Adoption of the moodle by university teachers in the actor-network theory perspective

Abstract

Many Higher Education Institutions have been adopting Moodle as a support for face-to-face teaching with reference to the pedagogical practices of Distance Education (DE). However, since the conditions of the DE differ from those of classroom teaching, the modes of appropriation of innovation also diverge. In order to know the conditions and to what extent the process of adoption of Moodle occurs, a longitudinal case study of five years was carried out at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). The research had several instruments (questionnaires, interviews, observation of disciplines and analysis of institutional reports). Merging precepts and methodologies of actor-network theories and diffusion of innovations, it was possible to broaden the vision of the paths traveled by the actants and to reach conclusions that Moodle is being used by the teachers who adopted the platform. However, the vast majority do not use their resources to extend classroom learning before, during and after the face-to-face meeting.