D4.5-Colombian Case-Studies

Project no. 244898
Project acronym: TRACES
Project title: Transformative Research Activities. Cultural diversities and
Education in Science
Dissemination level: PU
Thematic Priority: Science in Society
Funding scheme: Collaborative project
Deliverable N°: 4.1
Colombia Case Studies
Due date: Month 21
Actual submission date: 17/05/2012
Start date of project: 01/07/2010
Duration: 24 months
Name of Coordinator: University of Naples “Federico II”
Name of lead partner for this deliverable: Universidad Pedagógica Nacional
Project partner
UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGÓGICA NACIONAL
DEPARTAMENTO DE FÍSICA
National coordinator
JUAN CARLOS OROZCO CRUZ
Research team
STEINER VALENCIA VARGAS
OLGA MÉNDEZ NÚÑEZ
GLADYS JIMÉNEZ GÓMEZ
SANDRA SANDOVAL OSORIO
DIANA ROJAS SUÁREZ
DAVID SÁNCHEZ BONELL
Our special thanks to all teachers and students involved.
Contact information: [email protected]
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. BASELINE DOCUMENT ___________________________________________________ 5
1.1. GENERAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF THE COLOMBIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM _________ 5
1.2. COLOMBIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE OF
THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN COLOMBIA__________________________________________ 9
1.3. RELEVANT NATIONAL STATISTICS AND PUNCTUAL ASPECTS OF THE INVOLVED REGIONS
IN THE TRACES PROJECT _____________________________________________________ 14
1.4. AREAS THE NATURAL SCIENCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN COLOMBIA ___ 19
1.4.1. EXAMINATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL RESULTS SEREC, PISA AND TIMSS ________________________
1.4.2 THE TIMSS EXAMINATION RESULTS FOR COLOMBIA _______________________________________
1.4.3. RESULTS OF THE SERCE EVALUATIONS FOR COLOMBIA _____________________________________
1.4.4. EVALUATIONS AND NATIONAL SCORES ACCORDING TO THE ICFES _____________________________
1.4.5. Training and Evaluation of teachers in Colombia ___________________________________
20
21
28
32
35
1.5. BIBLIOGRAFÍA ___________________________________________________________ 40
2. NATIONAL REPORT OF CASE STUDIES _____________________________________ 43
2.1. INTRODUCTION___________________________________________________________ 43
2.2. CASE STUDY REPORT 1: INITIAL TEACHERS TRAINING IN SOCIALLY VULNERABLE
SCHOOL CONTEXTS __________________________________________________________ 49
2.2.1 THE LOCAL CONTEXT OF FIELD ACTIONS _______________________________________________
2.2.2. REPORT OF CASE STUDY __________________________________________________________
FRAMING AND PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM _______________________________________
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ________________________________________________________
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ________________________________________________________
RESULTS _________________________________________________________________________
BIBLIOGRAPHY___________________________________________________________________
49
54
54
54
67
70
88
2.3. REPORT CASE STUDY 2: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A POLICY OF ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROPOSALS FOR TEACHING SCIENCE _________ 91
2.3.1 THE LOCAL CONTEXT OF THE FIELD ACTIONS ____________________________________________ 91
2.3.2. CASE STUDY REPORT ____________________________________________________________ 98
FRAMING AND PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM _______________________________________ 98
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ________________________________________________________ 99
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY _______________________________________________________ 107
RESULTS ______________________________________________________________________ 108
BIBLIOGRAPHY__________________________________________________________________ 127
2.4. REPORT CASE STUDY 3: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCH PRACTICES AND
TEACHING PRACTICES OF SCIENCE _____________________________________________ 129
2.4.2. LOCAL CONTEXT OF THE FIELD ACTIONS ______________________________________________
2.3.2 REPORT CASE STUDY ___________________________________________________________
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK _______________________________________________________
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ___________________________________________________________
RESULTS ______________________________________________________________________
BIBLIOGRAPHY__________________________________________________________________
3
129
140
142
155
157
170
2.5. REPORT OF CASE STUDY 4: THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE SCIENCE TEACHING
PRACTICE FROM THE LINK BETWEEN SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. ___________________ 173
2.5.1. LOCAL CONTEXT OF THE FIELD ACTIONS ______________________________________________
2.5.2. REPORT OF CASE STUDY _________________________________________________________
FRAMING AND PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM ______________________________________
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK _______________________________________________________
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY _______________________________________________________
RESULTS ______________________________________________________________________
BIBLIOGRAFIA __________________________________________________________________
173
183
183
184
192
195
217
3. RECOMMENDATIONS TRACES-COLOMBIA __________________________________ 219
4. THE IMPACT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT TRACES-COLOMBIA ON A LARGE
SCALE ________________________________________________________________ 223
5. APÉNDICES __________________________________________________________ 229
4
1. BASELINE DOCUMENT
1.1. GENERAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF THE COLOMBIAN
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
To give an account of the collection of elements and functions that is integrated in
the Colombian Educational System, it is necessary to notice the multiple synergies
that occur within its subsystems; these emergences not only depend on their
relationships and interconnections, but also on the level of evolution of each one of
them. Quantitative and qualitative analysis may contribute to the comprehension of
such complexity from a historical, legal and above all dynamic point of view of
educational policies and the management of the same in the XXth century in
Colombia.
As is well pointed out by Lerma:
“During the first half of the XXth century in Colombia, the education has been
characterized by the low rate of schooling, the lack of teachers and their limited
or non existent preparation, a high rate of analphabetism, the scarce
investment and priority in the different governments, the influence of the
catholic church (Although the constitutional reform of 1936 guarantees the
liberty of doctrine and allows the secularization in education, it is marked by the
influence that the church will have until the end of the eighties decade and
beginning of the nineties), the preponderance of private education
(Fundamentally high school) and the oscillation between the policies and
reforms of decentralized and centralized education.” (Lerma, 2007 P. 9)
The Colombian educational system is fundamentally ruled by the Colombian
constitution of 911, and parts from human rights as a universal principle, a
relationship between what the public, the state and the participation of the
educational community is established and the bases for citizen participation even
in what is educational, are founded.
After 100 years of conservative postures in the Colombian constitution, the new
political text of 1991, at least on paper, modeled some of the inclusive and
participatory democratic needs that Colombian‟s required. The constituent National
Assembly of 91 framed the route for participatory processes like the political
practice of legitimization of democracy in Colombia, said practice opened the road
and mechanisms for participation, among others the management and participation
of educational matters in the relevant communities (Education sector and
productive sector, among others).
1
Political Constitution of 1991. Republic Bank of Colombia
5
“The educational community is conformed by students or pupils, educator,
parent families or guardians of the students, graduates, teaching directors and
school administrators. All of them, according to their competence, will
participate in the design, execution and evaluation of the Institutional Education
Project and in the good progress of the respective educational establishment.”
Article 68 (Law 115 of 1994)
These extensive ideas of education from the constituent, tried to democratize the
school in such a way that the general education law (Law 115 of 1994) among
other aspects, established the bases for decentralization2 of formal education in
the country3 through the formation of the PEI (Institutional Education Project).
Introduced in the education debate the respect for human rights, the international
humanitarian right, the recognition ideological, religious and political diversity and
pluralisms a fundamental base of the formation of citizens.
“The Institutional Education Project (PEI) is the fundamental strategy,
organized by the Law 115 of 1994, to favor the transformation of institutions as
axes of development and improvement of the quality of education. The
education project as a human and institutional development project is a
permanent process of collective construction that leads to the growth and
scholar and social development of the educational communities” Decree 180 of
1997
The mechanisms of representation and participation in school are left exposed with
the formulation of governmental school organisms that decentralize the power of
the managerial and the teachers in the educational institutions, expressing the
central idea of the 91 constituent in the formation of new citizens. The MAGNA
CARTA assumed the declaration of human rights as it‟s reference base in the
article 26:
“Every person has a right for education. The education should be without cost,
at least concerning elementary and fundamental education. Elementary
education is obligatory. Technical and professional education should be
generalized; the access to superior studies will be equal for all, in function to
the respective merits. The object of education will be the complete
development of human personality and the strengthening of the respect for
human rights and fundamental liberties; it will favor the comprehension, the
2
A decentralized scheme implies the existence of a sectorial differentiated organization, in which
each level of government (national, departmental, district and towns) have the competences and
responsibilities concurring and complementary with education; meaning that authorities of each
territorial entity should carry out their functions in a coordinated manner with that of other levels of
the government. Source DANE
3
In Colombia the process of decentralization has been oriented towards the turn n of competences
related with the management of resources and personnel to the different levels of government. The
administration decentralization has tried to be carried out, which contemplates the transference of
authority, responsibility and resources. Fuente DANE
6
tolerance and the friendship of all nations and all ethnic and religious groups,
as well as promote the development of United Nations activities for the keeping
of peace. Parents will have the preferential right to choosing the type of
education that will be given to their children. 4 ONU source
The institutional education projects (PEI), the teacher formation plans and the
educational policies in Colombia, have as a priority the decentralization and the
participation of the educational communities at every level.
“To accomplish the integral formation of the pupil, each educational
establishment should elaborate and propose a practice in the Institutional
education project, in which they should specify, among other aspects, the
principles and goals of the establishment, the available and necessary
teaching staff and didactic resources, the pedagogic strategy, the regulations
for teachers and student and the management system, all of this directed
towards the fulfilling of the present legal dispositions and their laws” Article 73
(Law 115 1994)
From the constitution of 1991 the funds for education are public and come from the
state. The definition of the mechanisms to determine the sums of the transfers and
the local management are from then on a priority for the Ministry of Education
(MEN) and the Department of National Planning (DPN), the Law 60 of 1993
allowed the assignation of resources for education in territorial entities and the
General Education Law (Law 115 of 1994) allowed the reorganization of the
educational sector and the transfer of funds to regions, expanding the National
Education System‟s objectives from basic education, middle education to the
education of adults and the education of population with special education needs.
The law 115 of 1994 established the organization system of formal education in the
current educational system in the following way:
“Preschool education covers three year, one of which is mandatory;
elementary, five, basic high school, four and middle education, two. …The
schools should formulate a Institutional education Project (PEI) in an
independent form, flexible in the formulation of the curriculum and looking for
autonomy, experimentation and institutional innovation (Taken from and
adapted from: educational revolution 20 P28)
The Law 115 of 1994, the law 30 of 1992 and the decrees 1860 of 1994, 114 of
1996 and 3011 of 1997, establish the general frame for the classification of
modalities of education in Colombia: formal and informal education. Formal
education is that which moves forward in the approved educational establishments,
with curriculum sequences in evolution and conducing to the graduation and title in
the established school cycles in Colombia: preschool education, basic elementary
and high school, vocational average and superior education. For the case of
4
http://www.un.org/es/documents/udhr/
7
informal education; it is established that all programs that form, complement,
update and/or replace some kind of knowledge or academic and labor aspects
required for the diverse populations without necessarily depending on the levels
and established grades and equivalent to formal education (MEN 2012)
In the Law 115 of February 8 of 1994, the way that explicates how the organization
is developed and the provision of formal and informal education services in the
country:
“In conformation with the article 67 of the Political Constitution, defines and
develops the organization and the provision of forma education in their
preschool, basic (elementary and high school) and middle, informal and formal
levels, directed towards children and youth in school ages, adults, peasants,
ethnic groups, people with physical, sensorial and psychic limitations with
exceptional capabilities and people that require social rehabilitation.” Law 115
of February 8 of 1994”
Apart from the National Constitution of 1991, in the last 20 years, a series of legal
devices have been promulgated, these are pertinent to the educational sector and
support the structure of the legal frame in Colombian education. The law 30 of
December 28 1992 organizes the superior education of the country, in its articulate
it fundaments the educational policy confronted with superior education in
Colombia.
“Superior education is a permanent process that enables the development of a
human‟s potentials in an integral fashion; it is carried out after middle or high
school education and has as its main objective the full development of the
students and their academic or professional formation. It is a cultural public
service, inherent to the social purpose of the state en conformance with the
Political Constitution of Colombia, guarantees the university autonomy and
watches after the quality of the educational service through the exercise of
supreme inspection and vigilance of the superior education. Superior
education, without prejudice of the specific goals of each field of knowledge,
will wake in the pupils a reflexive spirit, oriented towards the accomplishment
of personal autonomy, in a frame of liberty, mentality and ideological pluralism
that keeps in min the know-how of the universities and in particular of the
existent cultural forms in the country. This is why the superior education will be
developed in a framework of freedom of teaching, of learning, of investigation
and freedom of lecture. Finally the accessibility of superior education will
correspond to those who show to posses the required capacities and fulfill the
academic conditions required in each case. Articles 1,2,3,4 and 5 (Law 30 of
1992)
Apart from law 30, the decree 272 of 98 (decree 272 of February 11, 1998)
regulates the creation of undergraduate and graduate academic educational
programs in the country, establishing the nomenclature of the corresponding
educational titles, and in the same way the law 749 of 2002 organizes the public
8
service of superior education in its modalities of technical and technological
professional formation. The decree 1001 of 2006 disposes, defines and organizes
the guidelines of the different kinds of graduate degrees (specialization, master
degree and doctorate) that may be offered on behalf of the superior educational
institutions and the Decree 1767 of 2006 defines the objectives, guidelines and
quality criteria with which the information reported to the information system of
superior education of MEN, should count with. In respect to the attention of cultural
diversity and the educational needs of different sectors, the Colombian law has
established concerning this, the Decree 84 of 1995, the educational attention to
diverse indigenous groups of the entire national territory and in the decree 2082 of
1996 regulates educational attention for people with limitations and/or exceptional
capacities or talents, determining special curriculum orientations that are proper for
the attention, service, teacher forming and the resources that are need in the
attention of such populations.
Finally another group of decrees attend evaluation need of the different levels with
the educational system, la the resolution 2707 of 1996 that defines the evaluation
of teachers and institution at a state level, and the decree 1290 of 2009 that
involves the evaluation of the learning‟s and the promotions of students in different
levels of the preschool education system, basic elementary, basic high school and
vocational average. For its part the decrees 2247 of 1997 and the law 1098 of
2006 establish the relative rules of the provision of educational service in the level
of preschool, formulating the code of infancy and the code of adolescence 5, that
among others allows the care and protection of minors between the ages of 0 to 6
years of age, including pedagogic criteria in the development of integral boys, girls
and teenagers, apart from the care and attention of these minors in day cares,
preschool, infancy center, infant homes and teenagers from all around the country.
1.2. COLOMBIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: COMPONENTS OF THE
SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN
COLOMBIA
You can mention three level of action in the Colombian educational system, a
national one, a territorial one and the last is an institutional one. At a national level
the Ministry of National Education (MEN) acts as a determining entity of
educational policies and traces the general guidelines for the provision of the
educational service, the institutions like the “SENA”, “COLCIENCIAS,” Ministry of
5
The code of infancy and adolescence (Law 1098 of 2006) leads to the articulation of all of the
sectors (Education, social protection), in order to guarantee the integral development of the child
and guarantee their rights. According to the previous statement, it is very important to plan and
developed the topic of primary infancy in articulation with the ICBF, the health and cultural
secretaries for the recreational topics. Source MEN
9
Labor, National Department of Planning and the national science and technology
councils accompany the labor of the ministry. At a territorial level it is the
Secretaries of Education in each department, district and town that are in charge of
administrating and providing the service of education in their respective
jurisprudences, the secretary of territorial education (Departments, districts and/or
towns) is who carries out inspections and the vigilance of the service of education
and the educational institutions in which the directing teachers materialize the
quality6 service education through out the length and width of the national territory.
Entities in charge of the administration of the educational sector
Source: DANE Direction of regulation, planning, standardization and normalization 2005
6
In Colombia as well as other countries in Latin America, quality is understood based indicators of
coverage, efficiency and educational quality. These indicators are known as effective use of the
educational offer, evolution of the student/teacher relationship, area by student and coverage in
school transportation. The coverage of the service is principally given in econometric indicators.
Source MEN 2010
10
COMPONENTS OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN COLOMBIA
In Colombia the educational system is principally made up of 5 subsystems or
levels: one of preschool education (Also called initial education), the other is basic
elementary education, another of basic high school education, Vocational average
and finally superior education. In these five levels and according to its pertinence, it
is involved with special education and the education for labor.
“In these years we conceived a more integrated system. The ministry who had
traditionally placed the focus of their attention on basic and middle education
(Primary and middle school, in conventional language) assumed the orientation of
inicial education directly (from 0 to 5 years of age) formulating an integral policy
that articulates protection, nutrition and education. Additionally it retook the direct
management of the superior educational policy that until 2003 was found in the
ICFES. In the last few years the orientation and regulation of education for labor
was integrated into the ministry. Each one of these subsystems, with its different
ways of operating, has contributed to the redefinition of the strategies that guide
the sector.” (Educational Revolution 2002 2010actions and lessons P 15)
Structure of the Colombian formal educational system
Source: “UNESCO”, “SERCE 2006
11
SOURCE: Taken and adapted from worldwide data of education 2010/2011. UNESCO-IBE
The National Ministry of Education is the organ in charge of the regulatin formal
education in the country, only the superior education institutions in virtue with what
is recorded in the constitution and the law 30, enjoy autonomy in their processes.
SOURCE: MEN – SNIES
12
The informal education in Colombia is regulated by the laws 115 of 1994, and 1064
of 2006 and in the Decrees: 114 of 1996; 1902 of 1994; 3616 of 2005; 2020 of
2006 and 3870 of 2006. It is distributed in 12,000 educational centers of diverse
characteristics; the most important one of them is the SENA that offers short
courses of updating and perfecting all around the country. Other entities normally
are small or growing and are dedicated to the training in arts and specific trades;
the validation of elementary and high school education; the formation of personnel
for the productive sector in goods and services and the strengthening of
companies, micro companies and diverse areas of the state. It‟s regulation on
behalf of the ministry is a lot less than in formal education.
The four levels of organization in formal education: Preschool, basic, middle and
superior are constituted in stages of the educational processes with outlined
objectives that indicate the grades of schooling reached within the system. In
Colombia the cycles are assumed like a group of schooling grades within the
educational levels according to chronological ages and the development within
each grade in one school year. In the current pedagogic debate the organization of
school cycles in general terms are being modified at a district level, but for the
entire country these policies have not ye transcended.
In the case of preschool, 3 grades exist (Pre kinder, kinder and transition) being
free of cost and obligatory on behalf of the state the last one of the three. Basic
education is obligatory and without cost, it corresponds to 9 grades with two cycles:
basic elementary (From first to fifth grade) and basic high school (From sixth to
ninth grade) the curriculum is common and is structured in the fundamental areas
of knowledge, from here the students may finish their vocational average process
in the last grades (tenth and eleventh) accessing to formation offers for work or
culminating their vocational formation in the wide authorized spectrum by the
ministry, its nature is either technical or technological and the formation for labor,
arts and trades. Some institutions are sheltered in this cycle by the Decree 3112 of
1997 and have restructured a particular type of formation referred to normal
superior school whose function is to form teachers and student teachers.
Finally, superior education is governed by the ICFES in Colombia and under the
guardianship of the law 30, which regulates the permanent process of professional,
technical or technological formation. The Technical, professional, technological
school and universities are the ones in charge of the superior formation in the
country. Some of these institutions and in agreement with what the law stipulates,
offer formation programs at a graduate level of specializations, master, doctorates
and post doctorates, and for these the must be recognized educational institutions,
accredited by entities like the “ICFES,” “CESU” and “CAN,” among others.
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1.3. RELEVANT NATIONAL STATISTICS AND PUNCTUAL ASPECTS
OF THE INVOLVED REGIONS IN THE TRACES PROJECT
According to the report of integral attention for primary infancy in Colombia:
Country strategy 2011-2014 of the BID, 9% for the boys and girls under the age of
5 in Colombia are in situations of poverty and indignation in a greater level than the
rest of the population, meaning that if 46% of Colombians are in poverty situations
and 17.8% in a situation of INDIGENCIA, the children under the age of 5 years
reach the 48% of poverty and the 21% of INDIGENCIA for the period that was
analyzed. This indicates that the inequality in Colombia is intensified when it comes
to genera differences and age differences like in the case shown above.
The educational system in Colombia is obviously marked by this condition,
particularly in some of the aspects that condition the selection of regions for the
studies of the case; Santa Marta in the department of Magdalena; Tauramena in
the department of Casanare and Bogotá the Capital District, is precisely having
references for comparison in front of the different tones at an educational level in
the regions and in the country.
The same report points out that for boys and girls under the age of 5 years the
national coverage is around 50% for the year 2010 and that from this 50% the 97%
of the them receives ICBF attention through communitarian shelters. The national
and international reports agree that this low assistance rate is due partly because
of the lack of educational offer near the residency sectors of these minors and the
lack of importance that their guardians find in taking them to the educational or
attention centers, at least in the first few years of life (BID 2010).
As is observed in the following graphs, the number of beneficiaries of the diverse
attention programs for PRIMARY infancy varies depending on the regions, age and
political administration conditions of each region, in the case of Casanare there is
no consolidated dated we can count on in the information systems, concerning
these aspects. Bogotá shows a more positive tendency, while the department of
Magdalena acts consequently with the behavior of the country.
14
Source: Certified registry of the secretaries of education (2002). MEN-system of Basic National
Education.(SINEB) [2003-2009]
For basic and middle education the situation is different, the strong international
mediation and the recent national preoccupation for the subject has helped widen
the national and departmental education system‟s coverage as a policy from MEN.
The idea of making education universal and achieving the coverage to defeat
analphabetism implies diminishing the internal differences in the country, avoiding
the put off of groups and regions and diminishing the lack of access of people with
the greatest poverty to the educational system. In respect to the country it is clear
how in Bogotá the greatest coverage is concentrated, the Casanare department
stands out above the department of Magdalena showing a particular situation in
the Caribbean region faced to other regions of the country. Bogotá concentrates
the greatest number of attended population, showing evidence of the differences
between center and periphery in the educational level in the country. It is important
to highlight that the offer of educational institutions in basic and middle education is
highest in Bogotá, around a 10% higher faced to the 35% of Magdalena and less
than 1% in Casanare, this data contrasts with the quantity of registries, questioning
the efficiency of the department of Casanare and the availability of vacancies faced
with the Magdalena department. These aspects ratified in the comparisons carried
out between the net coverage rates and the gross coverage in the country
compared with the three regions Bogotá, Casanare and Magdalena.
15
Source: Certified registration of the secreatries of education (2002). MEN-National System of basic
educational infromation (SINEB) [2003-2009]
Source: MEN-National System of basic educational infromation- Single Directory of educational
establishments (DUE) Clarifies that in the year 2003 the fusion process between educational
establishments in the country is started.
16
Source: Certified registration of the secretaries of education (2002). MEN-National system of basic
educational infromation (SINEB) [2003-2009] Projected population with based on the 2005-DANE
census.
Finally when comparing superior education in the three regions and comparing it
with the national averages, series differences between each come up, in the
number of superrior level educational institutions and the attended population, the
superior education the involves the formation of teachers is centralized in the
country, only big cities hold 90% of the educational institutions at a higher level, in
regions where studies of cado are carried out the offer is very low, conditioninf
formation, generating breaches in the undergraduate and graduate processes of
formation, which obliges migration of profesionals to cities or formation under the
exsistant offer in the region.
17
Source: MEN-National System of Information of Superior Education
If we add to this the participation of the private and public sector of higher superior
education we can observe that the public sector has more presence in the
departments while the private sector has a greater offer in the principle cities like
Bogotá, the support for the formation processes in departments like Casanare and
Magdalena is asociated with the National institute of professional technical
formation (INFOTEP) and the “SENA.” The increments of the last decades in the
registries of private universities is a consequence of the elevated flexibility in the in
the sector, concerning schedules, registrations and curriculum diversity.
For example in the Magdalena department 13 institutions of superior education
exist, concentrated in Santa Marta that register the 87.9% of the total registrations.
The towns that follow in participation are Ciénaga (6.2%), El Banco (1.1%),
18
Fundación (1.0%) and Chivolo (1.0%). Being the University of Magdalena one of
the regions in the Caribbean that stands out the most in good results in the national
“ECAES” examinations. For Casanare the situation is not different, the superior
education institutions like The International University Foundation of The American
Tropic (UNITROPICO), has its headquarters in it‟s capital: Yopal, generating a
second hand centralization of the educational processes. In view of the low offer
from the educational sector, at this level the professionals, among these those who
are teachers in the region, have to find educational options in departments near to
Boyacá, the Pedagogic and Technological University of Tunja and the Boyacá
University are some of the institutions that cover the educational demand of the
department at this level.
1.4. AREAS THE NATURAL SCIENCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION IN COLOMBIA
EVALUATION OF THE NATURAL SCIENCES IN COLOMBIA
In diverse governmental entities in Colombia like the MEN7, Colciencias and
ICFES8, in the last few years the need to strengthen the support for instigations
related with the teaching of physics, biology, astronomy, geology among others
has been raise, among other aspects related with sciences and their way of being
taught. These entities are interested in the generation of new knowledge with the
intention of influencing the learning processes for the different levels of basic,
middle and superior education in the country. In the same way, there has been
insistence in the need to deepen the cognitive processes, cultural diversity,
technological mediations, scientific concepts, environmental education, scientific
formation, the language of sciences and it‟s pedagogic mediation, school texts,
evaluations, curriculums, among other aspects related with the teaching and
learning of science. (Colciencias, 2010)
In the diverse national (SABER 5°, 9°, 11° y Pro) and international (PISA, TIMSS y
SERCE)9 examinations, there are advances and aspects to overcome referring to
natural sciences in the education system. What we can see in a general manner in
these examinations is the marked differences of its results in the interior of the
7
MEN , Ministry of National Education
ICFES is the Colombian institute for the fostering of superior education. This institution has
assumed the role of national education evaluation both internal and the knowledge examinations
that are applied to every educational level as well as international examinations are under its
jurisdiction.
9
Internal and external tests applied in the last decade in the country in relation to science, it
learning and teaching.
8
19
country by regions10, by socio-economic strata11, by genera and by the character of
the educational institutions, whether it is public or private, for the case of natural
sciences among others.
Keeping proportions, in the international examinations a similar phenomenon is
seen. Colombia obtained an average of 402 in the 2006 PISA12 examinations for
the science area, which is statistical inferior in the same year to the average of
OCDE countries, which is 489 points. In respect to Latin America, there are also
interesting differences, the average of Colombia is below Chile‟s, Uruguay and
Mexico‟s averages; it is equal to Brazil‟s and Argentina‟s; and Higher that Peru‟s
and Panama‟s in the natural sciences average (PISA 2006). It calls our attention
that despite the fact that there are no significant genera differences in the
examinations like PISA in all of the countries; Colombia evidences one of the
greatest breaches in general, a 21-point difference from boys to girls which is way
above countries like USA and Lichtenstein. This data contrasts with some nations
that differently to Colombia and the United States evidence results that favor girls;
Jordan, Albania, Dubai, Qatar and Argentina in South America are an example of
this. Other countries with significant differences in favor of girls are Chile and
Mexico in Latin America. (ICFES, 2010)
1.4.1. EXAMINATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL RESULTS SEREC, PISA AND TIMSS
OVERVIEW
OF THE EVALUATION OF SCIENCES IN
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATION PERSPECTIVE
COLOMBIA
AND A LOOK FROM AN
There are three international examinations in Colombia that give account of the
different process in the evaluation of science in Colombia. Based on their reports
and results, the examinations PISA; TIMSS and SERCE encourage the debate
about sciences, their teaching and their learning in the country.
The focus points and evaluative purposes are different: TIMSS looks into the
relationship of the formulated curriculum, the development and the
accomplishment of it in terms of learning when comparing what the students of
fourth and eighth grade (Basic elementary and high school) know of sciences and
mathematics; PISA looks into the capabilities of the 15 year old teenagers and
what they can do with what the know, determining the measuring of youth
competences like language, sciences and mathematics in future life, independently
10
There are significant differences evidenced by regions shown in big cities with productive,
industrial and urban centers (Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and other important cities) and fewer advances
in the rural regions which are far off in the national (Choco, Guajira, Caquetá, Putumayo, etc.)
11
The ICFES reports that the strata 1 and 2 are below a 41 point average nationally while high
strata are above a 50 point average. It is interesting that strata 3 are balanced in the national
average. ( ICFES, 2011)
12
The PISA 2006 examination is mentioned and its emphasis in sciences for this application.
20
of what grade they are in and finally SERCE compares the productivity in science,
mathematics, reading and writing in the elementary for Latin-American boys and
girls.
Other important differences between these three examinations is that the TMSS
allows the analysis of the science and math curriculums and their reaches,
contents and organization, while the PISA tries to give account of the capabilities to
extrapolate knowledge within different contexts and applying knowledge. In the
case of the SERCE, it is a very important tool for the characterization of the
educational systems and their coverage, rates, conditions of the schools in the
same way that TIMSS allows the following of the curriculum in science but at a
different level, it has concerns itself with conceptual domains and the cognitive
processes that are immerse in the curriculums of the participating countries.
In every case the evaluations also allow the obtainment of information of the
associated aspects of scientific learning in students, teacher and institutions. In
students it allows to look into their home conditions, their family environment and
socio-cultural dynamics and interactions in classroom perceptions and level of
satisfaction concerning the educational institutions, classmates and teachers, as
well as attitudes, perceptions and values for science; and the use of time in and
outside of school. Concerning the teachers we can see their age range, level of
professional formation, work experience in the field of teaching, strategies and
ways of carrying out practices of teaching, perceptions concerning the level of
preparation and formation, their satisfaction with work, level and frequency of
reading, the use of school texts and other resources, among others.
1.4.2 THE TIMSS EXAMINATION RESULTS FOR COLOMBIA
The international study of tendencies in mathematics and science (TIMSS) is
carried out from 1995 every four years. Colombia has participated in several of
them13. In the first presentation (1995) the balance for Colombia is not very
encouraging. Singapore, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Belgium occupy the first
five spots amongst 41 countries that presented the examinations, while Iran,
Kuwait, Colombia and South Africa occupy the last four spots, respectively.
Performance of the different countries in the 1995 TIMSS for Natural
Sciences
13
In 1995 45 countries participated, their students from seventh and eighth grade were evaluated,
this information is the base for the latter comparison of eighth grade students in the country.
(Source ICFES, 2006)
21
Source: Ravitch Diane. Brooking‟s papers on Education Policy. Brookings Institutions Papers.
Washington D.C. 1998.
In the graph above we can observe that children of eighth grade in Singapore have
a two year advance in scientific performance compared with the United States,
while children in eighth grade in Colombia have a scientific performance equivalent
to 7 courses under that of the children in Singapore that study in the same grade
level. This data shows that the differences between countries are not marginal, but
very significant. In the following graph we can see comparatively the percentage
differences between the percentage of students that by country, among the 41
participants, would be in the 10% of the highest scores in science and
mathematics; 31% of students in Singapore would be in the top 10% of science
scores, while the children of eighth grade in France would occupy 1% of this
advanced group. Without mentioning that Colombia, just like South Africa, would
not even one percentage of students in the top 10% of students for these grades in
sciences.
Percentage of students that of the 41 participating countries would be in the
top 10% of scores for science and mathematics
Source: Einsenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education, Pursuing
Excellence: A Set of Resources for Discussing TIMSS, TIMSS@ENC, 1998
22
In 2007 the sample allowed the comparison of information by sector; official and
private; rural and urban and genera that were evaluated in 290 educational
institutions 9.674 student of fourth and eighth grade, corresponding to basic
elementary levels and basic high school levels respectively. Some very general
results in science are significantly inferior to the rest of the countries that
participated. In fourth and eighth grades the deviations from standard are elevated,
97 and 77 respectively, elementary evidences a similar behavior between countries
while the latter was more homogeneous. Concerning the averages, 400 and 417
fro fourth and eighth grade, shows that students of science are way below those in
Singapore, Taipei, Hong Know and Korea, average way under the TIMSS average
of countries with more that one standard deviation for both cases.
Colombia obtained lower averages than the TIMSS referred countries for content
(sciences for lige, physical sciences, earth sciences and cognitive domains (Know,
apply and reason) defined in the science examinations and again in the differences
with countries that obtained some of the highest percentages are of more than one
standard deviation around 130 points.
Distribution of the global averages in science for fourth and eighth grade,
TIMSS 2007
23
Source: Martin, M. O. et. al. (2008). TIMSS 2007 International Science Report. Lynch School of
Education. Boston College, graph 1.1, p. 34. Document available in the following website:
http://timss.bc.edu/TIMSS2007/ taken and adapted form the report, Results of Colombia en TIMSS
2007. ICFES en www.icfes.gov.co Bogotá, D.C., December 2010
Averages in the content domains of sciences for fourth and eighth grade
TIMSS 2006
Averages in the cognitive domains of sciences for fourth and eighth grade
TIMSS 2006
24
Source: Colombian results report in TIMSS 2007. ICFES en www.icfes.gov.co Bogotá, D.C.,
December 2010
As is well pointed out by the report of the Colombian institute for the fostering of
superior education (ICFES) the previous results evidenced that close to 50% of the
students in Colombia had problems managing their basic knowledge of sciences.
49% and 41% of the students are below the merit, meaning they show such an
inferior knowledge of the sciences, even below the lowest mark, that the TIMSS
examination may not be described for them.
Near to 30% in the both grades (29% in fourth and 31% in eighth) are located in a
low level, meaning they have elemental knowledge of physics and life sciences;
they show knowledge about simple matters related with human health, the physical
behavior and characteristics of animals, the may recognize some properties of
matter, comprehend basic forces; interpret diagrams and simple figure, complete
simple tables and present short written answers to the questions that ask for
information.
We can find 16% of fourth grade and 18% of eighth grade at a middle level,
meaning these students manage to apply knowledge and basic comprehensions to
practical situations in science; they recognize basic information about the
characteristics of living beings and their interaction with their environment, show
some comprehension of human biology and health, show some basic knowledge of
physical phenomena‟s with which they are familiar, know basic facts of the solar
system and have an incipient ability to interpret information in diagrams and apply
factual knowledge to practical situations.
Only 5% of fourth grade students and 3% of eighth grade students are located at a
higher level in the country, which allows them to apply their knowledge and
comprehension to explaining every-day phenomena‟s; show some kind of
comprehension of animal and plant structures and vital processes in the
25
environment and some knowledge of the properties of matter and physical
phenomena‟s; they have some understanding of the solar system and over
structures, processes and resources found on earth; the show abilities and
incipient knowledge on scientific inquiry and give short and descriptive answers in
which they combine knowledge of scientific concepts with every-day information
about vital processes.
Finally at an advanced level for the 2007 test, only 1% of both grades in Colombia
occupied this place compared with the 36% for fourth grade and 32% for eighth
grade in Singapore in the same level, evidencing again that this is more than a
standard deviation, concerning what the country obtained.
Percentage of students in fourth and eighth grade according to levels of
performance in science
Source: TIMSS Data base 2007. Calculation on behalf of the Evaluation Direction of the ICFES.
Taken and adapted from www.icfes.gov.co/evaluaciones/infrome TIMSS 2006
As was pointed out in the first part of this section, there are significant differences
that exist in the results by genera of the science evaluations. These differences are
evident in the global averages, in the cognitive and content domains; boys obtain
better percentages in both grades in all of the aspects that are highlighted above.
There is even a lower proportion of boys in inferior performance levels, locating
Colombia with the highest breach within the countries presented in the TIMSS
reports.
26
Source: TIMSS Data base 2007. Calculation on behalf of the Evaluation Direction of the ICFES.
Taken and adapted from www.icfes.gov.co/evaluaciones/infrome TIMSS 2006
Another important difference is observed between the results by sectors (public
and private) and for areas (urban and rural) in all of the aspects that were pointed
27
out, in general terms better results are obtained by students from the private sector
and urban areas, than those from public sectors and rural areas, it is important to
clarify that there are no positive correlations between the public sector with urban
or rural areas and between the private sector and with urban or rural areas, in
some data better performances of the private sector are presented and of the
public sector independent from the areas of the country they are located in.
(ICFES, 2010)
Comparing the two participations of Colombia in the TIMSS examinations between
1995 and 2007, the Colombian average in sciences for eighth grade, went from
being 393 point (87 as a standard deviation) and 417 points (77 as a standard
deviation). The increase of 24 points is statistically meaningful and was the highest
amongst the considered countries in the report. Beside the increase in the average
that was presented there was also a drop in the standard deviation, which
evidences a less dispersion of the results. As it was already indicated, in the
mathematics chapter, this increase occurred in a period in which the country
spread out it coverage of basic education, which has permitted the education
system to be linked to a growing number of youth with scarce resources. The boys
and girls in Colombia improved their results in science between the years 1995 and
1997, presenting greater improvement in boy than in girls.
1.4.3. RESULTS OF THE SERCE EVALUATIONS FOR COLOMBIA
Corresponds to the second regional comparative and explicative study (SERCE)
on reading, mathematics and associated factors in third and fourth grade for
elementary education, with the participation of 13 Latin American and Caribbean
countries, and that was carried out in 1997. With this study we expect to publish a
series of reports called “Contributions for Education,” that provides teachers with
information on the performance of students and the common mistakes they make
in evaluations. With this information teachers are expected to improve their
practices. Also the “Study of Associated factors of the SERCE,” will be presented,
where the variables that contributes to the explanation of the students productivity
is looked into more deeply. In medium-term the Third Regional Comparative and
Explicatory Study (TERCE) is planned on being held. (ICFES, 2009)
The LLECE was developed at the end of the nineties decade and was the first
Comparative and explicatory regional study, which is a direct antecedent of
SERCE. The main differences between the first study LLECE and the SERCE
consist in the following: The SERCE evaluated students in third and sixth grade,
while the first study evaluated third and fourth graders; the first study LLECE
evaluated reading and mathematics and the SERCE additionally evaluated writing
and scientific learning; the LLECE didn‟t use a matricidal design for the test while
28
this was carried out by the SERCE and finally the SERCE included open questions
in the examinations for mathematics and science. (ICFES, 2006)
The analysis of this regional test is based on the curriculum planes of different
participating countries base on the understanding of living creatures; The
understanding of the earth and the environment; Understanding of matter and
energy as well as the relationships between science, technology and society. The
examination for science looked for evaluating the processes of recognition,
interpretation and applying these concepts to resolving problems thanks to
contents like nature, the functioning of the human body, health, nutrition, the solar
system, the earth, ecology, the constituents of matter and the sources,
manifestations and transformations of energy. The performances that were looked
at and kept in mind for complexity levels where: recognition of concepts and
elements, application of concepts and interpretation and solution of problems.
(SERCE, 2009)
The test was defined keeping in mind the curriculum concentrations of the
participant countries, the abilities for life, the ages of the students and the
contributions of the investigation for the teaching of sciences. Keeping in mind the
age ranges of the students allowed the determining of the importance that the
students gave to topics like living systems, health, environment, everyday
phenomenon, quantification and displacement of casual simple thinking towards a
more complex kind of thinking.
Average of variability of the scores in science for 6th grade elementary
students in each country
29
Average Score comparisons in sciences for 6th grade elementary for
sciences betwee cointries and with the average of each country14
Percentage of 6th grade elementary student by level of perfromance in
science for each country
SOURCE: Learning of students in Latin America and the Caribbean. First report of the Second
comparative and explicatory regional study results. SERCE UNESCO
14
SOURCE: The learning of the students in Latin America and the Caribbean. First report of the
results in the second regional comparative and explicatory study. SERCE UNESCO
30
The evaluation showed differences in the averages and distribution of each
country. Colombia is positioned in the third group in the average without significant
differences in front of the regions that stood out Cuba, Uruguay, and State of
Nueva Leon in Mexico. The dispersion of the results also shows the differences
between countries.
In most of the countries, the distance between percentile 10 and percentile 90 is
between 196 and 230 points. Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, Panamá,
Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay and the Mexican state of Nuevo León. According to the
comparison of the average performance in sciences of each country in front of
other nation‟s averages and the regional average, in Colombia, Uruguay and the
Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, close to half of the students reach Level II. Which
means that 42.2% of the students are located in this performance level. Because
they can compare, order and interpret information presented in diverse formats
(tables, graphs, schemes and images) and recognize casual relationships when
classifying living creatures according to a criteria.
Percentage of 6the grade elementary students in rural and urban school by
level and performance in the sciences
In general terms the evaluation showed that at a regional level there are also
differences between those who assist to urban and rural educational centers in
science. Colombia, Uruguay, and Peru show the greatest difference in front of
31
students with a much lower performance in rural areas than in urban areas. In
sciences and the same for other evaluations, boys overtake girls; Colombia,
Salvador and Peru have a noticeable difference which is not so evident in countries
like Argentina, Cuba or Panama.
Differences in the average scores in sciences for girls and boys of 6the
grade elementary
1.4.4. EVALUATIONS AND NATIONAL SCORES ACCORDING TO THE ICFES
The National Evaluation Service (SNP) was created in 1968 to carry out the
admission to superior educational examination. From the 1990 decade an increase
in the number of evaluations was seen under its responsibility: Basic education
(SABER_, since 1992 the International Evaluations, from 1995 the Superior
Education (SABER PRO), from 2003 the Examination for entry for teaching
careers, since 2005. Law 134 of 2009 established everything having to do with
external evaluations both national and international. Amongst national evaluations
are the SABER 5°, 9°, and 11° evaluations for basic and middle education and
SABER PRO for superior education. (ICFES, 2012)
"The" State Tests" will aim to assess whether they have achieved or not and to
what degree specific goals for each level or program, as appropriate, indicate
the Laws 115 of 1994 and 30 of 1992 and its regulations, which modify or
supplement. The structure of the exams shall be maintained for periods of not
less than 12 years, subject to the inclusion of areas or particular studies which
do not affect comparability over time." (Article 7, Law 1324 of 2009)
The yields of science have not been the best in each of their applications, in the
implementation of 2009, the last record examined by state testing for Colombian
get that close to half the students in both grades is in the minimum level, the grade
32
5º can recognize the characteristics of living things and some of its relations with
the environment can be represented by simple models, some natural events,
identify energy use and daily practices for the care health and the environment,
draw conclusions from information derived from simple experiments and interpret
data, bar graphs and explicit information to solve a problem. (Report Pruebas
Saber 2009). In the satisfactory level are 19% of the students of fifth grade, only
7% of students are at the advanced level, 22% does not meet the minimum
performance established for the area at the end of primary education.
For the ninth grade the situation is very different. In ninth grade, 53% of the
students are in the minimum level that is only half of students at the end of basic
secondary recognize some adaptations of organisms to the environment,
compares the properties of various materials, identifies the physical state of
substances from the organization of its particles and recognizes what questions
can be answered from scientific research. Only 24% of the students is at
satisfactory level and 6% of ninth graders achieved at an advanced level, fifth
grade like behavior, ie 17 of each 100 grade nine students does not meet the
minimum competencies in for science education (see chart below).
Percentage distribution of students from grade 5 and 9
Source: Report PRUEBAS SABER ICFES 2006
In general terms and taking tests grade 11º, which are applied at the end of
primary and secondary education in the country, with a view to entering higher
education performance skills in science is not different. Except for private
education in big cities (not the same behavior in rural or peripheral regions) the
national average of students indicated that about 50% of students trying to enter
higher education meets the minimum on competencies standards designated in the
documents and national guidelines. Being concerned that about 30% of the
students is located on the lower level which leaves very low population ranges
33
around the country, comprising high levels, higher or much higher in performance.
Aspects that correlate with poor results in international tests like PISA and TIMSS.
It is different in the case where the evidence SERCE overall and after Cuba,
Colombia is in the best scores.
Evolution of categories of performance, 2008 - 2010pruebas SABER 11
Source: ICFES 2012
34
1.4.5. Training and Evaluation of teachers in Colombia
As mentioned in other sections of this report in the General Education Law laid the
groundwork for strengthening the national system of education in Colombia. For
training and evaluation of teachers, can also be found in the general law the key
elements for the accreditation of schools of education and colleges of the country
responsible for the processes of teacher training, program accreditation and
evaluation of the teaching profession at different levels.
The Decree 272 of February 1998 and Decree 3012 of 1997regulated the teacher
training that established the Law 115.... The higher normal would become units to
support initial teacher training thus eliminating the traditional teaching high
school.... Was formed at the level of state policy the National System Teacher
Training.... After the year 1995 and the promulgation of these decrees, increases
the number of undergraduate programs in education from 380 to 650 in 2001, and
over 200 specializations. It eliminates a large number of technology training
programs as well as some higher normal. (Taken and adapted from Calvo, Rendón
y Rojas (2005))15.
Turn and policies related to teacher education in Colombia, lies the evaluation of
the quality of the education system and particularly the evaluation of teachers in
training and service within the same system. The educational institutions and their
actors are constantly being evaluated in the national education system, the
standards in basic skills, improving curricula and institutional improvement are
15
Diagnostic study of teacher education in Colombia published on the website of Unesco, the
possible date of the report is located in 2005.
35
some of the indicators are there in the system for assessing the quality of
educational institutions; institutional improvement plans and support plans are
territorial monitoring tools to change within the institutions. Classroom
assessments, external assessments as to know, Saber 11 and ECAES and
institutional assessment of teachers training colleges and the same system of
national scale attempt to assess directly and indirectly to teachers within the
education system.
In the general education law and according to Article 80 ICFES MEN and have
been consolidating in recent years a comprehensive and unified system of quality
assessment of education. This system consists of three major sources of
information: self-evaluation of educational institutions, the external assessment of
students and evaluation of teachers and school administrators.
The evaluation of teachers and administrators is covered by the law 115 of 1994
and 715 2001. The law establishing the Statute 115 teachers by Decree 2277 of
1979.
"It provides the assessment of quality of education provided and the
professional performance of principals and teachers and the achievements of
students in the system"... "In all educational institutions will take place at the
end of each school year a evaluation of the entire faculty and staff..." (Articles
80 and 84 Law 115 of 1994.)
While in Law 715 of 2001 provides the Status of Teacher Professionalization in
Decree 1278 of 2002, which regulates the assessments for admission to teacher
education, the teaching ladder, entering the public education system, the test
periods of teachers in the educational system and the functional and behavioral
competencies of the teaching profession. All results obtained from these various
assessments nurtured plans to improve the education system in the country.
"To evaluate teachers structured the national government a legal system
composed of Law 115 of 1994, the decree 1278 of 2002 or Teacher
professionalization Statute, 1283, 2002, that created the system of inspection
and surveillance for early childhood education, primary and secondary the
2582, 2033 which establishes general rules and mechanisms for evaluating the
performance of teachers and school administrators working in state
educational establishments and resolution 2707 of 2003 issued by the Ministry
of national Education which adopts the manual and tools for performance
evaluation of teachers and school administrators, and the 3782, 200716 "
(Lozano Florez,2008)
16
Taken from the Evaluation of Teachers in Colombia: An instrumental and bureaucratic practice. In
the News Magazine Pedagogical University La Salle Bogotá. Number 51 (January-June)
36
Below are the test results ECAES for undergraduate students in the country and in
basic sciences, they are not intended to give an overview of the quality of teaching
in general, as we have seen these are only one aspect of the constellation of
information that allows the system to review the quality of education in the country,
but it does show how this system behaving professional teacher training and
undergraduate training in occupations that are related to the teaching profession in
the country.
Shows trends of graduates from the faculties of education in the country with
respect to the results of external tests or ECAES called SABER-PRO. These tests
are developed by the ICFES, based on the curricula of faculties of education in the
country and with counselors of universities and programs. The analysis focuses on
programs that offer degrees in science and basic science programs at national
level.
Results ECAES Degree Program in Elementary Education with Emphasis in
Natural Sciences and Environmental
Education
37
The results shown in the graphs above show that in the areas of science in
education during the first two years are minimal changes, with a slight increase in
2007 and falling again in 2008 without descending to the level of 2004. Throughout
the period shows a stable standard deviation by 10 points with the exception of
2006, its lowest value 8.9. The higher education institutions have been evaluated
since 2004 growing from 15 to 38 in average, which represents an increase of
150%, also the population of teachers in training evaluated increased from 215 to
460 an increase of 85% in the first test and subsequently tested students from 490
to 1397 which means a 285% increase. Other degrees and social sciences have
had a similar average with the same ups and down, the only difference is the
standard deviations have been higher between 13.9 and 15.9%.
In the case of sciences degrees in average scores have been decreasing sharply
with standard deviations between 8.6 and 11.The same behavior presented a
degree in early childhood education for the same period. In the following chart
shows the differences between the various education programs in the country, it is
notable that the degree in mathematics is one of the lowest results obtained in the
early years and then stabilized without major deviations. In the case of science
degree ECAES examination also showed an increase in the number of institutions
and students tested.
38
Average scores and standard deviations in the program ECAES area
educational sciences (2004-2008)
Average scores and standard deviations in the program ECAES area
educational sciences (2004-2008) (2)
39
Specifically, the behavior of the areas of science and mathematics ECAES which
began in 2005 show some peculiarities in each of the disciplines. Biology did not
change in the average or standard deviation in the observed years. In chemistry
variations are not greater in recent years only increased on average 4.2 standard
deviations lower physical and the average score has increased by 4 points. Unlike
mathematics has a degree in mathematics provides an increase in the average at
the end of the period observed in more than 4.3 points, with the highest percentage
points of all ECAES for this area, the standard deviation has been below the 10
points and descends to 6.9 in 2005 increased again to 11 points in 2008. Other
disciplines such as geology exhibit the same behavior still above the 100 points
throughout the observation period.
Average scores and standard deviations in the program ECAES the area of
Mathematics and Natural Sciences (2004-2008)
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XX [email protected]. Banco de la república Bogotá Colombia
RUBIO et all 2010. Atención integral a la primera infancia en Colombia: estrategia
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división de protección y salud
SÁENZ J. 2009 Aportes para la enseñanza de las ciencias naturales. Segundo
estudio regional comparativo y explicativo oficina regional de educación de la
UNESCO para América latina y el Caribe (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago) y del
laboratorio latinoamericano de evaluación de la calidad de la educación – LLECE.
Secretaría de Educación Departamental Plan Educativo Municipal – PEM – 2018.
Secretaria de Desarrollo Social Departamento de Casanare
Secretaria Educación Departamental del magdalena. 2010. Plan Decenal De
Educación del Departamento del Magdalena. 2010 – 2019
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Caribe. Primer reporte de los resultados del Segundo Estudio Regional
Comparativo y Explicativo SERCE. Organización de las naciones unidas para la
educación, la ciencia y la cultura Oficina Regional de Educación para América
Latina y el Caribe. Chile
UT (Universidad del Tolima) 2010 Resultados De Los Exámenes De Calidad De
Educación Superior – ECAES- Informe Estadístico Universidad Del Tolima
Vicerrectoría Académica Oficina De Autoevaluación Y Acreditación. Ibagué
42
2. NATIONAL REPORT OF CASE STUDIES
2.1. INTRODUCTION
The field actions of the TRACES Colombia team took place between January 2011
and March 2012, following the guidelines of the Project Steering Committee to
provide school communities composed of teachers, students, parents, researchers
and policy makers, concerned with development of effective practices in science
education. The development of these actions allowed making recommendations
through which it is expected to overcome the difficulties facing the link educational
research and practice of science education.
For the development of the field actions the stratification of the sample was taken
into account in the sample that was issued in the study of opinion conducted in the
first half of 2011, which chose three (3) regions, Caribbean, Orinoco and District
capital. Urban suburban and rural areas were defined and public educational
institutions were selected; in the same way, negotiations were advanced with the
secretariats of regional and district education, school administrators and teachers
who participated in the study of opinion. In each of the institutions the project and
the results of the review were socialized, and an invitation was awarded to
teachers interested in participating in in the TRACES-Colombia research. Finally,
institutional teams were formed with the participation of team members of TRACES
and of primary science teachers and middle school teachers from eight (8) public
educational institutions of the three regions.
In the initial meetings, the institutional teams considered it important to address the
arguments on the need to coordinate the practices of science education with the
systemic dynamics of the school. These discussions allowed the recognition of the
institutional context, the identification of interests and expectations about
alternative teaching practices and the assessment of the axes that structure
curriculum, plans and cross-curricular projects like the PRAES (School
Environmental Projects) and the construction of a collective sense for the
development of field activities in each institutional team.
This construction was oriented from two of the aspects of the research perspective
of the Team TRACES-Colombia. The first considers that science teaching
practices change when the actors recognize their own interests and put them on
the basis of the collective construction of classroom proposals for the school. The
second assumes that the convergence of interests of those involved in the school
is a dynamic condition for the construction of shared meanings. These two aspects
43
helped to determine issues, problems or situations related to science education in
the basic and conceptual and methodological design routes that define what we
call Classroom proposals.
We consider the classroom proposals to be, in the first place, deliberate actions
designed to take alternative practices that modify the relationship with the natural
and social environment in different school contexts, and secondly, as a research
strategy for the organization of the case studies.
For the design of the proposed classroom the indications agreed by the steering
committee were considered, which are specified for institutional teams on the
following criteria:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The topics or study situations promote conceptual construction, the
transformation of relationships with natural and social phenomena‟s and the
impact of school actions in the community.
The construction of oral texts, written, pictorial, among others, strengthen
communication processes in the classroom and the community.
An understanding of the phenomenon to study will link experimental activities
that enrich, with new questions, descriptions, data, procedures and other
aspects, the experiential dimension of the students.
The classroom activities will be in close connection with everyday knowledge of
recovering student‟s knowledge of the community.
Teamwork will strengthen the knowledge-building processes, both teachers and
the students.
The proposed activities and issues are addressed in relation to the science
curriculum of each institution and the needs of the school community.
Based on these criteria seventeen (17) classroom proposals were designed, which
allowed teams to address institutional discussions about the relationship between
research in science education and their teaching practices. With classroom
activities designed jointly between university researchers and school teachers the
intention was not to implement default models, but to construct proposals that
respond to the curricular needs of each institution, to the influence of the structural
conditions that characterize the school system and that characterize the school in
particular, and especially that included the cultural dimension of teaching and
learning. Finally, we defined the following phases: building institutional teams,
revision of curricula and negotiation of the problems to develop in each proposal,
design and planning of routes and educational activities, construction of
instruments for recording and systematization and analysis of each proposal.
The information that was collected
interests about each school staff
teachers, the relationship between
the link between science research
allowed to reveal situations, relationships and
in relation to: the initial training of science
school knowledge and community knowledge,
and science education, interest in making the
44
school a place to meet community needs, among others, emerged as situations
that warranted to be objectified, that is deepened in its singularity through a
research exercise we call Case Study.
As a methodological strategy to frame the case studies we consider the following:
Situation to objectify, Research Question, Context, Institutional Framework and
Actors, as shown in the following table:
Situation to
objectify
Initial teacher
training in
socially
vulnerable
school
contexts.
Research
Question
How does the
initial training of
teachers contribute
to the development
of science teaching
proposals in
socially vulnerable
school contexts?
Context
Community of
Altos de
Casuca in
conditions of
social
vunerability
Institutional
Frame
School
community
with no
formal
curricula
Actors
Three
teachers in
initial stages
of science
teacher
training
The following are synthesis of the four (4) case studies developed in the three
regions of the country:
Case study 1: The Initial training of teachers in socially vulnerable school
contexts.
This case study was developed in the Escuela Comunitaria Fe y Esperanza de
Altos of Casuca., in the city of Bogota, were children in conditions of social
vulnerability attend. The study puts science teachers in initial training of the
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional, in a context of social vulnerability that allows
them to challenge their pedagogical knowledge and discipline, produce
pedagogical knowledge and to lead educational processes, through the design,
development and systematization of classroom proposals to meet the
communication, relational and cognitive needs of the children attending the school.
Thus, the study analyzes how the developments of proposals for science education
in socially vulnerable school settings contribute to the initial training of teachers.
Case study 2: The relationship between educational environmental policy and the
construction of classroom proposals for science teaching.
This case study was developed in the Institución Educativa Campestre
Monteverde, located in the eastern hills of Bogota. The area where the school is
located is characterized by sharing land from rural and urban areas, due to
unplanned urbanization, which has led to deforestation and land use for housing
construction, mining quarries and it has generated damage to the sources of water.
45
The science curriculum of the school is organized around issues that affect the
institution or the district in the environmental area and on some topics chosen
primarily based on curriculum standards. Thus, this study recognizes and
describes some science teaching practices conducted by teachers who appropriate
the environmental perspective and adopt legal, faculty and student interests, the
institutional conditions, requirements and needs of the educational system of the
school community.
Case study 3: The relationship between research practices and science teaching
practices.
This case study was developed at the Instituto Pedagógico Nacional, located in a
residential and commercial part of the city. The institute has wide teaching spaces
and is located in a traditional and very desired in urban territory, not only because
of the high prices of the homes and shops nearby, but because it is very near to
the Country Park and Country Club de Bogotá, one of the first, most elegant and
prestigious social clubs with recreational golf camps in the city. The Institute has a
recognized tradition in the field of innovation and educational research in all subject
areas. The study seeks to understand the views and perspectives from which a
group of science teachers, trained in different research traditions in the context of
educational innovation link their research practices to their practices of science
education, they recover research traditions that affect science education, they
create alternative school settings that promote research and experimentation in the
classroom and contribute to the formation of scientifically competent citizens.
Case study 4: The transformation of the teaching practices of science from the
links between school and community
In the field actions conducted in the three regions different meanings that are
assigned to school-community link arise. On the one hand, the community
demands the school educational actions that help address their immediate needs
or problems or that their knowledge, practices and traditions be recognized in the
school. Moreover, the school demands of the community the participation in
activities to improve the infrastructure and institutional coexistence so that its
educational projects have social impact. The tension between these demands,
expectations and demands for institutional teams is the opportunity to provide input
into the construction of a cultural project for the school.
The diversity and complexity in which the links between school and community are
understood allowed this study to be a multiple case study with three regional
scenarios and five (5) institutions. In this case study the school-community link is
treated as a relationship that allows us to understand the role that school
communities have assigned to the teaching of science and to show how the
appropriate school, reads and contributes to the understanding of social realities
surrounding the school.
46
The following diagram summarizes the field actions developed by the TRACESColombia team:
Case Studies
CS1
CS2
CS3
CSM4
2
1
3
Schools
S1
S2
S3
S5
S4
S6
S7
S8
ClassroomClassroom
Proposals
Proposals
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
P7
P8
P9
P1
0
P1
1
P1
2
P1
3
P1
4
P1
5
P16
DIMENSIONS OF META-ANALYSIS
The Colombia Team, aligned with the general purposes of the TRACES project
recognizes that the findings of research in science education are well known and
widely accepted. For example, they refer to research-based learning, the social
dimension of education, active learning or the variety of learning styles. They also
revile the research involved in studying the role of ethnic, cultural and gender in the
processes of cultural appropriation of the products of scientific and technological
activity. From these goals the team promoted research activities in order to
investigate the factors that contribute to reducing the gap between researche and
teaching practices. In particular, the project was interested in developing classroom
proposals as the basis for the formulation of the case studies developed that took
account of individual diversity, cultural, ethnic and gender of students, as well as
education and teaching interests of teachers and the learning needs of their
students.
The complex nature of these interests, demands, needs and relationships
expresses themselves through Meta-Analysis Dimensions, agreed at consortium
level to analyze and interpret the findings and results, and derive guidelines that
achieve support for the work of teachers, managing directors, the decisions of
policy makers and the activities of researchers in the field of science education.
Such dimensions are shown below.
47
P17
CASE STUDIES TRACES-COLOMBIA
CASE STUDIES
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
CS1
Initial teacher training in socially
vulnerable school contexts
How does the development of science teaching proposals contribute to the initial
training of teachers in socially vulnerable school contexts?
CS2
The relationship between
educational and environmental
policies and the construction of
proposals for teaching science
What are the science teaching practices that are materialized when an
environmental perspective for school is appropriated?
CS3
The relationship between research
practices and teaching practices in
science
What is the criteria, perspectives and actions that teachers use to link research to
their practice of teaching science?
CS4
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The transformation of science
teaching practices from the link
between school and community.
How does the links
between school and
community modify the
practices of science
teaching?
What are the changes that take place in science classes
when the teacher facilitates a meeting of school and
community knowledge in their teaching practices?
What are the curricular changes that occur when the
teachers link the environmental and social problems to
their teaching practices?
What are the changes that identify teachers in their
teaching practices when the link the needs of the
community to the school?
What role does teacher education play?
What role do educational authorities play in the change process?
What role do the school structure play in the change process?
What role do educational resources play?
What role does the social community play in the change process?
What role does research in science education play in the change process?
DIMENSIONS OF
META-ANALYSIS
1 2 3 4 5 6
2.2. CASE STUDY REPORT 1: INITIAL TEACHERS TRAINING IN
SOCIALLY VULNERABLE SCHOOL CONTEXTS
This case study was developed in the “Escuela Fe y Esperanza” (Hope and Faith
School), a communitarian educational institution that works with school populations in
conditions of social vulnerability. The field actions include the design, implementation
and analysis of three classroom proposals with the same number of undergraduate
students in science-UPN National Pedagogical University.
2.2.1 THE LOCAL CONTEXT OF FIELD ACTIONS
INFORMATION UNIT OF INTERVENTION
ESCUELA COMUNITARIA FE Y ESPERANZA
TYPE OF SCHOOL
Community
PEI
LINKS
PROJECTS
SIZE OF SCHOOL
LEVELS
TEACHER
BACKGROUND
The School operates with a
single teacher who is Nelson
Interns studying
Primary based school
Bird who is both the leader
last semesters of
that serves nearly 120
and the creator. Occasionally
different
children in the zone “
supported project of the
undergraduate
Altos de Cazuca”
National University, University
programs.
District, National Pedagogical
University and NGO‟s.
Not a formal school, however the main purpose is to educate with and for the
need
Universidad Nacional, Universidad Pedagógica Nacional and NGO‟s
Project “disparando cámaras” (shooting cameras)
DESCRIPTION OF FIELD ACTIONS
Type
Size
Level
Profile
Origin
Responsibility
Relation with
educational
authorities
Level of
investment
Time scale
Teachers in last semesters of undergraduate teaching license in science
Two students of the bachelor of science in physics education programme and
one student of bachelor of science in chemistry education programme.
Activities developed with children in primary: grades third, fourth and fifth
Interns in their last semesters of the bachelor of science in physics and
chemistry education.
Support provided by Traces to the development of pedagogical actions within
the school.
Project Traces UPN
Complete autonomy of the Traces project in the development of field actions.
Intermediate level of exigency (At the beginning the commitment was more
intense and the follow-up was done throughout meetings held every fifteen days
or once a month).
Intermediate (one year and a half) Since February to December of 2011.
49
QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL
The “Escuela Comunitaria Fe y Esperanza” (Faith and Hope Community School) is
a school with a community order, not institutionalized, and located at an
economically disadvantaged area near the city of Bogotá in the Soacha Casuca
sector. The school is led by teacher Nelson Pájaro. It is operating with nearly 120
students of different levels of primary school. The school has no formal curriculum.
The activities are developed according to the interests and possibilities of the
teachers that grant support from different universities and NGOs.
The school is located in the neighborhood Progressive Casuca Heights (Progreso
de Altos de Casuca), and was founded by Professor Nelson Bird which was
inspired on the community needs. It is aimed at providing the children and young
people with an educational environment and at contributing to improving their
quality of life and their families. Teacher Nelson founder and leader of the school
has been approximately 15 years immersed in that neighborhood, ten of which
were spent in the school. Initially the school did not have a physical plant for which
it operated from the teacher's homes. With the effort of the community it currently
functions with 6 rooms, arranged on two levels, bathrooms, computer room and
photography. Its teachers are people who despite not having high levels of
education, they seek support on their empirical knowledge and textbooks to do
activities with the children.
This school is not recognized by the Ministry of Education, or by any governmental
entity, nor the district administration or the Municipality of Soacha are awarded
membership of Altos de Casuca. This means that the school is not on any records
or databases that belong to any of the two Secretaries of Education. Children who
leave school must submit an examination before entering one of the local schools
in order to obtain validation of their primary education
INSTITUTIONAL TEAM SETUP
For the past ten years the National Pedagogical University has been offering a
seminar called Apoyo pedagógico a comunidades en condiciones de
vulnerabilidad social (Pedagogical support for communities with social
vulnerability); this seminar is offered to students of all programs of the UPN and
has shown interesting results in the link between not formal school communities
and the educational experience that teachers accomplish through teaching. The
recognition of the relevance of space as these offer to teacher training processes
led the Traces team to execute field actions in the “Escuela Fe y Esperanza” with
the support of some research assistants.
This raised the need to link students who had attended the seminar and had the
interest in developing educational work in schools. Several students from the
programs of the Faculty of Science and Technology were presented with the
50
proposal of the pedagogical support of the Traces Program. The pre-selected
students participated in discussions about the content of the surveys that were
designed for the study of opinion of the 2010 Traces Project, in this context they
reflected upon the sense of teaching science, the link between investigation and
teaching practices and the different ways in which institutional curriculums are
structured from educational policies, teacher knowledge and the need of the
communities.
The students also visited the schools and along with the teacher Nelson
participated in the evaluation of the projects that were being held and of the
activities that required pedagogical support from the project. In the same sense the
need to respect the school dynamics and the guidance that teacher Nelson has
given to the educational project that he leads was discussed. The importance of
not taking a look at welfare support to the school, but to establish agreements that
will determine the type of educational support that is best for the school and to
articulate the needs of the context, and particularly to contribute to the
development of this project teacher Nelson has been offering development
opportunities to the children and young adults that more than “overcoming the
streets”, seeks to satisfy the educational needs that influence their overall
development. Thus, the central aim of these discussions becomes the concern for
designing learning activities that foster the cognitive, communicative and relational
processes in children.
With these elements the same group of teachers in training began to structure
three classroom proposals.
DESIGN PROPOSALS FOR THE CLASSROOMS
The needs of the institution, the interests of the children and the disciplinary
training of graduate students is recognized on the classroom design proposals.
These three aspects were combined in the discussion on the importance of
teaching sciences within context, this means en education that provides practical
solutions to communities and enables them to guide and transform their actions
and relationship with their immediate environment. This discussion allowed to
define problems such as the management of water resources, the construction of
artifacts and toys from recycled material and the understanding of biogeographic
and environmental conditions that have led the industry of Casuca to have strong
impacts of erosion and aridity in their soil.
The proposals that were developed in the “Escuela Fe y Esperanza” (Hope and
Faith School) reflect the concerns of teacher Nelson, leader of the corporation, in
the sense of offering an educational space for the community to build life projects
from the condition of social vulnerability in which they are immersed. These
proposals are:
51
 Miiroku porque todos somos sitios de agua, (Miiroku because we are all
water sites) begins with the recognition of the environmental needs of the area
regarding the availability and quality of drinking water within the school and the
community. The route is intended to generate reflections on the degeneration of
the Terreros Lagoon, due to the exploitation of sand, the contamination
produced by solid and liquid residues. It also seeks to develop descriptive,
experimental and relational skills that enable children to understand the causes,
the agents, and the conditions that affect the environmental degradation of
water bodies and the proper use and handling that can be done to allow healthy
consumption.
 Ingenio, ciencia y arte, (Ingenutiy, Science and Art) promotes the
construction of artifacts from the handling and reuse of various materials, the
design of toys and it addresses questions about the reasons for the movement.
At different stages of the proposal the development of children´s skills is
seeked, along with planning, designing, selecting materials, assembly, the use
of sources other than the electrical, and the diffusion of what was constructed
through a Fair of Artifacts.
52
 Mi juego es tu juego, cuida tu suelo, (My game is your game, care for your
ground) seeks to make students study the conditions that influence ground
maintenance as a factor that determines the presence of vegetable
communities around the area, as well as the factors that favor harvesting and
maintaining ornamental plants at school. The proposal also seeks to make
students reflect on the impact of exploitation of sand on the nearby grounds.
From the activities such as monitoring weather conditions in different situations
and soil analysis will be derived several conclusions about the important role of
plants in the modification of the environmental conditions of a certain place.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS
The joint work between the Traces team members and the teachers in training
allowed the establishment of three proposed classroom with children from grades
third, fourth and fifth that were distributed equally in the three proposals. The
actions were held for nearly six months with weekly meetings of two hours. The
design of the proposals was enriched through field trips, guides, and workshops
based on the needs that were identified. Similarly, teachers in training developed
field diaries, analyzed recordings, wrote reflections and accompanied the whole
process, which was the main contribution for the subsequent process of
systematization.
SYSTEMATIZATION
The interest in making this pedagogical work experience a space for reflection and
enrichment of the formation of these teachers in training required several sessions
of discussion of the results achieved with the children, a systematization and
reading workshop, among other actions that helped in preparing the final reports of
each proposal.
53
2.2.2. REPORT OF CASE STUDY
FRAMING AND PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM
Teacher training in socially vulnerable school contexts
Research question
How does the development of
proposals for science education
in socially school vulnerable
school settings contribute to initial
teacher training?
Context
Community of Altos
de Cazuca with
socially vulnerable
conditions
Institutional Frame
Community school
with no formal
curriculum
Actors
Three
teachers in
initial
training of
science
Several investigations in the field of science education in the last 10 years show
that understanding the world we live in, scientific and technological literacy of the
population (Fourez, 2002), a consumer education worship (Membiela. 2002), the
training of a scientifically sound and responsible citizens, the decisions you make
in living contexts (tabernacle Julian Crespo and Martin Gomez-Diaz, 2001), the
processes of cultural appropriation of sciences and the construction of a scientific
based culture (Arca, Guidoni: 1990), among others, are closely related to the
processes of teacher training in science.
In this context and taking the theoretical approaches of the Traces Project into
account, this case study analyses the initial training of teachers, development of
proposals for science education in socially vulnerable school settings and how the
description and deepening of this case contributes to understand the gap between
the results of science research and the practice of its teachings.
In this sense teachers in training are placed in a context of social vulnerability
which allows them to challenge and question their educational and disciplinary
knowledge, and produce educational knowledge and lead educational processes,
through the design, development and systematization of proposals that meet the
communicative, cognitive and relational needs of the children of “Escuela Fe y
Esperanza”
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The conceptual references that support the findings in this case study are defined
in three sections: The general framework of teacher training in Colombia, the role
played by research as a structural element in the processes of teacher training and
the scope that allows to understand science teaching as a contextual and
intentional action.
54
TEACHER TRAINING IN COLOMBIA
Teacher training practices are aligned with the social functions, explicit or not,
which are assigned to teachers in a cultural context and with the relationship that
societies establish with the school. This suggests that there are different ways of
understanding the processes of teacher training in different societies, however,
common grounds are found related to the downgraded value that has
accompanied the teaching profession during the last decades in different latitudes.
Yet it is recognized that historically teachers have been given a number of social
commitments that dictate how they should be like, sets purposes, a professional
profile that makes them responsible for much of the social plans and sometimes of
the contemporary crises that we face.
… the recognition of the knowledge of the teacher has gone through several
historical stages, ranging from the dissolution of its role with the establishment
of the Church, to the institutionalization and recognition by the State in regard
to their quality of life and the establishment of working conditions and
remuneration that reason with their social function. This recognition appears to,
sometimes suffer, regressive processes in our country as in other Latin
American contexts. Thus, the history of teacher training is the story of their
gradual recognition as social subjects. CALVO, G. RENDÓN D. B. L. ROJAS
2002. A diagnosis of teacher training in Colombia. P. 3
In Colombia teacher education was strictly governed until 2002 by Decree-Law
2277 of 1979-Faculty-Staff17 which established a national training system under the
responsibility of the Experimental Pilot Centers operating at the regional level,
Departments of Education, Colleges of Education and Normal Schools. This
Decree mandates teachers to be updated in order to move up the ladder and the
teaching qualification becomes an obligation for teachers to work in the education
system.
The last three decades in Colombia bares several events that mark a new era in
relation to the organization and dynamics of the education system, including the
Constitution of 1991, the Science Mission, Education and Development, the
promulgation of Law 115 1994 and the construction of the Decennial Education
Plans. In the Constitution the concept of Social State of law, decentralized,
multicultural and multiethnic implicates the transformation and reorganization of the
Public Service of Education18 for example linked to the communities in participation
17
By which the rules of the professional exercise of the teachers from the private and public district
are adopted. This Decree: “Sets the special regime to regulate the conditions of income, exercise,
stability, promotion and retirement of individuals saving the profession of teaching at different levels
and forms that make up the National Education System, except the to level which is governed by
special rules”.
18
There are many criticisms that have risen regarding the transition that is done of the education
viewed as a right to education conceived as a service and the social and political implications that
will have this initiative of modernization of the Colombian State.
55
and leadership of the school institutions as well as raising the need to delegate
teaching to those ethically and pedagogically suitable. The state modernization
policies that have permeated Latin American countries in recent years
strengthened the process of administrative decentralization, allowing education to
be managed from local authorities and involving the educational community in
general in the institutional development.
Decentralization, from the educational perspective, recognizes the autonomy of the
regions, departments, districts and municipalities in terms of academic and
administrative management. The decision facing academic decentralization
allowed academic institutions at the time and territorial units oriented towards the
construction of educational projects19 in context to aim towards the needs of each
region; however this will be altered by the mechanisms that will centralize the
evaluation process, the unified systems of information and the new teaching
statute. As for administrative matters decentralization remains, which ultimately
has become a way to distribute responsibility and blur the State's commitment to
the management of educational institutions.
The new millennium, which would have been understood as the beginning of
the educational take-off because of the countless tasks and documents
surprises us with a series of educational improvements, where some of the
most progressive education laws are held back. Knowledge is reduced to
standards and skills and the reforms to some criteria of cost-benefit with
training policies (payment per student served) where the least financial cost
displaces the pedagogical project. The curriculum proposal by skills ends up
being a return to "teacher-proof curriculum" that was designed by the taylorized
educational technology of the seventies, but with the inputs of toyotism, where
education is invisibilized to be turned into a technical and complementary
function of the educational fact. MEJIA Marco Raul. Reading the educational
policies of globalization. Paper presented at the panel on education reform in
Latin America in the XX Congress of CIEC Santiago de Chile in January 2004.
The law 60 of 1993 states that local authorities should co-finance and promote
educational projects, evaluate and facilitate training and retraining of teachers, then
Act 115 of 1994 provides that the State must meet the qualifications on an ongoing
basis and training educators, teacher advocacy, resources and teaching methods
and educational research and innovation, among other factors that promoting
quality and improvement in education.
19
In keeping with the general trend of the 80´s which seeked for educational practices that were
contextualized and the decentralization of the academic administration of the educational
institutions, as happened with the PEC (Project Education Center).Spain and different countries, in
Colombia the PEI (Institutional Educational Projects) was implemented and it collected the interests
of many institutions to contextualize their practices and develop curricula that meets the needs of
the community.
56
Since the promulgation of the Education Act of 1994 and associated to the reform
processes derived from the Constitution of 1991, the debate on the processes of
teacher training are held for some discussion that attempts to collect the
inheritance of the Educational Movement20 that represented the search for teacher
unions towards their dignity and position as cultural subjects. However, it was
inevitable that some processes of updating that emerged as alternatives to the
continual education of teachers fell into the so-called "fair of credit" that is defined
as the accumulation of courses that updated teachers who had little or nothing to
do with their area of expertise nor transformed their teaching practices.
The appearance of the General Law of Education and some of its Regulatory
Decrees provided for restructuring of the Normal Schools taking them to establish
links with faculties of education, this with the purpose of articulating the system of
teacher training, providing continuity and consistency between different cycles. In
the same way, Colleges of Education governed by Act 30 of 1992, Act 115 of 1994
and the 272 Decree of 1998, saw the need to strengthen pedagogical, educational
and consolidating academic communities in this field.
As stated by Calvo, Rendón y Rojas:
Policy determinations trigger processes that affect teacher training one way or
another. After the processes of reform, pedagogy was established as a
foundational knowledge of teacher training and it was assumed as the
professional training. In that sense it the training duration became more
intense. Moreover, the rule stated that specific research resources in the
educational units should be assigned. CALVO, G. RENDÓN D. B. L. ROJAS I.
A diagnosis of teacher education in Colombia. P. 18
You could say that the debate against teacher training has been active, initiated in
the first place by the multiplicity of educational regulations being the last
educational reform the Act 30, and on the other hand, by the increasing research
activity developed by groups and networks of institutional and international
character. However, proper practices and experiences with teachers in initial
training it is possible to recognize two periods:
One, from 1970 to 2000 and the other from 2000 to our days. In the first period,
although the theoretical framework of the curriculum and the graduate profile
was formulated in terms of skills and abilities to train educators in practice, that
is, in everyday university classrooms, in the best of cases it was generating a
type of strength towards their disciplinary performance... This is the way in
which the courses that nurtured students in pedagogy and teaching came to
have the valuation of "seams" by prospective teachers, compared with serious
20
The professional organization of teachers and scholars since 1982 in what was called
Pedagogical Movement is recognized internationally of the scope that had regarding the social
positioning of the teachers and their empowerment as political subjects. This represented a
collective action mobilization of resistance to government education policies inscribed in educational
technology.
57
courses, which were those that were related with the disciplines they were to
teach in their professional performance..... In the second period that passed in
the recent years under the course set by 272 Decree of 1998, education is
emphasizing pedagogy as a foundational discipline of the undergraduate
programs of teaching and based on that foundation, as well as educability, the
institutions have seen the need to initiate and strengthen the lines and
research projects in these areas of knowledge, so that students can do their
thesis on the lines or projects provided by the institution. VASCO, C.E. and
BARRERA, M. 2004. p. 132
Surely this biased description of the processes of teacher training in Colombia
prevents from noticing the diversity of ideas that coexist in the universities and the
debates that have enriched the initial training practices of the recent years.
However, what we want to present is the determination that the administrative
guidelines and the policies have had in the practices of teacher training and the
intricate relationship between state regulations for the teaching profession and the
constant reformulation of proposals from the units responsible for the academic
programs of initial and continuing training of teachers.
Part of this analysis has been discussed in the Physics Department of the National
Pedagogical University, which allowed discussion to recognize that in the last thirty
years there have been discussions on the field about two major trends:


