Prática docente e competência digital no ensino fundamental: a integração das Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação (TDIC) no contexto escolar da perspectiva CTS

Abstract

Society has undergone significant transformations and currently, a notable change is observed in communication among individuals and in the way information is disseminated, increasingly mediated by Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICT). The use of these technologies has impacted various social sectors, such as education. The incorporation of DICT in public education has the potential to contribute to improving the quality of teaching, promoting meaningful learning. In this context, a theoretical review was conducted, comprising discussions on DICT, reference frameworks, with emphasis on the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu). A literature review was also performed to identify studies covering DigCompEdu and teachers’ digital competencies. Furthermore, document research was carried out on the Connected Education Innovation Program – one of the criteria for participant teachers was to teach at schools that already have received resources from this program – as well as data provided by the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br). This exploratory-descriptive research with a qualitative-quantitative approach aimed to investigate the digital competencies of basic education teachers from public schools in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, participants in the Connected Education Innovation Program – a federal public policy aimed at expanding access to and pedagogical use of DICT in schools. Specifically, it sought to investigate whether teachers participate in continuing education in an online environment; which DICT they most frequently use in the school setting for learning and communication; and whether they are aware of the Connected Education Innovation Program. Data were collected through a survey, with a questionnaire based on the DigCompEdu. The snowball sampling technique was used to select participants. The technique allowed diagnosing how teachers use DICT in their pedagogical practices, whether for communication, continuing education, or other purposes. Results showed that most of the teachers use computers and smart TVs connected to the internet. However, some of them reported challenges as inadequate infrastructure, malfunctioning equipment, lack of technical support, and difficulties in handling DICT. These challenges may be related to a lack of digital competencies to integrate these tools into their pedagogical practices, as indicated by one of the reports, showing that there may be teachers who prefer not to learn how to handle the technologies, staying in their comfort zone even when DICT is available in their institutions. Therefore, the relevance of developing digital competencies in the current educational scenario is evident, as well as the continuous need for investments in teacher training, infrastructure, and digital resources for an effective integration of technologies into teaching methodologies.