ESTRATEGIAS DE ENSEÑANZA EN UN TIEMPO EXCEPCIONAL

ABORDAJES EN LA EDUCACIÓN INICIAL EN LA RIOJA, ARGENTINA

Abstract

This paper is the result of the Final Project presented by two of the authors at the National University of Chilecito, La Rioja, Argentina, in order to obtain the degree of Licentiate in Early Childhood Education. It was a qualitative study, in which the work of two early childhood education teachers was monitored during the year 2020, coinciding with the period of suspension of presentiality in educational institutions in Argentina, derived from the measures taken by the pandemic of COVID-19. The field of investigation was limited to two 5-year-old kindergarten classrooms in the city of La Rioja, taken as cases. The intention was to make known the teaching strategies used by these teachers to guarantee pedagogical continuity in the aforementioned exceptional situation. This challenge refers to the strategies implemented by the teachers, namely: the digital media used to communicate with their students, concrete and/or digital resources they created and how the families communicated, solved the proposals and sent evidence. This research was carried out exclusively virtually and the data collected were gathered in this way, using the following instruments: interviews with two Early Education teachers who worked in 5-year-old classrooms of public kindergartens in the capital of La Rioja, an observational participation in class via videophone, and the analysis of digital documents and virtual environments. The data obtained are presented in three moments, considering the temporality of the facts: a) "A classroom with open doors: the WhatsApp group", shows the first decisions to maintain communication as the only priority; b) "Attempts to build links at a distance" develops the way in which digital and/or concrete resources were implemented and the first attempts to connect virtually; c) finally, "Turn on your cameras, it is time to see each other" details the instance in which synchronous meetings were present as a significant and effective means for direct communication. As a result, we obtained information that allows us to affirm that the families played a leading role and that the teachers with whom we worked carried out actions and decisions conceived within the framework of the exceptional context in order to build, continue and/or preserve the pedagogical link. The development of priority contents, in addition, accompanied the need to shorten the physical distance resulting from the pandemic.