TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM IN ICT FOR THE TEACHING OF SOCIAL SCIENCES IN RURAL CONTEXTS: PROGRESS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Abstract

This research focuses on the progress of a doctoral thesis project concerning the design of a teacher training program in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) aimed at strengthening the teaching of Social Sciences in rural contexts, particularly in the municipality of Teorama, Norte de Santander. The study emerged from identifying the difficulties rural teachers face when incorporating technology into their educational practices, reflected in factors such as poor connectivity, lack of technological resources, and limited contextualized digital training. This research is developed under a socio-critical paradigm with a qualitative approach, which allows addressing the experiences, perceptions, and training needs of rural teachers through dialogue and collaborative reflection. Progress has been made in the formulation of the research problem, the development of the theoretical framework, and the identification of both national and international background studies related to teacher training and the integration of ICT in rural education. Initial findings reveal that rural teachers show openness toward pedagogical innovation; however, at the same time, they demand continuous, practical, and contextually appropriate training processes adapted to territorial realities. It is expressly concluded that teacher training in ICT cannot remain limited to the instrumental use of technological tools, but must instead aim toward pedagogical transformation and the construction of meaningful learning experiences that contribute to reducing educational and digital gaps in rural contexts.