The reorganization of time, space, and relationships in school with the use of active learning methodologies and collaborative tools

Abstract

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) in our current networked society are a continuing and irreversible process. Therefore, consideration must be given to the construction of a new education and science model that takes into account complementary dimensions of content, form, and relationships between teachers and students. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Design Thinking, PBL methodology and the use ICTs in school routine of the students from the graduate program in Ethics, Values, and Citizenship in School (EVC). The program was conducted in a blended learning format in which three collaboration technologies were experimentally used (BrainMerge^™, TERF and Fishbowl^™). At the end, we applied a survey to evaluate the use and impact of these technologies. From the 239 participants (second EVC) 96.8% affirmed that the EVC contributed to their learning routine. The first EVC, 142 participants indicated a similar response distribution, 94.4%. These results may indicate that EVC has a transformative impact on participants: while they prototype, they can see better approaches to solve school problems, they are changing their classes turning them into more interactive activities. The basic and higher education are not untouched by the socio-political economic transformations that the world has undergone. Education needs to re-invent to continue the prominent role that societies have granted it over the past 300 years. Paradoxically, this re-invention depends as much on its capacity for continuation as on its capacity for transformation, to adapt to the new demands of society, culture, and science.