Competencies Required in Education Research and Teaching Systematization according to Students from the Preschool, Primary and Secondary Education Programs of the University of Costa Rica

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of two online forums carried out with the participation of 42 students of the Licenciaturas  in Preschool Education, Primary Education and Secondary Education of the University of Costa Rica. The main purpose of the forums was to determine the insights of the participant students about the competencies they have achieved in the field of education research, and which have been the essential tools for them to systematize their own teaching practices. The discussion forums were part of the course FD5091 Métodos de Investigación Educativa [Education Research Methods] of the School of Teacher Education, delivered from March-April 2010.  Of the sample, 60 percent were students of the Preschool teaching program, 35 percent were from the Primary Education teaching program and 5 percent were from the Secondary Education teaching program in the fields of Science, Mathematics and Social Studies. According to the insights and beliefs showed by the participants –both, the future teachers and the profession practitioners–, there are no opportunities for research or systematization of their own teaching mediation, in the current work situation.(1) Translator’s Note: In Costa Rica, the “Licenciatura” is a one-year post-Bachelor study program, usually including thesis. “Primary Education” refers to students from the 1st to 6th grades, and “Secondary Education” refers to students from the 7th to 11th grades.

Comparison of multiple intelligences in children from schools with different pedagogical models

The purpose of this research was to apply a test that measures different multiple intelligences in children from two different elementary schools to determine whether there are differences between the Academicist Pedagogical Model (traditional approach) established by the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education and the Cognitive Pedagogical Model (MPC) (constructivist approach). A total of 29 boys and 20 girls with ages 8 to 12 from two different public schools in Heredia (Laboratorio School and San Isidro School) participated in this study. The instrument used was a Multiple Intelligences Test for school age children (Vega, 2006), which consists of 15 items subdivided in seven categories: linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual, kinaesthetic, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Two-Way ANOVA) were used for the analysis of data.  Significant differences were found in linguistic intelligence (F:9.47; p < 0.01) between the MPC school (3.24±1.24 points) and the academicist school (2.31±1.10 points).  Differences were also found between sex (F:5.26; p< 0.05), for girls (3.25±1.02 points) and boys (2.52±1.30 points). In addition, the musical intelligence showed significant statistical differences between sexes (F: 7.97; p < 0.05).  In conclusion, the learning pedagogical models in Costa Rican public schools must be updated based on the new learning trends.

Semblanza y liderazgo de Omar Dengo: vigencia de su pensamiento

Aspects of the life of Omar Dengo outline and define him as a figure of outstanding humanistic leadership. His pedagogical work and social commitment are reflected in his actions for civilian causes, which transcend his times and continue to be valid today.

La investigación educativa interdisciplinaria integrada en el Centro de Investigación y Docencia en Educación (CIDE): un aporte de las Unidades Académicas y del INEINA

The project called Perfiles, Dinámicas y Desafíos de la Educación Costarricense (Profiles, Dynamics and Challenges of the Costa Rican Education) in its various working phases it conducts interdisciplinary educational research at an integrated level at the Centro de Investigación y Docencia en Educación (CIDE) (Research and Teaching Center) from Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica. This article discusses the importance of taking into account outcomes and products of such research work within the various majors that CIDE offers.

Desarrollo social y educación superior

Recibido 12 de abril de 2011 • Aceptado 26 de agosto de 2011 • Corregido 21 de octubre de 2011      El presente ensayo tiene por objetivo reflexionar sobre el quehacer de la universidad pública costarricense y su responsabilidad en la formación para el desarrollo social. Lo anterior, entendido como uno de los múltiples retos que enfrenta la educación superior, de cara a las demandas que la función del conocimiento posee en el presente, y a la relación de estas con el desarrollo autónomo del conocimiento. Su planteamiento, defiende algunos asuntos débilmente abordados en estudios previos, y que se constituyen en elementos esenciales para una formación significativa, funcional y de impacto social, como son: a) La ética en la organización, b) La autoeducación de la universidad, c) La incidencia de las políticas curriculares en las prácticas promovidas, d) La transformación de la cultura docente para contribuir a mejorar la práctica, y e) La construcción del conocimiento para fundamentar criterios, tomar decisiones, solucionar problemas y construir proyectos de vida.

LA PRODUCCIÓN DE SIGNIFICADOS Y REPRESENTACIONES DEL ESPACIO POR LA GEOGRAFÍA ESCOLAR: POSIBILIDADES Y LIMITACIONES EN LOS MAPAS

ResumenPresentamos en este artículo una reflexión sobre la producción de los significados y representaciones del espacio geográfico, a partir de una discusión sobre educación escolar en el componente curricular, Geografía en la Educación Básica. Proponemos una interrogación acerca de su aporte en la construcción de las percepciones espaciales, desencadenando este pensar especialmente sobre el uso, las limitaciones y las posibilidades reveladas en los mapas. De ese modo, invitamos a un cuestionamiento sobre las formas de utilización de ese recurso, que exige elecciones codificadas, simplificadas y representadas según criterios de escalas, símbolos y proyecciones cartográficas.Discutimos cómo la Geografía escolar utiliza los mapas y cómo propone los significados y representaciones de ese lenguaje en imagen, en la medida que son configuraciones producidas y cuyos contenidos son escogidos. Argumentamos que la educación escolar responde en gran parte a las representaciones construidas por las personas. Por eso, el presente texto es un ejercicio relevante para los educadores en general, una invitación al análisis de la utilización de los lenguajes específicos de cada área del conocimiento. Fortalecemos, de esa manera, el debate sobre las producciones de las representaciones, esenciales en los movimientos de la vida cotidiana de las personas que pasan por la escuela proyectando un currículo más abierto.Palabras clave: Aprendizaje escolar, significados, representaciones, Geografía escolar, mapa.AbstractWe present in this article a reflection on the production of meanings and representations in the geographical space, from a discussion on school education in the curriculum component, Geography in Basic Education. We propose a question about its contribution to the construction of spatial perceptions, triggering an analysis particularly about the use, limitations and opportunities revealed in the maps.Thus, we invite for discussion ways of utilizing that resource which requires encoded choices, simplified and represented according to criteria of scale, symbols and map projections. We discuss how the Geography student uses the maps and how the student applies the meanings and representations of that picture language in the settings as they are produced and whose contents are chosen.We argue that education is greatly due to the representations constructed by people. Therefore, this text is an important exercise for educators in general, an invitation to the analysis of the use of specific languages for each area of knowledge. In this way, we strengthen the debate over the production of essential representations in the movements of the daily life of the people passing through the school by projecting a more open curriculum.Key words: Elementary education, meanings, representations, school geography, maps.