Teaching Sociology in Brazil's Post-Smartphone Era: Challenges and Opportunities for Effective Public Secondary School Pedagogy.

• In Event: Teaching and Learning in Sociology Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Roundtable 3: Pedagogical Innovation

Abstract

Since 2008, Sociology has been a mandatory subject in Brazilian schools. Despite various changes in public education policies, in most schools, we still struggle to maintain at least one hour of Sociology per week. In Rio de Janeiro the subject is taught in every year of high school.When considering challenges, the use of AI and the internet was often a major issue. In 2025, the Brazilian government passed Law No. 15,100/2025, which prohibits the use of cell phones in schools during both classes and breaks. How can we teach Sociology to this new generation without mobile devices?

The central problem addresses how to engage a tech-native generation in the Social Sciences without mobile devices. As a university professor at Unifal-MG (Minas Gerais, Brazil), I present an experience report based on the Institutional Scholarship Program for Teaching Initiation (PIBID) is a government policy for higher education teacher training and the promotion of the teaching profession.

Our goal is to provide Sociology undergraduates with a firsthand experience of daily school life through pedagogical activities that value teacher training and offer opportunities to develop teaching and learning strategies within the Social Sciences. Specifically, the program seeks not only to articulate theory and practice but also to allow future teachers to understand the administrative and pedagogical aspects of working in public schools.
Through the development of ludic projects—such as the creation of board games, comic books, and the "Privilege Race" activity—the experience demonstrates that playful, non-digital pedagogical tools are highly effective for teaching complex sociological concepts.

The results suggest that de-centrally mediated technologies can foster deep critical thinking and active participation, offering a viable path for teacher training in the current legal and social landscape of Brazilian education.

Author

• Sara Esther Dias Zarucki Tabac, Universidade Federal de Alfenas