LANGUAGE, MEDIATION AND TECHNOLOGY: A STUDY ON THE INTEGRATION OF ICTs IN TEACHING PRACTICE

Abstract

The integration of Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) in education, particularly under the aegis of so-called active technologies, constitutes more than an instrumental innovation; it represents a transformation in the ecology of communication and learning. This article investigates teaching conceptions and practices related to these technologies, based on the theoretical assumption that language and technology are inseparable social and historical phenomena. Anchored in Bakhtin's dialogism (2006) and Vygotsky's cultural-historical psychology (2007), the study understands technology as a form of language and semiotic mediation that structures interactions and knowledge construction. Methodologically, it is a qualitative, instrumental case study research (STAKE, 2005), which used document analysis, non-participant observation, and semi-structured interviews with 12 Elementary School teachers. The results, analyzed through thematic content analysis (BARDIN, 2011), reveal a paradoxical scenario: although teachers demonstrate a discourse aligned with the principles of active methodologies, their predominant practices remain teacher-centered and expository, using technology mainly as a support resource for transmission. Insufficient teacher training – often restricted to the technical dimension –, infrastructural barriers, and a school culture still entrenched in traditional models are identified as main obstacles. It is concluded that the effective integration of active technologies requires a reformulation of teacher training based on Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), combined with institutional support that enables the re-signification of practices towards a dialogical, authorial, and collaborative pedagogy.