Values and proposals on the radio as an educational medium in Brazil and Spain in the 1930s. A comparative study

ABSTRACT This text studies the values promoted around radio, as well as the use of this technology as an educational medium, analyzing and comparing the pedagogical proposals of Brazil and Spain in the 1930s, a period of development and advancement in radio broadcasting. The sources used come, on the one hand, from articles published in specialized journals and broadcasting organs, such as Ondas (1925-1936) and Catalunya Ràdio (1931-1934), which featured contributions from engineers, educators, and journalists; and, on the other hand, from highly representative manuals, such as Radio e Educación (1934) written by Ariosto Espinheira. Various discourses surrounding radio have been identified in these documents, including those related to interclassism, the universalization of culture, democratization, globalization, neutrality, and its civilizing mission. Additionally, the documents reveal projects based on modern pedagogical theories, intended to be applied to the teaching of disciplines such as natural sciences, geography, and others. Based on ideas concerning the use of radio as a mass media medium, possibilist discourses were formulated regarding its educational use. This goal was envisioned to be achieved through a specific format that employed engaging language and playful teaching methods, along with diversified content aligned with a modern curriculum.