Active Teachers
2021-22 | Coexist: art and ecology in education

This year’s Active Teacher program invited various actors from the pedagogy, art and environmental education sectors to participate in a virtual meet to work and reflect on the theme “Living together, art and ecology in education”. In this meet, reciprocity and aesthetic experience were the guiding threads for topics such as ecology, education with a territorial focus, and the building of educational spaces that are in accordance with the current context.

Under this conceptual framework the program addressed its main objectives: individually and jointly exploring the possibilities of aesthetic experiences to address socio-emotional skills and the bond with nature; delving into aspects such as the territory, art, environmental education and artistic mediation as agents of learning; and visualizing contemporary art practices as methodologies for learning and critical thought.

The virtual event was led by Amparo Irarrázaval and María Jesús Olivos, Head of Education and Territorial Community Outreach Coordinator, respectively, and included the participation of influential exhibitors.

Sessions

Each session was organized into two blocks; in the first, a guest made a presentation and methodological intervention, and in the second there was a group activity with the help of the virtual platform Miró. The sessions were the following:

1. Introduction: We presented the methodology and work tools, did a round of introductions and resolved some questions on the tools we would be using.
2. Biocultural education: We approach ecology as an approach to good living and to the biocultural frameworks that exist in territories. Presentation by José Tomás Ibarra, an agronomist from the Universidad Católica de Villarrica dedicated to socio-ecological research, education and action.
3. New territories for learning: We reflected on the role of the territory in learning – nomadic methodology, nodes, circuits and paths. Presentation by Hugolino González, supporter of the Escuela Novomar of Puente Alto and creator of the nomadic thinking and learning matrix.
4. Art as language: Sound observation, construction of stories and water as a unifier of ecosystems. Presentation by Claudia Müller, a visual artist whose work stems from the daily observation of natural forces such as water and air.
5. Environmental education in everyday life: We learned and talked about how food visibilizes the connection between our bodies’ health and the health of the territory. Presentation by Constanza Monterrubio, a postdoctoral biologist in biocultural heritage who is currently conducting research in the Araucanía region, at the Universidad Católica de Villarrica.
6. Artistic mediation: We learned about the possibilities of artistic mediation and the practice of collage as a language and metaphor in educational work conducted with communities. Presentation by Teresa Rubio, a visual artist, cultural mediator and art educator specialized in education in museums.

Publication

As a result of these sessions, we will be launching a digital publication in March 2022 together with the various participants involved. It will serve as a collection of our reflections and proposals and will attempt to form a learning community for nature, among organizations and teachers.

Miró Platform

Miró is an online visual platform that allows creative and fluid collaboration between users. The following video shows part of the group work during this year’s program.