Education In Chile Research Articles

Development and Validation of a Family Participation Scale for School Education

This article presents the creation and validation of a scale designed to measure family participation in school education. Recent research has highlighted  the challenges that schools face in establishing effective relationships between families and the educational institution, often resulting in low engagement and ineffective communication. Furthermore, the absence of valid tools for assessing family participation and guiding interventions in this domain has been identified. A set of indicators categorized into three dimensions has been developed: support in education from home, democratic participation, and communication with the school, drawing from various models of family participation. These indicators underwent content validity evaluation with input from thirteen academic experts. Subsequently, the instrument was applied to a sample of 308 parents from a public school to assess its reliability and construct validity. The results indicate that the scale is suitable for use in the context of primary education in Chile and aligns with the initial theoretical framework, rendering it ready for application in the context of Chilean primary education.

Dispossession of Indigenous Knowledge in the Chilean Education System: Mapuche Experiences in Chile

ABSTRACT The article reports on the dispossession of indigenous knowledge in the public education system in Mapuche territory in La Araucanía, a southern region in Chile. The methodology is qualitative, 18 people were interviewed including Mapuche wise men and women, fathers, and mothers who experienced schooling processes in their younger years. The information analysis technique is content analysis, to identify explicit and latent meanings related to the schools they attended and the Chilean education system. Mapuche wise people and parents were consulted on the pedagogical practices of dispossession of ancestral knowledge that have been institutionalized. Main results show that schools have transmitted a Western Eurocentric-based knowledge which results in the dispossession of their own episteme and in their transformation into ordinary Chilean citizens who are unaware of their language and culture as a central axis of their sociocultural identity. Main conclusions account for the historical processes of schooling in an indigenous context, highlighting the consequences that this monocultural education has brought to families, communities, and new generations of indigenous. This poses the challenge of transforming the school curriculum, to transmit their truth, to advance in justice, reparation, and to ensure the non-repetition of the epistemicide of indigenous knowledge in the school.

Mental Health, Subjective Well-Being, and Academic Performance in Chilean Schoolchildren Who Are Part and Are Not Part of the School Inclusion Program

Inclusive education acknowledges and values the capabilities and needs of every student. Exploring their perceptions of psychosocial variables and academic performance can significantly enhance inclusive practices and improve overall school performance, particularly for students with special educational needs (SEN). This study aimed to assess mental health, subjective well-being, and academic performance among students in the school inclusion program (SIP) and those not in the program. Conducted as an analytical cross-sectional study, this research endeavor entailed the utilization of a probabilistic, stratified sampling approach designed to ensure community representativeness. The study sample encompassed a cohort of 730 school students aged between 10 and 15 years (M = 12; SD = 1.3 years) representing five different public schools in the Biobío region, all integrating SIPs into their educational structure. Student assessments involved the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Subjective Happiness Scale. Additionally, their academic performance was measured based on grade point averages (GPAs) and final accumulated grades in language and literature as well as mathematics. Students enrolled in the SIP obtained lower scores in the self-esteem, anxiety, and happiness assessments along with poorer academic performance compared to their non-SIP counterparts. Consequently, students participating in the SIP displayed lower levels of mental health and subjective well-being along with inferior academic performance in contrast to their non-participating counterparts. These findings are alarming, as SIP implementation is a key strategy for promoting inclusive education in Chile and enhancing the learning of all students, especially those with SEN.

Each young in his place so the country does not continue wasting its invaluable human capital: confluences of educational languages in a reformist experience (Chile, c.1964–c.1970)

ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of the Educational Reform in Chile since 1965, this article sheds light on the convergence of educational language based upon the economic notion of developmentalism, the idea of human capital and the expansion of school guidance (orientación) in Chilean education. Through analysing right-wing press and discourses from teachers and counsellors who were supporters of the significant changes that secondary education was going through led by Christian democrats, we briefly reveal the confluence and the opposition of concepts and the strategic differences among relevant actors in the reformist process.

