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Mendive. Revista de Educación
ISSN 1815-7696
30--2023
Original article
Study of initial training for attention to diversity in pedagogical careers
1Universidad de Sancti Spíritus José Martí Pérez. Departamento docente Educación Especial-Logopedia. Sancti Spíritus, Cuba
2Universidad de Sancti Spíritus José Martí Pérez. Centro Universitario Municipal de Cabaiguán. Sancti Spíritus, Cuba
The ideal of social justice for all is an aspiration of Cuban education; Achieving this purpose leads to the fact that graduates of pedagogical careers must form, from undergraduate, professional knowledge and skills and ethical-moral values, which allow them to direct a quality teaching-learning process, adjusted to the wide diversity of students who attend to their classrooms. As part of the second result presented by the institutional research project "Professional training, for the exercise of teaching directed to the attention of the diversity of students, from the educational process" this article is presented. Its objective is to socialize among researchers and professors of Higher Education the results of the real state of initial teacher training for the attention to the diversity of students, from the educational process, in the careers Bachelor of Education Spanish-literature and Bachelor of Artistic education. Among the theoretical methods, the analytical-synthetic, the inductive-deductive and the historical-logical were used; as empirical methods, documentary analysis and interviews with students and teachers. In addition, descriptive statistics and percentage analysis were used to process the data obtained, with the application of the instruments during the diagnostic stage. The research carried out revealed, as the most significant results, deficiencies in the design of the training of the careers; in the theoretical, methodological and practical preparation of teachers; as well as in the levels of information and attitudes towards the educational diversity of the students.
Key words: attention to diversity; pedagogical careers; diagnosis; inclusive education; higher education; teacher training; initial training; undergraduate
Introduction
In recent years, there has been a resizing of the conceptions in the different educational systems; In particular, the terms equity, attention to diversity and educational inclusion are discussed. Just as the theory is being updated; It also occurs with the strategies, tools, methods and procedures for the direction of a teaching-learning process, which promotes quality while respecting differences.
In the fourth objective of the 2030 Agenda (UNESCO, 2017), the school, as a basic pillar of society, is urged to create a climate of respect for diversity, so that all students can develop their potential to the maximum. and more sustainable and peaceful societies are achieved.
The conception of a new school under the inclusive paradigm, incorporates the concept of social justice as a reference to the promotion of values of justice, solidarity and humanism. For this purpose, equitable educational models must be available that respond fairly to the inequalities that become evident in the school context. Unlike a discourse based on the concept of integration, the paradigms are changing towards inclusion.
For Martínez (undated, cited by Cano & Londoño, 2017). When we talk about education in diversity, what we are consistently accepting and assuming is an educational discourse and practice in which diversity must be seen as a natural fact, a right of citizenship and a social value (p. 28). Attention to diversity is a way of perceiving and building the educational reality, since it implies granting the right to education that naturally corresponds to each person, regardless of the particular differences that characterize it; therefore, it is about accepting that the entire classroom is diverse and that all students have the right to be considered from their individuality and not from a homogeneous standard that the majority could hardly enter (Amaro, 2019).
Achieving this ideal of school requires highlighting the role played by teachers, since they need theoretical and practical knowledge in order to provide quality educational care for all students. In the opinion of the authors Martínez, et al. (2021) must guarantee "an education whose scenarios are made visible in a fair and equitable way so that all people find the necessary means and support" (p. 10).
Liesa et al. (2019) that the initial training of teachers in universities should be oriented towards training in terms of addressing the needs that the implementation of a change for equity and inclusion entails. However, given this manifest social demand, the educational scenario is not always conducive, therefore, it is argued that there is:
... need to promote new studies in Latin America on attention to diversity, to understand it from multiple perspectives. It is necessary to promote initiatives that allow the consolidation of the initial and permanent training of teachers, in the search to democratize higher education institutions and enable the direct participation of various social groups in university educational spaces (Paz, 2018, p. 126).
All teachers, regardless of their specialty, must have basic training to work in contexts of diversity, without making a sharp distinction between the functions of the different education professionals. In this way, compared to categorical and homogenizing visions, the most recent training trends propose a vision of comprehensive teacher training that is more focused on specific institutional contexts and cultures, therefore, more focused on the school, action research, institutional analysis or organizational development. It is about training future teachers from the university "as professionals who are tolerant, flexible and capable of facing the challenges of a pluralistic education from the context of the school as a democratic and participatory institution" (Amaro, 2019, p. 205).
