RCE Lima-Callao - 2021

ESSAY CONTEST Seven knowledge of the education of the future and intercultural knowledge in times of COVID-19 Towards the metamorphosis of consciousness for sustainability!
Basic Information
Title of project : 
ESSAY CONTEST Seven knowledge of the education of the future and intercultural knowledge in times of COVID-19 Towards the metamorphosis of consciousness for sustainability!
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Lima-Callao
Contributing organization(s) : 
• Universidad Ricardo Palma, Peru
• Instituto Peruano del Pensamiento Complejo Edgar Morin -IPCEM
• RCE Lima-Callao, Peru
• NGO Proyecto Andino de Tecnologías Campesinas – PRATEC.
• Universidad Católica de Manizales, Colombia.
• Association Pour la Pensèe Complexe, Francia.
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Teresa Salinas
Organizational Affiliation: 
Universidad Ricardo Palma/ Instituto Peruano del Pensamiento Complejo Edgar Morin -IPCEM
Format of project: 
manuscript, powerpoint
Language of project: 
Spanish
Date of submission:
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Additional resources: 
Upon request
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Americas
Country: 
Peru
Location(s): 
Lima- Universidad Ricardo Palma campus
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Universidad Ricardo Palma Campus
Av. Benavides Benavides 5440, Santiago de Surco 15039, Lima.
Ecosystem(s):
Target Audience:
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Peru is a society which faces increasing violence, a product of educational deficiencies, intolerance and corruption (all of our ex-presidents still alive are on trial and/or convicted, for instance). A sound response from Academy and Society is required and so to promote tolerance, dialogue, critical thinking and intercultural dialogue. To encourage the development of a thinking able to apprehend the complexity of natural and social phenomena, as well as the development of communicative skills in personal, social and professional areas and in its relationship with nature.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
On how to contribute to young people’s consciousness transformation, young people’s humanistic ethical rationality strengthening; on how to improve their thinking strategies, which may eventually allow them to support Sustainable Societies construction in line with the Sustainable Development Goals -SDG and UNESCO Education 2030 world agenda. In brief, we want to help University students become impregnated with a philosophy of life oriented towards solidarity effort, human understanding in order to encourage environment care, human development and awareness of current poverty, education, violence and unemployment challenges.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Rationale: 
Universidad Ricardo Palma adopted as an institutional educational policy a commitment to promote education and training in Complex Thought and Complexity Sciences capable of transforming our mental models. This Essay Contest was created in this context.

This is a call for undergraduate students in order to play a part in this contest which is based on The Seven Knowledge Necessary for the Education of the Future book by Dr. Edgar Morin. These are students in the first and second term of their university career and, therefore, studying what is known as Basic Studies Program: Oral and Written Communication Workshop (TCOE, Spanish acronym) I and II.

It is intended students become impregnated with a philosophy of life oriented towards solidarity effort, human understanding in order to encourage environment care, human development and awareness of current poverty, education, violence and unemployment challenges. This contest seeks to contribute to consciousness transformation, young people’s humanistic ethical rationality strengthening, improve their thinking strategies, which may allow them to contribute to sustainable societies construction in line with the Sustainable Development Goals -SDG and UNESCO Education 2030 world agenda.

The contest has been developed during the years 2018, 2019, 2020 (virtual) and 2021 (on going) within the framework of the curricular activities. In 2020, it was used the Blackboard Collaborate platform.
Objectives: 

• Develop student’s reading comprehension communication skills, as well as practice of reading as a source of information, self-learning process, and creation of knowledge and transformation of consciousness.
• Promote transformation of a linear, fragmented thought towards an associative, creative, critical, constructive thought, capable of addressing natural and social phenomena complexity, as well as uncertainties they would face.
• Strengthen young generations’ culture of an ethical solidarity coexistence, based on dialogue, collective intelligence, reciprocity, mutual aid, human understanding and planetary citizenship, and so to promote Sustainable Societies.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
First stage: Awareness:
• Edgar Morin Peruvian Institute of Complex Thought – IPCEM’s awareness-raising activities and dialogue sessions with instructors whose students who would play a part in this contest.
• Edgar Morin Peruvian Institute of Complex Thought – IPCEM’s s awareness-raising activities and dialogue sessions with students who would play a part in this contest.

Second stage: Instructors promote in their classroom reading of the book The Seven Knowledge Necessary for the Education of the Future by Dr. Edgar Morin with various motivational strategies. Then, as part of the course, students should write Essays based on it.

Third stage. Final evaluation and awards: A jury (external and international) selects best essays according to criteria specified in the Contest Basis. Finalist students support their essays in front of the jury and public. Winners are awarded a prize.
Size of academic audience: 
Directly benefited population: TCOE I 1000 students and TCOE II 900 students. Indirectly benefited population: 14,000 Universidad Ricardo Palma students and 400 instructors.
Results: 
Instructors are encouraged to reflect on their own experience. A social process of self-knowledge and maturation is stimulated in face of social complexity of interactions, ideas and, perhaps, paradigms of each instructor. What we need to learn as instructors is our students must learn to think, we should focus on improve our practices, feeding back on this experience which may be deepen from a Complex Thought and Complexity perspective.

Like all educational work, there is no finished conclusion. This project has not yet finished. It would be improved and enriched more especially from a theoretical perspective of Complex Thought and Complexity perspective. More importantly, these activities may lead us to ‘discover’ and ‘adopt’ our own complexity as a product (and result) of the "Good Living" of our ancient Andean roots mixed with Western and utopias of a fair world.
Lessons learned: 
Academic and human experience regarding Reading Comprehension work and essay writing must be a continuum with the firm accompaniment of University’s Hierarchy

Planning of activities may be structured in first month of the year; then design it as much as possible in a consensual way with different actors, the awareness-raising activities should be more intense and extensive (in the different faculties). Later, organize debate and brainstorming sessions with instructors. In other words, based on this experience and taking Complex Thinking and Complexity Sciences as a platform, the course syllabus in question may be well progressively restructured and emerged a Universidad Ricardo Palma’s particular way of teaching, learning and sharing complexity.

Generate synergy among instructors who may want to investigate, reflect and put into practice Complex Thinking and Complexity Sciences either in the classroom as a method and/or as a way of life. Encourage spontaneous workgroups organization in addition to carry out qualitative research on complexity and share strategies for accompanying students. Establish study circles to carry out reflections, criticisms and dialogues on Complex Thinking and Complexity Sciences where students and teachers could join freely.
Funding: 
Universidad Ricardo Palma funding

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon Picture 1_7 Knowledges RCE Lima-Callao.jpeg (129 KB) Massive student attendance, Essay Contest Final, version 2019. Universidad Ricardo Palma
Image icon Picture 2_7 Knowledges RCE Lima-Callao.jpg (2.65 MB) Authorities and finalist students Essay Contest Final, version 2019. Universidad Ricardo Palma
Image icon Picture 3_7 Knowleges RCE Lima-Callao.jpg (2.68 MB) Universidad Ricardo Palma’ student, first place in the contest, 2019 version. In this picture along with Teresa Salinas, IPCEM Executive Director and Nelson Vallejo-Gómez, President of International Jury. Universidad Ricardo Palma
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Indirect
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
Theme
Traditional Knowledge  
Direct
Curriculum Development 
Direct
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No