A trend that is characterized by conceiving the problem of teacher training in
terms of a profuse training on content or procedures of science, accompanied
by a subsequent further training in education as a prerequisite for teaching.
A second trend, for which the fundamental problem in the formation of a
science teacher, has to do with the deepening in the field of educational and
cognitive theory, and in the adequate preparation for the use of teaching
strategies in order to guide the processes of learning by means of the
students. From this perspective, training in scientific knowledge is placed into
the background, it is assumed that a good teacher necessarily is a good
pedagogic as long as he has adequate sources of information on the specific
knowledge, and a regular practice in a particular emphasis21
The tendencies that were described previously are consistent with the same
science conception that is a result of the notion of knowledge as a set of products.
In the case of science as a set of theories, research methods, validation criteria,
procedures, etc. Motivated by this conception an attitude of exteriority towards the
scientific activity is reinforced because the relationship that is privileged in the
teacher is the one of simple consumer.
21
Document of Curriculum Guidelines of the Specialization Program in Teaching Science for the
basic level, Department of Physics, Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. 1997
58
The individual does not feel like a lead in his organization and production, so he
does not have strong elements to feel rationally involved with these products. For
the case of teachers, the role that is assigned is the one of distributor of the
products, this way the relationship of exteriority is evident by the lack of initiative
that teachers have in their practice.
Facing the debate has allowed the members of the Traces- Colombia team who
are also part of the Science and Technology Faculty at UPN to look out at new
perspectives for which science, scenically, a human activity and knowledge is a
process of construction of explanations, theories and concepts, as well as coming
up with solutions to problems that arise through the interaction of the natural world,
in a defined cultural context. From this perspective, the emphasis on the training
processes lies on the need to generate experiential and cognitive conditions to
reveal the activity of knowing in the classroom.
To assume science as an activity that allows overcoming the dichotomy between
the mentioned tendencies of teacher training (disciplinary knowledge against
pedagogical knowledge). The disciplinary compromise of the teacher stops being
inscribed in the development of contents, and becomes oriented towards the
reflection of how certain contents are relevant to students, and which cognitive and
experiential processes are needed for a student to explain certain phenomenon,
which issue are they addressing, from what epistemological criteria are they
benefiting from; these reflexions are mediated by a pedagogical sense, they show
the way in which the teacher designs his actions in the classroom, gives meaning
to his work and is committed to the development of students.
This way the panorama gets enriched by the discussions on nature and scientific
activity, their role on citizen training and the social function of science and it‟s
teaching in our society. These discussions have allowed revealing the role that the
training of certain values related to the activity of building explanations and
transforming the relationship of men with nature.
The development of the investigation on science teaching in the past thirty
years, and the boom of constructivist approaches have helped the components
of pedagogy of science teachers get considerably transformed. The recognition
of the differences between teaching and learning has brought forth the cultural,
cognitive and communicative aspects, and it has been necessary to address a
number of areas that were previously omitted. We have also seen that subjects
like history and philosophy of science have been included in the curriculums of
teacher training either as a separate curriculum area or as an aspect to be
worked in through the science educational curriculum. Finally we can say that
the new vision of the problems of science education has created conditions to
significantly enrich the educational component of the training of science
teachers. AYALA, M.M 2006. P. 49
59
RESEARCH AS A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT IN THE PROCESSES OF TEACHER TRAINING
The processes of teacher training in the recent decades have been substantially
transformed either by regulations that have been issued that affect the structure,
aims and proposes of the programs as such, by the increasingly widespread
recognition of educational research and its findings in the understanding and
interpretation of educational dynamics, compared to the so-called scientific studies
in education, of the development of research in science education and the rise of
constructivist positions that provide theoretical models and teaching aids to
improve teaching practices. These areas have focused attention on the role that
research plays in training future teachers.
…the issuance of the decree 272 that started the accreditation process prior to
the Bachelor of Education programs, Specializations and PhDs in the field of
knowledge, has given impetus to research so that each training program
graduates should have at least one line of research to receive the
endorsement of the National Accreditation Council- CAN (Ruiz, Quintero,
2002) Quoted by Calvo, Rendon and Rojas, 2004.
What this means is that training programs are being called to be include in the
organizational structure of academic communities that devote themselves strictly to
research. For those institutions and programs whose interest in teacher training
was focused on understanding and transformation of the cultural contexts in which
teachers do their work, such regulations was the opportunity to make teaching
practices visible, organize them into so-called lines of research and create
mechanisms for disclosure and production of socialization, founding magazines
and organizing academic events such as symposiums, conferences and more.
Other institutions and programs lacking this tradition adopted strategies such as
including in their curriculum classes like “research methodology”, which were
closer to positivist models and traditional practices of conceiving research in
education.
We must remember that the 272 Decree defined pedagogy as “foundational
discipline” which requires research in education to be articulated both curricular
and institutionally. The same decree also distinguished between research
training and research “in the strict sense” meaning the first notion must be
prioritized in the training process of future teachers. This proposal, however, is
hampered by the persistence of traditionalist educational models which, in
many occasions fight against the changes and the theoretical, educational, and
curricular restructuring that is promoted from research. Ruiz and Quintero,
2002: Cited by Calvo, Rendón and Rojas, 2004.
We must say, however that the quality requirements introduced by regulation 207,
as a condition to compete in the “market” for teacher training has led educational
institutions, programs and teachers which guide them to invest in human,
academically and financial endeavors, in the qualification of their practices and
60
processes through programs of their teachers professional development to the
level of masters and doctoral degrees in education and the investment in
technology infrastructure, provision of libraries, acquisition of data bases and of
specialized literature in education.
The processes of teacher education has included research as a structure, this
because it is assumed that the experience that promotes research qualifies the
practices and links the reflexive exercise and the production of pedagogical
knowledge to the practice.
The role of research in teacher training leads pedagogy to turn into the main
object of inquiry and reflection, which means advance along the path of
construction or reconstruction of pedagogy as knowledge of this discipline, that
is, make and remake, deconstruct and reconstruct pedagogical knowledge
permanently, their foundations and theoretical implications, their problems in
the world of action and in the field of experience. Ruiz and Quintero 2002:38:
Cited by Calvo, Rendón and Rojas, 2004.
The Universidad Pedagogica Nacional (National Pedagogical University) as lead
institution for teacher training has led two separate debates in this field and has
maintained a constant reflection on the coherence between the structure of the
initial training and continuing with the findings of educational research and the role
of the findings of educational research as a training tool itself. One precaution is
that the Universidad Pedagogica Nacional is the only public educational institution
in Colombia dedicated to teacher training. It currently offers 20 undergraduate
programs, 15 majors, 8 masters, and one Ph.D. in Education in partnership with
other public universities. In 2012 it is serving 10500 students in among the
programs of undergraduate license, graduate degree and continuing training for
teachers.
The new curriculum projects of the University have been built on fields of
knowledge and of disciplinary training, scientific, educational and ethical,
according with the core problems of the pedagogical knowledge mentioned in
the decrees, especially the 272 of 1998. The processes of restructuring that
created a space for reflection regarding the limits of professional and
educational training for each one of the proposals. To the point that many of
them have undergone many important restatements. CALVO, G. RENDÓN D.
B. ROJAS L. I. 2004.
Restructuring led to modify the organization of the undergraduate degree programs
in cycles (foundation and depth) and of graduate degrees in components and lines
of investigation giving a strong weight to the academic activity of teachers
represented in the design, development and participation in research projects.
Research projects that are beginning to reassess the diagnosis action against the
educational problems and the dynamics involved in producing new versions of
61
school teaching practices in particular context22. It acknowledges the role of
teachers in the research activity and is assumed as necessary to generate
conditions to strengthen academic communities of teachers.
Involving school communities and institutions in research projects leads to a
conception of educational projects leads to a conception of educational
research as a collaborative process that articulates, generates and organizes
from and to the educational practice to transform the schools reality.
(Imbernon, 2002). The teacher and his daily teaching actions in school are not
seen as objects of investigation and/or transformed from the orientations given
by the design of didactic models but as dynamic members of the research
process. Educational research allows researchers, teachers and school
communities to undertake the “searche for meaning or meanings of these
phenomena (interpretations and understanding) for its improvement in the
context (educational and social). (Imbernon, 2002).
Different questions invade the scenery of educational research in science,
questions such as What are the science contents that should be prioritized in the
teaching practices? How is scientific knowledge built? Which are the experiential
and cognitive conditions of individuals that allow them to access certain contents or
problems? What are the strategies that are most helpful to develop certain skills or
abilities? Lastly, what is the meaning that teachers, students and communities give
to the teaching of science? These constitute issues that frame the research activity
and that enables answers regarding the cultural role of science in our societies.
To link teachers to these reflections separates them from the daily dynamics of the
school, in which it is sometimes assumed as a dutie maker and is put in the
position of academic which forces him to be willing to discourse on his practice,
reflect on his work in the classroom, record his questions and searchs, and to
constitute himself as a cultural knowledge subject as such. From this persepective,
it reinforces the commitment of teachers as intellectuals towards the sociocultural
context where he carries out his work. This commitment is expressed in the
recognition of the teacher as a subject that is capaple of choosing and making
himself responsible for the training processes that he leads, to be critical of his own
practice, and to publish his know-how and produce pedagogical discourses.
The emphasis of research in the training of future teachers is supported on the
main idea that in order to be a teacher you need to do more than just teach.
This proposal also implies that the same subjects of knowledge be the ones to
warn and define their political role and for them to have the opportunity to
reflect, transform and systematize their teaching practices. Research thought
of in this way is a process of permanent production, redefinition and expansion
22
All this activity is supported by initiatives like the ones that the SED (Secretaria de Educación
Distrital) and the IDEP (Institute of Research and Educational Development of the District Capital)
when financing and supporting innovative projects, research started cooperatively between
universities and institutions of primary education.
62
of educational knowledge. (Ruiz, A., QUINTERO, M: Quoted by Calvo, Rendon
and Rojas, 2004).
Since this condition the teacher is recognized as a subject of school transformation
to the extent that he assumes his practice as an intentional act, and as a possibility
to make the construction of scientific knowledge significant in the contexts where
he operates. To assume that the teacher can make a praxis from his practice and
make his teaching activity and object of investigation, has led to reconfigure
pedagogical practice spaces that structure the initial teacher training programs:
In the Universidad Pedagogica Nacional, the concept of educational practice is
closely related to the development of educational project, to the extent that it is
through them that the future teachers will implement the knowledge built
throughout their training process. They are conceived as “a research-like
proposal, weather conceptual and/or experimental where the student
participates in an active way, with the purpose of enhancing through a series of
interrelated and coordinated activities, the theoretical-practical bases that
support their educational practice. Hence, the educational practice is the
spaces were the educational project is set and developed”. …The practice is a
place of reflection and of analysis of the discourses and facts that happen on
the daily educative reality, as well as of theoretical reflection that battles with
reality. It is considered an experiential process through which you ad quire
experience, new methodologies are put into practice, and the exercise of
teaching in educational institutions; as a space of interaction with the context
that is projected in the communities and finally as an educational space that
generates research proposals and develops research skills in the students.
Innovative models of initial teacher training. OREALC / UNESCO, Chile,
June 2006. p 257.
It is about transcending the distinction between theory and practice, that is, about
assuming the teaching practices as spaces that allow the teacher in training to
project his actions in a research-type way, which implies an intentional look that
defines the changes that want to be promoted and what makes their act the most
significant event for students, for themselves and for the social space where his
current action takes place. The spaces of educational practice allow the teacher to
build science teaching in a reality that is subject to change.
From this perspective, teacher training processes are generated which link
research to teaching practices as an alternative to interpret the complexity of the
school, to account for the developments and challenges of educational activities,
but also introduce social changes and transformations in the relationships that
individuals develop there, particular with knowledge. Thus, to make it a tool for
educational research in teacher education and a strategy to work in the classroom
arises from the need to recognize the contexts in which teachers are working and
of the importance of articulating, generating and organizing it towards and from
their practice.
63
The teacher in action is capable of performing the reflexive study of his own
problems and transform the classroom, which is the setting of their actions. It is
possible to learn how to research while learning to teach since the investigation
is linked to teaching and learning. Teaching is most effective when research
involves a continuous process of learning from experience. Also, through these
proposals it is possible to learn that the research of the educator is not an
individual matter, and that the experiences are enriched when shared. CALVO,
G. RENDÓN D. B. ROJAS L. I. 2004. p. 96
In summary, viewing the teacher as a subject of transformation expresses the way
he alters the schools environment and will constitute it as a research space that is
subject to analysis and to the production of speech. Doing this in the context of
teacher training involves the recognition of the knowledge that the teacher has, the
ways in which they relate with the discipline, the relationships that are foster inside
the classrooms, the role given to the content and how it is positioned towards the
cultural dynamics that they participate in.
THE PRACTICE OF SCIENCE TEACHING AS AN INTENTIONAL AND LOCATED ACTION
In a world defined by the economic globalization with the consequences of poverty
and marginalization of large groups of people, science education must respond to
new problems, in the first place the development needs of development that the
industrialized countries have and the immersion of others with weaker economies
in this model. In this scenario, the reports that show the difficulty of reaching
scientific thinking and that education is not altering the way that human beings are
relating with their environment are not enough. It becomes imperative to act and for
this reason it becomes necessary to explicitly create a project that defines the
education of a town, the needs to be scientifically and technologically literate are
not restricted only to the possibility of being educated consumers but warrants that
education be assigned a critical role in the citizens to turn into true inhabitants of
the world.
We are dealing with social needs, that while schools can not solve as a whole, the
educational institutions can serve as support as they help build sense, and help
assume a critical role with which they have to compromise. The challenges posed
to education from the perspectives above involve the production of knowledge
about teaching from which the interpretative and critical views no reality of the
school are articulated however it also articulates the intention to look for such
reality from the active participation of the individuals who come together in it as a
social project.
In line with this, in the educational field many alternative discourses have emerged
from different conceptions that configure new positions to address teaching
practices, understanding the role of the teacher, understanding how students
64
construct knowledge and ultimately new meaning to the role of the school towards
the configuration of a new educational order.
It is in this range of problems that science teaching practices are inscribed as
spaces prone to transform the social image of science, recognizing the advantages
that inscribing it in the cultural bases of the citizens and strengthening the options
that it offers for society to be thought and build as a collective project. Questions
that can feed this reflection, ranging from the application to define What is the
educational project for our people? Also thinking about what kind of training should
be provided for teachers to meet the social challenges they face? Among these
inquiries we can highlight the following: What educational conditions allow the
alterations of the school grounds to constitute it as a purposeful and meaningful
option for those who interact there? What features could mobilize school
environments towards more democratic, participative relationships which are more
conduce to the training of critical citizens with the transformational capacity of this
cyber world we are immersing ourselves in? What epistemological, didactic and
educational conditions enable the construction of scientific knowledge in boys and
girls? What are the challenges and the spaces that science education must face in
primary? (Guidelines of the Graduate Degree in the teaching of Natural Science)
The proposal of assuming science and its teaching as a cultural activity has
allowed programs of the Graduate Degree of the Physics Department of the UPN
to arrange a way to direct the training of science teachers which has shown its
relevance and has been meaningful for the teachers and school communities.
Considering science as a cultural activity deprives from the habit of knowledge as a
privileged, and puts it on a condition of being subjected to analysis and
interpretation which leads to think of science as way of doing in a world that is
subject to study. (IRANZO, J.M. BLANCO, R. 1995). Understanding the scientific
culture would then mean to capture its normal character without reducing its
particularity23, which allows us to resolve an understanding of science and its
teaching as activities determined by context. We can say that agreeing with the
conceptual step of the scientific productions may lead to think about the contingent,
circumstantial and not reproducible character of such activity, and that it is not
possible, then, to hope to replicate the dynamics of scientific knowledge
construction24.
23
In the discussion about the statute that is assigned to the productions of science that have
developed different perspectives. From those rationalist theses that focus their analysis on
products, procedures, ethos or own languages, from their actions derive a series of knowledge that
follow certain logic and universal rules. To thesis that oppose and argue about the relativistic nature
of science as a result of the social dynamics, putting emphasis on how the scientific products don‟t
define a logic of their own, but recover some particular senses, political intentions and some
economic interest of the subjects that act upon its name.
24
This would not only be contributing to promote a distorted image of science and nature and
comparing it with static, unique and hegemonic knowledge which is already quite discredited. We
65
If the importance of science is not its productions but the context and the dynamics
that are structured with the intention of explaining, understanding and making
sense of the world, then teaching practices would then worry about building
scenarios prone for linking subjects (teachers and students) to that comprehensive
and intentional exercise of building sense and collective meaning that orient know
ways or relating to and in the world. Thus, depriving science of its privileged bias
allows the emergence of theological concerns in the teaching practices.
If the production of knowledge is always situated, that is makes sense in context,
the construction of an idea, developing a hypothesis, the negotiation of meanings
and interpretations regarding their theory are collective and intentional acts, thus
they cannot be thought of as individual or disinterested. This seemingly obvious
concept has been a place for forgetfulness common to science education at all
latitudes.
These decisions lead to locate teaching practices in the classroom, where
discovering or reconstructing true meaning of scientific productions is not the aim,
but rather to build sense for those involved there. The interest for cognitive
processes associated with the appropriation of the products of science is
displaced, and the emphasis is made on the collective dynamics 25 that are set in
their teaching practices.
While the scenarios and events that science teachers face in school are varied, we
consider that the focus of their attention should be on the relationship that is
established with knowledge. We reveal the relationship that the subjects establish
with knowledge, since from these depend the way in which teachers and students
relate to experience, to others, and to the information and their environment.
The analysis that suggest that the school not only develops “academic” and
disciplinary knowledge but also attitudes, values, beliefs are becoming more
meaningful, because it is from there that the need to examine the hidden
curriculum that is present in the educational actions which determine the
dynamics and the relationships that are promoted through science teaching.
According to this the importance for teachers to reflect on their knowledge and
assesses the correspondence that it has with the educational project and the
personal sense that he assigns to teaching science is set present.
(Educational Seminar II: Graduate degree in Science Teaching – UPN-).
The goal is to search for teachers and students to face real cognitive challenges
where they can test their skills to work collectively, search for information, the
need, then, make the conceptual tools of science teaching be more faithful to the situated and
intentional nature of its production.
25
In the ones that affect the interests of the participants, the problems and the objects of study, the
relationships with the other, the relations with the information, relationships and roles of teachers
and students, school and teaching representations, the images of science, among others.
66
recovery of traditional knowledge, the creative way to design activities, the
strategies to design experimental situations, among others, as fundamental aspect
for the comprehension and solution to a situation in question.
To guide the practice from this perspective does not lead to adherence to standard
procedures, it would then mean to configure alterable scenarios in the course of
action; each teacher, each classroom are particular and this particularity gives
biases to a certain teaching proposal. Contingency is a possibility, it does not battle
against the requirements to be met by teachers, from them senses could be
configured; it does not search to inaugurate the school with everything that is
presented in terms of its orders, rules, times, and its spaces, try to adapt ways of
being and creatively transforming these scenarios; makes of these knowledge
construction spaces, recreational and meaningful, the creative component does not
only cross the design of activities for the students, but the recurrence of the
metaphor, the literary language to discover what is happening inside the
classroom, the recovery of the anecdote as a mechanism to communicate unedited
events, the enjoyment of the word intersects academic and social spaces and
allows the creation of common sense.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The interest in deepening the understanding of the conditions that allow the
comprehension of how the initial training of teachers contribute to the development
of proposals for science education in school settings that are socially vulnerable
require the analysis of the documentation of the process that was begun with the
teachers in the training for the development of the three proposed classes at the
“Escuela de Fe y Esperanza” (Faith and Hope School).
The methodological pathway proposed a minimum of two levels of work:


A first level focused on the design, development and systematization of the
proposal of classrooms. At this level the team's interest is directed towards the
development of proposals for science education that is meaningful for children
of this school, and will foster their needs for cognitive, communicative and
relational needs. The level of training experience of the members of the Traces
team played an important role which allowed the construction of routes in hand
with the undergraduate students. In these routes different activities get mixed
which seek to progressively bring more scenarios for children to build
explications regarding the central issue of each proposal.
The second level focused on the definition, framing and actual construction of
the case study. At this level the concern was to make of this unique and
significant experience of teacher training a significant situation of deepening
and understanding in its dynamic. This level raised methodology and
67
conceptual discussions that were all necessary to document along with support
bibliography, the development of interviews, transcription and analysis of
student‟s papers, among other tools that allowed limiting and framing the study.
Some conditions that allow the documentation of the research method are:



To assume the interdependence of the parts of the research process as your
own, does not define a linear sequence of the methodological, empirical and
conceptual steps, (FLICK, 2004: 55), which allow the case to define and
recognize their findings. A route which is reviewed continuously from the central
purposes of research is revised, this means how much this study brings to the
understanding of the gap. Actions such as: defining the field actions, the design
and development of proposals for classroom, the framing of the case study, the
delimitation of the research question and the theoretical interpretation of the
findings are not as sequential as can be seen in light of the final report.
To define the concepts and preliminary versions from which to consider and
relieve aspects of the research object (FLICK, 2004: 58). While the team
assumed some ways to understand the processes of teacher training in science
located at epistemological, pedagogical and didactic grounds, it was necessary
to take a flexible approach that allowed the emergence of the findings that
constitutes in the results of the process and promotes new ways of
understanding the gap. This "delay" regarding the structure of the theoretical
frameworks allowed articulating the findings in a more coherent manner in the
final text.
Limit and guide the research. As Flick says, it is important to initially define a
question however it is also important to stay open to new results (FLICK, 2004:
61). Although it is true that an attentive spirit is required throughout the
research process, it is necessary to continually define the approach; this implies
that restrictions that locate the case study analysis unit must be set.
Some of the actions that were taken that allowed them to register the process
were:



Process in which the surveys conducted for the study of opinion of the Project
Traces 2010 were filled and discussed upon.
Initial interviews to students of teaching undergraduate programs about the
process experienced in the elective seminar of educational work in vulnerable
communities and social and the contributions that this experience made to their
overall professional training.
Biweekly meetings held about advisory and construction of the classroom
proposals were they discussed about the benefits and requirements for each
type of activity, type of cognitive processes that contributed to the operational
needs for its development, among others.
68



Study and discussion sessions about some documents elaborated by members
of the Traces team or by other authors on science education.
Visits to the school were discussions with its leader were held regarding the
development of classroom proposals and the type of operational and
academically support for school.
Focus groups led by school members and teachers who guide the elective
seminar about the conceptions of communitarian educational work and its
articulation with the process of science teaching. · Meetings of socialization with
other actors (university professors and / or other teachers linked to the field
actions of the Traces project) to show the results of the classroom proposals.
The result of all these activities allowed us to have various documents that were
the bases for the construction of the case study. Upon completion of each
proposed action the Traces team precedes to the register the data (This actually
involves three steps: data entry, edition and the construction of a new reality in and
for the produced text. (FLICK, 2004: 183).
The process of documentation is carried out by a thorough revision of the
documents that were produced, by a generic look that allows to define the findings
that are the ones that allow to reveal the way how the development of the
proposals in the classrooms influence the process of training of these three
licensed teachers.
The four findings conclude that a teacher in training that develops proposals for
classrooms in communities with conditions of social vulnerability:




Question the appropriateness of his/her disciplinary and educational training
Produces new educational knowledge
Strengthens the leadership and the ideological dimensions of their profession
Reflects upon the social function of science and its teaching
After the identification of the findings, an open codification is performed which
allows to find evidence in documents (text fragments) which are connected with
each of the four findings. The articulation of the testimonies and the findings, and
the interpretative construction describe the importance of getting involved and
engaging in the research context to the point from its detailed recovery it would be
possible to understand its local and temporary nature and even develop new
theory, assuming that
The essential task in developing a theory is not codify abstract regularities but
make thick description possible, not to generalize across individual cases but
to generalize within them (Geertz, 1997: 36).
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The final text of this case study constitutes for an investigation like this, the
subjective and conscious version of the research team and involves a particular
view of the processes of teacher training in science and the nature of the gap that
exists between the practice of research in science education and the actual
practice of the concrete science education at the school.
RESULTS
The presentation of the results of this study is done in terms of findings. On each
finding the testimonials of the teachers in training are interwoven with the
discursive elements that express the comprehension that we achieve about an
educational practice that is contextualized, like the one developed in Escuela Fe y
Esperanza.
QUESTIONS THE RELEVANCE OF THEIR DISCIPLINE AND PEDAGOGICAL TRAINING
The processes of training science teachers seek to provide the tools and the
experiences needed for new professionals to contribute to mediate the
relationships with the world of school communities from the conceptual and
experiential referents that science provides. However, the contact that teachers in
training have with the different dialogues on the teachings of science, places them
on an obligation that is revealed throughout the speeches of the authors that they
address along the different courses, in the models of widespread teaching, and
established from various studies, and that are often attempted to be replicated in
some class exercises, and in the educational policies that frame the teaching
practices at both the macro and institutional levels.
I think that here we get taught theories but they do not teach us to integrate, for
example, I might have the concept but there we don't get taught to teach so
here us se one thing separated from the other. (Jhoens Interview)
Often the understandings of specific scenarios in which teachers are to perform are
overlooked, as well as the plasticity that demands of those who seek to lead
educational processes in specific communities
These children need teachers who are not vertical, that can go through the
horizontal side of school, fighting for equality that recognizes the individuality
and the needs of children. Friend teachers who reach the level of the kid
without condemning him to begging practices, get them out of exploitation is
the great challenge, teachers who do not find shame in getting muddy or that
don‟t care about the dirtiness in which these children live. To remove the
teacher uniform playing and helping children, listening and participating in their
world. To propose appropriate methodologies, be more constructive; be
teachers recognize that students have emotions. (Nelson Interview)
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Serving as a teacher in contexts such as the ones that represent the socially
vulnerable communities Altos de Casuca requires new ways of understanding the
educational activity which far from being standard seeks to work from and with the
difference, a difference that translates not only in the precarious economic
conditions, but in the differential emotional, relational and cognitive developments
that these children have had access to.
Nelson's proposal to educate with and for the need helped recognize that there
are different types of needs; some were material and others cognitive,
communicative, and relational. After the analysis of what course, what age,
what gender, was more suitable for the development of the classroom
proposal, we reached the consensus that the three classroom proposals
developed and strengthened the cognitive, communicative and relational
needs, and therefore any child from grade 3 to 5 was in capacity to develop the
proposed activities. For this reason it was decided that each working group
was composed of children from all three grades, many of them with
weaknesses in literacy, forcing us to rethink the work strategies that were to be
used with them. (Final report Aliha)
The bet that is made to the implementation of classroom proposals with the
teachers in training fulfills the purpose of developing teaching alternatives from the
understanding that the teacher has of his practice and from the way he wants to
impregnate his pedagogical activities.
The development of the educational route was a complete challenge, given
that training often gets reduced to concepts and theories which are perhaps
useless to the everyday lives of these children, and where little experience
working with primary students led to an initial proposal which may have been
incomprehensible and inadequate for the issue of water, but that with the
analysis and appropriation of the context, advice and support of counselors
and community leader Nelson Bird and the different points of view of the team
workers, a new rout was reached. (Proposed Final Report Final Report Aliha)
The problems that addressed each proposal corresponded to processes that
wanted to be strengthened in the children, to the questions that wanted to be
raised about their environment, and to the activities that fulfilled the children‟s
expectations.
Environmental issues that this community faces are many, but water is one of
the most obvious because few meters from the school there is a highly
surveyuted lake, which creates a fetid odor. And their drinking water is scarce.
The route was not intended to solve this problem, that this was the axis that
allowed reflection, commitment and skill development in children. (Poster
Aliha)
Thus, it is this way that a discussion with the teachers in training is addressed on
the effectiveness of organizing knowledge in terms of content (sequences,
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prerequisites, level of depth) and if that organization responds to the interests and
expectations of students or rather ends up being artificial in relation to the specific
needs of a school community.
As a university student the influence of teachers is not easily conceived, and
the contrast of the harmonious academic life with the requirement of versatility
and responsibility that leading a group of students may have is not easily done.
(Students Interview Jhoens)
Beyond the concern about the contents or the issues, and to strive to understand
the problems they solve, the images that are being fostered and the senses that
enable school communities to address their study was a fruitful exercise that
allowed each teacher in training to define its focus of study for the classroom
proposal.
The name of the proposal comes after establishing the origin of the Laguna
Terreros, Some children say that this pond was built centuries ago by an Indian
tribe that lived there, maybe it was a goddess and that it is so deep that in its
interior lives a giant anaconda, which shows the traces of its journey in dry
grass and on the gray color seen on the lake every morning. While listening to
this story, I knew the name of the project was to account for this story after
search for Wayuu language words like lake water, lake, among others, Miiroku
alluding to "place where there is water" (dictionary Wayuu), brought a short but
deep reflection as we are all water sites, man is 70% more or less water
depending on the age, plants are 90% water, and not that of an animal whose
anatomy is quite similar to the human, in our planet water occupies a little over
70 % of land area. This reflection based of words framed the classroom
proposal of water. (Final report Aliha)
The experience in the design and development of the proposal and the results
achieved with the children destabilize, in the teachers in training, the belief that the
curriculums are ends in themselves, showing the need to relatives the official
curriculum and recognizing that it is possible to find alternatives that propose
challenges of understanding to students. This confronted the teachers to a leading
role in the teaching processes while raising commitments and possibilities to make
their actions significant
Putting a body of knowledge that is globally legitimized in the context of
teaching, as is the case in science, involves relocating the senses in which
these are assumed to make them talk with some needs of understanding, with
some questions that reflect upon the experience of some subjects, with
everyday knowledge that is also constructed historically and socially. This
opens the possibility, even, to question the hegemonic nature from which they
are entitled (Jiménez, G. Mendez, O. 2010)
The development of classroom proposals allowed teachers in training to review the
relationship established between knowledge and the curriculized content and to
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pose a conceptual understanding and a conceptual discussion regarding their
disciplinary knowledge.
... When I place such theories in these types of contexts, in favor of a type of
need and knowledge, I adapting my knowledge to the needs of the context,
learning is great because I adapt my knowledge to needs and I know children
are learning many things, perhaps not in the chemical field that I practice as
such, but it is a challenge for me to face that kind writing, reading, math and
sciences learning, and in the process of teacher training there is no space that
teaches us that. (Interview Aliha)
The ease with which teachers assume that the scientific disciplines correspond to
the way in which schools have also naturalized and appropriated the scholar
disciplines, leading to assume that teachers who teach chemistry have been
trained as teachers of chemistry, but without mediating an exercise of construction
of meanings, and meanings about the social and cultural relevance that science
has for social contexts.
Science teachers when linked to basic education, because despite the specificity of
their formation are enrolled in major disciplinary fields of the natural sciences, must
address the discussion about the role of disciplines in school. In the case of
teachers in training at UPN: chemistry, physics and biology, the teacher can and
should address the relevance of the training provided to students of basic
education, of primary or secondary. In the experience that was undertaken with the
teachers in training, such concern was disclosed because the students from the
“Escuela Fe y Esperanza” could not organize the areas of knowledge and
transform the proposals to disciplinary aspects. It was appropriate to deal with
questions like: What themes or situations are relevant for chemistry or physics
teachers to address with primary students? What study themes would be
interesting and would allow learning process to happen for these students?
All this theory, as simple and comprehensible to me (referring to what has
been addressed about water in her education as a chemistry teacher) led me
to think and rethink how, when and were I could apply this knowledge in the
educational route that would be designed for the primary children that belong
to the “Corporacion Popular Fe y Esperanza” that responds to the cognitive,
relational and communicative needs that they have. (Final report Aliha)
The main problems or objects of study for each classroom proposal go beyond the
conceptual demands and involve other aspects of science teacher training that:


Question their disciplinary training and it guides to properly lead the students
toward the understanding of the specific problems of their environment
It mobilizes the understanding that they have about teaching applying it when
faced with a group of students of different ages and with different levels of
reading and writing and other skills
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

They challenge their creativity to propose scenarios which are suggestive for
students who contribute to their cognitive and experiential development
They prove their leadership to address issues that summon their students but
that achieve resonance among parents and the overall community
These confrontations that teachers in training have throughout the development of
the classroom proposals leads them to assess the preparations that have been
made in their training process, relativize the meaning assigned to the knowledge
that is a part of the physics or chemistry theoretical framework where they refer the
domain they have on the world and reflect on the meaning of science education for
vulnerable communities
The value that was seen to the terrariums issues is that through these you can
show small-scale water cycles and in the same way children can make
abstractions to explain important aspects of climate, besides this the terrariums
also helped us to explain the different layers of the ground and what happens
with each one of them according to changes in climate. (Adriana Final Report)
All these requirements that are made to the teacher in training when facing the
design and development of a classroom proposal triggers the sense that he gives
to disciplinary knowledge seeing that they are not entities that can be transferable
to the school, but that are relevant explanatory supplies in dealing with specific
problems.
The classroom proposal was designed to sensitize, make conscience and
invite all the boys and girls to participate of the solutions and discussions on
water and in particular the water that they consume, the one they see falling
from the sky with strong wind currents making rough sounds on the selling‟s
and windows as they hit loudly. The water that is in the Laguna Terreos that
although contaminated and with a fetid smell refuses to die, the one which
magically comes to their homes once or twice a week, that water was the one
we were interested in, the one that the boys and girls from the “Corporación
Popular Fe y Esperanza”, theme that other than working on the most talked
about aspects would give rise to the development of skills that are true to
science, as the observation, detailed descriptions, where they would broaden
their scientific speeches based on reflections, experimentations, and own
experiences. (Final report Aliha)
Teachers in training are faced with knowledge about chemistry and physics, now
not to address the issues of examinations on biochemistry or physics, but in
relation to the action of teaching. Disciplinary concerns are integrated with other
reflections on cognitive processes, of thinking strategies, scientific skills, and
communicative interactions and of relationships that children build with their
immediate environment.
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At the same time it is about taking the school out to the world and braking its
provinciality and the attribution of its study problems to address every day
issues, it is also about settling and putting into concrete things issues that are
global problems, ones that don‟t seem to be significant to students when they
are studied in the frame of the abstract and stated as lacking precise contents,
generic themes acquire significance to students and teachers. (Jiménez, G.
Méndez, O. 2010)
The construction of the routes pose challenges and demands of a different order to
teachers in training: conceptual, to the extent that it should make explicit the
understanding that it has about the subject, that is, the type of conceptual relations
established between the problem to be addressed and the cognitive,
epistemological, and methodological approaches that the student must put into
action, pedagogical that show them the need to recognize the space of
relationships, and special classroom needs conditions of the classroom and
students that will work, and learning that lead to link the possibilities and
appropriateness of certain activities to make meaningful, constructive and
suggestive work, in the same way here the creative use of resources plays an
important role, the interesting nature of some challenges that may be posed to the
students and the way in which one particular style gets established which makes
the work of each teacher unique.
Lets remember the same definition of Artifact, its a mechanical work done with
art, and we combine this concept with a toy, which is more involved with the
daily life of a child, but at the same time the toy is a didactical tool, the toy is an
artifact that is full of life, movement, and it unravels the imagination, and for us
teachers, it allows us to introduce theoretical concepts like mechanics, more
specifically dynamics, because the movement of a toy is granted by what gave
him energy, whether It was the child through the muscular power, pushing or
by any technical device or engine, knowing that it is difficult to describe to the
students the concept of energy, we will call it “the reason for movement”. (Final
report Jhoens)
This type of work poses an alternative approach to science education where the
subject, i.e., the content does not inaugurate the activities however scenarios are
set to propitiate problem solving. In this way, the conceptual elaborations are
momentary and are constantly obtaining new meaning from new activities,
universal explications are not reached but advances in the recognition of the
experience of the student and his journey of conceptual construction are made.
The work guide “Que crezca si el agua está bien fresca” (Let it grow if the
water is fresh) was based on the construction of the surveyution indicators in
water, the starting point there was that man needed the water to have specific
characteristics for its consumption, beyond its color, odor, it is necessary that
the microorganisms that we see are in small quantities if it were possible that
they were none, but how could this be determined? This question would be
answered throughout the development of the activity. While it is true that many
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of the plants and animals that need to consume water have very similar
characteristics to the one that need to be consumed by human beings, the
seeds of the lettuce, through its development schedule could be the one to
take us out of this dilemma, but in this time a new uncertainty arose of how
could a seed deduce that water should be taken for them more than for others,
it is evident that there are plants and animals that live in and from water of the
Laguna Terreros, there other questions arise like was the lettuce seed a part of
the plants that survived in contaminated waters, or on the contrary, were they
seed that in their development needed healthy fresh water. (Final report Aliha)
When teachers are faced with having to write their classroom proposal
implementation experience, come close to understanding the elaborations of the
students, the conceptual and experimental difficulties that represent different
activities, the possibilities and challenges that rise from certain objects of study,
latter requires the teacher to acknowledge the understanding that he has of his
own practice. The implementation of a didactic unit, more than an instrumental
exercise constituted itself as a “methodological and conceptual route” from which,
at the same time as the intentions of the teachers become more explicit in terms of
the development of scientific skills, of attitudes of respect for the environment and
the construction of concepts, the need to question the cognitive and experiential
conditions that students require to cope with certain problems.
The experience was very significant in the sense that it contributed to my
professional training, because on thing is theory, and a very different thing is
the practice, the development of this classroom proposal allowed me to
strengthen this last one, as the old saying says “practice makes the maestro”,
a very appropriate phrase at this point, because becoming a teacher
transcends any theoretical limit to the social reality, where commitment,
dedication and concern for cognitive, interpersonal and communicative
processes of the students not only allows children to develop the scientific
thinking but also creates the beginning of a fraternal and loving relationship
between the child and science. (Final report Aliha)
The training of science teachers is enhanced when the approach of investigation in
the teaching of science that was obtained by participating in the Traces Project
raises concerns regarding:



How the contents can be made based on questions from students and teachers
or how the children‟s questions are appropriate for the teacher to guide
alternative practices of science education.
What kind of cognitive processes are required for a student to be able to
address concepts such as energy, momentum, surveyution, solubility, or soil
structure and composition?
How to build skills such as data handling, lifting logs, monitoring instruction and
cooperative work.
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

What kinds of school processes enhance the creation of attitudes of respect
towards nature and the social environment?
How to generate teaching contexts that critically recognize the differences
between the actions of the scientific community and the school community, both
by the type of problems that arise, such as the intentions that mobilize and the
methodologies that follow.
Concerns conceived in a direct and rigorous manner by the training programs of
teachers of science would make teaching practices creative, significant, and
constructive acts for those who dream to provide alternative means for the school.
PRODUCES NEW EDUCATIONAL KNOWLEDGE
Some rends in educational research critically assume the conditions and
possibilities of transforming the teaching practices of science have confirmed the
need that teachers be placed in a leading role in spaces of knowledge stemming
from its teaching, ensuring that proposals for teacher training should ensure
academic conditions for these professionals to have a relationship of discipline and
pedagogical ownership that allows them to overcome submission to the adequacy
of models and teachings didactic in their practice.
Thus, the production of knowledge about science educations stands as an activity
that should actively involve the school communities, especially science teachers.
This raises the need to perceive the science teacher as an intellectual capable
of achieving his own practice in an environment of investigation and resolution
of problems and hence capable of producing new knowledge, build teams and
suggest lines of inquiry regarding the nature of their profession. (Document of
Accreditation License to teach Physics p 12)
The conviction on the position that the science teacher should have facing his
knowledge is revealed in the compromise that proposed to the teachers in training
the design, development and monitoring of the classroom proposals in the
“Escuela de Fe y Esperanza”. The knowledge that the teacher made when
interpreting, describing and analyzing what happens at school is pedagogical
discourse in which their professional status is patented and their disciplinary
knowledge and their ideological commitment to science education.
In each classroom proposal, the teachers in training practice how they have
learned the “should be” of a science teacher, their disciplinary, educational,
didactic, social and esthetical knowledge, and the way in which they have
understood the positioning of the teacher in the school community.
When talk about vulnerable contexts we generally refer to environments with
high rates of poverty, juvenile delinquency, drug consumption and sale,
recruitment of young people and many other things that are sadly a part of our
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sad reality, but this fast and meaningless look leaves behind the things that
can be highlighted as positive, the spinal chord of the transformation of this
society; in this blind spot we find the pretty side of the story that the children
write everyday, as well as the communitarian leaders and townspeople which
still have their light of hope shining in their souls, with the purpose that
someday someone sees them and gives not only material things, but pledge to
work for equal opportunities, respect and dignity in their community. (Final
report Aliha)
The exercise of building the routes those were thought to be followed with these
children, and therefore the reflection on the social, cognitive and affective living has
enabled these teachers in training to consolidate an understanding of the meaning
of teaching sciences in particular contexts. This coupled with the educational,
disciplinary and teaching requirements of the route, the requirements posed by
each of the scheduled classes, the critical reading of the achievements of each
activity, and reconstruction of the whole experienced process constitutes
pedagogical knowledge about the processes of construction of knowledge in these
school communities.
Cazuca children have behaviors and attitudes that reveals the conflicts that
they have had to live, lack of belonging to a place does not allow them to view
a clear horizon and project the neighborhood, by not feeling part of the
environment they do not recognize their share in problems that overwhelm
them. To develop creativity and awareness of children will help to appropriate
of the places and to relate with them in a more critical and effective way with
the environment. (School Description Adriana)
In the organization of new experimental activities or educational field trips, in the
construction of goals and objectives for each study guide, questions and concerns
are revealed on how to proceed best, teachers face an exercise in which they
visualize their conceptions and confront their assumptions and construct new ways
of relating with the school contexts.
The following question arose: How can I improve the environmental conditions
of the area and the quality of life of the children by means of pedagogical
approaches?, which must meet the needs that are already raised (cognitive,
relational and communicational), this was reflected in the discussions that was
held on each of the phases of the classroom proposals. (Adriana Final Report)
In the working group and with the advisors, the teachers in training are called for
elaborate, reorganize their knowledge, record it and put it in the form of public
discourse consistent with the interests of its proposal, this is an exercise of
dialogue between the authors of the literature of science education in school in
science, the work in school and the Traces Project, it goes back and forth which
constantly modifies the meaning of the classroom proposal.
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The elaboration of the route has passed through two main parts, both personal
and academic. Firstly the proposal has been constructed with a certain
interdisciplinary manner, in which the professor can not teach only chemistry or
physics, but he must include different types of knowledge, this is for sciences,
however there is also the different changes and turns that the route has had, it
is like calling that feeling that we are not working with furniture, or with
inanimate objects, but that we are effectively working with human beings, so
these changes were done because the route was adapted to the types of
persons that were working with us. (Interview Aliha)
The interest in understanding the conditions of vulnerability in which these children
live in has lead the teachers in training to be active subjects in the construction of
the educational knowledge and of the types of teaching practices that are
considered better for school communities like the “Escuela Fe y Esperanza” The
educational speech that is created promotes the valuation of the school as a
diverse scenery, source of many problems, but at the same time a space that is
suitable for the construction of cultural alternatives and options that is related with
the purposes of the programs of teacher training for the teaching of science.
It is expected that the teacher in training: complements the construction of new
senses for education, contributes to the integral upbringing of social beings of
knowledge; and that constitutes himself as the social being of knowledge that
adds to the transformation of the cultural and social dynamics in its context.
(Document of Accreditation License to teach Physics P. 16)
This experience for teachers in training constitutes as scenery of development and
comprehension of their conditions as teachers that enables them to create of their
profession a comprehensive and discursive activity, where he can appropriate,
apprehend, and pronounce the projection of his practice to others. In this
perspective, we can assume that educational knowledge, more than a corpus of
information is a scenery where teachers that view their actions as creations of
collective meaning enter, and for which they need to provide themselves with
disciplinary, educational, didactics, and aesthetic tools that provides different
dimensions to the training of critical and autonomous citizens.
The possibility of producing meaningful knowledge for teaching guarantees
itself when assuming that the educational research processes are being
generated, organized and are influencing the same educational spaces where
teachers are doing their job. (IMBERNON, 2002).
We assume that educational knowledge is knowledge that is supportive with
specific contexts of teacher‟s actions to the extent that new practices are being
produced, new knowledge will be produced and this information will enrich el
conceptual corpus of education. When teachers in training share the search for
alternatives for teaching science to the kids of “Escuela Fe y Esperanza” they
participate in the communitarian purpose of their leader:
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As a leader I started by recognizing that the educational models in our country
were not designed to attend to the needs of the poor. While trying to help and
teach boys, girls and young adults I realized that they were not obedient to
rules, they escaped from the traditional school, always looking for a space of
liberty…we decided to somehow help these children that still remained in
school and grant them the chance with a flexible education that responded to
their needs, boys and girls who had been violated in some way, abused or
mistreated that searched for the way to escape this situation inside school, and
find an opportunity from friendship and affection. (Interview Nelson)
The reconstruction of each classroom proposal led each of the teachers in training
to interpret the elaborations that their students made regarding water, ground, and
the function of artifacts, placing the ranges of their proposal and situating them in a
concrete space that is relevant to some needs that they identified and that they
experienced in their daily routines with their students.
In these routes the boys and girls let themselves get showered with the
peacefulness and beauty that the Santa Maria del Lago Humedal offered, they
happily kept in their memory the information that the tour guide gave them, the
color of the Tinguas and of the water in which they swam, but other than this,
the conditions of order and sanity of the place. This not only led them to
compare their Laguna Terreros with the wetland, but they agreed to dream, to
travel though time and think how their Laguna was 100 years ago, “well
teacher with one waterfall and little birds flying over the water were we used to
bath in” (John) “and with Tinguas” (Andres), what else would we want more but
to make these dreams and illusions a reality, but back to reality, the kids
observed their surroundings in a critical and propositional way, moments of
silence were evident, each one of them seemed to realize the reality of the
lagoon. They know and were conscious of this ecological disaster was and is
still is being caused by men, where comments like “the dirty water from the
houses ends up here” (John), “all those wheels are responsible for this
because they are not part of the ground so it cannot swallow them and they
take a very long time to degrade and they are responsible for the
contamination” (Daniel). (Final report Aliha)
In the socialization that teachers offer about their proposals, by means of posters
of by written format, it reinforces the challenge and commitment towards vulnerable
contexts where the proposal took place, making their actions public, expressing
their choices about the daily practice inside the classrooms, revealing their
concerns about the understanding of their students, ultimately enriching their
educational knowledge.
At this point the boys and girls had a speech regarding their water, they
determined weather its physical characteristics showed clean water but if not
they already possessed tools that allowed them to purify it, but beyond mere
observation it was important for them to know that besides the appearance of
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the water being clear and transparent there were microorganisms and invisible
particles right in front of our eyes, which were the cause of numerous diseases,
which could cause even death. For this activity it was necessary to bring the
townspeople where they were asked what type of treatment they gave to the
water they consumed, as they had already answered most of the questions
their answer was that they boiled the water before consuming it. But, why boil
it? (Final report Aliha)
To define the teacher as a subject that produces educational knowledge
circumscribes him as an active member of the academic community that discusses
the directions of its educational communities and to do so he does not isolate
himself from them, as professor Nelson states, he assumes the challenge of giving
options from the inside out.
To change the child from the same violence dynamics that he lives in, I think
that no one changes when they are taken out of their space. For you to change
you have to be inside your space, to recognize it, no one feels the pain of
another because he who has it inside is the one that feels it. So I have always
fought for that, to be inside the same context. (Interview Nelson)
From this perspective the field of education research is not disjoined from the
teaching practice itself, they are spaces for production of knowledge that feeds
from the permanent discussion and reflection.
STRENGTHENS LEADERSHIP AND THE IDEOLOGICAL DIMENSION OF ITS PROFESSION
The interest in constructing particular meanings to the practice of science teaching
in contexts such as Altos de Casuca called upon teachers in training to take a
stand against the reflective statement "I teach science because I am a science
teacher" and had them face another question: What am I teaching science for in
this school? Reflecting upon the meaning of education of these three young
teacher tests their revolutionary and transformative spirits but also the purposeful
sense of their concrete actions that as teachers they are willing to begin.
Without a doubt the Colombian society is in the middle of this conflict, the
conflict makes peasants and ethnic groups in many parts of Colombia such as
Huila, Tolima, Cauca, Bolivar, Santander have fear for their lives and leaving
their deceased behind to move to the peripheries of large cities, especially in
Bogota, in search for a better future, and this is precisely the Casuca
community, farmers driven off their land to seek refuge in the south of Bogota.
(Final report Jhoens)
From the recognition of the social conditions of the student population, the
teachers can become participants in the construction of new meanings for science
education, question themselves why teach science to students and those
belonging to these communities surpasses the explorations in the cognitive field
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where the needs are many and also takes care of the affective, attitudinal and
relational areas. Not only can we ask what kind of processes of thought and logical
operations are necessary to establish certain casual or mathematical
representations, but it also becomes important to know what kind of hardships
these children have been in compared to basic sanitation and how this affects the
new relationships that can be set with their natural and social environment.
Placing the teacher's practice is advertised as a challenge which we must access if
we want to significantly change science education for these communities, it is this
way in which the projection of these actions with concrete conditions that the
teacher locates his proposal as an alternative means for the local space to achieve
his actions.
The Neighborhood “El Progreso” belongs to the fourth district of Altos de
Casucá it is there where the inequality that that society lives in is seen; the
educations and the basic service supplies like water seem to be a hard to get
privilege in this place. “El Proceso” is a neighborhood of fighters, but also of
hurt and homeless people, letting the little sense of belonging they have
towards their surroundings be shown, this is maybe one of the issues that does
not allow the awareness of the problems that surround them. In front of them a
lagoon is located which maybe many years ago it was beautiful and maybe
clear, but that now days it is nothing other than the residency of industrial
wastes and the garbage of many people that have passed through there, which
constitutes today the black and putrid scenery that we see and perceive.
Although water comes from a tube just like a magic trick, two or three times a
day, but with no care about the shortage of water people carry on with their
lives, when water arrives it is kept in big bins or reservoir tanks that are located
outdoors, open to insects, wind and surveyutants that are harmful for human
health, it is also evident that children drink and waste water from the pipes with
great joy and enthusiasm, it seems to be a daily habit, and you can also see
with great sadness that children, young adults and old people as well as
nearby industries throwing trash into the lagoon which at this rate cant stand
one more paper. (Final report Aliha )
Locating the teachers teaching practices makes the teacher start a debate
regarding the types of material and relational conditions that are found and what he
wants to build, which sometimes poses a recognition of what he has and the
projection of what he wants for the children according to what the school builds, it
implies that the practice of the teacher be located in relation to the circumstances
that determine it, within a framework of events that go beyond the everyday space
of the classroom and in the conditions of possibility that outline the teaching
practice as a political action.
In the neighborhood Progreso, some Arenera (Sand) Companies are located,
this refers to the type of soil in which the district is located, because you may
observe that the ground from this part of the state are not suitable for
household construction, because of their low stiffness, we also add that this
82
neighborhood dos not have paved access roads, hence you can find a large
amount of dust inside homes, although this varies with the weather because
when there is rain season the dust is no longer a problem, however these
precipitations become the problem because rain
produces mudslides,
landslides and floods in the lower parts of the hill. It is clear that this
neighborhood was not planned, since inhabitants are reburies of displaced
people who invaded this land. (Final report Jhoens)
The responsibility of the teacher regarding individual students in the “Escuela Fe y
Esperanza” leads the teachers in training to distance themselves from the idea of
teaching as a result-product which surely is installed when you read the science
standards because no matter how much content is covered in science class, how
many test are applied to see what students learned, how many achievements are
reached to address during the period, the concern is then how to link everyday life
of students in the science classes, and how to project this science class in their
everyday life? With what do you want to impress and motivate your students so
they get to see how interesting it is to learn science? How to enhance the individual
elaborations and transform them into collective achievements? Questions that alter
the ways to be thought of as teachers.
The responsibility given to the teachers in training in terms of defining scope and
purpose of its classroom proposals, create and design specific activities of
teaching, establishing criteria for record achievements, raging their daily living
through diaries of classes, generating operating conditions for the development of
their classroom activities, field trips, manage, execute, budget, among other things,
has led these licensed teachers to gain leadership in the school community and to
analyze his role as a science teacher. Leadership that has allowed them to gain
security from their status as science teachers and from there to acknowledge the
cultural role of the teacher in our society.
Teaching with every situation, to make recognition of the population in the
cultural sense, overcome fears and competed with the street, the school must
be more attractive than standing on a corner. Understand that hunger is not
learned, the school and teachers should help improve the quality of life for this
population to respond to the standards of quality required. It must start from the
needs that the community has in order to organize the contents, prioritize the
pedagogical routs and allow the development of curiosity, inculcate a sense of
belonging, and the participation and political leadership. (Interview Nelson)
The different scenarios that they have had to face has also allowed the teachers to
assign an ideological dimension to their practice, while the concern for
understanding what they do and why the do it is constant, perceiving themselves
as subjects that socially project themselves and assume complete responsibility
towards the achievements of the children that participate o their proposal.
83
These “displaced children”, as they are called on a daily basis, occupy public
land and build their homes, all this happens in the last decade, but coexistence
becomes unbearable, they flee from war and find themselves, or rather they
create a similar one, the social inequality, the lack of jobs, and the scarce
opportunities that precipitate these children into criminality, to form juvenile
gangs, which dominate the Soacha locality. (Final report Jhoens)
The concern to enrich their training process has led the teachers to think of
themselves as individuals, who integrate political and ideological positions into their
teaching practice, who socially project their professional expectations and who
construct alternatives to transform the pre-established social order. Acknowledging
the political stance of the teacher allows him to share important decisions
regarding participation make him feel committed to the collective affairs and to
enhance his influence on communitarian issues.
Up to this moment the university has allowed the students to not only practice
but to feel committed to those boys and girls that need the chance, feeling like
real teachers capable of transforming has influenced the boys and girls that are
close to becoming offenders or that are close to dying in the hands of society,
this is the transformational role of education and the role of the students of the
University. (Interview Nelson)
These teachers in training think of themselves as citizens in the ethical sense,
which makes them, answer questions like ¿What responsibility does science class
has regarding the upbringing of new generations? How does class work strengthen
a critical and respectful citizenship towards differences? And how does science
education allow the construction of alternative social projects?
The ideological dimension of the teaching proactive commits the teacher to
communitarian matters that are not only local, but also that connects with global
issues that humanity is facing and that can be dealt with by concrete local actions.
But beyond establishing the causes and the responsible for the environmental
issue which are easy to identify, was that the boys and girls visualize what was
their role in the problem, not with the goal of making them feel guilty or
signaled but wanting to come up with a solution and the transformation of
habits and vision they had of water and of the lagoon served as guidelines so
that the kids could develop proposal contributions for the no contamination of
the lagoon, it is easier to say that the contamination is produced by residual
waters and other wastes that end up in the Terreros Lagoon, but they never
say that every time that a paper is tossed to the streets, or every time that we
throw oil down the pipe we are contributing to contaminating water. (Final
report Aliha)
The teacher who engages in this reflective exercise stops being an operator of
teaching models, and chooses to build his own space where he is building new
84
spaces where he is the main guide of the new directions that the school will take.
In the decision that the teacher takes regarding the actions that he will promote in
the classroom, the texts and discourses that he will pass on, including the
relevance that he gives and the way that he explains current policies on education,
expresses the political opinion that makes of his educational action a cultural
practice.
The cultural activities of the teacher debates itself between the state, the civil
society and the community, between the construction of contextual meaning of
his practice and the cultural commitments that a globalized society demands
him, between the territorial identities (articulated to the accounts of the nation,
for example.) between the control that society exercises and the claim of the
emancipation built by collective projects. (Jiménez, G Méndez O, 2010).
The processes carried with these teachers in training ends up showing that it is
possible to actively involve the teacher to the research processes recognizing their
knowledge, needs and interests that are constantly fed by the particular conditions
of the communities where they work. In this sense, teacher participation in
research processes not only seeks the appropriation of the problems faced in their
practice but that from this understanding change and transform the school, this
way the teacher assumes his status of intellectual and committed leader for the
construction of new directions for their school communities.
Educational research is beginning to be understood as a cooperative process that
is articulated, generated and organized from the practice itself to transform the
schools reality, in which the teacher and his daily teaching practice in the school
are understood as dynamic agents of the processes and not as objects prone for
investigation or innovated from the guidance of teaching, political or academic
models which are foreign to them.
REFLECTS UPON THE SOCIAL FUNCTION OF SCIENCE AND ITS TEACHING
What we see and experience currently is quite different, the in formations
seems to continue being magical, but affordable, technology has made it
possible for the population to read a book without waiting a month or more,
access to texts written in patagonia and translated immediately to the language
you want, and the smartypants is not the teacher, now the internet is, the
astonishment is no longer a reaction of the students, everything is so plane
and obvious, so necessary for them, now there are no friends, there is
Facebook, there no longer is any solidarity, there are marches in twitter. It
opened a world of endless opportunities to explore science in many fields, but
like in the old days science and everyday life are separated by an enormous
gap, although not understood, it is understood that the teaching of science
continues to be repetitive and memoristic. (Paper about the sense of teaching
science Aliha)
85
The reflection about the social role of science and its teaching merits that we place
ourselves in specific contexts and in particular socio-cultural conditions, since
according to these contexts and conditions it makes sense that we can give the
answer about what the role played by science in a particular social group is and
how to deal with their teaching practices to ensure the achievement of that
collective interest.
Consistent with the study of opinion developed in the first phase of the Traces
Project in which the different purposes of teachers, policy makers and researchers
were posed as diverse pose to science education in each of the six partner
countries of the consortium, we consider that the socio-cultural context of each
school determines the directions given to the practices of science education.
Reflection on the social function of science and its teaching from the field actions
carried out in the “Escuela Fe y Esperanza” allowed to address the discussions
about the social role that has been assigned to science throughout the education
history in our country, the involvement of the curriculum and the relevance that is
given in terms of schedule intensity, regulations for its development, the
educational policies that affect the dissemination and promotion in and outside of
school, the social role of science in the construction of collective imagery among
other areas that help describe the multiple dimensions of an issue that is critical
and a priority to be addressed by teachers in training and in practice.
The issue that appears to be most important to science education is, how the
teaching of science contributes to the upbringing of social subjects, committed
to the needs and solutions in your environment and your community?
Questioning that does not belong solely to the classroom but must be
considered and reflected by the entire population because the teaching of
science is a compromise of teachers, as well as students, parents, brothers
and the whole community. (Paper on the sense of teaching science. Aliha)
For the teacher in training the development of classroom proposals allowed him to
question and reflect upon the reasons for science and its teachings in socially
vulnerable contexts like Altos de Casuca, which forced to locate teaching practices
in specific social contexts, to notice the correlation between them and the collective
projects, to assess the correspondence between the social images that are
promoted through its teaching and the political decisions of a social group.
The ideological options taken from these circumstances move the teaching
practices away from the interest for discovering or reconstructing the sense of the
scientific productions and bring the need for constructing meaning closer to those
who experience the classroom.
86
The interest for the cognitive processes associated to the appropriation of the
science productions is pushed back and the emphasis is given to collective
dynamics that are set in the teaching practices. (Jiménez, G Méndez O, 2010).
New meanings for the teaching practices are revealed when the emphasis is
moved from the learning of the scientific productions (in terms of laws, algorithms,
principles, models) to the comprehension of the context and the intention to
explain, comprehend, and give meaning to the world. The teaching practices would
worry about the construction of scenarios where students could get linked with that
comprehensive and intentional exercise of building sense and collective
significance that guide the ways of relating to and in the world.
The problem of curriculum is that their proposal is built unrealistically, in places
that are closed by Wiseman with rigid themes that are not related to reality.
Curriculum should be constructed by the community who is ultimately who
should guide the school. The curriculum should be flexible and subject to daily
change regarding its dynamics. Planning should be done taking into account
the needs of the population; the contents must be adjusted to the context,
recognizing our reality and to be able to transform it. (Interview Nelson)
To permanently locate the development of the classroom proposals related with a
reflection about the social function of science teaching demands teachers in
training to locate their teaching interests in a critical and proactive way in relation to
students that have a life story that shows expectations and that manifest particular
ways of understanding school.
I want to teach them to be critical towards the nature of certain movement
phenomenon‟s so that they learn and develop their critical thinking, for me it is
that, that they learn to formulate questions so that they are more open and
have a broader perspective of their community. (Interview Jhoens)
The requirements to make the knowledge that is build on school a tool for
comprehension that allows the student to explain the world they inhabit, is in a
permanent tension with the way knowledge is usually standardized, making them a
theoretical corpus that function in an autonomous field from which they are
validated in themselves, even when away from the world that the subject face on a
daily basis.
School culture is different from the scientific culture but they both involve a
collective component that is necessary to rethink many of the processes of
appropriation that are promoted. The issue is, then, to generate communicative
environments in school, rather than privileging the normative nature and the
aseptic appropriation of symbols protected to interpretation, the freedom of
speech should be allowed, as well as the exchange of elaboration, the
comparison of ideas, and confrontation of arguments. To define science and its
teaching as cultural activities, that is, as scenarios of construction of personal
87
meaning, between what we are as humans and what we are capable of being.
(Jiménez, G Méndez O, 2010)
In this perspective, science teaching becomes an appropriate space for the teacher
to transform the social image of science, to recognize the advantages of placing it
inside the basic culture of these citizens and to strengthen the options that it offers
so that a society can think of itself and can be built as a collective project. (EcoPerspectivas 2008).
Today the teaching of science has acquired new challenges, in this way boys
and girls apprehend, understand and apply science constantly while
negotiating with their environment on a daily basis, generating critical and
proactive thinking towards their everyday problems, that is, “the woods, the
lagoon, the sewer or the park, are all understood as relational spaces where it
is possible to think, dream, and build a future in a collective way, update
knowledge, and make it practical for the construction of multiple realities”.
(Orozco and others, 2003). Under this perspective water and the Terreros
Lagoon become the problem of knowledge that I have to face new fields of
study, new teaching strategies that make me apply my creative and
experimental side. (Final report Aliha)
The concern for building meaning for science teaching practices in contexts such
as the “Escuela Fe y Esperanza” allowed to maintain a constant motivation for
responding to questions such as what is the meaning of science teaching in
primary? What type of sciences would be relevant to teach in these levels and in
these social contexts? What is the responsibility of science classes regarding the
upbringing of new generations? How does classroom work contribute to
strengthening ethics and respect to life and to differences? How does the teaching
task help build alternative social projects? The attempts to answer these questions
are shown in each classroom proposal and keeps the interest of research in both
the members of the Traces project and the teachers in training that participated in
the proposals.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AYALA, M.M. (2006). Los análisis histórico-críticos y la recontextualización de los
saberes científicos. Construyendo un nuevo espacio de posibilidad. En: Proposiçoes. Vol. 17. No. 1 (49). Brasil.
GÓMEZ, G, MÉNDEZ, O. OROZCO, J.C. y VALENCIA, S. (2004). Los Problemas
de Conocimiento: Traducciones e Interpretaciones de un encuentro. Informe
Grupo Eco-Perspectivas. CIUP-UPN.
GÓMEZ, G, MÉNDEZ, O. y VALENCIA, S. (2006).Los Saberes de la
representación o de cómo imaginar la escuela. Revista electrónica
Interuniversitaria de formación del profesorado. 9 (1). 10 p.
88
IMBERNON, F. (Coord.). (2002). La investigación educativa como herramienta de
formación del profesorado. Grao. Barcelona.
IRANZO, J.M. BLANCO, R. (Coord.). (1995). Sociología de la ciencia y la
tecnología. Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.
MARTÍNEZ M.C. (2005). La figura del maestro como sujeto político. Lugar de los
colectivos y redes pedagógicas en su agenciamiento. Revista Nodos y Nudos, N°
19. Bogotá RED-CEE- U.P.N.
MEJÍA Marco Raúl. Leyendo las políticas educativas de la globalización. Ponencia
presentada en el panel sobre reformas educativas en América Latina en el XX
Congreso de la CIEC Santiago de Chile Enero 2004
MÈLLICH, Joan Carles. (2005). Finales de trayecto. Finitud, Ética y Educación en
un mundo incierto. En: La Educación en tiempos débiles e inciertos. Antonio
Arellano Duque (comp.) Anthropos. España.
OFICINA REGIONAL DE EDUCACIÓN DE LA UNESCO PARA AMÉRICA
LATINA Y EL CARIBE, OREALC / UNESCO Modelos Innovadores en la formación
Docente Inicial. Estudios de casos de modelos innovadores en la formación
docente en América Latina y Europa. Publicado. www.unesco.cl Santiago de
Chile, Chile, Junio 2006. p 257.
OROZCO, J. C., VALENCIA, S., MÉNDEZ, O., JIMÉNEZ, G. y GARZÓN, J. P.
(2003) Los problemas de conocimiento una perspectiva compleja para la
enseñanza de las ciencias. Revista TEΔ No. 14 pags. 109-120. Revista de la
Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología. Universidad Pedagógica Nacional.
POZO M. J.I. GÓMEZ CRESPO, M.A. Aprender y enseñar ciencia. (1998). Madrid:
Morata.
RIGAL, L. (1999). La escuela crítico-democrática: Una asignatura pendiente en los
umbrales del siglo XXI. En: La educación en el siglo XXI. Los retos del futuro
inmediato. Barcelona. Grao.
VASCO, C.E, BARRERA de ARAGÓN, María y otros. De la teoría a la práctica en
la formación de docentes en ciencias naturales y matemáticas en Colombia.
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. 2004. P. 132
DOCUMENTARY SOURCES
2005. Lineamientos Generales del Programa de Especialización en Docencia de
las Ciencias para el Nivel Básico. UPN.
JIMÉNEZ G., G. MÉNDEZ N., O. VARGAS N., M. (2005). El aula como sistema de
relaciones. Módulo de Pedagogía II. Programa Especialización en Docencia de las
Ciencias para el Nivel Básico. UPN.
JIMÉNEZ G., G. MÉNDEZ N., O. VARGAS N., M. (2005). La investigación
educativa en las prácticas de enseñanza de las ciencias. Módulo de Pedagogía III.
Programa Especialización en Docencia de las Ciencias para el Nivel Básico. UPN.
89
JIMÉNEZ G., G. SANDOVAL O., S. VARGAS N., M. (2004). La ciencia como
actividad cultural. Módulo de Pedagogía I. Programa Especialización en Docencia
de las Ciencias para el Nivel Básico. UPN.
90
2.3. REPORT CASE STUDY 2: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A
POLICY
OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
AND
THE
CONSTRUCTION OF PROPOSALS FOR TEACHING SCIENCE
The field actions that support this case study are developed in an official institution
located in the Capital District of Bogotá, the institution is Colegio Campestre
Monteverde IED, a school for primary and middle school education and counts with
four teachers in the areas of natural sciences and environmental education. The
question that orients this study is: Which practices within the teaching of science
are shaped when the school establishes an environmental perspective?
2.3.1 THE LOCAL CONTEXT OF THE FIELD ACTIONS
INFORMATION UNIT OF INTERVENTION
Institución Educativa Campestre Monteverde
School Type
Accredited
School for
basic and
middle
vocational
education.
PEI
Links
Size of school
Teachers
Background
Levels
Students
Background
The school has
two locations with
Four licensed
three schedules:
teachers:
Morning,
Three in biology,
Afternoon and
one in chemistry
Night.
Basic
and one in biology.
Forty-one (41)
Preschool,
One of the
Students whose
teachers at
elementary y
teachers is
parents are
headquarters A.
and high
specialized in
emigrants from the
Fifteen (15) for
school,
environmental
countryside. Urban
elementary and
vocational
education and
marginality condition.
fourteen (14) for
average.
another teacher is
high school. One
carrying out a
thousand and fifty
master degree in
(1050) students
chemistry
in headquarters
education.
An afternoon
schedule.
Quality of life through emphasis of environmental management, with emphasis on
environment – Investigation and socialization.
Restructuring of the curriculum in accordance with the basic-middle articulation
agreement with the SENA.
Enrichment of the PRAE with projects like Reverdece la vida with the Jardín
Botánico.
Reorganization of the curriculum by cycles with the District Secretary of
Education
91
Projects
Neighborhoods of the world
Un diplomado de utilización de nuevas tecnologías para la educación con la UPN
Enseñanza por proyectos para ciencias naturales con la Escuela Pedagógica
Experimental
Chicos y chicas, investigadores y transformadores de su ambiente con la
Universidad Externado de Colombia
DESCRIPTION OF FIELD ACTIONS
Type
Size
Level
Profile
Origin
Responsibility
Relation with
educational
authorities
Level of
investment
Time scale
Graduates in science teaching chemistry and biology studies posgraduales
4 teachers in the area of science Campestre Monteverde School
Activities in the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth
Teachers with government contracting plant with interests in the link between
the Institutional Educational Project in environmental management and
science curriculum area.
Participation in the study of opinion developed by the TRACES project
Coordinated actions between each school and UPN Traces Project
Institutional endorsement of the guidelines for the development of field
activities
Intermediate level of demand (weekly or bi-face meetings in each of the
phases).
Intermediate (one year and a half) From February to December 2011
QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL
This institution is located in the eastern mountains of Bogotá, kilometer 5 via the
Calera, the neighborhoods that conform it are: San Isidro, Sureña, San Luis, La
Esperanza y Marací. This sector is characterized for sharing rural and urban
terrains, product of an unplanned urbanization, which has led to deforestation and
the use of the ground for the construction of housing, damages in the water
resources and the extraction of materials for quarries. The study plan for the
Campestre Monteverde District School has been modified in its general purposes,
contents and courses, thanks to the SENA26 agreement. They have received
guidance on behalf of the Universidad del Bosque in the strengthening of their
PEI27 and from the secretary of education policy in Bogotá, which seeks the
organization of educational institutions in cycles. The natural sciences area is in
charge of chemistry, physics, environment and biology in a basic middle school
level; while the articulated average is in charge of chemistry, environment,
administration and investigation. Such subjects are organized around situations
26
SENA. National learning service who‟s mission is to carry out state functions of investment in the
social and technical development of Colombian workers, offering and executing the integral and
free of charge formation of professionals, for the development and incorporation of people in
productive activities that contribute to the social, economical and technological development of the
country. Taken from www.sena.edu.co.
27
PEI: Stands for Institutional Educational Project. 1994 General education law, 1860 decrete
chapter 3, article 14 on its conformation.
92
that affect the environment of the institution and nearby localities and principally
concerning topics chosen based on standards, previous experiences of the
teachers and the interior agreements of the institution. Important developments of
the educational environmental project are observed (PRAE) 28, its production
includes professors from the entire institution and assessment, as seen in previous
years, of exterior entities like Jardín Botánico (Botanic garden) and the Universidad
Autónoma.
INSTITUTIONAL TEAM SETUP
This institution participated in a focal group for the study of opinion of the TRACES
project, consequently binding four teachers within the natural science and
environmental education area. Their interest is finding teaching alternatives by
means of formulating projects and participating actively in training activities that are
promoted by the institution and the Secretary of Education in the Capital District.
The team begins its conformation throughout a series of periodic meetings with the
science teachers in afternoon sessions with the participation of the institution‟s
academic coordination. The discussions are permanently held surrounding the
preoccupation on behalf of the teachers, for environmental education and the need
to develop these kinds of perspectives for the school. The importance of creating
environmental consciousness in new generations and treating topics such as the
relationship that humans have established with water, air and health, as well as
discussing a way to help children recognize ancestral riches and their importance
in environmental education. In this sense, TRACES actions collaborate in
articulating the efforts that have been carried out in the PRAE, PEI and the
agreement of articulation with the SENA29, and offer educational elements for the
enrichment of organizing education by cycles.
DESIGN OF CLASSROOM PROPOSALS
in order to agree upon the design of the proposals, diverse discussions are held,
such as: The relationship between the environmental project and the thematic
28
By means of the definition and actions of the Environmental school projects. (PRAE). Decrete
1743 of 1994 concerning the obligatory nature of PRAES. For all levels of formal education, the
national ministry of education, environment, development and housing are carrying out strategies
for the inclusion of the environmental in formal education, based on national educational and
environmental politics and the formation of a cultural ethic surrounding the management of the
environment.
29
Some of the norms that orient the articulation: Law 749 of 2002 By which the public service of
superior education is organized in professional technical and technological modalities and other
dispositions are dictated. The Policy of articulating education within the productive world. The
national system of labor formation - Conpes 81 of 2004. Decrete 2020 of 2006 By which the system
for quality formation of labor is organized. Strengthening of technical and technological education in
Colombia - Conpes 3360 June of 2005. Decrete 2888 of July 31st of 2007 by which the creation,
organization and functioning of the institutions that provide educational services for work and the
development of humans is created.
93
contents of the subject, the environmental problems that will be studied, the social
and environmental contexts (Green areas, moorlands near to the school, and
school space) that may be object to the study of the different proposals and the
importance of generating productive projects that match the SENA articulation
perspectives. The design action is affected by several changes in the teacher‟s
academic loads (number of classes they are in charge of and participation in
institutional projects), as well as changes in the classroom proposals that have
been made because of discussions related with scholar and epistemological
budgets that will support the actions of the teachers. Four classroom proposals are
structured finally, each one of them being led by one of the professors in the
science department. The classroom proposals of the teachers in the institution
obey the four criteria, collectively constructed by the teachers following the
TRACES team orientation and are presented below:




The theme or problematic selected for the classroom should be tied to
environmental arguments since it is one of the central focus areas of the
teachers and institution. These ideas should aim towards the conceptual
construction, the transformation of the children‟s actions and the repercussion
of these on the school community.
The proposals should develop communication processes in which the
expression of values towards maintaining the environment and transforming
interpersonal relationships is privileged. It also should promote the construction
of communication abilities in oral texts and picture writing, among others.
Link experimental actions with field work, that enrich the comprehension of the
phenomenon that is being studied, formulating new questions, descriptions,
data, procedures and other aspects that enlarge experiences and allow our
relating to these new phenomena‟s.
Gather the student‟s every day experiences as an important asset for the
explanations that may be accomplished.
First Proposal: Developed by teacher Edgar Giovanni Garavito with a seventh
grade group (703) of basic middle school. The proposal is titled “A close-up on
instincts as a part of the school environment,” he centers his study on some
invertebrate animals such as flies and (Heranice miltoglypta) beetles that live on
the green area near to the school (The entrance) and their influence on the high
Andean forest dynamic. With this study the teacher„s intentions are:
Generate environmental sensibility through the study of insects in our
surroundings, recognizing them at an important ecological level. The
interaction of the students with their surroundings and specifically with insects
allows them to work within a biological concept for their description and
understanding as well as in the dynamic of their ecosystems. To make the
surroundings of the school a resource for exploring and analyzing diverse
situations, allowing a more dynamic and practical way of passing on
94
knowledge, just as recognizing processes within these animals‟ changes the
typical image we have of them as “bugs.”
The classroom activity has to do with the observation and description of the place,
determining some of it‟s characteristics, exploring the animals that live there,
studying some aspects of these animals and reflecting on their important role in
maintaining the balance of the place.
Second Proposal: Aims for the comprehension of global problems concerning
diversity; It begins with an ancestral point of view and continues with the
recognition of moorland as an ecosystem of great importance in the environmental
equilibrium. The teacher Over Rozo denominates his proposal as: “Protection of
biodiversity from an ancestral knowledge stance,” and proposes a student close up
with one of the moorlands closest to the institution, creating questionings
surrounding the modern man and his relationship with nature and the possibility of
incorporating ancestral knowledge as an alternative to transform that relationship.
It is basically interested in:
Recognizing and making explicit the relationships we have with nature and the
analysis of different biological, chemical and physical variables that allow an in
95
depth study of this ecosystem. The proposal is carried out in the space for
environmental formation, subject that belongs to the environmental
development emphasis in the SENA agreement and carried out with vocational
average tenth grade students.
Third Proposal: Is carried out by teacher Yolima Garzón Suárez “Teaching our
students the value of our Aeolian resources,” this study is directed towards ninth
graders and has to do with comprehending the importance of the use of clean
energy in human activities, through the construction of technological objects and
prototypes.
Some activities are proposed to get the student familiar with technologies applied
to the knowledge and protection of the environment and to recognizing the
importance of clean energy and the acquisition of abilities for the construction of
technological objects or devices to help give answers to our environmental issues.
The teacher relates the actions carried out with previous TRACES actions named
“El Cerro the San Luis y Las Moyas, a space for teaching and learning the use of
our aeolic resources, hand in hand with the environment, energy and technology.”
She finds the following important:
Encourage knowledge, attitudes and values in students in favor of using clean
energy and Aeolic energy and the construction of Aeolic generating models
that contribute to environmental conservation and taking advantage of the
Aeolic resources in our nearby forests and moorlands.
The area the surrounds the institution at times presents a lack of water service, it
also receives the influence of winds that the professor finds may be taken
advantage of.
96
Fourth Proposal: “The learning of science through a project methodology.” This is
related with recognizing the adaptations that some species must undergo in the
moorlands, as a strategy to comprehend the conditions necessary for survival and
the importance of the ecosystems in the environmental equilibrium of the region.
This is done through the creation of student projects that question, fundament and
propose alternative knowledge for the improvement of the surroundings. The
proposal is implemented by teacher Pilar García, with eighth grade students in the
science and environment subjects.
By using the project methodology on a particular topic, the students had the
opportunity to do an in depth study of the moorlands from diverse
perspectives… All of these “activities with sense,” allowed the students not
only to learn about the topic, but also to strengthen certain communication,
artistic, axiological and of course scientific competences.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS
In 2011‟s third trimester, two of the designed proposals are carried out. The design
of the other proposals presented difficulties and there for parallel work is carried
out no both designs and their implementation in the classroom. Permanent
modifications are carried out depending on the conceptual discussions and
experiences of the group. Special emphasis is made on the registers that the
teachers must fill out (field diaries, description and interpretation of the activities.)
Work material for the classroom is also produced, such as: guides, workshops,
lectures, fieldwork, lab activities, and in most cases all of these are elaborated with
the TRACES team.
SYSTEMATIZATION
It is important that teachers develop written documents to present their research
experience in the classroom, as a strategy to assess the developments made with
97
the activities, in terms of student learning and changing teacher practices, it is
proposed a constant exercise of interpretation and reflection on practice for which
the team has designed various activities such as: running a work shop organization
and processing of field notes based on the study of ways of recording and analysis
of proposed classroom, which has come from earlier counseling with teachers of
research programs and graduate programs of the UPN, conducting on going
discussions and feedback from the writings produced by each of the teachers. As a
final task promotes the collective construction of a written account of the results of
each proposal.
2.3.2. CASE STUDY REPORT
FRAMING AND PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM
The relationship between a policy for environmental education and the construction of
proposals for teaching science
Investigation Question
Context
Institutional Frame
Actors
Which practices within the
teaching of science are
shaped when the school
establishes an
environmental
perspective?
Rural suburban
Community with a
strongly
deteriorate
environment
thanks to the
impact of
unplanned
urbanization.
Institutional
educational project
with great emphasis
on environmental
management.
Four teachers from the
Natural Science areas
that are interested in
developing their
practices according to
environmental issues
and the PEI.
In our line of work it is common to talk about the teaching of science and
environmental education, however it is convenient to deepen in some of the
actions the teachers carry out, which have an impact on the curriculum, study
plans, the perspective on how knowledge is assumed and is taught, and how
based on the above we can define different ways of relating to the social and
natural environment of the school.
The problem is related to the description and recognition of some of the practices
within the teaching of science that are carried out in school when an environmental
perspective is adopted; and how in the adoption of this perspective many
determinations are involved such as legal affairs, determinations on behalf of the
educational system and even the needs of the school community.
The offering of alternatives for forming people that are committed with the natural
and social environment requires teachers that advance on different actions, such
as: The curriculum, the study plan, the teaching practices in each classroom, the
adoption of initiatives and programs that reach the school and are related with the
school‟s urban landscape and that the monitoring of some of these actions may
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give value to the knowledge of the teachers as an academic know how that
provides an improvement of the educational realities in our country.
The formulation of environmental education policies may result as insufficient if the
efforts for formulating teaching practices that allow critical discussion, proposals for
guidelines and objectives that will dictate these practices are not specified. In this
case we will see that such discussions favor the recognition of the teachers
knowledge and potentiates the educational intentions presented in the regional and
national policies. In that case, the conformation of investigating actions from school
and with the support of the TRACES project may value and enrich the teaching
practices in science and environmental education.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL
The images of nature, landscape, environment that both teachers and students
possess have been culturally configured and are part of a net of meanings that
man has constructed throughout history and from socially influenced meanings of
the world today, a world where people are taking interest in forests, oceans, living
beings and climatic conditions. Based on these assumptions they also weave their
dreams and perspectives for school. Some of those assumptions are outlined here
and encourage the investigation that allows us to see where the teachers come
from concerning these topics.
Societies have established diverse relationships with situations relating to the
environment. From contemplation and romantic points of view, to use and
domination that defines nature as something material and a resource that can be
administrated. Also, conceptions of nature that define it as a source of problematic
and disciplinary situations that may be solved with the help of science and
technology. However, other ways of looking at nature exist and are set in a cultural
plane and they play a part in the transformation of the different meanings that
define how we are and what we do as subjects of a society.
When professors welcome environmental education projects or science projects
they do so from certain basic assumptions. For example, we ourselves30 expressed
a few years back, that environmental educations is a position that allows the
relationship between man-nature to be understood in different ways, ways that
should transcend an ecological plane since the environments where the life of
humans takes place are mucho more complex and comprehend more meanings
than the ones studied by ecology. Men relate with nature intentionally and because
through culture they have constructed, reinvented and transformed agricultural,
30
Referring to some of the members of the TRACES team in Colombia
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social, technical and communicatory systems, among others, that are constantly
interrelated with things natural and cultural (Jiménez G y Rojas D 1996).
Assumptions that are valid still, but demand complement; this is why it is important
to explore cultural meaning as an expression of the diverse processes that
transform social practices and/or individual practices, since these are constituents
of reality.
As an example we can observe how in one affirmation31 you can recognize diverse
perspectives and tones, from which one speaks. It shows how in that phrase the
environmental problems are seen as global and with an also global solution.
However the problem is supported on economic, political and ethic bases that
define the relationship with nature in a development model. This model has
supports such as: the excessive promotion within the market, the inclusion of men
and land as merchandise, the submission of the political and social towards the
economical, the increasing value of the competition, utilitarianism, individualism
and progress as a wanted affair for the growth and development of a society; more
recently, with aspects of globalization and liberty of sales, internationalism of the
industry and the relocation of the capital.
The models of sustainable or integral development are what currently inspire a lot
of the solutions that are promoted today and paradoxically don‟t achieve the
abandoning of the previous development model which they are supported on and
even highlight the causes that the solution tries to attack. They exalt an interest for
the management, administration and economic viability of the medium, without
“deteriorating” it. The speeches move in an ethic that almost seems to respect an
agreement between what‟s natural and what‟s economical, without transforming
the modern bases on which the relationship man-nature is supported on. Concepts
such as human capital, raw material, contaminants, and the preservation of natural
resources are reinforced, concepts which are highly rooted in societies language.
Perspectives for life and nature like the following demand the engagement on
behalf of everybody and the comprehension of the totality of the world.
“Colombia requires a new policy for the environment sustained in a cultural
policy of democratic education. A policy which impulses models and styles of
hydraulic and telluric development, reconciling scientific reason with technical
and collective purposes in nature and society. This implies a dialogue with
multiple solutions between social, political, artistic and legal know how and that
of the entire natural sciences. Socializing the technologies and knowledge,
making science and culture both social categories. A holistic, interdisciplinary
31
What is said may be seen in speeches like the following: “Environmental problems are generators
in determined processes of the production of wealth... as the pressure on production increase so
much that it over passes the capacity of self sustaining, meaning the level of exploitation that allows
indefinite amounts of riches without making the environment suffer a deterioration
problem.(ANDREOLI 1990)
100
and synthetic vision of what the mind and knowledge of the contemporary
time‟s needs. An education and a humanitarian and democratic culture.”
(SÁNCHEZ 2004)
In this speech the problems on a global scale that claim to give answers with the
help of the local, national and the global, coexist. Globalism expands to a
conceptual dimension and promotes points of view that oscillate from science and
technology to ethics, philosophy, politics and esthetic. Nature is no longer situated
solely in what is biological; it opens its way to culture and the sense that humans
have constructed symbolically though history. The “Trans,” and “Inter,” come into
the scene of the social and intellectual responsibility, in this way denoting the
complexity of this discourse.
The human dimension becomes a social one and from here an ethic and political
behavior is promoted, one that attends the laws and behaviors that are also
constructed socially. The comprehension of environmental problems implies the
understanding not only of the biological human, but also the social human. In this
way, how an individual human confronts nature and transforms it is supported by
the tangled web or relationships with the social, political and economic aspects that
define the human as a social being. (ANGEL 2002)
Inside of culture and from the realities that configure it, tensions between the
diverse languages in which global, local, actuality and traditional, minority and
general aspects are counterpoised, intertwined and moved…
“We need new narratives for culture and life… they should be based on the
mediations and hybrids that the local cultures achieve to affect on the
speeches and practices of capital and modernism. This is a collective task in
which the social movements without doubt will play a primary role” (ESCOBAR,
Arturo 1999)
We understand that the way in which humans give sense and relate with
themselves and with their natural and social world is enriched by the multiple
spaces for meanings of their individual and collective historical pasts. These
spaces for meanings allow the emergence of representation in the subjects,
and its these representations that mobilize different ways of relating with the
world, which allows survival and adaptation to hostile environments, but also
links them with the capacity of constructing knowledge. (VALENCIA and
others: 2000)
To enrich our environmental perspectives and considering that it is necessary to
understand that we find ourselves in a historical moment, where the technological,
scientific and informatics advances have generated imbalances and it is pertinent
to pick up tools for the construction of alternatives since “an ethical and political
articulation between environment, social relationship and human subjectivity,” are
needed, as the author has put it. (GUATTARI 1996)
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We try to create production of mechanisms and new subjectivities 32, looking for the
construction of a human existence that keeps in mind certain concerns for what is
individual, social, natural, cultural, historical, scientific, everyday, artistic,
psychological, corporal etc… An existence which passes through schools, family,
public transportation, the body, streets and companies, meaning, everything that
defines the human being in the center of its own cultural semiotic, in which it is
possible to keep subsisting.
If authors like this one advocate for the creation of new sense and meaning for
existence, the knowledge that is currently treasured should then be put in another
dimension and relation with the world: From natural sciences, to social sciences, to
art and religion, new esthetics, ethic and political practices will be produced and
put in articulation of:
“The subjectivity in a rising state, the socials in a mutant state and the
environment, to a point where it can be reinvented, where the exit for the most
important crisis of our time will be elucidated.” (GUATTARI 1996)
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION POLICY
In Colombia almost four decades back an innumerable amount of actions have
been advancing for the inclusion of affairs relating education for the protection of
the environment in schools. In some cases, even before the general education law
of 1994, actions like: events, treaties or projects were being carried out in a
particular and spontaneous manner by different actors interested in retaking
reflections raised by the increasing natural and social environmental issues.
By this time at a worldwide level, events and treaties had been generated in order
to stand up for the necessity of including an environmental education policy and
one that oriented national searches, which is the case of Stockholm in 1972,
preceded by the expert seminar celebrated in Belgrade the year before,
encounters in Chile and Cuba in 1995, among others that concluded guidelines for
educational reforms from an environmental point of view. Nationally some
institutions got organized and promoted environmental education from different
approaches, (IDEA) Institute of Environmental Studies, (CAR) Corporación
Autonoma Regional and at a local level different environmentalist groups and even
schools began with environmental actions.
32
The provisional definition of subjectivity that would best encompass and be needed for this stage
will be: set of conditions by which individual/collective stances are capable of emerging from an
existing sui-referential territory, in relationship with or adjacently with the outline at the same time a
subjective otherness. (GUATTARI 1996: 20)
102
Further on and in hand with the country‟s environmental policies 33 organization the
environmental education policy is incorporated formally in the national order,
initially with the National constitution EXPEDICIÓN of 1991 and afterwards with the
promulgation of the 1994 General education law.
“The environmental education program of the National education ministry was
born as an answer to these needs. With the intention of concluding the
mission, the strategies and methods for work will be the center of the program.
In 1992 a agreement with the National University of Colombia was signed, its
objective was to impulse the interdisciplinary work team, conformed by
professionals from the ministry of education and the Environmental Studies
Institute of the National University (IDEA). The function of this team was to
start exploring possible strategies, concepts and methods, among others, for
an environmental education; Reflections around and integral formation
concept, (a specific field within environmental education) of what had been
occurring in the field of environmental education in the country and finding
roads to orient the regions in their own processes towards achieving results in
the formation of new ethical and responsible citizens within their environment,
as one of the ultimate accomplishments of environmental education”
(TORRES: 1992)
These environmental policies will soon be retaken in the education field. In this
case study we are especially interested in retaking the way in which environmental
education and formal education may be related in basic and middle vocation levels,
allowing new relationships with the teaching of science. General law postulates in
one of its education goals:
“The acquisition of a conservation, protection and improvement consciousness
of the environment, of the quality of life, the rational use of natural resources,
the prevention of disasters within an ecological culture and the risk and
defense of the national cultural patrimony,” (General Law Title 1, article 5).
This allows us to gather the particular initiatives that have been happening in at a
local and national level and based on these, promote institutional actions of an
obligatory nature, whether it be of a topical content as a study problem or as a
mandatory area or transversal project, that at the same time feed other institutional
education projects.
Within the principles of this law (115) we can point out not only the importance that
is given to scientific and technological knowledge as guarantees of cultural
33
The national environmental system (SINA) is created of environmental management, who‟s
components define the mechanisms of state action and civil action. The back bone of the national
environmental management system is the SINA, which articulates the Ministry of environment and
the Corporaciones Autónomas Regionales (CAR), the institutes of investigation and the
administration departments.(Tobasura Isaias, 2006; 1-12)
103
development, but also the development of an environmental mentality that allows
us to situate the new citizen in current issues, which is why this is suggested.
“The acquisition of a conservation, protection and improvement consciousness
of the environment, the quality of life, the rational use of natural resources, the
prevention of disasters within an ecological culture and the risk and defense of
cultural national patrimony.” (General Law, Article 5)
Environmental school projects (PRAES). As a legal mechanism, the inclusion of
projects that contain environmental projects in transversal areas of school are
incorporated in the environmental school projects (Decree 1743 1994) 34, these
should aim for the comprehension of environmental problems that the institution
will determine as the most important and that agree with the institutional PEI.
Throughout the years and with the interference of the different governmental and
academic entities, these projects have taken different aims and have taken place
within school in different ways and are presently one of the most popular projects
at an institutional level.
To show some of the theoretical
through PRAE, we can talk about
direction of agency projects of the
some guidelines for PRAE were
attends the following:
content that is carried out by the school and
some of its moments. For example in the sub
Ministry of National Education (MEN) for 2005,
proposed. PRAE should have a profile that
A curriculum with an environmental dimension: An introduction of the
context of the environmental problem in the Study Plan and other activities
within the educational institution, pedagogical and teaching methods oriented
towards the development and strengthening of competences having to do with
scientific and citizen thinking, that allow comprehension of the interactions
between nature – society and culture, in particular environmental contexts.
Pedagogical vision, that allows the construction of meaningful knowledge.
(The environmental context as a meaningful factor) Spaces and operative
mechanisms that allow the dialogue between know-how’s (scientific
knowledge, traditional knowledge, popular knowledge, among others.)
Interdisciplinary work, not just at the interior of the institution but also at the
exterior from its associations with other institutions. Agency component:
consultation with local, regional, department and national actors: (Ministries,
SENA, Corporaciones Autónomas Regionales, Secretary of Education,
34
In this way, the decree 1743 of 1994 points it out. From the month of May 1995, according to the
guidelines of the national ministry of education and attending the national environmental education
policy, all formal education establishments of the country, both private and official, in their different
preschool, elementary and high school levels should include environmental projects within the
institutional educational, with the frame of environmental, local regional or national diagnostics so
that specific environmental problems may be resolved.
In what has to do with the environmental education of ethnic communities, this should be done
keeping in mind the respect for their cultural, social and natural characteristics and attending to their
own tradition
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Universities, ONG, among others). Activities with direct intervention that
allow the pedagogic-teaching reflection and their projection in the
transformation for the institution, Two (2) or more actors committed to the
project and two (2) or more areas of theory as axes of the educational
proposal” (TORRES 2005)
Said profile shows in a shallow way, not the only the way to incorporate the project
to the school, but also some of the theoretical perspectives of the SED in Bogotá
from the previous period of government in the District Capital. In relation with
environmental education and the formation of citizens, the proposal is to develop
the capabilities in children so that they may act in a sustainable fashion in
relationship with the environment. (Sector planning of education 2008-2012) This
highlights the importance of building society and the critical comprehension of the
world, based on day-to-day reality of children, the knowledge that derives from that
reality joined with scientific knowledge play an important part in the construction of
useful concepts in the consolidation of problems and in the construction of a social
rationality coming from values and environmental ethic. In the strategies for school
a minimum orientation is proposed, from which the school should plan its academic
actions. Such minimums (Are parts of the project and some assumptions that
support them) are related with the vision of quality and management 35 that in the
last few years have orientated the educational processes in the country and thus
the language that crosses the projects that observe with interest the education and
management of the environment for its conservation and protection, from a
sustainability perspective. Four phases are proposed:


Contextualization in which a school community consensus is proposed from
which there is en election of the situations of interest, the search for information
that includes the life experiences of grandparents, peasant and ethnic members
that relate with the school; also the use of new technologies like satellites that
facilitate the knowledge of the geography.
Identification of the environmental situation. It may be of institutional, local or
regional interest, for this a methodological36 tool is suggested, like the
application of the De Verster matrix, Goffin, DOFA, surveys, interviews, even
situations like the study of the water system of Bogotá, the use of clean
energies, management of solid residue, responsible consuming, biodiversity,
leadership and environmental management are suggested.
35
In the foreseen environmental policy for the development plan, includes management as an
important part and located in strategic areas such as:” The management of the environment is
concentrated in five strategic areas ecosystem management; disaster prevention; incentives,
restrictions and prices; international policies: environmental education who‟s objective is to
generate consciousness and training on ecological, economical and social was of viable use of the
natural resources. (Tobesura Acuña, Isaías, 2006).
36
In this period investment is made for the training of some teachers that belong to the PRAES
institutions. Universities the Autónoma and the Jardín Botánico, the Ondas project of Colciencias,
are institutions that perform an important function in the forming of teachers and the configuration of
an environmental perspective of the school.
105


Planning. Suggestions of elaborating a document, tables and parts that orient
short, medium and long term actions, with the participation of the community.
Implementation. Which is seen as the practical exercise that allows evidencing
the development of the proposals, in their following, hoping to see, verify and
precise where they have reached, and for this the elaboration of another table
is suggested.
In the same way, they show institutional and territorial orientation. The first seen as
a list of possible topics to be boarded by the school, and the second as an
invitation to respond to the public policy of territorial environmental organization of
the district of Bogotá; obliging actions to transcend in the interior of the school and
relate them to the city‟s surroundings, as strategies that propose the creation of
environmental youth networks.
Other proposals are advanced, one that pretends to articulate environmental
education with the design of a cyclical curriculum for school, using topics that are
considered progressive and important for the construction of knowledge.
Exploration of the world through school, creative bodies, culture, social interaction,
construction of possible worlds, vocation and professional vocational exploration
constitute important thematic nucleus. (SED 2010)
ABOUT THE SCHOOL-UNIVERSITY ARTICULATION PROGRAM
These programs are foreseen in the general education law and are promoted by
the M.E.N since 2007. The central purpose is to offer high school graduate
students the possibility of continuing to superior education through the strategic
alliances with the productive sector, the regional government, middle and superior
education institutions, investigation centers and the SENA
“With globalization and the rapid changes that are being seen in society, it is a
priority that educational policies “respond to the requirements and needs of our
students, society and the productive sector.” ¹ This means offering a pertinent
formation that beholds the tools to promote the development of student
competences so that they may become integral and productive people.
Consequently the Ministry of Education works in three specific fronts:
bilingualism (English as a foreign language for competitively), articulation of
middle education and use of technological medias for information and
communication (TICs)” (Al Tablero 2009).
This program it is intended to help youth of specially difficult economic conditions
and from different geographic regions within the country, basing itself on politics
such as: General education law, Law 30 of 1992 for superior education, Law 749
2992 referring to the technical and technological formation and the Decree 2020 of
2006 referring to the system of quality assurance for jobs that pretend to compete
in front of the present society, bring professional formation to the working world,
106
strengthen the education from quality parameters that are efficient, and the
academic efficiency and mobility as well as increase the coverage of superior
education.
It is important to note that this policy links some schools with institutions that have
technical and technological formation, generally of a private nature, such as
corporations and university foundations. In a special way articulation are promoted
with the SENA (of an official nature) considering that:
“By means of this program the SENA transfers designs and didactic media of
other programs to the educational institutions, technically and pedagogically
updates the teachers, advises the adequacy of educational environments of
formation for work and carries out support and accompaniment in the
execution of these programs until the apprentices are certified.” Orientations
for the articulation of the education media” (MEN 2009)
The articulation university - middle education, is based on a construction model of
labor competences in school, based on aspects like: the achievement of basic
performances towards a labor occupation, the formation for a job in tune with the
needs of the productive sector, oriented towards the acquisition of the knowledge,
abilities, skills and values of the professional world, in congruence with the general
law approaches for middle education, that determines the preparation of students
for superior education and for labor, be it from this program or any academic or
technical nature, as a general objective for the last two grades of high school (10 th
and 11th) Articles 27 and 28.
In the particular case of the school Colegio Campestre Montverde IED it gets
linked with the SENA in a project for strengthening the quality and educational offer
in which the students from eleventh and tenth grade will be formed as “Technicians
in environmental management,” for which an agreement is established for the
formation of teachers and the environmental media technique curriculum
implementation, that includes adequate information in the classroom.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEMATIC AND INVESTIGATION OF THE QUESTION
The conformation of institutional teams and the design, implementation y
systematization for the field actions developed by each one of these teams, has
allowed different discussions surrounding the pedagogic, epistemological and
conceptual aspects that contribute to the analysis of the relationship between
investigation in science education and the practices in their teaching. A monitoring
of these actions and discussions has been made using a record tool that allows the
documentation of the dynamics in function of the agreed indications established by
107
the directive committee of TRACES. The analysis of this record allows us to
highlight situations, relationships and interests that are particularized in the
dynamic of each institutional team, and that are established in situations that merit
being objectified; meaning looked deeply into en their particularities based on and
investigative exercise, that we call “Case study.”
RECORDS AND THE ANALYSIS OF THESE RECORDS
Additional to the records of the encounters and conversations with the institutional
team, a following of the analysis on behalf of the teachers about their classroom
proposals is made, this is how the field diaries, the work guides, the socialization of
their classroom proposals is converted into inputs for the construction of the case
study.
In a first instance, the analysis of these records and inputs has required an effort,
first to maintain a correspondence between that question that orients this case
study and the classroom proposals that support it, and second, finding theoretical
and methodological consistency between the investigation question of TRACES
and the study situation that we seek to objectify. Based on this, some initial
findings have been raised by the investigation team and are then socialized and
analyzed for feedback with the institutional team.
ORGANIZATION OF THE RECORDS
The permanent exercise of feedback generates a revision of the initial findings and
a second approach of the same that allows theoretical documentation of the case
study and converts the records and inputs methodologically into texts that conform
and develop the findings that we present here.
RESULTS
In this case study the environmental education is a concern to give sense to the
teaching of science, form critical citizens and generate practices that allow teacher
to:
LINK THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSION TO THE CURRICULUM.37
37
The school curriculum in Colombia is oriented in a flexible manner to allow the innovation and
adaptation of the own characteristics of the cultural medium in which it is applied. According to what
is disposed in the article 78 of the Law 115 of 1994, each educational establishment will maintain
activities to develop the curriculum and involve investigation, design and permanent evaluation of
the curriculum. In a general way in 1998 the ministry of education proposes guidelines for the
obligatory areas of the which have been the fundamental components for the elaboration of the
study plans and the definition of pedagogic strategies that each educational center adopts. The
proposal of the guidelines is enriched with the participation of diverse region and academics, as well
108
As it has been said, the Colombian General Education Law defines natural
sciences and environmental education as an obligatory area for study plans in high
school, including an environmental perspective in the teaching of sciences. This
link has been object of academic work in the school Colegio Campestre
Monteverde, leading to the adoption at an institutional level of an emphasis in
environment, with the goal of improving the environmental conditions of the
institution and its surroundings.
The environmental dimension is placed as one of the central points that orients the
educational actions of the institution, in it the final purposes of formation toward the
changing of attitudes that lead to the improvement of the student‟s quality of life,
are combined. This is recollected in a program of Education Media Integration –
Superior education.
“In the year 2009, the agency committee SED, SENA, Town Hall, present a
proposal to the directive counsel of the institution, one which is studied and
proved and a series of action arte initiated, such as:…” (Education Media
Integration Report–Superior Education. Elaborated by Olga Pardo. Afternoon
coordinator, with the support of the teachers, parents and students)
The environmental perspective as life horizon for student of the school, allows
them not only to transform themselves and their media, but also choose a
professional tendency towards a branch of specialization. There for the actions that
are carried out are of administrative-curriculum nature. For example, at the
beginning of the articulation process, the actions are routed towards legal
procedure to choose one of three programs that the SENA offers, related with the
environment, this being:” Technician in the management of systems of the
environment 921220 V50.”
This is why in the institutional horizon (mission and vision), the interest for creating
committed human being with themselves and their environment can be seen, so
much that, the system of the environment and development of intellectual, social
and labor competences, will lead the educational community management area to
as the consultation of curriculums of other countries. Afterwards in the years 2002 – 2004 with the
help of specialized teachers in different areas, the National Ministry of education offers the country
a proposal for curriculum standards for the areas of mathematics, Spanish, natural sciences and
environmental education. The initial proposal is submitted to study and analysis by the educational
community in order to produce official standards. With the standards a greater understanding of the
guidelines given before is looked for and portion the educational institutions with common
information to formulate a study plan, respecting its autonomy and responding to the fundamentals
of the education in South America in respect to the goals that allow the improvement of the quality
of education; since a standard in specific education should be that the student at least know what
he should do and is capable of doing things for the exercise of being citizen, a worker and personal
realizations. “The standard a goal and a measurement; a description for what the student should
accomplish in a determined area, grade and level; expresses what should be done and how well it
should be done.”. (Curriculum standards MEN)
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assume personal, professional and social goals, for a life project and for the
enrichment of culture (Institutional PEI). With this the institution commits with
national policy and tries to adapt to its particularities.
Effort that is evidenced when the articulation emphasis is adjusted (management of
systems of environmental and rural management) to the transversal aspects of the
PEI, which are: Labor competences, competences of the area, the life project,
social coexistence, from the pretension of offering an institutional curriculum
proposal with element that come from the actual indications of the management
entities and the educational policies.
“The need to ensure an integral development of the students and their own
expectations of society coincide on demanding a curriculum that isn‟t limited to
the acquisition of concepts and academic knowledge linked to more traditional
teachings, but one that includes other aspects that contribute to the
development of people, such as the development of competence, practical
abilities, attitudes and values. The integral nature of the curriculum also means
that basic educational elements should be incorporated, which should integrate
axes curriculums, cycles, areas that society demands, such as education for:
peace, health, equality between sexes and environmental education,”
(Integration Education Media report – superior education. Elaborated by Olga
Lucía Pardo. Afternoon coordinator, with the support of teachers, parents and
students.)
The organization of the curriculum is seen as an activity in constant adequacy
towards current tendencies, which is the case for quality education and efficiency;
the needs of the surrounding community, the social requirements in order to
prepare youth for work and the professional life as well as the history of their own
institutional process as seen in the validity of the transversal axes curriculum and
even highly irrigated foundations which is the case of integration.
“Also as a center of academic education, we orient our work towards
contributing to the supports of integral formation in the physical, intellectual,
social, ecological, political, ethic and esthetic dimensions, thinking of an
education in which environmental consciousness gives importance to
sustainable development combined with the rapid technological advances that
we have become accustomed to.” (Institutional PEI 2011 anthropological
fundaments)
However, the conceptual appropriation on behalf of the teachers of the Campestre
School is not homogeneous, but reveals the plurality of focus and the diverse ways
of comprehending the sense of what is environmental. In the previous enunciation,
and image of an integral man can be seen, who is built by dimensions of
knowledge, susceptible of being formed towards an environmental consciousness
from based on the support of sustainable development; Dimensions that agree with
the formation of an absolute citizen. Meanwhile, as we move forwards in the same
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document, the institutional action is integrated with three guiding principles: “The
care of the environment as an agent of cultural change, the evaluation culture and
the participatory construction. Starting points of pragmatic character that alternate
with the dimensions mentioned above. For example, the first institutional principle
related with the environment is not supported directly in the sustainable
development ideas, but in an integral development similar in the disciplinary and
participation aspects to what was proposed by the Town Hall in Bogotá in the past
governmental period.
“There for the challenge is the development and positioning in an
environmental education based on the systemic, the interdisciplinary, the Tran
disciplinary and the collective production of thought in an environmental
development fame of the territories that make up the city, as scenario for the
fulfillments of human rights, liberty fundaments, in which the collective dignity
and well being of men and women” District Public Policy for environmental
education. (SED Town Hall 2008)
The context of political appropriation in an institution Is made in a diverse and
partial manner, in the last case the rights scenario is retaken when the proposal is:
“that the student may participate actively in the taking of decision with a citizen
conscious and sense of belonging for their own good and the good of the
community. In the environmental formation politics are included in the rescue of
democratic human values cultivated in the past century (autonomy, responsibility
and respect). Also, affairs like “the preservation of health, sports, recreation and
the management of free time” (PEI: General to particular principles). Their interest
is in important school content for the care on oneself in the environmental
dimension.
The organization of the areas within the study plans and their intension are
modified in the light of new needs raised by the institutional emphasis as well as
the obligatory areas that are included in sixth to eleventh grade. Two subjects are
included: environmental education and investigation. In the same way more time is
gained in the number of hours dedicated for the sciences, distributed in one hour of
physics, one for chemistry and three for biology.
Based on the experience in the area proposals, the teachers start to question the
fragmentation of the subjects since the work on knowledge problematic demands a
complex comprehension of knowledge, which becomes more difficult when the
contents of the different subjects are fragmented. A situation, problem or
phenomenon allows the integral treatment.
It is also interesting to see the coherent and together work between what is being
taught and the purposes and emphasis of the school. It is expected for students to
modify their values toward natural and social environment and may construct a
respectful relationship that minimizes the impact that in the present is exercised in
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the institutional environment or other environments close to it. In this way the
environmental work is situated between the tension of what is individual (each
student and each science teacher) with what is collective according to the areas
that were reached and joint explanations and relationships with other areas within
the school.
“Keeping in mind the academic subject of each teacher and the grades in
which their activities are developed, proposals that are within the established
themes in the study plan of the school are procured to be established, or ones
that may be related. This is how each teacher independently selects a theme
of a particular interest, which may be related with the environment. In the
personal case we thought of taking on experimental practices initially since the
laboratories were being remodeled and stocked with new materials” (Final
report teacher Giovanni Garavito).
There is a strong link between the organization of the study plan of the science are
and the environment, it is structured from contents that articulate the school
standards proposed by the national ministry of education, the environmental
management program of the SENA and contents related with environmental
situations and issues that affect the institution and the surrounding areas. The last
aspect becomes the axes on which the other sub themes are organized upon.
Three of the teachers highlighted themes given by official programs, but change
the sequence and hierarchy of the themes.
The transformation of practices in the curriculum is referred in the sense of what
and what for and how to teach in terms of organization, timing and sequences; not
in terms of conceptual structure, nor thinking processes. But about the choosing of
topics with a social sense for the four teachers and the persistence and compliance
of contents within science for schools; except for professor Over, who has partially
abandoned some of the scientific contents in order to rescue knowledge of the
Arahuacos38 for considering the organize relationship of man-earth as a wanted
relationship. This last position is close to one of the historical-political aspects of
the curriculum.
During periods 3 and 4, the subjects: physics, environmental education and
investigation were orientated towards aspects related to the importance of the
environment and clean energy technologies, the design of anemometers and
wind generating models. This led to the modification of goals, contents and
methodologies in the study plans. (Final Report Yolima Garzón)
For some situations you could also assure that the teachers get closer to the idea
of a “structuring concept” for the development of educational guidelines (even at an
unconscious level). In these guidelines the need to make the students come closer
38
The Arhuacos are an indigenous tribe that lives in the meridonial slope of the Sierra Nevada of
Santa Marta in Colombia. Some other vinculate them with Chibcha linguistic family.
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to the life in the world is defended, and how in order to come close with it, it is
important to make a link between sciences and environmental education. In this
scenario the school is given a proposal to reflect upon the in the conceptual
integration process, keeping in mind the relationships that may be established for
both sciences, since the study issues are placed continuously in a discipline
between social sciences and natural sciences. In such an extension the election of
structuring concepts is made possible: energy, space, time, diversity, and
ecosystem, among others. If we observe the elections that will be treated by the
teachers in their classrooms at the Campestre School, they are framed and allow
the transit between the student‟s world and the enrichment of this world through
labor elements. (Curriculum guidelines Natural sciences and environmental
education 1998)
An example of the treatment of the classroom plan at a topic level shows the
classroom proposal related with the adaptation of the living beings in the
moorlands; sequences are made, which allow the DEEPENING of information of
the situation that will be studied. For example, to study the diversity of living beings
that live in the moorland, the teacher initially includes the study of the climatic
conditions that he/she considers are important in determining the variation of
species, then takes representative species of the moorlands and specifies the
CHARACTERS that outline the interrelationship with the geographical place.
Afterwards the teacher highlights the importance of these species (FRAILEJONES,
PUYAS, and MUSGOS) for the study of the balance of the ecosystems. Treatment
of topics that look at the structural concepts and enrich a collective discussion.
In the same way, it is usual that the study plan includes contents related with the
transversal need of school discipline like communication and socialization
processes or with other institutional need like the narcotic consumption, the
management of waste or noise contamination. But above all, needs related with
the scientific abilities like the handling of information, it is taking, the organization
and analysis of data and the correct use of materials and equipment. For many
teachers these abilities are considered to correspond to the performance of
procedural competences. The first suggestions of these were made in the Law
115, which were developed according to specific guidelines and others linked to
the competence speech. This speech is a part of the daily practices of the
teachers, especially the evaluation processes that are carried out in schools.
“Our epistemological position not only rectifies out need of knowledge, as a
transforming condition for the world, but also allows its construction. This
posture keeps in mind the practical and theoretical experience and reason, its
corporal nature and it‟s interior being, in a process that combines the senses
the abstract and the methods from passing from the abstract to the concrete,
among other things.” (Institutional PEI)
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The language of scientific abilities and the experimental procedure in a student‟s
investigation is a part of the supposed pedagogy that helps the organization of the
study plan. It must be clarified that for the TRACES team in Colombia, more
importantly than considering the objective of teaching science in school is that the
students apply the method of science or the scientific procedures (As other
programs such as Ondas or Pequeños Cientificos have suggested and which are
promoted by the Ministry of National Education) We try to allow students to live
classroom situations that allow them to organize these experiences, and it is here
that school sciences constitute a component within the know-how‟s that constitute
cultural knowledge of the subjects. However, it is important that in this organization
of the experiences, the conceptual relations and systematic procedure play a role.
In this last idea, strong coincidences are observed in the most part on behalf of the
teachers and institutional team.
One of the preoccupations that I have had as a teacher is that the students
achieve scientific abilities from the design and construction of technological
equipment that allow the recognition of some of the environmental conditions
and the way that the actions of modern men have been transforming the
balance of some of these conditions (Final Report Yolima).
The classroom proposal “An approach to insects as a part of the school
environment” fits in the area of science and aims for the emphasis of the
school in the achieving of academic aspects of biology, originated in the study
of morphological aspects and some of the physiological aspects. In the same
way, the insects of the ecosystem, their habitat, performance role and
evaluation that is given to these creatures is part of the environmental
education, subject that is given in every grade and although it seems like a
complicated investigation process for students and teacher, with the
established proposal certain processes are facilitated (observation,
classification, formulation of a hypothesis) parameters that are looked at in
depth and are directed by the investigation subject. It is interesting to see the
advance in the application of these scientific processes during the
development of the proposal. (Final Report Giovanni)
In the study plan of the area so called lab activities or experimental activities are
included (You may see them in the attachments), fieldwork within the moorlands,
forests, neighborhood, which gives account of the contextual curriculum and that
contain the communities necessities. (Aspect that will be developed with greater
detail in the third finding of the investigation) The important this here is to show the
transforming and creative role of the teachers in the structuring of the curriculum
making it one that makes sense for the school.
In the organization of the curriculum a tension between the institutional choosing of
a model with a unified teaching focal point is manifested, a model that allow the
coherent orientation of the teaching actions, the process and above all the SIE
(Institutional evaluation system), with the way of proceeding of the teacher within
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the classroom. It is common that in our media long dissertations are made about
the need of unifying criteria and the obliqueness towards accords of socialization
and the choosing of a “pedagogic model.” During the working sessions with
TRACES, this discussion barely is presented, but in the PEI documents it is given
more interest.
Being consistent with this posture, we adapted the teaching for comprehension
model through the practical and theoretical evidence of objective knowledge,
its direct and indirect repercussions in the educational praxis, due to that in the
process of teaching and learning the recognition of the importance of the
method is seen, precisely because this should adapt to those who are in
function of the intellectual development of the student.” (Institutional PEI 2011
epistemological fundaments)
Maybe in the strengths that the teachers show in integrated organization of the
study topics, they retake the formation elements in the continued processes and
institutional trainings, in which the content is promoted in hand with the SED,
different universities and teacher formation programs, that tend to ascend the
teacher to the next level. We should not forget that the obliqueness of these
programs in the integration of the curriculum and its structuring concepts,
conductive threads, accomplishments and indicators of success. We should also
not forget the role that external institutions have over the structuring of the
curriculum.
An aspect which is not foreign to the teachers at the Campestre School, they have
integrated their work with some of the conceptual perspectives that different
external agents like universities, the secretary of education and institutions like the
Jardín Botánico, the Universidad Autónoma, the Universidad Pedagógica, the
SENA and the Quality team for the locality have given. The above have offered
PRAE trainings and guidance in the institutional emphasis and pedagogic
perspectives. Because of this in the teachers speech and in the institutional
documents it is common to find allusion to concepts, procedure, technique, with
which the teachers improve their practice, which is the case of the construction of
artifacts appropriated by Yolima, the Goffin model for the contextual reading of the
environment gathered by the PRAE, different environmental diagnostics, the
cyclical and rural programs that are oriented by the quality committee and greener
life and urban agriculture in the Jardín Botanico. However, in this moment it is
impossible for us to determine extensively upon the character of these links, we
are only highlighting that these influence the curriculum.
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DISCUSS
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EPISTEMOLOGICAL CONCEPTIONS AND
EDUCATIONAL AND DISCIPLINARY ONES, AS WELL AS THE DESIGN OF TEACHING
STRATEGIES.
The construction of collective proposals of investigation in the classroom is an
opportunity to deepen in some of the conceptions with which the teachers support
their pedagogic actions. The link between TRACES and the educational institution
has allowed the acknowledgement of certain tones in the conception of
environmental education, science, the teaching of science, knowledge, and
experimental work, among others.
Environmental education is seen in different ways. In some cases it is about a
consciousness problem, that leads individuals to support themselves on ancestral
and indigenous values that they have, social ethic in relationship with the earth
oneself and others is questioned, this perspective coexists with the incursion of the
school in the treating of global humanity problems in relation with what is local, as
is the mega-diversity gathered by our coming close with the moorland and the use
of clean energies though the construction of technical devices that approach local
winds. The way of treating some of the environmental issues under an ecological
perspective toned down with a conceptual approximation of social humans and
culture also stands out. It is just as important for the students to deepen in the
biological characteristics of the FRAILEJON o the compared anatomy of insects or
the location of these organisms in the a system of ecological relationships like the
moorland and the Andean forest; it is also important to see the problematic with the
urbanization of the city and the current relationship that people establish with parts
of the forest near to the school. But besides this scientific knowledge the goal of
“teaching with sense,” is articulated, meaning that student apply what they learn in
the transformation of individuals within the context of the school and neighborhood.
The environmental problematic is understood when you look deeply at the
ecosystem characteristic and the unbalance that human actions creates in these,
the ecological practices and the social actions that promote the balance in both
natural and social environments.
It is then that sciences offer a space to think of humans, the earth, water, the
ground, the forest in a more ethical and complex way. The knowledge of sciences
provides a frame for the comprehension of the problems being treated and this is
done through the relationship of other understandings such as technical or
common ones (Life stories, everyday information about animals) or even ancestral
ones. However, the relationship of scientific knowledge with environmental
knowledge presents different tones of comprehension as well.
As a first case, the teacher makes strong criticism towards scientific knowledge as
a sole reference for the science class, he considers it is necessary to give more
importance to the formation of an environmental conscious and this is only possible
if the man abandons its utilitarian relationship with nature, replacing it with a more
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integral relationship that places man as a part of the earth and in unity with the
other living beings. This is a posture that offers the indigenous way of thinking that
still thrives in some tribes.
(Over)This ancestral knowledge has to do with emotions but also with a
different scientific reasoning, a western reasoning. A reason that may be
put as a Unity that generates real harmony with nature…
(Traces) How does this philosophy communicate with scientific knowledge in
the classroom? Where water, oxygen, biological material and soil tests will be
done and are results of scientific processes. But also, how to bring of an
indigenous culture such as the Arhuaca to our community that comes from
families of a peasant origin that come to the city to find opportunities and that
have a series of natural environments such as the moorlands and water bodies
near to the institution. Therefore the culture of the Arhuacos cannot be
replicated in the institution.
(Over).., For example when the outing in the moorlands of Sumapaz where
done, students were very respectful, kept quiet and if a swear word escaped
they would immediately ask to be excuses, they didn‟t litter and there was a
clear connection, the left with an important impact. We talked about selfishness
because it is this that has planet consumed and others in catastrophic
situation… And this is something different from what theory tells us, or
photosynthesis tells us, when you reduce a series of abstract symbols that
many times are not fully understood and that in most cases don‟t generate any
kind of consciousness.
(TRACES) one of the conclusions that we can reach is that in the science
classes, besides teaching science we should integrate other aspects, and here
we see a way to value the world in which we live in, valuing ourselves, valuing
others, this gives us great teachings as science professors and overwhelms
what any study plan may offer and overflows a curriculum in terms of
contents… However, why hasn‟t this affect the extremely compartmentalized
study plan they have?
(OVER) Although we are doing things differently, we are all directing it towards
Environmental consciousness, but this doesn‟t only depend on the area, it also
depends on the entire institution and so in a certain way we have worked from
particular decisions, sometimes we work on chemistry, but also environmental
education, and then biology. (Interview fragments Over Rozo, October 14
2011)
These discussion like Over‟s remind us the place that scientific knowledge should
be in when talking about science classes and their relationship with other
knowledge‟s and conceptions that the teachers have of science. Although sciences
can‟t achieve to question the relationship between humans and earth they can offer
strategies to study a location and look into the impact humans have here, in this
case the recollection of data is important in any fieldwork and allow the students to
question and to be willing to transform their consciousness. The importance of
scientific content is not denied, what is questioned is dominance.
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Teacher Over proposes an interesting discussion about the weight and unique
purpose that has been given to concepts in common science teaching practices,
he expresses that these are interpretations that move away from reality and not
always get close to the situations that are pretended to be explained; It is more
important to work on the process of thinking and on respect for what is natural and
ancestral. (Tracing Tab)
While some theatrical elements are drafted we could deepen in theoretical
fundaments from different frames such as: interdisciplinary nature, the contribution
of sociology and philosophy of the sciences in teaching or about the nature of the
relationship between scientific knowledge and common knowledge. Fundamentals
that we seem to think offer new perspectives for the teachers. The professors are
in capability of enriching their interpretations, and for this require programs of a
more solid formation and accompaniment in their investigation.
“For the teachers in the science areas, this kind of work has become a
challenge within their daily school labor, since different aspects that require
greater academic dedication are involved; but in advancing in their
development other positive effect have come up, such as the change of
traditional methods for complementary dynamics using external agents as
guides and speakers.” (Giovanni Final analysis of the proposal)
In a second case, the construction of scientific knowledge is a priority in science
class; the classroom actions should lead the student to the construction of
concepts, new relations between explanations that the teacher considers pertinent
and deepening in the relationship ecosystem-social action. In the same way the
teaching methodology occupies the most important place in the teachers‟ choices,
this is why the projects guide the way to learn and these obey the procedure that is
usually followed in the experimental activity in the science class.
When using the methodology in projects of a specific topic, the students in
grades 701 and 702 had the opportunity of deepening in the moorlands from
diverse perspective: by carrying out simple experiments and creating
hypothesis, recollecting results and expressing if the results were or were not
true to the hypothesis. By carrying out specific readings on the subject and
writing out a simple questionnaire that was used to clarify and reinforce
determined concepts. By going to the moorland outing in the Moyas in order to
compare what was read in theory with actual reality of the ecosystems:
physical factors, living beings found there and their adaptations, all of these
“Sense full activities,” allowed the students not only to learn about the topic but
also enhance certain competences: communication skills, artistic and
axiological skills and of course scientific skills. (Poster Pilar)
From proposals like Pilar‟s it is possible to raise discussion on the disciplinary
content that is developed, for example, when the moorland is studied with the
intension of comprehending dynamics a strong need of approaching conceptual
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aspects is created, like: How can a student build a concept of altitude, from a
diagram that shows different geographical heights? What difference is there
between asking What is altitude and analyzing a graph and considering the
influence of other elements like the wind and vegetation in the weather? How do
we overcome the relationship between linear altitude and environmental
temperature and climate? These discussions do not deny the knowledge of the
teacher but oblige the entire group to critically reflect pedagogic aspects and the
classroom activities that are done.
The scientific contents are enriched with the acquisition of scientific abilities, with
the enrichment in communication and the formation of values that the institute
considers relevant. The preoccupation for the communicational processes in the
elaboration of different texts and forms of expression, for the relation of what is
done in the classroom with what happens in the community that surrounds the
school and the projection of what is done with future possibilities of students.
(Institutional characterization document) However, the communication not only is
seen as a process that allows socialization of what is learned, but also as a very
important exercise in the construction of knowledge, since it is here that students
may contrast a personal elaboration with those that their other classmates have
formulated, discuss it, question it and make different diagrams that allow the
development of new ideas.
It is interesting to highlight that the design and analysis of a classroom proposal
has made the teachers clarify their preoccupations and their conceptions about the
teaching of science and its relationship with environmental education. What came
out before in institutional documents as generic proposals is diversified here, and
appropriated by each teacher in a particular manner.
The different aspects or fundaments that are privileged in the action of each one of
the teacher are put to discussion, but not to reach a unified opinion, but to enrich
the points of view of each one of them. As has already been said, while one
teacher privileges the axiological and ethic dimension of what is being taught,
another like Yolima, highlights the relationship between technology and natural
sciences, coming from a preoccupation for the recognition and construction of
technological artifacts that implies that both student and principally the teacher put
themselves in the task of explaining how these artifacts work, how the
transformation of energy is conceived and taken advantage of by other energies
(Clean energies) for the school.
In this case it was interesting to work with the teachers on the relationship between
the transformation of energy and the mechanical, chemical, magnetic or electric
interactions. It is not enough to enunciate the kinds of energy, it is necessary to
deepen in the process of transformation and from which questions or aspects are
surfaced, which are important for the boarding of disciplinary contents in the
classroom. How do we relate transformation of energy with the problem of
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transformation and conservation of the environment? What ideas or
preoccupations of the kids have been important for the design of their activities?
Why is it important the teacher builds artifacts that allow the teaching of science?
This proposal asks the question about the role that alternative technologies play in
the solution of environmental problematic and about the relationship between
science and technology as an essential element in the current context.
In the last few decades, teachers have appropriated the values speech whether it
be in the form of an accomplishment or of a competence. However, for the
teachers at the Campestre School the value matter is a result of a committed
environmental action with the transformation of citizens and the care of our
surroundings in relationship with the social role of humans. The teachers agree on
saying, for example, that:
“The biggest interest is to make students construct values towards the
environment and actively participate in transforming actions towards detected
situations. That they value the resources around their school, like forests,
creeks and moorlands, that they understand that their dynamics like
ecosystems and give them the importance that they have form themselves and
for the community.”
The construction of values may be expressed in the preoccupation of the
understanding of the relationships between subject with its medium, preoccupation
for the functioning of the body and the auto evaluation that this knowledge
produces. Concern for the care of health based on the comprehension of many
bodily process from a biological and chemical point of view. The transformation into
values for some and in attitudes for others, it is not a problem of the content of the
situation to be studied, but a fundamental ethic that travels through the human
dimension, that supports the sense of learning and helps in the social function of
sciences.
In Giovanni‟s classroom proposal he manages to go deep into the characterization
of some invertebrate animals in the forest near to the school, for the teacher this is
a challenge of studying unknown subjects for him, recollecting and including in
class the experiences that his students had as well as transform the relationship
that students have with these beings thanks to the achieve knowledge.
“The student‟s interaction with their environment and specifically with insects
allows a biological concept work for their description as well as an
environmental dynamic of the ecosystems. Making the surroundings of the
school a proper resource for exploring and analyzing situations, allowing more
dynamic and practical knowledge to be learned as well as recognize some of
the animals and generate a different image from what the students have of
these so called “bugs” (Giovanni Diary)
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The description, drawing, observing, manipulation, elaboration of animal replicas in
different materials, the study of the field, the bibliographical consultations, demand
care and respect from the student towards the species that are being studied, the
which to learn and the commitment to protect this newly found place.
For the teacher the proposal in the work guide of using resources, the organization
of groups, accompanying the student, the observation of the class, the sequence of
activities, the pertinent contents, the purpose of what is learned are intertwined in
such a way that in one same action diverse assumptions are specified in such a
way that they support the actions in the classroom.
“To establish some specific characteristic of the insect, the teacher uses a digital
microscope and asks student to take along their insect of observation. This allows us
with somewhat of a limitation since if it is a big insect you can‟t see it in its totality but
by fragment. Each team observes the animal through the screen of a computer and
takes notes of these photos.
The students generalize the concept for the insect, since for the any small animal
represents it, without differentiating it within groups of arthropod animals… This
allows us to carry out a more detailed study and recognize the behavioral habits
within a high Andean forest ecosystem, as well as strengthen the respect and value
given to our animal species.
The animals that are observed are: Ladybug, mosquito, fly, LINOSFER and beatle.
When the observation of the insect was done many expressed feelings of: admiration,
expressed in the structure of the insects that are not visible at plain sight and
generate surprise by the way they are shown, for example the eyes of the mosquitoes
and their stinging apparatus. Sometimes disgust was shown at observing principally
the ventricle part of the insect, these structures are related with pre-established
conceptions that we have of insects as weird and monstrous creature with and
irregular shape.
The observation that was carried out, allowed the students to identify the sections of
an insect: head, thorax, and abdomen. The head ended up being interesting because
of the information that can be extract from the section like eating habits. There are
insects in which the head is seen easily with all of its mouth parts (fly, mosquito), but
in other it was more complicated because of the same structure of the animal
(LINOSFERA).
Since the characteristic of each animal allows it to adapt to its ecosystem, the
anatomy is of great importance so that the student may establish a relationship with
his/her insect as well as other animal and vegetative species.
To carry out the work for the mouth parts, an explanation table is attached with
drawings so that the students could relate the aspects with their own animal. This
allows them to identify the kind of mouth part according to its position and function
and relate it with eating habits of the insect being studied. This study is of interest for
identifying roles in the ecosystem and establishes relationships between organisms.”
(Field diary 3. phase 2 describe animals of our surroundings)
In various moments the importance that is given to experimental activities is
discussed and the difficulties to implement it within the institution. The importance
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of work in the lab stands out in the improvement of the comprehension and
promotion of motivation the child and the field work in the Follow-up and study of
our natural surroundings. The exits and the field follow-up encourages the
exploration and acquisition of abilities such as: describe, take notes, associate
situations (the case of the mouth parts of the animal and tracks left by leafs in
plants), team work, among other action that constitute a systematic procedure,
owned by the learning of sciences.
Laboratory work offers the possibility of putting abstract situations into reality and
also propitiates practical experiences and not imaginary ones, enrich experiences,
find new words, bring to the classroom examples from the teacher and the account
of experiences that the kids have had in their homes. The experimental work of
sciences is important and it is important to think that it is and inherent aspect of the
teaching of science. Proposes that given the institutional difficulties the
experiments that can be carried out have a demonstrative character since each
child looses the opportunity of directly manipulating materials.
Regarding experimental activities, the teacher over highlights:
The importance and possibility of doing lab work in spite of difficulties and
comments that have been done in tenth and eleventh grade labs with mixes of
different levels of depth, while in tenth grade the concentration is more general
and the importance is given to the differentiation of the homogeneous from the
heterogeneous, the solute from the solvent, while in eleventh grade the
introduction of concepts such as morality and discipline and the application of
mathematical calculations is done, allowing the differentiation of the mixes.
In the case of the Yolima, the experimental activities are the center of the
classroom activity since these allow:
“To locate the student in class activities and experimental work practices,
achieving in this way the coming close of the student with the processes of
energy transformation. Knowing physical aspects that allow the evidence and
explanation of the transformation processes of energy and the language
comprehension, which is unique to the unities of energy. But above all, they
recognize the benefits of using clean energies in strong wind current areas as
an alternative for contributing against global warming and the efficient use of
energy in our surrounding. (Yolima Document)”
Considering that the experimental activity here has allowed the students to design,
develop technological projects and prove variables. In this case the experimental
activity appears when students and the teacher ask themselves: How can we
check the affirmations that we are making? This makes them raise possible
scenarios to contrast theory with practice. In this aspect some of the moments,
expressions and discussion are highlighted, where the ways con conceiving
science and the teaching of sciences are made present in classroom research. The
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most interesting thing here is to note that apart from these conceptions being
diverse, these are influenced by current national and international literature, by
organizations and institutions that support programs and school projects, and that
the teacher assume a reflexive posture in front of these. The teacher re
contextualizes and gives new meaning to what is recognized as conceptual
support in the light of the needs and interactions that are given in school.
DEFINING
THE SOCIO-CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT AS A TEACHING
ENVIRONMENT
In this investigation the socio-cultural and environmental context refers to the
circumstances and relationships that are established in science classes, and
geographical places like the fragment of Andean forest called El Portón (study of
animals), the Moyas moorlands (Study of adaptations) and the social conditions
that define the communitarian organization of the school or the students that
participate in this proposal. Which allows the location of contents and purposes of
teaching in pursuit of the care and transformation of the relationships the students
establish with these places.
It shows how in this case, the science teachers of the school condition the
environmental character of the science class if the comprehension and protection
of the environment that surrounds the individual and institution is achieved.
Previous to the TRACES interventions an advance had been made in the
recognition of the different environmental issues that characterize and affect the
student population and the families linked with the institution, such as the
extraction and exploitation of the grounds and vegetative material in the native
forest, the shortage of water, the reforestation of exotic species, among others;
joined with social problems like the illegal construction and unplanned
neighborhoods, are among the most relevant. Some work was carried out with the
District Capita universities which has led to doing exercises that evaluate the risks
and needs of the environment through the use of tools such as the Goffin Matrix;
Based on these the teachers affirm:
“That it is necessary to center the problem of a lack consciousness in things
having to do with the conservation and protection of the environment and the
potentials of proposing an ecotourism program, create an environmental
classroom and propose educational programs of sustainable development.
(Characterization document of the institution and others)”
As we already know, in Colombia there is great emphasis given to the labor
PRAES carries out, for which a great diversity of formation actions and resources
has been destined. In some institutions like the school Colegio Campester
Monteverde the determination of transforming environmental contexts has been
advances, this is wy hand in hand with other training institutions certain
environmental situations had been defined, which ended up being interesting as
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possible situations that could be boarded and where certain more relevant aspects
are highlighted. The following table is part of that study:
RELATIONSHIP
1. CONSUMPTION (P – R)
2. LIMITATION ( R-P)
3. USAGE (A – R)
4. DEGRADATION (R- A)
5. POTENTIAL (E-T-R)
6. ACCESSIBILITY (E–T-R)
7. OCCUPATION(P – E)
8. NON-AVAILABILITY (E – P)
9. PRESSURE (E – A)
10. MANAGEMENT (A – E)
13. INTEGRATION(P-T )
14. SOCIALIZATION (T A)
15. PARTICIPATION (T P)
DESCRIPTION
- Extraction (quarry, bad use of the soil, vegetation
material, native forest).
- Exploitation of the water (wells).
- Illegal construction of neighborhoods.
- Summer droughts.
- Slidings.
- Manipulation of the law.
- Non-fulfillment of the laws
- Lack of continuity in the projects.
- Reforestation of exotic trees.
- Invasion of foreign species.
- Ecotourism (caves, creeks, native forests, big rocks,
ecosystem of the moorlands and sub moorlands).
- Passages of the oriental hills
- Recycling
- Environmental classroom.
- Promoting sustainable development.
- Nightclubs, restaurants, spacing, jobs, insecurity.
- Sports infrastructure.
- illegal construction
- Different criteria for outlining the soil.
- Forest laws vs. POT.
- Visual contamination
- =Health brigades.
- Cultural instants.
- Working tables.
16. CONTROL (A-T)
Table taken from the document concerning institutional context and PRAE development with the
help of Universidad del Bosque.
The Campestre School functions in a 2575 square meter area and is located in the
San Luis neighborhood in the city of Bogotá, at a height of 3100 msn and in a submoorland ecosystem (PRAE 2011) and high Andean forest, this is the main reason
why the proposals are based around the comprehension of the dynamics of these
ecosystems or in the taking advantage of any of the climatic conditions of these
place in order to obtain energy.
The choosing of the places and possible actions to carry out determines the
institutional and general way in which the problem is understood and the classroom
action shows the particular approximation of each teacher in relationship with the
study plans and relevant needs and interests. For the TRACES case we found it
interesting to see how these learning relationships are established with situations
that the educational community considers are problematic. The animal – plant
species relationship, the influence of height in the plant characteristics of the
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moorland, the direction and intensity of the winds, the determination of the
properties of water in the moorland, are examples of the efforts the teachers to find
contents that allow the comprehension of the dynamic of the location and from this
comprehension conduce the care of some of the natural sceneries that are still
related with the school.
This is how the teaching of science displaces itself from the generic, due to law
contents (Standards, competences, an agreement with the SENA) towards
particular scenarios like the creek, the moorland or the animals of the forest near to
the school. Accomplishing a day-to-day referral for the students so that they may
build new senses.
Mega diversity of our ancestors, with the tenth grade student and they consider
that it is possible to make the moorlands a space for the encounter of ideas like
biodiversity and ancestral knowledge, through the design of activities that build
environmental awareness, towards a greater harmony with the environment. (Over
Document). In the design of the proposal a discussion is sustained in which the
teachers share a criticism towards the practices that derive from the fragmentation
of the world in science class, the distancing of men as a part of nature, the unequal
value of what is human and what is of other species, which makes human act
selfishly towards others and nature. However, when the reach of this proposal is
analyzed, the incoherence of some critical assumptions is questioned, since the
initial activity falls in the hands of an anthropocentric focus, which is usually the
one that gets us closer to the world. In the classroom proposal and towards the
abandonment of selfish attitudes towards the natural and social world and as a
source of information tat helps the comprehension of the impact that man has in
the natural balance of a location.
In the case of teacher Giovanni‟s experience, the selected location allows a coming
close approach to the study of the organisms that live in the area. Before choosing
the place a deliberation took place concerning the different possibilities, but the
determination was that the “Porton” was a very good alternative because of its
closeness to the school, previous knowledge that the students had of it, the
recreational destination of the place and the challenge to be able to see it in a new
way, as well as the possibility of exploring it.
“When a locations is for exploring is selected “El Portón,” the students no only
relate to it as a recreational space but also involve it with animal life and
different interactions that take place there. When this place is visited the
students get involved in teamwork where they strengthen their values and
friendships, tolerance and respect. One of the biggest advances in the
development for the proposal is that students identify the riches in nature and
that that specific location possesses, and there for value the different species
of animals that it also possess.” (Giovanni analysis of the final proposal)
125
This green zone is used by the community to play and have family outings, it is
now seen s a forest who‟s environmental conditions affect the life of the living
beings that have it as their habitat, and also modifies that unmeasured growth has
in the population, the interventions in the survey nation, dispersion of seed or the
equilibrium, the habitat that diverse invertebrates and the possibility of a study of
the eating habits of the insects.
In our perspective this is a learning environment that offers alternatives for the
science class, transforming its organization dynamics, motivating the teachers and
student towards the study of new situations, and most importantly, offers a
scenario so that what is carried out in class may be related to the student‟s life. It
offers the teachers the possibility of making general curriculum assets their own
and to make explicit, through their actions, the relationships that they teach
between science and environmental education.
“One of the intentions of the educational institution is to encourage the
sensitizing of the environment, task that is a part of the daily living within the
school and that is reflected by the personal actions that the students
demonstrate in the different activities they carry out. Although in the schools
environmental education generally looks to carry out very punctual activities
that solve some of the day to day issues like the management of solid residue.
Some other related aspects like the flora and fauna of each place are
neglected and these aspects sometimes reflect the great importance of the
natural world. Studying these aspects allows the recognition of the natural
riches and the combining of other subjects in order to obtain the best academic
results.” (Giovanni Diary 3)
The same institution becomes a learning environment, the local conditions, the
resource requirements, the negative impact of the student population, the interest
of transforming and using the spaces, is frequently object of interest for the work in
cleaning campaigns, decoration and even actions of beautification and recovery,
that are promoted by environmental campaigns of a contemplative nature. But in
the proposal of this teach a useful action the provides alternative technologies for
the institution‟s obtaining of energy, as well as a learning motive for sciences in
relation to problems of a global order that preoccupy today‟s humanity.
“A table and a map were also carried out to place data of the wind‟s speed.
Data was collected at different moments of the day to compare the force of
wind at different hours of the day. The force of the wind is a measurement that
cannot be taken directly in the number of turns per second because this
resulted to be very difficult to enter in accounts, so the students took the data
in the number of turns per minute or minutes. This activity determined that in
our institutions there are two areas that are favored by the force of the wind
and there for are ideal for the installation of a wind turbine. The areas are the
children‟s park and the area at the entrance of the institution.
126
The direction the wind takes is determined using a very simple weather vane
and they found that the wind comes from a northeastern direction but in the
afternoon strong winds come from the western part of the mountains.”(Tolima
Final Report)
The choosing of a learning environment has to do with the decisions of what is
considered important for the students to learn, about the classroom idea and the
pertinent criteria of the subjects that have been discussed in the natural sciences
department of the institution. Meaning what to do with the forest, moorland or the
artifacts as objects of contextualized and significant study in the school, as a
decision of methodological, didactical, cognitive and epistemological order that
modifies the way in which students realty to scientific content and the way of
building explanations and understanding the sciences in school.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ANDREOLI CLEVERSON, Vitorio. (1990) La deuda externa y la viabilidad
financiera para solucionar los problemas ambientales en América Latina. En Guhl
N., Ernesto. Medio Ambiente y desarrollo. Tercer mundo editores. Colombia
ÁNGEL MAYA, Augusto. (2002) El retorno de Ícaro. La razón de la vida. Muerte y
vida de la filosofía. Una propuesta ambiental. Bogotá, Editorial Panamericana.
GUATTARI, Félix (1996) Las tres Ecologías. Pretextos Editorial
GUATTARI, Félix. (1996) Caosmosis. Ediciones Manantial. Argentina.
JIMÉNEZ, G y ROJAS, D (1997) La enseñanza de las ciencias desde una
perspectiva ambiental. Trabajo de Grado. Especialización en Docencia de las
Ciencias para el Nivel Básico. Universidad Pedagógica Nacional.
OROZCO, J. VALENCIA, S. MÉNDEZ, O. JIMÉNEZ, G y GARZÓN, P. Los
problemas de conocimiento: una perspectiva compleja para la enseñanza de las
ciencias. Universidad Pedagógica Nacional.
SÁNCHEZ, Ángel Ricardo. (2004) Ecología y medio ambiente. El desafío
ambiental. Bogotá, Cooperativa Editorial del Magisterio.
TOBASURA ACUÑA, Isaías (2006) Política ambiental en los planes de desarrollo
en Colombia 1990-2006. Una visión crítica. Rv Luna Azul. N° 22 enero - junio Pag
1-12
TORRES CARRASCO, Maritza (2008) La educación ambiental: Una estrategia
flexible, un proceso y unos propósitos en permanente construcción. Revista
Iberoamericana de Educación. N° 16. Educación ambiental y formación: Proyectos
y experiencias,
TORRES CARRASCO, Maritza. (2005) MEN Programa d educación ambiental. En
“Colombia aprende” Junio.
127
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
AL tablero. Un país que educa y que se educa. N° 48 diciembre 2008-enero 2009
Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá, Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente, 2008 Pag 29
Aprender a Proteger y Conservar el Ambiente: Herramientas para la vida.
Encuentro Distrital de proyectos Ambientales SED- PRAE 2009. Bogotá, enero
2010.
Formar en Ciencias. ¡Un desafío! Lo que necesitamos saber y hacer. Ministerio De
educación Nacional MEN. Guí n°7 2004
Informe Integración Educación Media – educación superior. Elaborado por Olga
lucía Pardo. Coordinadora Jornada tarde, con le apoyo de docentes, padres de
familia y estudiantes.
Lineamientos Curriculares. Ciencias naturales y educación ambienta. Áreas
obligatorias y fundamentales. Ministerio de Educación Nacional. Editorial
Magisterio. Bogotá 1998.
MEN. (2009) Documento de trabajo Ministerio de Educación Nacional. Bogotá
junio 2009
Proyecto 462 de la localidad de Chapinero, vigencia 2009.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Diarios de campo sobre el desarrollo de las clases, realizados por los profesores
Giovanni Garavito y Over Rozo.
Entrevistas a los maestros del Colegio Campestre Monteverde IED.
Ficha de seguimiento a las reuniones periódicas realizadas por las investigadoras
Gladys Jiménez y Sandra Sandoval.
Informe final de los profesores Giovanni Garavito, Over Rozo y Yolima Garzón.
Posters realizados por los profesores Giovanni Garavito, Over Rozo, Yolima
Garzón y Pilar García.
128
2.4. REPORT CASE STUDY 3: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
RESEARCH PRACTICES AND TEACHING PRACTICES OF SCIENCE
This case study is developed in the National Pedagogic Institute, a public institution
of education of a national nature and with particular conditions in the district thanks
to its part in the National Pedagogic University. The field actions involve the
design, implementation and analysis of two classroom proposals, carried out by
four science teachers, three of them are licensed in biology and one in education,
psychology and pedagogy (Preschool education).
2.4.2. LOCAL CONTEXT OF THE FIELD ACTIONS
INFORMATION INTERVENTION UNIT
INTITUTO PEDAGOGICO NACIONAL
School Type
Public and
national
educational
institute of the
state, which is
a part of the
National
Pedagogic
University
PEI
Links
Projects
Size of school
Levels
Background Teachers
The Science area counts with 12
One location with one
licensed teachers and 3
schedule: 130 teachers. 58
Preschool,
elementary teachers from grades 1
classes,
Basic
to 3 of basic elementary.
252 students in preschool,
elementary
Four teachers from the science
728 in basic elementary. 643
and high
area are a part of the project, they
in basic high school. 298 in
school, and
have a post graduate formation in
VOCATIONAL MEDIA and 41 VOCATIONAL
science or the teaching of sciences
special education students,
MEDIA
and have participated in research
for a total of 1962 students.
and innovation projects.
"The current schooling and its projection towards the new century makes emphasis
on multiple developments.”
The PEI axes are: Socialization and autonomy, the development of rationality and
scientific spirit, the development of what is physical and esthetic, the development of
affection-values, the formation of an environmental ethic and the development of
differences and plurality.
In the science are with the ACAC (Colombian Association for Scientific Advance),
“MALOKA” and Youth Researchers in the Department of chemistry UPN and other
areas with the SENA (National Learning Services), The University of the “Minuto de
Dios”, The “Bosque” University and the Engineering School. “julio Garavito”
PEGRE: School plan for the del Risk, Prevention and Attention of Emergency Plan.
PRAE: School Environmental Project
PILEO: Annual Institution for Reading, Writing and Speaking in the National
pedagogic Institute as transversal axes of the Study plans with the plan of the
Capital district secretary of education.
Enterprising Youth Project
Quality Development Project IPN
School Farm
Pre-university and Pre-“icfes”
Project for 2012 CIUP:
Fenix IPN-UPN, Auto evaluation. Critical Pedagogy
129
QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL
The National Pedagogic Institutes is located in the neighborhood “Usaquén” in the
middle of a residential and commercial center of the city, right next to the “Bella
Suiza,” and “Prados del Country,” neighborhoods, as well as the “Unicentro,” mall
in Bogota. You can reach the institute descending from the oriental mountains at
the 127 coming from the east towards the west, also from the Ninth Lane until
reaching 11 B bis A, coming from the south, going towards the north until reaching
127 A street, which separates the Pedagogic Institute from the Reyes Católicos”
school towards the north in the city. The Pedagogic Institute counts with wide
spaces in a traditional locality and with high demand from an urban point of view,
not only thanks to the high values of the residencies nearby and the malls, but also
because of its nearness with the Bogota Country Park and the Bogota Country
Club, one of the first, most elegant and prestigious social clubs in Bogotá, with a
recreational golf field in the city.
The location of the National Pedagogic Institute has been suffering changes at an
accelerating rate in the use of its grounds since the colonial times until the
urbanization of Bogota. Originally, Usaquen was the territory for “Muisca” and
“Chibcha” communities that were evacuated thanks to the 1777 Decree 39. In 1846
is declared as a town and in 1954, thanks to the creation of the Special district of
Bogota, it was attached as a part of the city, making it a locality in the year 1991. It
includes everything from 100 streets to the border of the city in the northern part
and the spaces from the Northern highway to the north-eastern mountains. The
locality counts with an educational sector with 93 institutions that are really
insufficient for the high demand. 60% of the population is located between the 4 th
and 6th strata according to the Chamber of Commerce40.
The National Pedagogic Institute is an educational institution recognized at a
teaching and pedagogic level, established as one of the pioneer and relevant
institutions in the history of education concerning the formation of teachers in
Colombia41. Its foundation in 1927 obeyed the need to form teachers42. Since the
political constitution of 1886, the need to educate governesses and teachers had
been installed in the debate concerning national education, but it was only until
39
Spain argumented that its flooded lands filled with wetlands contributed little to the tribut and thus
obliged the native populations to move towards the highlands in “Soacha.”
40
Bogota Chamber of Commerce.Economic and managerial profile. Locality of Usaquén report 2006
41
In the beginning of the 1900‟s the laws that allowed the orgnization of public education were
promulgated and regulated (of a religious and without cost nature for elemntary but not of an
obligatory nature) and the official teaching in elementary, secondary, industy, professional and
artistic in Law number 39 of 1903 and dcree 491 of 1904. Ver Téllez y Ramírez, 2006.
42
Incicially two National Pedagogic Institutions were thought of: one for female tutors and the other
for male tutors, in Bogotá, thanks to the first and second German comission in Bogotá, which
brought many ideas from some fo the most relevant educationists in Europe.
130
1917 that the creation of National Pedagogic Institutions was made official for male
tutors of institutions in Bogota43.
“There will be a National Pedagogic Institute for male tutors and another for
female tutors in the capital of the republic, where female and male professors
from inferior, superior and normal schooling that are apt for teaching, directing
and inspecting national public teaching, may be educated in the science of
pedagogy.” 44 (Institutional Educational Project IPN. 2001)
From the beginning the National Pedagogic Institution accommodated female
teachers from the entire country, in search for a professional and official title of
“Female tutor.” During the first ten years of functioning a series of programs are
gestated, which cover the educational need of the teachers in the country little by
little. For the twenties decade, teachers at an inferior and superior level are being
formed, in the thirties the elementary school was added and the Montessori school
was founded for forming kindergarden teachers, the Preschool was created and
the education faculty for women which 20 years later, in 1955, would be the bases
for consolidating what is the Pedagogic National University today, in the fifties the
links for the teaching practice are created and the Secondary Studies Institute was
founded. During the same period (1929-1933) the complementary courses for
perfecting the teachers are developed. Once the National Pedagogic University is
founded in 1955, all of the programs that were offered in the National Pedagogic
Institute were passed on to the University for their administration. In the sixties the
university acquires the name that it has today and the intensive programs for the
training of teachers starting from secondary studies45 is established.
For its part, the National pedagogic Institute has continued to be part of the
University, in sixties decade, obeying the policy of graduating high school student
in a year with a student teacher title, carried out intensive course for people from
provinces through a scholarship program. It is in the sixties that the National
Pedagogic Institute retakes the preschool teacher-forming program and in the
same period offers courses for training of teachers in Bogota and the entire
country, displacing personnel and infrastructure to the regions of “Antioquia,”
“Sucre” and “Choco.” During this same period the IPN is convened to guide the
creation and foundation of different kinder gardens like the social services (I.S.S)
one in “Kennedy,” “Centro Nariño” and the “Espectador.” It is important to point out
43
Only until the law 25 of the 6 of November of 1917, the need for creating and financing a national
pedagogic institute was officialized, these as centres for educating teachers in the country. RADKE,
Francizca. History of the IPN for ladies since 1927 untill 1935. Ed.Gráfica Bogotá, 1936
44
What is consigned in the Decree 145 of the 28 of January of 1927, and the law 25 of 1917 is
carried out.
45
The Institute for Training and Perfecting of the Magistry in Service and the Physical Education
School take on the character of a faculty when integrated with the University. The Decree No. 3153
of 1968 reorganized the university and defined it as a public establishment of an educational nature,
with juridical personality, administrative autonomy and independent patrimony assigned to the
National Ministry of Education.
131
that for the end of the sixties decade and as a result of the fusion between
secondary studies and the National Pedagogy University with the IPN, a Special
Education Program is opened, which is currently administrated by the Education
Faculty at the UPN.
Recently the National Pedagogic Institute has penetrated in the implementation of
various programs that have solved punctual needs in the country: In the seventies
it implemented the double working day and the maternity school, in the eighties in
convention with the Presidency of the Republic a program for secondary studies
was created for reinsertion of members of the armed illegal groups and in the same
decade established an agreement with the ICBF46, that installed an academic
leveling program from community mothers, currently those programs persist and
are operated by the National Pedagogic University with the support of the IPN,
according to the needs of the country and the city in the current government plans.
PEI AND AREA PLAN IN THE IPN
Due to the National character of IPN, it assumes what is proposed in the Law 11547
in reference to the goals of education; assumes decentralization and projection
through the PEI contemplating the same General Education Law and keeps in
mind the regulation in the agreement 02848, Due to its dependence on the National
Pedagogic University. For its part, as a National and District Institution of education
it assumes the national ten-year plans of the MEN49 and the district planes of the
SED50, which postulates and additional challenge concerning the other public and
private institutions of the city51.
The PEI of the National Pedagogic Institute is thus exceptional of its genre 52 in
respect to the less traditional institutions or institutions that have undergone more
recent renovation. Since its origins, the head has been Franzisca Radke under the
influence of the second German mission and who centered the first pedagogic
reflections surrounding the Kerschensteiner School, considering it “an active
school for work.” These first curriculums are considered flexible, dynamic and
integral, very close to what we assume today as the Law 115 of education. In the
sixties and seventies decades the new pedagogic tendencies led to the reflection
46
ICBF, Colombian Institute of Family Wellfare, recently attached to the
Law 115
48
Agreement 028
49
National Education Ministry
50
District Secretary of Education
51
Normally the district educational institutions assume the guidelines of MEN in a general manner
and develope the ten-year national and district educational plans according to the local secretary. In
the case of IPN it should also respond to the guidelines of the National Pedagogic University that
respond to the Law 30 proper of superior education in Colombia.
52
This condition of responding to the Law 115 the 028 agreement, the Law 30 and the local and
district plans in unique in this institution du to its attached character to the UPN. N of A.
47
132
of the curriculum; on one hand the investigation and exploration focuses that are
being adopted in the UPN during the same time, and in the other the behavior
approaches and educational technology born from Anglo-Saxon reflections and
adopted by the different governments in shift in the national ministries, lead to
thinking the curriculum from the investigation of teaching practices, to microteaching and the projection of the IPN as a national central pilot. (PEI, IPN 2010)
During the eighties, breaches occurred between authoritarian schemes for the first
years and the recent conciliatory proposals. This is why the new proposals
accepted the error trials in the construction of knowledge opposed to the logical
and schematic systems of transmission accepted until now by traditional schemes.
It is in the eighties that structural amendments of the IPN are made oriented
towards the innovation, modernization and actualization of the pedagogic debate,
education is conceived as the possibility for developing critical consciousness and
the self-determination, and knowledge as a project that is elaborated constantly in
relation to theory and practice53. In spite of the excellent intentions of this
curriculum reformation, the dynamic in relation to the IPN and the UPN take us to
the dislocation of the pedagogic actions in the nineties decade, in such a way that
the National Pedagogic University questions the chiefs in each area and the school
government taking it to a series of contradictions in front of what is planned in the
General Education Law. It is in these times that the IPN gets tied with the National
Pedagogic University as an Institute. (PEI, IPN 2010)
At present the PEI of the National Pedagogic Institute obeys the different
guidelines that regulate: Law 115 or the general education law, law 30, the 028
Agreement and the ten-year national plans of the district ministry of education and
the district secretaries of education.
According to the Law 115 and the Law 30 54 in the PEI, in the IPN we can assume:
the full development of personality, the respect for life, the formation of social
participation, the acquisition and generation of scientific and technical knowledge
through the appropriation of intellectual habits adequate for the development of the
being, the study and the critical comprehension of culture and diversity, the
development of critical capacity, reflexive and analytical capacity, the acquisition
consciousness for the conservation, protection and improvement of the
environment and finally a formation in the practice of work, promotion and
preservations of health and hygiene.
According to the 028 Agreement the PEI of the IPN should develop innovation
programs and educational experimentation according to the CSU 55. Explore,
53
ROJAS, Manuel Vicente, PALACIOS, Olga Lucia,, GONZALEZ, Martha Cecilia and ALVAREZ,
Alejandro. Towards the structural reformation of the IPN, 1984
54
Artícule 67 of the political Constitution.
55
CSU Consejo Superior universitario
133
qualify and attend the multiple intelligences in the student population, keeping in
mind the cultural diversity and the varied levels of intellectual development.
Bet on the integral development, procure continuation in studies to reach higher
levels of formation, develop a human, artistic, scientific, technological and
pedagogic culture in pursuit of a critical nature and the transformation of society,
guarantee the interchange of knowledge and know-how with other educational
institutions, development within the Institutional education project of multiple
curriculums for diverse groups of student and within the same PEI curriculum for
middle education that may be integrated to the fundamental cycle that is offered by
the National Pedagogic University or other universities with which an agreement
may be established.
Finally the 028 agreement conditions the PEI from the IPN when keeping in mind a
curriculum of assisted teaching through computers, eyewitness modalities, semiassistant and virtual assistance curriculums in the Institutional Education Project
(PEI) and foment innovation and projects of extension through the educational
practices of pedagogic investigation as well as academic interaction between the
IPN and other UPN dependencies, permanently supporting the University and the
IPN teachers with assistance and offering formal, non-formal and informal
education to diverse areas of the population, preferably those with scarce
economic resources.
The science area plan within the PEI of the IPN is subscribed to what is proposed
in the Law 115 and the Law 30 in the 028 agreement and in the national and
district policies of education. The science area has built its‟ purposes and
fundamental principles as a result of collective reflection and assuming that it is
professionally conformed by different stances and perspectives. The base of the
science area of the IPN has assumed the need to promote scientific and
technological literacy in school, working on the motivation towards sciences using
workshops, classroom project and investigation and innovation projects. In the
same way the area is interested in developing and evaluating the scientific
competences supported on the logical reasons of students, favoring the values of
consciousness, respect and care for the environment, thinking of sustainable
development in such a way that it may involve other subjects and themes of the
transversal areas and in the course of other disciplines that allow the consolidation
as a central teaching practice in the U.P.N. (Area Plan Document. 2011)
PARTICIPATING TEACHERS
The National Pedagogic Institute participated in the study of opinion of the
TRACES project. The IPN in permanent collaboration with the National Pedagogic
University is linked initially with TRACES through the areas of science and
afterwards the project is developed with a more reduced group of teachers in areas
which some of them already have hours assigned to in their work plans for the
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TRACES project, as a particular condition. Finally a group of four teachers is
conformed, its; interest is to systemize the most relevant pedagogic practices that
are advanced in the educational institution, initially understanding the need to
make said practices visual from the recognition of the actions that are advanced by
the teachers of the IPN day to day, making these actions dynamic and allowing the
institutional recognition of the same.
From the first encounters with the group of teachers, one thing that was agreed
was giving account of the epistemological bases, as well as the disciplinary and
cognitive bases that are at the foundations of the developed projects, in such a
way that participating teachers and the general community may conceptually place
these in diverse references that support the proposal. It was also agreed that the
curriculum content of the science area would be linked to the developed proposals,
independently of whether the alternative projects like the school farm or parallel
projects to the curriculum in the area of the institute were carried out.
Within the particular interests of the teachers of the science area a need for
directing the results of the investigation towards guidelines for the formation of
competences and scientific talent in the school was determined. Working for
groups of teachers in both basic elementary and basic high school intends to give
account of the systemization processes of the experiences in the formation of
competences and scientific talent in each one of the their dimensions; cognitive,
evaluative and procedural.
Finally the team of teachers agreed they would make visible in each one of the
proposals, the role that they accomplished in the experimental activities that are
developed with the students in the construction of explanations of scientific
phenomenon. We try to determine the role that the systemization of processes and
investigation on behalf of the teachers have in the explanation of the phenomenon
unique to the teaching of sciences in school.
To give fulfillment to these team goals the teachers of the National Pedagogic
Institute and the team of accompanying teachers of TRACES met together in
diverse spaces from February 2011 until December of the same year, discussing,
analyzing, commenting on the different advances and routes each proposal was
taking in the institution. The synthesis of the team of participating teachers is
resumed like this:
CLASSROOM PROPOSAL
The formulation of the classroom proposals was carried out jointly between the
teachers of the science area of the IPN and the accompanying TRACES team. The
principle work agreements are synthesized in the following:
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