The authors of this article recognize the need for two perspectives when referring to attention to diversity in universities:
One directed at the actions of teachers of all careers so that, based on the diagnosis and adjustment of their pedagogical response, they can attend to the diversity of students, from the components: academic, extension, investigative and labor. To this end, university professors must pay special attention to students who are in situations of vulnerability, due to social, racial, gender, economic, health or disability conditions. In addition, they must avoid directing the pedagogical process in a homogeneous and standard way, excluding or placing labels on students; on the contrary, they must achieve that the individualization of their teaching gives each one the opportunities they need.
A second, more particular towards teachers who work in pedagogical careers, focuses on the need to consciously include in the disciplines, content that allows students to train knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in favor of an inclusive education, which is applied in their educational practice as future teachers.
In order for pedagogical careers to take alternatives that improve the training process from the undergraduate stage, in favor of educational attention to diversity, it is necessary, first of all, to know the real state of said training. This article aims to socialize among researchers and professors of Higher Education the results of the real state of initial teacher training, for the attention to the diversity of students from the educational process, in the careers Bachelor of Education Spanish-literature and Bachelor of Education in Art Education.
Materials and methods
The diagnosis of the real state of initial training for the attention to the diversity of students was carried out between the months of October and November of the year 2022. The space was the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Sancti Spíritus ¨José Martí Pérez¨, especially in the careers Degree in Education Spanish-literature and Degree in Artistic Education.
The dependent variable was diagnosed based on the indicators: 1) Design in the initial training course for attention to the diversity of students, 2) Preparation of teachers to contribute to initial training for attention to the diversity of students, 3) Information that the students of the career have about the attention to the diversity of students.
The characteristics of the research, in one way or another, conditioned the classification of the research:
According to the purpose: applied, because the results are going to be used to solve a problem in the short, medium and long term in the initial training of students of pedagogical careers at the University of Sancti Spíritus ¨José Martí Pérez¨.
According to the place of the investigation: field, because it was operated in the educational reality of the pedagogical careers in the Faculty of Humanities.
In relation to time: prospective, because the events were recorded and the information was collected, mainly, insofar as they occurred, with a look from the past on some data, to compare them with the present and towards a future perspective.
According to the sequence of the study: cross-sectional, because the variable initial investigative training for the attention to the diversity of the students, was diagnosed in a specific sample, at a certain moment, the question that is happening was answered.
According to the relationship with the problem: experimental, because the introduction of an independent variable in practice was proposed, even though its application and the evaluation of the dependent variable are pending, since, at this particular moment, only the result of the initial diagnostic.
The research followed a mixed approach and as a general method the materialist dialectic was assumed, which allowed the understanding of the diagnosis of the subjects from considering the specific socio-historical particularities in which the formative process unfolds.
Among the theoretical methods were used:
Historical-logical analysis: it made it possible to delve into the evolution of the initial training of students in pedagogical careers investigated in relation to attention to educational diversity, and its analysis in various academic years.
Analytical-synthetic: it allowed, from the analysis of the results of each instrument, to find the regularities of the diagnosis of the real state of initial training for attention to educational diversity in each career.
Inductive-deductive: it facilitated the analysis and processing of the information obtained, both theoretical and empirical, for the assessment of the current situation of the problem, finding similarities and differences in the careers studied.
Empirical methods were also used:
Document analysis: it was used with the objective of verifying the treatment of the contents related to the attention to the diversity of students from the educational process, in the documents of the careers. Among the documents analyzed were: Career study plan; documents of the methodological work of the department, career, disciplines and years; improvement plans and teacher evaluations.
Interview: two variants were used, interviews with teachers of the careers and students. In the first case, it was used in order to verify the level of preparation of teachers for the development of teaching aimed at attention to diversity. In the second case, it was used to verify the level of information of the students regarding attention to diversity.
Descriptive statistics was used as a statistical method, which revealed only the external, quantitative characteristics of the investigated phenomenon and not its essence; it allowed the quantification and processing of the data for its interpretation; In addition, the data obtained was reflected in tables and graphs. The percentage analysis procedure was also used.
