Inclusive Education from a Service Learning Secondary Education proposal

Author(s):

M. Pilar Martínez-Agut (presenting / submitting) Anna Monzó (presenting) Isabel María Gallardo-Fernández Alexandra Carrasco González Albert Ninyerola A. Cristina Zamora-Castillo

Conference:

ECER 2017

Network:

04. Inclusive Education

Format:

Poster

Session Information

04 SES 04.5 PS, General Poster Session

General Poster Session

Time:

2017-08-23

12:00-13:30

Room:

W4.corridor (Poster Area)

Chair:

Contribution

This work is based on the initial questions about whether basic competences are achieved in Compulsory Secondary Education in Spain and whether an inclusive education is promoted in Secondary classrooms through the presence and participation of students. Our contribution is inserted in a Research Project that investigates the processes of educational inclusion in Secondary Education.

We start with an international framework based on the proposals of UNESCO, Education for All (2015a) and the growing interest in "inclusive education" (UNESCO y OEI, 2017).

The term Inclusive Education arises as a reform that embraces and supports diversity among all students through participation, reducing exclusion (Ainscow & Miles, 2009; UNESCO, 2005).

At European and national level, it is specified in the European Key Competences (Unión Europea, 2006), which establish the Basic Competences of Compulsory Secondary Education in Spain (LOE, 2006).

The profile of the students is diverse (repeated failures in their academic life, which has marked their work style, low self-esteem and confidence in their possibilities), which hinders their work and interest in academic tasks.

The idea arises from organizing a puppet show aimed at students of the children's cycle of their old school. In addition, this project was consistent with the idea of work to be fostered from this group, the need to link classroom learning to the students' environment, in order to promote a more comprehensive training. It is not only "learning to know" but also "learning to do", "learning to live" and "learning to be" (Delors, 1996), from education and knowledge as global common goods (UNESCO, 2015b).

We assume that the development of verbal and nonverbal communicative skills is essential for the future development of the student in the world and for the structuring of his / her thinking (Bruner, 1998).

The APS project was developed following the collaborative methodology that is usually followed in the classroom, so that the different theatrical works that were written were done in group and decisions were taken in a large group. The project was developed in different phases:

The first phase was oriented to initial motivation and documentation. Videos on children theater were visualized in class, which served to encourage students to develop the project and reflect; The evolutionary characteristics of children aged 3 to 5 years were analyzed in class; The local library was visited, where space, characters and topic or thematic thread were materialized in the library’s children’s and Young people’s literature room, starting material with which they would later elaborate the plays in the classroom.

The second phase began with the process of writing the plays. First the story was finalized and then moved on to writing in theatrical format. As the trials progressed, the texts were reworked and improved. Thus, we started an interdisciplinary work with links to the different subjects and curriculum contents of Secondary Education, but also to the interests of the student (Dewey, 1938; Dewey, 2004; Pujolàs, 2008). The basic subject was Language, but the project was extended to other subjects, which worked in a coordinated way: in Technology a puppet theater structure was built; in entrepreneurship, the virtual creation of a company of shows and animation was worked; in drawing, the puppets and backgrounds of the different scenes were designed and painted.

Finally, it was proposed to complete the proposal with a live theater and a song with choreography to involve the children. On the other hand, a dossier was made with all the students in the class and presented in the schools, where the following sections were incorporated: presentation of the project, justification, programme of the show and annex with photographic material.

Method

We consider that the qualitative methodology is the most adequate to show evidence of what happens in the classrooms, since it supposes a naturalistic and interpretative approach to the world (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). We are aware of the complexity of educational situations, their unpredictability, their constant change and reorganization (Buendía, Colás y Hernández. 1999). The intervention that we have presented is based on a methodology framed in the field of action research (Elliot, 1990). Thus, this project is born from the finding of a complex situation, problematic and the need to understand and improve the reality of students. This attempt has been made from a service learning project that has involved various academic disciplines. The aim was to try to make the pupils see the interrelation and interconnection between the different knowledge worked in the classroom, as well as to build an experience in which the students were the direct protagonists, involving the collaboration and cooperation of all the group and have a useful impact on their environment. The fact of representing the work in the old primary school was also an incentive. In this sense, the meta-analysis carried out by Celio, Durlak & Dymnicki (2011) concludes that the most positive effects in the field of Learning-Service projects are on academic performance (0.43 effect size) and, with less incidence, in aspects such as attitude to school, civic commitment or social competence (Puig, Batlle, Bosch, i Palos, 2006; Puig, y Palos, 2006). Buendía, Colás y Hernández (1999) explain that there are different methods and instruments of qualitative research in psychopedagogy. In our case, we use the questionnaire, the registration of the students 'proposals, the non-participant observation of the whole project, the analysis of the field diary, the transcription of a discussion group, the graphic record of students' productions, photos, audio recordings of group conversations and individual interviews. As for the organization of work in the classroom, the methodology of cooperative groups was followed as a basis, which is usually used in most of the subjects taught in the group (Kagan, 1994). The students were given a high profile, who participated making decisions regarding the drafting of the works of art, the construction of the characters, the stage design, the staging, As well as in the elaboration of a project to present in the schools and to advertise their work. This methodology fits with student autonomy and entrepreneurship.

