The city of Recife hosted the Bett Northeast Conference, one of the region’s largest education events, held on September 4 and 5 at the Recife Expo Center. This traveling edition of Bett Brasil was co-organization of Sinepe-PE (Union of Educational Institutions in the State of Pernambuco).

Over the course of the two days, the event welcomed 2,000 participants, including government representatives, administrators, teachers, experts, solution providers, and operators of educational institutions.

"This year's Bett Nordeste conference in Recife was incredible. The event has grown every year, always in line with our strategy of offering more and more relevant content, networking opportunities, and the chance to discover new products and solutions for the education market," said Claudia Valério, general director of Bett Brasil. She added: "Bett Brasil’s purpose is to connect people and foster an environment that encourages dialogue, the exchange of experiences, and business development," she concluded.

Claudia Valério, Executive Director of Bett Brasil, highlighted the importance of the event for the education sector

This edition featured discussions on two current topics in basic education: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI). The debate centered on what we should learn from these two “languages,” with a focus on the need to integrate AI in an intentional and meaningful way into everyday school life and the importance of developing social-emotional skills.

See also:

• Artificial Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence in Education Kick Off the Bett Nordeste Conference
• Bett Nordeste Conference Discusses Ethics in the Use of AI and Diversity in Education
• Day 2 of the event brings together experts to discuss the relationship between AI and IE in education

"The Bett Nordeste Conference addressed key topics relevant to the current state of education. On the one hand, we have artificial intelligence, which raises more questions than it answers; on the other, social-emotional intelligence, which reminds us of the importance of focusing on people and how we will deal with these changes," said Adriana Martinelli, Director of Content at Bett Brasil.

"The panel discussions took various forms and featured a great deal of interaction between the audience and the speakers. It was a truly enriching experience, where everyone had the opportunity to reflect, debate, and gain practical insights to apply in their schools," Adriana emphasized.

Attendees were able to interact and share ideas with speakers at the Bett Nordeste Conference 

She also emphasized that the event provided an opportunity for collaboration among the various stakeholders in the education sector. “The problems facing education are complex, and they will not be solved by a single person or institution.” The event creates a space for teachers, administrators, coordinators, school operators, and private-sector leaders to connect and engage in dialogue. Building on this gathering, we can begin to chart more productive and fulfilling paths, ensuring quality education with equity,” Adriana commented.

With the theme “AI and IE in Education: What Should We Learn?”, the traveling event featured more than 16 hours of content, including lectures and panel discussions, with more than 50 speakers in attendance .

Watch the recap of the 2024 Bett Nordeste Conference:

At the opening of the Bett Nordeste Conference, Recife’s Secretary of Education, Fred Amancio, highlighted the event’s importance in connecting the topics of AI and IE. “These are probably the two topics that bring the most innovation to our educational environment,” he said.

He explained that, while technology and artificial intelligence are revolutionizing education, the debate over emotional intelligence—though not new—continues to gain relevance, especially with regard to the development of students’ social-emotional skills.

The opening ceremony of the Bett Conference brought together Fred Amancio, Recife’s secretary of education; Andreika Amarante, president of Undime/PE; and José Ricardo Diniz, president of Sinepe-PE.

Regarding what we should learn about AI, Luciano Meira—Science and Innovation Coordinator at Proz Educação and professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE)—emphasized that the first key point when implementing any type of technology is to place teachers and school administrators at the center of the institutional decision-making process, ensuring that everything makes sense in the local context. Another point is valuing the role of teachers, with AI viewed as a tool that integrates with teaching activities—not merely to complement them, but to expand the possibilities of instruction.

The closing panel of the Bett Conference discussed the application of AI and IE in everyday school life

The professor emphasized that the current situation calls for more experimentation and dialogue regarding digital technologies in education. “We still know very little about the impact of AI, and we’re just beginning to explore these possibilities. We are far from an effective digital transformation in schools, and it’s essential that this process be accompanied by more experimentation,” he said.

Still on the topic of AI, Alessandra Borelli, a partner at Opice Blum Advogados, spoke about the ethical challenges of the technology. She emphasized that institutions and companies must be transparent regarding the collection, processing, and use of student data. Furthermore, implementing rigorous security measures to protect student information from leaks and attacks is an essential step. “The selection of AI tools must take into account these technologies’ ability to keep data secure,” she added.