The study population consisted of 29 students, enrollment in the day course of both careers. Through random probabilistic sampling, 8 students representing 28.6% of the population were selected. Also, from 40 teachers who directly and systematically influence the training process of the careers, a sample of 12 teachers, 30% of the population, was randomly selected.
The research that supports this article complied with the ethical principles of research in human beings, among them: respect and protection of people, confidentiality, pursuit of the good, and justice. The subjects who participated in the study provided their informed consent for the use of the data collected as part of the diagnosis.
Results
It started from the analysis of the particularities of the study plans of the careers and all the documents that comprise it, say Professional Model, Discipline Programs and Teaching Process Plan; In addition, the Curricular Map of the careers was analyzed. In this way, the projection from the pedagogical careers towards the initial training of the students directed to the attention of the diversity of students from the educational process was verified. Subsequently, a sample of teachers and students of the careers under analysis were interviewed.
The main findings are summarized below from the results obtained from the application of the aforementioned instruments.
Projection from the teaching departments towards the theoretical-methodological preparation of teachers for the professional training of students in pedagogical careers in correspondence with attention to diversity, from the educational process.
It was found as regularities that:
The methodological work of the department, the career, the disciplines and the groups of years do not favor the preparation of teachers to attend to the diversity of students. The teachers explain that their knowledge is insufficient and what they know about the subject is due to work experience and to some extent to self-preparation.
Only in the Bachelor of Education Spanish-literature course, contents related to attention to diversity are addressed in the instructive methodological class, entitled "The direction of educational work from the different initial training scenarios and its impact on the performance of the university student based on sustainable local development" in 2021.
Attention to diversity from the educational process is discussed.
Teachers do not recognize attention to diversity in its breadth and tend to reduce it to attention to students with academic, health, social or behavioral difficulties.
The main requirements that they take into account to attend to diversity during the teaching-learning process are general, some specific activities for students with greater difficulties and consultations with disapproved students.
As Higher Education professionals, in order to comply with the main requirements to attend to diversity, they consider that attention to individual differences and to achieve racial and gender equity should be favored.
The types of activities used during the teaching-learning process to address situations of diversity in the classroom are individual consultations.
Teachers consider that the class as an organizational form of teaching is a dynamic element to favor educational inclusion, because all students are treated equally and difficulties that arise can be addressed.
Teachers expressed insecurity and could not use a specific term, educational inclusion or inclusive education, since they do not clearly know their theoretical and practical differences.
They evaluated the regular attention to diversity that they carry out in the classroom context during the teaching-learning process and, as the main cause, they recognize the lack of updated knowledge.
They recognized that, from the subjects they teach, future teachers are not consciously and systematically prepared to attend to the diversity of students, this aspect is entrusted to spontaneity.
Overall, the teachers interviewed raised the need to receive theoretical-methodological preparation to provide better attention to diversity.
In general, the multiple possibilities of preparation and improvement of teachers to train them in attention to diversity are not taken advantage of in a timely and systematic manner. Although one aspect that can contribute to its improvement is the number of teachers who participate in research projects, which, although at present they do not address attention to diversity, can reflect it in their results, which would enrich their contribution. to education.
In the Bachelor's degree in Artistic Education, the research project "Cultural Identity" is developed, which studies communities and contributes to their social and cultural development, as part of said attention, the diversity of subjects, their interests, customs and traditions. In this career there are professors who develop the following academic improvement as part of the project: doctorates, "Cultural identity from music"; "Environmental education from artistic education"; "Cultural identity from extension projects" and the master's degrees, "Identity environments from the theater"; "Chinese iconography and its interaction with the visual arts".
While in the Bachelor of Education in Spanish-Literature, the project "Attention to the third improvement in the area of humanities: preparation of teachers and university students and projection towards the National System of Education" is being developed. Said research project, at present, does not focus on attention to diversity, but in a conscious and organic way, it has real possibilities of including, in the preparation of teachers at the Basic Secondary level, within the framework of the third improvement of education, contents that they prepare in attention to diversity from their classes.
