Práticas didático-pedagógicas no ensino de geografia: narrativa docente sobre o uso do Canva.

Abstract

This dissertation aims to examine the pedagogical practices adopted in Geography teaching in the final years of Elementary School, with a particular focus on the use of the digital platform Canva between 2020 and 2024. The research was conducted in two public schools in the state of Paraná, Brazil: Colégio Estadual Padre Cirilo, located in the municipality of Capanema, and Escola Estadual do Campo Sagrada Família, in Planalto—both under the jurisdiction of the Regional Education Office of Francisco Beltrão. The study is grounded in the author's professional experiences as a Geography teacher during a period marked by an expansion of educational technology policies promoted by the State Department of Education of Paraná (Seed/PR). This period, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, required an urgent integration of digital tools into educational practices, while also exposing significant challenges related to infrastructure, teacher training, and unequal access to technology. In an effort to make the teaching and learning process more dynamic and meaningful, the study explored the use of Canva as a pedagogical tool. The platform was employed in the creation of various visual materials – such as infographics, posters, and presentations – designed to foster collaborative and creative construction of geographical knowledge. Despite its potential to enhance student autonomy and enrich classroom activities, the effective implementation of Canva relies on minimum technical infrastructure and a methodological approach that considers the specific needs and contexts of each school and group of students. The research also raises critical questions about the tension between technological innovation and the reduction of teacher autonomy. It highlights that the imposed use of digital platforms can restrict educators to mere content deliverers, undermining their creative and critical role in the teaching process. Therefore, the dissertation seeks to reflect on the real contributions of such technologies to education, questioning whether they truly transform pedagogical practices or simply mask structural deficiencies within the educational system. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative action-research approach, with an exploratory and bibliographic nature. The 10 theoretical foundation is supported by authors such as Milton Santos, Paulo Freire, Libâneo, Cavalcanti, among others, in addition to curricular documents such as the Brazilian National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) and the Paraná State Curriculum Guidelines. The dissertation is organized into three chapters: the first examines the development of educational technologies in Paraná since 2017; the second addresses the use of digital tools in Elementary School and their implications for teaching practices; and the third presents the practical experiences with Canva, analyzing its impact on Geography education. The final considerations summarize the main findings and discuss future perspectives on the use of digital technologies in Geography teaching.