Using Didactics Strategies in Teaching Social Research in Latin America. The Building of Theoretical Frameworks and the Construction of Epistemic Thinking
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Abstract
This paper analyses teaching-learning processes in postgraduate research in the social sciences and the humanities in Latin America in order to offer didactic strategies for the construction of theoretical frameworks and epistemic thinking, considering: 1) proliferation of methodology courses of the investigation of algorithmic character; 2) prevalence of learning techniques/instruments for social research; 3) significant deficits of abilities for the problematization of social situations; and 4) lack of epistemic bases to construct theoretical and epistemic frameworks necessary for theorization and reflection in the social field.
In general, the teaching of social research in this region has focused on the management of algorithmic devices and technical rationality that favour the construction of research protocols, whose objective is the improvement of terminal efficiency. The above-mentioned, limits students’ awareness of the theoretical and epistemic bases of research, the development of scientific thought and the necessary sensitivity to the communities of interest.
Our purpose is to analyse the aspects that limit the construction of theoretical and epistemic frameworks in the teaching of postgraduate research in social sciences in Latin America. As well, to propose, as one of the possible alternatives of a solution to the schematic model using in teaching social research and the poverty of instrumental learning in this domain, the development of categorical itineraries.
We use a socio-critical paradigm linking a critical-narrative sub-paradigm, a qualitative methodology and four case studies. In the research, we use unstructured interviews, focus groups, a general questionnaire and a critical discourse analysis.