Perceptions of teachers and students about the use of ICTs in physical education classes: uses, advantages, and projections

The digitalization of societies is not a homogeneous or mechanistic process that moves in parallel to technological processes, since the uses of ICT are linked to the social and political contingency of each country. Consequently, this paper set out to analyze the perception of teachers and students about the use of ICTs in Physical Education classes in schools in Santiago of Chile. The use of ICTs in Physical Education is uncommon in Chile, these are focused on physical exercise and folklore teaching. A qualitative methodology was used. Based on structured interviews with teachers and students from schools in the southern area of Santiago. These were analyzed through Atlasti software. A qualitative analysis of content and a thematic analysis was carried out through data coding. The results show that there are differences in the perception of ICT by teachers and students. The former prioritize technologies applied to physical exercise. The latter consider that technologies are important for obtaining information and managing communication between teacher and student. It is concluded that it is necessary to generate institutional mechanisms that allow socialization in new skills and knowledge of technologies, since the lack of training in these skills could produce severe problems in the integration into the new digital society that is developing in Chile. Likewise, there is a generational gap in the use of this type of technologies, which would affect the older population. Keywords: ICTs in the classroom; Physical education; Digital society; Education in Chile.

Visual styles, hidden discourses

This article reports the findings of a study aimed at exploring the visual discourses at a Chilean education university. First, building on the classic ‘hidden curriculum’ and ‘school art style’ literature, it justifies the need to discuss how higher education institutions model the ways through which teachers-to-be comprehend and use visual resources. Second, the article presents the results of a critical visual methodology performed in the oldest education university in Chile. Through a visual discourse analysis of the experience of walking around the campus, it elaborates on the university’s visual styles comprising the themes, technologies and locations of artefacts. Third, it discusses the relationships between courtyard and hallway images loaded with critical motivations and classroom images portraying stereotyped and anachronistic views of childhood. The article concludes by urging to incorporate quality visual pedagogy orientations in teacher education.

The traditional, the formal, and the alternative in chilean education: an epistemological approach

This article advocates an epistemological approach to the notions of traditional, formal, and alternative education, leveraging Reinhard Koselleck’s historical perspective. It begins by analyzing the concept of traditional education, emphasizing its focus on historical continuity, the central role of the teacher, and its association with oligarchic interests.Drawing on Daniel Brailovsky’s theory, the evolution of the traditional form of education is examined, particularly the emergence of the «old new school» and «market scholasticism». The article then shifts to scrutinize formal education in Chile. This is achieved by exploring ministerial documents to discern the defining components of formal education in terms of their alignment with what is deemed «alternative» and «traditional».The concept of alternative education is subsequently broached from a historical viewpoint, underscoring its adaptability and diversity relative to context. This mode of education fosters inclusion, creativity, diversity, and intercultural understanding, although it is confronted with challenges such as uncertainty and issues related to coexistence. Nonetheless, a notable shortfall is the lack of state support for alternative education in Chile, leading to discriminatory practices and a disregard for these types of schools.

Digital competences in chilean Year-1 university students from technical-vocational secondary education (TVSE) and scientific-humanistic secondary education (SHSE).

Digital competences are widely regarded as the key competences as defined by various international organizations, such as the European Commission (2018) and the OECD (2022). Given their paramount importance across all facets of contemporary society, a thorough examination of their developmental aspects becomes imperative. The study was conducted at a Chilean state-run university, which stands as the second largest institution in terms of student enrollment. Utilizing a quantitative survey-based methodology, this research study seeks to characterize the level of digital competences among Year-1 students pursuing undergraduate programs. Furthermore, it aims to compare the competence levels of two prominent student groups, distinguished by their distinct secondary schooling pathways, namely, technical-vocational education (TVSE) and scientific-humanistic education (SHSE). For the purpose of data collection, the CompDig-Ped test, aligned with the European framework for digital competences (DigComp), has been employed as the research instrument. The key findings of this study underscore significant disparities in digital competence levels between students originating from SHSE and TVSE secondary school trajectories, with TVSE students demonstrating comparatively lower levels of digital competence. These outcomes are congruent with existing research, which highlights the challenges encountered by technical-vocational secondary education in Chile over an extended period of time.

Teaching during the pandemic: The case of Chilean mathematics teachers

This study sought to explore the implementation of remote teaching activities in mathematics classrooms in Chile and its outcomes in this neoliberal country during the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges that teachers encountered when trying to carry out their remote teaching are also presented. By attending to different types of schools in the Chilean education system, the results of a comparative analysis of frequencies show differences in the use of two options of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities, software, and in the challenges experienced by the participating teachers from three different school sectors. The results highlight a tendency and flexibility to mix synchronous and asynchronous activities coupled with all available tools from WhatsApp to Zoom. Likewise, findings suggest that the socio-economic segregation in the Chilean education system makes a difference when employing the simple and free access tools by teachers in public schools.

Nature Is Nonbinary: Gender and Sexuality in Biology Education in Chile

Abstract: This article brings together four educators to collaboratively discuss how nonbinary representations and narratives circulate through education, especially in biology education in the context of Chile. This discussion is illustrated with an experience that began in August 2020 with a master’s course and continued with the practice of teaching biology to students in a school science classroom and to teachers-to-be at the university, both with a focus on the natural, the human, and the nonbinary features of the nonhuman. Finally, the implications of these experiences for our practice and a broader context of teaching biology are discussed.

Segmentation in higher education in Chile: Massification without equality

AbstractFifty years ago, the expansion of access to higher education was expected to result in greater socio‐economic equality. Instead, segmentation in mass higher education systems has called into question the effective democratization of access to higher education. This phenomenon appeared first in higher income countries, allowing the identification of some factors that contribute to segmentation. This article seeks to provide evidence from the Chilean case, evaluating how students' social backgrounds affect admission to different types of universities. Data for the study were taken from the applications of 57,780 students admitted in 2019. Multinomial logistic regression was employed. The results showed that, depending on their background, students of the same level of academic performance follow different paths. Students from families with a high level of income or graduated from private secondary school were more likely to be admitted to private universities. Some of the dynamics present in European countries and the United States are also observed in Chile, particularly those related to the segregation of the school system and private provision and funding at the tertiary level.

Doctorate education in Chile: The race to increase the production of doctorate holders and the obsession of quantifying quality

ABSTRACT The historical development of Chile’s doctoral education is closely tied to its semi-peripheral position in the world economy. Drawing from secondary data and historical sources on the development of doctoral education, we conducted a critical analysis of the different phases of doctoral education within the last 70 years, paying special attention to the reforms implemented in the last 15 years. Our analysis revealed that Chile’s doctoral education is going through a phase of rapid expansion of doctoral enrolment, internationalisation, and quantification of academic quality, responding to the paradigm of the knowledge economy. Particularly, we argue that the emphasis on quantifying the quality of doctoral education unintentionally undermines the potential of doctoral education to support the processes of scientific and technological knowledge creation that truly address the most pressing issues of Chilean society.

Novice teachers in Chile: ELT teaching capability development and social (in)justice awareness in educational marginalization

ABSTRACT The Chilean system is known worldwide for the detrimental effect of neoliberal policies on public education and school segregation (Bellei et al. 2022). Drawing on Sen’s Capability Approach (1999), this paper examines how novice teachers of English balance the tension between the constraints of the social and educational systems (unfreedoms) to develop agency and transform challenges into English-language teaching opportunities (capabilities), and how they develop social (in)justice awareness to become helpful, caring, and committed ELT practitioners in their school communities. Data collected through open-ended surveys and semi-structured interviews reveal that novice teachers understand and question systemic unfreedoms (social, institutional, market-driven educational constraints) and social (in)justice in Chilean education and ELT. Such reflections allow them to distance themselves from curricular mandates, to develop ELT capabilities based on the academic and emotional needs of their learners, and intertwine English teaching with affective care and commitment to their schools’ educational projects and the wellbeing of marginalized students.

Citizenship education in Chile and the problematization of immigration

In this article, we analyze the problematization of immigration in citizenship education in Chile. Drawing on Foucault’s genealogy of problematizations, we explore the conditions under which curricular discourses about immigration shifted from a historical phenomenon that emphasized “the civilization process” during the 19th century to a more recent positioning of immigration as a problem of social inclusion in the 1990s. We propose that immigration was produced as a problem of social inclusion because of the existence of an “immigrant-free national community” narrative that racializes populations. To pinpoint the origin of this narrative, we trace discursive practices regarding immigration by analyzing the social studies curriculum, policy recommendations, and political statements regarding immigration. We argue that the shift from conceptualizing immigration as a historical phenomenon to a problem of social inclusion was possible since the neoliberal discourses of the 1990s created hesitations about the “immigrant-free national community” narrative. The social inclusion narrative posits that, in a globalized world, the Chilean national community, supposedly untouched by immigration, would be unavoidably at risk because of (new) immigration influxes. Immigration became a problem, and citizenship education was positioned as a solution to deal with the perceived expansion of cultural diversity.

Teacher activism: struggles over public education in Chile

While much has been written about student movements against the neoliberal privatisation of education in Chile, less attention has been given to teacher activism around similar educational matters. In this article, we contribute to the field of teacher activism as a social movement to resist the global education reforms of neoliberal education policies/practices. Data for the study were generated through yarning, photo-yarning and testimonios, methods often deployed in Indigenous and mestiza feminist research. Basil Bernstein’s theoretical work on pedagogic rights and democratic formations, initially developed in Chile, was used to analyse the data. Teacher activists argued that their collective struggles over what constitutes the public of public education, has interrupted the neoliberal agenda. However, battles over public education, its purposes, who should it serve, remain ongoing. New ways of privatising education are being enacted in Chile that are harder to resist, challenge and change.

