Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
To cite this article: Abraham-Allec Londoño & Oscar-Alonso Vélez (2018) From the
disjunction between passive and active instruction approaches towards their integration as
an alternative for the significant learning of sustainable development / De la disyuntiva entre
los enfoques de instrucción pasiva y activa hacia su integración como alternativa para un
aprendizaje significativo del desarrollo sostenible, Cultura y Educación, 30:4, 766-786, DOI:
10.1080/11356405.2018.1514803
Universidad de Medellín
(Received 11 August 2016; accepted 20 August 2018)
Abstract: This study aims to show how the integration of passive and active
learning approaches contributes towards the significant understanding of
problems associated with sustainable development. To do this, a case study
from the municipality of San Miguel de Achiutla in Oaxaca, Mexico, is used
as a general method, with the specific procedure including an instrument
based on secondary sources representing the passive learning phase, as well
as an instrument created on the basis of primary sources, designed in relation
to the active learning component. The passive learning phase enabled us to
identify variables pertaining to the highly vulnerable dimensions of sustain-
able development, and to also detect areas in which there is a deficit of
information, since not all data are available, while the active learning phase
revealed the causes of vulnerability from the perspective of different agents,
including those who experienced the issues directly. In view of the above, we
conclude that rather than being exclusive, these two different approaches
should in fact be complementary.
Keywords: passive learning; active learning; sustainable development;
inclusive approach; significant learning
Ever since the Rio Summit of 1992, sustainable development has been constituted
within a current field of study which is characterized by its multidimensionality,
presented as the result of the interaction of environmental, economic, social and
institutional variables. In view of this, the problems it raises cannot be addressed
from the closed viewpoint of each separate discipline. On the contrary, interdisci-
plinary work becomes vital, not only as a theoretical basis but also in terms of
practical requirements (Luengo, 2012). With regard to sustainable development,
‘interdisciplinary’ relates to the interaction or convergence of various disciplines
(Carvajal, 2010; Henao et al., 2017). This integration between disciplines gen-
erates new problematics that need to be addressed, which results in the emergence
of new and shared study objectives in each discipline (Luengo, 2012). In this
sense, it becomes important to search for topics which are common or of core
interest to the different dimensions (see Figure 1).
In accordance with the above, the complexity inherent in sustainable develop-
ment means that learning approaches used to teach it span both traditional models
(passive) and more interactive models (active). For Mayer (2004), this suggests a
model of instruction that promotes students’ active cognition and is based on a
constructivist approach, in which the student is ultimately responsible for their
learning process (Trujillo, 2010), since such models have been shown to be more
effective bearing in mind that students develop real skills and deeper learning
processes (Lewis, Chen, & Relan, 2018).
Since the Bologna Conference of 2010, efforts have been directed at moving
from a teacher-centred learning approach, in which students are passive receivers
of information, to one in which students participate more directly (Aparicio et al.,
2018). Studies have also shown that active learning helps prepare students better,
since it strengthens their interpersonal skills and generates more significant learn-
ing of the phenomena studied (Leong & Clutter, 2015; Rockich-Winston, Train,
Rudolph, & Gillette, 2018; Suhariyanto, Sri Hariyati, & Ungsianik, 2018; Yajma,
Hayakawa, Kashiwaba, Takahshi, & Oiguchi, 2016). Traditional learning, based
exclusively on lectures, is considered ineffective, since once the lecture or master-
class is over the knowledge obtained is minimal. However, this does not mean that
the work of the instructor becomes redundant, since teachers continue to exercise
a role which has considerable influence on the learning process (El-Naas, 2011).
This study is based on the premise that when working with topics related to
sustainable development, passive learning contributes to the development of
768 A.-A. Londoño and O.-A. Vélez
Methodology
The study arises as a result of the academic internships carried out in Mexico City
by students on the doctoral programme in sustainable development from the
University of Manizales, Colombia, in the months of February and March 2015,
which involved visits to the municipality of San Miguel de Achiutla in Oaxaca,
Mexico. The event included two phases: the first consisted of passive learning
(based on secondary sources and with teachers taking a more active role), in
which the conceptual bases related to sustainable development at a local level
were introduced; and the second corresponded to the active learning phases (based
on primary sources and with students taking a more active role), in which
participants saw for themselves the different problems in the area visited.
Educational infrastructures Socio-economic What kind of risk for the municipality do educational X
infrastructures represent?
Households that have access to the Social-environmental What kind of risk for the sustainability of the X
public water network municipality does access to water represent?
Households that have a washing Economic-social What kind of risk for the sustainability of the X
machine, fridge, television and municipality does the possession of a washing
computer machine, fridge, television and computer represent
for people’s quality of life?
Knowledge of the original Social What kind of risk for its long-term maintenance does X
indigenous language knowledge of the original indigenous language
represent?
Economically active population Economic-social What kind of risk for the sustainability of the X
municipality does the size of the economically
active population represent?
Competitive advantages of the Social-economic What kind of risk do monuments and museums run if X
municipality they are not visited?
Local institutions that promote Institutional What is the risk of not complying with sustainability X
sustainability matters in the municipality due to the lack of
institutions that monitor this?
Source: own elaboration
An alternative for the significant learning of sustainable development / Una alternativa para un aprendizaje significativo del desarrollo sostenible 771
Conclusions
Of the seven variables in which high vulnerability was identified, four belong to
the social-economic dimension, two to the economic-social and one to the social
dimension, making two points clear: first, the municipality’s priorities are mainly
of a social and economic kind; second, the lack of information on the variables
associated with the environmental dimension stands in the way of any attempt to
understand the magnitude of environmental problems.
In relation to the socio-economic dimensions, it should be noted that the
causes of migration of habitants of San Miguel de Achiutla are associated with
the pursuit of employment and education opportunities and that one way of
mitigating this is through cultural heritage tourism. Similarly, the index of margin-
alization is linked more to the development of public policies that improve the
quality of life of habitants, although they relate this indirectly to cultural heritage
tourism, since this generates more income for the population. In the case of
educational infrastructures, points highlighted are the need to manage resources
to improve the physical equipment and teaching staff of educational institutions,
and also the potential offered by museums and temples for reconstructing com-
munity identity.
With regard to the economic-social dimension, it should be noted that while
the focus groups are conscious of the competitive advantage presented by the
cultural heritage of the municipality, the population does not see the privatization
Table 2. Focus group interviews.
772
Focus groups
Variable Experts in heritage conservation Doctoral students Inhabitants
Population growth Due to the phenomenon of globalization Due to a lack of opportunities in the In search of employment or studies
that enables people to move to places municipality
with better salaries
Increasing the resources provided by Improving infrastructures to attract Promoting cultural tourism since this
national and federal governments more tourists and generate more boosts the local economy
since the municipality is poor employment opportunities
Marginalization Marginalization is a topic associated It requires attention to the factors that Through the creation of employment to
A.-A. Londoño and O.-A. Vélez
index with different variables of a social are generating the marginalization attract more visitors
and economic nature
Educational Investing more money in education Through programmes that specifically Bringing more teachers and books to
infrastructures aim to educate adults, since high schools
levels of illiteracy are found among
them
Since they do not consider this Because they value economic matters Because they think that being older
important as they live a very rural life much more than educational ones means that it is no longer necessary
in which economic need is prioritized and because economic needs are
more pressing
The infrastructure of temples and Having classes in Mixteca museums When teachers take students to Mixteca
museums could be used to teach temples
children and adults about the rich
culture which existed in prehispanic
times
Competitive Through the promotion of cultural By improving infrastructures to be able Improving access for tourists by
advantage heritage tourism, although this is a to access the municipality, although offering accommodation and
task that needs the coordination of general and specific marketing plans different services
national, federal and municipal focusing on this kind of tourism are
governments, as well as the support also needed
of universities and businesses
(Continued )
Table 2. (Continued ).
Focus groups
Variable Experts in heritage conservation Doctoral students Inhabitants
It should be a public initiative since this Regardless of whether this is private or Public, since a bad experience has
refers to a different kind of tourism public, what matters is that it is already been seen with privatization
managed more efficiently
Households that Because they focus on prioritizing Because their priorities are related to Because their income is not enough for
have a washing employment and the generation of survival such luxuries
machine, fridge, income
television and
computer
The problem is much deeper, but as No, it’s a subject linked more to social Yes, because it improves employment
income levels improve, access to policies
these can gradually improve too
Economically active Through projects that come from Creating local institutions responsible Through more productive projects and
population national and regional initiatives that for managing economic projects attention to the indigenous area
seek to generate employment
As long as people are looked after in Yes, because it involves people in jobs Yes, because it directly and indirectly
these activities in the sector of cultural heritage improves this activity
tourism
Handling and Through the creation of institutions An environmental education Environmental institutions in the
treatment of waste responsible for defining citizen programme should be created for the municipality exist, but more
training strategies municipality awareness in the general population
is needed for these to be used better
Knowledge of the Although national policies exist to Quality of education is low and There is not much interest in the
original promote the culture, at a local level, improvement policies are lacking population for conserving their
indigenous there is a lack of effective strategies original language. Priorities are more
An alternative for the significant learning of sustainable development / Una alternativa para un aprendizaje significativo del desarrollo sostenible
(Continued )
774
Table 2. (Continued ).
