La educación es otra historia

Usando la historia para comprender mejor la educación actual

License Creative Commons

Antoni Hernández-Fernández

On the History of Education. Understanding and comprehending the past of education is essential for improving the present

In the preface to La educación es otra  historia (García Doval, 2023:12), Héctor Ruiz asserts that “an education informed by evidence is not solely nourished by neuroscience or psychology; rather, other disciplines can also contribute to it from complementary perspectives”. This insight becomes especially pertinent when considering the role of history, as Fátima García Doval adeptly illustrates in her latest work.

Having previously struck a chord with her book Psicomitos: Una crítica a la psicología no científica (García Doval, 2022), in which she unveiled the deceptions and fallacies inherent in pseudoscientific approaches such as neuro-linguistic programming and psychoanalysis—both of which are prevalent in the contemporary self-help culture that infiltrates unsuspecting educators—García Doval now exhibits her talent for clear, engaging prose and incisive synthesis in this exploration of  educational history. The book is a result of painstaking research and thoughtful curation, skilfully distilling complex and diverse subjects into key insights within the limitations of a single volume.

García Doval skilfully weaves together two interrelated narratives: the personal history of the educator, who reflects on their experiences as a student and its influence on their professional practice, and the broader historical trajectory of education in human societies, shaped by both biological factors and the evolution of fundamental technologies such as writing, printing, television, and the internet. In both instances, García Doval challenges the reader to reject the deterministic cycles of the past and resist the allure of technological Kondratiev waves that shape educational trends in a commercialised sector.

The book offers a feast for the senses: an evolutionary perspective that thoughtfully examines the pedagogical capacities of various species, whether related to humans or not; a feminist analysis that shines a light on the often-overlooked role of women in education, and a timely reflection on the pervasive impact of technology in the classroom. García Doval also tackles the social issues of racial segregation and discrimination within educational contexts. Her writing, brimming with vivid sensory detail, evokes smoky campfire stories, the feel of cuneiform tablets and the scent of ink and chalk dust in a classroom filled with students just returned from recess. Throughout her pages, the writer exudes a unique educational commitment, achieving a delicate balance between reason and emotion that is often challenging to attain in teaching.

Moreover, García Doval does not shy away from controversial subjects, such as the history of project-based learning—a topic she addresses with brevity and neutrality compared to other subsequent analyses (see García and Galindo, 2024)—the complexities surrounding disability, and the needs for inclusive practices in the classroom. She also traces the evolution towards orthographic standardisation, revealing insights that will surprise many readers, especially as some historical missteps continue to cast a long shadow over the educational landscape of the twenty-first century.

In conclusion, this work stands as another valuable contribution to the Graó collection Educación basada en evidencias, a series that has become essential for educators. By using history to gain a deeper understanding of their daily experiences, educators are better equipped to understand why there is a concerted effort to keep them caught up in the daily whirlpool, preoccupied with bureaucratic obligations, and, crucially, diverted from the political decisions that truly matter.

Title: La educación es otra historia. Usando la historia para comprender mejor la educación actual.

Author: Fátima García Doval

ISBN: 978-84-19788-75-7

Publisher: Graó. ISTF.

Language: Spanish

Number of pages: 226

Publication date: november, 2023

References:

– García Doval, Fátima Mª. (2023). La educación es otra historia. Barcelona: Graó. ISTF.

– García Doval, Fátima Mª. (2022). Psicomitos. Una crítica a la psicología no científica. Barcelona: Prisanoticias-

EMSE EDAPP.

– García Fernández, Olga y Galindo Ferrández, Enrique (2024). Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos. Un aprendizaje basura para el proletariado. Madrid: Akal.

Source: educational EVIDENCE

Rights: Creative Commons