Expected Outcomes

This project is an attempt to improve the academic inclusion of students in a group of curricular diversification of compulsory secondary education. The project to set up a children's theater show has made possible to put into practice the skills and stimulate learning: inclusion, coexistence, teamwork, equal opportunities. This experience has meant a meeting between formal and non-formal education and involving students in the reality of their environment. It has become an opportunity to involve students in their community and to foster intergenerational contact. The students participating in the experience show their satisfaction with the work done. Thus, they collaborated in the learning of the little ones and they were involved in a very decided way. Likewise, the project has also served to improve one's self-concept. Our proposal is thus linked to Learning-Service, as it combines the learning process of the students with the service to the community, with the intention of improving their immediate environment, and with the social learning of the actors in the educational scenario. Confirming both this difficulty and the need to overcome it for a more optimal performance led us to launch a Service-Learning Project (APS) that included the work of curricular contents and at the same time became a motivation for students, Influencing their self-esteem and involvement in the community. In order to change the school, it is necessary that the teaching practices change. It is necessary to have a teacher capable of reflecting, analyzing and investigating his or her teaching practice, who becomes a researcher of his or her own professional practice (Stenhouse, 1998). The persistence of Balkanized school organizations (Hargreaves, 1999), (particularly in secondary education) or the existence of less inclusive educational conceptions (Urbina, Simón y Echeita, 2011) may limit the presence, participation and learning of certain Vulnerable students.

References

Ainscow, M. & Miles, S. (2009). Developing inclusive education systems: how can we move policies forward. Manchester, UK: University of Manchester. Bruner, J. (1998). Realidad mental, mundos posibles. Barcelona: Gedisa. Buendía Eisman, L., Colás Bravo, M. P., y Hernández Pina, F. (1999). Métodos de investigación en psicopedagogía. Madrid: McGraw-Hill. Celio, C. I., Durlak, J., & Dymnicki, A. (2011). A Meta-analysis of the Impact of Service-Learning on Students. Journal of Experiential Education. 34(2), 164-181. Retrieved from: https://www.tamiu.edu/profcenter/documents/Meta-AnalysisoftheImpactofSLonStudentts_2011.pdf Delors, J. (1996). Informe Delors. La educación encierra un tesoro. Madrid: Unesco-Santillana. Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005). The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research. London: Thousand Oaks. Sage Publications. Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Editorial MacMillan. Dewey, J. (2004). Democracia y educación. Madrid: Morata Eliot, J. (1990). La investigación-acción en educación. Madrid: Morata. Kagan, S. (1994). Cooperative learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing. Hargreaves, A. (1999). Profesorado, cultura y postmodernidad. Madrid: Morata. LOE (2006). Ley Orgánica 2/2006, de 3 de mayo, de Educación. BOE núm. 106. Puig, J. M., Batlle, R., Bosch, C., i Palos, J. (2006). Aprenentatge servei. Educar per a la ciutadania. Barcelona: Octaedro. Puig, J., y Palos, J. (2006). Rasgos pedagógicos del aprendizaje-servicio. Cuadernos de pedagogía. 357. 60-63. Disponible en: http://roserbatlle.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/ras gos-pedagogicos.pdf Pujolàs, P. (2008). 9 ideas clave: el aprendizaje cooperativo. Barcelona: Edicions Graó. Stenhouse, L. (1998). Cultura y Educación. Sevilla: MCEP. UNESCO (2005). Guidelines for inclusión: Ensuring Access to Education for All. París: UNESCO. Retrieved from:: http://unesco.org/educacion/inclusive. UNESCO (2015a): Education For All 2000-2015: Achievements And Challenges. París: UNESCO. Retrieved from: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002322/232205e.pdf UNESCO (2015b). Rethinking Education. Towards a global common good?. Paris: Unesco. Retrieved from: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002325/232555e.pdf UNESCO Y OEI (2017). Diálogo Mundial y Liderazgo Intelectual. Disponible en: http://www.ibe.unesco.org/es/recursos?search_api_views_fulltext=%22cie%2048areunion%202008 Unión Europea (2006). Recomendación del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo de 18 de Diciembre de 2006 sobre las competencias clave para el aprendizaje permanente. 2006/962/CE. Disponible en: http://infofpe.cea.es/fpe/norm/Rec%2018_2006.pdf. Urbina, C., Simón, C., y Echeita, G. (2011). Concepciones de los profesores acerca de las conductas disruptivas: análisis a partir de un marco inclusivo. Infancia y Aprendizaje 34(2), 205-217.

Author Information

M. Pilar Martínez-Agut (presenting / submitting)

University of Valencia (Spain)

Theory of Education

Valencia

Anna Monzó (presenting)

Universitat de València

Teoria de l'Educació

València

Isabel María Gallardo-Fernández

Universitat de Valencia

Valencia

Alexandra Carrasco González

Universitat de València

Elda

Albert Ninyerola

IES Eduardo Primo

Departament de Valencià

València

A. Cristina Zamora-Castillo

University of Valencia (Spain), Spain

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