La investigación como eje transversal en el desarrollo de los cursos de la carrera en la Enseñanza de la Educación Física

The purpose of this article is to provide with brief reflections to faculty in order to give them practical advices using research as a transversal axis in a defined pedagogical strategy applicable to the courses offered by the School of Sport Science (SSS). In other words, we intend to emphasize the role of research by reaching professional profiles and developing the courses offered by the School of Sport Science (SS). Finally, a hypothetic example was used to explain each step in relationship to the research protocol from a positivistic perspective.

Currículo en el nivel preescolar costarricense: El Ciclo Materno Infantil (CMI)

The present article tackles the conceptualization and description of the Infantile Maternal Cycle as p The present article tackles the conceptualization and description of the Infantile Maternal Cycle as part of the preschool level of the Costa Rican educational system. With the intention of having a wider vision of this Cycle, a revision is done for the curriculum concept, as well as, for the elements that shape it, and then there is a detailed description of specific aspects related to the preschool Costa Rican curriculum of the Infantile Maternal Cycle, taking as a starting point the Program of Study that was designed to attend the above Cycle in the Costa Rican educational system.

Transición 6 grado a 7año, ¿problema o desafío?

The present article displays the results of a two-year research experience carried out by an interdisciplinary research team from the five academic departments (units) at CIDE. The study is part of a larger research project named Profiles, Dynamics and Challenges of Costa Rican education at CIDE, which is directed by the Deanery. The study was conducted during 2006 and part of 2007 in secondary schools which were identified as successful institutions regarding academic achievements. The research focused on exploring the factors which influence students’ academic performance positively as they move from primary to secondary school and as they remain within successful academic indicators during those transition years. This research, besides involving an important literature review, required field work which took place in ten secondary schools from diverse settings all over the country. Observations were made and the seventh and eighth graders’ beliefs, as well as, their parents’ and teachers’ assumptions were explored. In addition, paralleled to the aspects mentioned, an important population of sixth grade students, their parents, and teachers were studied, since those primary institutions were related to the secondary schools involved in the study.

La población estudiantil en el sétimo año de la educación pública costarricense

Seventh grade students share personal characteristics that are analyzed in this paper based on the teachers´ performance of the proper mediation for the students´ learning. The results of an investigation done with the model of teachers´ profiles at this level will be the basis for this paper (Alfaro et al, 2008a). We conclude that the biopsychosocial development and maturational stage of the transit-preteen-teen children must be the domain of faculty at this level, as well as, the socioeconomic context of family and social contexts of their students.

Fundamentos teóricos de la Educación Universitaria, sus artífices e incidencias en el currículo promovido

Recibido 21 de agosto de 2008 • Aceptado 29 de abril de 2009 • Corregido 23 de junio de 2009   Es posible pensar que al igual que la política nutre el currículo, la pedagogía, en su arte práctica, supone ser su abono para el cultivo de aprendizajes en la vida. Esto significa que el docente con formación pedagógica puede estar en capacidad de transformar su conocimiento disciplinar en un aprendizaje de conocimiento entendible, práctico y con sentido, por cuanto recurre a la pedagogía como el instrumento que le facilita viabilizar la política curricular en aras de convertir el proceso educativo en uno de calidad. Asimismo, se considera que gran parte de la profesionalización docente podría radicar en la continuidad de la formación del profesorado o formación permanente, cuyo resultado es el desarrollo profesional del profesorado y, consecuentemente, del alumnado, para que, de este proceso, se geste, “conocimiento al servicio de la vida, del elevamiento de la calidad de vida” (Flores, 1994, p. XXV), es decir, aprendizajes significativos producto de modelos de enseñanza acordes con lo que dicta y busca la propuesta curricular promovida.

Aportes de la administración moderna a la gerencia educativa

Nowadays, the educative manager or principal has a series of tools of modern administration that allow him/her to guide the educational institution towards quality. Thus, he/she must fulfils a series of functions that are framed within the administrative process, such as planning, organizing, directing and controlling activities in the educational institution. This article´s main objective is to present some of these contributions and the way in which the principal can use them to improve the educational institution. The modern administration puts at the disposal different conceptions that help to visualize the way in which the institution must be managed. The main conclusion that is extracted is that a unique theoretical framework does not exist that can ensure the success of a principal, instead, there must be a use of the best aspects that each of the conceptions that the modern administration have in order to adapt them, according to the circumstances.

Intercambio de experiencias de capacitación y de práctica profesional

The present article arises from the implementation of the Academic Exchange project between the Division de Educación Rural (Rural Education School) from Universidad Nacional and other collaborating schools. There are two fundamental actions that are approached; first, the theoretical methodological conception of the professional field practicum of the DER and second, the teaching training to rural teachers in service. From these academic activities, products developed are exposed in the project and some reflections about the academic experience were also exposed as a result of lessons learned during the whole process.

