16.09.2021

“Be always happy because you have chosen one of the best vocations in the world: teaching and helping one of the best vocations in the world: teaching and helping children achieve their dreams.
children to achieve their dreams.” 

-Gabriel Sánchez Zinny

As C-Transmedia Research Center we consolidated an alliance with the Caldas Ministry Education that seeks to generate public value from the development of processes of innovation, research, transfer and social appropriation of knowledge. Within the framework of this agreement, we have developed two projects that are having an impact in the region: the Diploma in Digital Competencies for Teachers,where the second cohort is being trained, and the Course on Innovation and Digital Competencies for Education: from teachers for teachers, whose inauguration took place on Friday, August 27.

Through a virtual teaching and learning process among teaching peers, we seek to strengthen the knowledge and skills of more than 1,400 teachers in Caldas in Educational Innovation and Digital Competencies. Previously, 40 teachers from different municipalities from the  Caldas department have been trained in order to guide the meetings that will take place until the end of this year.

Starting this second phase, a virtual dialogue panel called Innovation and Leadership for Educational Change was held, with the participation of experts on the subject:

Sindey Bernal: finalist of the Global Teacher Prize Award 2020 for best teacher in the world; winner of the Globant Awards, which recognize women leaders in technology, innovation and collaboration; PhD in Educational Inclusion; and expert in the development of educational resources for inclusion.

Gabriel Sánchez Zinny: former Minister of Education of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina; executive director of the Unit for the Comprehensive Evaluation of Educational Quality and Equity; and member of the Working Group on Innovation and Technology in Education of the U.S.-based NGO Inter-American Dialogue.

Helmer Quintero Vergara: Educational Sciences Doctor; professor at the University of Caldas, leader of the CUE Research Group and expert in collaborative work and knowledge transfer.

Ángelo de la Hoz: Best Teacher of Caldas in 2018, elementary school teacher and graduate in physical education and recreation.

In addition to highlighting the importance of teacher training on issues related to technology and innovation, the panel gave rise to talk about other fundamental aspects when thinking about a change in the education sector, including leadership, the need for classrooms to adapt at a better pace, how urgent are public policies thought in the current needs and the consolidation of an educational model capable of overcoming the generational gaps present today.

After a year of remote work we hope this process will help teachers to know and acquire competencies to exercise an appropriate leadership, which will influence the motivation of students and facilitate the return to the classroom, as Sindey Bernal mentioned “it is necessary to change roles, that teachers are not the ones who have the last word, teamwork is required, between students, teachers and parents”. 

By Sofía Acevedo Henao
Innovation and Knowledge Transfer Area
C-Transmedia