The technology that lies at the heart of Bett Educar—and that so captivates visitors to the annual trade show, the largest in the industry in Latin America—was a central feature of the brand’s first online event. Held on its digital channels on May 12, 13, and 14, the Bett Educar - Online Event provided the necessary platform for urgent discussion and the dissemination of effective measures and the development of public policies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bett Educar recognized the disruptive moment caused by social isolation as an opportunity to create yet another platform for the educational community and to reinvent itself through innovation in order to disseminate knowledge. For Claudia Valério, director of Bett Educar, the online event was designed precisely to meet this need to keep the conversation about education going, even from a distance. “This virtual event model did not replace our in-person event, but it was a way to continue contributing to the education sector with relevant insights during this critical moment, as well as analyses for the post-pandemic era.”

The virtual lectures, divided into nine sessions featuring 20 renowned figures from the Brazilian educational landscape, totaled more than 12 hours of content. For Maria Alice Carraturi, content director at Bett Educar, the online event exceeded expectations: “At a time marked by so much uncertainty, we were able to draw meaningful insights, facilitate discussions, and present solutions that can inspire action among educational institutions. This period has presented us with many challenges and new lessons.”

Bett Educar - Online Event surpassed 26,000 registered attendees, reaching more than 60,000 people on its online platforms. These are significant numbers, especially considering that the 2019 Bett Educar event attracted more than 30,000 participants from the educational community. Meanwhile, social media views exceeded 62,000, with more than 12,000 on Facebook, more than 8,000 on Instagram, and more than 40,000 on YouTube. All presentations remain available on the Bett Educar website and YouTube channel.

Speakers adopted a conciliatory tone and exercised great caution

Despite the distance, the Bett Educar Online Conference brought together prominent figures such as writer Augusto Cury, Luiz Miguel Martins Garcia (President of Undime Nacional), Professor Débora Garofalo, Luiz Roberto Curi (President of the National Education Council (CNE)), and Maria Helena Guimarães (PISA Ambassador for Schools in Brazil and CNE Advisor), to name just a few of the participants. A conciliatory tone, reflecting great caution in light of the current situation, permeated all discussions, without exception. 

The remarks by Maria Cecília Motta, president of Consed (National Council of Education Secretaries) and Secretary of Education for the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, were very to the point: “Just as doctors are making decisions one step at a time, educators must also make their decisions one step at a time.” As an ambassador for Bett Educar, São Paulo State Secretary of Education Rossieli Soares emphasized that the efforts of educational institutions amid the pandemic to provide remote learning will not replace teachers or schools. “We need to provide the best possible conditions for education. Schools need to reinvent themselves; but nothing will replace schools,” he said.

According to the CEO of Future Education, Brazil’s first accelerator dedicated exclusively to digital education, the current situation shows that innovation can no longer be separated from education. “A culture of innovation—whether in management, academics, or technology—must become a reality in schools. And this needs to happen now. The education companies that will thrive in the 21st century will be those that adopt leadership methods based on creating value for the entire chain: students, parents and guardians, teachers, and society," said Thiago Chaer, who spoke about the edtech market during the event.

Other topics discussed included the school calendar and the resumption of in-person activities after the pandemic. “Schools should carefully plan the return to in-person classes. They will need to develop a plan that addresses health and safety measures, social distancing, hygiene, the use of masks and hand sanitizer, and a smaller number of students per classroom, as well as assessing the socio-emotional well-being of students, teachers, parents, and other educational stakeholders,” said Maria Helena Guimarães, a member of the National Education Council (CNE) and PISA Ambassador for Schools in Brazil. She emphasized that schools will also be responsible for developing a continuing education strategy for teachers so they can work with new technologies.

Bett Educar – Online Event
https://www.bettbrasileducar.com.br/encontroonline