Mobile learning in Brazil: Teachers' engagement in ICTs analyzes teachers' engagement with information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Brazil. The study involved interviews and focus groups with teachers, school administrators, and education officials across multiple Brazilian regions and departments of education. The research identified five styles of teacher engagement with ICTs: Trailblazers, who enthusiastically adopt new technologies; Receptives, who use technology primarily for lesson planning; Perseverants, who struggle but continue trying to incorporate ICTs; Apprehensives, who are wary of technology's influence; and Avoiders, who prefer not to engage with digital tools. The study aims to provide insights to help education officials better support teachers

1. Mobile learning in Brazil:
Teachers’ engagement in
ICTs
Fernanda Rosa
American University
February 18th 2016
Washington, DC

2. sample
DEPARTMENTS
OF EDUCATION
(6 municipals
and 6 state departments)
BRAZILIAN
REGIONS
5 FOCUS
GROUPS
(Teachers)
12 VISITED
SCHOOLS
24 INTERVIEWS
(Decision-makers in
Federal, State and
Municipal levels,
pedagogical
coordinators, technology
coordinators, companies
and NGOs
representatives)
93 11

3. Fieldwork from June
to September, 2014
Elementary School +15,6 millions
Middle School + 12,7 millions
High School + 8,6 millions
Enrollment
(Census 2014)

4. The concept of
mobile learning
The promotion of LEARNING at any time or
place through using mobile technologies.
To make it possible in the context of formal
education, necessitates the combined:
availability of infrastructure, digital content,
and adequately rained human resource,
along with policies that emphasize the
guided use of ICTs in schools.

5. Current Scenario
Emergence Application Integration Transformation
Infrastructure
Digital Content
Human Resources

10. Teachers’ ICT
engagement
styles

11. Trailblaizer
I want to buy that
new cell phone that
has a projector;
have you seen it? I
cannot wait!

12. Trailblaizer
Main Features Feelings and Sensations
»» Makes widespread use of technology (personal and professional)
»» Researches tools and new content
»» Looks for ways to make lessons more attractive
»» Aims to reach the expectations from above and builds rapport with
student through technology
Pride, satisfaction and
joy

13. Trailblaizer
Facing the lack of
infrastructure
Facing the lack
of content
Facing insufficient
training
Policy
Action
Purchases his
or her own
equipment
Searches in different
sources, produces new
content and guides
students to produce also
(authoring tools)
Already has
basic skills
to develop
continuously
Ally and Increase
Count on them
to develop new policies,
to test new tools, and to
assist peers; provide
more advanced
training and online
training

14. Receptive
It is a lesson that is
not productive, so
I’d rather
[go to the lab]

15. Receptive
»» Makes widespread use of technology for personal matters and
in the planning of lessons
»» Has a focus on fulfillment of the class program (likes checklists)
»» Considers that it is not worth the effort to configure the ICTs
»» Values more the results than the experience itself
Waste of time, low
productivity, disposition
conditioned by the
environment
Main Features Feelings and Sensations

16. Receptive
May use the
lab or the video
room for a
specific activity
Searches in
diferente sources,
but only for
classes planning,
not for using in-class
activities
Already has
the basic skills
for continuous
development
To provide
conditions
Provide support and
provide training
focusing on his or her
discipline and online
training
Facing the lack of
infrastructure
Facing the lack
of content
Facing insufficient
training
Action

17. Perseverant
I ended up
learning the
hard way.

18. Perseverant
»» Feels fragility and lack of authority for
not mastering the technological universe
»» Wants to engage with ICTs
»» Relies on others (including students)
»» Needs support
Lack of knowhow on
the subject, but
willingness to learn and
desire to show his or her
ability
Main Features Feelings and Sensations

19. Perseverant
Adjusts the
activities, and
seeks to maintain
the use of ICTs to
the extent possible
Strives to learn
and asks for
help, even from
students
Searches in new
sources that he or
she is discovering
To provide support
Support and
provide focused
trainings to
encourage
discoveries and
new uses
Facing the lack of
infrastructure
Facing the lack
of content
Facing insufficient
training
Action

20. Aprehensive
Technology comes to stay.
It will become a metastasis,
a cancer, and we have to
know how to use it with
balance.

21. Aprehensive
»» Feels that excess is harmful
»» Is afraid of losing control (over
technology and loss of identity as a
teacher /person)
»» Restricts the use of technological
tools and internet access
»» Fear of losing control,
and the focus of his or her
core objectives;
»» Preference for
traditional lessons
Main Features Feelings and Sensations

22. Aprehensive
May use the
lab or the video
room for a
specific activity
Has contents
already selected
and saved
New skills are
not priorities,
because he or
she already has
the skills that
use
To encourage
Give support
and provide trainings
focused on benefits and
classroom management
tools
Facing the lack of
infrastructure
Facing the lack
of content
Facing insufficient
training
Policy
Action

23. Avoiding
I know I have to do it, but I
have no ability to do it.
And, even if I did, it would
not be the way that [the
students] would like to
receive it.

24. Avoiding
»» Has no intimacy with the world of
technology (neither personal nor professional)
»» Is not disposed to develop intimacy
»» Views access into the digital world as
an imposition and is thus unwilling
»» Feels he or she has no skills and feels
uncomfortable
»» Insecurity, discomfort
from the lack of skills;
»» Does not want to talk
about the topic
Main Features Feelings and Sensations

25. Avoiding
Uses the situation
to justify his or her
position
This situation does
not affect their
dayto-
day life
Uses the situation
to justify his or her
position
To initiate
Support and give
trainings focused
on basic skills,
readiness and
troubleshooting
with practical
approaches and in
person
Facing the lack of
infrastructure
Facing the lack
of content
Facing insufficient
training
Policy
Action

26. M&A Focus
Learning
Appropriation
of
technologies
Engagement
Self-
perception of
lesson
perfornance
Satisfaction
with
continuing
education
Satisfaction
with available
digital
resources
Areas to be addressed for
monitoring and evaluation
plans with a focus on
teachers

27. “In face of something new, do not discard the old
just because it is old and do not accept the new
just because it is new. Accept them insofar as
they are valid”
(Paulo Freire, Educação e Mudança, 1979)
Meaning Results
Innovation=
Never technology itself!

28. www.aprendizagem-movel.net.br
www.aprendizagem-movel.net.br/English
Thank you!
feferosa@gmail.com
You can download the study (Rosa & Azenha, 2015) at: