Formação continuada dos professores de geografia na pandemia: lacunas e possibilidades na utilização das Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação em Santa Rita/PB

Abstract

Continuing education for teachers is an important moment in the exercise of the teaching profession. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, changes occurred in the development of education systems, as physical distancing prevented traditional face-to-face meetings. Therefore, it became necessary to rethink teaching strategies and the process of continuous teacher training. The objective of this research is to understand the processes of continuing education for Geography teachers in Santa Rita/PB, with an emphasis on the use of Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) in the context of Emergency Remote Teaching caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in the period from 2020 to 2021. The justification for this study lies in the need to reflect on the pandemic period and its consequences in education, both in the past and in the present. To conduct this study, a theoretical-conceptual discussion was carried out on the continuous training of teachers and the use of DICTs in education. In terms of methodology, an exploratory and descriptive research was chosen, using observation, documentary research, bibliographic research and the application of an online questionnaire created in Google Forms for Geography Teachers of the Municipal Education Network of Santa Rita/PB. The study revealed that, during the pandemic, educators adapted and began to use a variety of tools to maintain the continuity of pedagogical processes. Platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Google Meet and Google Classroom were employed in the resumption of didactic activities, providing alternatives in the context of remote teaching and mitigating the negative impacts on the teaching-learning process. Regarding the Educational Product, a guide entitled “GeoApps: Applications for Geography Classes” was developed, this material emerged as a response to the growing need to assist teachers in the effective use of educational applications in the classroom.