Between screens and classrooms

teaching in (trans)formation through digital education

Abstract

This article analyzes the perceptions of teachers enrolled in the Digital Education for the Early Years of Elementary School specialization program, offered by the Center for Distance Education (Neaduni) at the State University of Western Paraná (Unioeste), regarding the contributions of the program to their professional development. The objective is to understand how participants perceive the relationship between the training they received and their professional practice. The study adopts a qualitative-interpretivist approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data obtained from an evaluation questionnaire completed by 67 participants, representing 77% of those who completed the program and were eligible for certification. The analysis covers two closed-ended questions concerning the relevance of the program and reflective thinking, as well as one open-ended question addressing the contributions of the courses to participants’ education and professional practice. The results show a predominance of positive evaluations, with participants recognizing the relevance of the content, its applicability to everyday school contexts, and its contribution to enhancing digital competencies, developing professional autonomy, and integrating theory and practice. The data also indicate processes of self-reflection and the redefinition of teachers’ professional knowledge. The experience of the specialization program and the data analysis lead to the conclusion that continuing teacher education, when connected to professional experiences and guided by critical reflection, can foster teacher development and the construction of more conscious, context-sensitive pedagogical practices aligned with the demands of digital culture.