Communities of practicereinforcing the educationalinclusion network through collaboration

Abstract

In recent decades, increasing strength has been acquired by the different initiatives falling underthe concept known as communities of practice. In this work, an explanation will be given ofthe development of an Educational Innovation Project (EIP). The EIP is implemented in the lastyears of the Degree courses taught at San Sebastian’s Faculty of Pre-school and Primary Education,Philosophy and Anthropology, specifically referring to the Specialisation in Special Education.The objectives of the work are: 1) To explain the diversity included in the school community;2) To work in collaboration with different social agents on the inclusive school process; and 3) Toexplain the best practices developed by social agents in order to deal with the current challengesof inclusive education and reflect on these. Said objectives totally converge in different key skillsof Pre-school and Primary Education. The initiative had the participation of 120 students, 13 socialagents from the sphere of education and 6 university professors (from the departments of Didacticsand School Organisation and Developmental and Educational Psychology). During the initiative,groups of five or six students designed and made a short film with a maximum runtime ofthree minutes. To go about the task, they contacted a social agent, proceeding to research the subjectand the work carried out by the agent before making a short film referring to a best practice includedin their activity. The short films were then screened for two days and joint reflection wasmade of the reality of the inclusive school at a round table made up of the participants in the EIP.The results obtained in the last two years using quantitative and qualitative techniques demonstratethat both the students and the social agents positively appraised this innovative experienceand that the initiative has a direct effect on achieving the key skills of the Degree studies. The intentionis therefore in the near future to continue strengthening collaboration with different socialagents while creating and consolidating communities of practice.