Una nueva mirada a la formación docente como camino hacia equidad de género

Recibido 01 de noviembre de 2010 • Aceptado 09 de marzo de 2011 • Corregido 24 de abril de 2011   El objetivo de este artículo es llevar a la reflexión sobre el tema de las relaciones asimétricas entre los hombres y las mujeres, las cuales representan una desventaja en especial para las mujeres. Lo anterior representa una realidad histórica que se vive en todos los contextos sociales, y la institución educativa no escapa a esta situación. Las relaciones de desigualdad e inequidad han venido a permear los roles asignados socialmente en razón de la identidad sexual, y en los cuales las mujeres se ven discriminadas en la igualdad de oportunidades para su pleno desarrollo como ser humano.Resulta importante reconocer las luchas que se han venido dando para acabar con esta desigualad y discriminación; pero todavía quedan muchas tareas pendientes. Es justamente la educación un camino que puede conducir a la senda donde hombres y mujeres gocen de los mismos derechos y deberes, no sólo en el papel, sino que esas políticas se concreten en la vida cotidiana. De ahí que la formación de las futuras educadoras y educadores, requiere de una nueva mirada en el diseño e implementación de los planes de estudios, los cuales incorporen, de manera explícita y profunda, la categoría analítica de género, para promover, desde el preescolar hasta el nivel universitario, cambios en las prácticas sexistas.

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.

Conversation Circles as a Teaching Strategy: An Experience to Reflect on and Implement in Higher Education

The experience approached in this paper aims at reflecting, reasoning, planning and implementing the “Conversation Circles” as a teaching strategy in the PF-4237 course “Theory of Education: Multiculturalism and Education” of the Latin American Doctoral Program in Education, University of Costa Rica. This training experience, based on the communicative action theory, intended to integrate the assistance of the teacher, the confrontation to otherness and the building of knowledge, skills and social attitudes in higher education.

Relevant Aspects on Teaching Probability and Statistics in Basic General Education

Probability and Statistics were included in the Basic General Education curricula by the Ministry of Public Education (Costa Rica), since 1995. To analyze the teaching reality in these fields, a research was conducted in two educational regions of the country: Heredia and Pérez Zeledón. The survey included university training and updating processes of teachers teaching Statistics and Probability in the schools. The research demonstrated the limited university training in these fields, the dissatisfaction of teachers about it, and the poor support of training institutions to their professional exercise.

“Constructive Paranoia” Applied to Education (The Case of English Language Teaching)

This paper analyzes the concept of constructive paranoia stated by journalist and author Andrés Oppenheimer to promote development in Latin America. Based on that concept, this paper discusses the effectiveness of current English Language Teaching, particularly, as well as what should be done in order to obtain better results. As a conclusion, a re-structure of approach, curriculum and methodology in teaching the language is proposed.

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.