conventional training practices.

To this end, it will be necessary to map the institutionalized training practices in the local Judiciary, diagnosing their internal tensions, their dissonances with the principles of andragogy, and their adherence to real functional demands. Then, we will verify how training initiatives could incorporate participatory and technological methodologies, evaluating both their operational plausibility and their psychological resonance among civil servants.

It is assumed that the adoption of methods that encourage active participation, revisiting hypotheses, and iterative adaptation can increase the ability of civil servants to assimilate and apply legislative changes with greater confidence and effectiveness. Similarly, it is expected that the personalization of training, breaking with universal formats, will increase engagement and produce more lasting results.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the strategic implementation of nudges in the organizational environment functions as a behavioral reinforcement mechanism, stimulating the gradual appropriation of training innovations. This behavioral complement can create bridges between formal training moments and the daily practice of the civil servant, promoting sustainability of change.

It is worth noting, however, that such advances do not occur solely through pedagogical innovation: the institutional and cultural environment, marked by resistance, entrenched structures, and unengaged leadership, can hinder the effectiveness of these practices. Therefore, any proposal for formative modernization must carefully evaluate the organizational forces involved in order to promote greater legitimacy and adherence.

Another central point is the strategic role of institutional leadership. Without leaders who legitimize the value of learning, offer support, recognize progress, and cultivate environments of trust, even the most promising methodologies may remain limited to isolated initiatives without systemic impact.

The social relevance of this research lies in its capacity to support more effective training policies, capable of strengthening justice as a sensitive, adaptable institution committed to the quality of the services it provides. By advocating that institutional training engage with normative requirements and the experiences of civil servants, this investigation aims to increase the effectiveness of public power and directly benefit society.

This dissertation aims to build bridges between theory and practice, pointing to training paths that transcend the traditional model and generate educational, technological, and institutional innovation in the local Judiciary. The research objectives, the theoretical framework that supports it, and the methodological design chosen to provide a well-founded answer to the hypotheses raised will be presented below.

1.1 OBJECTIVES
1.1.1 General Objective
To investigate the learning methods and educational strategies used by public servants of the Judiciary in Caruaru/PE to understand and apply legislative changes, proposing approaches that optimize training and performance in fulfilling legal demands in their professional work.

1.1.2 Specific Objectives

Identify the main learning strategies and methods currently used by public servants of the Judiciary in Caruaru/PE in the process of training and understanding legislative changes;
Analyze the challenges faced by civil servants in the assimilation and practical application of legislative changes in their professional routines, considering factors such as the organizational context;
Propose educational approaches based on adult learning theories and pedagogical innovation that can improve continuous training and effectiveness in the application of legal norms.