Internationalization at Home in Basic Education

investigating the “Escolas pelo Mundo” app

Abstract

For a long time, internationalization was considered synonymous with mobility and exchange. However, the contemporary pattern of internationalization in Brazilian Education is based on broader ideas, which foster distinct learning opportunities, through educational paths that incorporate intercultural and international perspectives, preparing students for the global society. Thus, the Ministry of Education (MEC) has promoted internationalization initiatives for Basic Education, such as the launch of the “Escolas pelo Mundo” app (Brazil, 2023), whose purpose is to facilitate the visibility of internationalization practices already implemented in Brazilian Basic Education schools. In light of such an initiative, this study investigates Internationalization at Home in the context of Basic Education, focusing on the practices promoted by the “Escolas pelo Mundo” app (Brazil, 2023). The research adopts a qualitative approach and documentary method (Paiva, 2019), falling within the field of Applied Linguistics. The theoretical framework is based on the concept of Internationalization at Home (IaH) by Beelen and Jones (2015), which emphasizes the integration of international and intercultural dimensions into the curriculum for all students, regardless of physical mobility. The main objective was to analyze how the practices and programs highlighted in the application align with the assumptions of IaH, considering the characteristics described by Jones and Reiffenrath (2018). The results showed that, although some initiatives promote intercultural learning and linguistic diversity through collaborative projects and the use of digital technologies, there are still limitations in the scope of the practices, in the methodological systematization and in the access to more detailed information about the experiences reported. It is concluded that, despite the advances, IaH in Brazilian Basic Education still faces structural challenges and demands greater integration with educational policies that expand access and strengthen teacher education for the development of intercultural practices.