The researcher has shared her advances in the design of an instrument for measuring whether a trainee teacher ´has learnt to learn´ with professors and doctoral students at this prestigious American university
Rosa García Bellido, professor of Educational Innovation for the degrees in Childhood Education and Primary Education at CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Castellón, gave a presentation to professors and doctoral students at the prestigious University of Denver (Colorado, USA). In her speech she shared the research advances that she has made in developing the ability of ´learning to learn´. This topic is included in all the curricula of new university degrees in Spain and of the rest of European Union following the launch of the European Higher Education Area.
The aim of this expert´s study is to design an instrument for evaluating whether a trainee teacher, in particular, has really developed the ability to learn and adapt themselves to new situations, “something that is particularly important in teachers who should be constantly and efficiently learning in order to teach their students in the best way possible, ” García argues.
Furthermore, an adequate measurement of this ability can be the difference between a good or a bad professional future. “We all know how important it is that when you go to a doctor’s appointment that the doctor is extremely knowledgeable and up-to-date in their field; not only for the security it gives us, but also because they will be better and more efficient at their job. It is the same in any other professional field,” states the researcher.
Professor García Bellido is also involved in another research line, “Teaching Thinking”, at CEU Cardenal Herrera University. This involves analysing teaching methods and strategies for teaching thinking skills in primary education. The development of thinking skills is a well-known topic in the context of English-speaking education systems, but is virtually unknown in Spanish systems. This CEU-UCH group´s main aim is investigating these methodologies in order to create teaching strategies for developing thinking skills in the Spanish educational context.
