Percepções de gestores educacionais sobre o uso pedagógico das plataformas digitais no ambiente escolar

Abstract

The use of digital platforms has reshaped the ecosystems into which they were introduced, affecting users in their actions, enabling large-scale data collection, and structuring Surveillance or Platform Capitalism. Education, as a cornerstone of social transformation, can act in combating digital colonialism through the critical use of digital platforms. In this context, developing research on the phenomenon of platformization in the field of education is justified. Despite the growing relevance of digital platforms in schools, few studies have examined administrators’ perspectives on their presence and pedagogical uses - a gap this research seeks to address. Therefore, the general objective of this study is to explore how school administrators perceive the presence and use of digital platforms within educational settings. The study was conducted from a qualitative perspective and used semi-structured interviews with school administrators from the microregion of Itajubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data were collected between May and July 2024. Results suggest that administrators generally view digital platforms as beneficiais for educational development. However, their perceptions remain largely instrumental, overlooking the algorithmic processes and profit-driven logics embedded in these platforms. This highlights the need for initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of platformization and its inherent characteristics within schools, where administrators operate. Regarding legislation, administrators demonstrated limited awareness of its applicability to issues related to data privacy and security. Recommended improvements include: ongoing training for teachers and administrators to foster critical and informed use of digital platforms, in order to reduce the dominance of EdTech corporations and addressing the effects of Surveillance Capitalism and digital colonialism; the implementation of public policies to promote national Technologies, enabling greater autonomy and decision-making capacity for educational actors; the implementation of robust data governance practices to safeguard school stakeholders - especially the most vulnerable - by separating public and private data, thus curbing the expansion of platformization in school environments.