Digital technologies and education: For what development?

Abstract

The article aims at discussing, in the current context of globalization, the relationship between three themes: education, digital technologies and development. From a historicalcritical horizon there is a dialogue with authors of information and communication technologies in connection with others who present the tension between the conventional paradigm and emerging concepts of development. The methodology consisted on the reflection on the sociohistorical movement to identify possible trends and contradictions in the current process of globalization under the decisive influence of digital technologies as a component that enhances educative mediations and new modes of cognition. As a result, the study indicates challenges and paths for a critical education that passes through the demystification of digital technologies in their pseudo neutrality. It is argued that, in education, digital technologies need to be seen as part of the context of ideological disputes regarding the vision of society one wants to build. We highlight the possibilities of a digital emancipation which implies following the path of an emerging paradigm, putting technology at the service of a social development together with environmental sustainability.

Key words: digital technologies, education, development, teacher education, digital emancipation.