Paraná teachers announce ‘app strike’ in schools – 08/29/2023 – Education

Representatives of teachers and students from state schools in Paraná announced an “application strike” this Wednesday (30). Contrary to the mandatory use of technologies in the classroom, they decided to protest so that the Ratinho Junior (PSD) government could discuss the flexibility of the use of these platforms.

Last year, the government of Paraná began to demand that a series of tools be used by teachers. The policy, which includes access control and goals to be met by schools, was initiated by the then Secretary of Education, Renato Feder, who now heads the same department in São Paulo under Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans).

The digitization of teaching was maintained by the current secretary of Paraná, Roni Vieira, who assumed the commitment to expand the use of technologies, since the government attributes to them the result of having reached the first place in the Ideb (Education Development Index). Basic) in high school.

Despite having won first place in the national assessment, Paraná’s education network did not register an increase in student proficiency. The increase in the indicator was a consequence of the improvement in the students’ approval rate.

Paraná management argues that with digital platforms it is possible to monitor the work of teachers through goals for the use of these technologies. Currently, schools in Paraná are required to use at least seven teaching platforms for, for example, correction of essays, homework and student attendance records.

Since taking over Education in São Paulo, Feder has also implemented similar applications by São Paulo teachers.

A Sheet sought the Secretary of Education of Paraná by email and telephone, but had not received a response until 7:45 pm on Tuesday (29). He also reached out to Feder for comment, but he did not respond.

“No one can stand so many platforms dictating the school’s routine anymore. Mandatory use [dos aplicativos], imposing goals and demanding results is driving everyone crazy. Our category is getting sick and so are the students”, says Nádia Brixner, a state school teacher and director of the Union of Teachers in Public Education of Paraná.

According to the union, the Secretary of Education of Paraná refuses to review the mandatory use of these applications. Therefore, the category decided that, in protest, it will not use any of the digital platforms this Wednesday to pressure the government to discuss the imposition.

“Our teachers did not study and graduate to become mere operators of digital machines. We are not against the use of technology, but we defend its optional use, as a pedagogical support. Not as the center of the school”, says Nádia.

Upes (União Paranaense dos Estudantes Secundaristas) also joined the strike after the assembly. According to Mariana Chagas, president of the entity, students report being unmotivated and seeing no sense in the excessive use of technology to study.

“Applications don’t work properly, they don’t add to our training, they don’t help us prepare for entrance exams. Students are discouraged by this requirement because they don’t see any sense”, says the student.

Teachers and students also report that not all schools in the Paraná network have enough equipment and internet with adequate speed to guarantee the use of applications as required by the secretariat.