Another edge of the project is directed to the initial and continuous training of students and professors of the career in the subjects where the preparation for attention to diversity can be contextualized. In exchange with the head of the project and teachers who participate in it, they were reluctant to incorporate the topics at first, because in their own words "our project does not include the level of special education" evidencing the limitation in the theoretical understanding of attention to diversity, which frame it in the special school. However, during the exchange they noticed the outdated information and were motivated to consider this content as part of their research.
Career Degree in Education Spanish-Literature:
In the Professional Model of the career, attention to diversity is implicitly reflected in objectives 9 and 10.
Objective # 9: Guide, with student organizations and cultural institutions, the integral formation of adolescents, young people and adults, as a contribution to the development of their vocation, according to the needs of society, for a responsible personal and social life, through activities in the group, in the school and in the community, from which a system of coherent educational influences is exerted.
Objective # 10: Interact with the family of the students so that they fulfill the leading role in the integral formation of their children and establish cooperative relationships.
· Regarding the training of professional skills, it is inferred, although it is not made explicit, the need to prepare in attention to diversity, since once graduated they will be required to demonstrate skills to diagnose, model, organize, execute and evaluate. In order to demonstrate all these skills, the student must personalize the educational process to meet the group and individual differences according to the current demands of pedagogy and didactics.
In the spheres of action and in the tasks of each of the functions of the graduate, attention to diversity is not reflected.
In the disciplines of the current study plan, the treatment of contents on attention to diversity is only appreciated within the basic curriculum in Psychology I and II subjects, related to the individual particularities that personality formation takes, but no analysis is made. specific treatment of inclusive education theory.
There are no subjects from the own, optional or elective curriculum that address contents of attention to diversity in the daytime course, only in the meeting course (5 years) there is the optional subject "Comprehensive educational attention to students with special educational needs" but for several courses the students have not selected it and therefore do not receive this content.
The research work of the students does not reflect their training in attention to diversity.
Bachelor's Degree in Artistic Education
In the Professional Model of the career, attention to diversity is implicitly reflected in objectives 3 and 6.
Objective # 3: Direct the pedagogical process and, in particular, the teaching-learning process of the Artistic Education subject, based on the comprehensive education of students, taking into account the general objectives of their training, at each level of education and type of institution and the diversity of the individual and collective subjects that participate.
Objective # 6: Establish cooperative relationships with the students' families, the community and other educational agents, to strengthen the system of educational influences.
In the spheres of action and professional pedagogical skills of the graduate, attention to diversity is not reflected.
In the tasks typical of the functions of the graduate, attention to diversity is reflected implicitly in the investigative function; While it appears explicitly in the teaching-methodological and guidance functions, the latter are shown below.
Tasks of the teaching-methodological function:
Creation of educational projects with actions that promote the integral development of the personality of the students with emphasis on those related to the motivation for the study of Artistic Education and towards specialties or professions that are necessary for sustainable socioeconomic development, in which students participate. students themselves, other teachers, managers, workers, as well as families, the community and other educational agents and that include the school curriculum, in a flexible and open conception, and the teaching-learning process.
Attention to diversity in group and individual work in order to promote higher levels of learning of the contents of Artistic Education and learning strategies.
Carrying out methodological work activities according to personal needs and the teaching-learning process of Artistic Education so as to develop cognitive interests in students, motivation for learning and the formation of values.
Organization and control of the independent work of the students based on the learning of the contents of Artistic Education so as to stimulate the potential individual development taking into account the contextual variables.
Tasks of the guiding function:
Individual and collective attention to diversity based on the comprehensive diagnosis of the group and the students.
Guidance for students in relation to their sexuality and health education as components of responsible personal and social life. Correct use of the cumulative record of the school, so that it reflects the levels of development of the student in each stage and that ensures the pedagogical delivery between grades and levels of education.
In the disciplines of the study plan, it was verified in General Pedagogical Training contents that bring students closer to diversity in the classroom and their attention, such as:
The unity between personality, activity and communication. Structure of the activity. Individual life projects. Research methods and techniques for the study of personality.
The learning processes. Types of learning and learning strategies. The development of intelligence, creativity and talent.
Personality-sexuality relationship. Dimensions, components and functions. Sexual and reproductive health.
Cluster. Definition. Individual-group-society relationship. Role of the group in the development of personality. Classification. The school Group dynamics. Techniques for group characterization. Attention to diversity in the group context .
