Generaciones y educaciónproyecto, práctica y experiencia

Resum

The main aim of this doctoral thesis is to carry out a research in order to find out if the support of older people in educational centers as mentors may constitute a new educational approach within Primary Education. The goal is to confirm if the performance of elderly as mentors of primary students in specific subjects, applies as a relevant and significant element in education. For this purpose, the main objective of this research is to explore if the Intergenerational Education (EI), being incorporated in a continuous way and contemplated in the Educational Center Project (PEC), in the Primary Education stage, favors the relationships among generations, showing how EI may actually improve students´ performance in reading comprehension, as well as logical- mathematical reasoning, two fundamental competencies in the Primary Education students. This research defends the humanistic concept in Education, which contemplates it not only as a systematic and repetitive transmission of knowledge, but mostly as the transmission of principles, moral values and life experiences as well as a legacy which keeps the memories of people alive. The EI at school, counting with the elderly support as mentors may contribute not only to a new interpretation of learning but also to the application of a new methodology towards the academic and personal development of the student body. For the consecution of the objectives that have been proposed and taking into account the participants in the study ( 2 teachers who are also tutors in the student group, the directive team formed by 2 teachers, 1 teacher, the school principal, 16 elder people and 25 children, a total of 46 people), we have established a complementary methodology, based on the combination of results regarding quantitative and qualitative methodology, in such way that the insight of reality becomes remarkably richer. The qualitative techniques that have been used are group discussion, interviews and participant observation, which offers data of great value considering they come from the protagonists´ own voices and the observed behavior in the study. Regarding quantitative techniques, the test ESCALA has been used, a test for diagnostic for language and mathematics, which is suitable for grading and evaluating, as well as for adding the objective elements that are related to the research. After analyzing the data, we would like to highlight as first results, by taking into consideration only the quantitative type of data, that the Intergenerational Experience has failed, due to the differences between the group of students that have had the support of elder people as mentors compared to those who did not, having been concluded as not significant. However, our work gathers and bear testament to an opposite conclusion, due to the relationships and bonding arisen among elderly people and the younger ones, which has resulted in a valuable and significant fact for all of them. The intergenerational experience has been useful for students to perceive and embrace elder people as a very valuable and appreciated group of people. The affectional bonds created, have been interpreted as highly beneficial for children and elderly people, the first gaining confidence and improving their self-esteem due to the tenderness and attention received; and the second group due to having felt valuable, useful and loved. Therefore, we would highlight as main conclusions that new competencies learning are necessary to insist in human relationships; the need to promote the EI as a new educational approach in schools, for the support of the group of older people as mentors in an educational center or school may contribute not only to a new conception of learning but also as a new methodology for the academic and personal development of students.