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Global Journal of HUMAN-SOCIAL SCIENCE: G Linguistics & Education Volume 21 Issue 13 Version 1.0 Year 2021
Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal
Publisher: Global Journals
Online ISSN: 2249-460x & Print ISSN: 0975-587X
KneoWorld: An Educational Program towards Educational Equity
By Deyby Espinosa Gómez
Keywords: family education, narrative and imaginative learning, knowledge dialogue, sensing/ thinking pedagogy.
GJHSS-G Classification: FOR Code: 339999p
Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of:
© 2021. Deyby Espinosa Gómez. This research/review article is distributed under the terms of the Attribution-NonCommercialNoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). You must give appropriate credit to authors and reference this article if parts of the article are reproduced in any manner. Applicable licensing terms are at https://creative commons.org/licenses/by-ncnd/4.0/.
KneoWorld: An Educational Program towards Educational Equity1
Deyby Espinosa Gómez2
I. Context about the Experience
Educating is feeling and thinking, not only one’s own identity but other possible ways of living and coexisting.
Carlos Skliar (2009).
The world is moving very fast in terms of technology and science. These advancements become the new competencies for the Twenty-first Century. Often these new educational programs fail to adapt to the realities imposed by the current education system and do not march to the beat of school contexts, nor do they respond to dropout rates, or promote the strengthening of family education, nor a socio-affective or social-emotional education. Furthermore, these
educational platforms are not interested in continuing and committing to the training and development of teachers. Today’s educational tech platforms forget to consider the happiness and fulfillment of who inhabits the physical spaces due to its design focus of measuring skills and assessment outcomes.
KneoWorld was born as an educational program to complement and support the teaching-learning processes in countries such as the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines, and collaborates with educators to design meaningful lessons while complementing the basic study plan or curriculum pathway.
Teaching from KneoWorld starts from the research and synthesis of the school context. From that starting point, they carefully implement a design of blended teaching strategies that makes learning more accessible and convenient for students and their families while promoting dialogical learning methods between students, families, and educators. Kneoworld offers pedagogical support to all students from a virtual environment or a traditional classroom setting. This flexibility provides all learners with elements to support time management, study habits, and work-from-home routines.
KneoWorld is grounded in humanistic pedagogical theory and therefore, understands the importance of humanist educational support in academic, social learning, and social- emotional learning, consequently, it implements a pedagogy of otherness, whose main characteristic is a deep respect for others (Rodríguez, 2009), this educational framework is based on a sense/thinking4 philosophy. A pedagogical process with all learners; that is, an educational process that consists of learning to feel and thinking with others (Espinosa, 2020), recognizing the singularities of infants, their tastes, creativity, and curiosity, “feel, think and act” education is to transform the reductionist educational discourses of human differences; It implies recognizing that education does not consist of racing against others, but in learning to feel and think about ourselves with other people (Espinosa, 2014). For this very reason, Kneoworld’s educational premise is not centered around the idea of learners competing against one another. Understanding is the real focus and recognition of differences as the greatest equity factor between human beings. Respect and dignity towards one another is Kneoworld’s worldview of pedagogy. This academic resource is not designed for the realm of the market but the human realm.
From KneoWorld, the (regular) linear form of teaching and learning is re-imagined and so re-invented, allowing pedagogue’s educational practices to create and promote spaces for socialization and learning with students and their families. Professors Bisquerra and López (2020) point out that socialization is essential for childhood development; since it stimulates affections and emotions, which are in full development in the young learner and contributes to the construction of self-esteem as well. For this reason, it is essential to create an emotional, resilient, trustworthy climate that includes a high degree of security.
As previously described, this is why KneoWorld’s educational experiences considers the importance of implementing a learning and socialization space in which the context and experiences that favor integral development are promoted from preschool to sixth grade, through trust, hope, and the recognition of student’s differences.
II. All Learners Connecting with KneoWorld
By connecting with KneoWorld, students find another possible way of learning, no longer from the linearity to which traditional education is used, but, on the contrary, through this educational platform, students and teachers together are participants and builders of the educational process itself.
How does KneoWorld’s methodology facilitate learning?
KneoWorld involves, encourages, and empowers students through teaching materials such as storytelling (anime), games, and practical activities that enrich the students’ socio- emotional processes, reading processes, and mathematical abilities.