Recover every day actions of the participating teachers in the TRACES project,
as well continue with projects already carried out in the institution and recover
projects with some kind of institutional recognition.
To make the epistemological, disciplinary and cognitive foundations visible
throughout the process and that are at the base of said projects.
Design and implement the curriculum contents of the science area in spaces
and alternative contexts to the classroom, such as the school farm.
Orient the reflection in purpose of the field actions, on the contributions that the
educational investigation may have on the formation of scientific competences
and scientific talent in school as particular interest of the teachers and the area
in the National Pedagogic Institute.
Work hand in hand with classroom projects, groups of teachers are proposed
for basic elementary and basic high school to advance on classroom actions,
accompanied by teachers from the TRACES UPN team.
Point out in the work proposals the role that experimental activities developed
with the students in the construction of explanation for the phenomenon of
science have and the role they also have in the investigation of the classroom
proposals on behalf of the teacher the explanation natural to the teaching of
sciences.
The need to differentiate between the field actions that articulate the proposals
from the science classroom is agreed on with the participating teachers team, in
the case study that is carried out based on field actions. The need to give count, in
purpose of what is proposed by the PEI, the contributions that these field actions
may give to the concept of multiple developments, contemplated as the principle
axes of the institutional PEI is discussed. This meaning that the fundamental
purpose of both of the proposals that are being advanced on by the teachers‟ team
of the PEI is the development of talents and competences in science. The need to
emphasize in which way the projects and field actions are going gives account of
the transformations in the teaching of sciences.
We have investigated how much the farm would impact scientific
competences. What does it look for pedagogically speaking? Now the urban
agriculture project is being thought to function during the 10 months the
students are in the institution, this project requires personnel and even at a
certain time the support of veterinary medicine students. The project is invited
to present results, to think of it from a pedagogical stance point and not only
from a productive perspective, meaning that it is not enough that it may selfsustain. Keeping in mind the contribution of the farm to the development of
scientific activities of the students is suggested (Marisol Cobos, teacher of the
science area during the presentation of the area document.)
136
The “farm” as a project is the initiative of the teacher Elvia Viarissio 56 and retaken
10 years ago by the team of the area, initially it comes out as an innovation project
and in the year 2010 is assumed as an investigation project financed by the
CIUP57.
“Since the year 2000 we count on an extensive green zone and thanks to a
survey it was determined that in general the community lived in apartments,
initially a kind of activism was worked on which generated not only enthusiasm
amongst the students, but also the managerial, this proposed the need to pass
an investigation project in which 5 years after incrementing the volume of
animals and crops: (…) The farm was tried to be linked to the study plans, from
preschool to eleventh grade, in preschool the differences between living beings
was treated, then differences between chickens and plants, in seventh grade
clean technologies were treated, because of this worm cultures and compost
were worked on, while in 10th and 11th grades the environmental topics were
linked searching for the generation micro enterprises surrounding the
environment areas. (Marisol Correa, teacher in the area of sciences in a group
interview the area teachers of the institution)
The farm is linked with the 2011 PRAE58, the current idea of the experience is to
count with a space inside of the city to carry out agricultural and livestock activities:
aromatic garden59, animals like: cattle goats, fish farming, raising of snails60 and
composting as a support of teaching activities in the sciences and the formation of
scientific competences and talents.
“All of this turned out into a project in which the farm wanted to demonstrate
the generation of competences, as a background we found that no
environmental competences had been determined.” (Rocío Calderón, teacher
in the science area in the group interview with the teachers of the area in the
institution.)
The farm has had to look for resources or sell its product for its maintenance;
normally the parents of the school buy the products that their children grow and
raise, converting this space not only in a productive and commercializing space but
also in a collective project that involves the students, parents and teachers of the
institutions.
56
Because of this in the actions the work space is recognized as “Elvia‟s Garden,” aspect that is
coroborated in the recognition that the general community gives to the garden in the IPN.
57
Investigation Centre of the of the National Pedagogic University.
58
PRAE Environmental Educational Project
59
Etnobotany project coordinate by the teacher Johana and lead little by little by the sutdents of 8th
and 9th grades of the institution.
60
For the study perio the animals are no longer there, partly due to the change in boundaries with
the neighbor school “Reyes Católicos,” and also due to the lack of budget for itheir maintainance.
Also the loss of terraine and the entry of machinery that damage the crops and the funcitional
aspects of the farm.
137
“The farm links not only parents and students of the IPN, but also links each
one of the subjects in the science curriculum in such a way that each teacher
uses the space in the subjects and in this way making the projective a
collective one.” (Jimmy Fúquene teacher of the science area in the group
interview with the area teachers of the institution)
In synthesis and given what is stated before, the design of the classroom proposals
integrate on one hand the need to form reflexive and critical postures in students;
the development of capacities to construct explanations; that creatively resolve the
issues in their every-day surroundings and strengthen their scientific abilities
through experimental work. On the other hand the proposals are looking for the
teachers to link systemization and investigations processes of the classroom
activities in the explanation of phenomenon‟s natural to the teaching of sciences in
school and the formation of scientific competences and talents for science in the
boys and girls of the institution, all of this in a traditional innovating and
investigative institutional context.
The proposals that are developed in the National Pedagogic Institute, express the
science teachers‟ interests and the institutions and educational community in
general in the purpose of developing competences and scientific talent in the
school. These proposals are:
The first proposal is undergone in sixth and seventh grades and seeks to study
the processes involved in the plant reproduction. For this experimental activities
are carried out which allow the description, characterization and technical
explanation of the potato crops (Solanum tuberosum), in different mediums and
conditions, like in the garden, in vitro crops and bioreactors. Parallel to these
activities, the students inspect different investigation institutes, for industrial crops
and farms, also look up crop techniques, varieties of potatoes, traditions, eating
habits and different ways of commercializing potatoes.
138
The second proposal is based on the importance that urban agriculture has in
order to link student from second and fourth grade elementary with agricultural
traditions that are almost extinct. For this, aromatic and herbal plants are studied,
which also have a medicinal use and value; indigenous and grandparent traditions
are collected concerning the uses of these plants. Additionally, experimental
techniques are applied for the extraction of the essences and the elaboration of
products for use in medicine.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS
The meetings were carried out weekly in the National Pedagogic Institute location,
in a space of two hours per encounter, the TRAES team and the participating
teachers discussed the formulation of their classroom proposals with students from
the second, third, sixth and seventh grades from basic elementary and basic high
school respectively. During the year of 2011 the participating teachers and the
TRACES team formulated, designed, implemented and systemized the classroom
proposals attending the needs of the institution, the educational population and the
needs of the participating teachers. The classroom proposals were formulated in
constant feedback, workshops were designed for both the lab and the farm, and
fieldwork was carried out in the farm and experimental work in the lab with
bioreactors. The participating teachers elaborated observation notes, advances
and activity reports, systemized their classroom proposals and presented it
formally to the TRACES team, at the same time the TRACES team created acts
from each meeting in for each one of the encounters, photographically registered
the work experiences in the farm and laboratory, assisted to the area discussions,
the science classes and different encounters with the students, capturing the
necessary inputs for systematization of the information that nurtures the present
case study.
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SYSTEMATIZATION
“…the systematization as a process of recovery, appropriation and
schematization of a determined formational practice, which systemically and
historically relates it‟s theoretical-practical components, allows the subjects to
comprehend and explain their contexts, senses, fundaments, logics and
problematic aspects that are presented in the experience, with means to
transform and qualify the comprehension, experimentation and expression of
the educational proposals of a communitarian nature.”61
The systematization rotates on the idea of calling a team of science teachers
surrounding common and pertinent interests in their school, the teaching of
sciences and the development of scientific capacities in their students; openly
discussing their pedagogic experiences in front of the advances of their classroom
proposals and with them configure the comprehension of the process, with the
idea, from the TRACES team, to give an account of the relationships that are
established between the teachers of the IPN, their teaching investigational
practices and an innovating context
2.3.2 REPORT CASE STUDY
FRAMING AND PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM
The relationship between investigational practices and the teaching
practices of science
Investigation Question
Which are the criteria,
perspectives and actions
that the teachers use to
link investigation to their
teaching practices in
science?
Context
Institution linked to
the UPN with
investigative and
innovative
tradition,
Institutional Frame
Practice of teaching
science that link
scientific knowledge
and technology
knowledge like: urban
agriculture, ecology,
biotechnology, and
genetics.
Actors
Four teachers of the
science area that
participate in the
investigation and
innovation projects.
A good part of the investigations, publications, presentations and recent
discussions in purpose of the teaching of science, have been weighting the role
that investigational activities have on the teaching practices. The interdisciplinary
character of the investigation in teaching the sciences demands additional
reflections in the contexts of the teachings as is pointed out by Tobin (1998) by
indicating that it is necessary to better comprehend the multiple tones of the
complexity of teaching.
61
Ghiso, Alfredo. Systematization of the popular educational experiences. Forum Memories: The
current contexts of popular education. Medellín 2001
140
It is clear that in this context where teachers are committed to this double purpose
apart from a certain required number and grade of basic competences in science,
a greater number of additional abilities are needed, that come from even different
fields of knowledge. It is not enough to know the disciplinary contents and manage
them, basic history and philosophy of nature and science 62 knowledge is needed,
like a meaningful field of the educational investigation (Mc Comas, 1998); but it is
also important to be familiarized with the recent reflections done on the teaching
and the learning of science in school context, which implies necessary pedagogic
and psychological reflections where relevant63.
No satisfied yet with these needs for the connection of these investigational
practices with those of teaching sciences, it is required on behalf of the teachers
constant debates on the design, methodologies and applications of the different
investigational proposals of teaching and the teaching of sciences in the reflection
of educational praxis.
If we also take into account that investigational traditions have been permanently
implied in the academic and professional formation processes of science teachers,
then recognizing the epistemological perspectives of the investigational practices in
relation to their teaching practices is vital for the comprehension of the
relationships that are established between said practices. Some of the teachers in
their formation or in their professional exercise in and out of the educational
context move investigation traditions from the practical disciplines of teaching.
Others assume reflections not coming from the discipline of investigational
disciplines, but from recent reflections on the teaching investigation, particularly the
teaching of science. Some of these recent currents of investigation in the general
teaching and teaching of sciences are particularly mobilized between social
scientific traditions, interpretation o critical traditions. The different constructive
visions have become the epistemological base of investigations concerning the
teaching of science including radical constructing and social constructing.
“The current trends in pedagogy and particularly in social constructivism are
based on the recognition of learning as a collective construction process of
agreements on possible explanations, procedures and analysis of results, that
apart from the competences of a logical and technical character, require
attitudes in relation with the social interaction that may widen the expression,
argumentation and construction of consensus.” (Hernández, 2011)
62
In the reflections you may find epistimologies with the purpose of scientific teaching, diverse and
even contridictory approaches from the points of view raised by Kuhn, Popper, Lakattos, Lauden,
among others.
63
In the psicoglogical debates, cognitive psicology has played a fundamental role orientation of the
investigtion about teaching and teaching itself. Studies on the contribution of Piaget, concerning the
balance theory, meaningful learning of Aussubel and the Vigosky‟s bets on the role of culture and
the mediatros that mark such conditions.
141
Given what is stated above, it is necessary to recognize the elements that
contribute to the comprehension of the breach between investigational practices
and teaching practices when a group of science teachers, who are trained in
diverse investigation traditions, are working collectively in a recognized pedagogic
innovating context, with everyday processes of “production-investigation” in
institutional practices and financed by the investigation center of the National
Pedagogic University; They link their investigational practices with the practices in
the teaching of science, highlighting the role of natural sciences in the formation of
scientific competent citizens, they recover investigational traditions that impact the
teaching of sciences, create alternative school situations for the promotion of the
investigation and experimentation in the classroom when they systemize their
pedagogic and investigational practice.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
GENERAL COMPETENCES
FRAME
AND
SCIENTIFIC COMPETENCE
IN THE
TEACHING
OF
SCIENCE
The idea of competent subjects is shared by wide sectors of society; among these
is the educational sector. The inevitable competence, whether it is liked it or not, is
identified with the success of any context, meaning it foresees a series of
totipotentials of human beings in purpose of the needs that are imposed by the
medium. This gamma of possibilities is not always explicit in actions or behaviors,
including potentials for the cognitive performance, evaluative performance and a
practical performance that undeniably associates them with individual talent,
whether it be a general or a specific talent.
The concept of competition has not been kept unvaried through time and obeys the
interpretation and redefinition that it suffers in the different contexts it is used in and
that it is submitted to. It has been initially defined as a performance, associated
with a “Contextual know-how” related with theoretical and practical knowledge of
the individuals, it possesses different levels or grades of integration and manifests
itself in the diverse aspect of social and personal activities of people. The
competition implies a before, during and after, this means that competitions involve
previous life experiences and experiences traveled through life, their current
actions and their application and development of possibilities and abilities in the
future. As if this weren‟t enough the competition concept is associated with diverse
potential attainment, abilities, skills, aptitudes, attitudes, acts and action of a social
the social, cultural and individual nature.
“There are multiple reasons why it is precise to study, comprehend and apply
the competence based formation approach. First place, because it is the
educational focus that is at the heart of the Colombian educational policy in its
diverse levels, and this makes it necessary for every teacher to learn to
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capably perform within this focus. In second place, because competences are
the fundamental orientation of diverse international projects of education, like
the Tuning Project of the European Union or the Alfa Tuning Project in Latin
America. And in third place, because the competences constitute the
foundation of the curriculum orientation, the teaching, learning and evaluation
orientation from a quality frame since this attributes principles, indicators and
tools to obtain this, more than any other.” (TOBÓN, 2004)
According to Maldonado (2001, 2006, 2008 and 2010) the concept of competition
in Colombia has had three spins or historical changes that have affected the
debate concerning the professional formation in the country, these debates have
generally transcended the national science curriculums and have particularly
determine the orientations for the curriculums in every level; basic elementary,
basic high school, vocational media, technical and professional education. A first
influence in the enunciation of standards is associated with the creation of the
SENA in the fifties decade, which introduced the in the competence debate, the
need of formation for work. In a second opportunity during the nineties decade,
when the ICFES re-adjusted the state evaluations and introduces the competence
debate as an evaluation tool, and in a third instance in the year 2000 when the
derived idea of the Tunning Project reaches the country and establish the
competence point of view in the quality and accreditation discourses.
“So far into the decade of the present century, the competence concept has
overtaken the educational system in Colombia and its neighbor countries, as it
has already done so in the European system to install itself in the more
ambitious global projects. (…) the initial competence concept used by the
psychology, linguistics or rights system was appropriated by the educational
system, industrial system, massive media system, national and international
accreditation agencies, business leaders and even the student‟s parents,
constituting itself as the educational policy concept that has made the greatest
resonance in the educational system and the most productive concept in the
last twenty years. The term implies a scientific posture to comfort educational
technology, which had its boom in the seventies, but suffered a fold in
Colombia and neighbor countries thanks to the emergence of the linguistic
spin, critical pedagogy and the constructivism irruption, coming from Europe
and The United States. The strategy seems to be the same employed during
the second half of the XXth century: the concepts and renovating speeches are
covered in sciences to show education as a system in means to show
pedagogy in the field of sciences, the same occurs with the teachings that are
installed in these disciplines today. Once their speeches are positioned in
sciences they seem to be authorized to predict, mold and plan life and
learning‟s in individuals. MALDONADO (2010)
Tobón (2004) differences professional labor competences from basic, generic and
specific competences. In the first case this would include the qualified personnel
formed at a technical education level for the job and professionals with
technological or professional studies, product of the corresponding levels of
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superior education. For the second case the basic or fundamental competences
will be discriminates as those necessary for life in society and developing in any
work field, these belong to the levels of basic elementary, basic high school and
vocational media in the educational system, these basic competences according to
MEN give reference to mathematics, communication, scientific competences, as
well as cognitive, argumentative and purposeful competences, evaluated by
different national and international entities and widely developed in the official
curriculums and document of the country.
Finally, generic competences are grouped in the range of professions and jobs
evaluated through the ECAES, recently named SABER PRO evaluations, they are
common competences in professionals concerning the intellectual, technological,
managerial, entrepreneur and organizational abilities while the specific
competences correspond to the fields that are unique to particular professions and
are highly specialized.
On the other hand in a more generalized manner, one of the principle problems in
the competence work in the country, is the low resources in front of the
development of the general population (determined by the use of local tests,
national and worldwide; Saber, ICFES, TIMMS, and PISA among others), for
example in Colombia the analysis of the reading conditions shows low
comprehension levels in evaluations like the SABER and at the same time, the
data concerning reading habits are equally deficient, aspect which is correlated to
poor levels con book consumption and the use of libraries, even less than what is
found in countries with similar development levels.
In reading competences Colombia occupies one of the last places faced with other
Latin American countries, basically because of the difficulty students find of
understanding what they read. A high percentage of teens in the educational
system are at a basic reading level given they respond questions who‟s answer is
explicit in the text, but they have difficulty in establishing relations between different
ideas in the text, they don‟t have a global comprehension and can‟t carry out a
critical reading which allows establishing an opinion about the suggested text.
Although in Colombia the competence concept was made visible in the basic
elementary education scene and in the high school curriculum designs for the
Spanish and literature subjects (MEN: 1984) which is currently the language area,
other definitions of the subject end up budding their way in and installing
themselves in all of the curriculums of the different subjects, this first linguistic
glimpse of the competences was advanced under the form of an evaluation of the
descriptive, argumentative and purposeful competences projected in the entire
educational system in the country.
The logic seems to be the same: from language it passed on to basic
education in general and from a specific curriculum design it repositioned itself
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in evaluation and control. The competence discourse, looked at from a basic
education perspective, arises in linguistics from a human learning and
reflection point of view, although it did penetrate in diverse educational spheres
and managerial areas and today the basic statements of its founders are a part
of the official speech and are disseminated, but allowed the better
understanding of the perspective from a “language as a science” point of view;
its findings have invaded psychology, anthropology, mathematic, philosophy
and history and in the last fifty years, they have also invaded pedagogy and
other disciplines connected with education. The finding of Chomsky allowed
the comprehension and explanation of the acquisition of the native language in
children and as the most viable method to understand human thought. This
purpose became the ground bases of the competences in which the
formulation of politics, projects, curriculum, evaluation methods or models were
carried out and which were translated with or without precaution to other
scenarios and are allowing the comprehension of the acquisition and
development of other human competences different to the communication
ones. (MALDONADO, 2010)
In the general frame of the competences in Colombia the debate for and about
scientific competences soaks the educational context in the idea of developing a
scientific culture as an essential component in the formation of human being. This
perspective has been decisive in the debates and recent publications in the country
and the entire world. An agreement exists in a good part of literature in the idea
that successfully overlapping a scientific and technological perspective into the
educational terrain would imply serious and profound transformations in the
comprehension of the world and in the appropriation of scientific and technological
knowledge in everyday life, understanding the social contexts in which these
activities take place.
“Understanding the natural world we live in, learning to transform it and
efficiently and responsibly manage all of the information and knowledge
humanity has been accumulating about it through the millenniums, this as a
central competence in order to relate with nature.” Villaveces 200764
Directly related with the idea of a scientific and technological culture or a technoscientific culture is the concept of competence. Recently the developments of a
series of ideas that give count of the discussion and advances in the importance of
scientific and technological formation in society have been taking place.
Abbreviations like CTS, CTS + I CTS + D in diverse documents and development
plans, theoretical frames of educational standards and diverse scientific and
technological documents, indicate the way in which this idea has soaked through
the discussions and debates on the formation of sciences, innovation, the
development and productivity of the country and in all of these a competence
posture or scientific competence idea lays underneath.
64
Socialized document in the National Ministry of Education page.
145
“Globalization and the scientific and technical revolution around the world have
modified in a considerable way the traditional education systems and have
given more importance to the teaching and learning of natural sciences and the
value of this as a permanent activity in subjects that are in a learning process.
The Colombian government is not foreign to this reality and through the
National Ministry of Education has granted directors in the articulation of the
education goals proposed by the Law 115/94 and the general and specific
objectives of the natural science area, attempting to contribute to the
development of scientific thought in students.” (Sánchez and Gómez, 2010)
Through MEN the recognition of basic standards for the development of scientific
competences in science curriculums and other curriculums is started. These
standards do not limit the autonomy of the PEI or the curriculum, what they allow is
the outlining, coordinating and fomenting of the scientific competence development
at different levels in the national education system, even in a superior level where
the income of these competences has been the slowest and has generate great
debates and tensions in its application.
“The set of knowledge, attitudes, dispositions and abilities (cognitive, socioaffectionate and communicative), related with each other for facilitating the
flexible performance and with the sense of an activity in a relatively new and
challenges contexts” Carlos E. in Labor document for the MEN.
Competences in science imply not only knowing the contexts but also knowing
what to do in flexible and shifting contexts in every-day life.
“The highest purpose of education is to prepare people to lead responsible
lives, people that carry out actions that that are in favor of themselves and also
in favor of society as a whole. Scientific education has a fundamental role
being played within by helping in the formation of caring humans, capable of
thinking in an autonomous way and acting in a proposing way as well as
responsible in the different contexts they may encounter. For this, the horizon
of action that is proposed is the formation of sciences in favor of the
development of scientific thought; Developing the capability of following what
was learned; Developing the capability of critically valuing science and give a
hand in the formation of men and woman as active members of a society”
Basic Standard competences in social and natural sciences MEN
In these official documents we assume that training in sciences implies the
development of people, human being and creative social beings, capable of
reasoning, debating, producing and coexisting in their ever more complex and
competitive environment. Thinking of Colombia, where social and cultural needs
demand the development of students who can be critical, ethical, and tolerant to
differences and diversity, committed socially and environmentally with their natural
surrounding and social surroundings; the development of these competences is
more than a felt need in the educational context.
146
“When presenting the Basic Standards for Natural and Social Science
Competences as scientific standard we look for contributing to the formation of
scientific and critical thought in the Colombian students. Although both
sciences have different objects of study, the inquiry processes that conduce to
their development, and the necessary competences to carry them out unite
them. In this way, students may develop the abilities and scientific attitudes
then need to explore events and phenomenon and solve problems of their
own. This is how The Basic Standards for Natural and Social Science
Competences keep a close relation concerning their structure. None the less, it
is necessary to point out that this common structure (but not homogeneous)
does not put aside the configuration processes especially in it epistemological
and methodological components, that give these their own characteristics,
denoting an identity in the way the knowledge of social and natural sciences is
produced.” Basic Standards for Natural and Social Science Competences MEN
The standards in sciences try to develop cognitive abilities and scientific attitudes.
In the case of the cognitive abilities we expect to explore facts and phenomena‟s:
from an admiration and amazement capability; analyzing problems: understanding,
comprehending and decomposing situations; observing gather and organizing
relevant information: in order to be able to classify, differentiate and compare with
the same; Get to know different methods of analysis; evaluation methods: to be
able to infer in, deduce or induce results; using the results for analysis: comparing
and differentiating these and sharing the results.
While surrounding scientific attitudes we look for the development of curiosity, that
allows the inquiries and reaching a true knowledge; work on the intellectual
honesty of gathering data and validating them: which allows the trust and certainty
of knowledge; point out the flexibility: which opens ways and routes towards the
access of knowledge; emphasizing in persistence: which leads to achieving that
wish for knowing the truth; work on the formation of an open and critical mind:
which helps difference and discern solutions in order to make judgments: from
validating affirmations with the use of reason, to tolerating the uncertainty and
accepting provisional nature, proper of scientific exploration and finally the
development of critical and responsible posture for living beings and inert matter.
DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC TALENT AND THE TEACHING OF SCIENCES
The use of alternative conceptions that in occasion is carried out by scientists in
every-day context, does not imply that we be permissive with the intuitive
conception of the academic contexts of the future talents in sciences. On the
contrary, we must insist in the need and the use of the scientific conceptions in
every-day contexts. Mechanisms like the meta-cognition and elaboration must be
promoted, since they are determining in the process of the construction of
explanations. Meta-cognition is referred to the knowledge of the processes of
knowledge. Consciousness on behalf of the future talents of science and their
preconceptions, the presence of anomaly data, the characteristics of new scientific
147
theories, etc… favors the remaking and re-meaning (giving new meaning) of the
scientific phenomena‟s. (Gunstone, 1994; Hewson, 1996) Finally the elaboration,
product of contemplating problems from diverse perspectives, has been mentioned
frequently as an important factor in the acquisition of knowledge and is also
present in the process of change. (Sánchez and Valencia, 2009)
Getting to know the different mechanisms for giving new meanings has allowed the
formulating of concrete didactic models in the teaching of sciences that favors
learning (Rodriguez Moneo, 1999). However, in different studies on the teaching of
science, it is evident frequently proposed that students don‟t need to learn the
scientific conceptions that are being taught. Authors like Pozo, and Gómez Crespo
(2000) have detected different alternative conceptions, even in university students,
on the continuity of matter, for example. We can see here the need to work on the
development of scientific talent and giving new meaning to the explanations in the
science-teaching context.
The student‟s low scores in sciences may not be attributed to the general teaching
processes directly or to the particular science processes. Which makes is
necessary to rethink the relationships of the teaching of science in school. When
“Not” exposes the need to recognize the active role of the student in learning, and
at the same time make the student recognize the essential and determining role of
the mediators of this process in his book: “The pedagogies in knowledge (1987)”
he is recognizing a pedagogic model that guarantees dialectic synthesis (De
Zubiría, 2006) In its ordinary sense, the dialectic concept: dia (from one thing to the
other) and legein (saying, reasoning, determining, defining), it would be equal to an
“art of dialogue,” where a contraposition or struggle between the two or more logo
or “reasons,” will be produced (Kosik, 1998). Making reality and reason coincide as
well as subject and object, shows that this dialogue between reasons and between
the students and teachers may have two different aspects in the dialectic, one in
the ontological and the other in what is logical. The dialectic, in any of its
interpretations, recognizes in the contradiction between opposites (contraries) the
motor of all movement and development. This is only a half said truth if the way in
which these contraries are penetrated in each other (and many others), and the
way in which they interact is taken to a second plane where these two are modified
and influenced mutually. (Sánchez y Valencia, 2009)
The first consideration in the development of scientific talent is the modification and
from this the mediation, which in other words means that the context has an
impulsion role surrounding the talent. The second important consideration that is
present in the discussion is one that includes the student the relationship he/she
has with knowledge and the structuring, which is the most significant difference
when working with scientific talents.
Structuring is vital when working with possible scientific talents, as is affirmed by
Not:
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“Perception allows the coming out of structuring with data, symbolic function
with the representation of data and the study of synthesis functions,
organizational knowledge, allows understanding of these relationship through
the successive steps of evolution which conduce to initial syncretism, where
subject and object are confused and the objective knowledge which is
characteristic to all scientific know-how.” Based on this, structuring with talents
principle function eradicates in the change of mental structures. For this it is
important to comprehend the mental structures, as “a set of elements that
depend on each other and that may not be other than what they are in that
relationship with each other.” A fundamental role is given to the context in
which these activities in the scientific talent labor are developed. (Not, 1987)
This is how a generalized emphasis is derived and not prom particularities, that are
the object of the work on forming scientific talents. No the other hand, Not makes a
distinction that we find important to differenciate in the contents of the
methodologies and that brings light to the work itself in the classroom and with
young talents:
“Elemental structure of knowledge is the scheme. The action scheme is not
necessarily a representation. It is and interior movement, a potential structure
of an action that will be carried out according to similar actions like the ones
taken from previous organized actions in analogue circumstances. “Is from
elemental schemes that we can organize mental structure that correspond to
diverse domains in which intelligence is exercised; these structures are
situated at different levels of functioning conducts, depending on if the content
is present as a perception or absent but re-created like in symbolic or
imaginary or intellectual synthesis activities related with concepts.” (Not, 1996)
The highlighted role of modeling example concepts is evident in a context where it
is possible to transfer these concepts to different situations. Not is very clear when
confronting a Rousseau quote on Emilion. When Rousseau insinuates that the
student should invent science and not learn it. Not arguments that the idea of
inventing science is seductive, however, the scholar ignores the real sources of
information, since he has not learned the steps in that this recollection demands
and does not dispose of references or criteria‟s of selection, nor the organization
mode necessary for a fruitful search. This should be taught when the time is right,
and when their level of mental development and emotional development allows it.
(Not, 1992) This is why a scientific talent prospect has to be developed step by
step and by following levels in the essential questions of scientific activity and
should approximate to the different models of science, manifest its different
scientific attitudes, analyze and predict based on studied phenomena‟s and above
all have the ability of submitting quality hypothesis through logic and experience,
arguments and checking evidence. (Sánchez y Valencia, 2009)
149
One of the essential concepts present in the contents of work with talents is the
creation of hypothesis as tentative answers to the questions oriented in the
investigation. Seen like this, the general purpose of the work with students for the
development of talents consists in design in an investigation, carrying it out and
obtaining pertinent conclusions; to achieve these objectives, the cognitive
purposes, procedure and evaluative purposes in the development of scientific
talents are the following:



Learn and master the concepts of questions, problem, hypothesis and
variables, as central axes of scientific actions. Around these conceptualizations
are the necessary constructors from physics, chemistry and biology, in such a
way that the creation of an investigation question in a determined field requires
orientation and constant mediation on behalf of the teacher and the background
reading, until reaching its adequate and pertinent limits and that at least two
variables are connected. When the problem is boarded the complexity and its
previous level of research will be understood, the background knowledge that
exists on the same reported literature as well as the important justification for
resolving the problem. The diverse kinds of hypothesis will be proposed clearly,
the verification of statistics and the grade of elaboration of these hypotheses
will be submitted keeping in mind the number of variables in game and their
direct and indirect implication as well as their variability in the research process.
Learn the steps that should be kept in mind when designing an investigation,
although it is true that science assumes a scientific method as guarantee of its
work, particular sciences have created complex methods that resolve particular
aspect and/or ways of acting or understanding a resolution and proving the
different hypothesis at stake. It should also favor the formulation of questions
with scientific contents, meaning to say they should be based on the latest
findings in science and not on prior perceptions of the subject that is
researching. This search should be mediated so that the obstacles that may be
found along the way may be resolved at prudent times and that eh orientations
may unbalance the talent prospects. Finally, the relationship between scientific
investigation and the surrounding should be promoted, meaning that it may be
responding to the needs of the communities where these possible talents are
being developed, that it this useful knowledge may employed for each region.
Learn to develop the need to design scientific investigations with viability
criteria‟s, pertinence and rigor criteria‟s and they may be socialized in front of
the scientific and non-scientific community, using the adequate scientific
language which will allow the development of argumentation and counterargumentation in the different exposed scientific ideas in different contexts. For
this, periodic socializations are key to the development of these attitudes
between pair groups and the experts on the subjects been treated (Sánchez
and Valencia, 2009)
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EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS IN REFLECTION FRAME ON THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE
We are up against profound changes in the interior of our culture. Changes in the
institutions, their praxis, their axiological structure and the new and changing
relationships they establish. The innovations are reflected on diverse structure
such as society, family, the state, the way of doing politics and costumes. Thanks
to these motives it is necessary to carry out the same approaches in the interior of
the educational contest. Which are the changes in time and in respect to big and
profound changes of other social institutions?
Differencing educational changes on the inside of school, its actors, its contexts,
allow the somewhat recognition of the importance of innovation in the school
context as a fundamental agent of evaluation of the school and its practices.
Diverse theories agree and ensure that we are up against one for the biggest
transformations of our times. According to Zubiría (1999) quoting Druker (1994)
were up against a division that occurs every two hundred years, in which society
re-accommodates its values, the way in which it constructs is knowledge, its
science, art and key institutions, like it occurred during the consolidation of cities,
the renaissance and the protestant reform or the north American independence
revolution as well as the French revolution. If this is true and we assume that we
are up against one of the paradigmatic changes in families, social structuring
policies in general, why does school change so little? What makes it follow such
little dynamic in time and in space?
To talk about innovations within the school context it is important to keep in mind
what innovation is, what changes in the superficial structures and profound
structures of the school we are referring to. It is evident that transcendent changes
have occurred in the school, given there is no change in the social structure but a
change in the institutions that administrate and reproduce the ideological structures
in towns, is what is assured by Marx, when referring to schools as “ideological
apparatus,” of the states. If schools haven‟t changed much, what are the changes
that have been carried out? What things have really been pedagogic innovations?
Which are the differences that exist between pedagogic innovations and
educational innovations? Where have these changes happened?
Contemporary life has defined a culture of innovation as all of those activities,
habits and in general all ways of life, which are determined by that innovation. To
define this type of culture one must first wonder what the definition of innovation is.
Although there are worldwide agreements on the definition of innovation, like: “The
transformation of an idea in a new product or the perfecting of another” 65, others
65
Translated definition from the Frascati manual of the cooperation of economy and development
organization. In: ROY, Robin and WIELD, Davis (editores). Product design and technological
innovation. Open University Press. Great Britain. 1986. Page 2.
151
assure that all innovation depends on the political, social, cultural and
epistemological processes and that its definition varies and will continue to vary
throughout time. 66 For other authors the definition will be based on whether the
innovation is local or global, defining innovations even as more efficient if they are
of a local nature since they come from the base of a problem that needs innovation
and they develop with the participation of the same users of the innovation and
they respect the manifestations of their own culture. (Huberman y Havelock 1980)
Throughout the last years, it is noticed that the definition of innovation is intensely
related with the pre fix it is given, these terms exist already minted: scientific
innovation, technological innovation, technical innovation, social innovation,
pedagogic innovation, and educational innovation. The term innovation is generally
more related with a complex social and economic phenomenon due to the fact that
innovation consists in the introduction of some kind of new product or new process
in the market. The socio-economic phenomenon has different environments, from
the micro environment of the organization which is capable of developing these
new element and introducing them into the market, to the macro environment
where the market is included and in general the entire society.
Thirty years ago Huberman carried out a study for the UNESCO, finding that
starting from the appearance of an original idea at the head of the innovator or
innovating group, and ending at the realization of the same, a period of time close
to 100 years67 went by. That is If the educational system is the social institution in
charge of giving new meaning to the new generations of knowledge, praxis and
values; one hundred years is an even longer time to develop the changes that are
required in education, at current rhythms, the changes in education are used as an
example for highlighting the crisis state in which the schools are in when compared
to other social institutions.
The school as a cultural scenario is a dynamic and complex scene; where the
multiplicity of relations between actors, language and social times coexist and
transform. As is stated in the General Systems Theory and various research
projects on complexity68, a school seen from this perspective is then a whole in all
of its constituting parts are a lot more than the sum and where a micro effect in any
of its structures or process could generate a change in the macro dimension that
were unforeseen initially. Seen in this way, changes in the educational context may
be derived from the demands that the contemporary world and society make and in
particular the school, since these changes would be drastic and in accord to the
new social orders as well as equivalent to the paradigmatic changes suggested by
66
Aguerrondo 1992 and Restrepo 1996. In state of the art Latin American innovations.
Quoted by RESTREPO 1995 by DE ZUBIRÏA JULIAN. Teh argumentative competences: A vision
from education. Bogotá Editorial Magistry, 2006 pag 23
68
We reccomend to revise Morín work surrounding complexity and L. Von Bartalanffy‟s work on the
TGS
67
152
Tomas Kuhn (1971), and seen from a different point of view, as local changes that
will affect not only the innovating proposal, but multiple possible axes, in the search
for a true school revolution. 69
When we talk about innovation in the school field we are not talking about some
kind of novelty or improvement. The improvement is more in accord with the
renovations, these may be local and punctual changes in the activities of the
different schools, like: new elaborations in a curriculum, the didactics, the materials
and evaluations; at a pedagogic level and school level a renovation would be more
in the lines of a re-modeling of the educational institution or a punctual change in
the school organization, its directors, processes, teachers and aspects that have to
do with the improvement of the quality processes of the service, attention and
school coverage.
The novelty may be applied for improvement as well as innovation, depending on
how much this comes close or moves away of the initial idea, and how much the
culture and its beliefs till the moment are modified. Novelty becomes and
adjective70 for innovation and renovation, without being a real change in the school.
Innovation the education is also differenced from the alternative education, that
although is a subtle concept, it is diametrically different since in an interior
renovation may be affected by such ideas and its alternatives will depend on the
places, processes or events in which they want to be applied. Some authors like
De Zubiría (2006) and Ander-Egg (1997) place another level of differentiating in
front of the innovations according to the capacity they have to radiate the entire
educational community, assuming reforms as innovations that are generalized in a
city or country, these being of a legal, flexible and normative nature for the schools
that are assuming them. 71
Some authors also mark a difference between educational innovation, pedagogic
innovation, didactic innovation and school innovation. Each one of these presents
interesting tones that should be kept in mind when speaking of innovation in a
school context. The pedagogic innovations are changes and modification carried
out in theories, models and existing theoretical proposals, it also includes
proposals for different populations, educational levels and educational sectors.
They are innovations that aim towards structural changes in the way of facing
issues related with the pedagogic theory and didactic of the task of teaching
science (Assael 1994, Aguerrondo 1992, Bernal, et all 1997, Restrepo 1996, De
Zubiría 2006). The educational innovations are more tied to the educational
reformations, to generalizations of the innovations carried out in the pedagogic,
69
Bernal and Camargo..Genesis Project– Innovation and school change. FES Foundation,
Colombia. 1997
70
Apart from being an adjective, the word novelty is redundant since an innovation implies novelty.
N de A
71
A clear example is when the decree or law assumes a pedagogic posture, a general school law,
or a didactic or evaluative model to follow at a regional, town or national level. N de A
153
didactic, administration and organizational field and makes reference to the
decrees, programs, political proposals, educational projects and the ways of
administrating the educational resources and school organization (Bernal, et all
1997 De Zubiría 2006). Although the school innovations may include pedagogic or
educational innovations, they are tied with a process of changes in the school life
like the physics department reforms in the distribution of class hours, of their
materials, resources and the democratization of the school, school government,
participation of the school community and that are derived from assumed postures
that the institutions take based on the adopted pedagogic innovations.
Finally the didactic innovations although related with the changes in the assumed
didactic theory by the pedagogic innovations, are recreated in practice as punctual
applications for the classroom or that come from research of the ways in which
relationships between teaching and learning occur inside of the classrooms in a
determined pedagogic innovation. Some authors like Agnes Héller (1982) define
them as “waves that attend specific problems related with the solution of socializing
problems, value crisis, overcoming problems of language thinking, reading through
specialized mediation strategies.
What is clear in every innovation in the school context, in this case of the teaching
of science, is:




First of all they have the need to propose their origins whether it be through the
people‟s ideas or ideas of groups, they are developed through punctual
problems of investigation, determine the forms in which they generate these
ideas, and are born from the reflections on the practices or are derived from
systematic and rigorous work in the observation of the teaching problems and
their diagnostic.
Second is the evidence needed to propose such an innovation, assuming the
intention of it, evidencing the need to systemize the processes in favor of the
stated objectives, designing strategies for the organization that is led in each
one of the projected aspects, where even the same plan becomes a project or
new proposal within the innovation.
Third, it is necessary to implement and develop the execution of the innovating
proposal in which the processes are a product of the reality and observed
practice, and guarantees the taking of decisions based on the reality of each
context, consolidating the innovations.
Fourth, the constant evaluation of each process is pertinent, given it allows
giving account of the innovation, formulating balances, making new projections
of the initial planning, given the subtle changes during the process,
documenting the development of the same and tracking it changes through
time, which allows the taking of decisions in the innovation course which could
be decisive at the moment of continuing the innovation.
154
Finally it is necessary to systemize and disseminate the innovation; the
systemization allows the reconstruction of the innovation, allows the reconceptualization, generates new know-how‟s whether they are pedagogy, didactic
or administrative and goes far beyond simple documentation and the description. A
good number of innovations in Latin America, according to recent investigations
carried out by the Andrés Bello Agreement, and which accuses this aspect of being
the principle motive that makes only a small percent of the innovations in Latin
America to be known, the capacity of systemization in an innovation allows its
context and time to transcend, allows its socialization and validates the innovative
proposal, it allows it to jump the public scene and submit itself to the discussion
with pairs and the general public. Some authors refer to this stating that when this
isn‟t followed rigorously, the innovations tend to dry up or come to a stand still,
since there is no constant reflection of their praxis, factor which has been pointed
out by different authors as the cause of traditionalizing innovation.
Given this scene, there is first response to the slow movement of educational
innovations, pedagogic, scholar and didactic innovations, this is related to its low
systemization, evaluation and planning derived from processes of collective
institutional reflection, resulting in the hold back or finishing of what was initially an
innovation in the educational, field before its effects may be seen in a bigger scale.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
It is insisted that the research be validated within a scientific field, which
comprehends matters, methods, techniques and ways of exposition that are well
known, approved and developed in scientific research groups. Shulman (1968)
describes that the research criteria‟s to address problems and methods of research
in education are also framed by a model, standard or scheme. Research for
teaching or learning do not escape these models, standards and schemes. To try
to give account of: Which are the criteria‟s, perspectives and actions that are used
by teachers to link their research to their practices of teaching science? It is
necessary to document the process by which the teacher take decisions, execute
actions and discuss their results purposeful of their investigation schemes and their
teaching experiences. In the Pedagogic Institute a process of documentation in two
channels was developed; one of the teachers in purpose of his classroom projects,
and another from the TRACES team documented the case of the relationship
between research practices and teaching of science by the involved teachers.
In the first channel it was necessary to discus, design, develop and systemize the
classroom proposals relevant for the institution, the area and for the students of the
National Pedagogic Institute. These classroom proposals searched fundamentally
for the development and strengthening of scientific talent in the students, as well as
creativity, imagination, communicational competences, cognitive abilities and
155
scientific competences. The designing of working routes consisting of a continuous
discussion processes, re-elaboration and perfecting of the purposes, guides,
workshops, lab practices, farm activities and everything that is contemplated as a
part of the teachers team for the development of the classroom proposals.
In the second channel the case study is outlined. Approaching singularity in
teachers of the IPN was emphasized, these link their research practices with their
teaching, meaning that according to Stake, (1995) and Blasco (1995), deepening
and particularizing on the matter without pretension of generalizing the condition of
the entire teaching staff of the science area in the institution. In this second
channel structured and semi-structured interview were used; individual and group
ones, for the area team as well as for the participating teachers; conceptual
discussions of science and teaching science were proposed as well as the
research of science, research concerning the teaching of science, its competences
and scientific talent, among others; institutional documents were revised and
discussed (PEI and Document of the science area; advancement documents of
each one of the proposals, guide advances, workshop advances, some student
blogs, the teacher‟s field diaries, advances and final documents of the report and
the qualified results of the systemization of documents and posters, in the spirit of
documenting, delimiting, systemizing and comprehending the case in question.
As was already mentioned, the constructed data based on such intentions are
constituted as the key component to systemization. The attentive look on
fragments of the obtained discourses in the encounters, interviews, informal chats,
related with the obtained fragments of the reports, advances, guides, workshops,
photos and audio recordings, a part from uncountable additional information,
constitute the universe of information susceptible of being reorganized, re-codified,
and given new meaning, generating new interpretations surrounding the
established relationships.
Product of reading, interpreting and reading once more is the successive emerging
data, some findings are evidenced derived of accompanying the teachers of the
National Pedagogic Institute in the design, formulation and implementation of their
classroom proposals, these findings are:



Consider the role of natural sciences in the formation of scientifically competent
citizens.
Recover investigational traditions that also exist the teaching of science.
Create alternative school situations to promote research and classroom
experimentation.
These findings are manifested when the teacher link their research practices to
their teaching practices. Nurturing these testimonial findings, interpretations,
narratives and fragments allow the posterior densification of the case, establishing
156
relationships, connections, encounters and dis-encounters in the profusion and reinterpretation of the local reality which has been under inductive constituency in
order to finally be told and narrated from other perspectives.
RESULTS
A first look at the results of the case study, allows to distinguish three principal
moment in the analysis and interpretation of the case: the first moment referring to
the approximate internal logic of each one of the findings in order to comprehend
the motives of the selected event, a kind of interrogation of the same process in the
obtaining of each finding; a second moment is which the resignations are
consolidated in purpose of the outlined findings, trying to respond to the
comprehension of the stated breach from the TRACES team, and finally the
narrative nurture, each one of the sequences of the findings tries to argument,
intensify and put into complexity each one of the experiences.
For this moment of the report, the results are converted into the construction of
narratives coming from different sources of information that nourishes the findings.
The products that are a result of the design, implementation and systemization of
the classroom proposals plus the different elaborated registries carried out by the
TRACES team in the analysis of the case study, are intertwined in the
comprehension of each finding that serves as a conductive axes in the discussion.
In this case study the teachers that are linked with the research and its teaching
practices:
A WEIGH UP TO THE ROLE OF NATURAL SCIENCES
SCIENTIFICALLY COMPETENT STUDENTS
IN THE
FORMATION
OF
Since the nineties decade the National Ministry of Educations, complying with
international and national recommendations on educational matter and through a
group work between professors, academics and other professionals, a series of
basic standards have been formulating in pose of the educational quality that has
some how been allowed by students of different academic levels, to develop
communicational abilities, mathematics, scientific and citizen abilities.
“It has been said that it is natural to sciences and people how make science
and formulation of questions, proposing hypothesis, finding evidence,
analyzing information, being rigorous in the procedure, communication of
ideas, argumentation of their approaches with support, team work and being
reflective over their acting. Even if the goal for basic education and middle
education is not to form scientist, it is evident that the student approximation of
the scientific doing offers them a tool to comprehend the world that surrounds
them, with a perspective that goes far beyond every-day things o alternative
157
theories, and act upon these in a fraternal and constructive way in their
personal and communitarian lives” Nieda J. and Macedo B. quoted in Basic
Standards in Competences. Page 105
These standards and curriculum guidelines have been present in the teacher‟s
debates, particularly in their reflections and curriculum documents within areas.
These reflections present diverse tones that increase the complexity of what is
pretended when talking about a formation of competences and through
competences, or what this implies for the role of the school, teachers and the
development of students.
“In this way, the study of sciences should leave room in which data may be
accumulated in a mechanical form, to open its way to the possibility of hooking
on in the dialogue that allows the construction of new meanings. For this
reason, it is important to invite students to carry out critical analysis of the
context in which the research is being carried out, as well as for the procedures
and results” Basic Standards in Competences.
It is frequent that the reflection on the guidelines described by the ministry for
general and particular competences in the official documents is low and gets
confused with terms of competence, abilities, concepts and development levels,
among others.
The basic standards of natural sciences and environmental education in the
National Pedagogic Institute are based on the curiosity and the natural interest
of the children towards the creatures and objects that surround them and the
phenomenon that are observed in their surroundings, they are based on the
possibility that exists in the school of developing the necessary competences
for a formation in natural science setting off from observation and the
manipulation of the surroundings, the recollection of information and the
discussion other, even conceptualization, abstraction and the use of
explicatory models and predicting of observed and un-observed phenomenon‟s
of the universe. “We are looking for a construction process that comes from
knowledge and the comprehension of the world, which should be lived by all
girls and boys through these standards, and that may reach the application of
what is learned, through research and the discussion of its importance for
personal development and well being, for the communities, the regions, the
country and humanity. In order for scientific knowledge in school to not be seen
a catalogue or encyclopedia knowledge of theories, concepts, laws and
principles but knowledge that has always had and intention and that has risen
as an alternative for the solving problems that are later reflected in technical
and technological aspects (MEN)” Science area document IPN 2012
In the same way the ten year national and district 72 plans for education have
proposed the demands of designing a curriculum that guarantees the development
72
Plan Decenal de educación
158
of these competences oriented towards the being, the knowing and socializing at a
personal and social level of the students. With this we try to make education
acquire a relevant and indispensable role in the formation of competent citizens,
prepared for taking decisions that tend towards the common good, using the
knowledge of sciences and scientific competences in order to take these and act
out these said decisions in a better way. This scenario which is diverse in ideas
surrounding the competences that have motivated science teachers to work
around a link between the being, know-how and knowing, looking for labor and
professional projection of the same in projects and diverse labor schemes.
The biotechnology project and undertaking has worked different modules and
looks to bring students nearer to scientific work, how rigorous the experimental
part is and the formulation of projects, the idea is for students to be social
actors that can explain themselves using biological sciences… These modules
are raised on competences like: managing a laboratory and experiment where
students formulate their own questions on the problems and resolve them in
such a way that they may be creating a business idea in search of an
undertaking culture; other competences refer to research: managing a lab and
bio-security regulations. Another intention of the project is to link middle and
superior levels of education, in this case the pedagogic University with biology
and physics classes (even without assisting to the class or by validating
credits) some students may assist to the university and talk with some of its
teachers. This articulation idea has an academic proposal through the support
of the universities with workshops, lectures or classes and others with the
SENA (National Learning Service) in which the idea of a business is assumed
for these themes, also the work aside the Emprende Foundation of Colombia.
Interview with Dayana and Joanna, teachers of the IPN science area.
Within the diverse assumptions of the international and national education systems
in recent decades, scientific knowledge and technological knowledge within the
social context (CTS) has been assumed as an essential element for the functioning
of modern society. The contribution of this knowledge is valued in the increase and
duration of the quality of life of each person as well as its positive impact in the
economy, but also important derivatives are warned in the increasing social
impacts and environmental impacts of our planet. In the school somehow we
expect that by forming at this scientific and technological level in the students this
will generate a series of positive and critical attitudes in front of the development of
science and technology, a minimum of abilities and competences are developed in
order to comprehend the problems associated with CTS and thanks to this
formation they may participate in the science and technology debates and in the
taking of decisions concerning these. These movement generically names as
“Scientific and technological alphabetization,” have generated a series of didactic
and model proposals for teaching, that sink into the teaching of science, the
discourses on behalf of the teachers and the postures the assume in the formation
of sciences in the school.
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The National Pedagogic Institute: a school for the formation of an
environmental ethic73 . The impact of social systems and culture on the
ecosystems has preoccupying consequences in the world of today. From
traditional anthropocentrism we passed to egocentrism, scared due to the
destruction man has been leading in nature. Over population, urban
concentration, technological development with the destruction of natural
resources, genetic manipulation and contamination are indicator if the
relationship man has plead with its natural surroundings based strictly on
exploiting the economy, which implies rights but no obligations, property over
land but no interdependence with it. PEI IPN 2012
The institute is based on looking for a coming close of the student to science in
such a way that he/she may count on the necessary conditions for adequately
develop and act in an accelerate world of scientific and technological advances
and where it is clear that the science that is being seen in schools is not the
same as developing scientist, in such a way that the competences that we look
to foment in students may be oriented in the formation of scientifically
alphabetic students. Final Report of the systemization classroom proposal,
Jimmy and Marisol
These scientific alphabetization models presuppose that if there is an existing
quantity of existing information available there must be a way to generate the
competence of selecting said knowledge by teachers and students. This selection
or competence of selection obeys an intrinsic wish of knowing and learning that
generates personal rewards, the importance that this knowledge has at the time of
making decisions with pragmatic and pertinent knowledge and the cultural and
social importance that is obtained thanks to having this knowledge. Consciously
and unconsciously the teachers refer to this importance in diverse moments of their
actions, in some way motivated by the value that such knowledge suggests and
the importance of teaching or mediating this scientific knowledge in school.
Possessing scientific knowledge is supposed to supply teachers and students with
the associated competences in the intrinsic interest for knowledge, and through
this the applicability of it in daily life and the citizen participation of individuals.
“To conceive the competence it is necessary to analyze what is being
references in the concept of “being capable”… Not only conceive the
competence as ability or knowledge, but a necessary re-dimensioning of the
scientific competences from attitudes of creation, questioning and generating
questions on the students part in such a way that they may feel and think as
constructors of their own competences from a social practice.” Final
Systemization Report for Jimmy and Marisol classroom proposal
“It is pretended that a human group, in this case the students of the National
Pedagogic Institute, may know a bit about aromatic plants in the region which
have a high medicinal value and also are used as primary material for the
elaboration of products and at the same time promote the common use of
73
Propuesta extraída del documento Estatuto para docentes del I.P.N. Comisión Jurídica Ad-hoc,
1995
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plants in the families involved.” Final report on systemization for Omaira and
Rocio‟s classroom proposal.
Another aspect that is worth mentioning in this case study is the relevance or
importance that is attributed to the formation of scientific concepts in the vocational
media formation. Particularly teachers in the science area center their interests in
forming students with scientific concepts and applications that are required for
academic life in universities. A part from the training in specific activities and
themes concerning sciences, the teachers show an elevated interest for the
contents and activities being developed in the classroom and that may be
incorporate in the future professional practices, finding a specialization early on in
students in order to increment the efficiency in the acquisition of useful contents for
future professional lives associated with science.
“The difficulties are due to the fact that not all of the vocational media groups
take biotechnology which does not allow the transformation of the PEI in order
for the link to be effective in credit and continuity in the universities, the
articulation implies demands and quality conditions (for accreditation), in
academic aspects as well as administrational ones. A strengthening of the
academic links with the universities is proposed, this may allow work in these
kinds of projects.” Interview with the teachers Dayana and Joanna in the
science area at the IPN.
“In general terms the teacher in the area argument that their students are more
curious after these processes take place, they have a bigger initiative in asking
questions and it is possible that some of them observe with a greater interest
for sciences, which leads them to studying science in university. They are
students that have the work with bioreactors and biotechnology asa
references, which are key topics in their university lives.” Notes, act 17 of
March, participants: Rocio, Dayana, Omaira, Marisol, Jimmy and David.
“The initial modules of bioethics and bio-security take a month and half, the invitro module takes a trimester, and the microbiology is the longest and lasts a
semester and carries out some bromatological, biochemical and lab analysis.
In eleventh grade the first module is animal biology since it is evaluated in the
state examinations and it is a very useful subject. They go through
CITOLOGIA, HISTOLOGIA in a systems view where magisterial classes take
place and articles are read and exposed, cases are analyzed and they relate
these elements in the biology of animals to solve practical case studies and
carry out montages; not all of the animal‟s tissues are taken, they are even
carried out on plants, in rabbit blood and some fixations are retaken when
elaborated for the characterization of tissues where atlas and virtual
laboratories were carried out. When closing each module the project they have
been working on other projects they have been carrying out for the past two
years is handed in. In 2009 cinnamon was extracted in order to inhibit a type of
fungus that affected roses, a spray with a cinnamon base was produced to
inhibit the growth of the fungus. Another project is with fito hormones, for
example auxine or giberline for mounting onions. The project bank also gives
ideas, for example the characterization of bacteria in the air and on the ground
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in the IPN. Financing of the projects has been carried out with CIUP or by
innovation. Notes, Act 10 of May, area team participants.
In some way these visions in the levels of vocational media en school transcends
and even are motivated by the academic needs of the formation of professionals
with a dominance of positive, rational and objective perspectives of science,
scientific activity and the teaching of sciences. The scientific activity in school is
assumed as objective and neutral, valid and accumulative in a process of rehearsal
and trial error that searcher for the truth.
“A parallel is carried out between the types of crops that we have at the
present moment, the crops in the soil and ex-vitro, where the soil is found, and
we ask, What does the soil give to the plants? (2 class videos in the lab are
played) the students respond that the soil gives water and nutrients to the
plants do that they may carry out photosynthesis. WE explain that the in-vitro
crops have a mix of substances which are chemical and are required in order
for the plants to obtain their nutrients, even without them being planted into the
soil, there for a mix of these substances is prepared and an essential
ingredient for this is AGAR for these types of crops (substance that comes
from algae), this AGAR is the substance that will give the jello consistency to
the crop medium and allows the part of the potatoes plant to be planted there.
In this moment students ask questions: Can plants grow in a jar or a test tube
without problems? Yes, because the crop medium has all the necessary
nutrients that plants require for their development and also, we can manipulate
the medium according to the substances used to obtain the best results, but
this is only carried out in more sophisticated projects, and we are only working
on basic ones. Final report “Elvira‟s garden, but in a tube” Jimmy and Marisol
The technological knowledge is assumed as a practical application of the scientific
knowledge that should be trained many times in the laboratory or in the field to
manage and control variables. Formed teachers in these disciplined or trained in
these postures pretend making the teaching of science a space to verify a test
these deducted variables for the teaching of general rules seen in class.
“After two days, we go back to the lab and place a camera in the laminar fluid
by groups, where the test tubes and jars are found with the semi-solid crop
medias are at. To explain the process that should be followed a series of invitro potatoes crops were cultivated by CORPIC as a model. The necessary
protocol is explained to each group in order to carry out the in-vitro planting,
afterwards they choose one of their partners to carry out the planting, it is very
interesting to point out the attention the give to this activity and the work
disposition and adequate manipulation of the instruments that are given to
them, in such a way that they plant two seeds in each test tube and in each jar
the plant 5 seeds.” Final report “Elvira‟s garden but in a tube” Jimmy and
Marisol.
The development of scientific competences is understood as the capability for
interpreting and explaining phenomena, discussing an refuting ideas based on their
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own experience, constructing alternative explanations, using pertinent languages
for the context, developing practices, methods and techniques of interpreting
phenomena in different contexts, have been the purposes of the science teachers
work in the National Pedagogic institute during the last years.
“The teachers ask the student to observe in detail of the baby plants and that
they compare them with adult plants. The students write notes in the diary that
they carry in the folder and then in the classroom each teacher asks the
students about these comparisons, the children answer things like: “Ones were
small and others were big,” “The big plants have a darker color,” “ the shape of
the leaves is the same,” “The small plants don‟t smell.” A few students counted
the number of leaves in the little plants and compared them with the other
plants. There is evidence that for the students it is not easy to observe the
process on their own. When teachers give them indications of everything they
have to observe the kids do these observations in detail.” Final Report “The
herbs as system formed by material.” Omaira and Rocio
Finally for these teachers the development of these competences contributes to
the formation students as citizens in the measure that it allows the subjects to
assume reflexive postures and argument situations that they face in their every-day
lives.
“This activity allowed students reinforce their creative expression abilities,
since students designed their plant character creatively. At the same time they
consolidated the concepts of characteristics and use of herbs, with more
consults on the subject. With this character a common implementation was
made showing the character and the use of herbal plants. By having more
vocabulary of their own, they spoke with more security in front of their class
mates and their expressions were more appropriate, they clearly argument the
questions that were being asked.” Final Report “The aromatic herbs as a
system formed by material” Omaira and Rocio.
THE RECOVERY
SCIENCE
OF
INVESTIGATIONAL TRADITIONS
THAT
AFFECT
THE
TEACHING
OF
The participating teacher of the National Pedagogic Institute in the case stud, in
general terms have undergraduate and graduate degrees and are influenced by
the investigational traditions of their superior education centers in the country.
Some of them have been formed in degree courses related with are science and
others in the teaching of preschool or elementary. All of these programs obey the
guidelines and national policies stated in the Law 30, decree 585 of 1991 and also
obey divers investigational policies, as well as the innovation and production
knowledge in the country.
“In the year 1983 a preoccupation starts to be talked about in the country, a
concern for the research in education and pedagogy, making integrants of the
education community reflect and propose ideas for the development of a
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National Science and Technology Program for the field. These reflections were
the base so that in the Decree 585 of 1991 the National Scientific Studies
Program of Education was proposed as one of the programs in the National
Science and Technology System. This is how in the nineties decade education
as a field of knowledge was strengthened through the encouragement of
investigations in the line of education, the generation of institutional spaces for
research in education and pedagogy, the support of the spreading and social
appropriation of the results of the investigation, the strengthening of the
community of researchers in the educational field and the support on the
consolidation of teams and investigation centers concerning the education
topic. National science technology and innovation System COLCIENCIAS
(2012)
Some teachers of the National Pedagogic Institute carryout post graduate degrees
focused on disciplines other than the teaching of science or have had jobs in the
disciplinary fields, involving the with their own research practices in scientific
activity. These links with the scientific activity, their practices and experiences
somehow soak through the intentions, values and procedures of the teachers in
science at the moment of linking their research practices with their teaching
practices within science.
“Measurements were carried out concerning the size of the plant, the color of
each one of its seedlings, and the measurements were bounced, they carried
out work on identification of the shape of the leaves, the kids now recognized
different plants. The seedlings arrive on Friday and on Monday they will be
planted. Each child will have a folder in which they will carry the weekly data
recollection and the observed changes that the plants have had. Omaira and
Rocío carry out Acts of the purpose of the activities that occur during the
sessions, making comments about the activities is suggested, aspects that
may be seen in the guides the kids develop, the management of space,
handwriting, the descriptions made, the texts the write, the ways in which the
express their measurements and that allow the researchers to trace the
purpose in the observations they make.” Meeting Act TRACES 6 of
September. Omaira, Rocio, Marisol, Jimmy, Steiner and David.
Proposing challenges for the science teachers concerning the research between
teaching and sciences, in a context where the projects of investigation are
formulated based on CIUP74, policies, somehow forces the establishing of a nexus
between the diverse research practices, even those coming from scientific tradition
and education investigations in the teaching of sciences. The science teachers
from the National Pedagogic Institute respond to diverse research policies, the
different sectors are interested in the production of knowledge in the country and
74
The CIUP or Investigation Centre DGP is the division for managing of research projects linked to
the vicrectorship of the Univeristary Management in the National Pedagogic University.
164
propose their research projects like COLCIENCIAS, ONDAS PROJECT, CIUP,
among others.
Somehow the teachers before doing TRACES did the same thing, developed
their classroom proposals since before the bioreactors theme and the
agricultural crops, the novelty is that the development for these proposals is
not always accompanied by externals from the institution, that are not always
linked to the area activity, they even want the students to carry out their own
researches or formulate their own projects. This is not necessarily new since
we have the support of COLCIENCIAS, CIUP, ONDS PROJECT, THE SENA
and the botanic Garden. The novelty is more related to the fact that the
accompaniment is focused on putting its attention on certain things that were
not necessarily looked at before, this is why the financial and academic support
is so important” TRACES act, 4th of October. Omaira, Rocio, Marisol, Jimmy,
Steiner and David
Diverse extracurricular and curricular activities exist that link the teachers in the
science are with the production and circulation of product knowledge of the
research. The permanent participation in different academic national and
international events gives them good training in these different academic
communities, amongst these are the TRACES project in which they currently
participate. It is connatural for the teachers of the science area of the IPN to
participate in these national and international research events, different to other
educational institutions and their teacher, which can participate and look for the
financing of their project, the same as the teachers from the National Pedagogic
University through convocations carried out by the CIUP in the UPN and by
COLCIENCIAS at a national level Some of them are signed into research groups
with recognized productions in the research and academic field, qualify their
research practice and teaching practice constantly.
“The IPN-UPN School project is national education symposium, the objective is
to propitiate a reflection space on the importance of school texts and didactic
materials in the Colombian school scene, to point out the focuses and oriented
strategies to give new meaning to school texts as a privileged place for
knowledge.” August 2, 4, 5 of 2012. Information found in the UPN portal.
A good part of the encounters with the science teachers evidences that in everyday practice the tensions unique to the proposals on the research in teaching and
disciplinary research are resolved, and are expressed in the different official
sources. These tensions expressed in the formulation of institutional documents
like area documents, PRAES and the same classroom projects presented and
developed by the TRACES team. A big part of this tension is center in the ideals
and values that each document represents for the research, some of these ideals
are center in the constant production of knowledge, the objective character,
systematic, rigorous and verifiable in the research, opposing to their own ideals of
the research practices in the classroom. Part of these tensions are generate from
165
international and national policies that are transfer values to official documents and
particular points of view in the ways they are produce, validate, and they validate
points of view of the research activity and disciplinary activities in sciences and in
their teaching.
“The research in educational and pedagogy has two central impacts: in onw
part, it allows the production of knowledge on education, by studying problems
like those related with the education ability of humans or those related with the
education of each one of the sciences and disciplines. In second place, it
favors the necessary conditions for the formation of the teachers as
researchers and this undoubtedly is a basic condition to form students in the
research environment and the scientific development. The investigation cannot
have an impact on basic schools if the teacher does not have the capacity to
comprehend their language o there one he needs to use in science in order to
communicate and make the appropriation and transmitting of the results in the
scientific and technological investigation possible. It should be an investigation
that supports the formation of the teachers and allows the teachers to produce
knowledge in their practice based on previous knowledge and its
transformation. The most valuable impact that can come from educational
research is to educate its own actors and contribute to the permanent
transformation of their ways of thinking, feeling and acting. 75 Strategic Plan
program of the scientific studies in education, COLCIENCIAS (2008)
“The scientific activity is above all a social practice, additionally because it
implies a collective process in which research teams are conformed and follow
determine lines of work accepted by the scientific community. It is a practice in
which the scientific subject constantly faces public inspection and will be face
with the task of supporting, debating, exposing, argumentum their projects. As
we will see, this approach has serious implications in the scientific training at
the school level, insofar as it requires the promotion of interaction among
peers, where the students can see that same fact, phenomenon, event, can be
explored in different ways, in completely different occasions and other
complementary, turn to check how similar problems occur in different places
and raised solutions may or may not be additional. Basic standards of
competences in social sciences and natural sciences MEN.
“Hence (This implies that) the school and in the educational politics they have
the commitment to offer to the pupils a formation in sciences that allows them
to be assumed like citizens and competent and responsible city dwellers, in an
interdependent and encompassed world, conscious of its commitment with
it(him) as with the others. Under this understanding, it is necessary to devise
the science as a set of scientific constructs that have character of tentativeness
and historicity, it is therefore important to consider that the truth is not given,
but it is in permanent construction and re‑signifying (to evaluate). Raised it as
Thomas Kuhn. The role of the teacher in this conception of school science is
essential as a facilitator with capability of searching with scientific rigor,
creative strategies that generate and motivate the development of critical
thinking and to consider at the same time the evolutionary development of the
75
HENAO, Myriam. Plan Estratégico programa de Estudios Científicos en Educación 2002-2008
166
thinking of students. "A mediator that raises significant learning through
mobilization of thinking structures from an approach aimed at teaching".
Document of the National Pedagogic Institute 2012 science area.
"These reflections allowed us as teachers to reaffirm that processes education
developed in the Institute focus on the student and where our role as
counselors is decision-making that it is essential to be convinced to classroom
teaching strategies of creativity, innovation, and an attitude towards change, to
respond not only to the approaches and purposes that are set in the didactic
proposals", but also to satisfy the demands of the contexts that involve
learners as social, historical and cultural subjects; Furthermore, we must not
assume as a technician that is limited to the implementation of mandates or
instructions structured by "experts" or a person dedicated to the transmission
of knowledge; "teachers are people who we need epistemological, pedagogical
and didactic skills and disciplines that allow us to guide our work, and that we
also facilitate development of the processes of teaching and learning of
science" final report "Elvira‟s Garden through a tube" Jimmy and Marisol
Teachers in the area of Sciences throughout the discussions arising from their
classroom projects, rewire the understanding of what have been defined by
competition and scientific talent, unlike general competencies and specific
Sciences and the contribution of these to the development of children who work.
From his practice, the teacher can develop theories that depart from the ways that
has to deal with the problems that arise in the classroom, attributed meanings and
contrasts these with the theory gained during your vocational training.
"Previous labor demonstrates the development of group activities to strengthen
skills in cognitive processes in natural sciences and communication skills being
a unique character in the strengthening of the development of a course in
talents "the aromatic system consisting of matter as "final report Omaira and
Rocio"
"The interest in developing scientific competences in the Pedagogical Institute
has focused on finding a student approach to science so that you have the
conditions necessary to carry out properly the expedited and fast-paced world
of scientific and technological advances and where it is clear that science dealt
with in school is not the same as scientists develop "so that the powers
seeking to foster in students they guide in becoming scientifically literate
citizens. Final report of the systematization of the classroom "Elviras Garden
through a tube" proposal.
There is a concern by the teachers of science at the National Pedagogical Institute
for the development of scientific talent from a look at holistic, to integrate not only
the cognitive dimension of children but also the affective links and activities of
science in science education strategies with regard to the school garden.
"The empowerment of the scientific talent for Science in these children was
evident in care when working with living systems, in the maintenance of a crop
at the farm by the urban agriculture in the various oral work, written and in the
appropriation of songs written by consultations additional natural sciences
167
being a pretext to enhance skills that these children can have for the natural
sciences" Poster Omaira and Rocio
Finally teachers in the area of sciences of the pedagogical institute participated in
the TRACES project involved sincretically research specific aspects from the
disciplines developed by the research elements en la the teaching of sciences,
product of constant reflection of its investigative processes in the classroom with
regard to the design, implementation and systematization of the same. Questions
such as how to develop scientific talent and skills in science through experiences
with urban agriculture, How to systematize the proposal of "the Elvira‟s garden
through a tube" classroom? They realize the interests of teachers to link their
practices of teaching with their practices investigative purpose to understand the
gap between these from the project TRACES.
CREATE SCHOOL SITUATIONS ALTERNATIVES
EXPERIMENTATION IN THE CLASSROOM
TO
PROMOTE
RESEARCH
AND
Enrich daily practices with diverse knowledge and experience enables students of
the National Pedagogic Institute to new spaces of interpretation and explanation of
the natural phenomena studied in science classes.
"the presentation of the research teachers and students participating was
carried out, this activity is carried out on the farm where explains them to the
two groups the proposal which is going to develop with the participation of
them and parents are given to know the aim of the project of the aromatic
plants through urban agriculture "also says the way to grow these plants and
aromatic plants occur in this climate, asked students what they knew of the
aromatic plants? Students comment on "my grandmother used the Mint for the
pain of stomach" and several students responded "to make aromatic water"
asked you know how aromatic plants are classified? and some students
answered are classified as "medicinal, aromatic and edible" some students
response was naming some of them such as Chamomile, mint. "Students are
motivated much the proposal because some classes take place on the farm"
August 11, 2011 field diary, time: 10: 40 a.m Omaira and Rocio.
Teachers of science at the National Pedagogic Institute that promote various, and
experimental practices allow the creative resolution of the problems of the natural
environment by students in contexts recreated with pedagogical intent.
One of the questions that was repeated among the students was: so great it
should be her was to plant potatoes? To this question one of the students
answer: my grandfather told me that the hill should not be so high because as
this plant grows more land around the little plant growing must amass. Another
question that arises is to how many Popes seeds you must plant in each hole
of the era? "To which the same previous student replies that the grandfather
told are usually planted three seeds through hole and at a distance of less than
168
a meter of distance". Final report of the systematization of the classroom "la
Elvira‟s Garden through a tube" proposal
"Meet two (202 and 403) courses at the head of the farm and is a talk directed
by the Professor responsible, asks students what they know about the use of
the aromatic plants that had brought last week and they commented on the
ideas who knew." The ideas that they say are: "Mint is used to ease the pain of
stomach"; "The Mint used to make sweets and clues"; "Melissa to remove the
pain of stomach" and "Chamomile to make shampoos and remedies". Leave
task consult with parents or family members using the aromatic that
corresponded them. "The aromatic large plants in the soil of a part of the farm
land which brought children are sown after the talk". September 05 2011, time
field diary: 10: 40 a.m Omaira and Rocio.
Teachers in the development of their investigative practices relate the theoretical
bodies has been structured and consolidated along with its practice of teaching
profession, gradually moves from technical work product of effort and knowledge of
other teachers; Knowledge contained in guidelines, curricula, texts of science and
experience of colleagues; to own speech which gives professional and intellectual
autonomy.
"The proposal linked themes proposed in the curriculum in the area of
Sciences and experiential work with plants brought and planted by the
students." "The intention of developing students skills for the natural sciences
also sought higher levels of appropriation of the essential elements of the
curriculum for this stage of development through a series of creative activities
around knowledge, handling and care of the aromatic plants" Poster Omaira
and Rocio
This questioning reminiscent of Piaget studies mention that children are
curious by nature and where the world of questions is essential to keep
children excited and as they change their cognitive processes as teachers are
obliged within our daily work to stimulate self-employment so that competences
are dealt with in a way significant words of Bachelard child is an encyclopedia
of questions than adults We have conditioned to respond correctly what the
teacher wants and not what the child or student plays and wondered. Final
report of the systematization of the classroom "la huerta Elvia through a tube"
proposal
From his reflection on pedagogical practice, participating teachers in case study
make conscience of his investigative skills throughout the research process they
complex their competence and professional autonomy, generate dialogue with the
other teachers, open to critical discussion and cooperate each other in solving
problems of research with regard to their classroom projects permanently
questioning their teaching practices analyzing their own practical teaching to
observe other teachers that are not frequently used to see and be seen.
"With regard to the form as been described activities they seem very Telegraph
what depletes and simplifies explored narratives discourse." Describe the
169
feelings, questions, anecdotes, descriptions, what happens in each stage of
the work. Is returns the path how to establish scientific talents of the IPN
through strategies? What both phases respond to the question posed at the
beginning of the investigative work? Before making this document must do
work against the scientific talents as the College has developed the scientific
talent? What aspects assumes that they can or they have been historically be
mid-on talent?. Considerations of context, description of the group, and
aspects that the Group of children has. Comments of science concerning
teachers of draft discussed at the October 6 meeting of the 2011 class.
Omaira, Rocio, Steiner and David
Finally during design, discussion and implementation of proposals for the
classroom at the institution various discussions demonstrated that teachers rebuilt
the reality of their teaching and research practices from the observed phenomena
of reflection on its own processes of research and new meanings to them as the
children assumed during the process. This model of collective participating
research, somehow allowed processes of transformation and reworking of their
own practice between participating teachers.
"Professor Steiner says with regard to the class in which it participated, that the
levels of content are high on behalf of the students." He says that a student
stated that "the phenomena occurring in the bioreactor differs from what
occured on the farm, basically by controlling conditions that exist in the first
case" Jimmy! (exclaims teacher Steiner) that shows that there are is a
management on behalf of the students of the phenomenon techniques, (in
terms of Bachellard) conditions and these handle our own learning in science.
Professor Steiner continues with his intervention…. Another interesting aspect
is the handling of techniques by the teacher (in this case Jimmy), meaning with
this that if we work watching us through binas, i.e. that we record the
observation by the project partner, we give new meaning to our knowledge of
the practices of teaching and research occurring in the aula…On the other
hand, given that the interest is to observe the development of talent, what
about what they say and what the teachers and students expressed a
competition? The enunciation from a child for example, maintains and
understands the condition states that there are controlled variables, a condition
of talent. What about what the teacher supports is the development of this
competition? If we solve these issues we are giving new meaning to arguments
and actions that intentionally develop the talent and scientific expertise. For
example, in the case of Jimmy, the management he has on the bioreactors,
concepts and technique are likely to support the development of talent. Steiner
teacher comments about a kind of Jimmy watching the minutes of October 18,
2011. Rocio involved, Omaira, Marisol, Jimmy, and David Steiner.
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172
2.5. REPORT OF CASE STUDY 4: THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE
SCIENCE TEACHING PRACTICE FROM THE LINK BETWEEN
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY.
The diversity and complexity of the links between school and community, in
Colombia, made it necessary to define a multiple case with three regional
scenarios Bogotá, Santa Marta and Taurma. In developing this case study five
institutions were involved. In Bogota, the Educational Institution Francisco Antonio
Zea. In Santa Marta Mosquito and Educational Institution 20 de Octubre and
Tauramena institutions Jose Maria Cordoba and El Cusiana.
2.5.1. LOCAL CONTEXT OF THE FIELD ACTIONS
INFORMATION INTERVENTION UNIT
TYPE OF SCHOOL
Public, Primary and
Middle School.
PEI
LINKS
PROJECT
TYPE OF SCHOOL
Public
PEI
LINKS
PROJECT
TYPE OF SCHOOL
Public
PEI
IED FRANCISCO ANTONIO ZEA
SIZE OF SCHOOL
LEVELS
BACKGROUND OF TEACHERS
One headquarters with
Preschool, Primary,
Two science teachers, one
two times: Morning and
Middle school and
with physics training, and
Afternoon.
High School.
another with biology training.
Ethics and creativity for quality education
It belongs to the Secretary of Education in Bogota, with links to the health
secretary, currently advised by Meals de Colombia (Ice Cream) in search of a
quality education. Now traces
School environmental project, and emergency prevention, human rights, sexual
education, health, school, business management. CCT projects only compulsory
education.
IE MOSQUITO
SIZE OF SCHOOL
LEVELS
BACKGROUND OF TEACHERS
One rural headquarters.
10 courses: One of each
5 teachers: from different
grade from pre-kinder to
Primary and Middle
areas of graduate training.
ninth grade, 226
School
students. Two science
teachers.
Towards food security
SENA, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia (UCC), Universidad del Magdalena
(ONDAS), Policía Nacional, ESPA (aseo distrital), Bienestar Familiar.
No records
IE 20 DE OCTUBRE
SIZE OF SCHOOL
LEVELS
BACKGROUND OF TEACHERS
Three headquarters, two
suburban and one rural.
Primary and Middle
5 teachers: from different
37 courses and 1000
School and High
areas of graduate training.
students. Four science
school
teachers.
PEI is agricultural (food health)
173
LINKS
PROJECTS
TYPE OF SCHOOL
Urban public,
primary education
and middle school.
PEI
LINKS
PROJECTS
TYPE OF SCHOOL
Urban public,
primary education
and middle school.
PEI
LINKS
PROJECTS
Cafam Program. Sena. Cajamag. Normal superior para señoritas Maria auxiliadora
No records
IE JOSÉ MARÍA CÓRDOBA
SIZE OF SCHOOL
LEVELS
BACKGROUND OF TEACHERS
Primary and Middle
One urban headquarter
School with levels for
and seven rural; 99
Four teachers with training in
transition to eleventh
teachers, 2720 students
different areas.
grade and education
and 72 courses.
for adults.
Emphasis: Commercial mode, bio-fuels and systems, certified by SENA
Articulation proposal with SENA
Participation in innovation or ONDA 2008 research projects.
A teacher founded the ALMA project of the institution.
Participation in school models for equity-MEPE Fundación Empresarios por la
educación Capitulo Casanare.
Two teachers participated in the study of opinion of the TRACES – Col. Project.
IE EL CUSIANA
SIZE OF SCHOOL
LEVELS
BACKGROUND OF TEACHERS
One urban headquarter
Once teacher licensed in
and seven rural; 23
Primary, middle and
environmental education and
teachers, 540 students
high school.
community development and
and 23 courses.
graduate training.
PEI with academic mode
Participation in projects of innovation or Research Ondas 2008.
Are not registered
TABLE OF FIELD ACTION DESCRIPTIONS
Type
Size
Level
Profile
Origin
Table of the description of the field actions
Teachers licensed in natural sciences for the case of the Educational Institution
October 20
Teachers licensed in social sciences and primary education for the institution
Mosquito.
Teachers licensed in chemistry and physics for the institution Francisco Antonio
Zea
Teachers of primary and licensed in science teaching for the Educational
Institution José María Córdoba
Elementary school teacher at the Educational Institution Cusiana
3 teachers 20 of October
2 teachers in Mosquito
2 teachers in Usme
4 teachers in José María Córdoba
1 teachers in Cusiana
Activities in the eighth and tenth grades of high school 20 of October.
Activities undertaken with children of primary education: grades four and five in
Mosquito.
Activities developed with seventh grade
Activities undertaken with the second and ninth grades at Jose Maria Cordoba
Activities undertaken with grades four of Cuisana
Facility teachers with state procurement with interests in the school –
community link
Reactivation of community projects from the support of Traces to the
174
Responsibility
Relationship with
educational
authorities
Level of
investment
Time scale
development of educational actions in the school.
Link through lifelong learning and training of teachers developed by the
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional of the Casanare Region.
Coordinated actions between each school and the UPN Traces Project
Unconditional support of district authorities and institutional development of the
field actions
Intermediate level of demand (weekly of biweekly meetings in each of the
phases). We performed additional support through online counseling.
Intermediate (one year and a half) from February to December 2011
QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL
The Francisco Antonio Zea School is a public institution located in the 5th locality
(Usme). It is an urban school serving 60% or more of the rural population from the
villages surrounding the town. The institution is located at the southeast end of
town, city life has reached the streets of the sector and it has become a
neighborhood of Bogota, but the countryside is still in the surrounding area and the
population fluctuates between the desire for an urbanized culture and the
traditional humility of the countryside.
Students come from three types of populations. The first one known as farming
population resides in rural areas and live out of the farms, the second one is called
rural population, it lives in the urban area and has both economic development
options. Finally the urban population lives in the town and works in the city.
Students have a great empirical knowledge of farming, but have lost the love and
sense of belonging to the countryside, from which emerges the need to generate
proposals that allow pedagogical discourse context, and involve the school
community, fostering mobilization of concepts that are woven around rural and
conservation of resources that such environments possess.
The CED Mosquito is an institution of rural character located in the village
mosquito, on km 5 on the way to Sena Gaira. The population of the village is made
up of peasants engaged in agriculture, indigenous and refugee people. It is a
marginal population with problems like lack of public services.
In the beginning the institution functioned as a school, later the community
managed for the Sena to grant some terrain and took the school closer to the
community that needed it so much. Even in some cases parents were serving as
teachers in school, although this relationship between parents - school has
changed, and what initially was a very close relationship, is now seen as different
types of relationships between parents and school. Some are the product of
ignorance, still others are wayward and others remain collaboratively. Perhaps as
the school grows in number of courses and towards secondary, relationships get
farther apart.
175
Today the institution serves in a single host 226 children and young people
between 5 to 17 years of age. The levels of the institution are: kindergarten,
elementary and secondary basic. However, this coverage is threatened because
today in the District of Santa Marta a Megacolegios being built near the Mosquito
area, and this has raised doubts in the community towards the choice for children.
However there are parents who maintain a strong link with the institution and plan
to keep the children there.
It is important to point out that all of the ten faculty teachers are licensed, some
have masters others higher education. Two of the teachers have already begun
field actions: there are Gloria Larios and Julio Cesar Aguilar.
The IED 20 de Octubre was created 22 years ago inside de neighborhood 20
Octubre invasion, located in the low side of the sierra Nevada foothills a rural way
to Bonda and adjacent to the old district garbage dump of the city of Santa Marta.
The school began its functions in the house of one of the parents and what has
been built today is thanks to contributions from the community and scarce public
resources. The 20 de Octubre institution is installed in a community that initially
based their economy around garbage and waste produced by the city (Veracruz
dump), the children that attended school here carried the social weight of feeling
excluded and relegated to the role of recyclers which was reflected on their
personal care. This lead to a project, created insided the school, about values that
helped the children appreciate the importance of their work as community for the
city, and also to differentiate between working with garbage and their personal care
as well as assuming their role with dignity because its self-worth and an
opportunity to organize as a community.
Today the school is divided into three headquarters, two urban and one rural that
serve a community of 1100 students, it presents all the levels: preschool, basic and
average. Its faculty is conformed by 37 teachers, all with higher education studies
of specializations and/or masters. Three of the teachers have already begun field
actions: they are Mery Rocio Ruiz, Sonia Niño, and Eline Granados.
The Jose Maria Cordoba institution is located in the urban municipality of
Tauramena. Certified to ISO 9001, which obliges specific patterns in the academic
and administrative aspects. It is the only official institution's educational sector and
offers grades preschool, elementary, primary, basic secondary and intermediate
vocational and adult education program. Besides the headquarters city, there are
seven rural locations with the same grade levels.
All areas of the institution (including the natural sciences) make up an educational
path, where they specify the processes that are led in each class session and how
it should be read to perform follow-up. The educational route has the actions taken
by the teacher with a clear and explicit pedagogical intention.
176
During the past six years a thorough and detailed discussion regarding the
curricular concepts to be implemented has been taking place in the institution,
many of them designed to reaffirm and validate current curricular models and
others to question its validity. Right now a curriculum guideline of their own has
been developed based on the guidelines of the MEN.
The institution's student population is diverse, influenced by oil as the main
economy of the municipality. This has led to consequences like little sense of
ownership, deterioration of social, academic and personal values, and high levels
of aggressiveness. Additionally there is the overcrowding in classrooms, groups of
40 and 45 students in a warm climate.
The Educational Institution Cusiana is located on a municipality of Tauramena
about 10 minutes from the city. It provides educational services from grades 0-11,
and features three adjoining classrooms of nearby trails. It has an enrollment of
540 students between 5 and 19 years. From unconventional homes and strata 1
and 2 in the SISBEN. The academic level of our student‟s parents is low, most of
them only having primary school. The floating population is due to the oil industry
in the region and this is why you can find people from almost every part of the
country.
Additionally, in the region of impact of the institution it is possible to identify a
notorious growth of environmental surveyution, as in the center of oil production
several torches that burn gas extracted from the wells,remain lit. There is no
concrete plan for water supply in the coming years for the township;there is very
little work on reforestation, issues that affect the quality of life for students of the
institution.
FORMATION OF THE CORPORATE TEAM
For the development of the field actions institutional teams were formed as follows:
Bogotá: Initially the TRACES core team is interested in observing leadership
linked to a teacher graduate training program in creating teams and in its role as an
intellectual and cultural transformation promoter in school. The institutional setting
of the team of the Francisco Antonio Zea (hereinafter FAZ) School complies with
Professor of Biology and Professor of Physics, who share an interest in
recognizing the institutional context, promoting the relationship between humans
and their environment, and recovering the empirical agricultural knowledge of
students. Together with researchers of the TRACES team, teachers designed a
proposal that relates classroom PEI, the RESP and science education. In science
class it is intended to address situations in relation to the progressive deterioration
of soils by farming practices and agricultural knowledge rescue peasant families
and indigenous people who still survive in the town. It is expected that the
circulation of this knowledge in schools allows students, teachers and parents who
177
are engaged in farm work, value, enhance and improve farming practices in the
community.
Tauramena: Two professors at the institution José María Córdoba led the study of
opinion in the Casanare region for the TRACES project, plus they are part of the
last graduating class of the Specialization in Science Teaching for the Primary
Level for the Physics Department of the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. From
February of 2011 communications with professors from both institutions interested
in participating in this phase of the project TRACES start, and in the month of April
of 2011 the conformation of the inter-institutional team with the presentation of the
purposes of the project takes shape, along with the socialization of the document
of results of the review at the meeting held in Tauramena face (Casanare). The
group is made up of four teachers from the Jose Maria Cordoba and a professor
from The Cusiana.
In the first trimester, a review of the unit plans of the area of science was initiated
and a draft document of the institutional characterization was developed. The main
concern of teachers in this region has been the identification of different
ecosystems in the municipality of Tauramena, which may become situations of
study for the development of proposals that focus on environmental education and
that, has implications for the harmonious relationships that children establish
among each other. For example, environmental problems arising from oil
exploration and use these companies make drinking water and the management of
solid waste issues deserves to be in school.
Santa Marta: The institutions are linked to TRACES project through the
participation of teachers in the study of opinion and from their interest in
maintaining links and continuity in the actions of the project. Once the proposal for
field actions was presented, the principal and the teachers kept the interest in
linking the institution. In the first meetings the most significant experiences for each
teacher as a strategy to unite teams were presented. In turn, the teachers tried to
identify in their academic life experience and some aspects that could come into
connection with the Traces proposal.
In the case of Mosquito the research experience of teachers becomes important,
especially on issues of reality and identity of the populations they serve schools in
the area and on the other hand, the experience of recovering ancient traditions and
knowledge that another teacher makes through the instructional design proposed
by the New School. For this reason, rural and orchards gained importance and field
actions towards these axes were build.
In the case of October 20 teachers link the school to the community through the
identification and interest to solve different problems that impact both the school
and the neighborhood, in this case the quality of drinking water in the school and
the neighborhood are the main focus of the classroom proposals.
178
DESIGN OF CLASSROOM PROPOSALS
The design of the proposed class in each region was carried as follows:
Bogota (FAZ): Science teachers of the institution had been carrying out work on
contextual situations that were addressed in science class, such as vermiculture,
planting of cape gooseberry (typical fruit of this region), the planting of fruit trees,
building a greenhouse and reforestation. The possibility that these aspects can be
viable in the time that is available for the TRACES project is analyzed. We choose
the worm and seventh grades to develop the proposal. The possible issues that
may be addressed in the relationship between earthworms and soil, their life cycle
and environmental conditions for survival, among other things.
The classroom proposal that was designed and developed in the District
Educational Institution Francisco Antonio Zea recognizes vermiculture as an
alternative for the use of resources, especially soil. The proposal was made with
seventh grade students and seeks to provide a space for science classes to link
the student with techniques for improving and / or recovering the soil, through the
production of organic fertilizers, while explanations are built around the physical,
chemical and biological needs to reduce the environmental impact on soil, by the
misuse of fertilizers on crops.
Tauramena: for the design of the classroom proposals the group defines the
following criteria:




Address issues related to the context and surrounding environment to generate
more favorable cultural relationships.
To promote teamwork in both teachers and students
To link students' everyday experience in the development of activities.
Design activities chosen to articulate the problems and demands of the science
curriculum of the institution.
Subsequently Environmental Impact of social activities in the region, The Natural
History of native plants and finally watersheds in the region were
identified as central issues to work on.
In summary, we designed and developed three classroom proposals. The first
proposal is made with fourth grade students of the School of Cusiana. The
proposal starts with the planting of native species in the school and field trips
seeking recognition, description and comparison of different vegetation types, and
the exchange of knowledge with community members and developing a
photographic herbarium. Then students explore various relationships and
interactions and develop oral and written narratives that communicate with other
members of their community.
179
The second proposal is made with second grade students of the Jose Maria
Cordoba School. In this proposal tours of four watersheds in the region are made,
to get to know the channel, vegetation and the material that is dragged. There the
children put names to the basin, draw, make descriptions and recommendations
for its care. After this, an activity of interaction between the knowledge of children
and the ancestors of the region is done. Finally, the ways to communicate what the
children learned is organized in a photographic exhibition for the city.
The third proposal about the management of wastes, with students in sixth and
seventh grade (secondary) of the school of Jose Maria Cordoba, is developed in
three phases: a first phase where students make a recognition of the solid waste
disposed and the path that it travels to get to the city recycling plant, a second links
the recognition of problems with the processes of production of consumer goods,
solid waste generation and its implications. A third phase, promotes the design of
180
forms of expression, attitudes and favorable relations with the environment among
students.
Santa Marta: In each institution central aspects for the design of the proposed
classroom were defined. For Mosquito, the school farm allows to integrate, for
example the river Gaira, geographic and economic characteristics of the sidewalk,
in The October 20, the quality of water used by students at the institution links the
understanding of the digestive problems and the physicochemical characteristics of
the water in the area. For each classroom proposal the teachers then identified
activities that were structured thematic phases. In weekly meetings and internet
counseling continuous exercises are done where they reorganization the
pedagogical and didactic routes taking into account the guidelines developed by
teachers and the conceptual discussion about the kind of learning that is fostered
in the students.
At the Mosquito Institution two classroom proposals were developed: The first
proposal for the fourth grade level is developed from the New School model
turning the school farm into the central aim of study. The proposal seeks to help
children understand how they have farmed in the region, for them to assess the
benefit that the school farm has for an organized community, and for them to
question the meaning of healthy nutrition practices; this with the aim of improving
the skills of reading and writing in children.
181
The second proposal deals with the study of the school farm holistically,
deepening teaching strategies that allow linking school subjects to a contextual
problem situation. One of the purposes of the teacher is to get children to view the
farm as a different space from those commonly observed. This means that the
daily life of the farm, its proximity, the actions of intervention, and the new
knowledge will allow the farm to acquire new meaning and importance not only for
school children but also for their families. The teacher seeks to recover the
meanings that children have of the farm so that they can relate to what is proposed
for each subject.
In the Educational Institution October 20 two classroom proposals are developed.
The first two proposals link two teachers of natural sciences, a course in biology
and another in the course of environmental education.
The first proposal is made in the eighth grade and seeks to address the impact of
the quality of drinking water of the institution in the vital body functions in relation to
the digestive processes and the diseases that water unfit for consumption cause;
this with the aim to develop an interest in the inquiry, the development of
explanations and the collective construction of alternatives, among other
developments that can enhance scientific thinking in the students.
182
The second proposal is done in the tenth grade with the teachers of chemistry
and physics, and it seeks to boost students' critical thinking through actions that
problematize the reality of the school context. This is achieved if students can ask,
explain and propose alternative solutions to social problems such as quality of
drinking water. This proposal seeks to understand how the design and construction
of an institutional filter is a strategy to understand which are the physicochemical
and biological conditions that characterize the drinking water.
2.5.2. REPORT OF CASE STUDY
FRAMING AND PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM
Research Question
Specific topics
How does links
between school
and the community
modify science
teaching
practices?
1. What are the
changes that occur in
science classes,
when the teacher
fosters an encounter
of school and
communitarian
knowledge in its
teaching practices?
2. What are the
curricular alteration
that are generated
when the teachers
link environmental
and social issues to
their teaching
practices?
3. What are the
changes that identify
teachers in their
teaching practices
when linked to the
school community
needs?
Context
Institutional
Frame
Actors
Urban institution
in a context with
agricultural
activity.
School
Environmental
Project PRAE
and teachers
with the
interests in
agricultural
production.
Two teachers
of science,
one with
physics
training and
the other in
biology.
Two institutions
of urban centers
and nearby oil
activity that has
generated
environmental
and social
deterioration.
An interinstitutional
collective
interested in
environmental
issues that
affect its region.
Five
teachers:
from different
areas of
graduate
training.
Two institutions
with marginal
population and
little
administrative
support.
Institutions with
a tradition in the
schoolcommunity link
Five teachers
trained in
different
areas.
Placing science teaching practices in relation to the cultural meanings that build
social groups as well as engaging in reflections about the meaning of the science
teaching in our social contexts implies to be placed critically and creatively in front
of the relationship school-community, because at the same time it is considered
timely that teaching practices permeate the needs and expectations is assumed
that the school must provide tools that nurture the debate about the role of science
and its teaching in the construction of local, regional, national or global social
projects.
183
While the school has been delegated the task of forming citizens who understand
the world around them so that they can intervene in that world, it is also interesting
to look at the way the community outside the school participates in the definition of
school educational programs that meet community needs, pushing the collective
construction of society that may take hold of a certain knowledge and social sense
that allows them to build views, make choices, make decisions and act effectively.
Addressing school-community relationship as a relationship that is in permanent
construction and fed by multiple stressors in which local school sceneries are
discussed, has helped define this case study as an opportunity to understand the
multiple meanings that can be understood by the role of science education in
communities, while revealing how the school appropriates, reads and contributes
to the understanding of social realities surrounding the school.
The wealth and complexity of educational, diverse settings, as those of the five
institutions involved in this case study, allows deriving the means to recognize and
enhance school-community links to contribute to unite the gap between the
production of educational research and the teaching practices. To describe and
interpret the implications of the classroom proposals made by the twelve teachers
involved in the field actions has allowed the recognition that to visualize and to
improve the link between school and community from science classes allows
teachers to: Modify science class in the role that content and teaching strategies
play in them, enrich the teacher's role and community leadership and strengthen
and diversify the community-school link
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The conceptual references that support the findings in this case study are defined
in three sections: The dialogue of knowledge in the practices of science education
and the social function of science and its teaching.
KNOWLEDGE DIALOGUE IN THE PRACTICE OF TEACHING SCIENCE
The interest to integrate or link the knowledge generated in science class with
community knowledge has to do with the epistemic and cognitive role we assign to
the production of science, the social role we give to what is learned in school, and
the possibilities that from those understandings we see in knowledge that is
beyond the school and the community. This consideration has motivated different
authors to develop arguments on the dialogue of knowledge that can propitiate in
school and the power it has on the dynamics of cultural transformation in which the
mainly concern is the strengthening of identities, the construction of new
subjectivities or the emergence of new social orders less focused on the hegemony
of scientific-technological thinking as is raised from cultural globalization.
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The new technological rationality, the law of supply and demand has been
divorced from the commitment of a society or of particular culture un-stabilizing
them and canceling places, memories, and particular and diverse cosmologies.
Perceiving these changes the questions that arises are: How reorganization
does not lead to establish homogenized ties that prevent the recognition of
differences and the establishment of areas of dialogue? (GHISO, Alfredo:
2000)
The scenarios and events that science teachers face at the school are varied and
result in concerns about the cognitive processes and experiential conditions
necessary for the appropriation of certain concepts, the organization of disciplinary
knowledge and its relationship, and the correspondence with school curricula,
formalized processes that are the basis of scientific explanations, the kind of
relationships with information, with the experience and the environment that is
conducive from the teaching of science, among others, all these reflections help to
foresee the field of science education as a system of complex relationships.
At the basis of all these concerns, the teacher is aware that when a certain
scientific content is placed on teaching conditions, interaction dynamics between
different knowledge areas, which for this case we restrict to the proper topics of
science, and knowledge that students possess, or are part of the acquit in which
they are formed76. In these complex processes by which two types of knowledge
interact, new contexts of meaning are formed, which are sympathetic actions of
confrontation, complementarity and collective elaboration that create
transformations on the senses and meanings associated with each of the content
knowledge.77
Building proposals for science education to promote interaction between scientific
knowledge78 and community knowledge, seeks to make of the science class a
space for discussion and interaction of the representations that defined the school
as a setting conducive to cultural transformation, only to the extent in which they
can build contexts for teachers and students to express, and enrich contrasting
opinions, knowledge and explanations to situations in their environment. In this
76
We skip the discussion about how the outputs of science and configured didactizan school
knowledge in optics knowledge Chevallard how wise are configured as knowledge to teach.
77
In this regard the work of Basil Bernstein is a reference to understand the order, hierarchy and
social dynamics that guide the appropriation of knowledge that the school moves, like the work of
Michel Foucault focuses on the discursive orders and systems of truth and power that define the
relations of knowledge in school.
78
Bernstein recognizes that knowledge of science is knowledge that are "produced" in particular
contexts, responding to questions and needs, but when they start to be necessary for a social
group, ie they are entitled as important to point consider to be taught pedagogical discourse acts as
a principle that makes some actions on this knowledge (and appropriate recontextualizes) from
certain rules from which gives possibility to move about the possible meanings of "didactiza"
knowledge so they can be appropriate for a subject whose codes begin to be changed in the light of
learning
185
sense, the implementation of alternative approaches to teaching practices
strengthens the development of representational dynamics of cultural change in
school.
To understand the statement exposed above, we must recognize the school as a
territory of cultural expression, which transforms the local community ties, set
renewal dynamics in relationships and allows the emergence of new collective
senses. Creating collective sense, the negotiation of knowledge, establishing
consensus about the future, would allow school subjects to combine their interests,
enhance their abilities and wishes to display their joint projects, setting up the
classroom as an inextricable unity with what is triggered from there, allowing, as
Geertz says, that "what man is may be woven into the place where he is and what
he believes is in an inseparable way" (Geertz, 1997: 84).
Understanding the processes of science teaching in schools from this dynamic of
knowledge gathering, passed by the intention to account for the transformation of
knowledge of science suffer in school practices or to make visible the importance
of knowledge of the community when considering the educational process.
The dialogue of knowledge is a way to link students, teachers and the
community; it tries for the subject to express his knowledge against the
knowledge of the other and the other, because the reality experienced should
be incorporated into the school through their customs, habits, beliefs, and
popular knowledge. Daily life unfolds with the academic and the role of
education is to cross the cognitive diversity. PÉREZ LUNA, E., ALFONZO
MOYA, N. 2008.
In this way fragmentation is set aside, and the student and the community are
recognized as subjects of knowledge that have interests and to the extent that
articulated to school may transform their living spaces, contributing to community
building with social ties strengthened from the recognition of their knowledge and
the problems that merit their collective efforts. (MOYA efforts, N 2008)
To let another knowledge enter the school and to establish a dynamic of
confrontation and mutual enrichment with them breaks the determinism of cultural
reproduction that defines the school as place for relationships among individuals
possessing illegitimate knowledge (teachers), and of subjects devoid of socially
legitimized knowledge (students) to begin to establish in the school the creative
action, and the transforming activity of differentiated subjects that establish
conventions, place their actions, their intentions vary and modify their local
contexts. When this determinism is broken, it‟s possible to establish a constituency
between the creation of collective meaning that is, the production of culture, and
the way in which these meanings are appropriated and negotiated to set up ways
of being, come and inhabit the world for each individual.
186
Although the meanings are "in the mind" they have their origins and their
meaning in the culture in which they are created. It is this character of
meanings that assures their negotiability and ultimately its communicability (...)
knowing and communicating are highly interdependent in nature, in fact
virtually inseparable. (BRUNER, 1999:21)
Thus, the interest certain approaches gave to understand the construction of
meaning by emphasizing cognitive operations or in the way it shapes the minds of
individuals, shifts to be concerned for the analysis of how we become partakers of
culture and how to create and recreate it from our human nature.
Common so many cases, school knowledge does not become an object that
you can get ahold of, it is just matter of learning that does not reach the
network of explanations that the individual has made its own, and uses it
relatively spontaneously to answer questions or solve problems. Also in
general, fragments appropriate this knowledge, so it temporarily displaces or
overrides some parcels of common knowledge or coexists with it, despite the
contradictions that may exist between the two. (MOCKUS: 1995:31)
The dialogue of knowledge is expressed as a possibility for mutual enrichment that
allows students the approach and understanding of their reality, include their
questions and articulate their searches to the teaching processes, ultimately
breaking the teaching models that prefigure practice, and explain it as a symbolic
universe that is socially imposed.
The dialogue between knowledge‟s unfolds in the diversity of positions and
views that cross through inter-subjective relations. The subjects of the school
and community proposed the disclosure of reality produce different views of
interpretation, which may present contradictions and complementarities in the
hermeneutic communitarian exchange (PEREZ LUNA, E., ALFONZO MOYA,
N. 2008).
The reflections posed above result in elements for science education that reorient
its activities towards the need to create communication environments in school,
rather than privilege the norm and the appropriation of symbols protected by
interpretation, it must allow free expression, the exchange of elaborations, the
contrast of ideas, the confrontation of statements. To locate science and its
teaching as cultural activities, that are scenarios for the construction of individual
and collective senses, provides the link between what we as humans are and what
we may be able to become.
The way in which man gives meaning and relates to himself and his natural
and social world is enriched by the multiple spaces of meaning produced in its
individual and collective history. These spaces allow the emergence of
meaning representations in the subject, and they are the ones that mobilize
187
different forms of relationship with the world, allow it to survive and adapt to
hostile environments, but also link it with the ability to construct knowledge
(VALENCIA, S. JIMENEZ, G. MENDEZ, O. 2000)
Arranged in this way, both the teacher and the community are able to intervene in
their context, this is what is learned in school is aimed at solving specific cases,
proposes own questions and ligated into the search for collective action. In other
words, knowledge is autonomous as the subjects become owners of some
knowledge, which requires the consciousness of their action and responsibility for
the designs of their community. You cannot be autonomous without reference to
the outside world, from the knowledge of him, his own arrangements that subjects
who know the organization may decide that sustains this world that he wants to
build.
To advance the dialogue of knowledge requires a teacher to fulfill a teaching
practice that is open to creativity, cooperative pursuit of knowledge, the
implementation of research projects that enable the development of thinking.
(PÉREZ LUNA, E., ALFONZO MOYA, N. 2008)
From these considerations, the teacher are providers to the creation of the stories
of their communities and they help their students to think of themselves and to be
constituted as historical and social subjects in the sense that they are recognized
as collective subjects and participants in a community. What you learn in school
starts to be relative, it consists of explaining facts that matter to that and allow them
thoughtfully placed in front of their own realities, make decisions and build their
own cultural ways.
The teacher needs to be recognized as the subject of knowledge, while
recognizing their student as a person with an "I think" that guides them towards a
decision about their own assumptions and face their daily life. Teaching science
becomes an act committed with our own communities, the privilege given to a
subject, the elections to certain ways of acting in the classroom set special ways of
making culture.
As mentioned above, the teacher's role is also altered, and with it the classroom
dynamics change, they open up to exploration and constant search for members
who interact there. Dynamics that go beyond the establishment of new
relationships with knowledge of science also include knowledge of the community
and how to position themselves as people from the immediate, and global
environments.
In conclusion, the dialogue of knowledge should be constituted at the
intersection of public culture and academic culture in this sense, one must
overcome the belief that all school knowledge represents what is valid and what
comes from the everyday should be rejected. The dialogue of knowledge
represents the recovery of the link with reality, is an activity to stimulate
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intersubjectivity as an expression of inter-exchange between the cultural time
and the need to form new meanings to the value of creative perspective.
(PEREZ LUNA, E., ALFONZO MOYA, N. 2008)
THE SOCIAL FUNCTION OF SCIENCE AND ITS TEACHING
Being a citizen of the twenty-first century confronts us with the most paradoxical
events, be up to date with the latest news about the latest medical application of
molecular biology simultaneously and internationally, but also hear about the death
of thousands of citizens and children in certain latitudes because of the absence of
good hospital conditions, to choose between drinking a glass of purified water with
the latest technological standards or enjoy spring water transported from the most
pristine and unexplored world, stay connected to friends across the hemisphere
and not participate of the most common conditions of neighborhood where we
reside, enjoy the latest productions of worldwide artists and disregard and ignore
our own folklore and local culture, to give just some examples. In all cases almost
inevitably give to the new conditions that provide the scientific and technological
means and make no doubt that science and technology firmly penetrate all areas
of daily life, building every moment, determining their meaning and interpretation
that we have made of the world and the way we live in it.
The overflow of the technology market, the invasion of new information
technologies in our everyday lives, and the cultural privilege to knowledge that is a
product of science and technology, impose to us new ways to be and to live, the
makes us face with the fact that we are consumers, where we can choose a
passive condition or critical of the transformation of our relationships with the
environment and the dynamics of knowledge production and the techno-scientific
products. Reasons as this call for urgent demands to the current societies into
higher levels of schooling and academic training of its citizens to meet the social
challenges of cultural appropriation in the scientific, technical and communicative
areas.
No wonder, then, that many of the educational purposes of different countries are
linked to the developments expected by the school as to provide a "scientific
culture" for the bulk of the population. In this regard it is worth noting some of the
objectives set out in the Education Act 1994 for our country that are looking for:
•
•
The acquisition and generation of scientific knowledge and technical
capabilities available, humanistic, historical, social, geographical and aesthetic,
through the appropriation of intellectual habits suitable for the development of
knowledge;
Access to knowledge, science, technology and other benefits and values of
culture, promoting research and encouraging artistic creation in its various
forms;
189
•
•
•
•
The development of critical, reflective and analytical skills strengthen the
national scientific and technological progress, oriented with priority to improving
cultural and quality of life of the population, participation in the search for
alternative solutions to problems and social progress and economic
development;
The generation of an awareness for the conservation, protection and
improvement of the environment, quality of life, the rational use of natural
resources, disaster prevention, within a culture of risk and ecological defense
cultural heritage of the nation;
Training in work practice, with expertise and skills as well as in assessing the
same as the basis of individual and social development, and
Promotion, in both the person and the society, of the ability to create,
investigate, adopt the technology required in the country's development process
and allows the student to enter the productive sector.
In this context it is undeniable that education plays a dominant role in guiding the
horizons of those who form the labor and intellectual capital to come. However, it
should be noted that this education is not neutral because it requires a critical
assumption of citizens from social decisions and it brings, each time with more
emphasis, the non-neutrality of science and technology.79
The school is determined to assume a new role off the relationship that promotes
knowledge, since the condition of literacy in terms of handling codes for reading
and writing transcended, the focus now is another, it is important to participate in
other types of literacy that enables them to take a role both creative and critically,
in addressing the dynamics of knowledge that unfold in the contemporary world.
From this perspective, is becomes a priority of the school to provide tools that allow
individuals to interact critically with knowledge, otherwise we will be reduced to the
status of spectators, stunned by the prolific variety of techno-scientific products,
where the sense of what is done in the classroom loses conection with the living
world in which students have to live with others and negotiate collective decision
making. A school not only calls for solving the problems of scientific and
technological literacy but it provides citizens with attitudes, values and ways of
making them useful in social groups and it makes them effective for specific
situations.
It is important that as a result of the school practices, safe, optimistic, creative
and capable individuals are trained, who are capable of building living
environments that are not only non-violent, but productive and harmonious.
And these requirements are also part of the values that are embedded in the
79
Knowledge in general are human productions that match particular interests and connote
historical actions that guide humanity itself and in relation to the role played by science and
technology in the fate of social groups is becoming more contentious.
190
scientific activity. The two elements that have arisen not only lead us to
reiterate that the teacher's task is not only a task of cultural transformation, but
especially a political task. (SEGURA, D. 2002)
To recognize the challenges and demands that are configured in school make it
necessary to develop analyzes that define the type of science education we want
to provide citizens with, and enable them to comprehensively address a
relationship with the natural and social environment. These analyzes cross by ask
questions about what type of education is integral with a critical attitude to the
techno-scientific products? What is the role of the teacher regarding the challenges
that poses a technologically productive and scientifically prolific world? What is the
role of disciplinary knowledge in school? What is the citizen that wants to be
trained? What kind of values should be built? What idea of the individual, society,
and democracy is being answered?
Answering these questions has to do with conceptions of the social function of
science and science education in our societies. The answers are many and many
occur in epistemic and ideological places. Perspectives as the ones that have
moved from a focus of Science-Technology-Society CTS, Scientific and
Technological Literacy ACT and Problem Solving are some of the most
internationally recognized and they have marked interesting developments, due to
the concern of defining, in an explicit manner, the purposes which arise in
connection with the training of individuals who appropriate, give meaning and take
a position on any scientific and technological production.
However, with them the field of research in the particular field of science education
does not wear out, due to the multiple efforts to delve into alternative strategies for
teaching science that lead to innovative proposals, and to the implementation of
new educational models or approaches (POZO, JI: 1998) mainly for primary
education. Most of these efforts end in the design of instructional models that seek
to be legitimized by different means (either through national or institutional policies,
training programs, academic groups and / or networks or groups of teachers) with
the ultimate aim of guide the actions of the science teacher in the classroom.
Most of these proposals do not question the social function of science and its
teaching and the purposes that are pursued when the intention is that the bulk of
the population appropriates and guides their actions from scientific knowledge, the
What For of teaching becomes obvious and the actions are centered on the
improvement of the models and refining the teaching strategies that blur than noise
generated from interest and expectations of school communities that are involved
in its implementation. Already many reflections have pointed out the
ineffectiveness of these proposals without taking into account the cultural character
of scientific activity and the complexity of relationships that are expressed at a
discipline meeting involved in the practices of science education.
191
Statements as these lead to question the ordinariness in which science teaching is
assumed, because absent from the construction of a sense for developing didactic
approaches that allow adapting, selecting and implementing learning conditions
what is already considered to define the disciplinary fields established (concepts,
laws, principles, methodologies, etc), mediating through them the way in which
they allow to solve environmental problems, which in some cases is motivated by
the consideration that its teaching gives those attitudes and methods similar to
those of scientists that allow them to deal with scientific and technical issues as
well as everyday life situations, or because they are considered to allow science to
move from spontaneous to scientific representations considered the latter as
relevant and desirable to inhabit the contemporary world.
It is clear that in arguments like these a belief that the acquisition of scientific
representations80 provides the conditions for living a more adequate,
comprehensive and harmonious relationships with others and with the natural and
social environment that surrounds us is expressed. Rather than engaging students
in the very activity of knowledge production, they are installed in a relationship of
exteriority with some products made by some exceptional minds.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
To complicate the link between school and community from the types of science
teaching practices that can happen in five different educational scenarios that
correspond to three regions of our country contributed to solve the central question
of this case study that helps understand how the links between school and
community modify teaching practices?
The methodological strategy demanded, as in previous case studies, the
permanent articulation of two levels of work:


A first level focused on the design, development, and systematization of the
classroom proposals. At this level the interest focused on the development of
proposals for science teaching that strengthen the purposes of the teachers in
the sense of dealing with study situations that were immersed in the
communitarian contexts.
A second level focused on the delimitation, framing and construction of the
case study. At this level the purpose was to create field actions in three regional
contexts, but with similar searches, the research space helped to understand
the different meanings that the link between school and community acquire,
and to deepen how its particularity modifies, in a certain way, science teaching
80
Scientific representations are intellectual models built in the light of some questions, about
intentions, production conditions and validation, marked by the contingency of his time and the
context that spawned. To enrich science world view, they need to be studiedin relation to human
projects that have contributed to its development.
192
practices. The actions that were done required the development of interviews,
transcriptions of the guidance, analysis of teacher writings, among other tools
that allowed the definition of the analysis unit of this study.
Among the actions that were common between the three case studies there was:





Revision of the study plans and of the natural science area of each institution to
recognize the emphasis, discuss the purposes, and locate the interests of the
teachers about recreating the links between school and community in relation to
the institutional demands.
Weekly meetings or bimonthly support for the construction of classroom
proposals in which the purposes of each activity were addressed, the
conceptual and methodological budget, the demands for the students, and the
results expected in relation to the interests of each teacher and the routes
defined for each proposal. Depending on the region, some of these actions
were supported online, enriched by the documents from the teachers that were
sent previously.
Gatherings of global guidance that allowed to create a balance of the faces
defined for each proposal, to put the teachers in context with the developments
of the regions and institutions linked with TRACES and to project the actions to
guide the proposals to a happy term.
Discussion groups that deepened in the way in which each classroom proposal
understood the relationship between school and community and to enrich the
findings of each classroom proposal with strategies of critical recuperation
(systematization).
Gatherings to socialize with other actors to show the results of the classroom
proposals.
The assembly and analysis of the five documents corresponding to the classroom
proposals allowed to define the common purposes, and therefore led to the
construction of one multiple case studies. The central question for the case study
was: How does the link between school and community modify the practices
of science teaching? For the development of the question three different
scenarios were constructed in which the question acquired different ways of
answering to the common question. These scenarios corresponded to the three
regions involved in the case study.