A panel discussion featuring attorney Alessandra Borelli addressed the ethical use of AI in education 

Alessandra also emphasized that AI should serve to complement, not replace, the role of the teacher. “It is important to reflect on the impact of AI on pedagogical decisions and ensure that teachers’ autonomy is preserved,” she said. Alessandra emphasized the need for schools not only to protect student data but also to teach the ethical and responsible use of AI tools. “It is essential to promote the development of critical and mindful digital skills among students,” she concluded.

On the topic of emotional intelligence, psychologist and professor Rossandro Klinjey—ambassador and co-founder of Educa—emphasized that school is a place to develop social-emotional skills, not just cognitive ones. “This includes self-love, which I consider the core competency of the individual—as if it were the operating system of the soul. With self-love, you develop all other skills; without it, it becomes difficult to determine what is most important to you,” he said.

Rossandro Klinjey's lecture featured active audience participation in the Aquário auditorium

He emphasized that by strengthening self-love and self-esteem, students are better able to cope with challenging situations. “When you work on these skills, you know how to ask for help, set boundaries, and avoid toxic relationships that can lead to bullying, for example. This emotional resilience acts as a shield against many issues,” he said. According to Klinjey, there is a growing awareness of the importance of working on people’s inner selves. He noted that we experience the world collectively through our personal filters, and these filters are often distorted by a lack of self-love and self-understanding, which compromises the way we engage with the world.

Solutions and Technologies for Education

The Bett Nordeste Conference featured an exhibition area where various players in the education market showcased innovations and new releases in solutions, products, and services. The exhibitors at this year’s event emphasized the importance of bringing Bett Brasil to the Northeast region.

"It's very important for us to be here, especially since we also participate in the event in São Paulo, and often, the audience from the Northeast isn't able to travel to São Paulo for the annual Bett Brasil," said Eduardo Giraldez, Chairman of edtech company Realms IP.TV. He also highlighted the diversity of the audience as one of the most positive aspects. "It's interesting to see so many different profiles. This diversity is essential for us to spread our message more widely."

Another Brazilian edtech company that attended the event was Árvore, a gamified learning platform. “For Árvore, it’s always a great pleasure to participate in events in the Northeast because we have many partner schools in the region,” said Marcella Eloi, Head of Acquisition at Árvore.

The Bett Conference exhibition area showcased new products, services, and technologies for education

She also highlighted the openness to dialogue found in the Northeast. “The public is always willing to learn, discover, and engage in dialogue. The Northeast is where we find the greatest openness to discussing education. At events, we usually ask, ‘Do you know about Árvore?’ And here, people always say yes. When we show how Árvore has grown, everyone is interested in learning more, and this exchange is essential,” she said.

Moisés Assis, the educational consultant at the International School, spoke about the brand's goal of making bilingual education more accessible throughout the country. "It is extremely important to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders—from public and private schools—as well as professionals who are deeply involved in education on a daily basis and understand the challenges of the classroom," said Assis.

The Bett Nordeste Conference gave the public the opportunity to interact with experts, explore new developments, and gain new ideas for education

Assis also emphasized the need to maintain a dialogue with schools, with the aim of understanding the challenges these institutions face, what they are seeking, and what kind of innovation makes sense for their different realities. “It has been very enriching to talk with the attendees of the conference. The opportunity to interact with people from diverse backgrounds at the event is essential for expanding our brand and values,” concluded the educational consultant.

Guided tours of educational institutions in Recife

A new initiative at the 2024 Bett Nordeste Conference was a series of guided technical tours of educational institutions in Recife for event participants. On Wednesday (the 4th), the tour visited the Vila Aprendiz school, which specializes in early childhood education, and on Thursday (the 5th), it visited Porto Digital, one of Brazil’s leading technology parks and innovation hubs.

Guided tours of renowned institutions in Recife were one of the new features of the Bett Northeast Conference

"The technical visit is a great opportunity for exchange. We were able to showcase our projects in action and also see that, just as we have been inspired over the past 15 years, we, too, can be a source of inspiration to transform a school that merely provides answers into one that promotes an inquiry-based education," said Paula Carneiro Leão, principal of Escola Vila Aprendiz.

For Henrique Steinberg, the Porto Digital representative in charge of leading the technical tour, the experience with the audience at the Bett Nordeste event at Porto Digital demonstrated the importance of connections in the world of education. "Connections speed up the process of getting things done, catalyze results, and amplify the positive. That’s what makes positive experiences multiply and negative ones be avoided. At Porto Digital, this is exactly what we strive for—expanding on our founders’ values and applying them to our work.”

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