Pedagogical Mediation for the Autonomy of Future Professionals in Teacher Training

This article studies the importance of pedagogical mediation in helping first-year students in the Teacher Training area to advance from intellectual heteronomy to intellectual autonomy. It explains some strategies and experiences implemented by the authors. It focuses on the need of paying attention to students in order to understand their expectations, opinions and previous experiences as a basis for developing different topics and concepts, to favor an actual free participation in the pedagogical mediation dynamics and, consequently, opportunities for students to express themselves with autonomy. The aforementioned strategies allow for the transition from a pedagogy centered on teaching to a pedagogy centered on learning, in such a way that the future educator becomes a protagonist in his/her formation and constructs his/her own intellectual identity, based on the concept of action-reflection-action. The authors of this article consider that the first year in higher education is a privileged opportunity to develop the autonomy of future teachers, and, as stated by Freire (2004), the respect for autonomy is an ethical imperative.

Una mediación ética, psicológica y ecologizante

Recibido 10 de noviembre de 2010 • Aceptado 09 de marzo de 2011 • Corregido 04 de mayo de 2011    En este artículo hago hincapié en la importancia de la mediación pedagógica en el proceso educativo y paso a señalar cómo la mediación se enriquece si se toman en cuenta consideraciones de tipo ético como la legitimidad del otro; de tipo psicológico, rescatando del valor de la empatía, y de tipo ecologizante, resaltando la importancia de la contextualización como medio pedagógico.

Proposal for Academic Achievement and Permanence of Students in the 7th Grade (1)

This paper analyzes the impact of change processes experienced by many student populations when completing primary education (1st-6th grade) and starting secondary education (7th-11th grade). Based on the research conducted, this paper describes situations and aspects that may result in conditional factors for the student’s adjustment at this level: time-space changes, as well as organizational and dynamic changes that would set the new educational environment and social context in which this new stage will be developed. Such conditional factors that affect learning in incoming students: programs, teaching methodology, learning styles and new evaluation methods will be discussed. As a result of this research, a proposal is presented to facilitate transition from primary to the secondary education. This proposal includes guidelines for awareness and strengthening of pedagogical mediation, which would contribute to the permanence of students from all types of institutions in the education system.  (1) [Translator’s note: The Costa Rican education system is composed of primary education (1st-6th grade) and secondary education (7th-11th grade).]

Educando con medios alternativos

Recibido 10 de noviembre de 2010 • Aceptado 09 de marzo de 2011 • Corregido 04 de mayo de 2011    Este artículo nace de mi interés por explorar caminos que hagan de la experiencia educativa que se vive diariamente en las aulas, una actividad más interesante y placentera; es por ello que exalto las posibilidades que como medio pedagógico tienen el cine y, en general, los medios audiovisuales, junto con la conveniencia de que los educadores recurran a ellos como alternativas enriquecedora de su desempeño profesional.