The main objectives of this theoretical paper are to compare some constructivist-related learning theories and explore how they can be adequately used in educational technology and distance education. After a brief introduction, constructivism is defined as a general philosophy of education encompassing several different learning theories. The article then presents and discusses the following theories: situated cognition, activity theory, experiential learning, anchored instruction, and authentic learning. Connectivism or distributed learning is also presented as a new and important theory, including its pedagogical view and practice in massive open online courses (MOOCs). These theories are then organized in a coherent way, classified under the constructivist umbrella, pointing their common and distinctive features. Connectivism is positioned as a new philosophy of education for the digital age, making Vygotsky’s concept of zone of proximal development (ZPD) more flexible and stretching it to include learning that lies outside the learner, in social networks and technological tools. The text finally proposes further work on how these theories can be properly combined and used as frameworks for constructivist projects and activities in the fields of educational technology and distance education. The article is based on the search and review of peer-reviewed articles on constructivism, connectivism, the other aforementioned theories, and education technology and distance education._________________________________________________________Este artículo teórico pretende comparar algunas teorías de aprendizaje relacionadas con el constructivismo y explorar cómo pueden usarse adecuadamente en el campo de la tecnología educativa y la educación a distancia. Después de una breve introducción, el constructivismo queda definido como una filosofía general de la educación que abarca varias teorías de aprendizaje diferentes. El artículo presenta y analiza las siguientes teorías: cognición situada, teoría de la actividad, aprendizaje experiencial, instrucción anclada y aprendizaje auténtico. El conectivismo o aprendizaje distribuido también se presenta como una nueva e importante teoría, que incluye su visión pedagógica y práctica en cursos masivos y abiertos en línea (MOOCs). Organizamos estas teorías de manera coherente bajo el paraguas constructivista e indicamos las principales similitudes y diferencias entre ellas. El conectivismo se posiciona como una nueva filosofía de la educación para la era digital, flexibilizando y ampliando el concepto de Zona de Desarrollo Próximo (ZDP) de Vygotsky para incluir el aprendizaje que se encuentra fuera del alumno, en redes sociales y herramientas tecnológicas. El texto finalmente propone un trabajo adicional sobre cómo estas teorías pueden combinarse y utilizarse adecuadamente como marcos para proyectos y actividades constructivistas en los campos de la tecnología educativa y la educación a distancia. El artículo se basa en la investigación y revisión de artículos revisados por pares sobre el constructivismo, el conectivismo, las otras teorías mencionadas y la tecnología educativa y la educación a distancia.

Different frameworks are available for assessing and developing digital competences, which poses a choice challenge for potential users. This article aims to analyze and compare international digital competence frameworks for education. The study compares characteristics such as the frameworks’ purpose, structure, competences, and levels, as well as indicators for instrument development. The results indicate that the objective, the theoretical background, and the target group define the framework characteristics. Most analyzed frameworks focus on teacher training. The comparison identified common competences: communication, collaboration, sharing, information and data, content, technical, teaching, learning, and ethics. All frameworks include profiles, objectives, descriptors, activities, examples, and cases of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The article concludes that digital competence frameworks should be segmented by educational actors (students, teachers, and administrators) and levels (early childhood, primary, higher, and corporate) with corresponding assessment instruments.

Background: This article’s purpose is to compare burnout syndrome indicators at different levels of teaching in Brazil during the covid-19 pandemic. The comparison also considers the teachers’ quality of life and health, working conditions, and digital competence. Methods: The hypotheses of this study are that there are statistically significant differences in teachers’ burnout rates, quality of life, working conditions, and digital competences depending on the teaching level. A mixed-methods ex-post-facto survey involved 438 Brazilian teachers, with a mean age of 42.93 years (SD = 9.66), 330 females (75%) and 108 males (25%). Data were collected through an online questionnaire. Statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests was performed to compare groups, the Tukey test for paired comparison of the analyzed groups, and the chi-square to verify the association between variables. Results: Higher levels of digital competence were associated with lower burnout syndrome scores. Elementary and middle school teachers presented worse quality of life and health indexes. Adapting pedagogical work involved learning but also overwork, exhaustion, and frustration. Conclusions: The study concludes that basic education teachers had higher burnout rate scores than higher education teachers during the covid-19 pandemic and that early childhood education should be treated as a separate category. Trial registration: Ethics approval was obtained from the University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) Research Ethics Committee (4.432.063, December 7, 2020). Informed consent was obtained from all subjects.

This article aims to analyse the differences associated with the variables of teaching and institutional nature in the level of proficiency of teachers in digital competences, using the DigCompEdu framework as theoretical reference. A quantitative approach was used and the data collection strategy was based on an online survey. The sample was composed of 846 Portuguese higher education professors linked to 37 universities and 76 polytechnic institutes. The results indicate that characteristics such as working at PhD program level, teaching online and being linked to polytechnic institutes are associated with higher levels of digital competence.

RESUMO: Este artigo estuda as competências e funções dos tutores online em educação a distância (EaD). Envolve uma revisão sistemática de literatura em língua portuguesa e a elaboração de um modelo teórico para orientar a formação de tutores. Os textos selecionados na revisão são analisados qualitativamente por um processo de codificação e categorização com o suporte do software MAXQDA. Códigos baseados na literatura são inicialmente propostos, mas outros são incluídos durante a análise. O modelo apresentado como resultado da pesquisa levou em consideração a frequência da ocorrência das categorias nos textos. Dentre as competências dos tutores online, destacam-se: gerenciais, saberes disciplinares, saberes pedagógicos, habilidade de comunicação, competências socioafetivas e habilidades tecnológicas. As funções básicas do tutor online em EaD, identificadas na pesquisa, são: gerenciais, pedagógicas e sociais. O modelo proposto procura relacionar as competências com essas funções. Deve servir, nesse sentido, para orientar a formação de tutores, contrapondo-se à tendência de precarização do trabalho docente online.