For the context of the Institución Educativa Francisco Antonio Zea (Localidad
de Usme) the question was: What are the changes that take place in science
classes, when the teacher allows a gathering of school and communitarian
knowledge to take place in their teaching practices?
In the regional context of Tauramena the question acquired the following
particularity what are the curricular alterations that are generated with
teachers link environmental and social issues to their teaching practices?
193

And in the context of Santa Marta with the institutions of 20 de Octubre and
Mosquito the question was: What are the changes that identify teachers in their
teaching practices, when they link the school with the needs of the community?
The condition of the multiple case study is defined by three particular regional
scenarios in which the actions of the classroom proposals take place, in the same
way the five institutional contexts underline particularities in the search for teachers
and in the results obtained with students. However, in spite of the apparent
multiplicity of scenarios and conditions in which the nine classroom proposals take
place, there are particular conditions that offer diverse perspectives from which to
deepen the ways of understanding the links between schools and communities. In
the final stage of the development of the proposals the findings of each context
were characterized as:
For the case of Usme the link between school and community:



Changed the organization of the class. Relation with the content, the role that
teachers, students and the types of teaching strategies play.
Communitarian knowledge is valued in the classroom, and the community is
enriched with school knowledge.
The teachers mobilize the school community and lead institutional
transformations.
For the case of Tauramena, to approach the proposals of teaching from the link
between school and community allowed the teachers:




To construct curriculums that attended the social needs.
The diversification of strategies and methodologies of science teaching.
The conformation of an academic community regarding science teaching.
The creation and diversification of educational environments for teaching
and learning science.
Finally, in the institutions of Santa Marta the link between school and community
allowed the teachers:



To link the content of the curriculum to the needs and problems of the school
community
To integrate curriculum content, teaching strategies and learning environments.
To approach teaching through the way in which the child understands his
communitarian reality.
The process of documentation allowed locating common aspects that led to
articulate the findings in the three regions in three integrative aspects assuming
194
that the development of the classroom proposals that recreate the links between
school and community lead to:



The modification of the science class regarding the role that the contents and
the teaching strategies play in them.
Enriching the role of the teacher and its communitarian leadership
Strengthening and diversifying the links between school and community.
After identifying the integration aspects a codification is done that allows finding
the testimonial documents a that are in relation with each one of the three. The
articulation of the testimonials with the findings and the interpretative construction
allows to understand the specificity and at the same time generality in which the
link between school and community is understood from the practices of science
teaching.
RESULTS
THEY
MODIFY SCIENCE CLASSES REGARDING THE ROLE THAT CONTENT AND TEACHING
STRATEGIES HAVE
The creation of links between school and community from the science teaching
practices allows the teachers who participated in the proposals to recognize new
possibilities of managing the content of the class while diversifying the teaching
strategies in which they usually were assumed.
The possibilities that bring the medium in which the school is located acquires
various connotations, in the first place the recognition of the school environment
potentials, a farm inside the a rural school is part of the life of the students, is part
of the institutional projection towards community and of the recovery of the
contextual reality of the school. Seen this concretely in class, as main characters of
the knowledge that has been constructed in their short life, a knowledge that
interacts with the class and other knowledge‟s of science, the teacher assumes a
role of mediator not only between the knowledge of the kids, of science and his
own, but between the social role of what the daily experience means, the school
traditions, and the collective stories of a community.
Its about taking advantage of what the context gives, and achieve long term
learning in the students, learning that becomes significant and important to
them in while they view its applicability in their immediate reality. The farm is
an educational space that is very significant for a rural school, through which
the child gets close to nature, gets sensitive towards the care and conservation
of the environment, they develop a sense of belonging, the love for their own
field work, as it also allows the child to perceive closely the relationship that is
created between man and other beings from nature. (Report Gloria Larios)
195
The farm, for the case of the Institución Educativa Mosquito is the opportunity to
foster a useful knowledge, for a particular society and geography; there meaning is
adquired about the chemistry of the ground or the role of the environment in the
spreadening of seeds. The filter of the Institución Educativa 20 de Octubre puts the
student in contact with the world of the city, with transportation and the treatment of
water, with the optimal properties of drinkable water or allows to relate water
consumption of un treated waters with the digestive discomfort of the residents of
the neighborhood. What is learned does not stay in the student‟s notebook or on
the anonymous chalkboard of the teacher.
The relationship between theory and practice, transforms for the child, what is said
to be in synchronization with the correct knowledge. For the case of the primary
children, the manipulation of tools, the follow-up of the processes, the description
of the changes of the farm in time, the consultation as input to act in the seeder,
provide them with empirical support from which they can talk. It allows the teacher
to adapt the traditional lessons and to apply knowledge that often is left aside, as
the technical and didactical knowledge is, which help the student to face more
lively experiences. It is this way how the teacher modifies the science class and
gives new meaning where it is clear how teacher owns the knowledge and how he
puts it into function according to the particular conditions of the school.
Throughout the history of education and of teaching in the school numerous
speeches reach the teachers and what we call re-meaning81 happens, from the
significance of academic productions from the meanings that also each individual
or group construct culturally. We note as an example, how the idea of "know-how
and learn doing" that is introduced in the Colombian school aside of the
assessment of skills and of the training in job skills strengthens the interest of
teachers to adapt or apply knowledge and skills (cognitive, technical, social,
communicative, emotional) to different situations by helping to put into practice the
knowledge that is possessed.
The redefinition teacher Julio Cesar makes covers the first two perspectives
related to the inclusion of empirical and concrete activities in the class, such as
planting, irrigation, development of family interviews, among others, and the
second with the projection of what is learned in more global levels of the human
condition, as the relationship with the natural environment.
Generally this educational classroom proposal: showed that the evaluation and
feedback should be permanent, that when you win and when you have the
desire optimum results are obtained, which children love to learn by doing and
81
Meanings to the term is used to relieve the critical appropriation by teachers pedagogic
discourses, for the teacher adapts the senses and passes through the filter of their budgets and
professional knowledge.
196
to do learning, that the stage of the farm is very conducive for undertaking
various learning strategies. (Report Julio César).
For teachers the farm, the cultivation of worms, native forest, river basin or the
construction of a water filter connected to the school with the everyday reality of
the community, projecting the work of natural science towards the present the
concrete children and school communities. The idea of treating real problems in
science class, refers to the connection between what is learned in school taken
from plans and programs that do not always have a connection with the student's
daily life, in this case it refers to the treatment of contextual situations that the
student has faced at home, in his town or at school. This in some way defines the
meaning of education, since a what am I learning for is located: You learn to
understand and transform the reality that surrounds the student.
The central idea is to establish a group of students to develop share and
understand a real problem according to age and ability to interact with
the environment. The recuperation of the ground is chosen through
vermiculture, as a current issue in a range of time, in a directed manner,
based on the development of competences, personal and social skills.
(Report Usme)
The pedagogical treatment of the problem of the water from the natural
sciences led students to reflect on how important it is to improve their
quality of life, and that of other members of the educational community,
to analyze the negative impacts that occur in the digestive system by
providing gastrointestinal infections by drinking unclean water, the
student is taken to the analysis of possible solutions to this problem by
putting it in contact with water treatment processes, after this very
meaningful process to him, because he has lived it, is when real, viable
solutions are proposed for the benefit of the entire school community,
such as a purification filter for their school. (Report Mery Rocio)
The teachers involved in the development of classroom proposals also face the
question of what is learned, that is, what school content is paced in relation to the
world of life. Thus, in the case of Usme students they do not learn about the
earthworm because it is important to study the anatomy and physiology of
annelids, but that they study the physiology of these beings to recognize their
eating habits and tolerance to acid soil for optimum cropping and from there get
humus, which in turn will enrich the soil their families cultivate in.
It also how people learn is also transformed, it is not sufficient to solve the guide,
the questionnaire, to make an observation of the earthworm, it is necessary to
crop, monitor the conditions, keep track of life cycles, collect humus, even the
invention of a strategy to market the product. So hand in hand with content that
was previously presented as lacking "real" support, now a problem is constructed.
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Understood as the complex action to study a contextual situation in light of the
relationship between knowledge and skills, and from the commitment to collective
actions that seek to create alternatives for dealing with everyday situations.
The recognition of what is closest to the child and to the teacher, the identification
of issues and interests that people view as local and / or regional, in the cases like
the inter-institutional team of Tauramena it has started a collective construction that
brings conceptual and pedagogical elements that allow the changes for the
guidelines of the classroom activities that each one develops. These processes
undoubtedly affect the curriculum of the institutions, but especially the ways in
which these curriculums have traditionally been built in these institutions.
It is particularly interesting to show that the actions advanced provide inputs for the
construction of curriculum that is relevant to science education in this context, in
some cases based on the recognition and appreciation of local knowledge and
practices, and in other cases addressing and expanding the compression on the
problems of environmental deterioration that exists in the region.
In the case of teacher Ury Cusiana School, the design of a series of activities that
would allow the student the knowledge of native plants in their region of concern
for the extinction of plant species in the region and impaired ecosystems. Similarly,
experience with water sheds begins by recognizing that the small water reserves
are being threatened by different social and economic activities in the region.
In a forest there is a potential for tourism (it is stressed that in this basin culture
makes people deposit trash but not necessarily take care of it), an ecological
park was built, in the second public bathing places are built (it was found that
environmental law is respected and he bed of the stream is not preserved,…
now it is a place to dump grass wastes, invasion of the bed of the stream) and
Cusiana rivers is of concern the exploitation of ballast and sand with 300 dump
trucks daily river bed, the oil companies supplying materials and in the Cuisana
river the exploitation of the ballast and the sand with 300 truckloads a day of the
ground of the river, the oil companies use these materials and river water, with
"predatory" activity of the river where there is also the irrigation districts.
(Meeting, April 30, record tracking)
By raising the need to analyze the relationships between the identified problems
and the classroom proposals, the area plans and the regional and institutional
context are discussed "the inflexibility of the institutional curriculum" As described
by the teachers are noticed as one of the institutions with a Didactic Route that is
built by the teachers of each area, and that need to follow the next moments:
Explorer Challenge, Wisdom Challenge, Challenge assessment. On the other
institution classroom planning should include: Departure point (competencies to be
developed), Collection and processing of information and skill development. This
has led institutions and science teachers primarily to attend to information for class
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work. The recognition has been made of local issues that affect different members
of the community that are possible to relate with different topics in science class or
classes of primary school and students can develop more enthusiasm for science
class, it has forced teachers to assume a distance regarding the curricular rules
that are effective in the institution.
In this sense teachers reflect upon the institutional curriculum policies, regional and
even national and decisions on the relevance of the issues of regional and local
contexts where these are developed. They build dialogue between local needs and
national requirements, establishing new agreements on the objectives, content,
sequence and evaluation of the contents according to the context. In the curriculum
issues related to the context and the surrounding environment arise, generating
cultural relationships that are favorable to the community.
In relation to the budgets that modify teaching strategies in science at school one
of the epistemological assumptions of greater value is interdisciplinary, which
involves concerns of multiple connotations ranging from those seeking a
comprehensive treatment of a theme from different points of view centered on the
disciplines, to the question about the role and nature of school subjects and the
possibilities of encounters either in its contents, in their teaching or in their
foundations, even those that translate the discussion about boundaries,
intersections and disjunctions of scientific disciplines in school.
In rural contexts flexibility is a feature that should be present in the curriculum of
schools in these sectors and therefore the education is a fundamental part of
this flexibility. To take advantage of what the context provides and learning
acquisition is achieved by students that become meaningful because they can
see the applicability of them in their immediate realities.(Report Gloria Larios)
For teachers, in general, interdisciplinary allows the communication the thematic
and contextual channels to open, either in the classroom because the teacher can
link explanations comprehensively to a situation or to an integrated theme, what
prevents the dispersion inside the classroom and un-centralization of the activity of
knowing, but also allows communication channels between teachers from different
areas in pursuit of a common interest. In both cases, science education is enriched
through dialogue and exchange of budgets, experiences, views and even allows
facilitating a complex view of the world that helps construction processes from
schools.
It can be highlighted that interdisciplinary has its source from antiquity, so that
in times of the humanist educator and Czech philosopher Jean Amos
Comenius …In our case for the development of the guidelines the disciplines
that were going to be integrated were organized, and the topics were
developed, a reading of the contents was performed and the most general
theme was taken as central aim, which provided the opportunity to address it
from the themes of the other subjects. (Report Gloria Larios)
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Teachers define certain privileges at the moment of organizing their class, some
consider the integrated work of areas to be relevant, as in the case of the Mosquito
Institution who worked all areas around the farm for children in fourth and fifth
grade, others recover the link between the physics and chemistry, and biology like
the case of 20 October, because the work on the water could be approached from
digestive problems specific to the consumption of untreated water or from the
physic-chemical conditions for purification, a situation that could be approached
from different subjects in natural sciences, other distribution of concrete actions in
physics and biology and the Institution Francisco Antonio Zea, as it allowed to
organize the work and responsibilities to the vermiculture.
The organization of the science class was enhanced by the development of
educational materials by teachers. This material was basically on the basis of the
guidelines that each institution and from the experiences of the teachers took on
different hues. The guide requires the teacher to contextualize an activity or
sequence of activities; this context is given by a general purpose, by a school
reality, by the characteristics of the students that it is directed to, by some by
strengths of the teachers that will implement them, by conceptual and pedagogical
searches. The guidance also requires skillful handling of the instruction, speech
and data collection.
For the elaboration of each guide the consultation of work looking for related
topics to fit the grade, which were proposed from the standards and curriculum
guidelines of the MEN and were also of interest to the students and that,
responded to a need in the environment. To develop a class using the
educational tools as integrated guidelines causes, in the first place,
expectations and motivations to the level of the involved actors; in the second
place, it allows the exploration of the disciplinary strength of each student and
to scrutinize the potential intelligence in him; thirdly, it gives samples of a
curriculum that is flexible and contextual, lastly, it strengthens the teamwork.
(Report Gloria Larios)
The elaboration of the material from the teacher makes of the classroom a unique
place, that belongs to the teacher, even though generic activities are done there,
these acquire a sense of particularity, a sense of being there with meaning, and for
a particular audience. The role of the teacher is promoted by the particular doing of
the didactics and the pedagogy because in the guidelines the assumptions of the
student regarding knowledge, participation and collectivity, among other aspects
that give structure to the complex world of the class.
The usage of the guidelines of the workshops allows developing activities
according to the learning pace of the students, it fosters autonomy,
independence, and it guarantees the procedures in an organized way in
reference to the group in general. (Report Julio Cesar).
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The notion of totality and complementarity is a constituent part of a class material.
For some teachers, the guide is referred to an exit, a laboratory, a field work and its
consistent explicative actions, integrated in a general purpose, for others it refers to
the orientation of the learning unity that articulates several subjects and actions
that include a concept or a global problem, for others it is even a module that
includes actions that are sequenced and that give way to the general treatment of
the classroom proposal.
The conceptual or content guidelines were replaced with field guides through which
the theory was significantly confronted with reality abstract or concrete, this
"pedagogical contrast" aroused the motivation and capacity for critical analysis of
the situation experienced with the water in their community , this was very
important because they were worried and they were set out to do, and they acted
to promote awareness not only in the other co-educational institution, but in
dwellers of the neighborhood, the environment of the institution.(Report Mery
Rocio)
The research action of the teacher promotes how it follows, reflexively, the
cognitive processes of students. Usually the teachers talk about students' learning,
writing levels, difficulties in listening, compliance, among other global issues,
however, once the teacher's explicitly mentions the learning intentions of the
activity, he can also explicitly follow its learning, it can produce written discourse
about his processes, assess the extent of their teaching approach. Talking this way
requires to focus on the argument, in thinking processes, development of
communication skills, even in the way they understand what an explanation is,
what is known, what is the epistemological value of practical work. In other words,
the teacher appropriates the epistemological dimension of knowledge.
Hands-on activities correspond to what might be called in-class activity, how
the child manages to appropriate what is being proposed in writing. It was
important to ensure that students understand that learning processes offered at
school do not follow a recipe where the first hour is given Spanish closes the
book and begins a new chapter with the second hour with another subject, all
presented in an isolated manner. (Report Gloria Larios)
Most teachers in their written reports relieved acceptance and active participation
of students in the speech is that participation is not understood as the right
response of a student towards an activity that had been proposed by the teacher.
On the contrary, the participation extends to two other expressions, either from the
action of a subject who takes part in the democratic decisions in a community, or
from the independent action of an individual who becomes responsible for his own
act of knowing. These forms of participation coexist or are emphasized differently
in the proposed classroom. All this reaches a larger dimension when you consider
that when a teacher offers, from the condition of alterity of another human as his
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student also provides for himself, he calls himself a democratic subject,
autonomous, creative in his own teaching practices.
To achieve the motivation of the group of student raised a number of
strategies, including moving the classroom to an open room located beneath
the leafy shade of a mango tree, in the same way the proposed work entailed
oriented integrated guides to the use of one notebook that the children
received with great pleasure. The type of design of the guidelines had the
development of theory and practice in mind, while simultaneously inviting the
development of family activities. (Report Gloria Larios)
The collective participation in the processes of science education allows the
natural and social world to be viewed differently, these are expressed and
listed in the collective experiences, the explanations to the phenomena of our
environment, the indifference of many students of that world they did not know
and that is part of their daily lives such as microorganisms in the water that are
unfit for human consumption, this allowed the students to understand tha it is
part of the duty of everyone to become a dynamic agent, transformer and
promote cooperation to ensure a better future, a healthier environment, taking
individual and collective attitudes that give solutions. The way students took
the proposal received from individual to collective development of the filter,
which helped to improve the environmental conditions of the institution. (Report
by Sonia Niño)
In this case study it is interesting to highlight the close coupling that the teachers
accomplish between the policies and the national proposals and local curriculum
and curriculum, with the contextual conditions of the community: The farm, the
rural sector, feeding practices, the agricultural knowledge, are nothing more than a
point where teachers place the situation of study, rather than a reproductive
subject which shows a didactic sequence, we dare to think that it is where the
political and transforming action of the school takes place.
In this context we wonder what to teach regarding water? And what should
student learn about this problem of unsafe water? Because this part of
recognizing that all knowledge is socially constructed where the autonomy of
each participant is allowed to act according to their skills, potential and
challenges at the same time encourages group interaction, the integration of
areas in the development of knowledge in a real way that allows involving
everyday life. (Report by Sonia Niño)
When you decide to work on the rural, on the impact of agricultural activity, or on
the negative effects of oil activity the ideological action of the teacher is expressed,
this way his intentions can be mobilized in favor of forming a critical thinking that
allows students to choose to face the social and economic conditions in which they
survive.
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In our environment it is common, for several decades and from the issuance of the
115 General Education Law for teachers to talk about the construction of projects,
however we are faced with several meanings of this word. Teachers of the School
Francisco Antonio Zea progress in the construction of what a “project” means for
the teachers of the school and for the classroom proposals.
The project methodology provides students the opportunity to solve problems in
their current context. Other than taking the personal experiences into and the
knowledge they have acquired from them. Depending on how old they are the
teacher prepares students activities that suit their abilities. Thus promoting
significant learning in accordance with the PEI of the institution. (Report Usme)
In the development of the proposals we can identify various aspects that define the
way in which teachers assume their teaching practices and how from them they
reorient their science lessons.
•
•
•
•
For the development of a project of daily life, the object of study is derived from,
making it the learning situation for students and teachers. For the student to the
extent that they foster the construction of explanations about the study
situation, and the teacher in promoting the design of teaching materials and
allows the circulation of strategies from various teachers.
They enrich the relationship with the behavior of a learner, as it relates to the
disposition towards learning, the responsibility of the school and everyday life in
the new constructions, the ability to manage actions from a collective
organization.
It promotes the construction of new realities in school from the integration of
knowledge of the community outside the school, students' knowledge and
school knowledge. These three are interwoven and open a new world of
experiences that allow students to enrich the world in a more complex way.
The proposals for the classroom allows the teacher to generate questions, field
actions, communicative contexts, individual and collective practices related to
IEPs and Institutional Education Projects and they offer new senses, because
they promote conscious and committed action of the students in the
transformation of their social context and of the school.
Finally, the cooperative work of teachers and of the TRACES team is a research
process in the classroom, it recovers, by the teacher, the historicity of the school,
the traditions, the criteria, the working rates that have marked paths and that
locates it a point that allows them to decide what is relevant form them to include in
their teaching practices. This applies to the new school methodology because it
allowed the Mosquito school teachers to retrieve things like working for a themed
emphasis that structures around the different subjects, the organization of the
teaching sequences, the stimulus to participate student in the process of finding
and organizing information and the projection of schools activity to the family.
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The guidelines are part of integrated educational plan that has taken our institution
which is framed in the Escuela Nueva. For example, in the second working guide
the thematic sequence was maintained which depends on the problem addressed
in this case, the farm, but focuses on an aspect that is economic geography.
Another feature of the integrated guidelines is that organized labor not only to
articulate a class but the activity for several weeks. The structure of the guide
continued, always following the contributions from new school, making three types
of activities: basic and practical application. (Report Gloria Larios)
The teachers of Tauramena make reflections on the teaching of science and they
put it in parallel with the directions given from the institutional directives and
agreements on the advice of teachers. From the modifications made above that
join the concern about the needs of context-related economic activities and social
dynamics of the region. A transit security was built in the security of the
standardized information towards the opportunity to submit questions that are
consolidated as classroom issues.
The teachers recognize that the activities and the opportunity to talk about their
contexts allow the kids to recognize, for example, that “the people change the
channel, the flow, the deviations and the trails of the sewer, but don‟t recognize the
other ways that the channel and the flow changes, for example nature also
influences these changes, but they only recognized the strage elements that were
inside as being put there by man” (Report Liana Calixto and Alba Gomez)
The activity of recognition of the river, its flow, vegetation, people from around,
history, various expressions and forms of communication of the students are
linked, and by this they distance themselves, both critically and aware of the
routines in which the institutions have used to keep students and teachers: " each
group selected a tree, shrub and plant, which they looked at in detail, making
verbal descriptions and through drawings (Dormidera, heliconias, nettle, grasses,
escobo, moriches) where momentary hear comments of different groups "(Report
Calixto and Liana Alba Gomez)
When we turned to observe the vegetation we noticed that the children's
vocabulary was larger, we can identified that because of their prior knowledge
they could make comparisons regarding shape, size and color when they said
[...] We also found that they could make coherent narratives of what they
observed and conducted discussions with their peers when we heard
statements about a topic. (Report Calixto and Liana Alba Gomez)
The educational fieldtrips allowed the children to be amazed, curious, to make
comparisons and deductions of what was observed. Questioning, from the
information provided by knowledge of the ancestors of the region, the school
and their families, allowing conclusions about the transformation in time and
space of the municipal watershed and how human actions have influenced
that, the communication process can be highlighted, the narrative, graphic and
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written skills that allowed students the recognition of everyday knowledge that
we heard comments and recorded images (Poster Liana Calixto and Alba
Gomez)
In these ways of communication, parents were involved, when the grandparent‟s
albums were made for example. These consisted of photographic albums that told
the stories of the river and were all the knowledge of the stories of the stream were
recorded and the knowledge of the parents and grandparents which was shared
with the children first and then with the whole school community in times of
socialization, group presentations and presentation of selected photos.
In the case of the native path, “Emotionally linking students from their daily
activities and from their preconceptions allowed, in this case, to advance a
collection of information that comes not only from what they remember in
science class, but also what they hear from their parents. "(Final Report
professor Ury Vargas)
In addition, children intend to create a trail with native species that they have
chosen in one of the spaces of the school attached to the institution, for this the
teacher guides them in carrying out plans in the design of the trail, in the
organization of the tables of identification of the species that were used for the
path, this allows the child to be faced with the creation of a detailed special
organization and that he has to attend the symbolic and representational
languages to do so.
Class begins with the development of the designs of planes, I make a brief
explanation of how to represent these quantities in the role of feet in the
ground for measures which I say that we will use the pictures of the notebook
as follows: 3 frames equivalent to one meter, so we proceed to the elaboration
of plans on the book in groups of 2 or 3 people, and as they are given finishing
half a sheet of boom paper because they say that in the notebook they don‟t
have enough space because it is very small, in the work you can observe
creativity, children design the input, output, roads, location of plants, some add
some flowers, and chairs where people sit to visit the place. Upon completion
of all groups performing little explanations of each design. (Field diary teacher
Ury Vargas)
You cannot ignore the experiences of the teachers regarding new models or
teaching methodologies, the interaction with TRACES constituted an exchange of
experiences that allowed qualifying and strengthening the action of the teacher in
the classroom and enrich our learning in training science teachers.
THEY ENRICH THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER AND HIS COMMUNITARIAN LEADERSHIP
The interest in locating a "theme or problematic" in the proposed classroom, from
the type of needs, expectations and community interests, in the case of teachers of
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Santa Marta, and Usme Tauramena it involved an exercise of detail and reflection
that led to recognize in situations such as inadequate practices of water
consumption, the environmental impact caused by oil or improper use of fertilizers
in agricultural areas of study for science class yet excuses to change the
relationships that children have with their surroundings, understand why it is
necessary to transform these relations and project those learning to the
community settings. In this exercise the teacher aims to include in its practice
actions that are contextualized and intentional, linking it to what is currently being
done in their institution but also to be in dialogue with problems outside the school
but relevant to science education.
Initially it is recognized that this is an issue that has raised tensions because to
promote communication between the different perspectives held by the teachers,
mediated by the possibilities offered by the institutions for the development of
alternative practices for teaching science in different educational levels, they
question the specific knowledge and practices that are established from the ones
that have experience in the world and understands it. This exercise has led to that
for the case of Tauramena the planning of the classroom activities is crossed by
the definition of common performance criteria that are meaningful to all participants
(see Criteria for the design of classroom activity, Tauramena, Casanare)
Also, the discussion in the team makes them pass through the use of the contents
of information to the issuance of the cultural context and from simple explications
and clear contents to the construction and circulation of meanings of science in
school spaces.
How does this impact on curriculum - what is the role of information in science
classes - what does one do with the standards? What are the main features they
want their classroom proposals, in their field action? (Excerpt from a discussion
with teachers Tauramena) These are questions that resulted in the criteria for
classroom proposals and then on specific issues and activities to work.
The teacher's concern for making educational practice a deliberate practice has to
do with being located critically and purposely towards social relations that are
expressed in the school context. For example, care for a rural population affected
by the denial of peasant roots and that often see in school a way to continue
breaking with the past which they are ashamed of, and want to overcome, this
merits the effort of teachers who recognize the value popular cultural knowledge
and see in them ways of projecting changes of beneficial relations that as humans
we have been engaging in with the natural environment.
The bond between the two teachers of natural sciences that are concerned with
the recognition of the institutional context and the limited possibilities for
strengthening the relationship between humans and their environment that are
necessary to propitiate the classroom explanations for the recovery of cultural
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practices such as agriculture, rural aspect linked to the character of the majority of
the population and the negative impact of unbridled development on the field. The
need to bring to the classroom the empirical knowledge of the students arises, this
way the empirical knowledge of the school is put into dialogue. (Final Report
Usme)
The purposes of education that a teacher raises transcends the walls of the school
and is projected in community settings, the proposed activity not only modifies the
classroom to the teacher but it is linked to the way that from there, everyday life
outside of the school is altered. This projection also makes the consequences of
the agricultural practices comprehensive, which can radiate other economic
sectors such as improving the living conditions of a population.
It can be noted, that due to the constrains in time we failed to include the
proper use of vermicompost (worm humus) and its inclusion in the different
crop farms and livestock farms of the region, showing the gains that were
available both in ecological practices and environmental level as well, and
economically given the emphasis of the institution in business management,
but our children recognize them and in some cases vermiculture practices
have transcended the walls of the institution. (Final Report Usme)
Their school communities, their bias towards the creation of attitudes, their interest
in promoting alternative relationships with the environment and the way that they
read their contexts. That reading teachers do express their interest to place their
teaching practices and from them to answer the questions and concerns of a
community. When a teacher tries to uncover what they feel and what they think the
people that live near the school explicitly tell their intentions that exceed academic
interests and that are installed on the ideological dimension of the teaching
profession, interest in the service of alternative practices show how productive it is
enrich the links between school and community.
For this activity a reading that allowed locating Usme was presented, and it
also helped to admire the landscape transformations that have occurred in the
area, mainly in recent years with urbanization. (...) This is not the only thing
that worries people in the sector, the real concern is the displacement field and
its people that allow the entrance to the voracious city that is consuming
tranquility, customs, gardens, plants, animals and rivers , to turn it into the brick
jungle that was once the a green landscape. (Final Report Usme)
In our country it is common to place the community needs to the service of diverse
interests, the work that is done by various organizations that seek to improve
health conditions, housing and even leisure usages are in the daily order, however,
the sustainability of such works in time is almost nil. This has to do with the impact
that these actions achieve in the community in terms of changing their habits, their
habitual ways of doing things or changes which would result in an assistance in
which vulvnerable populations often are assumed.
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In this sense, the development of actions such as installing the filter in school, and
develop organic fertilizers from worm crops are educational processes that project
the teacher's action and his teachings in a space and time that is beyond school
hours and in a senses that determine new ways of relating to everyday life. When
the child understands why they should change their water consumption habits and
also experiences their results, they will be able to define new directions for their
actions to the point that they can influence positively on their family and community
environments.
The filter from the natural sciences is seen with a dual intentionality as a
learning object from which a research dynamic that involves several
disciplines, physics, chemistry, biology, among others, and as solution to a
socio-environmental problem is generated where the school and its
environment interact, and for this case is the neighborhood where the District
Educational Institution October 20 is located and where approximately 95% of
students live in. (Report Mery Rocio)
The proposals concern for what happens in the everyday life of the child is not just
anecdotal recurrence emphasizes the conditions of deprivation of certain social
group has to do with how we focus them for the child. The continuous diagnostics
on the conditions of malnutrition of the student population in vulnerable
communities are often on the look of commiseration without looking to transform
the relationships communities have with foods that are often the main cause of this
problem; in this sense, by the impact the teacher and the interest that it might
motivate in their students and in their community settings may become a factor that
transforms the ways of understanding the specific diet of a social group.
With very high expectations, they went to the nurse at the health center, who
helped them weigh themselves and get measured, as well as listen to her
concept on whether they were consistent with their weight, height and age. At
the end, they received the relevant suggestions. (Report Julio César)
Actions like these, articulated to the permanent work of the class that addresses
issues related to the digestive processes, the impact of the consumption of certain
foods and the possibilities offered by the school or family farm to improve eating
practices are aspects that allow us to measure the role of the science teacher
beyond the science class and of the encouragement of the academic
developments.
A teacher who cares about contextualizing their practice grows, allowing
community problems and social expectations to affect the way they organize their
class, and also to be aware of the result that have the strategies that are proposed
both at the level of the individual developments, as of the collective the individual
collective environments that they foster.
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"That dialogue that allows the diary of the class taking into account the other
characters, allows us to evaluate mutual performance, redirect, strengthen,
correct, and find out why and ask others to do .... is to help our memory to
assess the processes that we undertake with our children ... the field diary is
useful for pedagogical processes and an important reference for the
registration of school assessment. (Report Julio César)
The teacher puts different strategies into action according to their purposes, it
takes provision of the diaries of the classes, records, reviews children's books,
takes pictures of the process, are actions that allow you to have a memory of the
process and to assess its development. When the teacher looks back on his
practice and assesses the progress of their students‟ sizes the role he plays in
promoting developments, this exercise is possible when the practice is no longer
view as an everyday and exploited activity, and becomes a creative act that merits
review and critical recovery, because from the reflection of what was achieved the
teacher may guide new directions for its teaching practice.
The knowledge that the teacher produces when he performs, describes and
analyzes what happens in his classroom, is educational discourse, where his
professional experience, his disciplinary knowledge and his ideological
commitment to science education is patented. The teacher as a subject who
appropriates the world of the classroom, who interprets the produced there,
which locates in an organized whole the scope of its proposal, through what is
said in his writings, is located in a specific space, and is no longer speaking
about a future that he desires, about some needs that he has identified, but he
updates, in his own words, the experiences of everyday life, combining the
past and the future in a mind that wants to understand and interpret, that is, it
highlights that from the classroom science education is a cultural activity.
(JIMENEZ, G. Mendez, O.: 2010)
The knowledge of the teacher is set to the service of particular conditions that seek
to transform the relationship with the environment, and at the same time they make
of the science classes a scenario that mobilizes the links and the exchange of
knowledge. For Usme the critical eye of a teacher, about what the peasant
population assumes as a "technical" knowledge, has led to overuse of fertilizers
and the products that are harmful for the ground, allows it to propose new ways of
production, that without denying the current agricultural practices seeks to enrich
the cropping methods such as organic fertilizers. It reveals how the teacher, from
its leadership is able to transform the links between school and community.
It becomes relevant to make the academic knowledge and the knowledge of
students come into dialogue, given that the population of Usme is of primarily
agricultural character, and mass production mechanisms lead to the
uncontrolled and unconscious use of the chemicals that promote the rapid
deterioration of the soil, the surveyution of the water, and of the environment
in general. This worm cropping is conceived as an alternative to the use of
resources, especially soil, allowing fertilization, aeration and its growth, other
209
than obtaining very stable organic matter in a relatively short time for
immediate use in agriculture. (Final Report Usme)
The design of teaching materials to support teacher's educational actions is
another way to positions the teacher as subject of knowledge and as main
character at school. It is not only about owning material for their activities but to
place the developments of their class, give them a place of importance towards the
education community and motivate in the students their interest in their own
elaborations. The organization of the book meant for teachers to gather information
regarding the Usme area (district where the Institución Educativa is located) create
situations and activities related to the proposal, build sequences for readings,
workshops and laboratories, locate illustrations that were suggestive and
significant in relation to the topics that were addressed, actions that repeatedly
allowed the teachers to gain confidence in each proposal, autonomy regarding the
thematic and methodological changes in the science classroom, institutional
management capacity in the achievements of academic and physical spaces and
leadership in the articulation of the work with parents.
Probably, if we were to spent all of our time just developing guidelines and
presenting them to children as photocopies of information, it could disappear and
become less meaningful to them, what introduced us to a whole new horizon: Why
not develop an evaluative sheet? Yes, beforehand we had an experience for which
the group of teachers from the institution designed an evaluative sheet. (...) We set
a new path. (Final Report Usme)
Another aspect that showed developments during the implementation of the
proposals was the leadership and capacity for cooperative work that teachers
gained at the institutional and communitarian levels. It is usual that the strategies
that articulate the work of different areas in educational institutions focuses on the
so called cross-curricular82 projects that rarely fail to mobilize collective action with
defined purposes. In this case the assembly and work on worm cultivation, working
around water filter at school, the developments on the farm helped to mobilize
teachers from other areas who by the novelty and motivation that the activity
represented to the students could find articulation points. This aspect shows how
the encounter of interest may be a way of cooperative work that not only unites
teachers in one project, but also deepens in the intentions that an institution
defines for its educational community.
82
By regulation every school must develop cross-cutting projects that relate to the curriculum by
defining areas of work such as Education for Democracy, Sex Education, Use of Free Time, among
others, these projects aim to develop complementary actions to the study of core areas . However,
experience has shown that often in written documents are led by teachers in specific areas, the
Free Time Use by teachers of Physical Education and Arts Education, the Democracy for Social
Studies teachers, but rarely constitute a real dynamics of cooperative work, that in light of the
additional work but teachers are not enrich and enhance one's work in each area.
210
Moreover, advanced work does impact fellow teachers from other subjects areas
like the Social and Humanities teachers who decided to support from, their
subjects, the socio-cultural and human intervention in ecosystems, as well as the
process of reading and writing. One more reason to feel satisfied today because
our children's learning is inclusive. (Final Report Usme)
THE LINKS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES ARE STRENGTHENED AND
DIVERSIFIED
More than twenty years ago Colombia bet on its definition as a multicultural and
pluri-ethnic state. The National Constitution of 1991 marked the beginning of new
forms of relationships where people could live together on a basis of respect for
equal rights in spite of the differences in origin, tradition, ethnic group, belief, and
sexual preferences. During these years, educational institutions have tried to
impress on citizens values of respect for people‟s rights, inclusion of differences,
and recognition of cultural particularities, and in this way translate the constitutional
declaration to the daily life of scholar communities.
Several questions come up when evaluating the role that schools have played on
mobilizing this multicultural and pluri-ethnic condition. What does it mean to grant
these constitutional principles on a school context? What needs still to be modified
in order to obtain an effective recognition on the teaching practice? How to send
effective responses from the schools to community needs that include overlapping,
exclusion, and intertwining of different social groups? How to face the possible risk
of homogenization or individual dispersion that coexists in the search for equality of
rights? How to articulate priorities and society projects so difficult to achieve as
national educational purposes and specific needs of groups or individuals; or
megaprojects for institutional development and community life options? These
questions, applicable to global discourses of the law, are also present in the
individual discourses of the school. There, even if it is true that variety means
difference; there is also a meaning of encounter and the possibility of building
yourself in the inter-subjectivity.
Communities that meet on the school are diverse in their way of living and their
economic activity. You can find peasants, urban inhabitants, farmers,
neighborhood traders or storekeepers, hired employees, and refugee families.
Even if it is true that in the capital district this cultural mixture of the population
reaches its highest point, such condition repeats itself in every zone of the country.
In conditions as complex as these where the school is debated, teachers have
assumed as their own the construction of a critical view of the conception of
community, which falls far apart of the idea of a passive acceptance of their
practices. The importance of community organization is exalted, but there is
consciousness of its limitations, of the inadequate practices that is assumes
towards the environment, and of the necessity of making a contribution to correct
them.
211
We wanted to draw the attention on how peasants of the sector develop
traditional farm labors, and concluded that it is a contradictory situation, that
they do it to survive. At the same time they are causing socio-environmental
problems (indiscriminate logging or deforestation, soil erosion because of the
burning, garbage surveyution, extinction of species, amongst others), which
evidence the mistreatment of nature and in the end denies more resources to
the peasants themselves. In order to echo these reflections, they proposed
them to share a dialogue with the adults at home, expressing what they had
learned and the need to start proposing methods that were more compatible
with the dynamics of nature. Usme Report
This shows both the leadership of the teachers in the recognition of the problems
that the school must study, and in the capacity of education to transform. In other
cases, the farms constitutes a proper scenery so children can replicate and extend
their knowledge to their own families, and in this way acquiring the ethical
commitment of teaching others what society is teaching them through education.
This is connected to how the importance of school knowledge in the construction of
new ways of understanding the natural and social environment in which the school
is immersed, is understood.
The students and the teacher collectedly built the historical outline of their
village. Each student submitted data and information that they received from
their adults, and in the end this contributed to having a new gaze on the social
life, population groups, nature, and production of the village. Showing a lot of
enthusiasm, students draw their village on cardboards, pointing out important
places, and located the village and the region with respect to Santa Marta. We
built a prototype of the school in which we identified the why and the what for
of each place shown in the prototype. Gloria Larios Report
From the classroom you can contribute to the recuperation of the historicity of the
inhabitants of the village where the school is located. This is based on the
assumption that constituting oneself as a collectivity or community is only plausible
on the basis that collective memory can offer. The possibility of being, or getting to
be, is only possible if we look back on what we have been, and in this sense the
short memory of the student, fed be the multiple experiences of the adult
inhabitants, come together to situate and entrench what they want from the own
characteristics of the school environment.
In the same way, the approximation that the students take towards the territory
where they live, provides them with elements for their self-recognition and for a
critical evaluation of the conditions that render them single and diverse. This allows
violence or poverty refugee families, to settle down again and to feel they belong
there; in the village or town that now fosters them and where they have the
opportunity of existing. It is in this way that the school contributes to the cohesion
of collective purposes, the establishment of identifying bonds, and the
conformation of new cultural communities.
212
The community that organizes itself around an educational practice is also a
school. The relationship becomes bidirectional, the school builds community and
the community builds and becomes part of the school. Even though this articulation
would be desirable, it cannot be naturalized because even though many times the
school is conceived as center and anchor for the organization of communities and
for the resolution of community problems, that possibility cannot deprive the school
of its primary role which is commitment towards knowledge.
There is a point of view that may be more restricted, but it is very common on the
school environment, and it circumscribes the relationship of the school to the
parents of the students. Usually, parents organize themselves around Parent
Associations, or Parent Councils,83 however, on many occasions responsibility
relies on the school to promote strategies that facilitate the organization of the
parents in the school community. In this case, teachers see the link schoolcommunity as a way of building communication channels and common purposes.
One of the greatest concerns for Colombian schools, and especially those that
focus on the most vulnerable part of the population is the low percentage of
parent participation on the curricular activities, hence the importance of
involving parents since the beginning of the job. Through guides it has been
possible to introduce activities to involve these parents in schoolwork. For
example, a guide says: With the help of your parents answer the following
questions: Would you like your son to participate in the school farm? Why? For
you, what is the main goal of the school farm? Propose five things to grow on
the school farm. Propose ideas to better organize the work on the school farm.
How would you participate on the school farm? Gloria Larios Report
As it has been said, the community acquires diverse connotations. In the present
case, it is seen as the conductor of the relationship between the parents and the
classroom. Parents can participate following up on their children‟s homework, in
the reflection of the purposes that are assigned to learning actions, contributing
with ideas and knowledge for the management work, participating directly on
school activity, and even evaluating ad advising transformations of the school
organization. In this sense, the it is an active relationship, and parents are invited
to be more than the legal representatives of the minors, they can comment and
participate in pedagogical actions, and they can reflect about the education their
children are receiving, based on how the teacher addresses them. The leadership
of the teacher broadens from the work they usually do, to the strengthening of the
bond between parents and school activities.
Another aspect that influences the bonds school-community has to do with the
continuous variation of the inhabitants of the village around the school, and
83
On the Law of General Education of 1994, it is established that parents are a part of the
educational community, and they are provided with participation mechanisms in the school
administration, through their representation in School Governments.
213
therefore the continuous flow of the educational community. It is well known that
the population in these kinds of institutions varies because of the high level of
migration that takes place in marginal sectors around the cities. Such is the case of
institutions like the ones in Santa Marta and Usme, because these suburban
territories are the ones migratory families choose to establish and be able to work
in the city.
Teachers in Usme include among their students, peasant children who are
ashamed of their condition, and urban students that are unaware of the importance
of farm labor for the economy of a region. They know of the existence of
economics dynamics that impose a way of life and world tendencies towards global
economies centered on services and the development of information, they know
the impact of peasant migration to chaotic cities, unable to grant options for a
better way of life to the large majority of the population, they explore the life
projects for a population, they see the incentive for upper line economies
mesmerized every day, they see their students with complete lack of interest for
their locality, and they teach sciences. What to do then? What resources do they
have? With kids, their knowledge, some engaged parents, an institutional project,
and a small piece of green area inside the institution; they try to acknowledge
some of these concerns in a proposal of a class that fulfills their expectations. They
set the every day in function of a long-term project, face the critic and tensions like
the relationship between present and future, between here and there, between
Usme reality and the general tendencies of globalization. The growth of worms is
at the same time the complete learning for seventh grade courses, and a fragment
of the projections of teachers who frame the school environment in the science
class.
A majority of the students project themselves to professional careers related to
the service sector, and not to improving technology in the agricultural sector.
This contributes to the lack of sense of belonging on the young people, caused
greatly because of an evident social value crisis, and also the lack of love for
the countryside caused by the lack of political and institutional support to the
rural sector in our country. This is a distressing situation due to the fact that
there are always more people coming to the big cities, and less people staying
in the countryside, and the executives of the rural economy evidence every day
how unsustainable it is to continue with an agricultural production in the form of
farm labor, not being able to compete on the markets. Our children can no
longer see the countryside as a satisfactory income to fulfill their needs and
expectations, finding other options that generate a higher income a lot more
viable, especially with less sacrifice than that of peasants. Usme Report.
To think of the relationship social and economic context, with education, directs us
to many places, but to think it in relationship with the role it plays in the school,
forming and projecting a sense so that what is being taught allows seeing some
interesting points. It is not usual for science teachers to enroll themselves in
projecting a long term horizon, almost always the premise is that everything that an
214
individual will learn will help them when they decide on a professional career, or
when they will start a job, but this premise in itself is vague and lacking contextual
basis. The job of projecting the why of an education is in the hands of the politics
and in large plans as the ones formulated by the OECD on an international level, or
each country‟s ten year plan, or the Sector Plans of each city. But when a school or
group of teachers observe, study the socio economic conditions of their region,
project the educational needs in the long term, and establish the action of their
classroom towards this, they are printing on their jobs a historical and political
foundation that makes their job a cultural exercise.
The community problems of most of the schools involved in this case study, refer
to the introduction of the population into the cities, their marginal location, the lack
of public services, and what is most relevant, to the construction of identity, of the
sense of belonging, or the improvement of quality of life for the students that enter
the school. This is why they choose community problems, problems that allow the
children to appreciate what they have, find solutions to their problems, relieve as
much as possible their suffering, and take advantage of the knowledge of science
in understanding their reality. It is possible that their actions are still partial and
isolated, but they enrich the practices of the teacher, and of the teaching of the
sciences as a constructing activity of culturally engaged explanations.
In the social sphere there is a latent concern amongst the people, and it refers
to the arrival of new inhabitants in the area, as a product of urbanization and
low income housing processes, that have been taking place in the last decade.
With the presence of foreigners, and with them of new customs, forms of
action, and of reaching their goals, local inhabitants demonstrate to be fearful
for the loss of values, and the rise of drugs and violence amongst the young
population. This aspect can also be evidenced in the forms of relationship of
some students with their environment. Usme Report.
The appropriation of state policies directed to solve educational coverage to
population groups that become larger every day around cities, has been to build
Mega Schools. This tendency to organize schools of broad coverage under the
pretext of extending the educational service to larger populations, and reducing
administrative and logistics costs that small educational institutions have, on the
eyes of the teachers and of the communities make it harder to build identities
because the differences and singularities melt in dynamic hardly feasible on a
massive population.
In Santa Marta the construction of a Mega School is taking place near the area
of Mosquito, and this has raised doubts in the community regarding the
educational demand of the children, and their choice. Nonetheless, there are
parents who hold a strong bond with the institution and plan to keep their
students there. Here we can see the difficulty that some institutions behold
because of their level of coverage and radio of action, where the bonds that
have been historically tight amongst small communities and schools like
215
Mosquito that started as primary schools and then high school as well,
weaken. These policies where big management and executive models are
privileged are questioned, because sectors are homogenized and
particularities of communities are erased. Julio Cesar Report
The encounter that TRACES enabled with the teachers of every institution, allowed
them to recognize the different ways in which educational institutions have dealt
with community problems, consolidating alternative teaching practices, configuring
new cooperative learning scenarios, reactivating spaces like the farm, the
vegetable garden, or the river basin as objects of study, and generating
communication channels between school and family. All of these actions are
intended to tighten the school-community bonds.
One of the most relevant events in these classroom experiences is the recognition
of a community and a context allows for the activities with the students to
transcend the physical boundaries of the school, so subjects interact, learn, and
broaden our experience.
Kids come up to the people on the community because they are acknowledged as
carriers of wisdom, which are helpful to solve problems studied in the science
class.
…involving the parents becomes relevant in aspects such as: - The recognition
they received when their children came to them with questions, and for many
of them it was easy to answer them, it was about their ancestors, so it was nice
for them to talk about it. The took the time to share anecdotes of trips to the
rivers with their teachers when they were students, and other times with their
families on special occasions, and referred to the family album as a reference
to their stories.
They were glad about these activities that included educational trips in a
completely different context than that of the classroom, and that allowed their
children to develop an uncommon routine, like taking a bus, taking a short trip
without their parents, experiencing the narration of stories about the river
basins. Listening to their children‟s comments, a great adventure to many of
them because due to the overprotection of their parents, they had never
experienced something like that. (Final Report Liana Calixto y Alba Gómez)
In some cases, like in the experience of how to manage solid wastes or water
basins, the idea is to modify the attitude, and values that children hold towards
their natural resources, and the possibilities of change of some of these conditions,
that can later turn into a communicative attitude, affecting other members of the
community. Nevertheless, the influence on other members of the community
cannot be guaranteed as a mere classroom activity.
In the case of native species, the children manages to identify or recognize the
species typical of their context, and understand the constructive relationships that it
216
builds with other elements of the natural context in their region, in addition to the
benefits that it can bring to the population.
It is important for the community when kids take them into account for
investigation of tree species in the region, and even more when the bond for
information trade is created. Children appreciate the knowledge of these
people, and the people in the community demonstrate their satisfaction for the
work of the children. (Final Report Ury Vargas)
School curriculums are modified, and teachers show concern for regional
problems. This favors a critical view of the teachers in the face of the effects of the
leading economic activity of the region. Additionally, the teacher gains a role as an
important agent in the region.
When talking about opening up the doors of the schools to the city, village, or
urban and community environment, you are talking about offering the student a
chance to nourish from their experience through exploration, observation,
understanding of their surroundings, and going over the everyday life with a
different point of view. It is about providing the student with the opportunity to
compare their life with other realities. Proposals like the ones exposed allow the
students to cultivate their experience with other dimensions, allow the teacher to
take risks and innovate, and diversify the teaching activities, and allow the school
to establish actions in an always-diverse cultural space.
BIBLIOGRAFIA
BERNSTEIN, Basil. 2000. Hacia una sociología del discurso pedagógico. Trad. y
Edic. Mario Díaz y Nelson López. Cooperativa Editorial Magisterio. Bogotá.
BRUNER, 1999:21.
CARIA, Telmo. 2004. Os saberes proffisionais técnico-intelectualis nas relacóes
entre educacao, trabalho e ciencia Los saberes profesionales técnicointelectuales. En: Educación crítica y utopía. Perspectivas para el siglo XXl
CHEVALLARD, Yves. 1999. El análisis de las prácticas docentes en la teoría
antropológica de lo didáctico. Recherches en Didactique des Mathématiques, Vol
19, nº 2, pp. 221-266, 1.999. Traducción de Ricardo Barroso Campos. Universidad
de Sevilla. Sevilla.
FOUCAULT, Michel. El Orden del Discurso.
FOUREZ, G. (1994). Alfabetización Científica y Tecnológica. Ediciones Colihue.
Buenos Aires.
FOUREZ, G. 1994. La construcción del Conocimiento Científico. Madrid: Narcea.
GEERTZ, 1997: 84).
GHISO, Alfredo. 2000. Potenciando la diversidad: Diálogo de saberes, una
práctica hermenéutica colectiva.
GIMENO, J. (2002). Educar y convivir en la cultura global. Las exigencias de la
ciudadanía. Ediciones Morata. Madrid.
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GUIDONI, P, ARCA, M. y MAZZOLI, P. 1990. Enseñar Ciencia. Madrid: Paidos
Educador
MEMBIELA, P (ed.). (2001). Enseñanza de las ciencias desde la perspectiva
ciencia - tecnología - sociedad. Madrid. Narcea.
PÉREZ LUNA, E. y ALFONZO MOYA, N. 2008. Diálogo de saberes y proyectos de
investigación en la escuela. En: EDUCERE. Artículos arbitrados. Año 12, Nº 42
Julio - Agosto - Septiembre. P. 455 - 460.
POZO M. J.I. GÓMEZ CRESPO, M.A. (1998). Aprender y enseñar ciencia. Madrid:
Morata.
SADOVNIK, Alan. 2001. Basil Bernstein (1924–2000). Revista trimestral de
educación comparada. Vol. XXXI, No.4, Págs. 687-703 ©UNESCO: Oficina
Internacional de Educación. París.
SEGURA, D. De la ciencia en la escuela a una cultura científica para la vida: En
contra de la banalización de la clase de ciencias. Ponencia en el marco del VI foro
educativo distrital, de la curiosidad a la actitud científica – Bogotá, junio 2002.
218
3. RECOMMENDATIONS TRACES-COLOMBIA
This document summarizes the recommendations the Team TRACES -UPN
developed from the analysis of field actions developed in 2011. In developing these
recommendations, the team proceeded as follows:
1. Development of field actions through the stratification of the sample referred to
in the study of opinion. Three regions: Caribbean, Orinoco and the Capital
District. Urban, suburban, and rural and public educational institutions.
2. Formation of the national team and five (5) regional teams to define situations
of study regarding the TRACES research questions
3. Definition of field actions from design, development and implementation of
seventeen (17) of classroom proposals.
4. Delimitation of situations to be deepened, particularly from the development of
four (4) case studies.
5. Interpretive study of the field actions to determine findings that provides
solutions to mend the gap between research and teaching practices.
6. Development of a matrix that relates the findings of case studies with the
dimensions of the meta-analysis.
7. Recommendations for each of the dimensions of the meta-analysis from the
matrix of findings.
219
MATRIX OF FINDINGS REGARDING THE META-ANALYSIS DIMENSIONS
EC
1
2
3
4.1
4
4.2
4.3
CASE STUDY FINDINGS
2.
3.
4.
2
3
4
5
A teacher in initial training designs and develops educational projects in a vulnerable nonformal school context:
Questions the relevance of the disciplinary and educational training
Produces new pedagogical knowledge
Strengthens leadership and the ideological dimension of its own profession
Reflects upon the social function of science and its teaching
The environmental education is a referent to give sense to the teaching of science, to
train critical citizens and to generate practices that allow the teachers to:
Link the environmental dimension to the curriculum
Discuss the relationship between the epistemic, pedagogical and disciplinary conceptions,
and the creation of teaching strategies.
Define the socio-cultural and environmental context as a learning environment.
The teachers that link research to their teaching practices:
Privilege the role of natural sciences in the training of scientifically competent citizens.
They recover research traditions that influence science teaching.
They create alternative school situations to promote the research and the experimentation
inside the classroom.
When the teacher facilitates a meeting of school and community knowledge in their teaching
practices.
The organization of the class changes: the relationship with the content, the role that the
teachers and the students play and the type of teaching strategies
Values the knowledge of the community inside the classroom and enriches the community
with school knowledge.
It mobilizes the school community and it leads institutional transformations.
When the teacher links the environmental and social problems to their teaching
practices.
It builds relevant curriculums to the social needs
Diversifies the strategies and the methodologies of science teaching.
It builds academic community regarding science teaching
It diversifies and gets appropriated with new scenarios for teaching and learning science.
When the teacher links its teaching practices to communitarian needs
It puts the curricular contents in function with the needs and problems of the school
community
I it integrates curricular content, teaching strategies and learning environments.
CASE STUDY
1.
DMA
1
Initial training of teachers in socially voulnerable school
contexts.
The relationship between environmental educational
policies and the construction of science teaching
proposals.
The relationship between research practices and science
teaching practices.
The transformation of the practices of science teaching
from the link between school and community.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
220
(DIMENSIONS OF THE METHA-ANALYSIS
What role does teacher education play?
What role do educational authorities play in the change
process?
What role does the school structure play in the change
process?
What role do educational resources play?
What role does the social community play in the change
process?
What role does research in science education play in the
change process?
6
RECOMENDATIONS REGARDING THE DEMENSIONS OF METAANALYSIS
1. What role does teacher education play?






To integrate the initial and continuing training of science teachers the design,
develop and evaluate strategies that articulate the pedagogical reflection,
discipline and teaching practices of science education in specific sociocultural
contexts.
The training of science teachers in their curriculum must articulate
epistemological, disciplinary and pedagogical approaches, equal to processes
of change in teaching practices.
The teaching practice courses of the initial training of teachers should be
innovative educational spaces that relate to the situations, needs and problems
of real communities with the teaching of science in the classroom.
To promote the training of teaching teams composed of science teachers,
researchers and teacher trainers to build proposals from school education and
ensure the production of new pedagogical knowledge.
The teacher education programs should include the environmental dimension,
from epistemological, sociological and political challenge current relations of
man with nature, with himself and with society.
Critically assess pedagogical approaches that seek to transfer the processes,
products and production dynamics of knowledge of the scientific school
communities.
2. What role do educational authorities play in the change process?






The structuring of a curriculum that is relevant to science education should
include the experiences, traditions and consensus of researchers in science
education, practicing teachers and policy makers on the goals and purposes of
science education.
To strengthen institutional spaces to assess and evaluate education policy on
community-school relationships and its implications for science education.
Encourage schools and teachers with academic, economic and structural
resources, for teachers to collectively produce pedagogical discourse from their
research in science education.
Build quality criteria for evaluating educational institutions and the
performances of students from social needs and problems of school contexts
and not just from external and universal parameters.
Promote the creation of local curricula based on the needs and the significant
problems for school communities.
Strengthen the construction of inter-institutional teams of teachers to discuss
problems common to school communities, exchange and disseminate
221
educational experiences in order to influence the formulation of plans and
programs of science education at the regional and local levels.
3. What role do educational resources play?


Strengthen financial support for school proposals that provide contextual
solutions to problems and improve school-community links.
Support economic resources, academic and technical teachers and students to
improve the school environment and provide practical knowledge that solve the
problems of the everyday context.
4. What role does the social community play in the process of change?



Promote community organizing strategie in the medium and long term narrow
school community links to address collaboratively the needs of school and
social context.
To require organizations of scientific, technological and information
dissemination in the development of learning scenarios based on school needs
and interests of the context of each region and country.
Ensure the production and business sector and financially support educational
projects that contribute to solving community problems.
5. What role does research in science education play in the change process?




