From the School-factory to the School-house of Culture

Abstract

The school-factory is the traditional school model, still prevalent today at a global level, albeit with slight improvements and additions which give it a more modern façade. It is characterized by its closed and precise curriculum design, its step-by-step teaching of isolated notions, its emphasis on simple didactical routines and its superficial and deceptive evaluation of learning, based on the repetition of that transmitted. This school is an obstacle to the ample and authentic education of children. Opposite to it, we can consider the model of the school as house of culture: a pleasant and well stocked environment, where children can have valuable experiences of learning, structured in an emergent manner thanks to the support of the teachers. This article focuses on one of the main facets of the school-house-of-culture: enriching activities centered in research projects. Exploratory experiences, different kinds of projects (scientific, technological, artistic, of citizens’ research), workshops, short activities, and self-correcting materials can constitute the substance of the school day, often organized in “theme immersions”.