ANGELO VALENCIA ESCALANTE

ID 1015 438 905

RESEARCH PROJECT GROUP 551028A_951

ACTIVITY I

UNAD
CEAD ACEVEDO Y GOMEZ BOGOTA DC

FEBRUARY 14 TH / 2021
 1. Choosing your research topic

I would like to research more in educational systems and policies all around the
world but taking into account two specific features : the freedom to choose and
emphasize in some specific topics like the arts, science, technology, investigation,
sports, and other topics that are relevant to students, even more in middle and high
school. This kind of ¨freedom to choose ¨is seen in some educational systems such
as United States, or Canada. Besides, there are other educational systems that are
really tough and disciplined, where the learner has to acquire several abilities
about different topics, but the school and the government are the ones that decide
which areas are relevant to students. They have a small window to learn
something apart from traditional education in their free times or extra curricular
programs such as music, arts or sports. This kind of educational system is seen on
countries like Japan or China, where the discipline is part of the popular culture.
The problem is that Colombia, as a country in development, doesn´t have a clear
program, at least published and known by everyone, regarding this. We have a
very low English level at public schools, and there is no a science or technology
program that can make learners go beyond and acquire more abilities towards
different areas, and the sports development in public schools is very very bad.
Colombia is not a successful country towards sports because the access to those
kind of programs are totally independent and schools normally don´t have access
to encourage learners. So, what to choose in a country like Colombia, freedom, or
discipline? So basically the idea is to identify which could be the best way to
improve the way we learn in Colombia at public schools, taking into account that
we have a high lack on technology, internet and electronic devices in some certain
areas, where learners must walk for hours to reach a decent internet connection or
to go to school. In the another hand, we already know that there is a lack of
infrastructure also, classrooms in public schools use to handle between 30 – 40
students per group, thing that makes learning process slower and more general,
without taking into account that the process, to be well developed, must take into
account the individual facts, the environmental elements and some other things
that are linked more with the individual features and conditions of learners. To do
so, with 40 students is almost impossible.

So taking into account these 2 important issues in Colombian education, poor

school buildings, nor enough and not well doted, and issues to have good
technology and connection all around the country, I am quite interested on the
understanding and knowledge about the two particular ways to teach, with
discipline or with freedom, and why one could be more successful in Colombia
than the another.

2. What is educational research

Educational research is the term that refers to the development of techniques that
investigates education issues, facts and situatiosn that affect the education directly
in different ways and senses. These investigations are done towards the finding of
solutions to possible issues, the identification of new situations and improve the
educational environment according to the last findings and conclusioons.

3. What is the relation between educational research and the course Research
Project?
Basically the course is linked directly with the educational research because we as
teachers must be in constant research towards the evolution and renovation of the
knowledge in the world we are living. I mean, education today is not the same as it
was 20 years ago, so, we must keep learning and researching in order to know
how the education changes and how we can change with it. The course gives us
some bases to work in our own thoughts and our ways to see education based in
certain theories and concepts that provide other tools, clearing our point of view
and helping us to develop and improve the skills that we have learned in the
educational process we have passed across during our academic life.
4. How can educational research and the course Research Project help you in
your professional field?

It will help me to improve the way I see education by itself. We have several doubts
about how education works in a country like Colombia and how can we make it a
little bit better. By the end of the day we are researchers that must keep improving,
so this course will really help me out ti begin the process of being a researcher in
education.

5. Which are the ECEDU research lines?

They are:

 Argumentation pedagogy and learning

 Education and human development

 Ethnoeducation, culture and communication

  Bilingualism in distance education mediated by technologies

 Childhoods, education and diversity

 Visibility, knowledge management and education:

 Philosophy and education line

 History and prospects of open and distance education

 Factors associated with the quality of distance education

 Pedagogy, didactics and curriculum line

 Mediated pedagogies

6. Why do you need to know the ECEDU research lines?

It I necessary to know them in order to understand how we can direct, or redirect,

our research questions and projects with the guide lines of the UNAD. That way we
can get an academic background of the general knowledge that UNAD has on their
data base and we can increase the information, theories and concepts about a
certain topic

7. What are other grade alternatives the university offers you besides the
research project?

The alternatives that UNAD offers in this matter are : applied project, a research
project, monograph, diploma of in-depth training in pedagogical research practices
and postgraduate credits.

8. Which degree alternative would you choose and why?

I would like to apply to postgraduate credits. The idea is to have as much
knowledge as I can, and to have access to some post graduate knowledge areas
would really help me to increase the range of my thinking and have a clearer point
of view.