Focus groups
Variable Experts in heritage conservation Doctoral students Inhabitants
More awareness can be built about There should be a return to the teaching These are linked because they are both
language in Mixteca culture in the of the original Mixteca language part of the Mixteca culture
community, but resources are needed through educational policy
A.-A. Londoño and O.-A. Vélez
Notes
1. The Mixtecos are an indigenous people of Mexico, a country in which they represent
the fourth Amerindian minority after the Nahuas, the Mayas and the Zapotecs. The
historical territory of this town is La Mixteca, a mountainous region located between
the current states of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Puebla.
2. This study has been conducted as part of the activities programmed during the
international internship carried out by students on the doctoral programme in sustain-
able development of the University of Manizales, Colombia, between February and
March 2015 in Mexico, during which a series of visits to different states of the
Mixteca region were organized.
3. La Red Internacional de Investigadores sobre Problemas Socio urbanos, Regionales
y Ambientales (International Network of Researchers on Urban, Regional and
Environmental Social Problems).
776 A.-A. Londoño and O.-A. Vélez
desaparecer la labor del instructor, puesto que los maestros siguen desempeñando
un rol influyente en el proceso de aprendizaje (El-Naas, 2011).
En este trabajo se parte de la premisa de que en las temáticas vinculadas al
desarrollo sostenible, el aprendizaje pasivo contribuye a un conocimiento muy
general y, por tanto, requiere ser complementado con el de tipo activo, para que de
esta manera pueda configurarse un conocimiento más especifico y profundo que
contribuya a una busqueda de soluciones más apropiadas.
Metodología
El trabajo surge como resultado de la pasantía académica realizada en México D.
F. por parte de los estudiantes del doctorado en desarrollo sostenible de la
Universidad de Manizales, Colombia, en los meses de febrero y marzo del año
2015, la que tuvo en su programación la visita a la municipalidad de San Miguel
de Achiutla, en Oaxaca, México. Este evento tuvo dos fases, la primera fue de
aprendizaje pasivo (basado en fuentes secundarias y con un rol más activo de los
docentes), en ella se dieron las bases conceptuales acerca de la sostenibilidad a
escala local, y la segunda correspondió a la fase de aprendizaje activo (basado en
fuentes primarias y con un rol más activo de los estudiantes), en la que los
participantes vivenciaron en el territorio las diferentes problemáticas.
Conclusiones
De las siete variables en las que se identificó una alta vulnerabilidad, cuatro
pertenecen a la dimensión social-económica, dos a la dimensión económico-social
y una a la social, lo que hace evidente dos cosas: primero, las prioridades de la
municipalidad son principalmente de tipo social y económico; segundo, la falta de
información de variables asociadas a la dimensión ambiental no permite conocer
la magnitud de los problemas ambientales.
