Concepciones de profesores rurales sobre la clase de ciencias naturales y su influencia en la práctica de aula

La presente investigación se enfoca en los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje de las Ciencias Naturales en el aula rural de la comuna de Puerto Montt, Chile. El objeto de este trabajo son las concepciones del profesorado y su relación con las prácticas de aula, así como la vinculación al contexto y al escenario rural en el que el proceso educativo es llevado a cabo. El contexto rural como escenario de esta investigación se muestra como protagonista, debido a que, en la ruralidad, las dinámicas en las que se mueve el proceso educativo están fuertemente influenciadas por el entorno y las personas que lo conforman. Esto cobra relevancia para el análisis del proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje de las Ciencias Naturales, porque se vislumbran nuevas oportunidades de construcción de conocimiento científico en el aula a través de la comprensión adecuada del rol del profesor como mediador en este proceso a través del estudio de sus concepciones, su práctica y las relaciones de éstas con el contexto donde se desempeña. Esta investigación se propone desde un paradigma cualitativo-interpretativo, desde el enfoque de estudio de caso múltiple, con variadas técnicas de recolección de información tales como entrevistas, cuestionarios y escritos personales. El trabajo permite reconocer algunos de los elementos que destacan dos profesores una escuela rural acerca de su propio rol dentro de la institución y de la comunidad. Asimismo, se muestra un análisis breve que pretende establecer miradas iniciales desde la didáctica específica de las Ciencias Naturales, sobre las clases de esta disciplina que realizan los docentes en escuelas rurales del Sur de Chile que tienen la oportunidad de diferenciarse a causa del escenario donde tiene lugar la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de las Ciencias Naturales. Asimismo, se hace la relación entre las concepciones de los profesores, sus orígenes y los procesos de enseñanza que se llevan a cabo en el aula.This research focuses on the teaching and learning processes of Natural Sciences in the rural classroom of the commune of Puerto Montt, Chile. The object of this work are the teachers' conceptions and their relationship with classroom practices, as well as the link to the context and the rural setting in which the educational process is carried out. The rural context as the setting for this research is shown as the protagonist, because, in rurality, the dynamics in which the educational process moves are strongly influenced by the environment and the people who make it up. This becomes relevant for the analysis of the teaching and learning process of Natural Sciences, because new opportunities for the construction of scientific knowledge are envisioned in the classroom through the adequate understanding of the role of the teacher as a mediator in this process through the study of their conceptions, their practice and their relationships with the context where they work. This research is proposed from a qualitative-interpretive paradigm, from the multiple case study approach, with various information gathering techniques such as interviews, questionnaires and personal writings. The work allows us to recognize some of the elements that two teachers in a rural school highlight about their own role within the institution and the community. Likewise, a brief analysis is shown that aims to establish initial views from the specific didactics of Natural Sciences, on the classes of this discipline carried out by teachers in rural schools in southern Chile who have the opportunity to differentiate themselves because of the scenario where they have place the teaching and learning of Natural Sciences. Likewise, the relationship is made between the teachers' conceptions, their origins and the teaching processes carried out in the classroom

Snailed It! Inside the Shell: Using Augmented Reality as a Window Into Biodiversity

Snails have occupied an important role in the ideology and religion of the ancient American peoples, who considered them to be magical and used them in ritual ceremonies as ornaments, musical instruments, and architectural elements. Today, they are a valuable study system for understanding biodiversity and evolution due to their remarkable ecological and morphological diversity. Given that many endemic snails are of conservation concern, and that most South American species are poorly studied, there is a need to engage the public through understandable and scientifically based language, conveying the importance of biodiversity. However, not all biodiversity can be seen with the naked eye. Herein, we describe how we utilize snails and their shells to engage citizens and train teachers to promote the many different facets of biodiversity. Through design-based research oriented toward educational innovation, we created a teaching–learning sequence with immersive technology through the following stages of work: (1) produce a teaching–learning sequence and accompanying mobile device application (for Android on GooglePlay), (2) evaluate the impact of the educational resource, and (3) conduct research through a pre- and posttest design on the learning outcomes of participants. In this work, we first present the field experience where scientists, teachers, and pre-service teachers worked together to find snails from northern Chile to Chiloé Island. Some results from this research stage are: criteria for designing a teaching–learning sequence (e.g., how to utilize place as an opportunity for learning science with developmentally appropriate technologies identified for every phase of the sequence), modeling relevant phenomena about biodiversity and ecosystems through snails, scaffolding for teachers implementing the sequence, and activities that enhance STEM education. A teaching–learning sequence that addresses snails as study objects for 4th grade is presented and validated, allowing us to continue the next phase of our research with schools. A second article will propose results from implementation, iterations, and their implications

¿Educación STEM o en humanidades?: Una reflexión en torno a la formación integral del ciudadano del siglo XXI

The vertiginous development of the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) made the education in these areas a key component for the 21st century. Consequently, the education in humanities has been displaced by its apparent uselessness for the market’s demands, facing up a so-called crisis. The need to articulate both educational approaches is raised for the comprehensive development of the 21st century citizens, because there is not only the demand for people highly qualified in STEM knowledge and skills, but also people that think critically and who are self-regulated, cultural and ethically responsible.El desarrollo vertiginoso de las disciplinas STEM (Ciencia, Tecnología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas), ha evidenciado que la educación en estas áreas sea considerada como un componente clave para el siglo XXI. Como consecuencia, la educación en humanidades se ha visto desplazada por su carácter aparentemente inútil para las demandas del mercado, enfrentando una supuesta crisis. Se plantea la necesidad de articular ambos enfoques educativos para el desarrollo integral de los ciudadanos del siglo XXI, pues no sólo se requieren sujetos altamente capacitados en conocimientos y habilidades STEM, sino que también sujetos críticos, autorregulados y responsables cultural y éticamente