Autonomous Technological Artifact For The Provision Of Socio-educational Content

The Case of a Prototype Installed in the Riverside Region of the Amazon

Abstract

During the social isolation that occurred in the last pandemic crisis, thousands of students living in riverside areas of the Amazon were cut off from the distance learning process due to lack of Internet connectivity. This article aims to present the initial results related to the conception of a technological artifact, financed by the CNPQ, devised as a feasible alternative to prevent this from happening again. The proposed device is autonomous both in terms of energy and in connectivity independence, currently being developed by researchers from Universities in the Amazon (UNAMA), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Federal University of Tocantins (UFT), University of Porto (UP), University of São Paulo (USP), and the Goeldi Museum. It has been tested in the riverside region of the Amazon, in the state of Pará, at a municipal elementary school. In addition to presenting the device, named S.A.N.D.R.O., this article highlights the strategies adopted for engaging both the students and the local community. Outside of a crisis period, the system can be used as a tool to reinforce education or to boost tourism in the region, as it carries a wide range of audiovisual content, featuring a streaming system, a distance education (EAD) system, and customized websites. Content curation will be done in partnership with the community, aiming not only to provide a distance education system but also to record and preserve local knowledge. This qualitative approach emphasizes the results of the first training carried out with teachers and school staff to guide the production of everyday stories of the students through playful narratives, using storytelling resources and stop-motion techniques.