As professor Isabel Ogalde (1991) argues, “didactic materials are those means and resources that facilitate the teaching-learning process within a global and systematic educational context”; Therefore, they stimulate the practice of the senses for “Reflection- & – Practice” (Reflexionar y practicar) and at the same time, they act as mediation between the teacher and the student. The expert in didactic strategies, Marta Mena (2001) emphasizes that materials must increase the motivation of students with, serious and interesting, and attractive developments. At the same time, they must provide the student with an organizational structure capable of making them feel that they are participating in a course, and not only reading material from the web. The materials should also invite learners to rethink their social and world context, raise awareness with others and with planet earth.
David H. Jonassen (cited by Eduteka, 2001), professor at Pennsylvania State University in the United States, further explains that the support that technologies should provide for learning is not to instruct students but to serve as tools for building knowledge so that students learn with them, and not from them. In this sense; Fabiola Zanabria (2012) thinks that implementing this didactic material and showing social and cultural aspects of society; could motivate students because; it is quite different from what is commonly used out of the routine of the blackboard and the textbook since its content and visual design provides an attractive image for its audience, which may well be children, young people or adults. With this motivation, it will be easier for the student to capture facts, content, and concepts within the animations and dialogues between teachers and students.
KneoWorld understands the above, and therefore, when implementing the stories (anime) to the teaching-learning process, it addresses them from practical situations while stimulating critical and transformative positions and perspectives in students. Using strategic development that:
- Encourage creativity.
- Produces critical behavior through different situations; students learn to recognize the importance of caring for others and the environment.
- Transform and restructure various problem situations.
- Imaginative learning.
- Stories promoting educational inclusion
KneoWorld understands in its educational methodology the importance of visual learning in lessons, stories, narratives, and online games that help to think and learn more effectively the various topics and concepts that make up the curriculum for preschool through sixth grade.
Fig. 1: Students learning from KneoWorld educational narratives
III. Inclusive Practice: Teacher-Student-Family
The Australian sociologist and educator Stephen Kemmis (1993), talk about the importance of building critical communities to maintain the values of an educative society, in which teachers, parents, school administrators, and other interested people participate. In this task, the Australian professor proposes stimulating self-awareness through reciprocity among all stakeholders, reciprocity under the values of solidarity, fraternity, and mutual respect.
KneoWorld understands that family is the first environment where social-emotional education, educational values, and social adaptation are encouraged. For this reason, it is essential that the educational process is built on the student-Family-teacher relationship.
Fig. 2: The student is participating with a caregiver in lessons
From the methodology provided by KneoWorld, parents are active participants in their children’s learning. The lessons and platform is designed in a flexible and creative way. In which parents can participate in the lesson experience, as well as identify their children’s learning processes. A child’s mother elaborates on this point:
“My kids and I love using KneoWorld to practice reading and math! The program is easy to use and provides me with everything I need. It is not necessary to configure or assign anything. My kids love stories and games; they are colorful and fun. I also really like the board. I can see how my
children are doing as they play and complete the lessons”.
Jennifer (Home-Schooling Mom) Denver, Colorado The program promotes family unity through various activities on and off the screens. These lessons and activities are designed for students to strengthen collaborative family relationships. KneoWorld online and offline activities allow students to practice and play with big ideas while learning skills and concepts.
Fig. 3: Collaborative family work
The platform has a dialogic connection with teachers. Allowing parents to feel involved and happy with a more personalized education for their children; at the same time, they understand the curriculum better, learning outcomes, and stimulate the socio-emotional and academic process of their children. KneoWorld differs from traditional education. (See table. 1).
Table 1: Education from KneoWorld.
| Concept | Traditional Education | Education from KneoWorld |
|---|---|---|
| Education Concept | Education means a matter of productivity, competition, and results. | Education is a socio-emotional and social adaptation process. It believes on the recognition of differences and educational inclusion. |
| Pedagogy Concept | It employs an instrumental pedagogy, that focuses on results and standards. It is a pedagogy that does not take into account the needs of each student. | It implements a humanistic, student-centered pedagogy. The learning process is procedural and mediated by the teacher, family, and student. |
| Student | Is a passive learner a person that must be filled with information. Students are classified based on a standarized measurement and labeled “good students” or “bad students” | The student is an active participant in their own learning process. The learner develops critical thinking skills and a social sense and purpose. He/she learns and builds knowledge alongside his/her peers, teachers, and family. |
| Teacher | A teacher becomes a vehicle to transmit information for standardized measurement and academic competition. The teacher does not have frequent or consistent training to develop their skills. | The teacher becomes a facilitator of learning. He/she is in constant development of their skills and training. He/she encourages dialogue with students and families in favor of conceptual understandings and comprehensive education. |
| Family | Their role is passive in the education and learning of their children’s education falls on the responsibility of the teacher. | The family plays a leading role in their children’s learning. They create a constant dialogue with teachers. |
Source: Espinosa, D. Own elaboration
IV. Conclusions
Although KneoWorld is an educational program for preschool to sixth grade, its structure allows it to be adapted and applied methodologically to other groups, local strategies, or particular interests. It is founded on humanistic, experiential, and practical pedagogical foundations that allow its viability and execution. It is responsive to the current challenges of social and educational interaction based on needs, interests, and various forms of learning.
