The myth of the technological solution: limits of technosolutionism and critical alternatives in education

Abstract

This article develops a critical analysis of technosolutionism in basic education, understood as the belief that historical problems in public schools could be solved through the adoption of digital technologies. Based on a theoretical-critical approach, it discusses the spread of educational platforms in the context of digital capitalism, highlighting how the discourse of innovation and efficiency operates as a strategy for the commodification and financialization of education. The study engages with authors such as Morozov (2013), Williamson (2017), and Selwyn (2019), as well as Cury (2014), Libâneo (2016), and Freitas (2018), who problematize the relationships between technology, public policy, and curriculum. The results show that technosolutionism tends to accentuate structural inequalities, reduce teacher autonomy, and obscure the social conditions that have historically shaped the crisis in public schools. It is argued that educational challenges cannot be addressed by algorithms, applications, or dashboards, but require consistent public policies, adequate funding, appreciation of the teaching profession, and the construction of situated curricula. Finally, critical alternatives are pointed out that seek to reframe the use of technologies in emancipatory pedagogical practices, reaffirming public schools as democratic spaces for citizen formation.