Educational processes have changed since the health crisis affected the entire world. Empty classrooms represent a new reality that we had to understand on the go. The educational systems had to change in no time, to give continuity to the training of millions of students.
Distance training and hybrid models then became the solution and an opportunity to acquire knowledge. That is why Evelin Ríos, teacher and cultural manager. Gerardo Barrientos, professor of technology, and engineer Hilda Flores, exchanged knowledge, methodologies and ideas to make the current educational process more efficient.
One of the main drivers of the exchange of ideas was access to technology. In a country like Guatemala, Evelin Ríos indicated that it is important to design public policies to guarantee educational continuity. «One of the main aspects that we must consider is to guarantee access to technology to give continuity to the training process,» he said.
Barrientos on the other hand, argued that there are many opportunities to vary the educational model. «Resources are available in a way never seen before, and therefore it is an opportunity for everyone to be innovative and generate more and better knowledge.»
It is important to highlight that for the engineer Flores, she highlighted the importance of having a process with the parents, in order to improve the connection not only technological but also human. “Parents play a fundamental role in distance learning processes. Having communication with them is a priority not only to make them part of the training process, but also to train them in this new reality ”.
Professionals invited to the forum agreed that generating hybrid models of education requires more and more teachers with the ability to develop learning experiences and take advantage of educational technologies.
In the exchange of ideas, the participants assured that there is a niche of opportunity to improve the training processes, as long as access to technology is guaranteed. For this reason, it is essential to create public policies in the medium and long term and inter-institutional alliances to guarantee this right.
In a reasonable time, students will be back in the classroom, and it is therefore essential that empathy would be the beginning of everything, in education and in life.
The foundation promotes the legacy of Carlos F. Novella. One of its fundamental pillars is active listening. They work with and for the community and the public of interest. They are supportive, share what they know and care about the needs of the environment like just another neighbor. They also have programs focused on education where participants acquire new knowledge and skills to have a better comprehensive development.
One of the challenges of the hybrid model is that the digital competence of teachers must be constantly updated, but it should not focus on learning the use of tools that can quickly become obsolete and be replaced by new ones. This ‘update’ of skills must be developed in two key aspects: active methodologies in digital contexts and the use of digital technologies to evaluate.
