Between 2011 and 2012, two of the entities responsible for managing and deciding onthe initial and continuing education of Costa Rican teachers, the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) and the National University (UNA)<span name="style_sup">11</span>, developed a research process to support the construction of knowledge related to the inclusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in educational contexts, and at the same time, participate in the generation of innovations that help to create and guide national educational policies and teacher preparation. This research project is based on the recognition of learning activities supported by ICTs and implemented by teachers in the Basic General Education (EGB) as a way to guide their educational work towards critical and collaborative spaces that promote learning and are relevant to those involved. This study considered fourteen of the educational regions in which the MEP divides the country: Desamparados, Limón, San Ramon, Los Santos, Pérez Zeledón, Grande de Térraba, Puntarenas, Aguirre, Coto, Liberia, Upala, Cañas, Santa Cruz, and Nicoya. The theoretical framework is based on the contributions by César Coll (2005), who departs from the existing relationships in, what this author calls, the interactive triangle, a methodology that refers to the study of relationships between three elements: content, the teacher’s instructional and educational activities, and the students’ learning activities. This paper addresses nine of the categories Coll (2005) points out as frequent mediation practices involving ICTs. In addition, the research establishes three categories to understand the circumstances and the reasons why Costa Rican EGB teachers use ICTs during their pedagogical practices. This paper was developed by an interinstitutional team of researchers from the National University and the Ministry of Public Education., developed a research process to support the construction of knowledge related to the inclusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in educational contexts, and at the same time, participate in the generation of innovations that help to create and guide national educational policies and teacher preparation. This research project is based on the recognition of learning activities supported by ICTs and implemented by teachers in the Basic General Education (EGB) as a way to guide their educational work towards critical and collaborative spaces that promote learning and are relevant to those involved. This study considered fourteen of the educational regions in which the MEP divides the country: Desamparados, Limón, San Ramon, Los Santos, Pérez Zeledón, Grande de Térraba, Puntarenas, Aguirre, Coto, Liberia, Upala, Cañas, Santa Cruz, and Nicoya. The theoretical framework is based on the contributions by César Coll (2005), who departs from the existing relationships in, what this author calls, the interactive triangle, a methodology that refers to the study of relationships between three elements: content, the teacher’s instructional and educational activities, and the students’ learning activities. This paper addresses nine of the categories Coll (2005) points out as frequent mediation practices involving ICTs. In addition, the research establishes three categories to understand the circumstances and the reasons why Costa Rican EGB teachers use ICTs during their pedagogical practices. This paper was developed by an interinstitutional team of researchers from the National University and the Ministry of Public Education.

ICT; learning activities; Basic General Education; interactive triangle