RCE Guatemala-2014
1. Name of RCE :
RCE Guatemala
2. Continent:
Americas
3. Country:
Guatemala
5. Project Title:
Mayan cities, educational wealth.
7.Project Partner Contact Information Provide information about the main contacts for the project. :
Organization:
Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
Role:
Coordinator
Main Contact:
Eduardo Sacayon
9. Project Description Provide a short description of the project including regional challenges it addresses, its aims as well as project activities/strategies Allow text field (character count 500 words):
It is a seminar where university teachers of all disciplines are enrolled to visit Mayan cities and museums. Educational meetings so that to know in-depth forms of production of knowledge of mayan civilization, their relations with nature and the cosmos, its technological advances and modes of economic, social and political organization.
In this seminar specialists interact with attendees to recognize the value of the Mayan cultural heritage from different approaches: history, architecture, anthropology, psychology, politics, religion, etc. Methodology used is the wisdom dialogues.
The aim is to apply an intercultural approach at the University, including its various academic units in all regions of the country.
In this seminar specialists interact with attendees to recognize the value of the Mayan cultural heritage from different approaches: history, architecture, anthropology, psychology, politics, religion, etc. Methodology used is the wisdom dialogues.
The aim is to apply an intercultural approach at the University, including its various academic units in all regions of the country.
12. Duration of the Project Start Date: End date::
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Describe Coordination and management of the project. Please also reflect how the RCE as a network organization has contributed to the project and the challenges involved, if any. Character count 400 words :
The coordination of the project is in charge of an academic unit at San Carlos University and other members of the network are involved in the technical and administrative organization. The personal representation of coordination is delegated to a person, in this case Eduardo Sacayon. The curriculum is organized with the University institutions and Mayan institutions participating in the project in order to offer an intercultural approach.
14. What are the current results of the project in terms of outputs (e.g. publications, developed practices, course materials)? Character count 300 words:
Two scientific articles in University publications have been published and now we have a model of application of multiculturalism and interculturality to replicate itself in several academic units. It is model in which we have demonstrated the possibility of incorporation of traditional knowledge from indigenous peoples into the Western knowledge at the university level
15. What are the expected/confirmed outcomes (e.g. impact of the project) Character count 400 words:
The project will be officially implemented at the University of San Carlos in the year 2015. The direction of teaching at San Carlos University is calling to regional University Institutions to participate under the coordination of the RCE Guatemala. In order words, with this call the university has institutionalized our project.
16. Are there any unexpected/unplanned results achieved by your project? If yes, briefly describe or list them . Character count 200 words.:
The project is originally aimed to teachers at San Carlos University. This is the National University. Now teacher from private universities are interested in get enrolled. In addition, by such activities Eduardo Sacayon was awarded with the national order IXIM 2014 (Corn in english and Maiz in spanish). This is an annual recognition from the Ministry of Culture and Sports to people who stand for the promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples in Guatemala. The prize was awarded on August 9, the international day of indigenous peoples.
17. What are the remaining challenges and/or limitations for further development? Character count 300 words.:
The main limitation is the lack of financial resources. Most of the activities is made with the voluntary participation of the RCE Guatemala stakeholders. Also Mayan spiritual guides and teachers participate voluntarily.
18. What is the project’s contribution to innovative and transformative educational processes for sustainable development (especially regarding formal and/ non-formal learning/research)? Character count 500 words:
The innovation of the project is the use of local resources, the Mayan indigenous knowledge with the intention of complementing the Western view of the teaching of all disciplines. It is promoting cultural identity, to preserve maya culture and complement national identity. Recognize that in the Mayan wisdom we also find science and technology in architecture, engineering, astronomy, health, etc.
Also we used information and communication technologies with a bi learning model that combines face-to-face activities with virtual activities. Finally, we take teachers out of the four walls of the classroom to take them to nearby and local places where they find many surprise teaching resources that were previously ignored.
Also we used information and communication technologies with a bi learning model that combines face-to-face activities with virtual activities. Finally, we take teachers out of the four walls of the classroom to take them to nearby and local places where they find many surprise teaching resources that were previously ignored.
19.How can you scale up and mainstream ESD and SD practices of the project and enable it to contribute to the implementation of the Global Action Programme (GAP) as proposed by UNESCO? (max 300 words):
One aspect which mentions in the proposal of Global Action Programme on education for sustainable development as a follow-up to the Decade of the United Nations of the education for sustainable development which ends this year, is related to cultural diversity.
Despite that this aspect is universally recognized as priority for the development of global society and is not new on the agendas of several educational conferences, its implementation is still very limited.
For this reason we are engage in promoting an extensive programme of intercultural debate at all levels of education to overcome the wall of the so-called "scientific rigor" which does not allow appreciating the knowledge of indigenous peoples and afro-descendants, reproduced in local communities. We must promote knowledge dialogues and respect all the systems and types of knowledge, including indigenous and traditional knowledge.
Despite that this aspect is universally recognized as priority for the development of global society and is not new on the agendas of several educational conferences, its implementation is still very limited.
For this reason we are engage in promoting an extensive programme of intercultural debate at all levels of education to overcome the wall of the so-called "scientific rigor" which does not allow appreciating the knowledge of indigenous peoples and afro-descendants, reproduced in local communities. We must promote knowledge dialogues and respect all the systems and types of knowledge, including indigenous and traditional knowledge.
20. How does you project contribute institutional and policy reforms as part of sustainability change? Character count 500 words:
The project contributes to education reform that actually applies the cultural diversity according to educational needs of a multicultural society like Guatemala. It is the vision of a plural and, inclusive University and strengthening the cultural identity of the nation, to make a sustainable society, culturally speaking.
21. How does your project further improve capacities of various partners and stakeholders on the theme? Character count 500 words.:
All stakeholders are learning and could appropriate this project to replicate it en different levels of education.
22.What is the significance of this project for developing global linkages in order to strengthen activities in this area? (max 250 words):
The promotion of cultural diversity in higher education is a necessity and the situation in Guatemala is very similar to other countries in the region of Latin America, where the knowledge of indigenous peoples are scorned by the West University model. So that this project can serve in other similar multicultural contexts in Latin America.
24. What is the significance of this project for the region? How important are its results for its particular project category? Character count 250 words.:
The real possibility of implementing interculturality in University environments, where multiculturalism is a marginal option and does not apply.
Region:
Americas
