Advancing teacher training: analyzing digital competence development in São Paulo, Brazil

• In Event: Highlighted Session: Digital Frontiers in Teacher Education

Proposal

1. Purpose

This study delves into the effectiveness of teacher training programs within São Paulo’s Inova Educação Program, focused on the Technology and Innovation component. As digital transformation continues to drive change in educational practices, the research examines how training programs prepare educators to effectively incorporate digital tools into their classrooms.

The study also explores associated challenges such as ethical considerations and the widening of the digital divide, which are central to the ongoing dialogue about the future of education. By analyzing how teacher training programs can be optimized to meet these demands, this research contributes to broader discussions on adapting educational policies and practices to the digital era. It also aims to provide insights into how teacher education can be reimagined to meet the needs of a digitally driven world, with findings that inform policy discussions on navigating the cultural and structural challenges of digitalization while maximizing its benefits.

2. Guiding Theory

Although the Inova Program represents a significant advance in the modernization of the school curriculum, its effective implementation depends on the adequate preparation of teachers, who did not need to be previously trained before being assigned to the component, as there would be a 60-hour course dedicated to the topic (São Paulo, 2019b). The gap identified in the research is the insufficient training of teachers to teach digital skills, besides the lack of studies involving the efficiency of teacher training for the component in the state of São Paulo.

Considering this background, this study employs qualitative document analysis (Coutinho, 2011; Kripka et al., 2015), focusing on official documents, curriculum guidelines, and training materials provided by the São Paulo State Department of Education (SEDUC). The analysis is guided by the Technical Competences framework (Author, 2024), built upon the DigCompEdu European Framework (Lucas & Moreira, 2019), the CIEB Matrix (CIEB, 2019), and São Paulo’s curriculum guidelines (São Paulo, 2019a, 2022).

The framework defined the digital competences necessary for teacher development, specifically for the Technology and Innovation component, considering the competences and skills that should be developed by the students. The expanded framework was based on the understanding that there is no self-confidence and effectiveness in applying the component in the classroom if teachers do not have a minimum knowledge of the curriculum (Piedade, 2020).

3. Modes of inquiry

Data was collected by requesting access to the remote environment of the state's Training School (EFAPE) via UCTEC (Technical Cooperation and Research Unit) –which aims to cooperate with research by providing access to materials that enable data analysis –since the course was delivered in an environment restricted to network professionals.

The documents were selected based on their relevance to the teacher training programs implemented within São Paulo’s Inova Educação Program. These materials were chosen specifically because they provide a comprehensive overview of the digital competences expected and the pedagogical frameworks guiding teacher education. This selection ensured that the analysis focused on the most relevant and official resources shaping teacher training, allowing for a detailed examination of how these programs address digital competence.

Followed by a commitment to ethical analysis, the researcher requested access to the 60-hour course by email. The course analyzed was 2022/02, the last semester when it was delivered. Data was then collected by carefully reading each content, including the proposed activities.
Based on Technical Competences (Author, 2024), the contents of EFAPE's Basic Training and In-depth Training were analyzed to understand whether the competences were effectively developed. The analysis then considered the competences defined to recognize whether all the knowledge was considered and deepened in the two 30-hour training courses, both theoretically and practically.

4. Results

The findings reveal that while training programs effectively address areas like digital responsibility, tool selection, and basic digital literacy, they fall short in more advanced areas such as programming and robotics. A comprehensive analysis of both the theoretical and practical aspects of these courses highlights this gap, showing that while progress has been made in foundational skills, educators are not fully prepared to tackle more complex technological content. This shortfall could hinder the successful implementation of the innovative curriculum, as teachers lack the advanced technical skills needed to deliver it effectively (Piedade, 2020; São Paulo, 2019b).

These results underscore the urgent need for enhanced training programs that incorporate deeper digital competences, particularly in programming and robotics, to better equip educators for the challenges posed by the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

5. Scholarly Contribution

This study provides a critical analysis of the current gaps in teacher training programs, specifically in São Paulo’s approach to fostering digital competencies among educators. The findings highlight the need for more extensive training to include advanced areas like programming and robotics beyond basic digital skills. By identifying these shortcomings, the research contributes to the conversation on digital inclusivity in education, highlighting the importance of equipping teachers with the tools and knowledge necessary to support learning in an increasingly digital environment. This contribution is significant not only for São Paulo's education system but also for informing global education policy, particularly in regions facing similar challenges. Addressing the gaps in teacher training is crucial for ensuring that educators can successfully implement digital technologies in the classroom, fostering students' digital competences, and bridging the digital divide in education. These findings are especially important as schools worldwide continue to face quick technological change.

Additionally, this research offers insights that could shape educational policy, suggesting that education departments should broaden their training initiatives to address the ethical and practical challenges that arise from digital transformation. In doing so, it offers a perspective on how teaching and teacher education can evolve to meet the current demands.
Finally, considering São Paulo’s curriculum, training needs to be supplemented with more advanced content to ensure that teachers are prepared to teach what is set out in the curriculum, by creating additional training focused on programming, robotics, and other emerging technologies. In addition, continuous monitoring of teachers might be implemented to ensure that they can effectively apply the new competences acquired.

Authors

• Bernardo Silveira, Stanford University

• Nuno Dorotea, IE-ULisboa