INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AS SOCIAL PEDAGOGY: TRANSFORMING INFORMAL EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES IN THE UNITED STATES

This study analyzes the impact of digital technology in order to enhance the academic achievement of marginalized children by exposing them to the latest technological advances. The use of digital autonarratives as social transformative pedagogy is analyzed, specifically in the case of a project called La Clase Mágica (LCM), conducted in an educational institution in Texas (USA) with a high percent of Hispanic student population. La Clase Mágica is an extracurricular technology-based project designed to promote the academic achievement of bilingual Latin elementary-aged students, particularly in the areas of bilingualism, biliteracy, and technology. Up to twenty Bilingual Teacher Candidates (BTCs) were involved in this program and each BTC was assigned to a young elementary student, establishing adult-child pairs called amigo/as and amiguitos/as. Data collection and analysis were conducted within a period of 18 months using a qualitative methodology based in digital auto-narratives, digital field notes and in-class discussions which were transcribed in order to identify emerging themes, patterns and relationships as well as the preferred type of digital artifacts used. Findings reveal that prospective teachers need to take in technology as a pedagogical tool in order to develop a practical understanding of technology integration. The outcomes offer an additional understanding of the direction for teacher preparation programs in order to be more efficient for BTCs, allowing them to become technologically qualified and effective teachers, prepared to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners.