Investigating the global dimension of development education. A PAR pilot project in a Galician school (I) (2015-2016)
PI: Renée DePalma
Other members of the research team: Begoña Bas López, Ánxela Bugallo Rodríguez, Patricia Carballal, Mª Dolores Cotelo Guerra, Patricia Digón Regueiro, Luis Iglesias Salgado, Silvana Longueira Matos, Rosa María Méndez García, Mª Cristina Naya Riveiro, Mª Cristina Pérez Crego, Araceli Serantes Pazos, Iria Sobrino Freire , María Helena Zapico Barbeito
Collaborating entity: Virxe da Cela school (ECE through secondary) and Galician International Solidarity
Funding body: Galician Cooperation (General Directorate of Foreign Relations and the European Union of the Xunta de Galicia)
Amount of financing: € 39,289
The main objective of this research was to analyze how to transversally introduce the paradigm of the global dimension of Education for Development (ED) in a Galician school, increasing the involvement of teachers in a significant way for their center, taking into account their interests and needs. We initiated a participatory action research (IAP) project that seeks to produce knowledge through reflective practice.
We formed a collaboration between university specialists in the teaching of mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, and languages and the teachers of a rural center to integrate the ECG as a center-wide project. In this first phase, we dedicated a great deal of time to familiarizing teachers with the proposed research processes, and to design collaboratively a Comprehensive Action Plan.
Through this collaboration between the UDC research team, the NGDO Galician International Solidarity and the teaching staff of the CPI Virxe da Cela de Monfero, three action plans were designed to work effectively on GCE in the school curriculum, with the aim of addressing the maximum possible number of educational levels and subject areas. In this first phase, a participatory diagnosis was carried out on previous experiences in the school, and two training seminars were held with specialists and disciplinary working groups.