Limits and Possibilities of Innovation in Professional Practices.

Abstract

The pandemic significantly impacted Technical and Vocational Education in Argentina, particularly in technical schools, which faced major challenges in continuing professional practices, a fundamental component of technical training (Garino & Fernández, 2023). In this context, the "Knowledge Exchange" program emerged, implemented in the province of Río Negro during 2022 and 2023 under the coordination of the Directorate of Technical Education and Vocational Training, as part of the Jurisdictional Improvement Project. The program aimed to foster technical knowledge learning through exchanges between students and institutions, emphasizing the value of collaborative experiences. This qualitative study included an analysis of documentary sources to reconstruct the initiative's origins and the implementation of various exchanges in specific technical fields. Interviews were also conducted with the provincial coordinator and teachers from schools that participated in the experience. The results show that the program allowed students to engage with training spaces linked to practice and their connections to the socio-productive sector, highlighting their professional and transversal competencies. However, the implementation faced challenges such as inadequate planning, lack of resources, and the absence of an evaluation strategy to assess its impact on learning. While the program presents innovative aspects, we raise questions about its effects on students nearing graduation and its connection to the world of work.