Learning in distance education: Perceptions of 4th year Portuguese students
RIAEE – Revista Ibero-Americana de Estudos em Educação, Araraquara, v. 18, n. 00, e023009, 2023. e-ISSN: 1982-5587
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21723/riaee.v18i00.15963 4
by distance learning (involving remote and non-face-to-face activities) and to intervene at the
level of assessment" (PACHECO et al., 2021, p. 188, our translation).
They did so to guarantee continuity in the access, by the students, to the different
knowledge and procedures of the common cultural heritage required to the school and that are
part of the school curriculum. Thus, a "disruption in school education" (PACHECO et al., 2021,
p. 188) arose, caused by the need for rapid reconfiguration of the teaching and learning process
through the use of various digital technological platforms and tools (NATIONAL COUNCIL
OF EDUCATION, 2021). This has required a rapid effort of adaptation by teachers and students
(FERREIRA; BASTOS, 2020; FONSECA et al., 2021; PACHECO et al., 2021; SANTOS;
ZABOROSKI, 2020), which has contributed to the acceleration of the implementation of the
European Commission's "Digital Education Action Plan" for 2021-2027 (EUROPEAN
COMMISSION, 2020). However, as Ferreira and Bastos (2020, p. 112, our translation) point
out, teaching through digital technological resources, arising from the closing of schools and
the need for distance learning, has required from teachers and students "an effort to adapt the
means of teaching, reconfiguring the preparation of classes, using alternative teaching and
learning methods and other didactic resources, and changing roles of teachers and students in
this process.”.
This teaching and learning process began to be accomplished by synchronous classes
and asynchronous moments of teacher-students interaction (FERREIRA; BASTOS, 2020;
PACHECO et al., 2021). For this technological educational process, the computer and/or tablet
with Internet access were the privileged means for accessing information, for the interaction of
students and of these with their teachers, and for performing school tasks. With digital
technologies, teacher-student communication was also encouraged anywhere and at any time,
what Leyendecker and Silva (2017) call ubiquitous communication.
As the use of technological tools constitutes a means for the renewal of teaching
practices (MONTEIRO; LEITE; LIMA, 2012), with them teachers were able to teach syllabus
content with more diversified teaching methods, providing pedagogical conditions for teaching
to focus on students and their different needs and to build quality learning (CONSELHO
NACIONAL DE EDUCAÇÃO, 2021). Thus, with digital technological tools, learning can take
place in a more active and participatory way by students, including: viewing and discussing
videos available on the Internet; debates on program topics or on issues of interest to students
and/or the reality in which they live; quizzes, Wikis and e-portfolios; online educational games;
use of Kahoot; development of research projects in small groups; individual research or in small