THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER IN KNOWLEDGE CONSTRUCTION: CHALLENGES IN THE CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL SCENARIO

Abstract

This study analyzes the role of the teacher as a mediator of knowledge in contemporary educational practice, considering the pedagogical, institutional, and sociocultural transformations that shape teaching work. It is a qualitative investigation with exploratory and explanatory purposes, developed through bibliographic and documentary research and examined using content analysis. The theoretical framework articulates contributions from critical pedagogy, developmental psychology, and sociology of education, emphasizing the debate on knowledge construction and the concrete conditions of teaching. The findings indicate that pedagogical mediation remains a central category for meaningful learning, although it is strained by the intensification of teaching work, institutional bureaucratization, and educational inequalities. It is concluded that strengthening the teacher as an intellectual professional and qualified mediator depends on policies that ensure teacher valorization, pedagogical autonomy, and institutional conditions consistent with the complexity of educational practice.