Os smartphones como ferramenta pedagógica nas aulas de inglês: benefícios e desafios na perspectiva docente

Abstract

In the era of cyberculture (SANTOS, 2019), with the development of mobile technologies, the use of mobile phones by young people is frequent, including, including at school. Considering this, a work of teaching and learning languages which involves multiliteracies (KALANTZIS, COPE, PINHEIRO, 2020) and which takes into account the benefits of mobile learning (SANTAELLA, 2014; CARDOSO, 2015a, 2015b) at school seems to be fundamental. Therefore, this thesis is the result of an action ressearch (THIOLLENT, 2011; KEMMIS, WILKINSON, 2011) with English teachers from a Federal Institute in Rio de Janeiro. The research has as a general objective to analyze the perception of teachers in relation to the pedagogical use of mobile phones by students in an educational environment and, as specific objectives, to investigate the challenges they face in this use, as well as to understand how they have inserted cell phones into their pedagogical practices. The data was produced through the applying of questionnaires (GIL, 2008) and the carrying-out of semi-structured interviews (DAHER, 1998), and analyzed based on assertions (BORTONI-RICARDO, 2008). The analysis led to the conclusion that the pedagogical use of smartphones is seen positively by the teachers of the researched institution, as it contributes to the increasing of students’ motivation. The challenges for this use are justified by factors such as: teachers’ insecurity related to indiscipline and dispersion of students’ attention; lack of adequate infrastructure for all students (available wireless connection and mobile devices); and lack of teacher training in the use of technology in classroom. Moreover, it was observed that smartphones are more regularly used to search the internet, but still little used in larger projects involving multiliteracies in the cyberculture. Based on the results found, the research is relevant to the academy, as it brings the teaching perspective of an important Federal Institute on the matter