Bringing social diversity closer to pre-service primary school teachers: Study on an inclusive training experience

Abstract

In increasingly diverse and changing social contexts, it is important to employ useful teaching methodologies to prepare future teachers to respond to the challenges posed by the profession. This work presents an interdisciplinary experience of teaching innovation in higher education based on project-based learning (PBL). The main objective of the research was to implement and evaluate an intervention that provide special education pre-service teachers with the knowledge and skills to address diversity from an inclusive perspective. A descriptive methodology and a mixed research design were used, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques. Sixty-four teacher students, six lecturers and twelve social agents participated in the study. The data collected through questionnaires and focus groups indicated that the parties involved were satisfied with the experience and that all the specific objectives proposed were achieved. In conclusion, it should be noted that the present research has enabled pre-service special educators to function in real contexts, acquiring knowledge, practical skills and attitudes associated with their university studies. Lecturers and social agents also gained benefits from the pedagogical strategy. The PBL has shown to be useful for the professional preparation of pre-service teachers in special education and it could also be useful for training in attention to diversity and inclusion of general teachers.