Memorizing: the end of a critical thinking

By: Isabela Saavedra Oliveros

Many schools and universities around the world continue implementing the “traditional educational system” which consists in memorize a huge quantity of information, dates, names and places. As we have seen until now, this system limits critical thinking as it teaches students to retain information but leaves behind the comprehension and subsequent application of it.

PSICOFISIOLOGÍA: UNIDAD VII .(s.f). Memoria. Recuperado de: http://ctedrapsicofisiologia.blogspot.com/2011/10/unidad-vii.html

One of the best articles that I have read recently about this issue is “memorizing is going to end” published by El País in 2021. Although it refers principally to Valencian educational institutions, I can perfectly apply it to the Colombian one.

Principally it states how the Spanish government is trying to change the traditional learning system by implementing the “multiple intelligences” one, Based on a methodology that does not favor rote learning (…) it places the student at the center of the system to develop their skills, a complicated task when the curriculum requires memorizing content. (El país, 2021). This means that memorizing takes a back seat in order to develop true professional skills that are needed in modern jobs.

Bright concepto. (22 February, 2022). How to develop the 7 stages of critical thinking. Recuperado de: https://www.brightconcept-consulting.com/en/blog/leadership/how-to-develop-the-7-skills-of-critical-thinking

Likewise, at the moment students are forced to learn by memory they loose complete interest for learning, something that happened to me and my classmates in Colombia. Memorizing is actually boring, although it takes less time, there’s no a better way for teachers to catch students attention, that to interconnect topics.

Interdisciplinary is one of the best tools academic institutions can use. El Pais, arguments that this one, helps people to experiment in different branches of knowledge promoting critical thinking. However, this can only be done through participative methodologies such as debates; in order to build a collective knowledge and learning system.

References:

Suleng, K. (2021, April 24). El Memorizar Se va a acabar. El País. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://elpais.com/espana/comunidad-valenciana/2021-04-24/el-memorizar-se-va-a-acabar.html 

Good initiative but not so good implementation

˝Good initiative˝ is a project established in 2008. still trying to accomplish their main objective. The main aim of this initiative is to include a civic education in the school curriculum. That’s exactly what croatian educational system is missing (to start with).

“Civic education and civic responsibility should be
taught in elementary school.”

Donna Brazile

In 2021. they published a brochure of guidelince how to implement it correctly. They did it because schools in some regions finally decided to put the civic education into their curriculum. The down side was that, according to the “Good initiative” they didn’t do it the right way. Their opinion is that they should have done it gradually and not rush into it.

Obviouslly this is a non-profit organisation but it seems like it is here to stay. They have quite a few publications and materials published on their website. Here is an example of a video made to explain the meaning of solidarity:

Good initiative also advocates the United nations’ Agenda 2030 initiative – a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. In their words, these goals “are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental.”

SDGs, taken from: https://www.getupandgoals.eu/gce/sdgs, 9-Oct-’22

Celaá’s Law

by: Guadalupe García

The most recent work on Spanish education is what it is called the LOMLOE law –or the Celaá’s Law. By this change, the government tries to follow the UNESCO and European Union objectives for the years 2020 until 2030.

Isabel Celaá, Former Spokesperson of the Government of Spain https://s2.abcstatics.com/media/sociedad/2021/12/10/celaa2-kXGD–1248×698@abc.jpg

Even though it was approved in January 2021, it has not really taken action. Therefore, and as the progress seems escalating, although irregularly, it is believed that it will be fully implemented on this year’s course.

As a result, this policy has just started between 8th and 12th of September (the beginning of the scholar year). However, with the unusual peculiarity that only odd numbered grades will start this 2022/2023. This is, from Elementary school up to Baquelorian, first, third and fifth of elementary school; first and fifth of Secondary school; and first of Bacquelorian. The first year of FPs counts too.

With LOMLOE law, the Spanish government hopes to exterminate school segregation as well as the flexibility with students who do not fit on the regular “grade categorisation” system. The first one is intended to start with the incorporation of vulnerable students into concerted schools and the second one with not relying anymore on the fails or passes but on the professor criteria. 

There are many more new policies which are expected to be included in the program. Nevertheless, there has been resentment among the population against this law.

Bibliography:

https://www.abc.es/sociedad/vuelta-cole-estos-son-cambios-curso-tras-nueva-ley-educacion-nsv-20220831124955-nt.html

https://elpais.com/educacion/2022-08-28/asi-cambia-este-curso-la-escuela-con-la-nueva-ley-educativa.html

Breaking Simple Barriers and Changing Lives

The Ministry of Education on a session that talked about the latest decree

By: Gabriel Díaz

Everything changes and grows, at least to some extent. Education in Panama, due to circumstances related to the government, economy, and the unexpected crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has showed not so many advancements and accomplishments, but there are some redeemable facts that can be acknowledged. In this present year, 2022, recovery and reintegration have been the key elements that the Meduca, the Panamanian Ministry of Education, has set as objectives. Panama was the country that opened classrooms at the end of the pandemic. Even countries in Africa and Asia or in other less developed areas opened their classrooms before Panama.

 That “grace period” gave organizations and the Ministry of Education the time to think about what they could do to better education. One of the best works they did was to soften rules regarding clothing and allow students that suffer from poverty or inequality to have more flexibility and not find a barrier with a thing so basic as clothing. The Decree, issued at the beginning in February 2022, “contemplates the use of the school uniform, but if a special situation arises in families, and they do not have the resources to buy it, it will not be an impediment to the education of children and young people. For this reason, the decree was made more flexible to allow attendance at the educational center in private clothing.” It might seem as not a big thing but it has an immeasurable impact on students in a vulnerable situation and is prodigious work done by the government and Maruja Gorday de Villalobos, the Meduca director.

Sources:

https://sertv.gob.pa/nacionalfm/el-conep-conoce-avances-claves-de-la-educacion-en-panama/

https://www.panama24horas.com.pa/panama/meduca-iniciara-el-ano-escolar-con-grandes-avances-en-el-aprendizaje/

A significant work on Peru’s educational system

By: Camila Echevarria

"Peru has achieved concrete goals", exclaimed the president of Peru, Pedro Castillo Terrones, on September 19 at the United Nations Assembly.

Pedro Castillo participates in the United Nations Assembly. September 19, 2022.

After several months of research, essays, conferences, opinions and debates, the president of Peru finally communicated to the citizens that two great goals had been achieved in the field of education.

The first of them is related to the vaccine against covid-19. “The efficient vaccination strategy for older adults and children has allowed 98% of students to resume face-to-face classes this year in a safe and flexible return”, said the president. In this sense, the number of children who will attend schools in person will be much higher than last year.

It is expected that by the end of the year the percentage of children between 5 and 12 years old, vaccinated with a second dose, will be 80%.

In addition, Castillo stated that this achievement will result in a more inclusive education and the closing of many social gaps.

“Our goal is to achieve an inclusive, decentralised and diversified education that contributes to overcoming gaps and guarantees equal opportunities”

Pedro Castillo, September 19, 2022

The second great achievement in the field of education in Peru refers to the scholarships awarded to students. 36,000 scholarships have been awarded to young people with limited economic resources but with good economic performance. Consequently, many students will be able to study at the university.

Pedro Castillo’s full speech at the United Nations Assembly. September 19, 2022.

Bibliography:

Pedro Castillo exposes achievements and projections of Peru in education during the UN assembly. (September 19, 2022). Correo Diary.