The sequestration of technology by capitalism and the idea of its necessity in teacher education

Abstract

The present work addresses the appropriation of digital technologies by capitalism and the way in which neoliberalism seeks to legitimize their insertion in improving the quality of education. Developed with the objective of critically analyzing how the capitalist appropriation of digital technologies impacts teacher education and professional practice, the study adopts a bibliographic approach based on Historical-Dialectical Materialism, in which theoretical works and academic productions were selected, especially theses and dissertations available in the Lattes curricula of professors Joana Peixoto and Raquel Goulart Barreto, which best aligned with the theme of technologies in teacher education, critically analyzed through categorization. Thus, this article is organized around three axes: the sequestration of technologies by capitalism, the conception that the incorporation of technological knowledge would be indispensable for teachers’ professional development, and, finally, a theoretical framework anchored in the previously mentioned authors. It is argued that the supposed enhancement of education through digital technologies conceals a movement of dismantling public education, marked by teacher precarization and uncritical private partnerships. It is concluded that theoretical gaps in the Brazilian literature, especially in the critical approach, contribute to the strengthening of neoliberal hegemonic forces. The main contribution of the study is to present this gap and indicate the need for further research with a critical focus.