School Observatory in Ibero-America -Some interesting facts-

The observatory is developed by the SM Foundation (to which the SM publishing house also belongs), which considers educational research as one of its four areas of intervention, together with teacher training, comprehensive literacy and the promotion of reading.

The main purposes of the School Observatory in Ibero-America are to promote the improvement of schools and the teaching profession as engines of social transformation, and also to respond to the alliance that Fundación SM has with UNESCO for the dissemination of its report "Reimagining our future together".

The specific objectives of the observatory are:

• Generate rigorous information.
• Select and disseminate the results of the most relevant educational studies and research.
• Disseminate quality educational practices.

They have an Advisory Board composed of 17 teachers and specialists (mostly Spanish and Latin American), and the collaboration of experts. They also have alliances with institutions such as UNESCO and Ashoka.

The SM Foundation is Spanish and was founded in 1977 by the Company of Mary of Spain. 

Summary of selected articles (to view the article in its original site, click on the title).

The skills for 21st-century educational leaders that they haven't told you about.

The article analyzes the skills needed to lead in a constantly changing educational environment. The authors question the traditional division between “hard” and “soft” skills, proposing new skills that are essential for decision-making in contexts of uncertainty. They highlight 12+1 key competencies that, although not always mentioned in the usual classifications, are crucial for pedagogical leadership. These include curiosity, foresight, proactivity, flexibility, adaptability, commitment, collaboration, creativity, emotional management, planning and results orientation. The article highlights the importance of these competencies for educational leaders and management teams, suggesting that they should form part of the know-how in a dynamic educational environment.

Neural networks. A new paradigm for understanding the mind.

We explore how neural networks are revolutionizing our understanding of the brain and the human mind. Despite knowing a lot about individual neurons, little is still known about how billions of neurons work together to generate thoughts and emotions. Spanish scientist Rafael Yuste promotes an approach based on neural networks that promises to change our conception of the brain. This approach is based on the idea that neurons communicate through synapses, forming a complex network responsible for nerve responses. The article also mentions Santiago Ramón y Cajal, considered the father of neuroscience, and his discovery of the neuron as the elementary unit of the nervous system.

Guidelines for educating in the development of creativity.

The article offers a series of practical recommendations to foster creativity in the educational environment. These guidelines include: 1. Fostering a safe environment: creating a space where students feel free to express their ideas without fear of being judged. 2. Promoting critical thinking: encouraging students to question and analyze information from different perspectives. 3. Incorporate fun activities: use games and dynamics that stimulate imagination and problem solving. 4. Facilitate collaboration: encourage teamwork and cooperation among students to generate innovative ideas. 5. Value the creative process: emphasize the importance of the creation process, not just the end result. These guidelines seek to develop creative skills that are essential for the academic and personal success of students

Educobarómetro. Teachers in Mexico 2023.

The results of a survey of 600 Mexican teachers of Infant, Primary and Secondary Education conducted between April and May 2023 are presented. Highlights include: 1) Motivations for choosing the teaching profession: most teachers mention vocation and a love of teaching as their main motivations. 2) Challenges and needs: teachers face challenges such as physical and mental exhaustion, time management and student motivation. 3) Socio-emotional well-being: the importance of teachers' emotional well-being and the difficulties they face in their daily work are addressed.The study highlights the need to support teachers in order to improve their working conditions and their general well-being.

Emotions and values of Mexican primary school teachers.

The article provides a comprehensive overview of the situation of teachers in Mexico. Based on a survey of 2,120 basic education teachers, the study highlights the importance of providing adequate training and support to improve educational practice and teacher well-being. Some key findings include: 1) Core values: three-quarters of teachers consider solidarity, dialogue and appreciation for effort to be essential to teaching. 2) Emotional state: 60% of teachers feel energized and up to the challenges of their profession. 3) Social recognition: the teaching profession has little social recognition, which affects teachers' perceptions of their relationships with students and parents. The study highlights the need to improve the working conditions and emotional wellbeing of teachers in order to strengthen education in Mexico.

The emotions and representations of school actors.

The study analyzes the situation of teachers based on the emotions, satisfactions and representations of the teaching profession. The research includes the perspective of teachers, education students, students and families, collecting data from a nationally representative sample. Some key findings include: 1) Social appreciation: 70% of teachers and 66% of education students feel that they are not sufficiently appreciated by society. 2) Self-concept: 96% of teachers consider themselves competent, while students have a more diverse perception of their performance. 3) Family commitment: a high percentage of families (86%) consider themselves committed to their role as educators. 4) Satisfactions and dissatisfactions: teachers find satisfaction in being recognized as people of integrity and good professionals, but the lack of recognition continues to be an important source of dissatisfaction. The study highlights the importance of improving the recognition and support of teachers in order to strengthen education.

Social networks threaten the mental health of adolescents.

The article focuses on how the use of platforms such as TikTok and Instagram is negatively affecting the mental health of young people. Psychiatrists, psychologists and pediatricians have observed a significant increase in anxiety disorders among children and adolescents, largely attributed to the drastic change in the way children and adolescents experience childhood and adolescence due to the constant use of screens. The report highlights that anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems in Spain, with a notable increase in the consumption of anxiolytics. In addition, it mentions that mental health services are underutilized, making it difficult to access adequate care. Psychologist Álava points out that the daily rush and multiple activities can generate anxiety. In addition, she highlights the importance of teaching children to live with unpleasant emotions such as sadness, anger or frustration, as they are part of life. Self-knowledge and a social support network are key protective factors for mental health. Álava emphasizes that it is not the quantity of people in the network that matters, but the quality of the support they provide. Despite being surrounded by people, many young people are more focused on their cell phones than interacting with each other. José Antonio Luengo agrees that, rather than an increase in mental disorders, a significant increase in anxiety symptoms has been observed in recent years.

Reimagining education together: a leadership program with purpose for transforming schools.

This article describes an educational leadership program developed by the Alfonso X el Sabio University (UAX) in collaboration with the SM Foundation. This program is based on the UNESCO global report “Reimagining our futures together: a new social contract for education” and aims to train future educational leaders through an experiential and interdisciplinary approach. The program fosters excellence and collaboration among teachers, students and the educational community, using agile methodologies and complex problem solving through interdisciplinary teams. The text describes a disruptive approach to solving complex problems through ideation, design and prototyping. This approach is characterized by an iterative engagement with challenges and the use of agile methodologies in the organization of interdisciplinary teams. These teams, composed of students from various disciplines, dismantle the fragmentation of knowledge and promote the transfer of skills. The UAX Makers challenges are based on four fundamental premises: 1) Real challenges: proposed by partners from industry and the academic team. 2) Assessable: integrated into the assessment of curricular subjects. 3) Agile methodologies: used throughout the process. 4) Interdisciplinary: students from different areas collaborate, mutually enriching their knowledge and transforming fundamental concepts and terminologies.

 “Why do we study?” Young people are pragmatic in the face of an uncertain future in the workplace.

The article presents the results of a survey on the motivations of young Spaniards towards studying. The main findings include: 1) Work motivations: 82% of young people demand an education focused on practical skills to improve their job opportunities. 2) Educational preferences: 78% consider that vocational training is better adapted to the demands of the labor market than university training, although it has less social recognition. 3) Social perception: four out of five young people believe that society values having a degree more than being a trained person. 4) Financial stability: more than half of young people would choose another type of training if their economic future were assured. The study highlights the influence of financial stability on educational decisions and the distance between global educational orientations and the perceptions of young people.