RESEARCH PROJECTS
Critical Global Citizenship through collaborative research with youth (2024-2028)
The proposed research aims to address global problems such as climate change, inequalities, hate speech and xenophobia from the perspective of the young people. Although both national and international research has detected trends of apathy and disconnection from political-civic life among minors, it is true that the adult-centric approaches of today's society do not provide tools to awaken their interest and encourage their participation. By identifying, training, and advising groups of young people investigating global challenges (JIRG), we aim to disrupt their sense of powerlessness and redress their institutional exclusion from major debates and action plans promoted by global organizations, involving these youth as global citizens who are critical and active in the construction of their own futures.
Promoting youth leadership in non-formal contexts (2024-2025)
Solidaridade Internacional de Galicia promotes this project with which it seeks to contribute to the improvement of the social participation of Galician youth, especially those without a situation of vulnerability and/or social exclusion.
In this process they are also involved with the Galician cooperative Cidadanía and us, the ECIGAL research group. We want to work with 4 participation initiatives that start from groups of young women and men in vulnerable situations (associated with situations of poverty, discrimination and marginalization) related to ethnicity, gender, migration processes, situations of lack of protection, etc.) in the Galician territory.
We want to analyze with them the experiences of activism and participation in which young people are involved, identifying guidelines for the practice of ECG in the promotion of participatory processes and youth leadership.
Mapping Critical Global Citizenship Education in Spanish Schools (2021)
This project allows us to expand our mapping focus to include experiences at the (Spanish) state level. The study is enriched by qualitative interviews with three types of informants: primary school teachers; specialists in the teaching of experimental sciences, mathematics and languages; and NGDOs with experience in the field.
Researching in the territory to identify and recognize GCE experiences (III)
This project constitutes the third phase of the creation of a cartographic map to identify referents in global citizenship education, extending the scope to include experiences carried out at the university level. It places an additional emphasis on exploring initiatives that link GCE with the curriculum; therefore, we begin a specific research line identifying this kind of good practice.
PREVIOUS PROJECTS
Researching in the territory to identify and recognize schools that address development and global citizenship education in Galicia (II)
2019-2020
This project is a continuation of the previous one, aiming to expand practice-based points of reference.
To this end, we decided to create, inspired by cartography and adapted to the pandemic situation, a digital map that allows us to visualize experiences and create networks among people interested in the field of global citizenship education. The 1º edition of the Galician Award for Development and Global Citizenship Education was launched.
Researching in the territory to identify and recognize schools that address development and global citizenship education in Galicia (I)
2018-2019
The project pursues a double objective: to identify and recognize the experiences of Development and Global Citizenship Education that have been implemented in Galician schools and, at the same time, to promote reflection on the meaning and potential of this approach with the goal of improving practice.
Social cartography was used as a research-in-action methodology: we designed a cartographic room as an instrument for gathering information by mapping experiences.
And by means of a participatory process with teachers and NGO-based experts in DGCE, we designed the Galician Award for Development and Global Citizenship Education.
Investigating the global dimension of development education in compulsory secondary education and university higher education in Galicia
2017-2018
Work in schools has highlighted the need for teacher training. Thus, this project focused on initial training: we introduced GCE into our own courses, with the support of SIG and AGARESO, Using various strategies, and drawing on communication resources offered by new technologies, we sought to cast students as protagonists of their own learning.
We have continued to work at the university level, in early childhood, primary, and social education degree programs, as well as teacher training at the Masters level.
Investigating the global dimension of development education. A PAR pilot project in a Galician school (II)
2016-2017
In this second phase, we carried out the implementation, data collection, and analysis steps of our PAR project. We took an emic perspective (collecting classroom teacher's own assessments in order to provide insider insight) and an etic perspective (participating and observing practices from the outside). We also analyzed the inter-institutional relationships that were generated throughout the collaboration.
Investigating the global dimension of development education. A PAR pilot project in a Galician school (I)
2015-2016
In this first phase of a PAR project, we established a collaboration between university specialists in the teaching of mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, and languages, and the teaching staff of a rural Galician school to integrate GCE as a school-wide project. We started out by making sure teachers were well familiarized with the proposed research process and then designing a Comprehensive Action Plan.
Exploring the possibilities of extending the global dimension of DE in compulsory secondary education. A diagnostic study of Galician schools
2014-2015
In the previous project we noticed that ECG was closely linked to certain subjects (philosophy, social sciences, etc.) and we wanted to understand the difficulties and hesitancy of teachers in other curricular areas. To this purpose, 6 micro-studies were carried out in schools, training our attention on the secondary level.
Researching in education for development: a case study of the application of the project "The treasure of Acahualinca"
2013-2014
This project responds to the concern of the NGDO Galician International Solidarity that their practice in schools should be coherent and have an impact. They petitioned an external evaluation to establish the impact of their actions aimed at eco-social transformation in a multicultural and globalized context. The research involved a systematic analysis of 11 projects implemented by the NGDO between 2002 and 2012 and a specific case study of their most recent initiative at the time of the study (The Treasure of Acahualinca), with the participation of the students and teachers involved.
If you want to know more about our projects, write to us !