The formation of the student as a subject of the process, which involves the personal and professional level.
There is no evidence of subjects of the own curriculum, optional or elective that address contents of attention to diversity. The research work of the students does not reflect their training in attention to diversity.
Current state of the professional training of students of pedagogical careers, for the attention of the diversity of students, from the educational process.
Career Degree in Education Spanish-literature:
The students expressed that being diverse means being different, having different ways of thinking that must be respected.
Regarding the meaning of attention to diversity, they understood it in a limited way, as those "people dedicated to caring for other people who are different"; within the staff that attends to diversity.
The students stated that the teachers teach them to maintain adequate communication with all people, respecting their criteria.
The interviewees considered that it would be opportune for the program to offer an optional subject related to attention to diversity or to deal with it in the subjects they already receive, so that they can attend to and interact with "special students".
The students did not comment on suggestions to their teachers to attend to diversity in the classroom context.
Bachelor's Degree in Artistic Education:
The students expressed that being diverse means different, different, that is not the same as another.
Regarding the meaning of attention to diversity, they stated that they did know it; however, they were unable to express elements of their theoretical conceptualization.
The students explained that the teachers teach them not to separate or discriminate against people with special needs.
The interviewees expressed the opinion that they would like the program to offer a subject on attention to diversity or to deal with it in the subjects they already receive.
They stated that the study of attention to diversity is important, because there is controversy about the subject, especially gender diversity, and it would be appropriate to prepare for it.
The students did not provide suggestions on how their teachers can attend to diversity in the classroom context.
Regularities of the diagnosis of initial training of students to attend to the diversity of students in the educational process
Indicator 1. Design in the career of initial training for the attention to the diversity of students
The design of the career, which is reflected in the study plans, the professional model and the discipline programs, does not unequivocally expose and with the pertinent justifications, the initial training of the student of these pedagogical careers, the attention to the diversity of learners in the educational process.
In the Bachelor of Education in Spanish-Literature and the Bachelor of Artistic Education careers, some intention towards training for customer care is reflected with limitations and implicitly, in the objectives of the professional model, the functions of the graduate and the professional skills. the diversity.
In the basic disciplines and subjects of the current curricula of the studied careers, the treatment of diversity attention contents is only partially and occasionally appreciated.
Subjects of the own, optional and elective curriculum are not taught to prepare the student in said contents.
The investigative works of the students respond to the demands of the specialty and are subject to research projects; but they do not achieve the link with the contents of attention to diversity. The proposed solutions tend not to be adequately personalized and are approached from the point of view of the school group.
Indicator 2. Teacher preparation
The teachers show theoretical, methodological and practical deficiencies regarding the attention to the diversity of students and its expression in the initial training of the students of the career.
In professional evaluations, the planning of improvement and the methodological work of the different organizational levels (department, career, year and discipline) contents that prepare teachers in attention to the diversity of students are not systematically addressed; as well as the alternatives to include these topics in the initial training of students from their respective disciplines.
The research projects in which teachers participate fail to take advantage of the real possibilities of linking their results with attention to diversity.
Scientific publications and presentations for events that make any reference to attention to diversity are limited.
The topics of doctorates, master's degrees and specialties that teachers develop can be linked to a greater extent to attention to diversity, both in the classroom context and in other contexts of action.
Indicator 3. Information possessed by students of the major
The students of the investigated careers expressed theoretical and practical ignorance about attention to diversity, in general they restrict it to sex-diverse people or with special educational needs.
From their expressions it could be inferred that teachers do not frequently include content in their subjects, attention to diversity, they also have outdated or limited conceptions about terms such as inclusion, attention to diversity, among others.
In both careers, the students expressed interest and desire to receive courses on attention to diversity and in their judgments, they expressed the importance of said preparation for their professional future.
Discussion
Some research related to teacher training in universities and the attention to diversity approach taken by said training were analyzed. Some of the findings are summarized below and compared with the results obtained in the investigation.
Sales (2006) in research carried out in the Teacher degrees (Infant, Primary, Physical Education and Musical Education) proposed the introduction in the curriculum of the subject "Pedagogical Bases of Special Education" with the aim of developing the capacity for analysis and educational attention to human differences in the school context, from a comprehensive framework of diversity.