Promote research involving approaches circulating in the education community
about science education and environmental education, to build educational
proposals that allow thinking locally and acting globally with respect to the
problems of natural and social environment.
Recognize research in science education as an autonomous field of research
that contributes to the understanding of the conditions necessary for cognitive
and experiential learning science and disseminate research findings to guide
practice of science teaching more meaningful and effective.
Promote educational research on the role of experimental activity in the
understanding of natural phenomena including practicing teachers to guide and
enrich their teaching practices of science.
Create educational scenarios that link the production of knowledge of scientific
communities, the community of researchers in science education and school
communities.
222
4. THE IMPACT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT
TRACES-COLOMBIA ON A LARGE SCALE
The project was conceived in three phases: the first phase (Opinion survey) tries
to define the aspects that from the point of view of the teachers, directives and
investigators, are difficulties for the development of effective practices in teaching
science; this phase articulates two actions: A documented study of educational
policies and initiatives in scientific education, and an opinion survey on a small
and large scale. The second phase (Field Actions) is about the design,
development and systematization of field actions, as classroom proposals, with the
direct participation of teachers, directives and investigators. Finally the third phase
(Advise and guidelines) of crossed analysis on the consortium level, is intended to
derive indications and strategies to relate with the difficulties, as well as nourish the
debate about the most significant teaching proposals that respect sociocultural
differences.
FIRST PHASE: National Opinion Survey
For the development of the opinion survey, two actions were necessary: A
documented investigation about the policies (plans, projects, reforms and
institutional guidelines) for the improvement of science education, and its
relationship with the teaching practices for the last ten years; and an opinion
survey applied to the actors involved in science teaching (teachers, directives,
policy formulators, and educational community in general) about the way in which
the teaching practices take place, and the impact that investigations and
educational policies have or have had on this field. The ideal scenario to further
explore the factors that have promoted the gap between investigation and teaching
practices, was built from these two actions. The aspects that shaped the opinion
survey were: A sense of teaching of sciences. Referents that orientate the
pedagogical practice. Self-perception of the pedagogical practice. The relationship
between educational investigation and pedagogical practice. Aspects that are
spared on the daily practice.
These aspects orientated the structure of a common questionnaire based on fifteen
(15) questions, applied to science teachers. With the purpose of delineating the
population, a stratification of the sample that included variables that guaranteed its
significance, was established. For the Colombian case, three regions were taken
into account: Caribe, Orinoquía and Capital District. For each case the difference
between rural and urban, and between primary and secondary school was
established. In spite of the limits that stratification implies, it was helpful to obtain a
representative opinion of teachers in our country.
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To complement the results obtained in the large-scale opinion survey, interviews
were and focal groups took place, deepening into qualitative aspects. Stratification
of the sample was kept for the interviews and focal groups.
The field actions for the opinion survey included:
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Academic and operative organization of TRACES-Colombia team, defining
regions for the samples.
Application and analysis pilot tests of the questionnaire, for the large-scale
opinion survey.
The production of conceptual and methodological documents about the opinion
survey.
Setting up regional teams that developed administrative and academic
management, in order to socialize the project before Educational Secretaries,
and teacher communities.
Share the questionnaire on the different administrative and academic levels.
Development of regional meetings to socialize the project and fill out surveys in
the field.
Systematization, analysis and interpretation of the results of the opinion survey,
on the large and small scales.
Preparation and construction of the activity report.
Pilot experiment
The pilot experiment took place with 15 teachers, 10 of them teach at the Instituto
Pedagógico Nacional, and 5 others teach at District Schools of the Capital District.
The project was socialized with these fifteen teachers, and the first version of the
questionnaire was applied. Additionally, a meeting took place to receive comments
on the structure, extension, and level of demand of the questionnaire. With the
results that were obtained, an analysis came out and became the referent to
modify the questionnaire, and to guide future analysis of the large-scale opinion
survey. Regarding the questionnaire, no important changes took place, only the
phrasing of some questions to make them clearer, and format changes so it would
be easier to complete.
Distribution of the questionnaire
The distribution of the questionnaire was made through two mechanisms. One of
them was online; the survey was put on lime survey and articulated to the server of
the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. This system allowed for a control of the
number of completed surveys to take place. To ensure the participation of
teachers, the data bases of the Education Secretary for each region were
accessed, other contacts were found through the under and post graduate
programs, of the Physics Departments, and also through training events those
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members of the TRACES groups did. The other form of distribution of the
questionnaire was in the regional meetings. The way in which the strategy was
used in each region will now be explained.
Caribe region: In this region‟s strategy three phases can be identified: the first one
is about consolidation of the team, the second one is about socialization of the
project, and the last one is about field actions. In the first phase of configuration of
the team, the knowledge of the region regarding the educational dynamics and the
relationships with administrative instances and with the teacher communities in the
region, were taken into account. For the second phase, the socialization of the
project was conceived on different levels; one with the Secretary of Education of
the District of Santa Marta, another with the core chiefs and supervisors, which are
instances of academic and administrative coordination which articulate several
institutions established by the District regions. Finally a logistic and academic
preparation of the regional encounter took place on October 22 2010, with 140
guests. In the third phase, the project is socialized in the regional coordinators‟
institutions, the surveys are applied, and six interviews and a focal group take
place.
Orinoquía Region: There are three phases in this region. In the first phase of
team building, the leadership of the coordinating teachers with the teaching
community was important. The second phase consisted of the socialization of the
project with the Secretary of Education, in which the Teachers' Union (trade
organization of teachers) played an important role as the link with the
administrative and academic instances. The third phase includes those actions that
articulate field socialization in two institutions made at meetings of teachers of
natural sciences, the regional meeting held on October 29where 60 teachers
attended, and the development of two interviews and a focus group.
Andean Region: Colombian central team coordinated this region. In this region it
was important to take into account that a large number of regional or district
initiatives that bent the availability and the efforts of teachers and make it difficult to
adhere to new initiatives such as in this case the TRACES project, reach the
Capital District. In a second phase the project was directed to administrative bodies
of the Secretary of District Education with whom there were several meetings,
including the TRACES Team Coordinator, the Assistant Secretary of Education
and the Secretary of Science and Technology. These meetings took note of the
importance of such proposals for education in the District. These contacts did not
have concrete effects in the application of the surveys, but sought to disseminate
the project and strengthen ties with the Department of Education and the
Universidad PedagógicaNacional. The organization of the District Forum held on
October 28, 2010 that was about the organization of curricular school years, was
also important. This event counted 400 teachers. The socialization of TRACES
project took place in the event,the survey was distributed to approximately 200
teachers. In thethird phase the dissemination of the survey both online and in print
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using the contacts of the core team with the teachers that did graduate and
undergraduate programs of the Physics Department, took place. There were also
other teachers who have participated in activities led by some TRACES‟ team
members. The contacts that enabled the movement to different institutions of the
District where the interviews and the two focus groups were conducted in the
Andean region, were also find though this channel.
Data recollection
The opinion survey that took place with the teachers of vocational basic and
medium science education, about the way they perceive the research-practice
relationship, yields significant information on how teachers think their profession,
the privileges they do in their teaching methodologies, the relationship established
with the school context, the role assigned to interaction with academic
communities, among others.
Finally, the strategy for developing the opinion survey had a large-scale level
(structured questionnaire) in which 250 teachers were involved and a level of small
scale or depth opinion research (interviews and focus groups) that involves close
to sixty (60) teachers.
SECOND PHASE: Field Actions
For field actions, the project destines a period of fifteen (15) months from January
2011 to March 2012. According to the project's goals and strategies to define
criteria that constitute school communities (made up of teachers, students, parents,
researchers and policy makers) concerned with the development of effective
practices in science education, which in turn derive guidelines to overcome the
difficulties facing the link between educational research and practice of science
education, the project during its second phase defines development of field
activities in different institutional contexts.
For this purpose it sought to organize working groups with thirty (30) teachers and
researchers of the project in eight educational institutions, according to the criteria
of stratification and possibly including managers, parents and students. For that, it
took into account some general criteria such as: The class actions to be carried out
are designed jointly between university researchers and school teachers, the aim is
not the implementation of a default model but the construction of proposals that
care foreach institution‟s curriculum needs, to the influence of structural conditions
that characterize the school system and school in particular and especially include
the cultural dimension of teaching and learning.
Finally, as a general structuring mechanism, out of the seventeen (17) classroom
proposals in the eight (8) institutions, the following phases were identified:
establishment of institutional teams, review of individual study plans and
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negotiation towards the problems addressed in each proposal, design and planning
routes and activities for each case, construction of instruments for common and
particular recordings, for the recollection of the developments, systematization and
comparative analysis of the proposals and production of case studies. The
developed field actions converge on four case studies that reveal situations,
relationships and interests according to the directions agreed by the Steering
Committee of TRACES.
THIRD PHASE: Recommendations and guidelines:
For the preparation of the recommendations the team proceeded as follows:
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Interpretation study of the field actions to determine findings that provide
solutions to close the gap between research and teaching practices.
Development of a matrix that relates the findings of case studies with the
dimensions of the meta-analysis.
Development of recommendations for each of the dimensions of the metaanalysis starting from the matrix of findings.
As a way of validating the recommendations made by the TRACES-Colombia
Team, a national meeting of teachers was held between the 25 and 27 of February
in Bogotá with the participation of 30 teachers from three regions of the country,
Bogota, Santa Marta and Yopal, was well as faculty researchers at the Universidad
Francisco José de Caldas and the Capital District Educational Institutions. In the
meeting the presentation of the status of the field activities conducted by the
research team at a national level took place, as well as the socialization and
discussion of the seventeen (17) teacher classroom proposals. They also
discussed a draft document with recommendations on policies for science
education, derived from analysis of field actions.
The experience and production obtained at the National Encounter, enriched
participation in the International Teacher Conference held in the city of Naples,
Italy between the 10 and 12 of April of this year, where seven (7) teachers of the
three regions and five researchers attended.
Dissemination actions
Other measures of socialization of production of tractor-Colombia were:
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A permanent banner project information was designed on the UPN website.
As part of the inauguration of the first cohort of the Master‟s program in
Teaching Natural Science of 10 February 2011, the study was socialized with
document review and contrasts between the Joint Research Science Education
and school practices of his teaching.
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The research team participated in the V International Congress on Science
Teacher Education held in Bogota on days 26, 27 and 28 of October 2011.
Three presentations were made: Joints and research contrasts between
Science Education and school practices of teaching and Relations between
education policy, science-technology and science education in the last decade
in Colombia, Sense of Teaching Science in Colombia and its relationship to
research and educational policy: Opinion Survey.
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5. APÉNDICES
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APENDICE N° 1: Escrito leído en la conferencia inaugural de la
Maestría en Docencia de las Ciencias Naturales, junio de 2011
Articulaciones y Contrastes entre la Investigación de la Educación en
Ciencias y las Prácticas Escolares de su Enseñanza
ESTE ESCRITO PRESENTA ALGUNAS REFLEXIONES derivadas de reportes de
estudios de opinión realizados en seis países, sobre las percepciones que
maestros, directivos y formuladores de política tienen acerca de las relaciones
entre investigación educativa y prácticas de su enseñanza, en el marco del
proyecto TRACES. La primera parte muestra las estrategias y criterios desde los
cuales se estructuró el estudio. La segunda describe los aspectos que emergen de
la comparación cruzada realizada a los reportes de cada país y la tercera, enuncia
las indicaciones a tener en cuenta para diseñar, implementar y sistematizar
propuestas de aula para la educación básica en cada uno de los países
involucrados.
PRESENTACIÓN
TRACES (Transformative Research Activities: Cultural Diversities and Education in
Science), es un proyecto de cooperación internacional financiado por la Dirección
General de Investigación de la Comisión Europea en el que participan seis (6)
universidades: la Universidad de Nápoles Federico II (Italia), la Universidad
Autónoma de Barcelona (España), la Universidad Hebrea de Jerusalén (Israel), la
Unión Brasilera de Educación y Asistencia - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Río
Grande do Sul (Brasil), la Universidad Nacional de Salta (Argentina) y la
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (Colombia). El proyecto tiene una duración de
dos años, fue aprobado por la Comisión Europea a mediados del 2009 y comenzó
formalmente el 1 de julio de 2010.
Este proyecto reconoce que las conclusiones de la investigación en educación en
ciencias son muy conocidas y ampliamente aceptadas. Por ejemplo, se refieren al
aprendizaje basado en investigación, a la dimensión social de la enseñanza, al
aprendizaje activo o, a la diversidad de estilos de aprendizaje. Igualmente, releva
las investigaciones que se ocupan de estudiar el papel que juegan los factores
étnicos, culturales y de género, en los procesos de apropiación cultural de los
productos de la actividad científico-tecnológica. Sin embargo, para los
investigadores que trabajan con profesores de la escuela, es usual encontrar
dificultades para apropiar las indicaciones procedentes de la investigación y
transformarlas en enseñanza práctica, debido a que se interponen barreras
culturales, carencias en la formación profesional, limitaciones de tiempo y
recursos, entre otros.
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El propósito de TRACES es promover actividades de investigación
transformadora, investigar los factores e identificar las políticas innovadoras en
educación científica que contribuyen a reducir la brecha entre investigación y
prácticas de enseñanza. En particular, el proyecto está interesado en desarrollar
acciones en el aula que tengan en cuenta la diversidad de los educandos en
términos de factores individuales, culturales, étnicos, lingüísticos y relacionados
con el género. Desde estas acciones se pretende derivar orientaciones que logren
apoyar el trabajo de los maestros, la gestión de los directivos, las decisiones de
los formuladores de política y las actividades de los investigadores en el campo de
la enseñanza de las ciencias en los países involucrados.
El proyecto se estructura en tres fases: la primera fase busca identificar los
aspectos, que desde la percepción de los maestros, directivos e investigadores, se
presentan como dificultades para el desarrollo de prácticas efectivas de
enseñanza de las ciencias; esta fase articula dos acciones: Un estudio documental
de políticas educativas e iniciativas en educación científica y un estudio de opinión
a pequeña y gran escala. La segunda fase consiste en el diseño, desarrollo y
sistematización de acciones de campo a manera de propuestas de aula, con la
participación directa de docentes, directivos e investigadores. Y la tercera fase de
análisis cruzado a nivel del consorcio, que pretende derivar indicaciones y
estrategias para relacionarse con las dificultades, así como enriquecer el debate
sobre las propuestas de enseñanza que sean más significativas y respeten las
diferencias socioculturales. Hasta el momento el proyecto ha concluido la primera
fase (segundo semestre del 2010) y se encuentra diseñando y estructurando las
acciones de campo correspondientes a la segunda. Las descripciones y
reflexiones que a continuación se presentan corresponden al análisis de los
reportes nacionales y a la comparación cruzada de ellos realizada a nivel del
consorcio.
ESTUDIOS NACIONALES DE OPINIÓN
Para el desarrollo del estudio de opinión se realizaron dos acciones: Una
investigación documental sobre las políticas (planes, proyectos, reformas y
directrices institucionales) para el mejoramiento de la educación en ciencias a
nivel de cada país y su relación con las prácticas de enseñanza durante los
últimos diez años y un estudio de opinión aplicado a los actores involucrados en la
educación en ciencias (maestros, directivos, formuladores de política y comunidad
educativa en general) sobre la forma como se desarrollan las prácticas de
enseñanza y las incidencias que tienen o han tenido las investigaciones y las
políticas educativas en este campo. Con estas acciones se construyó el escenario
inicial para profundizar en los factores que han promovido la brecha entre
investigación y prácticas de enseñanza.
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Los aspectos que estructuraron el estudio de opinión fueron:
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Sentido de la enseñanza de las ciencias. Entendido como el significado que
el maestro asigna a la enseñanza de las ciencias, el tipo de proyecto cultural
en el que inscribe su práctica, los propósitos de la enseñanza de las ciencias
que considera relevantes y las relaciones que establece entre las prácticas de
enseñanza y los contextos culturales específicos.
Referentes que orientan la práctica pedagógica. Basado en la importancia
que el maestro da a la conformación y pertenencia a la comunidad académica,
fuentes de conocimiento que privilegia, la influencia que tiene en su práctica las
iniciativas planteadas en términos de políticas educativas y particularmente de
la enseñanza de las ciencias, los actores, estrategias, modelos o enfoques que
considera relevantes, la apreciación sobre los procesos de formación
profesional, la importancia de la colaboración de otros actores (investigadores,
padres, colegas).
Autopercepción de la práctica pedagógica. Relacionada con las fuentes de
satisfacción del maestro, aspectos en los que fundamenta su autoimagen
profesional, consideraciones que hace sobre la percepción que tienen sus
colegas y sus estudiantes de su práctica pedagógica.
Relación investigación educativa – práctica pedagógica. Interroga al
maestro no solo por lo que hace sino por la comprensión de lo que hace, por la
participación en procesos de innovación o implementación de prácticas
pedagógicas y la sistematización de las mismas, la valoración que da a las
iniciativas nacionales o a propuestas de investigación educativa que llegan a la
escuela.
Aspectos que releva en su práctica cotidiana. Indaga por el papel que los
maestros otorgan a la evaluación de aprendizajes, por la importancia que dan a
la experimentación, por el significado que asignan a las temáticas, contenidos y
uso de los textos, por los ambientes de aprendizaje, entre otros.
Estos aspectos orientaron la estructuración de un cuestionario común de quince
(15) preguntas que fue aplicado a maestros de ciencias de los diferentes países.
En cada país el cuestionario fue traducido y adecuado a las peculiaridades de
cada contexto. Con el objetivo de delimitar la población se estableció una
estratificación de la muestra que incluyera variables para garantizar su
representatividad. Entre las variables tenidas en cuenta en los diferentes países
estuvo: la zona geográfica, el nivel socioeconómico, la condición de financiación
de la escuela (pública-privada), el nivel de educación (primaria-secundaria), la
presencia de población extranjera o desplazada.
En en el caso de Colombia se tuvieron en cuenta tres regiones: Caribe, Orinoquía
y Distrito Capital, para cada caso se estableció la diferencia rural-urbano y
primaria-secundaria. A pesar de los límites que impone tal estratificación, ella
permitió obtener una opinión representativa de los maestros de nuestro país.
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Estos resultados se complementaron con entrevistas a profundidad y grupos
focales.
ASPECTOS QUE EMERGEN DE LOS ESTUDIOS DE OPINIÓN
Los equipos de investigación de los seis países involucrados en el proyecto
TRACES mantienen una interacción continua que permite compartir información
sobre los desarrollos locales, acordar estrategias para el estudio cruzado de la
información y proyectar acciones colectivas de investigación. En particular, con los
informes del estudio de opinión a gran y pequeña escala los equipos desarrollaron
varias estrategias para obtener una comparación cruzada de los resultados
obteniendo un panorama general de las percepciones de profesores, directivos,
formuladores de política e investigadores sobre las prácticas de enseñanza de las
ciencias en cada país.
Aunque el número de cuestionarios recogidos en cada país es variable se
reconocen algunas tendencias comunes, en especial hacemos referencia a las
respuestas obtenidas de la pregunta que indaga por las acciones que los maestros
consideran necesarias para mejorar la enseñanza de las ciencias.
Como lo muestra la figura la mayoría de los profesores encuestados en los seis
países perciben todas las acciones como pertinentes para mejorar la enseñanza
de las ciencias. Sin embargo, una clasificación de la importancia atribuida a las
diferentes acciones destaca la necesidad de proveer con más recursos materiales
las escuelas (incluidos los servicios de laboratorio y conexión a Internet). En orden
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de relevancia se considera a continuación la necesidad de circular ideas y
materiales (intercambio entre colegas, conexión entre la investigación y la práctica
educativa, producción de nuevos materiales para la enseñanza). Son poco
valoradas las intervenciones sobre la organización del trabajo de los profesores
(cambios en la formación del profesorado, reorganización del trabajo de los
profesores, cambio de los procedimientos de selección). Los maestros no
reconocen la participación de agentes externos, los cambios de criterios de
evaluación, el cambio de los planes de estudio y las indicaciones o
reglamentaciones oficiales como factores importantes para la transformación de
las prácticas de enseñanza.
Los aspectos específicos a los que se vincula esta primera panorámica del estudio
se sintetizan en siete ítems resultantes de la comparación cruzada; estos ítems
articulan las coincidencias y destacan los contrastes presentes en los reportes
nacionales, los cuales son: Lineamientos oficiales y prácticas de enseñanza de las
ciencias. Formación de profesores. Interacción entre los profesores. Organización
escolar. Aspectos socioculturales. Relación entre la investigación y la práctica y
aspectos relacionados con el género.
1. Lineamientos oficiales y prácticas de enseñanza de las ciencias
En general los seis países participantes en el proyecto reconocen que en las
últimas cinco décadas se han venido haciendo reformas a sus sistemas escolares
orientadas principalmente a garantizar la cobertura de la educación pública, la
gratuidad y la obligatoriedad por lo menos hasta el décimo grado. Algunos de ellos
han extendido dicha condición hacia grados de educación superior. Se reconoce,
además, una progresiva transformación de los principios generales en los
programas educativos y en particular de los programas en ciencias, lo que ha
derivado en un cambio constante de sus propósitos.
Otra tendencia común en el estudio es la transformación de los currículos en
ciencias, los cuales se han descentrado del interés por el contenido disciplinar,
para orientarse hacia el desarrollo de competencias. Algunos países, sobre todo
en Suramérica, han centrado el trabajo de reforma curricular desde la perspectiva
de la democratización del conocimiento y la difusión de la cultura científicotecnológica con el objeto de fomentar el desarrollo económico en la región. En
Europa las reformas se han gestado desde la herencia política y cultural derivada
de los movimientos estudiantiles y desde reformas constitucionales con el intento
de regular instituciones educativas y deberes y derechos de los actores escolares.
En Asia, particularmente en Israel, las reformas están influenciadas por la fuerte
multiculturalidad derivada de los procesos de inmigración y las diferencias políticoreligiosas locales.
Otro aspecto que emerge de los estudios es el creciente interés por sensibilizar a
las nuevas generaciones frente a las ciencias, expresado, en la mayoría de los
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casos, en programas de difusión científica, currículos obligatorios unificados en los
grados inferiores y organización por disciplinas para la escuela secundaria.
Es importante destacar que en los países europeos los objetivos de los programas
en ciencias se centran en procesos de enseñanza/aprendizaje que vinculan la vida
cotidiana con las concepciones e intereses de los estudiantes dentro de modelos
de investigación. En Suramérica se referencia la interdisciplinariedad, los factores
sociales asociados al aprendizaje y la alfabetización básica para la educación de
los ciudadanos. Finalmente el uso y la movilización de los contenidos científicos
así como el análisis epistemológico de los mismos en su enseñanza es un factor
presente en la formulación de los currículos en ciencias en buena parte de los
países participantes.
Ahora bien, en el análisis del impacto de la política oficial sobre la práctica docente
se percibe: baja participación e interés en el diseño y formulación de la política
pública por parte de investigadores y profesores, escasa conexión entre las
directrices nacionales sobre los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje de las
ciencias y su relación con los contextos locales, formulaciones de planes
nacionales extensos con privilegio a contenidos, pocas iniciativas en la formación
del profesorado que incluyan el debate sobre política pública y finalmente una
generalizada inercia de los docentes con respecto a la experimentación didáctica.
Para ilustrar el impacto de la política pública en las prácticas docentes,
mostraremos algunos contrastes en aspectos como: la transformación y
cualificación de las prácticas, el diseño curricular y los procesos de evaluación de
los aprendizajes.
Colombia e Italia, son los países del consorcio en donde los maestros expresan
menor interés en modificar sus prácticas de aula teniendo en cuenta los
lineamientos de la política oficial. En todos los países, se releva la preferencia de
los docentes en valorar su propia experiencia como insumo para cualificar sus
prácticas de enseñanza. Mientras que aspectos como: libros, experiencia de otros
colegas, revistas científicas o de divulgación científica y conectividad “on line” son
mencionados de manera diferenciada y poco relevante en la cualificación de las
practicas.
En relación con el diseño curricular, se encuentra que en Israel este proceso está
a cargo de expertos contratistas del ministerio y comisiones para cada disciplina,
conformadas por investigadores, docentes y supervisores, en asocio con las
universidades del país, lo que genera conflictos de interés con respecto a
priorización de objetivos, tiempos de ejecución de las políticas, bajo o nulo debate
de las reformas con los actores interesados, decisiones unilaterales de expertos,
verticalidad y unidireccionalidad de las reformas. En Brasil los maestros afirman
tener conocimiento de la política pública relacionada con la educación en ciencias,
pero se reporta baja pertinencia y utilidad de la misma, excepto para completar los
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reportes e informes institucionales solicitados, lo que conlleva a un cumplimiento e
impacto “sobre el papel” y no en el aula. En Argentina se defiende que el plan
nacional actual de ciencias y enseñanza de la ciencia es resultado de la
concertación entre expertos, maestros y equipos técnicos pero aún existen
profundas diferencias en la medida en que persisten actitudes tradicionales y de
resistencia al cambio por parte de los actores escolares consecuencia de la
elevada burocratización del sector educativo. En Colombia se destaca la
participación de algunas comunidades de docentes en el diseño e implementación
de la política pública, particularmente en Bogotá. En Italia, la resonancia de la
investigación en la política pública es elevada así como el interés de los docentes
en la misma, aquí la brecha ocurre fundamentalmente por bajos recursos
materiales y escasa formación de los docentes. En España los profesores y los
investigadores no están involucrados en el diseño de los planes de estudio, hay
bajos recursos y los recortes son constantes, además falta control y evaluación de
las iniciativas.
En los países participantes la estandarización de la evaluación de los aprendizajes
es también un tema de amplio debate en las reformas escolares, su percepción en
general es negativa en la medida que cambia el enfoque de la
enseñanza/aprendizaje de las ciencias hacia la búsqueda de buenos resultados en
las pruebas. En Colombia las políticas internacionales tienen amplia influencia en
la formulación de política pública de evaluación lo que ha generado discusión
entre eficiencia, eficacia y calidad de la educación pública. En Italia, un organismo
nacional (INVALSI) verifica la obtención de los objetivos educativos, lo que para
algunos investigadores constituye una barrera a la innovación escolar. En Israel el
argumento ratifica que la política evaluativa debe desarrollarse desde el
significado que le dan los docentes a la evaluación mientras que en España es
baja la influencia de las pruebas externas en la enseñanza aprendizaje de las
ciencias.
2. Formación de profesores
Para los maestros de todos los países es común referirse a la necesidad de mayor
formación y capacitación para afrontar los recientes cambios y reformas en los
programas de ciencias. Esta necesidad es más sentida en maestros de primaria
sobre todo en la formación disciplinar. En el caso de España los procesos de
formación de docentes para las licenciaturas tienen una duración de tres años con
poco o nulo énfasis en ciencias. Italia también reporta maestros de escuela
primaria que carecen de procesos de formación universitaria que sustentan su
trabajo en lo aprendido durante la formación básica y vocacional. En Brasil los
docentes se quejan que los cursos de formación o capacitación científica tienen un
carácter teórico lo que impide trasladar a la práctica sus aprendizajes. Argentina
resalta la creación de un Instituto Nacional de Formación Docente (INFOD) como
respuesta a la reactivación y animación de los procesos de formación en aspectos
esenciales del currículo, la investigación institucional y el desarrollo profesional. En
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términos generales los docentes entrevistados resienten la constante variación en
los enfoques y puntos de vista de las políticas y currículos en ciencias, lo que ha
derivado en una fatiga por parte del profesorado y desactualización permanente.
Buena parte de los países señalan diferencias entre los programas de formación
de profesores y las demandas de la escuela. En Italia se hace referencia a la
necesidad de recursos y tiempo que apoyen la actividad docente, así como a la
importancia de valorar ética, social y económicamente la actividad profesional. En
el caso de Colombia se expresa un malestar por la baja contextualización,
orientación limitada, falta de continuidad y de recursos en los programas de
formación inicial y avanzada de docentes; se considera que dichos programas se
corresponden con modelos de capacitación instrumental, poco reflexivos y con
escasos aportes para que el maestro comprenda y transforme su práctica.
3. La interacción entre los profesores
A nivel de los diferentes países los maestros señalan que la colaboración entre los
profesores y el intercambio de experiencias constituyen una fuente de
enriquecimiento de las prácticas de enseñanza de las ciencias. El interés se centra
en la importancia que adquiere la formación entre iguales y la posibilidad que
genera para construir mecanismos de colaboración a diferentes escalas, que
promuevan procesos de socialización e intercambio para hacer de lo aprendido un
saber social. Una forma en la que se ha venido organizando esta interacción son
las redes, que han ganado importancia en todos los países como espacios para la
formación continuada de maestros, ya que permiten contrastar la acción con otros,
confrontar los saberes y promueven la creación de nuevos significados colectivos.
En este tipo de organizaciones se estimula el liderazgo social y pedagógico de los
maestros a la vez que se construyen identidades colectivas.
Aunque se reconoce como importante los espacios de interacción entre maestros
se presentan particularidades en los diferentes países. Para algunos profesores de
Brasil, falta motivación y hay pesimismo de sus colegas frente a la educación y las
innovaciones en el aula. En los estudios españoles e italianos, la influencia de la
interacción con los colegas parece ser muy importante para los maestros de la
escuela primaria. Situación que puede ser atribuida al carácter interdisciplinario y
global de los planes de estudio en estas escuelas.
En Colombia y Argentina, hay una tendencia general de los profesores a valorar la
cooperación con sus colegas, respuesta asociada a los procesos de negociación
entre los docentes que lleva a menudo a crear equipos de profesores
(interdisciplinarios en la mayoría de los casos) para enfocar la práctica docente
hacia la atención de las necesidades específicas de la comunidad escolar.
Además los docentes colombianos expresan una consideración positiva hacia la
participación en redes y reconocen que ellas pueden llegar a tener un impacto
frente a las políticas educativas locales. La creación de redes entre los docentes
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es muy valorada también por los maestros italianos, pero buscando la
participación de las familias de los estudiantes como factor que garantice un
impacto más efectivo. Por algunos formuladores de política en Italia se reconoce
que la formación entre pares es un mecanismo de bajo costo desde el cual se
potencia el recurso humano y se hacen más significativas las experiencias de
enseñanza.
En paralelo con la apreciación de la colaboración y el trabajo en red como
oportunidades para un crecimiento colectivo, los maestros en todos los países
afirman que desafortunadamente gran parte de la interacción entre colegas
presenta dificultades ya que está dedicada a cuestiones de organización, tales
como el comportamiento de los estudiantes, la gestión de conflictos o la
realización de tareas burocráticas, que a menudo son las principales prioridades
en su trabajo debido a la falta de estímulo a los maestros que participan en estas
propuestas y al desconocimiento de los directivos sobre la importancia de las
redes en el mejoramiento de las actividades educativas.
4. Organización escolar
Aunque las estrategias de organización escolar son particulares en cada uno de
los países, hay elementos comunes que caracterizan los espacios y condiciones
para la enseñanza de las ciencias tales como los horarios, los recursos, la
disponibilidad de tiempo de los profesores por grupo y por estudiante, la
interacción entre directivos y profesores, los tiempos de planeación, las prácticas
de evaluación, la adecuación y disponibilidad de espacios físicos, entre otros.
En relación con estos aspectos los maestros manifiestan en el estudio de opinión
su percepción frente a la forma como la organización escolar afecta positiva o
negativamente sus prácticas de enseñanza de las ciencias. Como obstáculo está
la organización del trabajo de los profesores (sobre todo en términos de horarios),
la falta de recursos materiales y la interacción con los administrativos escolares.
Así mismo, en todos los países se reitera la falta de reconocimiento e incentivos,
el gran número de estudiantes en las aulas, la falta de tiempo y la carencia de
recursos materiales (en especial la falta de instalaciones de laboratorio) como
principales obstáculos estructurales que impiden a los maestros ser motivados
hacia una enseñanza más innovadora y eficaz de la ciencia.
En Brasil, los maestros reportan como percepción general la falta de
oportunidades y de tiempo adicional para reuniones de discusión y planificación
con sus colegas. En Italia, los maestros de primaria se quejan de la baja
flexibilidad en el calendario, que deja poco espacio para la interacción entre
colegas y en la escuela secundaria afirman que no hay tiempo expresamente
dedicado a la programación salvo por unas pocas horas al inicio del año escolar
que a veces se limitan a hacer una lista burocrática de los objetivos sin prestar
atención a "cómo" se puede llegar a ellos y "cómo" son llevadas a cabo las
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actividades en las aulas. Los profesores de España se quejan de la falta de
colaboración entre colegas, adjudicando la responsabilidad a los administradores
escolares por no promover dicha interacción. En Israel, los docentes consideran
que dependen de la actitud de los directivos. Los profesores brasileños afirman
que no hay impedimentos para el desarrollo de propuestas innovadoras de parte
de los directivos, pero la reducida cantidad de horas dedicadas a la planificación
conjunta y la sobrecarga de horas en el aula son la principal razón de las
dificultades en la interacción entre colegas, además muchos profesores rotan por
varias escuelas y esto disminuye su sentido de compromiso con proyectos
escolares específicos.
En el caso de los directivos, en todos los países, reclaman continuidad en las
políticas educativas, preparación de los docentes frente a los contenidos
científicos y metodologías de enseñanza, junto con interés de los profesores, para
implementar programas de innovación. En Italia y España los directivos perciben
como un problema su falta de incidencia en la escogencia, evaluación y despido
de los profesores. Otra de las cuestiones como parte de la organización escolar
que define las prácticas de enseñanza es la adopción de los libros de texto.
Mientras que en Brasil e Israel hay una delimitación frente al uso de los textos
definida por el Gobierno Nacional, en los otros países depende de las opciones
que ofrezcan las editoriales. En Colombia, en algunas regiones se ha dado
importancia a la disposición de textos dentro de los bibliobancos organizados por
cada institución.
Aunque la mayoría de los maestros participantes del estudio de opinión define
como necesario el trabajo cooperativo entre maestros y directivos, los maestros
colombianos reconocen que las prácticas de gestión escolar y la sistematicidad en
que se ha comprometido el Ministerio de Educación Nacional ha orientando las
acciones de los directivos docentes al diligenciamiento de formatos, al
levantamiento de estadísticas, al control en la ejecución de ciertas
reglamentaciones, lo que ha desdibujado su función académica y liderazgo
pedagógico en la vida escolar. Razones que llevan a los maestros que participaron
del estudio de opinión a pequeña escala a plantear la necesidad de reorientar las
funciones directivas hacia un trabajo más cooperativo con los maestros que
realmente incida en la vida académica y convivencial de las instituciones.
5. Aspectos socioculturales
Algunos de los aspectos socioculturales que afectan las prácticas de enseñanza
de las ciencias naturales son las tradiciones culturales marcadas por la historia de
un determinado grupo poblacional, la alta incidencia de los medios masivos de
comunicación en las formas de vida de niños y adolescentes, el estrato socioeconómico, el origen étnico, la determinación lingüística, las ocupaciones
laborales de los padres. Estas condiciones determinan unas necesidades y
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expectativas frente a las prácticas de enseñanza de las ciencias que según los
maestros no siempre son satisfechas por la escuela.
Es así como en todas las encuestas nacionales los maestros reiteran la necesidad
de desarrollar prácticas de educación científica contextualizadas y que tengan
sentido para las comunidades. Principalmente en Colombia y Brasil los profesores
subrayan su expectativa frente a una educación científica que promueva la
protección del ambiente y el equilibrio entre los estilos de vida ligados al desarrollo
científico-tecnológico. En el caso de la experiencia Brasileña, la inclusión y
participación cooperativa de las comunidades en las actividades de la escuela
parece ofrecer interesantes modelos de interacción entre la institución escolar y el
contexto local, pues allí se vincula la escuela a la comunidad indígena brindando
una participación activa a sus miembros tanto en su planificación como en la
actividad diaria. Situación que contrasta con Italia donde los maestros reconocen
en los padres de familia una fuerte presión para llevar a cabo los objetivos del plan
de estudios evitando a veces la experimentación didáctica o las prácticas
innovadoras.
Por su parte, en Colombia el estudio refleja el papel que tienen las escuelas para
enriquecer la vida cotidiana, destacando que el conocimiento científico ofrece a los
estudiantes nuevas formas de interpretación y elementos para estrechar los
vínculos entre el hombre y la naturaleza, aspecto que adquiere diferentes énfasis
dependiendo de la zona geográfica; en Orinoquía la recuperación del entorno
natural, en Caribe la búsqueda de opciones para el bienestar y el mejoramiento de
la calidad de vida y en el Distrito la necesidad de mejorar los niveles de
convivencia y disminución del conflicto. El maestro se sitúa frente al hacer de la
escuela y plantea opciones a sus comunidades escolares, en otras palabras,
asigna un papel cultural a su práctica pedagógica. Aspecto que conecta con la
pregunta del cuestionario que pide al maestro ordenar de acuerdo a su
importancia los siguientes tres objetivos para la enseñanza de las ciencias: para
ser científico, desarrollar el pensamiento crítico y para vivir en sociedad. Se
encuentra que los 245 maestros colombianos encuestados privilegian el desarrollo
del pensamiento crítico en un (59%) mientras que la gran mayoría (84%) coloca en
tercer lugar para ser científico. El segundo lugar de importancia varía entre el
desarrollo del pensamiento crítico y para vivir en sociedad. En los argumentos que
dan a su elección los maestros asignan a la enseñanza de las ciencias un papel
importante en el desarrollo de habilidades para que los estudiantes enfrenten
comprensivamente la vida en sociedad, modifiquen su autopercepción, asuman
posturas reflexivas y contribuyan a transformar su entorno social y/o natural.
6. Relación entre la investigación y la práctica
Situados en los propósitos del proyecto orientados a dar cuenta de la brecha que
se presenta entre los resultados de la investigación educativa y las prácticas de
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enseñanza de las ciencias, en el estudio de opinión se dio relevancia a la manera
cómo los maestros perciben esta relación y los motivos de su posible distancia.
Es necesario anotar que en muchos casos la investigación es entendida como la
articulación de prácticas experimentales a la enseñanza de las ciencias. Si bien
los maestros consideran que las prácticas de enseñanza se hacen más exitosas
en tanto vinculan actividades experimentales, en la mayoría de los casos persiste
una visión del experimento como el seguimiento de protocolos estandarizados
para la obtención de resultados correctos que no resuelven preguntas auténticas
de los estudiantes. Este tipo de consideraciones son comunes a todos los
contextos y países involucrados, a pesar que algunos maestros expresan
explícitamente una relación entre las prácticas experimentales y los procesos de
pensamiento o el desarrollo cognitivo de los estudiantes. Así mismo, en todos los
países, pero particularmente en Brasil los maestros expresan que el contacto con
la investigación no es ni frecuente ni común pero se asume como necesario para
mejorar las prácticas. De hecho, los profesores consideran que la investigación es
una herramienta relevante de transformación de sus prácticas que trae
consecuencias directas para el aprendizaje de los estudiantes. En Colombia, los
profesores vinculan la investigación y la innovación a sus estudios de posgrado o
a la participación en grupos de estudio. La creación de grupos con la participación
de profesores e investigadores universitarios aparece como una estrategia
interesante para mejorar la relación entre investigación y práctica de la educación
científica, sin embargo, los maestros señalan la falta de tiempo y capacitación que
permita participar en estos procesos.
El debate sobre el carácter investigativo de la práctica docente aparece
interesante y útil de considerar para países como Colombia donde los maestros
señalan que la participación en los procesos de investigación genera cambios en
el contexto escolar, ayuda a la comunidad escolar a modificar sus condiciones
ambientales, promueve el cuidado de los contextos naturales, contribuye a
resolver conflictos en la comunidad y fortalece los procesos de producción
agrícola, como en el Casanare.
En este sentido, se asume que las acciones que ligan la investigación educativa
con las prácticas escolares no sólo transforman y construyen conocimiento sino
que promueven actitudes y comportamientos de los estudiantes que luego pueden
ser proyectados comunitariamente.
7. Aspectos relacionados con el género
Dado que la literatura señala que la diferencia de género juega un papel
importante en las actitudes individuales y sociales hacia la ciencia y su
enseñanza/aprendizaje y que las creencias de los profesores en relación con esta
diferencia, influye en la forma de comunicarse con los estudiantes, el proyecto
buscó hacer explícito las opiniones de los maestros sobre este aspecto. Para ello,
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en las últimas tres preguntas del cuestionario aplicado en el estudio de opinión a
gran escala se pide dar valorar la incidencia del género en la escogencia de
temas, en la disposición de los estudiantes al aprendizaje y en el tratamiento
temático; sin embargo, los resultados reflejan que los maestros en su gran
mayoría parecen subestimar esta relación en su práctica.
ACCIONES DE CAMPO
Acorde con las metas de la investigación, durante la segunda fase, el proyecto
prevé el diseño, implementación y sistematización de acciones de campo
(propuestas de aula) en diferentes contextos institucionales de los seis países.
Para el desarrollo de estas acciones el proyecto destina un período de quince (15)
meses, entre enero de 2011 hasta marzo de 2012 y en los últimos tres meses
realizar un análisis de la documentación y materiales de evaluación recogidos en
dichas acciones con el objetivo de producir estudios de caso de las propuestas
sistematizadas.
Para realizar las propuestas se deben organizar grupos de trabajo con maestros e
investigadores del proyecto en diferentes instituciones escolares, atendiendo a los
criterios de estratificación e incluyendo a directivos, padres de familia y
estudiantes. Las propuestas serán diseñadas entre investigadores y maestros de
las escuelas, su implementación no se corresponde con modelos
predeterminados, deben estar en relación con las necesidades curriculares de
cada institución, con las condiciones estructurales que caracterizan al sistema
escolar y deben incluir la dimensión cultural de la enseñanza y del aprendizaje.
Además las propuestas deben recoger los análisis derivados del estudio de
opinión, organizados en las siguientes diez indicaciones:






Recuperar las acciones cotidianas del maestro, destacando los fundamentos
epistemológicos, disciplinares y cognitivos que las soportan.
Reconocer las posibilidades que tiene la integración de propuestas externas
con las experiencias de los maestros, con el consecuente enriquecimiento de
los currículos institucionales.
Proponer criterios e instrumentos de evaluación adecuados para valorar los
objetivos previstos de acuerdo con la reflexión sobre el impacto de los
procesos de evaluación en la enseñanza.
Centrar las propuestas de aula en un proceso de reflexión compartida sobre el
tipo de contribuciones que la investigación educativa puede aportar a la
enseñanza de las Ciencias en las escuelas.
Fortalecer la interacción entre maestros, el intercambio de experiencias y la
construcción de propuestas colectivas.
Estimular la reflexión acerca de la naturaleza que se le asigna a las actividades
experimentales y el papel de la "investigación en el aula" en la enseñanza de
las Ciencias.
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



Examinar la influencia que tiene la formación en programas de pregrado,
posgrado y educación continuada como recurso para el mejoramiento en la
enseñanza de las ciencias.
Prestar atención al impacto que tiene la organización escolar en el diseño y
ejecución de las actividades del aula. En particular, la interacción de los
maestros con los directivos.
Diseñar e implementar las actividades teniendo en cuenta la fuerte conexión
entre contenidos disciplinares y su dimensión contextual,
Reflexionar con los profesores acerca de las diferencias de género y sus
implicaciones para las prácticas de enseñanza, estimulando el intercambio de
experiencias entre profesores de diferentes países.
El desarrollo de las propuestas de aula incluye la organización de redes de
comunicación entre las instituciones y los maestros que participen a nivel nacional
de tal manera que se incentive la creación de estrategias y soluciones a los
problemas trabajados. Para compartir las experiencias a nivel internacional, el
equipo italiano diseñó el portal Traces Community (http://traces-project.ning.com/)
el cual es una red social disponible para los investigadores, profesores y
estudiantes involucrados en el proyecto TRACES.
A pesar de las diferencias, los estudios de caso realizados en cada país
participante, comparten una mirada sistémica de la escuela en la que se presta
atención a aspectos como: la afectación que tienen las relaciones entre profesores
e investigadores universitarios en el diseño y ejecución de rutas pedagógicas para
la enseñanza de las ciencias y la influencia de la diversidad cultural de las
escuelas en la práctica docente; diversidad que puede ser referida por ejemplo, a
la enseñanza y estilos de aprendizaje, las diferencias de género o al papel del
lenguaje en la enseñanza.
Finalmente, como mecanismo de estructuración general de las propuestas de aula
en las diferentes instituciones se prevén unas fases, entre las que cabe mencionar
la constitución de los equipos institucionales, la revisión de los planes de estudios
particulares y la negociación frente a los problemas abordados en cada propuesta,
el diseño y planeación de las rutas y actividades para cada caso, la construcción
de instrumentos de registro comunes y particulares para la recolección de los
desarrollos, la sistematización y análisis cruzado de las propuestas y la producción
de los estudios de caso que serán presentados por Colombia. Como se puede
derivar estas fases requieren del trabajo continuo, comprometido y reflexivo del
equipo de investigación y de los maestros que se articularán durante esta fase al
proyecto.
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APENDICE Nº 2 Ponencia Presentada en el V Congreso
Internacional sobre formación de profesores de ciencias, octubre
de 2011
Articulaciones y Contrastes entre la Investigación de la Educación en
Ciencias y las Prácticas Escolares de su Enseñanza
Steiner Valencia Vargas, Olga Méndez Núñez, Gladys Jiménez Gómez, Sandra
Sandoval Osorio, David Sánchez Bonell, Diana Rojas Suárez
Departamento de Física Universidad Pedagógica Nacional
[email protected]
Resumen: Este escrito presenta resultados preliminares derivados de reportes de
estudios de opinión realizados en seis países, sobre las percepciones que
maestros, directivos y formuladores de política tienen acerca de las relaciones
entre investigación educativa y prácticas de su enseñanza, en el marco del
proyecto TRACES. La primera parte muestra las estrategias y criterios desde los
cuales se estructuró el estudio. La segunda describe los aspectos que emergen de
la comparación cruzada realizada a los reportes de cada país y la tercera, enuncia
las indicaciones a tener en cuenta para diseñar, implementar y sistematizar
propuestas de aula para la educación básica en cada uno de los países
involucrados.
Abstract: This paper present preliminary results arising from reports of opinion
studies conducted in six countries, on the perceptions of teachers, managers and
policy makers have about the relationship between educational research and their
teaching practices, under the TRACES project. The first part shows the strategies
and approaches from which the study was structured. The second describes the
issues that emerge from cross-comparison made to the reports of each country
and the third sets out the indications to be taken into account to design, implement
and organize field actions for basic education in each of the countries involved.
Palabras Claves: Formación de maestros, enseñanza de las ciencias,
investigación en educación ciencias, practicas de enseñanza de las ciencias.
Keywords: Teacher training, science education, science education research,
teaching practices of science.
Presentación
TRACES (Transformative Research Activities: Cultural Diversities and Education in
Science), es un proyecto de cooperación internacional financiado por la Dirección
General de Investigación de la Comisión Europea en el que participan seis (6)
universidades: la Universidad de Nápoles Federico II (Italia), la Universidad
Autónoma de Barcelona (España), la Universidad Hebrea de Jerusalén (Israel), la
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Unión Brasilera de Educación y Asistencia - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Río
Grande do Sul (Brasil), la Universidad Nacional de Salta (Argentina) y la
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (Colombia). El proyecto tiene una duración de
dos años, fue aprobado por la Comisión Europea a mediados del 2009 y comenzó
formalmente el 1 de julio de 2010.
Este proyecto reconoce que las conclusiones de la investigación en educación en
ciencias son muy conocidas y ampliamente aceptadas. Por ejemplo, se refieren al
aprendizaje basado en investigación, a la dimensión social de la enseñanza, al
aprendizaje activo o, a la diversidad de estilos de aprendizaje. Igualmente, releva
las investigaciones que se ocupan de estudiar el papel que juegan los factores
étnicos, culturales y de género, en los procesos de apropiación cultural de los
productos de la actividad científico-tecnológica. Sin embargo, para los
investigadores que trabajan con profesores de la escuela, es usual encontrar
dificultades para apropiar las indicaciones procedentes de la investigación y
transformarlas en enseñanza práctica, debido a que se interponen barreras
culturales, carencias en la formación profesional, limitaciones de tiempo y
recursos, entre otros.
El propósito de TRACES es promover actividades de investigación
transformadora, investigar los factores e identificar las políticas innovadoras en
educación científica que contribuyen a reducir la brecha entre investigación y
prácticas de enseñanza. En particular, el proyecto está interesado en desarrollar
acciones en el aula que tengan en cuenta la diversidad de los educandos en
términos de factores individuales, culturales, étnicos, lingüísticos y relacionados
con el género. Desde estas acciones se pretende derivar orientaciones que logren
apoyar el trabajo de los maestros, la gestión de los directivos, las decisiones de
los formuladores de política y las actividades de los investigadores en el campo de
la enseñanza de las ciencias en los países involucrados. El proyecto se estructura
en tres fases: la primera fase busca identificar los aspectos, que desde la
percepción de los maestros, directivos e investigadores, se presentan como
dificultades para el desarrollo de prácticas efectivas de enseñanza de las ciencias;
esta fase articula dos acciones: Un estudio documental de políticas educativas e
iniciativas en educación científica y un estudio de opinión a pequeña y gran
escala. La segunda fase consiste en el diseño, desarrollo y sistematización de
acciones de campo a manera de propuestas de aula, con la participación directa
de docentes, directivos e investigadores. Y la tercera fase de análisis cruzado a
nivel del consorcio, que pretende derivar indicaciones y estrategias para
relacionarse con las dificultades, así como enriquecer el debate sobre las
propuestas de enseñanza que sean más significativas y respeten las diferencias
socioculturales. Los resultados que a continuación se presentan corresponden al
análisis de los reportes nacionales y a la comparación cruzada de ellos realizada a
nivel del consorcio, en la primera fase.
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Estudios Nacionales de Opinión
Para el desarrollo del estudio de opinión se realizaron dos acciones: Una
investigación documental sobre las políticas (planes, proyectos, reformas y
directrices institucionales) para el mejoramiento de la educación en ciencias a
nivel de cada país y su relación con las prácticas de enseñanza durante los
últimos diez años y un estudio de opinión aplicado a los actores involucrados en la
educación en ciencias (maestros, directivos, formuladores de política y comunidad
educativa en general) sobre la forma como se desarrollan las prácticas de
enseñanza y las incidencias que tienen o han tenido las investigaciones y las
políticas educativas en este campo. Con estas acciones se construyó el escenario
inicial para profundizar en los factores que han promovido la brecha entre
investigación y prácticas de enseñanza. Los aspectos que estructuraron el estudio
de opinión fueron: Sentido de la enseñanza de las ciencias. Referentes que
orientan la práctica pedagógica. Autopercepción de la práctica pedagógica.
Relación investigación educativa – práctica pedagógica. Aspectos que releva en
su práctica cotidiana.
Estos aspectos orientaron la estructuración de un cuestionario común de quince
(15) preguntas que fue aplicado a maestros de ciencias de los diferentes países.
En cada país el cuestionario fue traducido y adecuado a las peculiaridades de
cada contexto. Con el objetivo de delimitar la población se estableció una
estratificación de la muestra que incluyera variables para garantizar su
representatividad. Entre las variables tenidas en cuenta en los diferentes países
estuvo: la zona geográfica, el nivel socioeconómico, la condición de financiación
de la escuela (pública-privada), el nivel de educación (primaria-secundaria), la
presencia de población extranjera o desplazada. En en el caso de Colombia se
tuvieron en cuenta tres regiones: Caribe, Orinoquía y Distrito Capital, para cada
caso se estableció la diferencia rural-urbano y primaria-secundaria. A pesar de los
límites que impone tal estratificación, ella permitió obtener una opinión
representativa de los maestros de nuestro país. Estos resultados se
complementaron con entrevistas a profundidad y grupos focales.
Aspectos que emergen de los Estudios de Opinión
Los equipos de investigación de los seis países involucrados en el proyecto
TRACES mantienen una interacción continua que permite compartir información
sobre los desarrollos locales, acordar estrategias para el estudio cruzado de la
información y proyectar acciones colectivas de investigación. En particular, con los
informes del estudio de opinión a gran y pequeña escala los equipos desarrollaron
varias estrategias para obtener una comparación cruzada de los resultados
obteniendo un panorama general de las percepciones de profesores, directivos,
formuladores de política e investigadores sobre las prácticas de enseñanza de las
ciencias en cada país.
Aunque el número de cuestionarios recogidos en cada país es variable se
reconocen algunas tendencias comunes, en especial hacemos referencia a las
246
respuestas obtenidas de la pregunta que indaga por las acciones que los maestros
consideran necesarias para mejorar la enseñanza de las ciencias. La mayoría de
los profesores encuestados en los seis países perciben diferentes acciones como
pertinentes para mejorar la enseñanza de las ciencias. Sin embargo, una
clasificación de la importancia atribuida destaca la necesidad de proveer con más
recursos materiales las escuelas (incluidos los servicios de laboratorio y conexión
a Internet). En orden de relevancia se considera a continuación la necesidad de
circular ideas y materiales (intercambio entre colegas, conexión entre la
investigación y la práctica educativa, producción de nuevos materiales para la
enseñanza). Son poco valoradas las intervenciones sobre la organización del
trabajo de los profesores (cambios en la formación del profesorado, reorganización
del trabajo de los profesores, cambio de los procedimientos de selección). Los
maestros no reconocen la participación de agentes externos, los cambios de
criterios de evaluación, el cambio de los planes de estudio y las indicaciones o
reglamentaciones oficiales como factores importantes para la transformación de
las prácticas de enseñanza. Los aspectos específicos a los que se vincula esta
primera panorámica del estudio se sintetizan en siete ítems resultantes de la
comparación cruzada; estos ítems articulan las coincidencias y destacan los
contrastes presentes en los reportes nacionales, entre los que tenemos:
Lineamientos oficiales y prácticas de enseñanza de las ciencias: En general
los seis países participantes en el proyecto reconocen que en las últimas cinco
décadas se han venido haciendo reformas a sus sistemas escolares orientadas
principalmente a garantizar la cobertura de la educación pública, la gratuidad y la
obligatoriedad por lo menos hasta el décimo grado. Algunos de ellos han
extendido dicha condición hacia grados de educación superior. Se reconoce,
además, una progresiva transformación de los principios generales en los
programas educativos y en particular de los programas en ciencias, lo que ha
derivado en un cambio constante de sus propósitos. Otra tendencia común en el
estudio es la transformación de los currículos en ciencias, los cuales se han
descentrado del interés por el contenido disciplinar, para orientarse hacia el
desarrollo de competencias. Algunos países, sobre todo en Suramérica, han
centrado el trabajo de reforma curricular desde la perspectiva de la
democratización del conocimiento y la difusión de la cultura científico-tecnológica
con el objeto de fomentar el desarrollo económico en la región. Otro aspecto que
emerge de los estudios es el creciente interés por sensibilizar a las nuevas
generaciones frente a las ciencias, expresado, en la mayoría de los casos, en
programas de difusión científica, currículos obligatorios unificados en los grados
inferiores y organización por disciplinas para la escuela secundaria.
Es importante destacar que en los países europeos los objetivos de los programas
en ciencias se centran en procesos de enseñanza/aprendizaje que vinculan la vida
cotidiana con las concepciones e intereses de los estudiantes dentro de modelos
de investigación. En Suramérica se referencia la interdisciplinariedad, los factores
sociales asociados al aprendizaje y la alfabetización básica para la educación de
247
los ciudadanos. Finalmente el uso y la movilización de los contenidos científicos
así como el análisis epistemológico de los mismos en su enseñanza es un factor
presente en la formulación de los currículos en ciencias en buena parte de los
países participantes. Ahora bien, en el análisis del impacto de la política oficial
sobre la práctica docente se percibe: baja participación e interés en el diseño y
formulación de la política pública por parte de investigadores y profesores, escasa
conexión entre las directrices nacionales sobre los procesos de enseñanzaaprendizaje de las ciencias y su relación con los contextos locales, formulaciones
de planes nacionales extensos con privilegio a contenidos, pocas iniciativas en la
formación del profesorado que incluyan el debate sobre política pública y
finalmente una generalizada inercia de los docentes con respecto a la
experimentación didáctica.
Formación de profesores: Para los maestros de todos los países es común
referirse a la necesidad de mayor formación y capacitación para afrontar los
recientes cambios y reformas en los programas de ciencias. Esta necesidad es
más sentida en maestros de primaria sobre todo en la formación disciplinar. Buena
parte de los países señalan diferencias entre los programas de formación de
profesores y las demandas de la escuela. En el caso de Colombia se expresa un
malestar por la baja contextualización, orientación limitada, falta de continuidad y
de recursos en los programas de formación inicial y avanzada de docentes; se
considera que dichos programas se corresponden con modelos de capacitación
instrumental, poco reflexivos y con escasos aportes para que el maestro
comprenda y transforme su práctica.
Relación entre la investigación y la práctica: Situados en los propósitos del
proyecto orientados a dar cuenta de la brecha que se presenta entre los
resultados de la investigación educativa y las prácticas de enseñanza de las
ciencias, en el estudio de opinión se dio relevancia a la manera cómo los maestros
perciben esta relación y los motivos de su posible distancia. En Colombia, los
profesores vinculan la investigación y la innovación a sus estudios de posgrado o
a la participación en grupos de estudio. La creación de grupos con la participación
de profesores e investigadores universitarios aparece como una estrategia
interesante para mejorar la relación entre investigación y práctica de la educación
científica, sin embargo, los maestros señalan la falta de tiempo y capacitación que
permita participar en estos procesos. El debate sobre el carácter investigativo de
la práctica docente aparece interesante y útil de considerar para países como
Colombia donde los maestros señalan que la participación en los procesos de
investigación genera cambios en el contexto escolar, ayuda a la comunidad
escolar a modificar sus condiciones ambientales, promueve el cuidado de los
contextos naturales, contribuye a resolver conflictos en la comunidad y fortalece
los procesos de producción agrícola. En este sentido, se asume que las acciones
que ligan la investigación educativa con las prácticas escolares no sólo
transforman y construyen conocimiento sino que promueven actitudes y
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comportamientos de los estudiantes que luego pueden ser proyectados
comunitariamente.
Bibliografía
Aigneren, M. (2002). La técnica de recolección de información mediante los grupos
focales.
CEO.
Revista
Electrónica
No.
7.
http://ccp.ucr.ac.cr/bvp/texto/14/grupos_focales.htm
Flick, U. (2004). Introducción a la investigación cualitativa. Madrid: Morata.
Imbernon, F. (Coord.) (2002). La investigación educativa como herramienta de
formación del profesorado. Barcelona: Grao.
Rodríguez Gómez, G. (1996). Metodología de la Investigación Cualitativa. Madrid:
Ediciones Aljibe.
Schnitman, D.F. (2002). Ciencia, Cultura y Subjetividad. En: Nuevos paradigmas,
cultura y subjetividad. Buenos Aires: Paidos.
Stake, R.E. (2007). Investigación con estudio de casos. Madrid: Morata.
Vasilachis de Gialdino Irene. (Coord.) (2006). Estrategias de investigación
cualitativa. Barcelona: Gedisa
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APENDICE Nº 3: Ponencia Presentada en el V Congreso
Internacional sobre formación de profesores de ciencias, octubre
de 2011
Sentido de la enseñanza de las ciencias en colombia y su relación con la
investigacion y la política educativa; estudio de opinión84
Steiner Valencia Vargas, Sandra Sandoval Osorio, Olga Mercedes Méndez, Diana
Rojas Suárez, Gladys Jiménez Gómez, David Andrés Sánchez Bonell
Departamento de Física - Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional
ABSTRAC
Seeks to show the work developed in the first phase of the project in Colombia,
TRACES Project is to conduct two main actions: the first, which is focused on the
documental research, intends to analyse the policies (plans, projects, reforms, and
institutional directions) in order to improve science education applied to the nation
and its relation to the educational practices throughout the last decade. The
second, which is a study of opinion related to the science education context
(teachers, directors, policy makers, and educative community in general) intends to
analyse the development of the teaching practices in science and the incidences of
researches and education policies in this field. With these actions it is possible to
build the initial stage that will allow a deep understanding of the factors that have
promoted the research-practice gap and the elements that will allow guiding the
field actions for the year 2011 will be derived. Within this report we will exhibit the
developments made in the study of opinion at a large scale. Keywords: TRACES,
political science, political science education, science education, science
teaching practices, research in science education
RESUMEN
Se pretende evidenciar el trabajo desarrollado en la primera fase del proyecto
TRACES85 en Colombia en donde se llevaron a cabo dos acciones: Una centrada
en la investigación documental que busca estudiar las políticas (planes, proyectos,
reformas y directrices institucionales) para el mejoramiento de la educación en
ciencias aplicadas a nivel nacional y su relación con las prácticas de enseñanza
durante los diez últimos años. Otra en la que se realiza un estudio de opinión
84
Proyecto desarrollado en el marco DEL Proyecto TRACES: Transformative Research Activities
Cultural Diversities And Education In Science dentro del marco de cooperación internacional de la
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional y la Dirección general de investigación de la comisión Europea
85
Transformative Research Activities Cultural Diversities And Education In Science -Colombia- Es
un proyecto de cooperación internacional financiado por la Dirección General de Investigación de la
Comisión Europea en el que participan las universidades: De Nápoles Federico II (Italia), Autónoma
de Barcelona (España), Hebrea de Jerusalén (Israel), Unión Brasilera de Educación y Asistencia Pontificia Universidad Católica de Río Grande do Sul (Brasil), Nacional de Salta (Argentina) y
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (Colombia))
250
sobre los actores del contexto de la educación en ciencias (maestros, directivos,
constructores de política y comunidad educativa en general) sobre la forma cómo
se desarrollan las prácticas de enseñanza y las incidencias que tienen o han
tenido las investigaciones y las políticas educativas en este campo. Con estas
acciones se construye el escenario inicial que permitirá profundizar en los factores
que han promovido la brecha investigación-práctica. Se presentarán los
desarrollos alcanzados en el estudio de opinión a gran escala.
Palabras clave: TRACES, política ciencia, política enseñanza ciencias,
enseñanza ciencias, practicas enseñanza ciencias, investigación enseñanza
ciencias.
Temas Estructurantes del Estudio de Opinión
Teniendo en cuenta que el propósito del estudio es comprender a profundidad los
contextos escolares donde se van a implementar acciones de campo y que ésta
comprensión se define por uno de los supuestos base del proyecto, que las
prácticas “varían y modifican” en relación con los contextos culturales específicos,
se proponen los siguientes aspectos pensando en que ellos serán revisados a la
luz de la aplicación piloto de la encuesta a gran escala, pues su análisis son el
insumo para reorientar o profundizar las temáticas: Sentido de la enseñanza de
las ciencias: Significado asignado a la enseñanza, propósitos relevantes tipo de
proyecto cultural inscrito relaciones practicas de enseñanza –contexto. Referentes
que orientan la práctica pedagógica: Conformación comunidad académica,
privilegio de fuentes de conocimiento. Auto percepción de la práctica
pedagógica: fuentes de satisfacción, autoimagen profesional, percepción colegas
y estudiantes de su práctica. Relación investigación educativa – práctica
pedagógica: Comprensión praxis, innovación o implementación de prácticas
pedagógicas, sistematización, valoración iniciativas locales regionales. Aspectos
que releva en su práctica cotidiana: Papel otorgado a evaluación de
aprendizajes, experimentación, temáticas, contenidos, textos y ambientes de
aprendizaje
Supuestos Metodológicos del Estudio de Opinión
Se parte de la interpretación de significados que los maestros otorgan a su
práctica de enseñanza: Los seres humanos actúan con respecto a las cosas de
acuerdo con los significados que éstas tienen para ellos (FLICK, 2004: 32). La
investigación comprende el fenómeno o acontecimiento en estudio desde el
interior evitando generalizaciones fruto de hipótesis iniciales. Se busca unidades
de significado desde la perspectiva de los actores de la práctica, lo que permitirá la
elaboración de nuevas hipótesis o rutas de trabajo para la investigación. Se asume
que los maestros dicen que hacen de las interpretaciones que elaboran, de las
preguntas que plantean. En ellas se dejan ver versiones particulares y colectivas
de escuela, aula, maestro, estudiante, conocimiento, currículo y otros asuntos
251
relacionados con la enseñanza de las ciencias. La investigación es cualitativa, se
sustenta en que la actuación de los seres humanos no sólo depende de los
significados que ellos dan a las cosas; sino que las cosas mismas se significan en
la acción, “cosa” y significado no se deslindan, se expresan indisolublemente. Así,
las visiones sobre la enseñanza de los maestros, construye su práctica misma en
el discurso. Se asume que las prácticas de enseñanza de las ciencias se
desarrollan acorde a como los maestros revisten de significado diversos objetos,
acontecimientos o experiencias de enseñanza; constituyéndolos como realidades
posibles de ser interpretadas. La investigación contempla también que la práctica
del maestro construye acciones individuales y colectivas que se especifican en
significados sociales. Así los privilegios que una comunidad hace sobre el
currículo escolar, las maneras cómo en una localidad se expresan las políticas
educativas o el papel que en un grupo social asigna a las ciencias, son asuntos
constitutivos de esas prácticas que se quieren interpretar. La producción de texto
es relevante a este tipo de investigación. Las diferentes indagaciones y
comprensiones juegan un papel relevante en la producción de textos, es decir, el
texto es la base de la reconstrucción y la interpretación. (FLICK, 2004: 41).
El texto juega diversos roles que van desde las fuentes o los datos de la
investigación (por ejemplo, en el caso de las encuestas), hasta la construcción de
la realidad estudiada (en los informes finales de investigación), entendiendo que
en esta acción participan los diferentes actores incluido el investigador. El texto,
entonces, se provee de una cualidad creadora de realidades, lo que dicen los
maestros y lo que dicen los investigadores no constituyen fragmentos de una
realidad que se quiere mostrar, ni son representaciones encontradas de un mismo
objeto social, son versiones de mundo por sí mismas para aquellos sujetos que las
pronuncian: “Sentirse partícipes/autores de una narrativa, de la construcción de los
relatos históricos, es una de las vías de que disponen los individuos y los grupos
humanos para intentar actuar como protagonistas de sus vidas, incluyendo la
reflexión de cómo emergemos como sujetos, de cómo somos participantes de y
participados por los diseños sociales”. (SCHNITMAN, 2002: 28). Desde estas
comprensiones, el texto constituye los hallazgos mismos en la investigación.
Finalmente, la estrategia para el desarrollo del estudio de opinión contó con un
nivel a gran escala (encuesta estructurada) en el que se involucran potencialmente
diez mil (10.000) maestros y un nivel de pequeña escala o estudio de opinión a
profundidad (entrevistas y grupos focales) que involucra cerca de sesenta (60)
maestros.
Acciones de Campo; Estrategia Metodológica
Las acciones de campo para el estudio de opinión contemplaron: Organización
académica y operativa del equipo TRACES-Colombia definiendo regiones para el
muestreo. Aplicación y análisis prueba piloto del cuestionario para el estudio de
opinión a gran escala. Producción de documentos conceptuales y metodológicos
sobre el estudio de opinión. Conformar equipos regionales que adelantaron
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gestión administrativa y académica para poder socializar el proyecto ante
Secretarías de Educación y comunidades de maestros. Difundir la encuesta a
través de diferentes instancias administrativas y académicas. Desarrollo de
encuentros regionales para socializar el proyecto y llenar encuestas in situ.
Sistematización, análisis e interpretación de resultados del estudio de opinión a
gran y pequeña escala. Preparación y construcción del informe de actividades.
(Ver instrumento en informe final)
Muestra
La estratificación de la muestra depende de criterios como: tres regiones de
influencia del estudio con diferenciación rural-urbano y primaria-secundaria.
Adicionalmente se tiene en cuenta una población de más o menos del 10% de
población estudiantil desplazada
Muestra a Gran Escala y Pequeña Escala
El estudio de opinión a gran escala pertenece principalmente a tres regiones de
Colombia. A pequeña escala se realizaron en total once (11) entrevistas. Siete (7)
en la región Andina y (2) en cada una de las otras regiones. Se realizaron dos (2)
grupos focales en Bogotá y un grupo focal en cada una de las otras regiones. En
total el número de maestros involucrados en el estudio de opinión a pequeña
escala es de 30. La estratificación de la muestra para las entrevistas es la
siguiente
Santa Marta
Primari Secundari
a
a
Urban
o
Rural
El Yopal
Primari Secundari
a
a
Bogotá
Primari Secundari
a
a
17
42 (2)
17
31 (1)
16 (1)
50 (4)
5 (1)
7 (1)
13
4 (1)
8
5 (2)
Algunos resultados (Ver anexo de tablas y gráficos en informe completo)
Los maestros privilegian como propósito de la enseñanza el desarrollo de
pensamiento crítico con adjetivaciones como racionalidad, sistematicidad,
criticidad, en algunos casos objetividad, validez y verdad. El desarrollo del
pensamiento crítico es entendido de dos formas: Para algunos maestros tener un
pensamiento crítico promueve el desarrollo de habilidades que permiten al
estudiante enfrentar la vivencia en colectivo desde una comprensión y proyección
de lo que aprendió en la escuela. Otros maestros afirman que el aprendizaje de
las ciencias permite aproximarse a ciertas estructuras del pensamiento científico y
racional y modificar las maneras en que se perciben los sujetos, ayudarles a
asumir posturas reflexivas y en este sentido, contribuir a transformar su entorno
253
social y/o natural. Los maestros consideran en segundo orden de importancia que
la enseñanza de las ciencias debe contribuir a vivir en sociedad, entre los
aspectos más enunciados se encuentra la promoción de una conciencia
ambiental, una relación con el entorno menos destructiva y el desarrollo de
habilidades propias de la ciencia como la criticidad, la capacidad de reflexión y la
participación en el debate colectivo. Vivir en sociedad es entendido de dos formas:
Una que permite vivir armónicamente, es decir, establecer relaciones mediadas
por valores que promuevan una manera más humanizada de relacionarse con los
otros y con el entorno. Otra es considerar que lo que aprende un estudiante tiene
un componente colectivo que le permite actuar en un contexto sociocultural y
desenvolverse efectivamente en él, lo cual permite saber tomar decisiones,
construir iniciativas y transformar su vivir impactando el de otros. La construcción
de sentido para la enseñanza de las ciencias se concreta en el tipo de ambiente
que el maestro establece en el aula, las formas de relación que propicia con el
conocimiento, la forma como aporta a la construcción de relaciones identitarias,
los vínculos sociales y afectivos que promueve, la aceptación que da a las
diferentes formas de ser y la coexistencia de múltiples opiniones que permite en el
salón de clase. En las opiniones de los maestros se expresa la manera como él se
sitúa frente al hacer de la escuela y el tipo de opciones que plantea a sus
comunidades escolares, en otras palabras, el papel cultural que asigna a su
práctica pedagógica. Los maestros insisten en la necesidad de desarrollar
habilidades para la experimentación, tomar decisiones frente a problemas del
entorno, desarrollar la capacidad de argumentar y dar razones frente a una
situación o evento.
Estos aspectos ligan con hacer de la clase de ciencias un espacio para modificar
la forma de habitar en el mundo, de establecer relaciones con otros y con el
entorno y de percibirse como humano. Los maestros apoyan las iniciativas que
promueven nuevas formas de relacionarnos y de convivir reconociendo como
importantes las que dan solución a problemas sentidos por las comunidades y que
generan articulación entre los diferentes actores de la escuela. Asumen como
negativo las políticas que no tienen en cuenta las diferencias culturales y
establecen criterios de homogenización en la práctica de enseñanza, para los
maestros hay necesidad de establecer distinciones en la manera como se aborda
la enseñanza de las ciencias en diferentes comunidades. Los maestros conocen e
interpretan los entornos sociales de la escuela que a veces no son tenidos en
cuenta en la definición de políticas, estableciendo una brecha entre éstas y las
realidades sociales. Los maestros se asumen como voceros de las expectativas y
necesidades que una comunidad tiene de la escuela.
En algunas ocasiones los maestros consideran que las políticas constriñen su
acción y no dan libertad para poner su práctica en función de sus propios intereses
y de las comunidades escolares. Para el maestro es importante brindar espacios
que permitan replantear las relaciones con el conocimiento dando cabida a
múltiples maneras de comprender e interpretar. El maestro reconoce su práctica
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como una práctica ética que compromete con las formas en que los sujetos
definen su vida diaria y las formas en que construyen sus proyectos de vida. La
clase de ciencias incide en los espacios afectivos, familiares y comunitarios. La
clase de ciencias modifica la manera de comprender el mundo y ésta comprensión
está asociada al desarrollo de habilidades relacionales que contribuyen a mejorar
la convivencia como grupo social. Los maestros de ciencias pretenden incidir en
nuevas formas de relacionarnos, de convivir y de construir mundos posibles.
Expectativas, deseos, sueños que son los insumos desde los cuales construye un
sentido para su acción pedagógica.
Bibliografía de Apoyo
CONDE, F. (1994). Las perspectivas metodológicas cualitativa y cuantitativa en el
contexto de la historia de las ciencias. En J. M. Delgado y J. Gutiérrez (Coords.)
Métodos y técnicas cualitativas de investigación en ciencias sociales (pp. 53-69).
Madrid: Síntesis.
DELGADO J.M. y Gutiérrez J (1995) (Eds.) Métodos y técnicas cualitativas de
investigación en ciencias sociales. Editorial Síntesis S.A. Madrid.
FLICK, U. 2004. Introducción a la investigación cualitativa. Madrir. Morata.
RODRÍGUEZ GÓMEZ, G. 1996. Metodología de la Investigación Cualitativa.
Madrid. Ediciones Aljibe.
AIGNEREN, M. 2002. La técnica de recolección de información mediante los
grupos
focales.
CEO.
Revista
Electrónica
No.
7.
http://ccp.ucr.ac.cr/bvp/texto/14/grupos_focales.htm
IMBERNON, F. (Coord.)(2002). La investigación educativa como herramienta de
formación del profesorado. Grao. Barcelona.
STAKE, R.E. 2007. Investigación con estudio de casos. Morata. Madrid.
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APENDICE Nº 4: Ponencia Presentada en el V Congreso
Internacional sobre formación de profesores de ciencias, octubre
de 2011
Relaciones entre Política Educativa, Ciencia -Tecnología y Enseñanza de
las Ciencias en la última década en Colombia
Steiner Valencia Vargas, Sandra Sandoval Osorio, Olga Mercedes Méndez, Diana Rojas
Suárez, Gladys Jiménez Gómez, David Andrés Sánchez Bonell
ABSTRAC
What is the relationship between science and technology policy on national,
regional or local level in a given period and its impact on science education in it?.
Seeks to show the work developed in the first phase of the project in Colombia
TRACES86 initial synthesis of science and technology policy in the last decade and
their relationship with the educational policies of the same period. It aims to
develop a cross of policies, plans, programs and projects in education, science and
technology that could be associated with science education in elementary and
secondary education in the country. Are expected to demonstrate the direct or
indirect participation of public and private sectors for the period in question,
compare the goals and objectives in development plans of three governments such
as that of Andrés Pastrana (1998-2002), Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2002 -2006) - (20072010) and Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2014) and finally review the existing
legislation from 2000 to today summarizing the historical events both educational
and science and technology that could be determining actions processes learning
of science. Be included in the analysis, some public and private institutions as
COLCIENCIAS, ASCOFADE, ASCOFACIEN, ASCUN, IDEP, JARDÍN BOTÁNICO,
MEN, UPN, HUMBOLDT, ICFES MINISTERIO DE AMBIENTE, VIVIENDA Y
DESARROLLO, Regional Corporations and ONGs, because of their importance in
relations between science and technology policy and links with academia.
Keywords: science and technology policy, science education, educational
policy, curricula in science, plans and programs in science, science
education projects, science regarding science teaching.
RESUMEN
¿Qué tanta relación existen entre una política sobre ciencia y tecnología nacional,
regional o local en un periodo determinado y su impacto en la enseñanza de las
ciencias en el mismo?. Se pretende evidenciar el trabajo desarrollado en la
primera fase del proyecto TRACES87 en Colombia de la síntesis inicial de las
86
TRACES: Transformative Research Activities Cultural Diversities And Education In Science
Transformative Research Activities Cultural Diversities And Education In Science -Colombia- Es
un proyecto de cooperación internacional financiado por la Dirección General de Investigación de la
87
256
políticas en ciencia y tecnología en la última década y su relación con las políticas
educativas del mismo periodo. Se pretende elaborar un cruce de políticas, planes,
programas y proyectos en educación, ciencia y tecnología que podrían estar
asociados con la enseñanza de las ciencias en básica primaria y secundaria en el
país. Se espera evidenciar la participación directa o indirecta de los diferentes
sectores públicos y privados para el periodo observado, comparar los propósitos y
objetivos en los Planes de Desarrollo de tres gobiernos como son el de Andrés
Pastrana (1998-2002), Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2002-2006) - ( 2007-2010) y Juan
Manuel Santos (2010-2014) y finalmente reseñar la legislación existente desde el
año 2000 hasta hoy sintetizando los eventos históricos tanto Educativos como en
ciencia y tecnología que podrían estar determinando acciones en los procesos de
enseñanza aprendizaje de las ciencias. Se incluirán en el análisis, algunas
instituciones publicas y privadas como: COLCIENCIAS, ASCOFADE,
ASCOFACIEN, ASCUN, IDEP, JARDÍN BOTÁNICO, MEN, UPN, HUMBOLDT,
ICFES MINISTERIO DE AMBIENTE, VIVIENDA Y DESARROLLO,
CORPORACIONES REGIONALES y ONGs dada su importancia en las relaciones
entre la política ciencia y tecnología y los vínculos con la academia. Palabras
clave: Política ciencia y tecnología, enseñanza de las ciencias, política
educativa, currículos en ciencias, planes y programas en ciencias, proyectos
enseñanza ciencias, relación ciencia enseñanza de las ciencias.
Síntesis de los aspectos significativos en educación, ciencia y tecnología
desde el año 2ooo en Colombia
Las políticas educativas, las políticas de ciencia y tecnología en Colombia, no son
lejanas a las políticas internacionales, obedecen a tendencias económicas y
políticas pero también a los rumbos administrativos que las naciones asumen para
su desarrollo en periodos de gobierno. En Colombia, estos rumbos están
determinados por plataformas políticas que son elegidas en los periodos
electorales que la constitución Colombiana define, estos caminos marcan un
derrotero para el país. No es de extrañar que las políticas en diversos campos o
sectores estén relacionadas, tengan objetivos comunes e impacten directa o
indirectamente en diversos campos de la sociedad. La definición de las políticas
educativas está determinada por políticas económicas y a su vez estas políticas
generan efectos en otros sectores. En Colombia se han realizado diversos
estudios que muestran las relaciones e impactos de las políticas publicas y
aunque también son profusos los análisis que sobre el impacto de políticas en
sectores vitales para el país se ejercen en las políticas educativas, son tímidos los
que indagan por el impacto de dichos marcos en las aulas de clase en donde los
maestros se enfrentan a las relaciones de enseñanza aprendizaje.
Comisión Europea en el que participan las universidades: De Nápoles Federico II (Italia), Autónoma
de Barcelona (España), Hebrea de Jerusalén (Israel), Unión Brasilera de Educación y Asistencia Pontificia Universidad Católica de Río Grande do Sul (Brasil), Nacional de Salta (Argentina) y
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (Colombia))
257
¿Qué tanta relación existen entre una política educativa y una política en ciencia y
tecnología ¿Cuál es el impacto que tiene dicha política en la enseñanza, en los
micro cambios de la escuela? ¿Qué tanto influyen las políticas de los sectores
educativos y las políticas nacionales en ciencia y tecnología en los profesores y
sus prácticas?. Una primera mirada de estas preguntas indicaría que su resolución
no es sencilla y que finalmente algunas de ellas no se podrán contestar, por ello,
son otras preguntas las que empiezan a emerger en un primer acercamiento de
los diferentes documentos e instituciones analizados ¿Qué imagen de la ciencia
tienen los docentes en sectores urbanos y rurales del país? ¿Qué relación existe
entre la imagen de la ciencia de los profesores de ciencia y sus estudiantes con
las políticas de ciencia y tecnología? ¿Se pueden establecer algunos nexos entre
las creencias de los docentes y los derroteros Nacionales en cuanto a política en
ciencia y tecnología? Se pueden trasladar estas mismas preguntas al campo
educativo y obtendríamos por ejemplo ¿Qué impacto tienen las políticas en
educación en la enseñanza de las ciencias? ¿Qué relación existe entre la imagen
de la ciencia y las políticas educativas? Por lo pronto y como resultado de esta
aproximación investigativa se puede responder
a algunos aspectos más
generales relacionados con los nexos existente entre los Planes de Gobierno y las
políticas de ciencia y tecnología para un periodo determinado o las relaciones de
esos mismos planes con las Políticas educativas y sus posibles implicaciones en
la enseñanza de las ciencias para el mismo periodo.
Metodología investigación documental
Esta investigación se inscribe dentro del Programa TRACES: Transformative
Research Activities: Cultural Diversities and Education in Science, dirigido a las
poblaciones escolares de básica primaria, secundaria y media vocacional de las
ciudades Bogotá, Santa Marta y Yopal. Su objeto de estudio gira en torno a
resaltar las políticas (planes, proyectos, reformas y directrices institucionales) en
educación, ciencia y tecnología que pueden de alguna manera incidir en la
educación en ciencias a nivel nacional en los últimos diez (10) años. De manera
especifica se pretende con este estudio documental: Comparar los propósitos y
estrategias en los Planes de Desarrollo de tres gobiernos de la última década y
reseñar la legislación existente desde el año 2000 hasta hoy analizando las
políticas en ciencia y tecnología en Colombia en la última década y su relación
con las políticas educativas del mismo periodo, este trabajo lleva inicialmente a
una primera taxonomía de políticas, planes, programas y proyectos en Educación,
ciencia y tecnología asociados con la enseñanza de las ciencias en básica
primaria y secundaria. Finalmente se espera develar el papel que cumplen
diferentes grupos y organizaciones de los sectores públicos y privados en la
formulación e incidencia directa o indirecta sobre política educativa, científica y
tecnológica y su relación con la enseñanza de las ciencias. Esta aproximación de
investigación es documental y se enmarca dentro del paradigma interpretativo
(documental interpretativo) en donde se busca una comprensión e interpretación
de textos relacionados con políticas, planes, estrategias y proyectos de manera
258
hermenéutica. El término interpretativo puede ser utilizado para aglutinar a todo el
conjunto de enfoques de la investigación observacional participativa siendo más
inclusivo que etnografía o estudio de caso y evita definir a estos enfoques como
no cuantitativos dado que hay cierta cuantificación (connotación que si lleva el
término cuantitativo). Dentro de estos enfoque se agrupa el interés de centrar la
investigación en el significado humano en la vida social y su dilucidación y
exposición por parte del investigador (Erickson, 1997), por ello y apoyados en
Alfonso (1995), para esta investigación se desarrolla un proceso sistemático de
indagación, recolección, organización, análisis e interpretación de información o
datos en torno a las políticas que sobre Educación, ciencia y tecnología se han
realizado en los últimos 10 años que nos conduzcan a la construcción de
conocimientos o teorías y categorías emergentes del análisis de las mismas. Esta
categorización establecida en buena parte de los trabajos de teoría fundada o
Teoría fundamentada se basa interaccionismo simbólico (Ritzer 1993), que
asume que lo que diferencia a las relaciones humanas de otras, es la capacidad
de las personas de construir y compartir el significado de su realidad social
(BLUMER, 1969) de esta manera el interaccionismo se desarrolla como una
perspectiva que se preocupa por la creación, mantenimiento y transformación del
significado, en el caso de las políticas publicas, se espera determinar las
categorías que dan significado a sus formulación y emergen de la interacción en
los diferentes contextos educativos o científicos que son sujetos de análisis.
El trabajo se realizó en varias fases en donde en una primera instancia se
recolectó, seleccionó y analizó los documentos primarios en torno a políticas
planes, estrategias y proyectos relacionados con educación ciencia y tecnología
relevantes de la década conducente a la síntesis en cuadros comparativos que
sobre Gobiernos y Planes de Gobierno, de allí emergen las principales entidades
nacionales relacionadas directa e indirectamente con la política de educación,
ciencia y tecnología en Colombia y su papel en la política educativa que pueda
estar generando impacto en la enseñanza de las ciencias. En una primera mirada
y como resultados de la integración de los documentos primarios emergen
categorías como la Alfabetización Científica y tecnológica, Apropiación cultural de
las ciencias (estudios científicos en educación) y la formación en valores o valores
asociados a la ciencia y/o a la enseñanza de las ciencias.
Un primer resultado del trabajo adicional a la emergencia de las categorías de
análisis anteriores es la elaboración de documentos secundarios consistentes en
fichas resúmenes de los principales documentos primarios asociados a las
políticas educativas, ciencia y tecnología de la década así como cuadros de
análisis sobre estas políticas y su relación con la enseñanza de las ciencias en
planes de gobierno, políticas educativas y políticas en ciencia y tecnología en cada
uno de los periodos de gobierno correspondientes de la década, se eligió análisis
por periodos de gobierno dado que cada uno de ellos elabora un Plan de
desarrollo que estipula de manera macro la política nacional y el rumbo del país en
los próximos años tanto de administración nacional como distrital.
259
Se han estimado como categorías principales de análisis en los documentos
encontrados en torno a políticas, planes, programas y proyectos los siguientes
aspectos Alfabetización científica y tecnológica, Apropiación cultural de las
ciencias (estudios científicos en educación) y Formación en valores o
valores asociados a la ciencia Y/o a la enseñanza de las ciencias, pero a
estas categorías iniciales adicionalmente se han ubicado como aspectos
esenciales del análisis de estas políticas, planes y proyectos los aspectos
relacionados con los campos de formación docente, políticas que evidencien el
vinculo entre comunidades y escuela, comunidades académicas y escuela, sector
empresarial y escuela.
Principales hallazgos y derivadas del estudio documental
Lo primero que se puede analizar es que el cambio de siglo y el transito en la
ultima década ratifica una serie de desafíos no solo para Colombia sino para
América latina en torno a lo que se ha planteado como desarrollo a escala
humana. Con respecto a la política la educación y la enseñanza de las ciencias es
evidente que los grandes lineamientos políticos tocan de manera directa los
contextos educativos planteando retos en algunos casos no superados en
periodos anteriores. En el caso de Colombia y frente a las Metas del Milenio de la
última década es evidente que su sistema educativo debe consolidarse en la
capacidad de formar ciudadanos conscientes de su identidad cultural a la vez de
las relaciones con el mundo como se expresa n las metas universales y
nacionales planteadas en los 8 objetivos del milenio. Esta capacidad implica
ciudadanos competentes, creativos, eficaces y participativos en diferentes escalas.
Las decisiones políticas que se están tomando y las que vendrán, tienen y
tendrán que orientarse y sustentarse en profundos procesos de investigación
sobre la educación del país en todos sus niveles y modalidades, buscando niveles
de formación competitivos de nuestras poblaciones. Pese a la leve mejoría
económica de los últimos años en América Latina y como en otras bastas regiones
del mundo, incluso algunas regiones de Europa y Norte América, persiste la
pobreza, indigencia, distribución desigual de ingresos que deriva en fragmentación
social, cultural, exclusión, violencia e injusticia social. Es también, y derivado de la
situación anterior que persisten en nuestros países de la América latina
desigualdades en torno al acceso al conocimiento, logros, resultados de
aprendizaje y calidad educativa. Dentro de esta desigualdad hay que ubicar el
acceso al conocimiento científico y a una cultura científica, como base de una
formación ciudadana habilitante para la toma de decisiones responsables y
justificadas, y al compromiso con la construcción de un futuro sostenible. Un buen
número de instituciones y organizaciones internacionales han venido
interesándose crecientemente por la puesta en marcha discusión y organización
de las diferentes políticas en torno a la Ciencia, Tecnología y Educación América
latina. Uno de los indicadores de desarrollo en los que a Colombia no le va bien
es el de educación, pues los datos del Banco Mundial indican que el gasto público
por estudiante no ha subido, sino que se ha contraído. En 1999 se destinaba el
260
15,2 por ciento del PIB per cápita para educación primaria, el 16,1 por ciento para
la secundaria y el 37,8 por ciento par la universitaria, nueve años después esos
porcentajes son mas bajos 12,4, 14,8 y 26, respectivamente. En total, el gasto
público en educación fue del 3,9 por ciento del PIB en el 2008, un poco por encima
del 3,6 por ciento de América Latina, pero inferior al 4,6 por ciento que se destina
en el mundo entero. No obstante, Colombia se destaca porque tiene a todos sus
profesores de primaria con la formación profesional para el cargo y una cobertura
del ciento por ciento de educación primaria entre la población que tiene la edad
para cursar ese nivel.
Con respecto a las relaciones se establecen entre la investigación educativa y las
prácticas escolares de enseñanza de las ciencias, así como a las valoraciones que
se dan a las iniciativas nacionales de la educación en ciencias y relaciones
establece entre los requerimientos oficiales y las prácticas de enseñanza
concretas se encuentra que:
Los maestros establecen una relación entre la investigación educativa y las
políticas educativas vinculadas a las Políticas internacionales, Proyecto ONDAS,
Tics, PRAES y se reconoce que estas generan prácticas investigativas e
innovativas en la escuela. Las políticas implican un cambio en los propósitos, en
los contenidos o en los procedimientos de la enseñanza, pero no cambian las
prácticas pedagógicas de los maestros en virtud que no se vinculan con procesos
de investigación. Se asume que las políticas nacionales están influenciadas
internacionalmente, principalmente en lo que tiene que ver con evaluación de los
aprendizajes, currículo y organización escolar.
La investigación para algunos maestros está asociada a la formación universitaria
bien sea en pregrado o posgrados. Se percibe una relación Políticas educativas –
programas de formación – prácticas pedagógicas pero se declara un malestar por
baja contextualización, orientación limitada, falta de continuidad y de recursos.
Para los maestros los apoyos para su formación continuada y para incentivar la
investigación se han conectado con reconocimientos laborales e incentivos
salariales. Uno de los principales desaciertos que se expresa es la inclusión de
profesionales no licenciados a la docencia ya que se consideran no aporta a la
educación de los niños y a la investigación en la escuela.
los maestros ubican como importante la promoción de comunidades académicas o
comunidades escolares (Apoyo a la organización de redes, foros, grupos de
investigación. Relevan un vinculo más directo entre la investigación y las prácticas
pedagógicas porque consideran que involucra al maestro en dinámicas de
investigación y procesos de socialización, conformación de grupos de trabajo,
organización de eventos como estrategias de validación y confrontación de los
conocimientos o hallazgos que emergen de las practicas sistematizadas) y el
desarrollo de proyectos transversales en tanto posibilitan la conformación de
equipos de trabajo y la formulación de proyectos que afectan transversalmente la
261
escuela. Desarrollo de buenas iniciativas como la ejecución de los PRAEs y la
incorporación de las TICs. Recuperar las problemáticas propias de los contextos
de cada región: las problemática de las dinámicas sociales propias de la urbe, la
conservación de los ambiente naturales, las iniciativas en proyectos
etnoeducativos.
Frente al impacto de los programas, innovaciones, redes o grupos de investigación
en el campo de la enseñanza de las ciencias, los maestros han participado en
procesos de investigación o prácticas de innovación al interior de programas de
formación de docentes en ejercicio. Desde el Ministerio de Educación Nacional y
desde las Secretarías de Educación Regionales se promueven cursos de
formación permanente y asesorías a proyectos transversales que los docentes
identifican como oportunidades para desplegar una actividad investigativa desde
sus prácticas de enseñanza. En las instituciones los maestros adelantan iniciativas
en investigación que se centran en el reconocimiento de las propias necesidades
de la escuela y de los contextos más cercanos. Se incluyen procesos que la
escuela desarrolla con otro tipo de instituciones no gubernamentales que aportan
asesoría a en problemáticas específicas y contextuales. Existe un grupo de
maestros que identifica su vínculo a políticas regionales como iniciativas que
permiten procesos de investigación en la escuela: educación por ciclos, Bogotá
Bilingüe, formación en competencias y evaluación por estándares.
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APENDICE N° 5: POSTER DE ALGUNAS PROPUESTAS DE AULA
264
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
MIIROKU:
BECAUSE WE ARE ALL SITES OF WATER
Aliha Sgleen Joya Sandoval
Corporación Popular Fe y Esperanza
Estudiante Licenciatura en Química UPN
Abstract
The Miiroku project part with the ideal to design, implement and
systematize a classroom proposal for teaching science, which was
consistent with the needs of the social, environmental and education of
children belonging to the Corporation Popular Fe y Esperanza in this sense
the proposal focuses on environmental issues, quality and supply of water,
making it the theme for the development of cognitive, relational and
communicative children, fostering, in turn, a thought proactive critical and
address this problem.
Resumen
El proyecto Miiroku parte del ideal de diseñar, implementar y sistematizar
una propuesta de aula para la enseñanza de las ciencias, la cual estuviera
acorde con las necesidades del contexto social, ambiental y educativo de
los niños y niñas pertenecientes a la Corporación Popular Fe y Esperanza;
en este sentido dicha propuesta se enfoca en la problemática ambiental de
calidad y suministro del agua, haciendo de esta, la temática para el
desarrollo de habilidades cognitivas, relacionales y comunicativas de los
niños y niñas, fomentando, a su vez, un pensamiento crítico y propositivo
frente a esta problemática.
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
La propuesta de aula reconoce las necesidades de tipo ambiental de la
zona, en relación con la disponibilidad y calidad del agua de consumo en la
escuela y en la comunidad. En la ruta se generan reflexiones en torno al
deterioro de la Laguna Terreros, por efectos de la explotación arenera, la
contaminación por residuos sólidos y aguas residuales. Así mismo, se
busca desarrollar habilidades descriptivas, experimentales y relacionales
que permitan a los niños comprender las causas, los agentes y las
condiciones que inciden en el deterioro ambiental de los cuerpos de agua y
del adecuado uso y manejo que se puede hacer para su consumo.
¿Por qué el agua para el desarrollo de esta propuesta de aula?
Las problemáticas ambientales que afronta está comunidad son varias,
pero el agua es una de las más evidentes ya que a pocos metros de la
escuela hay una laguna altamente contaminada. El suministro de agua
potable es escaso. La ruta no pretendía dar solución a esta problemática
pero si que esta fuera el eje que permitiera la reflexión, compromiso y
desarrollo de habilidades en los niños.
¿Qué habilidades o criterios desarrollo y/o fortaleció la propuesta de aula en lo niños y niñas?
Criterios de diseño para la propuesta de aula
El diseño y desarrollo de la propuesta de aula se baso en tres criterios
1-
2-
3-
La enseñanza de las ciencias y el entorno: Una propuesta de
aula que tuviera en cuenta los problemas ambientales del
entorno inmediato.
La enseñanza de las ciencias y la escuela: Una propuesta de
aula que vinculara la escuela, la comunidad, a los niños y a los
maestros en procesos continuos y significativos.
La enseñanza de las ciencias y los niños: Una propuesta de aula
que desarrollara y potenciara en los niños habilidades
cognitivas relacionales y comunicativas.
La comparación crítica y reflexiva
Lo creativo y solidario
Lo experimental y analítico
Propuesta de Aula
FASE
INTENCIÓN
ACTIVIDAD
Cuadernos al agua
CONOCIENDO Y
CUESTIONANDO
EL PROBLEMA
DEL AGUA
DEESTA AGUA
NO BEBERÉ
Teniendo en cuenta la
poca preocupación que
presentan los niños de
la escuela por los
problemas ambientales
del agua, es necesario
que sean ellos quienes
se cuestionen y
deduzcan las posibles
causas de esta
problemática.
Brindar a los niños
herramientas
experimentales, con el
fin que diferencien
entre un agua potable y
un agua contaminada
En búsqueda de los
últimos espejos
naturales
Los espejos rotos
Entre el dialogo y la
reflexión
DESCRIPCION
Cada niño elaboró una libreta de seguimiento, la cual llevó
un logotipo para la identidad del grupo y decorada con un
tela alusivo al agua. Además, se realizó un experimento
“tinta invisible” y un recorrido dentro de la institución,
“siguiendo las huellas del agua en la Corporación”
Visita pedagógica al humedal Santa María del Lago; con el fin de
que los niños observen e interactúen con un ambiente ecológico
recuperado, poco familiar para ellos
Recorrido cercano al colegio, donde los niños observaron
las fuentes hídricas de su escuela, al igual que los cuerpos
de agua pertenecientes a la laguna Terreros.
Primer debate con las observaciones que los niños
realizaron en los recorridos, donde se reflexionó y
concientizó frente a la problemática del agua; los niños
mencionaron algunas causas de la contaminación hídrica
de la zona.
Armando soluciones
para la contaminación
del agua
Campaña para la conservación del agua, allí los niños
armaron un rompecabezas con un mensaje oculto de cómo
contribuir a la conservación y adecuado uso del agua, los
cuales fueron socializados en la escuela.
Y tú ¿Qué sabes del
agua?
Entrevistas a la comunidad y a los niños para indagar por
los conocimientos que poseen sobre el agua que consumen.
Recolección y rotulación de muestras de agua, tabulación y
socialización de las respuestas de la entrevista.
Descontaminado ando
Elaboración de un filtro para descontaminar muestras de
agua del Humedal Santa María del Lago y de Laguna
Terreros). Los niños no solamente construyeron y aplicaron
herramientas para la descontaminación de agua, sino que
además les permitió comprender y analizar la función de
los diferentes materiales utilizados para la construcción del
filtro.
Que crezca que crezca,
si el agua está bien
fresca
Elaboración de indicadores de contaminación naturales.
Este montaje se construyó con semillas de lechuga y las
muestras de agua recolectadas en las entrevistas. Los niños
hicieron análisis matemáticos de los resultados obtenidos;
además este diseño experimental aportó a los niños
criterios para decidir consumir o no el agua de su muestra.
Viajemos
remolino
dentro del
Historias del agua
Lo propositivo
Dos videos, uno sobre el ciclo del agua y el otro de donde
viene el agua que consumes, en esta actividad los niños
comprendieron las dinámicas del ciclo del agua y cómo está
lograba llegar hasta sus casas.
Esta actividad es de síntesis, para lo cual cada niño eligió
una muestra de agua y elaboró una historia sobre su
procedencia, uso e importancia.
Implicaciones y conclusión
Durante el desarrollo de la propuesta de aula, múltiples aspectos fueron
significativos para los niños, niñas y la docente, en la medida que las respuestas le
daban sentido y solución a las problemáticas del entorno. La implementación de
diversas estrategias pedagógicas y didácticas permitieron comprender y apropiarse
de los procesos de aprendizaje de cada de los niños.
Referencias bibliográficas
• Valencia S., Méndez, O., Jiménez, G., Vera I., Orozco J, (2006) "Exploradores de la naturaleza: una experiencia de enseñanza
de las ciencias en básica primaria". Nodos Y Nudos Universidad Pedagógica Nacional v.3 fasc.21 p.46 – 56. Bogotá, Colombia
• Valencia, S,. Garzón, J., Jiménez, G., Forero, J., Méndez, O., Orozco, J. (2003). Los problemas de conocimiento una
perspectiva compleja para la enseñanza de las ciencias. Revista TEA, Tecné, Episteme, Didaxis, No 14, Universidad
Pedagógica Nacional. pp 3-11
• Valencia S., Mendez, O., Jiménez, G. (2007) "Los saberes de la representación o de cómo imaginar la escuela". Nodos Y
Nudos Universidad Pedagógica Nacional v.fasc. Bogotá, Colombia
• Entrevista Profesor Nelson Pájaro Mercado 2011.
• Pájaro, N. 1997, Proyecto institucional
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
EL AGUA DESDE MI ESCUELA: OPCIÓN DE CALIDAD DE VIDA
Meri Rocío Ruiz Cabezas
Elaine Granados Navarro
Institución Educativa Distrital 20 de Octubre. Grado décimo
Santa Marta D.T.C.H
Resumen
Esta propuesta busca desarrollar el pensamiento crítico de los estudiantes
de grado decimo a través de acciones que cuestionen su realidad. Se
logrará si los estudiantes preguntan, explican y proponen soluciones o
alternativas a problemas sociales como la calidad del agua de consumo
que es el problema más apremiante de nuestra comunidad. En
consecuencia, el diseño y construcción de un filtro institucional es una
estrategia para comprender cuáles son las condiciones fisicoquímicas y
biológicas que caracterizan el agua de consumo. Para los docentes es
una estrategia que crea espacios de confrontación de entre los saberes
de los estudiantes y el saber de las ciencias.
Abstract
This proposal develop critical thinking in tenth grade students through
activities that question your reality. This will be achieved if students ask,
explain and propose solutions or alternatives to social problems such as
drinking water quality. It is the most pressing problem in our community,
therefore the design and construction of an institutional filter is a strategy
to understand what are physicochemical and biological conditions that
characterize the drinking water? From the teachers is a strategy which
creates spaces confrontation of the students ideas with the scientific
knowledge.
Propuesta de Aula
FASES
INTENCIONES
ACTIVIDADES
FASE UNO
Ubicar la problemática del agua en la
ciudad, desde su recolección hasta el
consumo en la institución.
Panel, con la participación de
líderes de la comunidad. Los
estudiantes indagan, discuten
y registran datos importantes
para comprender el problema.
¿Sabes de dónde
viene el agua que
consumes?
Reconocimiento de
una de las fuentes
hídricas de Santa
Marta.
Reconocimiento de los procesos de
recolección, transporte y tratamiento
del agua que se consume en la
institución
FASE DOS
Características
físicas y químicas
del agua
Procesos
bioquímicos
propiedades
del agua.
y
físicas
Entender la problemática a partir del
estudio del agua desde lo físico y lo
químico para.
Conocer los procesos de coagulación,
filtración,
potabilización,
cloración,
como acciones de tratamiento del agua
y la influencias en la transformación de
las propiedades físicas y químicas
estudiadas.
Visita de observación a la
Bocatoma Matogiro de la
ciudad
de
Santamaría.
Socialización y discusión de
la guía
Video. Taller. Propiedades
físicas y químicas del agua.
Visita a la planta de
tratamiento de Metroagua en
Mamatoco.
Estudio y socialización de los
resultados luego
de la
consulta bibliografiíta y webgrafia.
FASE TRES
Desarrollo de laboratorios
para determinar propiedades
del agua en la instalaciones
de la Universidad
Construcción de un
filtro para la escuela
Brindar agua apta para el consumo de
la comunidad educativa.
Comprender los procesos que se
realizan en el filtro escolar, para tratar
el agua de consumo.
Construcción y estudio del
filtro de agua.
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
La propuesta de aula tuvo un impacto positivo en
nuestra práctica pedagógica porque permitió
transformar el proceso de enseñanza –
aprendizaje. En aspectos como: Construir
relaciones entre la programación del área y
situaciones del contexto de los estudiantes,
poner los conceptos de las ciencias al servicio
de la solución de problemas comunitarios, promover procesos de
experimentación y seguimiento a situaciones de estudio, incrementar las
salidas de campo y los encuentros con expertos
en el tema del manejo del agua como fuente de
información y conocimiento, mejorar la calidad de
agua que se consume. Con todo ello, se logró el
acercamiento de la escuela a situaciones que
afectan a la comunidad educativa y se ofreció a
los estudiantes, la posibilidad de enriquecer la
mirada cotidiana con elementos de las ciencias.
Implicaciones y conclusiones
La comunidad educativa logró la apropiación del conocimiento
socioambiental sobre la problemática del agua poniendo en práctica una
de las formas de solución no solo para la escuela con el montaje del filtro,
sino para sus propios hogares; es decir, se aplicaron estrategias de
resolución de problemas desde las ciencias naturales cuando los
estudiantes proponen ser extensionistas para darle a conocer a los
habitantes de la comunidad su aprendizaje con respecto a la calidad del
agua que consumen y como mejorar esta realidad que les está afectando
su salud y calidad de vida enseñándoles a elaborar filtros caseros.
Proyección
Se le dará continuidad a la propuesta, a través
del proyecto Ambiental Escolar, PRAES 2012,
“El filtro en mi escuela, fuente de agua para el
consumo humano”; cuya aplicación involucrará
a tos dos los grados escolares, desde
preescolar hasta undécimo, haciendo énfasis en
la aplicación de estrategias pedagógicas y
lúdicas, desde cada disciplina escolar. Interesa
lograr un manejo responsable del agua.
Referencias bibliográficas
Martín Manolo. Agua para la Vida. ¿Cómo cuidar nuestras fuentes de
agua comunitaria? Primera edición. 2009.
Rincón Andrea Griselda. El Agua: Recurso vital. Organización de Estados
Iberoamericanos Para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura. 2006
Orozco, J. Valencia, S. Méndez, O. Jiménez, G &Garzón, P. Los
problemas de conocimiento: una perspectiva compleja para la enseñanza
de las ciencias. Universidad Pedagógica Nacional.
Webgrafía
El agua en los seres vivos. Estructura y propiedades.
http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/averroes/manuales/materiales_tic/biomol
eculas/selectividad/agua_en_los_seres_vivos.pdf
Ministerio de la Protección Social. Decreto 1575 del 9 de Mayo de 2007.
http://www.corpamag.gov.co/archivos/normatividad/Decreto1575_200705
09.htm (en línea)
Química del agua. En línea.
http://aplicaciones.virtual.unal.edu.co/drupal/files/el%20agua.pdf
recuperado 26 de julio de 2011
Videos
El Agua - Propiedades Físicas y Químicas - Importancia Biológica.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6OwBwcL9A8Recuperado 4 de agosto de
2011.
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
CAMINANDO POR MIS CUENCAS
Alba Claire Gómez
Liana del Carmen Calixto
Institución Educativa José María Córdoba – Tauramena (Casanare)
Resumen
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
En esta propuesta de aula se diseñan e implementan actividades que permiten la construcción del
conocimiento, a partir de la relación entre la clase de ciencias, las vivencias de los estudiantes, el contexto y
la problemática de las cuencas hídricas del municipio.
Se organizan cuatro fases de actividades de aula enfocadas a desarrollar la capacidad de exploración,
observación, comparación y construcción de narrativa. Se desarrollaron tres salidas pedagógicas por las
cuatro cuencas hídricas del municipio; donde los exploradores lograron expresar ideas acerca de cómo
perciben que han cambiado sus cuencas hídricas a través del tiempo.
Durante el desarrollo de la propuesta la labor docente fue influenciada por aspectos como:
Efectiva mediación entre el conocimiento y el niño. Cambio de herramientas pedagógicas
para la orientación de actividades y de actitud frente a las capacidades de los niños de
observación y análisis del contexto ambiental de la región.
Abstract
In this classroom proposal is designed and it is implemented activities which allow the construction of
knowledge from the relationship between the science class, student’s experiences, the context and the
problem of municipal watersheds.
Classroom activities in four phases are organized aimed at developing the capacity for exploration,
observation, comparison and construction of narrative. It is developed three educational field trips by the four
watersheds of the municipality, there the explorers were able to express ideas about how they perceive that
their watersheds have changed over time.
Propuesta de Aula
Las salidas pedagógicas permitieron en los niños el asombro, la curiosidad, las
comparaciones y deducciones frente a lo observado. Cuestionándose a partir de la
información suministrada por el saber de los ancestros de la región, el de la escuela y sus
familias, permitiendo obtener conclusiones acerca de la transformación en el tiempo y el
espacio de las cuencas hídricas del municipio y qué acciones del hombre influyeron en
ello, es de resaltar el proceso de comunicación, como la narrativa oral, gráfica y escrita,
habilidades que permiten al estudiante el reconocimiento de saberes cotidianos donde
escuchamos comentarios y registraron
imágenes como las que adjuntamos.
Esta propuesta se desarrolla con niños de segundo grado de educación
básica y comprende procesos de planeación, implementación y análisis de las
actividades de aula. El diseño y la implementación duró desde marzo hasta
Noviembre del 2011, en este momento estamos terminando el análisis de la
actividad.
Criterios para el diseño de la propuesta de aula
Desde el equipo de profesores de Tauramena (Casanare) se acordó diseñar y
desarrollar propuestas de aula que tengan en cuenta:
Abordar problemáticas relacionadas con el contexto y el entorno
ambiental que generen relaciones culturales más favorables.
Permitir o promover el trabajo en equipo tanto de docentes como
estudiantes.
Diseñar actividades que permitan vincular a los estudiantes con la
construcción de conocimiento a partir de una relación efectiva entre la
clase de ciencias y sus vivencias cotidianas.
Diseñar actividades que muestren la pertinencia de las problemáticas
abordadas en la relación con el currículo de ciencias de la institución.
Promover actividades de aula que posibiliten procesos de
sistematización.
FASE
CAMINANDO
POR MI
CUENCA
Reconocimiento
de las
principales
quebradas y
ríos de la
región: La
Tauramenera,
el Agua
Blanca, el rio
Caja y el rio
Cusiana.
COMPRENDIENDO
MICUENCA
Elaboración
de sus
propias
conclusiones
con base en
lo observado
y el
conocimiento
de los
ancestros del
pueblo.
MUESTRO
MI CUENCA
Actividades
de
socialización
de lo
aprendido
INTENCIONES
Explorar la
problemática
ambiental de las
cuencas de la
región.
Observación del
cauce, el caudal, los
recorridos, los
desvíos de rio, las
variaciones de la
corriente, la
vegetación aledaña.
Construir
narraciones sobre lo
observado en
relación con lo
escuchado.
Comparar las
diferentes cuencas
de su región en
caudales,
vegetación,
recorridos y cauces
Comparar sus
cuencas actuales
con las mismas en
periodos anteriores
Los exploradores
hacen comentarios
a través de la radio
o video sobre la
problemática y la
toma de conciencia
sobre la situación.
ACTIVIDADES
Recorrido Agua blanca.
Observación y narración de las
variaciones de las corrientes, los
desvíos,
las huellas que ha
dejado la disminución del agua.
Recorrido por la Tauramenera.
Descripción de la vegetación a
través de dibujos y escritos.
Recorrido por El Caja.
A través de la narrativa, dibujos
historias y fotografía Detallar
cauce variaciones de cauce y de
vegetación atendiendo el tiempo
de recorrido y las historias sobre
otros periodos.
Recorrido por el Cusiana.
Observación del caudal, la unión
de los dos ríos, el volumen del
agua, la velocidad de la corriente,
el color del agua, los elementos
que conforma el rio, sus tamaños
y texturas, además de algunos
animales que viven en el agua.
Armar cuadros comparativos.
Construcción de explicaciones,
hipótesis y posibles medidas de
solución desde la mirada de los
observadores
e investigadores
(Niños)
Conocer conceptos técnicos
Documentar lo observado con
bibliografías, recopilación de fotos
familiares y entrevistas a los
abuelos del pueblo, de cómo eran
los caños en épocas pasadas, por
dónde eran sus afluentes, cómo eran sus caudales, qué utilización
se daba al agua.
Exposición fotográfica de las
cuencas realizada por los niños con
sus fotos y dibujos actuales
comparados con los de los archivos.
Evidencias de la evolución en el
tiempo y espacio de las cuencas
recorridas a través del lento de los
niños y sus narrativas
Narrativas de los niños:
-“Aquí hicieron este parque y el borde del caño se derrumba”
-“Hay mucho pasto y pocos árboles grandes”
Este grupo concluyó que en el lugar observado las plantas eran pequeñas, que el pasto no era lo
suficientemente fuerte para sostener la tierra que se derrumba al lado del caño. Los estudiantes
hacen una explicación clara de lo que ellos ven al lado de la cuenca y lanzan su propia conclusión
como “ésto pasa porque las personas quieren vivir aquí junto al caño” Tiene claro que las
personas modificaron el cauce y el caudal del caño, al igual que sus recorrido.
Al escuchar la explicación “Se va por tres cañitos” Asumimos que al decir “cañitos”, expresan que
la corriente es muy disminuida, poca, pequeña y lo atribuyen a que las personas botan la basura.
Los Padres de Familia y la Comunidad:
Durante la aplicación de esta fase se hace relevante la vinculación de los padres de familia
en aspectos como:
-La importancia que le dieron al ver que sus hijos hacían consultas, acompañadas de
peguntas, que para muchos les fue fácil contestar, ya que se trataban sobre sus ancestros
y de aquellos recuerdos que para algunos fue grato relatar. Donde se tomaron el tiempo
para contar anécdotas de paseos a los ríos con sus maestros en épocas de estudiantes y
otras con sus familias en fechas especiales, que fueron acompañadas del álbum familiar
para sustentar los dicho.
-Dejaron notar su agrado por la realización de estas actividades, que incluían salidas
pedagógicas en un contexto totalmente diferente al aula de clase y que les permitía a sus
hijos realizar una rutina poco común, como tomar una buseta, hacer un corto viaje sin sus
padres, experimentar el conocer la historia narrada sobre las cuencas hídricas de una
manera directa. Escuchar los comentarios de sus hijos, que para muchos fue una
tremenda aventura ya que por sobreprotección de sus padres no lo habían vivido.
Implicaciones y Conclusiones
Con el desarrollo de esta actividad de aula, en el quehacer docente se organizaron currículos
pertinentes según las necesidades del contexto, utilizando nuevas y diversas estrategias didácticas de
desempeño en el aula, apropiándonos de diversos escenarios para la enseñanza y aprendizaje de las
ciencias, donde los estudiantes, adquirieron cultura y conciencia ambiental frente a las situaciones
adversas de las cuencas hídricas del municipio, transformando competencias narrativas, relacionales
y cognitivas en los niños para posteriormente comunicar de forma oral a su comunidad las
experiencias y sus propios puntos de vista sobre la transformación de su contexto, elaborando sus
conocimientos acerca de la influencia del hombre sobre la naturaleza.
Referencias bibliográficas.
EDICT JAZMIN PACHECO REINA, Educación Ambiental al día, aspectos de mi región
Tauramena, Agua Vida y gente comprometida. FEBRERO DE 2005, GOMEZ
IMPRESORES.
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
¡YES! IS POSSIBLE RECOVER OUR SOIL
Hernández Ginna - Velandia Félix
FRANCISCO ANTONIO ZEA SCHOOL
Abstract
Implementation of the classroom proposal
The proposal developed recognizes the worm farming as an alternative to
the use of resources, especially soil. The proposal will be held with
students in seventh grade to provide a space from natural science classes
to relate the students with techniques for improving and/or recovering the
soil, through the production of organic fertilizers. Simultaneously, the
students will build explanations about the physical, chemical and
biological characteristics that contribute to reduce the environmental
impact on soils.
Resumen
La propuesta de aula desarrollada reconoce la lombricultura como
alternativa para el aprovechamiento de los recursos, especialmente el
suelo. La propuesta se realizó con estudiantes de grado séptimo y busca
propiciar un espacio desde las clases de ciencias naturales para relacionar
al estudiante con técnicas que permiten el mejoramiento y/o recuperación
de los suelos, a través de la producción de abonos orgánicos, al tiempo que
se construyen explicaciones en torno a las características físicas, químicas
y biológicas necesarias para disminuir el impacto ambiental en los suelos,
por el uso indebido de fertilizantes en los cultivos.
InstitutionalContext
Francisco Antonio Zea school is located
in the extreme southeast of Bogota. The
city life has reached the streets of the
sector and has become a neighborhood
of Bogota, but still persists in the
surrounding
rural
activity
and
population fluctuates between the
desire for culture and the traditional
urbanized humble rural people. Our
students come from three types of
population. The first known farming population resides in rural areas and
live it, the second called rural population lives in the urban area and has
both economic development options and finally the urban population lives
in the town and works in the city.
Classroom Proposal
The recovery of soils from earthworm
culture seeks to develop skills, personal
and social abilities and strengthen the
autonomy of students. From the natural
sciences area led to activities to respond
to the project needs and the demands of
the curriculum. With the support of
TRACES project designed a booklet with
accurate information that allow a better
approach to each of the activities and enable students to share, discuss and
socialize knowledge and practices around earthworm culture.
When students describe their region,
focusing on their immediate environment,
may be noticeable different ways of relating
to it. Some describe it from the social
aspect, others from the economic, others
from the landscape, and others from the
transformation of ecosystems. Also are
specified issues that are related to the
curriculum, such as analysis of the anatomy and physiology of other
organisms and their comparison with the structures and functions of the
earthworm. The concept of reproduction is studied with life cycles of
different organisms and discusses the differences in the skeletal and
muscular systems. In this way children construct new knowledge and
question what is happening around him.
The children appropriate the project such
a way that they become central actors of
development
and
involve
other
community members, the parents who
bring skills, knowledge, traditions and
practices in relation to agriculture. These
links between School and Community
favors the processes of learning of the
students, enhances self-esteem of rural children, allows appreciate
knowledge and agricultural practices, among others. Likewise, other
teachers in the areas of language and socials are integrated by the interest
that causes the development of reading and writing processes of children,
through the use of field notes, as the social impact generated by the project
within the institution. It shows, moreover, that education is a process of
integral formation with the participation of parents, teachers and
administrators of educational institutions.
Conclusion
PHASES
INTENTION
ACTIVITIES
Pedagogical output of recognition of the environment,
social and natural.
Planning, survey and
Inquiry
Recognize the principal sources of
degradation and contamination soil
in the environment.
Promote the care for the
environment.
Optimize the use of soil, proper
management of waste and
characterize the earthworm and the
benefits they bring to the floor.
Finding Ecological Alternatives.
Seminary workshop experiences related with the
environmental degradation and recovery of soils from
lombricultivo, compared with the traditional culture of the
region.
Develop and socialize posters promoting environmental
stewardship, from agricultural practices.
Development and dissemination of timetable of actions to
perform with students.
Construction or acquisition of beds.
Hands to Work
Develop a culture of Californian red
worm, which enables to recognize the
physic, chemical and biological
characteristics for their care and
support.
Classify the organic material that is
required for lombricultivo.
Monitoring
Control environmental conditions for
lombricultivo, such as pH,
temperature, humidity and amount of
food as well as the life cycle of the
worm.
Harvesting
Identify other effective alternative
uses of worm farming. (Products,
transformation and application).
Promote respect for nature.
Adequacy of space.
Find organic products (vacunaza, conejaza, caballaza, etc.)
suitable for growing worm.
Prepare beds and find biological material (Californian red
worm)
Organize working groups.
Visit the group standing by and check in data tables.
Prepare field notebooks to record observations.
Collection and packing of humus
Achievement of earthworm culture
Collection of field notebooks of experience.
The teacher’s science has a responsibility to promote in the students the
development of critical thinking, enabling them to understand the social
and environmental problems of their environment and generate strategies
to solve them creatively. On the order hand, the migration processes and
their confluence at the school raised the need to diversify and transform
these teaching practices, so it is possible to develop classroom projects
involving various members of the educational community.
References
SENA, Marco conceptual y pedagógico para la formación por proyectos en el SENA,
2007.Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje SENA. Bogotá,D.C. ISBN Obra
independiente:97-958-8185.38-5
Rodríguez, V. N. (1997). Caracterización microbiológica y físico-química de los
procesos de compostaje y lombricompostaje de la pulpa de café. In; congreso nacional
de microbiología ambiental, Santa Fé de Bogotá, Colombia; Información científica y
técnica producida por CENICAFE 1988-1998; copilado y editado por Luis A. Maja y
Nancy C. Delgado; Chinchina, Caldas, Colombia; 1998. (Resúmenes analíticos);
publicación Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 1997
Galdames Ortiz Domingo; Ingeniero Ambiental, Universidad de Santiago de Chile;
INGENIERIA AMBIENTAL & MEDIO AMBIENTE
Rodríguez, P. A. (2006). Lombricultura, Instituto Hondureño del Café.--1a. ed.-(Tegucigalpa)
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities and Education in Science
LAS AROMATICAS COMO SISTEMA FORMADO POR MATERIA
Profesoras: Rocío Calderón y Omaira Anacona
INSTITUTO PEDAGÓGICO NACIONAL IPN
Bogotá Colombia
Resumen
Las aromáticas como un sistema
formado por materia, es una
propuesta de aula desarrollada en
el área Ciencias Naturales con
estudiantes de cuarto grado de
primaria del Instituto Pedagógico
Nacional, en el marco del proyecto
TRACES. Con la propuesta se
pretendía desarrollar y fortalecer en
los estudiantes el talento científico,
la creatividad, la imaginación, las
competencias comunicativas, las
habilidades cognitivas, entre otras.
Abstract
The aromatic plants as a system composed of matter is a
classroom proposal developed in the natural sciences area with
fourth grade students at National Pedagogical Institute with the
support of the TRACES project. The proposal was intended to
develop and strengthen students' scientific talent, creativity,
imagination, communication and cognitive skills, among others.
Propuesta de Aula
La propuesta de aula se desarrolló
a través de la siembra de un cultivo
de aromáticas con técnicas de
Agricultura Urbana, con el manejo
de material vivo se desarrollaron
diversas habilidades científicas y se
promovió además el cuidado y
conservación de las plantas. Como
complemento
al
cultivo
de
aromáticas se realizaron diferentes
prácticas en el laboratorio, talleres en el aula de clase y
ejercicios de medición y evaluación de las propiedades físicas y
químicas observables en las aromáticas buscando utilizar
sistemas vivos en la comprensión y medición de las propiedades
de la materia. Con esto se pretendió fortalecer las competencias
cognitivas, practicas y valorativas en los niños para el
aprendizaje de las Ciencias Naturales, se hizo especial énfasis
en el desarrollo de la creatividad, la imaginación, la expresión
oral y escrita, el trabajo en grupo y la capacidad de
interpretación y argumentación de los estudiantes.
1.Los mitos de
las aromáticas
2.Construyendo
el palacio de las
aromáticas
3. Indagando
sobre el
perfume y otras
cualidades de la
aromática
4. Las cosas
huelen a
aromáticas
Las prácticas de laboratorio permitieron comprender y
profundizar en las propiedades químicas de esta clase de
sistema material vivo como son las aromáticas. Los laboratorios
además contribuyeron a cualificar habilidades para el manejo de
material e instrumentos, el seguimiento de instrucciones, la
interpretación de resultados y la apropiación de algunas
propiedades de las aromáticas, entre otras habilidades.
Se realizaron actividades donde los estudiantes tenían la
oportunidad de afianzar habilidades de expresión creativa,
mediante la construcción de personajes. Se promovieron las
habilidades orales durante las exposiciones que los niños hacían
de sus trabajos sobre las aromáticas. Las habilidades escritas se
potenciaron cuando los niños desarrollaron sus diarios de campo
y escritos de lo observado durante los talleres propuestos
Finalmente,
la
potenciación del Talento
Científico
para
las
ciencias naturales en
estos niños se evidenció
en el cuidado al trabajar
con sistemas vivos, en el
mantenimiento de un
cultivo en la granja
mediante la Agricultura
Urbana, en los diversas trabajos orales, escritos y en la
apropiación de temas por consultas adicional siendo las Ciencias
Naturales un pretexto para potenciar las habilidades que estos
niños pueden tener para las ciencias naturales.
Implicaciones y Conclusión
La forma como trabajamos
FASES
del conocimiento, manipulación y
cuidado de las plantas aromáticas;
el trabajo con los niños consistió
en elaboración de discursos
orales y escritos, tomas de datos,
mediciones de las plantas y
experimentos tanto en campo (la
granja) como en el salón y el
laboratorio. Se propicio el trabajo
en grupo, la discusión de sus
observaciones y resultados y la
contrastación con lo enunciado en los encuentros de clase. Para
ello se realizaron actividades prácticas como la siembra de las
aromáticas, talleres de medición y observación de sus
propiedades físicas y experimentos en donde se extrajeron
sustancias para la elaboración de velas.
INTENCIONES
ACTIVIDADES
Identificar los
conocimientos que poseen
acerca de las aromáticas
Entrevistas a las
familias de los niños
acerca de lo que saben
de las aromáticas.
Siembra y cuidado de
plantas de aromáticas
por medio de agricultura
urbana
Sembrar las plantas
aromáticas utilizando
técnicas de agricultura
urbana.
Talleres con los niños
mediados por guías
acerca las propiedades
físicas de las
aromáticas. Mediciones
de tamaño y
observaciones de su
forma
Reconocer y aplicar los
conceptos de las
propiedades de la materia
en un organismo vivo.
Talleres teórico –
prácticos sobre
agricultura urbana con
asesoría del Jardín
Botánico
Utilizar las aromáticas para
obtener extracto y aplicarlo
en un producto
Prácticas de laboratorio
para identificar algunas
propiedades químicas
de las aromáticas.
Elaboración de una vela
con el extracto obtenido
de la planta aromática.
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
La propuesta vinculó las temáticas propuestas en el currículo del
área de ciencias y el trabajo vivencial con las plantas traídas y
sembradas por los estudiantes. La intención de desarrollar
habilidades para las ciencias naturales en los estudiantes
buscaba también mayores niveles de apropiación de los
contenidos esenciales del currículo para esta etapa del
desarrollo mediante una serie de actividades creativas alrededor
Las actividades implementadas en la propuesta de aula
permitieron en los estudiantes desarrollar competencias
científicas en ciencias Naturales como la interpretación de los
resultados obtenidos en las prácticas de laboratorio, en los
talleres de aula y en el seguimiento al cultivo de las aromáticas.
Habilidades como la comprensión de textos en ciencias, la
manipulación de materia viva, la capacidad de sus explicaciones
sobre las propiedades físicas y químicas de aromáticas, fueron
otras de las derivadas de la propuesta.
La propuesta permitió también el desarrollo de habilidades
comunicativas como: expresión oral y expresión escrita,
habilidades para la creatividad y el trabajo en grupo. Al igual que
el desarrollo del trabajo practico experimental de los estudiantes.
Los niños y niñas complejizaron su comprensión de los sistemas
vivos como son las plantas aromáticas, se fomentó e incrementó
la tolerancia, la curiosidad y la motivación frente a lo que
normalmente se hace en las clases del área de Ciencias
Naturales.
Referencias bibliográficas

