Plataformização do ensino de inglês: análise de práticas de professores na rede social Instagram

Abstract

As society changes, especially with the popularization of digital technologies, education comes under scrutiny to adapt to new demands. Amid these transformations, tensions arise as market logic begins to influence and shape the form and the content of what should be taught in schools. With the proliferation of digital technologies, the internet, and social media, the platformization of English teaching emerges as an innovative approach for teachers, who use social networks to engage with students, teach, and/or generate profits, as well as for students, who are promised meaningful and individualized learning experiences. In this context, this study, grounded in Applied Linguistics (Mattos; Jucá, 2022; Moita Lopes, 2006; Fabrício, 2006; Rajagopalan, 2003, 2008), aims to investigate the platformization of English teaching through the analysis of English language teachers’ practices on the social media platform Instagram. This research adopts a qualitative and interpretive approach (Paiva, 2019; Mattos; Jucá, 2022; Moita Lopes, 1994; Saldaña, 2009) with a netnographic basis (Kozinets, 2014), as it seeks to explore the practices of teachers in the digital context, specifically through teacher profiles on Instagram. To achieve the proposed objective, I discuss neoliberalism (Ferraz, 2015; Nascimento, 2018; Laval, 2019; Teles, 2023) and its implications for the commodification of English language teaching. Furthermore, I critically examine the platformization of teaching (Dijck; Poell; De Waal, 2018; Nichols et al., 2022) through the commercial social network Instagram. The analyses revealed the presence of markedly neoliberal characteristics in the investigated profiles, including an emphasis on individual responsibility, the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture, and the commodification of content. Additionally, elements associated with the platformization of teaching were identified, manifesting in the automation of pedagogical practices, the personalization of taught content, and the commodification of time. These aspects highlight how the dynamics of social media shape the practices of English teachers, aligning them with market logics and algorithms geared toward engagement and efficiency. This study aims to contribute to advancing discussions about the implications of commodification in teaching practices, particularly in the field of English language education.