Tecnología Educativa Apropiada y Crítica en el marco de pensamiento de Paulo Freire para la Inclusión Social. El papel de las TIC.

Introduction

Within the socio-cultural-educational approach for public policies, to strengthen social inclusion -alternative to the existing lines- which in general characterize Latin American education, the comprehensive framework and the cross perspective, in face to face and virtual educational programs applying Freire’s Pedagogy and Cultural and Social Studies, give us inputs to contribute -under the umbrella of the Appropriate and Critical Education and Technology approaches - to the construction of a substantive equity and conviviality, by the concise application of ICT networks and derivate devices, articulated with its collaborative, dialogic and participatory Freirian methodologies.

The combination with other pedagogical issues, such as problem based learning methodology, self/peer evaluation, community designs of programs, learning centered in the students, etc., should be the pillars of the decision makers of public policies, managers, professors, tutors, etc. These decision makers, by training, will recognize critical alternatives to the linear model of understanding the reality, to replace it for the situated and distributed, systemic-holistic and socio-technological ones.

These interpretations are presented by experiences that are taken place in Argentinean training of future professors, stressing the conditions of production and use of knowledge, more and more mediated by ICT, to improve the inclusion and working in emancipator proposals.

The teaching and learning in the digital culture run by technological mediations and virtual networks beyond schools and universities. The communities, families, informal groups’ interaction, social media and networks socialization are more important than the formal training. Many times this is anachronized for XXI century times and for emancipatory and democratic ideas. P. Freire’s framework seems to have more pertinence than ever.

The awareness work –beyond its limitations, because there is no panaceic method to afford so complex nowadays world-, with exclusions and inequities, requires a critic and reflective vision and practice.

The actual global situation, especially for the South of the world -presented by diverse researches and existing literature in this regard, but not included in this paper for reasons of space- shows that. But, despite everything written, it does not mean that Latin America has overcome the stage of inequity.

The configuration of settings of social inclusion considers all forms of that for every user (students, groups, communities, etc.) with the tools for the practice, in our case, of digital skills, in order to perform, with relevance and prudence, proactively and responsibly, a (cyber) citizenry. These are significant for valuable, productive and valid behaviour that meet the needs of life.

Articulated to this context, the reality was transformed by the socio cultural and political representative ways, basically by Internet, ICT and virtual networks which mutates each social process, relationships, etc. These are showed daily in behaviors and reformulated (missing?) values. It brings other opportunities, ways and technological formats to build knowledge, in more horizontal and participative proposals based on the interests and real needs of the people, groups and local organizations. Not without other type of challenges in theoretic-practical, conceptual and methodological areas, to which P. Freire contributed in a very valuable epistemic approach towards the concepts and performance of face to face and virtual education programs.

To know more: 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326160598_Appropriate_Critical_Educational_Technology_Within_Freires_Framework_for_a_Social_Inclusion

Fainholc, B. (2014) Appropriate/Critical Educational Technology Within Freire’s Framework for a Social Inclusion in Paulo Freire: The Global Legacy. Chapter 37 in the book Paulo Freire: The Global Legacy. Editors: Michael A. Peters and Tina Besley, published by Peter Lang. New  Zeland.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7286-9889