Astroza I. V. (2003). La enseñanza/aprendizaje de las
Ciencias Naturales para niño(as). Pontificia Universidad Católica
de Chile Facultad de Educación.

Méndez, O y Londoño, A. (2007). Desarrollo de la
actitud científica: Una experiencia de trabajo a partir de
colectivos escolar UPN.

Sánchez, D. (2011). Reflexiones en torno a la
mediación del talento científico. Una aproximación al desarrollo
de habilidades mediante la enseñanza de la Biología. Estudiante
Doctorado Interinstitucional en Educación Énfasis en Ciencias.
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. Docente UPN.
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
EDUCANDO DESDE LO RURAL A TRAVÉS DE LA
INTEGRACIÓN DISCIPLINAR
Gloria Bernarda Larios Jiménez
Grado quinto
Centro Educativo Distrital Rural Mosquito (Santa Marta)
Resumen
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
Esta es una propuesta de aula que ubica la granja escolar como epicentro de la
integración de disciplinas, utilizando estrategias pedagógicas que permite no solo un
encuentro de saberes disciplinares entre si, sino que al tiempo considera y apropia las
necesidades inmediatas del contexto buscando establecer una relación sinérgica
escuela - comunidad. Además, la propuesta busca que la granja adquiera importancia
para la vida escolar y la de la comunidad.
Abstract
This is a classroom proposal in which the farm is located in epicenter of the integration
of disciplines. Teaching strategies that allows not only a meeting of disciplinary
knowledge, but also these take into account immediate needs of the context in
establishing a relationship synergistic school – community, are used. Also, the
proposal intends that the farm become important for school and community life.
Contexto institucional
El Centro Educativo Distrital Rural Mosquito es una institución de carácter oficia , con
más de veinte años de servicio.
Ubicada en la parte baja de la cuenca del Río
Gaira, este es uno de los ríos pertenecientes a
la vertiente occidental de
las fuentes
hidrográficas de la Sierra Nevada de Santa
Marta, declarada por la UNESCO como
reserva del Hombre y la Biósfera y patrimonio
de la humanidad (Fundación Pro Sierra
Nevada de Santa Marta).
El Centro atiende población vulnerable
procedentes de la veredas El Canal, Ojo del
Agua, Mosquito; de los barrios urbano
marginales del Socorro ,El Milagro y del
asentamiento indígena Narakajmanta, estos últimos pertenecientes a la etnia de los
Chimilas.
Propuesta de Aula
FASES
GUÍA NO 1
Lo que conozco de la
granja escolar.
GUÍA NO 2
En la granja de mi
escuela aprendo.
GUÍA NO 3
INTENCIONES
ACTIVIDADES
El desarrollo del acto pedagógico es orientado por tres guías integradas, las cuales
muestran el trayecto a seguir por el estudiante
desde el inicio de la propuesta hasta su
finalización.
En las guías se logra la integración de disciplinas
como matemáticas, castellano y ciencias naturales.
En cada una se plantean tres momentos
importantes que son llamados así: actividades
básicas, practicas y de aplicación.
Para la elaboración de las guías se organizaban
las disciplinas a integrar y los temas que se
desarrollarían. Se realizaba una lectura de los contenidos y se tomaba como eje
central el tema más general el cual brindará la oportunidad de abordar a partir de él los
temas de las otras asignaturas. Para apropiar la guía los niños fueron organizados en
comunidades de trabajo.
Conclusión
Con la implementación de la propuesta se3 logró precisar :La labor desarrolla en el
aula debe ser debidamente planeada, contextualizada y flexible. El utilizar la guía
como herramienta didáctica permite conducir, encaminar y dirigir al estudiante
durante el desarrollo de procesos de aprendizaje donde orientado por el
profesor aborda de manera individual o en comunidad una serie de contenidos
que desarrolla y aplica.
Un aspecto importante y que hizo presencia activa durante el trabajo académico fue la
resignificación de la granja. Resignificar desde la presente propuesta es entendida
como la recuperación del significado de un espacio importante en la escuela para el
desarrollo de los aprendizajes, como lo es la granja escolar, en la medida que se
convierte esta en uno de los principales factores que le dan identidad a la institución
como un espacio rural.
El resignificar permitió en primer lugar fortalecer el sentido de pertenencia con la
institución, desarrollar en los estudiantes el compromiso institucional, hacer del
aprendizaje un proceso más atractivo en la medida que se trabajó desde su realidad ,
se fortaleció el trabajo en comunidad, lográndose desarrollar la granja como un
escenario de participación y el desarrollo de comunidades de aprendizaje.
Cuando se aborda un trabajo organizado , planeado, contextual y que además busca
recuperar el significado y reactivar la producción de un espacio tan importante en una
escuela rural como lo es su granja, se convierte esto no solo en un aspecto
incentivador del trabajo en el aula tanto para docente como para el estudiante sino
también logra vincular al componente familiar del proceso, prueba y muestra de esta
afirmación es la vinculación de los padres y madres del grado quinto a algunas de las
actividades programada desde el trabajo de propuesta de aula presentado en el
marco del desarrollo del proyecto TRACES.
Identificar
saberes previos
sobre la granja
escolar.
Talleres individuales y en
comunidad, usando la pregunta
como agente motivador de la
acción pedagógica.
Resignificar la
granja escolar
como espacio de
aprendizaje.
Actividades básicas, prácticas y de
aplicación. Con las actividades
básicas se le brinda al niño y niña
todo el fundamento teórico de los
contenidos a desarrollar, con las
prácticas se le extiende invitación
al estudiante para que haga de lo
teórico un acto práctico y
finalmente con las actividades de
aplicación , las cuales se dejan
para realizar en la casa se
pretende con ellas que la familia
participe en las actividades
académicas que los estudiantes
adelantan en la escuela.

Actividades básicas, prácticas y de
aplicación.

Reactivar la
producción de
un sector de la
granja.
Referencias bibliográficas






Arias, J. (2007). Entre la nueva Ruralidad y la Nueva Educación pensamiento, acciones y logros
en el servicio educativo rural. SER. Ponencia presentada en el congreso internacional
“Educación para el medio rural en la perspectiva de los derechos humanos” Universidad
Católica de Oriente. Rionegro, Antioquia. 29,30 y 31 de Octubre.
Dominguez, J. (2007). Intervención profesional en vulnerabilidad psicosocial: Prevención de
conflicto social para el desarrollo humano sustentable. Ponencia presentada en el congreso
internacional “Educación para el medio rural en la perspectiva de los derechos humanos”
Universidad Católica de Oriente. Rionegro, Antioquia. 29,30 y 31 de Octubre.
Fundación Escuela Nueva. (2005). Guías de formación docente en estrategias para el
mejoramiento de la educación básica y para el aprendizaje personalizado y colaborativo.
Gómez, G. (2007). “Escuela Generadora de Vida Comunitaria” como aporte al fortalecimiento
institucional, la gobernabilidad denocrática, la participación ciudadana, la paz, los derechos
humanos y la vida digna. Ponencia presentada en el congreso internacional “Educación para el
medio rural en la perspectiva de los derechos humanos” Universidad Católica de Oriente.
Rionegro, Antioquia. 29,30 y 31 de Octubre.
Equipo Editorial Cultural. Primaria Interactiva Lenguaje. Edit. Printed in Colombia. 2005.
Ministerio de Educación Nacional. Estándares Básicos de Matemáticas y Lenguaje. Bogotá.
2003.
Ministerio de educación Nacional. Lenguaje. Lineamientos curriculares. Santafé de Bogotá, D.C,
Colombia 1998.
Ministerio de Educación Nacional. Estándares Básicos de Competencias en Ciencias Naturales
y Ciencias Sociales. Matemáticas y Lenguaje. Bogotá. 2004.
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
Taller Ingenio ciencia y arte.
Jhoens Jiménez Niño
Escuela Fe y Esperanza – Estudiante Licenciatura en Física – UPN
Resumen: Ingenio ciencia y arte es una de tres propuestas de
aula que se desarrollaron en el grupo de trabajo de la
Universidad Pedagógica Nacional bajo el proyecto Traces y se
implemento en la escuela Fe y esperanza. La propuesta de aula
desarrolla una ruta de trabajo para los chicos del grado quinto,
en concreto a la construcción con diferentes materiales
reciclables o didácticos, de artefactos o juguetes, para que los
chicos fortalezcan las habilidades cognitivas, trabajen en equipo y
así puedan dar cuenta de los conceptos de “Razón del
movimiento”, y de construcción de sociedad en comunidad.
Abstract: Creativity, science and art is one of three classroom
proposal which are developed in the job group of the National
Pedagogical University in the project Traces and which was
implemented in schools Faith and Hope. The classroom proposal
develops a path for fifth grade boys, in particular the construction
of different recyclable materials or teaching aids, appliances or
toys, for kids to strengthen cognitive skills, work well together
and can account the concepts of "reason of the movement", and
society in community building.
Contexto institucional
La corporación social fe y esperanza, es una escuela del barrio el
Progreso, de la localidad de Cazuca, del municipio de Soacha, al
sur de la ciudad de Bogotá. Esta
escuela, es manejada por su
fundador y director, el profesor
Nelson Pájaro, quien junto a
familia, su esposa y sus hijos,
ofrecen a los chicos de la zona
una salida educativa
a las
adversidades que presenta la
comunidad.
Propuesta de Aula
FASES
1.MANEJO DE
MATERIALES
2. EL JUGUETE Y LA
RAZÓN DEL
MOVIMIENTO
3. FERIA DE
ARTEFACTOS:
INTENCIONES
Proporcionar al estudiante
un acercamiento con
diferentes materiales e
identificar formas texturas
y tamaños.
Identificar las distintas
fuentes de movimiento,
mecánicas aeróbicas y
comprender la interacción
del juguetes y su
movimiento
Hacer una socialización de
las diferentes experiencias
para la construcción final
de un cohete y una feria
donde los chicos
manifiesten lo aprendido.
ACTIVIDADES
El equilibrista: relación entre
pesos, la inercia.
Descripción del movimiento:
aprender a seguir
instrucciones.
volúmenes y estructuras:
los5 sólidos platónicos.
Helicóptero a presión de aire:
funcionamiento de los
pulmones, las bombas, las
hélices.
Salida al museo de los niños.
Gran premio de Cazucá: la
trasmisión del movimiento
Al infinito y más allá:
construcción de cohetes.
Feria del ingenio: construcción
de un artefacto y darlo a
conocer en comunidad.
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
El trabajo en la comunidad de Cazucá en la escuela Fe y
Esperanza, suscito un reto para nosotros los estudiantes de
licenciatura, pareo bajo el apoyo del grupo de trabajo del
proyecto Traces, logramos viven ciar las fases de construcción de
una propuesta de aula, lo que nos hizo aptos para identificar las
problemáticas de la comunidad
educativa y así enfocar nuestro
trabajo a satisfacer las necesidades
que los chicos manifestaban. En
particular la convivencia con el
grupo fortaleció el proceso de
aprendizaje, un ejemplo fue la
fabricación del helicóptero a presión de aire, donde obtuve gran
respuesta de los chicos, ya que se construimos conceptos,
basados en las primeras ideas de los niños confrontadas con
construcción y socialización del artefacto, también se logro
promover la investigación fuera del aula de clase; en la salida al
museo de los niños que cito con un fragmento del diario de
campo realizado para esta actividad:
“…Dimos paso al siguiente modulo,
llamado de la física mecánica, donde
sin duda alguna la vivencia o la
experiencia educa o explica más que
la retahíla del tablero en un salón de
clases, los chicos vieron poleas,
jugaron con ellas, con pesos , que levantados con diferentes
puntos de apoyo parecían ser mas o menos pesados, siendo
todos del mismo peso, allí se
divirtieron bastante, trasmitieron su
vos por antenas, hicieron ecos y
vieron fuerza centrifuga, y así con
estos y otros dispositivos didácticos,
surgió la duda, la pregunta , el ¿por
qué?, motivo y objetivo fundamental
del curso…”, los chicos manifestaron muchas inquietudes, es
decir su afán por la comprensión de cómo funcionan ciertos
artefactos y fenómenos fue el insumo para promover nuestras
actividades.
Conclusión
Como gran conclusión del trabajo realizado puedo decir que he
redefinido el sentido que tiene la enseñanza de las ciencias, es
decir enseñar no es solo la explicación de un concepto teórico,
sino la intensión de que el chico proponga mas soluciones y se
pregunte el ¿por qué? de los fenómenos, este es el mejor
resultado que se obtuvo, esperamos que este taller sea un aporte
a los estudiantes en su formación como ciudadanos.
Referencias bibliográficas
Juan Carlos Orozco , Steiner Valencia , Olga Méndez Núñez,
Gladys Jiménez
y Pablo Garzón. Los problemas de
conocimiento.
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
“MI GRANJA Y MI COMUNIDAD: UNIDAS, GANAN MÁS!!!”
Julio César Aguilar Carreño
C. E. D. Mosquito Cuarto Grado
(Santa Marta-Magdalena)
Resumen
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
La propuesta pedagógica “MI GRANJA Y MI COMUNIDAD: UNIDAS, GANAN
MÁS!!!”: fue diseñada dentro del Proyecto TRACES y el plan de estudios. Esta
propuesta fue planeada con guías-talleres que orientaron el proceso. Además de las
bondades que llevan implícitas estas guías heredadas del Programa Escuela Nueva y
la estimulación de Competencias que se promueve desde el MEN (saber ser y saber
hacer) se incluye lo que yo llamo las Competencias Ecologistas. Las Guías Talleres
como verbo del Plan de Estudio garantizaron vivencias novedosas sobre aspectos
cognoscitivos, axiológicos, psicológicos e incluso filosóficos.
Este proyecto
pedagógico diseñado con propósitos, didáctica, pertinencia e
interdisciplinariedad, despertó gran motivación en el docente y los estudiantes; ya que
al compartir otros escenarios de aprendizajes y al utilizar otros recursos, como
también la percepción directa de objetos de estudio: permitieron que las clases fuesen
más activas, es decir, con gran participación, atención y fluidez verbal en torno a los
interrogantes planteados.
Una buena semilla para hacer germinar
buenos procesos pedagógicos, y por
ende, dar excelentes frutos en una
clase de ciencias naturales es la
acertada concepción de la guía- taller,
es decir, visionar con antelación, un
libreto que conduzca a alcanzar los
propósitos planteados. Sumado a lo
anterior, la apropiación e ímpetu con la
que uno como docente imparte estos
procesos, se convierten en nutrientes
que
cualifican
las
actividades
desarrolladas. Para cuando se está en el
fervor de la clase, surge lo que creo yo –la máxima prueba de idoneidad de nuestro
roll como Maestros, y consiste en activar permanentemente nuestras antenas para
sintonizar las verdaderas inquietudes de aprendizaje de los estudiantes, puesto que
son esas inquietudes, curiosidades, ignorancias, expectativas, reflexiones de ellos, las
que permiten, que “frente a sus “vacíos” se les responda con lo que les llene
satisfactoria o acertadamente….”, he allí lo que para mí es el aprendizaje
significativo…, ese conocimiento o destreza adquirido (a), sencillamente es inolvidable
para el estudiante… y también muy significativo para el docente, quien debe ser un
buen planeador de las lecciones y muy receptivo frente a las circunstancias de los
momentos de la clase implementada, y saber hilar y exhibir coherentemente el tema
que se esté tratando…, y para ello es muy importante el manejo de la disciplina, la
inclusión y concatenación de los saberes específicos (interdisciplinariedad), la
delimitación o grado de profundidad con que se aborden y su relación con el tema en
comento, entre otros….
Abstract
The pedagogical proposal "MY FARM and MYCOMMUNITY: UNITED EARN MORE!"
was designed on the Project TRACES and the curriculum. This proposal was planned
with workshops that guided the process. In addition, to the benefits of the guides, wich
are inherited from the New School Program and wich promote the competencies
proposed by the MEN (know-being and Know-doing) it is includes that I call Ecologists
competencies. The Workshops guaranteed innovative experiences on cognitive,
axiological, psychological and philosophical aspects.
Contexto Institucional
El C.E.D. Mosquito atiende a 226 Estudiantes, de
carácter Oficial,
desde el Preescolar hasta
Noveno grado de E.B.; localizado en la Vereda
Mosquito, km. 5 (vía SENA Agropecuario - Gaira).
La Población de la vereda está conformada por
indígenas y Campesinos dedicados a la
agricultura y al reciclaje. La mayoría están
caracterizados como Población Vulnerable
(desplazados, de extrema pobreza).
En la actualidad, nos afecta la competencia
desleal frente a un Mega-colegio, el cual por su
magnitud: debilita los vínculos que históricamente han sido estrechos entre esta
Comunidad pequeña y el C.E. D. Mosquito. Es una Población marginal con
Problemas de falta de Servicios Públicos.
Propuesta de Aula
FASES
INTENCIONES
 INDUCCIÓN
 Apropiación de los
propósitos de
TRACES
 DISEÑO DE LA
 Concretar los
contenidos y alcances
de la propuesta
PROPUESTA DE
AULA
 IMPLEMENTACIÓN
DE LA PROPUESTA
DE AULA
 Desarrollar las
propuestas
concebidas
 EVALUACIÓN
 Determinar logros y
hacer balance de lo
ejecutado y proyectar
para el 2012
ACTIVIDADES
 Socialización de
antecedentes e
intencionales de
TRACES
 Reunión para elección de
temas y metodología
(articulación al plan de
estudios y el P. E. I.
 Jornada para definición
de la propuesta;
respondiendo al Qué?
Cómo? y Para Qué?
 Elaboración y revisión de
las 5 guías-talleres
 Concertación para
asignación de recursos
 Dllo. de 4 Guías –
Talleres (acciones de
campo)
 Seguimientos a través de
diarios de campo y Sist.
del proceso
 Asesoría permanente del
equipo TRACES
 Ejercicios de
autoevaluación,
coevaluación y
heteroevaluación
 Rendición de informes
Las diversas actividades desarrolladas
auto-garantizaron su éxito con la
participación activa de sus protagonistas
cuando salían de “la jaula” (aula) hacia la
granja, y fue así como lo planteado por
un texto…se podía convertir en punto de
partida para llegar
hasta ejercicios
prácticos con la confrontación (…de los
saberes previos, …de lo leído en el texto
y el nuevo aprendizaje percibido).
Debemos destacar que la comunidad
adulta sirvió como fuente de saberes
tradicionales ante los
interrogantes
planteados, la esperanza del Maestro es que los estudiantes, se observen frente a ese
espejo de realidades y problemáticas socio-ambientales y adopten otras alternativas
de desarrollo sostenible para el futuro. La granja y el restaurante escolar son
valorados como espacios de aprendizajes (son evidentes los nuevos hábitos
alimenticios, desde el cuidado de la higiene hasta el consumo de productos naturales),
ejemplos dignos de multiplicarlos en las casas o parcelas, además de los ejercicios de
cooperativismo que desarrollamos entre todos. De igual manera se destaca el avance
significativo en la adquisición de competencias lecto-escritoras…
Conclusión
El ejercicio enseñanza-aprendizaje de las ciencias es exigente para auto-garantizarse
la calidad y hace visionar a los sujetos de aprendizajes: mejores ópticas de las
actuales y futuras relaciones hombre-naturaleza… Relacionarse con la granja,
buscando formación y producción, genera posibilidad de construir conocimientos y
destrezas básicas, perfilarse en la adquisición de competencias laborales y
ecologistas... La granja como eje temático contiene muchos detonantes para estimular
diversos aprendizajes. Este contexto tiene como punto de partida y de llegada muchas
aventuras pedagógicas, ejemplo: El inventario de especies: particularidades,
interrelaciones y la relación granja-escuela-comunidad: es un puente que uniría
muchas similitudes, diferencias y proyecciones.
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
El Aprendizaje de las Ciencias a través de la metodología de Proyectos
Pilar García
Colegio Distrital Campestre Monteverde IED
Resumen
Mi propuesta de aula consistió en utilizar un proyecto particular sobre el Páramo
de las Moyas, cercano al colegio, para aprender y profundizar más sobre él, en
aspectos como sus características físicas, los seres vivos que habitan allí y sus
adaptaciones. En este proyecto se incluyó experimentos sencillos para
comprender ciertos factores del páramo, debates sobre los resultados de los
mismos, lecturas acerca de los páramos, salida al Páramo de las Moyas, dibujos
sobre los seres vivos encontrados allí y las posibles adaptaciones que presentan.
También se tuvieron en cuenta los conocimientos previos y sus experiencias
cotidianas y culturales aplicadas al tema que vimos, para contrastarlas y al final
revaluar o mantener ciertas concepciones que tienen los estudiantes.
Contexto institucional
El Colegio “Campestre Monteverde” I.E.D. está ubicado en el Kilómetro 5 Vía a La
Calera, en el Barrio San Luis. Pertenece al Distrito Capital de Bogotá, a la
Localidad 2 de Chapinero. Es un colegio oficial, que presta el servicio a
estudiantes de los barrios cercanos, de estratos uno, dos y tres. Actualmente
tiene dos sedes: la A y la B; la A ubicada en San Luis, y la B en el Barrio Canteras
(Kilómetro 3 Vía a la Calera), con una población aproximada de 1500 alumnos.
El colegio se encuentra en una zona Urbano-marginal, los Docentes reciben un
Incentivo Rural Anual, por los Proyectos que se realizan, tendientes a mantener y
mejorar los Ecosistemas Naturales que se encuentran alrededor. El énfasis del
PEI, es: “Calidad de Vida a través de la Gestión Ambiental”, y desde hace tres
años mantiene en Articulación, un Programa Técnico con el Sena: Sistemas de
Manejo en Gestión Ambiental, para los alumnos de la media. También se
trabajan Proyectos con el apoyo del Programa Ondas.
Propuesta de Aula
F A S E S
FASE I :
CARACTERIZACIÓN
DEL PÁRAMO
FASE II :
IDENTIFICACIÓN DE
ADAPTACIONES DE
LOS ORGANISMOS
DEL PÁRAMO
FASE III :
BIODIVERSIDAD DEL
PÁRAMO
INTENCIONALIDAD
*Plantearles preguntas a los
estudiantes que les permitan seguir
un camino, para determinar qué
factores inciden en el equilibrio del
Ecosistema Páramo.
*Permitir a los estudiantes expresar
sus
hipótesis
y
proponer
experimentos que les ayuden a
entender las condiciones que se
dan en un Páramo.
*Enfatizar en la consulta de
información sobre el tema y en la
importancia de ir escribiendo lo
importante en un diario de campo.
*Buscar bibliografía sobre las
adaptaciones de los organismos
del Páramo.
*Analizar esta información para
poder comprender las clases de
organismos que habitan el
Páramo y su papel en el
Ecosistema.
*Identificar las adaptaciones de
los organismos del páramo, en la
salida de campo.
*Revisar bibliografía acerca de la
Biodiversidad del Páramo.
*Realizar una salida al Páramo
de San Francisco, cercano al
colegio, para identificar los
distintos especímenes que allí se
encuentran.
*Hacer un registro digital de la
fauna y flora que encontremos
en el Páramo de San Francisco.
ACTIVIDADES
1. Desarrollo de guías de
trabajo.
2. Formulación de
preguntas.
3. Planteamiento de
Hipótesis.
4. Realización de
Experimentos.
5. Análisis de Resultados.
6. Resolución de la guía de
trabajo.
7. Realización de diarios de
campo.
1. Lectura sobre adaptaciones
de los organismos del páramo.
2. Discusión acerca de los tipos
de adaptaciones que se dan en
un Páramo, en cuanto a
colores, formas, tamaños,
entre otras, que presentan los
organismos que allí habitan.
3. Realización de diarios de
campo respecto a esta fase.
1. Lectura sobre biodiversidad
del Páramo.
2. Salida al páramo de San
Francisco.
3. Identificación de organismos
del páramo y sus adaptaciones.
4. Registro digital de algunos
representantes de la fauna y
flora del páramo.
5. Análisis de las adaptaciones
encontradas en los organismos
identificados en el páramo de
San Francisco.
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
Al utilizar la metodología de Proyectos en un tema particular, los alumnos de los
Grados 701 y 702, tuvieron la oportunidad de profundizar en los Páramos desde
diversas perspectivas: al realizar experimentos sencillos, y plantear hipótesis,
recoger los resultados y expresar si estaban o no estos resultados de acuerdo con
las hipótesis expresadas. Al realizar lecturas específicas sobre el tema y resolver
un cuestionario que pretendía aclarar y reforzar unos determinados conceptos.
Al hacer la salida al Páramo de las Moyas, para comparar lo leído en la teoría con
la realidad del Ecosistema: en cuanto a factores físicos, seres vivos encontrados
allí y sus adaptaciones. Todas estas “actividades con sentido” les permitieron a
los estudiantes no sólo aprender sobre el tema, sino también fortalecer ciertas
competencias: comunicativas, artísticas, axiológicas y por supuesto, las
científicas.
Presentación interpretativa del desarrollo de la Propuesta de Aula
¿Cómo se vio afectada mi práctica?
Cambió totalmente, en el sentido que se hizo más emocionante tanto para los
alumnos como para la docente, dejó de ser la práctica rutinaria de copiar un
texto sobre un determinado tema o la explicación tediosa por parte nuestra. Y
fue emocionante, porque el tema del Páramo se desarrollo, utilizando distintas
prácticas: la experimentación, los debates de los resultados obtenidos, la lectura
guiada con preguntas específicas, el debate sobre las respuestas, la salida de
campo, la realización de dibujos sobre el Ecosistema. La exposición de los dibujos
realizados y el análisis de los mismos. En todo este proceso el alumno es el que
hace el proceso, lo vive y con sus pares lo discute, respetan los distintos puntos de
vista y al final plantean sus conclusiones. En este caso, el papel del docente, es el
de orientar el proceso que se va dando y permitir que los mismos estudiantes
planteen las conclusiones. Es un proceso más vivencial, una Pedagogía
Constructivista.
Conclusión
Las prácticas docentes basadas en un proceso donde el estudiante es el centro del
mismo, el que propone, indaga, experimenta, contrasta, debate, concluye,
permiten que el alumno construya su propio conocimiento y lo interiorice de una
manera más significativa para él y para su comunidad. También es importante
incluir sus experiencias previas y tener en cuenta también aquellas que su
entorno cultural la ha dejado en su vida. Estos paradigmas que manejan se
deben contrastar por medio de diferentes actividades planeadas y permitirles,
que con los resultados que se van dando en la clase, ellos modifiquen o
mantengan el paradigma. La escuela debe servir para crear un puente entre el
mundo que ellos viven y el conocimiento que en las Ciencias Naturales se maneja,
y que todo esto que les enseñamos les sea de utilidad para mejorar su vida y su
entorno cultural y natural.
Referencias bibliográficas




VARGAS RÍOS, Orlando. VELASCO- LINARES, Patricia. REVIVIENDO
NUESTROS PÁRAMOS. –Restauración Ecológica de los Páramos. Ed.
Proyecto Páramo Andino. Bogotá 2011.
ALARCÓN RODRÍGUEZ, Nubia Alexandra. SUÁREZ MEDELLÍN, Liz Patricia.
TIERRA 9 – Ciencias Naturales y Ed. Ambiental. Ed. LIBROS & LIBROS S.A.
Bogotá 2006.
SEGURA, Dino. VELASCO, Arcelio. VIVENCIAS DE CONOCIMIENTO Y
CAMBIO CULTURAL. Ed. El Fuego Azul. Bogotá 2000.
OSBORNE, Roger. FREYBERG, Peter. EL APRENDIZAJE DE LAS CIENCIAS.
Ed. Narcea. Madrid 2002.
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
HISTORIA NATURALES DE ESPECIES NATIVAS
URY CELVA VARGAS BARAJAS
Institución Educativa El Cusiana
Tauramena – Casanare
Resumen
Se presenta una propuesta de aula desarrollada en el área de ciencias naturales en el
grado cuarto de primaria en el marco de la conceptualización de las interrelaciones
entre los seres vivos. Se desarrolla en tres fases: Senderito nativo, Exploremos el
entorno, Comprensión ecológica de las especies nativas. La metodología de trabajo está
basada en 4 aspectos: Punto de partida, Recolección de la información. Desarrollo de la
habilidades y Relación.
Abstract
A proposal classroom developed in the area of natural sciences in the fourth grade
level in the framework of the conceptualization of the interrelationships among living
things is submitted. This is carried out in three phases: Native path, Exploring our
environment, Ecological understanding of native species. The working methodology is
based on 4 aspects: Starting point, Collection of information. Skills development and
Relationship.
Contexto institucional
Insttitución del área rural de
Municipio
de
Tauramena,
Departamento de Casanare;
con una población estudiantil
de 600 niños y jovenes; entre
edades desde 6-17 años.
Provenientes de estratos 1 y 2.
Familias
difuncionales
y
población flotante debido a la
actividad petrolera.
Propuesta de Aula
Esta propuesta de aula se desarrollo con estudiantes de grado 4 de la Institución
Educativa El Cusiana en el marco de proyecto de investigación TRACES durante los
meses de septiembre- noviembre de 2011.
FASE
Senderito nativo
Exploremos el
entorno
INTENCIONES
Reconocer las especies
nativas y foráneas
existentes en la región.
Actividad 1. Consulta especies nativas.(Ocobo
rosado, gualanday y flor amarillo)
Actividad 1. Adecuación del terreno
Actividad 2. Diseño de sendero y Sembrado
especies nativas.
Observar las especies
nativas en su entorno
natural.
Actividad 1. Salida de campo.
Recorrido al río cercano para observar el
ambiente natural de las especies nativas
seleccionadas. Toma de fotos (tallo, flor, fruto y
hojas)
Recuperar en las
tradiciones orales de la
comunidad aspectos de
Actividad 2. De regreso al pasado de nuestra
especies nativas.
.
las especies nativas
Comprensión
ecológica de las
especies nativas
ACTIVIDADES
Realizar un inventario
taxonómico y fotográfico
de las especies vegetales
Entrevista a 10 personas antiguas de la
comunidad.
Actividad 1. El herbario.
Elaboración de un herbario sin muestras
biológicas, con muestras fotográficas:( Fruto,
hojas, tallo, flor). Teniendo en cuenta las fotos
tomadas en las salida de campo, las especies
nativas del senderito, los datos brindados por las
personas encuestadas y el documento de
Corporinoquia.
¨Profe esos nombres científicos son muy raros. No se parecen en nada al nombre que se usa
normalmente.¨
¨Si, profe donde don Plutarco en la finca hay una de esas Palmas, eso tiene unas raíces altas,
Don Plutarco dice que él no sabe de dónde salió esa mata.¨
¨Ya escribió, Como se llama su árbol. E1: ja otro batman. Se copeo. E2: No el mio se llama
Robin. Batman y Robin.¨
¨Profe, que rico salir del colegio y estar tocando, observando la naturaleza, chévere que siempre
fuera así.¨
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
Los estudiantes tienen el espacio para establecer contacto con su entorno
natural, con esto se genera agrado,
creatividad e interés en el desarrollo
de las actividades realizadas en cada
uno de actividades.
Estas actividades influyeron en
diferentes aspectos: en el proceso de
cambio de metodología, iniciado por
la Institución, aunque de igual
manera
algunas
actividades
institucionales limitaron el tiempo
necesario para su desarrollo, lo cual
ocasionó su replanteamiento.
Con
los
estudiantes,
la
experimentación y las salidas
permitieron hacer un acercamiento
al entorno y el contacto con los
árboles y especies animales, estas
actividades contribuyeron a una
exploración activa y muy dinámica,
despertando creatividad e interés.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
En esta actividad se usó también como ayuda la documentación
proporcionada
por Coorporinoquia en relación con especies nativas de la
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
región. Se favorecen procesos de comunicación tales como el diálogo con
miembros
de la comunidad, donde los niños comprendieron que la
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
información se complementa con distintos medios y cómo los saberes
cotidianos
xxxx de los vecinos, personas mayores, toman un papel importante
en la recolección de información. De igual manera el uso de herramientas
tecnológicas, que incentivan el interés y la curiosidad en los niños por el
conocimiento.
En el ámbito Institucional se despierta curiosidad de los compañeros
docentes y otros cursos de grado cuarto donde no se realizó la actividad.
Importante para la comunidad cuando los niños les toman en cuenta para
indagar sobre las especies de árboles de la región y mas aún cuando se
crea ese vínculo para el intercambio de información, los niños valoraron el
saber de estas personas y las personas de la comunidad manifestaron
satisfacción por el trabajo de los niños.
En el ámbito profesional, estos procesos de sistematización de actividades
de aula permiten un análisis de mi quehacer como docente, es así que de
esta manera puedo mejorarlas o replantearlas.
Conclusión
Una propuesta de aula centrada en la experimentación, indagación y la
exploración del entorno fortalece el trabajo en nuestras clases de esta
manera
el ambiente de
aprendizaje se torna más
activo, dinámico; generando
agrado,
aprendizaje
y
conocimiento en nuestros
niños. La clase de ciencias,
considero debe salirse del
“salón”, la ciencia está fuera y
como
docentes
debemos
iniciar este proceso, donde nuestros niños a su paso logren comprender la
importancia de la misma en sus vidas y en su entorno, una ciencia más real
que facilite el acercamiento, la comprensión de dudas que a diario surgen
en su cotidianidad y con el exceso de información ofrecida por distintos
medios.
Referencias bibliográficas
Luis Enrrique Acero Duarte, Plantas ùtiles de la Cuenca del Orinoco. 2da.
Ediciòn. Feberero de 2007.
Transformative Research Activities Cultural diversities
and Education in Science
ENSEÑANDO A LOS ESTUDIANTES EL VALOR DE NUESTROS
RECURSOS EÓLICOS
Yolima Garzón Suárez
I.ED. Campestre Monteverde
Resumen
Este proyecto pretende volver la mirada de los estudiantes hacia
el análisis del recurso eólico que fluye en nuestro medio, como
alternativa de obtención de energía limpia, y a la vez motivarlos
en la construcción de modelos de aerogeneradores, teniendo en
cuenta aspectos físicos y ambientales. Durante el trabajo se
modificaron los planes de estudios. Se despertó, la curiosidad de
los estudiantes por indagar sobre los beneficios de las energías
eólicas y su utilización a nivel internacional. Actualmente,
tenemos las especificaciones físicas adecuadas para la
construcción de un aerogenerador para nuestra institución.
Abstract
This project aims to return the look of students to the analysis of
wind resource that flows in our environment, as an alternative
clean energy production, while motivating them to build wind
turbine models, taking into account physical and environmental
aspects. During the work were modified curriculums. The
students were motivated to inquire about the benefits of wind
power and its use internationally. We currently have adequate
physical specifications for the construction of a wind turbine for
our institution.
Contexto institucional
En nuestra institución se encuentra ubicado en el Km 5 vía la calera a una
altitud de 3800 msnm. Tenemos como eje dinamizador del PEI “La calidad
de vida a través de la gestión ambiental” el cual tiene diversos objetivos,
dentro de los cuales esta desarrollar en nuestros estudiantes la
participación y el sentido de pertenencia por nuestros recursos.
Implementación de la propuesta de aula
Al comenzar el proyecto los estudiantes hablaban de la importancia de la
utilización de las energías limpias pero no tenían una comprensión de los
procesos transformación de energía implicada en el uso de estas
tecnologías. Fue necesario permitir a los estudiantes algunas prácticas
experimentales en las que evidenciaran de manera directa la
transformación de la energía tales
como: la elaboración de circuitos
Morse, el desmonte de una plancha,
la
construcción
de
mini
aerogeneradores.
Además,
de
algunas clases colectivas
para
conocer la terminología de unidades
físicas que permitieron una mejor
comprensión la relación costo –
beneficio de la energía renovable en
comparación con la no renovable. En esta fase del proyecto nos dimos
cuenta de la importancia del material que se elige para construir las aspas
de un aerogenerador, ya que las elaboradas en plástico se movían con un
simple soplo pero las hechas de madera necesitaron de un secador de pelo
para moverse. Sin embargo, la comprensión de esta parte física, tendría
que ir de la mano con el análisis de las condiciones climatológicas de
nuestro entorno. Por lo que en esta fase se procedió a medir la dirección y
velocidad del viento, en nuestra institución, a partir de la observación y de
la elaboración de mapas e instrumentos como veletas, anemómetros y
brújulas; se tomaron datos en distintos horas del día y en distintos lugares.
Así, se logró determinar
la zona más indicada para instalar un
aerogenerador en nuestro colegio. En este momento contamos con los
planos para construir y ubicar un aerogenerador en nuestra institución
que proporcione electricidad a 5 lámparas fluorescentes circulares.
Propuesta de Aula
fases
Intenciones
Percepciones
de
los
estudiantes
sobre
energías
limpias
Retomar
elementos
para el trabajo de
enseñanza.
Experiencias
prácticas
electricidad
de
Análisis de las
condiciones eólicas
de la institución
-Evidenciar
la
transformación de la
energía.
-Determinar la zona
más apropiada para
instalar
un
aerogenerador en la
institución.
Actividades
Guía introductoria
-Elaboración
de
circuitos, baterías de
limón
y
mini
aerogeneradores.
-Realización del mapa de
la institución.
-Elaboración
anemómetros.
de
-Realización de tablas de
datos de dirección y
velocidad del viento en la
institución a distintas
zonas y horas.
Conclusión
La propuesta de aula dirigida a la implementación de un aerogenerador en
nuestro colegio dio a los estudiantes la oportunidad de indagar, analizar y
valorar la importancia del recurso eólico de nuestro sector (4-6m/s), para
cumplir con nuestro objetivo. También posibilitó el acercamiento de los
estudiantes en la construcción de mini aerogeneradores y una alta
sensibilización frente a las ventajas de la utilización de la energía eólica y el
aprovechamiento de la misma a favor de nuestro ambiente.