KneoWorld has become a lifetime experience for the team of professionals, students, and families that use the program; therefore, it opens the door to inclusion and possibilities to interact with different people with different experiences.
The methodology implemented by KneoWorld stimulates adaptive learning that allows for the identification of the working processes of the personal needs of each student. Learning occurs with adaptation and in real-time, and through lessons, stories, practical workshops, games, and cognitive challenges, that allow teachers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each student and to design pedagogical strategies that address these needs. In addition, it can be noted that the implemented methodology has promoted the recognition of diversity in the classroom, and it has educational advantages such as:
- An easier appropriation of themes and concepts.
- Pedagogical support based on the needs, mistakes and, successes of each student.
- Encourages motivation and creativity.
- Students and their families are protagonists of learning.
- Strengthens the dialogue between teachers, family, and students to achieve educational standards.
- Collaborate with early childhood and elementary school teachers to create meaningful lessons to support, supplement, and appropriate the core curriculum.
KneoWorld understands that children are the future of our society, but they are also the present. Therefore it is committed to a different education that involves all stakeholders in the teaching-learning process while creating an emotional climate of security and trust.
References Références Referencias
1. Bisquerra, R. and López É. (2020). Initial learning and emotional accompaniment. Ruta Maestra Magazine. Edition 29. Pp. 120-125.
2. DeCuir, J.T., & Dixson, A.D. (2004). “So when it comes out, they aren’t that surprised that it is there”: Using critical race theory as a tool of analysis of race and racism in education. Educational Researcher, 33(5), 26-31
3. Espinosa Gómez, D. R. (2020). Sensi/Thinking heartbeat of a teacher as a form of resistance to the quality of education. Margins Journal of Education of the University of Malaga, 1 (3), 291-313. https:// doi.org/10.24310/mgnmar.v1i3.8510
4. Jonassen, D. (2001) The importance of the visual issues in learning. EDUKATECA. Recovered from https://eduteka.icesi.edu.co/articulos/Editorial11
5. Kemmis, S. (1993). Teacher training and the creation and extension of critical teacher communities. Spain: Diada Editora. Mena, M. (2001). “Materials in Distance Education”. In Comprehensive Training Program in Distance Education. Spain, UNNE. Pp. 50-62.
6. Ogalde, I. (1991). The didactic materials. Means and resources to support teaching. México, Trillas.
7. Rodríguez, H. (2009). Humanist pedagogy. Foundation of the curriculum and educational quality, Pátzcuaro, Universidad Intercultural Indígena de Michoacán, 2009, 445.
8. Sanabria, J. (2012). “Pedagogical proposal: anime as didactic material in Secondary education”. (Bachelor’s Thesis). National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico. Recovered from https://reposi torio.unam.mx/contenidos/347422
9. Skliar, C. (2009). “Educating is touching Feelings.” Knowledge, Journal of the Ministry of Education of the Province of Córdoba, No. 4. FLACSO. Education.
1 This article presents the experience lived by Kneoworld participants, students, families, teachers, and directors who made it possible for Kneoworld to live and expand in their homes and community as another possible way to teach, meet again, take care of ourselves and live with diversity.We invite you to visit us so you can discover the opportunities that we have for you: https://www.kneoworld.com/
2 Magister Magna Cum Laude in Education. Graduate in Social Sciences. Kneoworld pedagogical support. University of Antioquia.
3 Assign and go, Kneoworld based on a reflection-action education in which students are active participants in the learning process.
4 The Sensing/Thinking concept was born from those wise words of the fishermen in San Benito Abad (Sucre) to the sociologist Orlando FalsBorda (cited in Lizaraso, 2017): “We act with the heart, but we also use our heads, and when we combine the two things thus, we are Sensing/Thinkers” a concept that has inspired poets, such was the case of Eduardo Galeano (2000), who defined it as “that language that tells the truth.”
In the educational field, it means “learning to feel and think with the other, not about the other” (Espinosa, 2014), to be “subjects of praxis” (Ghiso, 2004), or as Castro (2018) would say, a Sentipensante is a lover of life, a revolutionary who unites the emotional with the cognitive, breaking with hegemonic rationalism.