The effect of the pandemic on the transition to tertiary education in Chile: A focus on students with disabilities

Using a rich set of administrative data, we study the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the transition to tertiary education for students with disabilities in Chile. Enrollment rates in primary and secondary education in Chile differ by less than 2 percentage points for students with or without disabilities, but there is an approximately 17 percentage point gap in enrollment in tertiary education. Our difference in differences analysis finds that the pandemic significantly decreased the probability of students with disabilities taking the admission test to tertiary education and enrolling in high-quality tertiary institutions, increasing the inequality in tertiary education. While the pandemic affected the transition to higher education for all students in Chile, students with disabilities were more adversely affected. Understanding how the pandemic has affected opportunities for students with disabilities is critical for informing policies of inclusion.

Situation of the offer Doctorate in Education Programs in Chile

The quality training demand has increased due to the complexity of modern society. As education is the fundamental foundation for people’s progress, this research is interested in analyzing the offer of doctoral programs in education in Chile ( quality and quantity), aiming to generate information for the decision-making process of the various interest groups. This research was a descriptive study involving primary and secondary sources of information (scientific articles, enrollment database, and web pages); a relevant source is the Higher Education Information System of the Chilean Ministry of Education, whose version is updated until July 2022. A growth of 2,680.5% was detected in the enrollment of postgraduate students in Chile between 1984 and 2022, which exceeds the higher education system, which has multiplied its enrollment by 6.8 times in the same period, which in the specific case of doctorates is 46 times. The relevance of accreditation systems underscores the need for a more substantial commitment to ensure quality education at all levels, especially in doctoral programs in this area.

“So, We Can’t Play”: Limitations to Play at School in Periods of Educational Transition in Chile

Based on a reflection on the tensions between play, education, and learning in early childhood, this article aims to identify and analyze the factors that limit or negatively condition the possibilities for play at school during the transition between early childhood education and primary education in Chile. The study was conducted in four Chilean schools, with the transition levels of Chilean early childhood education (children aged 4 and 5) and the first two levels of primary education (children aged 6 and 7). Based on an ethnographic approach, we combined 22 ethnographic observation days spread over two consecutive years and 59 interviews of various types with children, educators, and parents. The results show structural and material limitations on school play that mainly affect children in primary education. Beyond, factors associated with routines, indications, and statements governing functioning and participation in this level tend to limit or prevent play, often considered a “non-legitimate” activity. Conclusions highlight the potentialities that children’s restricted or resisted play can present in terms of learning.

New and old educational inequalities in socio-cultural minorities: exploring the school choice experiences of families under the new school admission system in Chile

ABSTRACT In 2016, the Chilean Ministry of Education implemented the new School Admission System (SAS) designed with the goal of equalizing access to schools for the most disadvantaged families and reduce educational segregation. Yet it is not clear if the SAS is sensitive to socio-cultural minorities and their particular conditions. Hence, in this article we explore the school choice experiences of parents from three socio-cultural minorities under the new SAS: Mapuche – indigenous families, Latin American migrant parents, and parents with children with disabilities. Using an intersectional theoretical approach and a qualitative research design, we show that while in some cases the implementation of SAS impedes previous discriminatory processes, in others this new system alone has not yet overcome long-established and inherent educational inequalities in Chilean education. Besides, SAS has also resulted in new challenges in the school choice processes of these parents. Their experiences with the SAS express the intersection of different axis of inequality, according to the conditions and historicities of each group of families. Finally, we reflect on the challenges that the policy faces in regard to develop an educational policy that is fairer to all families, in the context of the unequal and marketized Chilean educational system.

Public administration education in Chile: History and the current state-of-the-art

ABSTRACT Chile’s Public Administration Education (PAE) is not a new academic domain. Its origin dates to the second part of the 19th century. However, it was not until 1954 that the University of Chile decided to open an academic program in the subject. The current article is an effort to share the Chilean experience with the public administration community. After presenting the reality of Latin America in this subject, this article develops three topics: the history of PAE in Chile, the current state-of-the-art of this academic field, and an analysis of the curricula of undergraduate programs in the country. Conclusions in the article refer to the present and future of PAE in Chile as part of a broader discussion in the literature on the limitations of a global PAE and the potential for a more multicultural PAE.