Participantes
Maria Helena Pinto
Topic:
Point out the need of improving teacher education and teacher training in order to help decision making by teachers towards curricula and production of school materials. 
Merits:

I hold a PhD in Education Sciences, with speciality in History and Social Sciences Education (University of Minho, Portugal) with the theme “Heritage and History Education: how past is read through present sites by students and teachers”, 2012, a MA in Heritage and Tourism (University of Minho, Portugal), 2004, and a degree in History with professionalization in Education/Didactics (Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto). 
I have been teaching history for 26 years to secondary education students, at public schools, in northern Portugal.  
I am also a teacher trainer, certified by the Scientific and Pedagogic Council of Continuing Education, in the areas of Didactics (History) and History of Art, since 2005 providing continuing training for teachers / educators. 
I have been doing pedagogic coordination of education resources developed by several museum education staff in the north of Portugal (Museum of Archaeology D. Diogo de Sousa, Braga; Pottery Museum of Barcelos; Paço dos Duques de Bragança / Castelo de Guimarães). 
I am Integrated Researcher of CITCEM (Transdisciplinary Research Centre "Culture, Space and Memory") in the research group "Education and Societal Challenges", Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto. 
I am member of Scientific Committee / Organizing Committee of several meetings and conferences in the field of Heritage Education and History Education in Portugal, Spain, Brazil and the United Kingdom. Author of diverse papers in several national and international scientific meetings, and of scientific articles in international journals in the areas of History Education and Heritage Education. 

Contribution:

Point out the need of improving teacher education and teacher training in order to help decision making by teachers towards curricula and production of school materials. 
Underline the importance of the link between research (e.g. action research) and the development of education. 
Highlight the contribution of evidence based teaching and learning activities through hands-on experiences in and outside the classroom, regarding to increase critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, and other subject-specific and citizenship competences. 
 

Expectations:

To share education experiences. To increase cooperation and exchange best ideas concerning teacher training. To learn about the Finnish education model and the new core curricula they are implementing.