En lo que atañe a las dimensiones socio-económicas hay que decir que las
causas de la migración de los habitantes de San Miguel de Achiutla se asocian a la
búsqueda de oportunidades de empleo y de educación y que una forma de
mitigarlo es por medio del turismo de patrimonios culturales. De la misma
manera, el índice de marginación se vincula más al desarrollo de políticas
públicas que mejoren la calidad de vida de los habitantes, aunque lo relacionan
de forma indirecta con el turismo de patrimonios culturales, ya que con este se
780
Grupos focalizados
Expertos en conservación de
Variable patrimonios Estudiantes de doctorado Pobladores
Viviendas que Porque su prioridad se enfoca en el Porque sus prioridades son de Porque los ingresos no alcanzan para
disponen de empleo y la generación de ingresos subsistencia esos lujos
lavadora, El problema es más de fondo pero en la No, es un tema que se vincula más a Si porque mejora el empleo
refrigerador, medida que mejore los ingresos si políticas sociales
televisión y puede mejorarse el acceso a estos
computadora
A.-A. Londoño and O.-A. Vélez
Población Por medio de proyectos que vengan Creando instituciones locales encargadas Por medio de más proyectos
económicamente desde los ámbitos nacional y regional de gestionar proyectos económicos productivos y atención a zona
activa que busquen generar empleo indigena
Si siempre que se ocupe a la gente en Si porque vincula a la población a Si porque mejora el empleo directo e
dichas actividades emplearse en el sector de turismo de indirecto a esta actividad
patrimonios culturales
Manejo y tratamiento Mediante la creación de instituciones Debe crearse un programa de educación Las instituciones ambientales en el
de residuos que se encargen de definir las ambiental para la municipalidad municipio existen pero falta
estrategias para formar a la ciudadanía capacitar a la población para dar un
mejor tratamiento de estos
Conocimiento de la Aunque existen políticas nacionales de La calidad de la educación no es buena y No hay mucho interés en la población
lengua indigena promoción de la cultura, al faltan poíticas que la promuevan de conservar su lengua originaria.
originaria decsenderla a lo local faltan Las prioridades están más
estrategias eficaces que contribuyan a asociadas a la subsistencia
que los pobladores la hagan parte de
su identidad.
Se le puede generar conciencia a la Dentro de las políticas educativas se Van unidos porque hacen parte de la
comunidad sobre la importancia de debe volver a la enseñanaza de la cultura mixteca,
dicha lengua en la cultura mixteca, lengua original de los mixtecas
pero se requieren recursos para
enseñarla y difundirla
(Continúa )
Tabla 2. (Continuación).
Grupos focalizados
Expertos en conservación de
Variable patrimonios Estudiantes de doctorado Pobladores
Instituciones locales Por medio de recursos propios para la X En cuanto a la gestión de patrimonios
que promueven la restauración de patrimonios culturales no, pero se promueve la
sostenibilidad sostenibilidad del municipio por
medio de proyectos productivos
agricolas
No hay una promoción activa pero se X Han invertido recursos para mejorar
entregaron recursos del municipio la infraestructura vial, pero esta
para la restauración del convento de aún presenta problemas pues se
San Miguel de Achiutla vuelve intransitable en el invierno.
Además no existe un sistema de
transporte público hasta el
municipio.
No eso obedece a la iniciativa privada X Existe una agencia turistica privada
en la región que realiza
excursiones y el hotel principal
tiene programas de cabalgatas y
visitas a rutas arqueológicas
Fuente: elaboración propia
An alternative for the significant learning of sustainable development / Una alternativa para un aprendizaje significativo del desarrollo sostenible
783
784 A.-A. Londoño and O.-A. Vélez
Notas
1. Los mixtecos son un pueblo indígena de México, país en el que representan la cuarta
minoría amerindia después de los nahuas, los mayas y los zapotecos. El territorio
histórico de este pueblo es La Mixteca, una región montañosa que se ubica entre los
actuales estados de Guerrero, Oaxaca y Puebla.
An alternative for the significant learning of sustainable development / Una alternativa para un aprendizaje significativo del desarrollo sostenible 785
2. Este trabajo hace parte de las actividades programadas durante la pasantía internacio-
nal realizada por los estudiantes de doctorado en desarrollo sostenible de la
Universidad de Manizales, Colombia, llevada a cabo entre los meses de febrero y
marzo de 2015 en México, y en la que se planearon una serie de visitas a diferentes
estados pertenecientes a la región mixteca.
3. La Red Internacional de Investigadores sobre Problemas Socio urbanos, Regionales y
Ambientales.
Acknowledgements / Agradecimientos
Dr Roque Juan Carrasco Aquino, principal investigator of CIIEMAD (IPN) and honorary
president of RIISPSURA. And also Dr Ciro Alfonso Serna Mendoza, director of the
doctoral programme in Sustainable Development, University of Manizales, Colombia. /
Doctor Roque Juan Carrasco Aquino, investigador del CIIEMAD (IPN) y presidente
honorario de RIISPSURA. Al igual que al Doctor Ciro Alfonso Serna Mendoza director
del Doctorado en Desarrollo Sostenible, Universidad de Manizales, Colombia.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. / Los autores no han
referidoningún potencial conflicto de interés en relación con este artículo.
ORCID
Abraham-Allec Londoño http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2419-0211
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