Una retrospección y visión de futuro sobre el uso e implementación de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, para el aprendizaje virtual en el contexto de la División de Educología de la Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica

Division de Educología (School of Education for Secondary Level) of Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica, (UNA) has been aware of the necessary planning and thought of a future that demands a continuous reflection between what is possible and what is desirable. In this sense, the formation of future educators of the country in different specialties, should promote not only the use of the technology, but also the development of critical and objective thinking that will embrace its advantages and its limitations in the noble exercise of what is teaching and learning. Under the light of these precepts, in the year 2007, the educational research activity emerged by the name of Didactic Resources for Learning with a bimodal focus. The present article exposes the main ideas that have been matured after an experience of more than two years with this course, and it is also searching for recapturing a responsible way of planning, implementing and managing the policies of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) for the bimodal learning in the context of the Division de Educología (School of Education for Secondary Level) of UNA.

La política educativa y su compromiso con la equidad social y el desarrollo sostenible

The article centers its analysis in two areas of the current educational policies in Costa Rica: the statements that the document contains about its commitment with the social equity and the sustainable development, subject that has a strong relationship with rural education, its conceptualization, its planning, and its development. At the same time, it traces a brief description of the development of the right to education in the nation’s politics, showing advances of the country’s vulnerable groups, with the promulgation of new laws that these sectors have been reaching through fights and organized demands.

La educación mediada por el mundo. Pistas para la promoción de prácticas educativas descolonizadoras

The educational processes are seen in this paper as “places” of colonization and freedom. Thus, the educational goals that have been assigned to education would condition the liberating possibilities of the teaching processes. As a result, the author suggests –from the interculturality paradigm– a series of keys for constructing both decolonized and decolonizing educational mediations.

¿Por qué es esencial discutir acerca del liderazgo en la gestión escolar?

The purpose of this article is to analyze some aspects of vital importance to educational organizations: Educational Leadership. Leadership is a big issue that has being an interest for many authors. The term gives a connotation of images that include powerful, dynamic and intelligent people. The majority of leadership analysis recognizes the fact that it can occur in all the organizations. This article suggests a brief explanation of what leadership means, and it explains two theories that have been developed and have an impact in the educational system: the transactional theory and the transformational theory. Therefore, this article mentions some basic elements about transformational leadership in a school´s principal. Finally, there is an explanation about the vision of an educational organization and how this one links its leadership with the educational organizations in general.

Consideraciones básicas del pensamiento complejo de Edgar Morin, en la educación

This essay consists of a brief description and analysis of Edgar Morin´s complex thinking. For that reason, it focuses on the systematic approach that refers to the interconnection and interactions of objects, people, and environment as a whole, which serve as the basis of the educational proposal, where knowledge must be regarded as an integrated fashion and not as something fragmented. Thus, human knowledge should raise awareness that we are just a component of a more general system (complex and in constant interaction), where education can be an effective source for students to develop the capacity of understanding other complex systems, besides living organisms, where also there is a big influence from “new sciences” and humanities. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to develop those ideas proposed by Edgar Morin.

Pedagogía intercultural: ¿un eufemismo para tranquilizar conciencias o una alternativa para la transformación?

The present article it entails the revision of some aspects of the Costa Rican pedagogy, especially in the epistemology area, ethics and the policies as fundamental dimensions of education. From there, it also proposes the revision of its intercultural practices in order to determine whether what it is called in the CIDE (UNA) Intercultural Pedagogy it is just another euphemism than comes from outside and above. If we receive it without major analysis in order not to disturb our comfortable being in the world, reality, or as an alternative of transformation of the Costa Rican society.

Pedagogía, diversidad y lenguaje: develando los colores en miradas aprendientes

Recibido 26 de octubre de 2009 • Aceptado 02 de diciembre de 2009 • Corregido 17 de febrero de 2010 En el constante cambio que vivimos, la Pedagogía, en tanto ciencia de la educación, ciencia de la relacionalidad entre seres humanos, es el producto de acuerdos, de procesos comunicativos, procesos socioculturales entrelazados de forma compleja. La atención a la diversidad es una preocupación creciente en ambientes y sociedades plurales, y el lenguaje, como rasgo cultural permite describir nuestras circunstancias y reflexionar sobre ellas para comprenderlas, redimensionar el presente, valorar el pasado e imaginar el futuro. Si tenemos en cuenta que el habla es sólo una de las manifestaciones del lenguaje, si las diversas formas de expresión del cuerpo constituyen formas de lenguaje, se impone la necesidad de pensar cómo nos comunicamos en los procesos pedagógicos.

La importancia de la educación ambiental ante la problemática actual

The dominant development system with its neoliberal policies and market-centered approaches contribute to aggravate the socio-environmental problems, under the context of the globalization of the market. For that reason, the concern about the sustainable development of the environment makes highly necessary the structuring of an environmental education that forms and informs about this problem. As a result, environmental education constitutes the educational process that deals with the relation between the human being and his/her environment (natural and man-made) and with itself, as well as the effects caused by this relation. In this way, environmental education must constitute an integral process, which plays its role throughout the whole teaching and learning intertwinement. For this reason it is necessary to establish an educational process that examines the relation of any topic or human being activity, within an analysis of the importance or incidence on social life, as it is the pedagogical part and its political essence.