COLLABORATIVE AUTHORSHIP, DIGITAL LETTERS AND CRITICAL LETTERS IN DIGITAL CULTURE: a study with undergraduate students in English.
Collaborative Authorship. Digital culture. Preservice Teacher Education. English language.
This research was about the context of preservice teacher education for the authorship. It aimed to analyze how the collaborative authorship of educational resources, in the light of digital literacies and critical literacy, helps in the English language teacher critical education and in the development of skills to act in the context of digital culture. In order to achieve this purpose we intended to answer the following question: what are the potentials of collaborative authorship of educational resources, from the perspective of digital literacies and critical literacy, for the English language teacher preservice education in the digital culture? The specific objectives were: a) to highlight the role of DICT in the English language teaching-learning process; b) to investigate how the collaborative authorship of educational resources mobilizes digital literacies and critical literacy; c) to outline the challenges for the education of the English language teacher as author in the digital culture; d) to identify the necessary abilities/knowledge for the English language teacher to elaborate educational resources under critical perspectives. This was a qualitative research, characterized as research-training. The data were produced in an online course, conducted between June 15th and August 26th, 2020, for thirty students of the Undergraduate Degree in English Language of the Universidade do Estado da Bahia. As instruments of data production, we used questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, the course activities such as forums and the educational resources created by the participants. The data produced were analyzed in conformity with the precepts of content analysis and in accordance to the theoretical framework. We defend the thesis that the collaborative authorship of educational resources mobilizes a range of actions, reactions and attitudes, as well as research, critical appropriation of digital technologies and negotiation of meaning among peers. These factors result in contributions to the linguistic, socio-cultural and pedagogical development of the future teacher. The data analysis confirmed this thesis, answering the question under investigation. The research pointed out that the collaborative authorship process presented as potentialities: the socialization of knowledge, involvement in research, creativity, development of digital and critical literacies, dialogue between theory and practice, autonomy, reflection on the professional profile, and respect to differences. These are relevant aspects to the teacher-author education in the digital culture that requires further investments. The thesis has significant social relevance since it contributes to rethink the English language teacher preservice education, towards an education for authorship. The research findings also indicate the importance of developing a teacher's authorial literacy.