Although, in the research the findings agree with the need to introduce in the initial training of teachers, subjects that allow the objective outlined by Sales (2006); There is a criterion that there is a need for a curricular analysis to determine the responsibilities and potential of each subject of the curriculum, to contribute to said objective.
The student's training for attention to diversity in the classroom context, must go from the particular to the general: project that certain subjects work attention to diversity with more specific topics; at the same time, that all the subjects, from their own contents, contribute to this end.
Colmenero, Pantoja & Pegalajar (2015) in their approaches to the initial training of secondary school teachers for educational attention to diversity highlighted that:
- There was no adequate initial teacher training to attend to diversity, there were even prejudices, beliefs and ideas that made it difficult.
- Training institutions were far from the ideal of teacher training to achieve education for all.
- The students admitted being unaware of the concept of attention to diversity, factors related to educational heterogeneity, special educational needs, strategies and resources for integration and inclusion in ordinary centers and classrooms, methodological, personal and participatory skills necessary to transform the classroom. and the environments.
In line with the discoveries of Colmenero, Pantoja & Pegalajar (2015), the students of the pedagogical careers of the Faculty of Humanities, demonstrated deficiencies in the theoretical-practical domain of contents related to educational attention to the diversity of students; In the same way, they showed motivation to incorporate these topics into their preparation, they even asked questions regarding the best way to include them in their investigative work.
Cano & Londoño (2017) studied the problem in the Bachelor of Basic Education in Humanities and Spanish Language of the Institución Universitaria Tecnológica de Antioquia, finding that:
- There were gaps in terms of knowledge, thought processes and practical strategies related to attention to diversity.
- The knowledge about attention to diversity that was taught at the university did not fully meet the expectations of the teachers in training, and in the same way they did not use the didactic, conceptual and methodological tools that would allow them to recognize and use diversity as a Learning environment.
- The students stated that their significant learning was achieved better from the practical pedagogical experiences, than from the theoretical contents on diversity in the curriculum.
In accordance with the findings of Cano & Londoño (2017), the contents on attention to the diversity of students, in the study plans and the general design of the careers, is insufficient; the multiple possibilities of granting a general and specific treatment of said contents in the training process are wasted. It is necessary that each discipline, in a conscious and systematic way, review and integrate the contents of attention to diversity, within the contents of the curriculum programs. Especially favorable to this integration are appreciated the contents of the disciplines General Pedagogical Training, Private Didactics and Investigative Labor Training. Another alternative would be the incorporation of subjects from the own curriculum, optional and elective that grant a more specific treatment to the contents of attention to diversity.
Likewise, the students interviewed raised the need to incorporate the contents of attention to diversity into their work and research practices, so that the theories can be contrasted with educational realities.
Paz (2018) published the results of an investigation on the competencies of university teachers for attention to diversity in higher education and found that, for attention to diversity, the training and development of generic and specific competencies was necessary. Among them, communication, motivation, promotion of collaborative learning, planning based on differences; In addition, develop social awareness.
Some insufficiencies in the preparation of the teachers of the diagnosed careers were also corroborated. Although the professionals had a high command of their teaching material, they were not always able to organically integrate the contents of attention to diversity; even in some cases a poor theoretical mastery was demonstrated when relating educational attention only with the educational inclusion of students with special educational needs, associated or not with disabilities. However, the teachers stressed that it is necessary to train students for the planned direction of an inclusive educational process, for which values and personal qualities must be formed.
Liesa et al. (2019) carried out a study of the Teaching Degrees at the University of Zaragoza and found that in the study plans there was very little training in educational attention to students with high abilities. They pointed out the need to improve the initial training of teachers, both in the detection and in the educational attention to students with high capacities, a training that allows them to provide an inclusive approach to the teaching-learning process.
In the diagnosis carried out, it was verified that students and professors of the careers do not always identify the student with high abilities as a student who needs particular attention to develop their potential to the maximum; They have a more restricted diversity criterion, focused on attention to students with disabilities or sexual diversity.
