Ikasberri: another way to learn

2003/04/01 Andonegi Beristain, Garazi - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Unibertsitateak

Spaces with Internet access are the ones that most like teachers.

G. Andonegi

To guide this change and define the model itself, the opinions of society, students, teachers and all those involved in education have been taken into account. In this sense, the characteristics of the new system have been defined and, subsequently, the functions that these agents must perform, including teachers and parents, have been defined. This work has set new guidelines for the performance of teachers, selecting new teaching methods and obtaining technological resources. And all this in the Diocesan Institute of Vitoria.

The Ikasberri model, therefore, is a revolutionary educational model born of Professional Formation and manifested in the Diocesan educational center itself, especially in its way of teaching. “The Ikasberri project is that the student is able to learn for himself,” explains Paco Martínez de Contrasta, director of the center. In addition, the Ikasberri model aims to promote two more things: that the student has the most current computer and technological means and also has a multilingual system.

Although the goal seems simple, it requires a lot of work – reorganizing the role of teachers, establishing methodologies. Finally, it is intended that students become the protagonist of their studies and, if they make this contribution, students will have a system to develop their skills and abilities.

In the mediatecas students have spaces distributed. Below, the individual learning tables and above the group workrooms.

G. Andonegi

However, among the adaptations it has been seen that the student also needs his own and, to begin with, needs adapted spaces to become protagonist. In Ikasberri, not only is the work done in school hours taken into account, but the student himself has to obtain information, organize it, explain it to the teacher, etc. To do this, you need written press, Internet, graphic resources, magazines, books and CD-ROM, and to access all of them it is necessary to create new rooms and spaces: mediatecas.

Mediatecas, favorite areas of students

The mediatecas are spaces adapted to the different types of work that the student must perform: tables necessary for individual learning, group workrooms, video corner, library, Internet access points, etc. The latter seem to be the most used, in which they learn to use computer programs, seek information on the Internet and then organize it. In the media library, however, it is not surprising that teachers see, advise or guide group work. In fact, the mediatecas are spaces designed by the teachers themselves, but with a clear orientation to the students.

Therefore, the Ikasberri project seeks greater participation of students in studies and, at least in Vitoria-Gasteiz, is working on this objective.