INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGICAL EXPERIENCES AT BASQUE COUNTRY INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT

In this study, we present the experiences of three educational projects with over thirty years of pedagogical innovation in the Basque Country: ‘The Amara Berri System’, ‘Eskola Txikiak’ and ‘The Antzuola Project’. These include innovations with an inclusive focus as well as practices that affect the curriculum and school organisation for the purpose of satisfying community demands and fulfilling objectives related to diversity and school well-being. The results obtained in the fieldwork have encouraged us to think about how barriers such as curriculum and school organization can be overcome through educational projects that cater to the diversity and needs of the educational community.

Keywords:

• Inclusive school
• pedagogical innovation
• curriculum
• school well-being
• school organization

5. Acknowledgement

This work draws its origin from the line of research opened by the ALHE group from the University of the Basque Country. In 2017, the Chilean Government funded travel and stay for researcher Dr Pablo Castillo in a competitive call for applications. The objectives were to discover pedagogical innovations and good educational practices that take place at the Basque Country’s schools, and to take part in collaborative dynamics between the Faculties of Education and the educational centres in this territory. We are grateful both to the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), the Valparaíso University (UV), the University of Talca (UTalca) and to the Chilean Government for their efforts and funding.

We are grateful to the professionals in these educational centres for the collaborative relationship they hold with the ALHE research group. We are also grateful to the Basque Government for annually funding the innovation projects presented here within, and for providing economic aid to the ALHE research group through the Bikaintasunerantz programme to monitor and support these experiences.

6. Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.