Valencia, Mínguez & Martos (2020) socialized a study that addressed training in attention to diversity in those study plans that lead to the Degree in Teacher in Primary Education. Specifically, in relation to the subjects that correspond to the didactics of Physical Education, which are taught in 40 Spanish universities, they highlighted that:
Only 30% include at least one specific topic on attention to diversity, 75% include related professional skills and only 15% present learning results related to this type of specific training. Therefore, the need to specify in a specific and detailed way in the teaching guides of these subjects' elements related to the performance of inclusive physical education and even to offer specific subjects on attention to diversity in physical education is pointed out (p. 602).
In the interviews carried out for the investigation, both the students and the professors spoke out for incorporating specific subjects on contents of attention to diversity; However, a specific treatment is not enough, it is necessary to favor the interrelation of these contents with those of other subjects of the basic curriculum.
The research by Falla, Alejandres & Gil (2022) focused on engagement in teacher training as a driver of inclusive attitudes. Engagement, understood as a mental state of satisfaction, positivity, passion and motivation towards work. In the conclusions of their investigation, they highlighted that:
- Students in Early Childhood and Primary Education show high academic engagement and a good assessment of inclusion training.
- Regarding gender, higher scores were found in female students in terms of engagement towards educational inclusion.
- The students with the greatest academic motivation were the ones who showed the greatest willingness to educational inclusion.
The discoveries made by Falla, Alejandres & Gil (2022) in their study recognize the need to motivate students towards attention to the diversity of students. A piece of information provided by the interviews with students in the research, coincides with these authors that students of pedagogical careers in general recognize the deficiencies they have in knowledge about attention to diversity; They also stated that they would like to acquire them through the curriculum itself and other extension activities. They stated that teachers are not always prepared to direct the teaching- learning process, contributing to inclusive training. However, this diagnosis did not include the investigation of students based on gender; although most of the enrollment in pedagogical careers corresponds to the female gender.
The results of the research that is presented, although limited by the selected sample, can be used as a starting point to recognize that, despite the formative efforts, the design of the careers and the preparation of teachers for initial training still need to be perfected. of students with a focus on attention to diversity.
Regarding the design of the study plans, the general treatment (of the contents of the different disciplines of the basic curriculum) and specific treatment (incorporating subjects into the own, optional and elective curriculum) should be favored, which allow raising knowledge, skills, values and motivations of the students, towards the attention to the diversity of students.
In labor practice, as a space that promotes theory-practice unity, activities for the training of professional skills towards the diagnosis and adjustment of the pedagogical response for the diversity of students in the classroom space should be designed. Likewise, the investigative work of the students is susceptible to incorporate to the topics of their specialties, the alternatives used to attend to the individualities from the collective work. Generally, students present proposals for the solution of a scientific problem that covers a diverse population, however, the pedagogical response is uniform and does not show adjustment to this complex reality.
Also, in the educational projects of the brigades, extension activities can be incorporated to attend to diversity in the school, family and community context. Commemorating and participating in activities that celebrate diversity, such as Gay Pride Day, Down Syndrome Day, Autism Awareness Month, etc.
Regarding the preparation of teachers who teach in pedagogical careers, whatever their specialty, they must be kept up-to-date on issues regarding attention to diversity through: systematic self-preparation, methodological work, the different postgraduate figures, participation in scientific events, among other ways.
Teachers must intend, from the planning and direction of the teaching-learning process, to be paradigms for their students in terms of the development of an inclusive and democratic education. For which they must, from the diagnosis, particularize in the different needs of their students, so that teaching can be personalized and attend to diversity.
At the same time, teachers can incorporate different actions into the contents of their programs to train students from undergraduate in the requirements of an inclusive education, just as they will be required to do once they graduate.
In a general sense, the diagnosis, although it found deficiencies in the initial training of the students of the investigated pedagogical careers, also recognizes the wide possibilities of transformation of the same, provided that consciously and systematically work is done to improve the different variables that affect in initial training for attention to diversity.
Referencias bibliográficas
Amaro, M.C. (2019). Formación docente para la atención a la diversidad en Educación Superior: una búsqueda de posibilidades para la enseñanza. Revista de Educación Inclusiva, 12(1), 51-66. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/7017824.pdf [ Links ]
Cano, C. & Londoño, M. (2017). Formación docente para la atención a la diversidad en el aula. CIE, 2(4), 25-32. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/328146821.pdf [ Links ]
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Received: January 25, 2023; Accepted: May 13, 2023
