Mendive. Revista de Educación, january-may 2019; 17(1): 34-53

Translated from the original in Spanish

Strategy for the curriculum renewal of the Psycho pedagogical Studies Discipline in Spanish Language Teaching

Estrategia para el perfeccionamiento curricular de la Disciplina Estudios Psicopedagógicos en Lengua Española 

Valodia Pacheco Rivera¹, Juan Silvio Cabrera Albert², Marbelia Acosta Ríos²

¹University of Havana. Department of Didactics, Translation and Interpretation. Cuba. Email: valodiapr@fenhi.uh.cu
²University of Havana. Cuba.

Received: June 20^th, 2018.
Approved: December 17^th, 2018. 

ABSTRACT

The curricular update in higher education is a process that demands special attention, because it affects the training of future professionals, who have to respond to the socio-economic and cultural demands of the context where they work, so this research was directed to design a strategy that will pay tribute to the improvement of the curriculum design of the Discipline Psycho pedagogical Studies of the Degree in Spanish Language for Non-Speakers of the University of Havana, which through the use of the dialectical-materialist method, as rector of research and combination of theoretical, empirical and statistical, allowed to check the problem of research and the establishment of their trends. Subsequently the foundations of the strategy were established, the principles the collective and cooperative character in the teaching of the foreign language and the flexible and contextual recognition of the formative practice of the teaching of a foreign language; the essential relationships between the profile of the professional, the profession of teaching the Spanish language and the learning of the Spanish language; The structure of the strategy was designed, It has three specific strategic actions: Sensitization to professors and managers, Training to the structures of the academic level in strategic management of the curricula in higher education: particularities in the teaching of foreign languages and the implementation of improvement in the discipline.

Keywords: Discipline; strategy; Spanish; training; Spanish speakers; language.

RESUMEN

La actualización curricular en la Educación Superior es un proceso que demanda de una atención especial porque incide en la formación de los futuros profesionales los cuales, tienen que dar respuesta a las exigencias socioeconómicas y culturales del contexto donde laboren. En tal sentido, la presente investigación estuvo dirigida a diseñar una estrategia que tributa al perfeccionamiento del diseño curricular de la Disciplina Estudios Psicopedagógicos de la Licenciatura en Lengua Española para No Hispanohablantes de la Universidad de La Habana. Se empleó el método dialéctico-materialista como rector de la investigación y la combinación de los teóricos, empíricos y estadísticos, lo que permitió comprobar el problema de investigación planteado y el establecimiento de sus tendencias. Fueron construidos los fundamentos de la estrategia, sus principios y se diseñó la estrategia, que cuenta con tres acciones estratégicas específicas: Sensibilización a profesores y directivos, Capacitación a las estructuras del nivel académico en Direccionamiento estratégico del currículo en la Educación Superior: particularidades en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras y la de Implementación del perfeccionamiento en la disciplina.

Palabras clave: Disciplina; estrategia; español; formación; hispanohablantes; lengua.

INTRODUCTION

The mastery of a language different of the mother tongue allows the speaker to actively participate in plurilingualism contexts that, largely, characterizes contemporary society. «Likewise, (…) it allows developing the capacity of relationship with other peoples and their cultures, understanding them, respecting them and thus allowing them to better understand their own language. This contributes, as raised, Bracchi and Paulozzo, (2012) « (...) move away the exclusively utilitarian visions of languages and have a look that includes their formative dimension », p.9

That is, the need to train students of foreign languages from a more holistic perspective is an urgent challenge. The integrative perspective of language teaching allows, among other possibilities, that subjects are better integrated into today's society and have access to sources of knowledge that are of interest and not in their mother tongue, since languages promote intellectual training and the construction of more diversified knowledge.

As stated in the Declaration of the International Federation of Modern Language Teachers of 1991, people have "(…) the right to learn at least three languages: first, the language with which their family identifies most; second, the language of the country or region where they live; and third, a language of international communication and cultural enrichment."(Gvirtz and Palamidessi, 1997).

Being able to use a foreign language to communicate with speakers, whose language is different from their own and to understand oral and written texts, increases the student's confidence in himself, in his chances to overcome obstacles and to take full advantage of Your knowledge In addition, mastery of a foreign language considerably broadens the intellectual horizon of accessing cultural, scientific and technological aspects that communicate through a foreign language.

In the most recent report of the Cervantes Institute, (2017), the Spanish Language, is « (...) currently spoken by more than 495 million people, and is located as the second language after Mandarin Chinese with more speakers. (...) » The report itself reveals that Spanish is the second language of international communication after English and that by 2030 7.5 % of the world's population is expected to be Spanish-speaking (535 million people), a percentage only surpassed by the Chinese.

Faced with such a growing demand for Spanish, it is necessary to improve and optimize the teaching-learning process of this language so that students improve their communicative competence and from it, the skills they pay within the scope of such aspiration. Such an achievement is possible to obtain when, the curriculum of the disciplines respond more to the demands of the society.

What it is about, is to train a highly competent professional in different communication situations, such as: «(...) understand and analyze scientific texts, argue ideas, explain processes, problems, define concepts, build scientific documents of various subjects, describe instruments or find solutions to certain problems. "(Cabrera, 2009), p.2.

The teaching of Spanish for non-Spanish speakers in Cuba has gone through several curricular designs. Specifically in the Spanish Department of the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the University of Havana, the curriculum design was based on the communicative approach. What brought with it the teaching of the language for communication, through the sequenced and logical organization of the aspects to be taught. Hence, it was necessary to take into account the purposes for which students learned the language and the communicative situations in which they would use it.

Considering the above since the 2000s, in Cuba, it is assumed for the teaching of Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) and Spanish as a Second Language (LE2) the communicative and sociocultural cognitive approach, presented by Roméu, (2014) , which It is an important reference, although other approaches are also valued and applied. The aforementioned approach constitutes a theoretical construction resulting from the complex development process of the new linguistic conceptions. This focuses on the discourse and the processes of understanding and production of meanings in different contexts, interpreted in the light of Marxist psychology and pedagogy, according to the postulates of the Historical-Cultural School.

In the Spanish Language Degree for Non-Spanish Speakers, of the Spanish School for Non-Spanish Speakers (FENHI), aspects of the Roméu approach (2014) are also assumed, mainly related to the integrated learning of Spanish Language content. This type of: «Integrated Learning of Foreign Languages and other Curricular Contents implies studying subjects such as history or natural sciences in a language other than their own. (...) The emphasis on `problem solving' and `knowing how to do things' makes students feel motivated to solve problems and do things even in other languages. "( Navés and Muñoz, 2000 ).

In fact, the use of the language by the student, as a user or professional is not only aimed at their cultural knowledge, but also, their domain to be able to teach it. And it is that in the career other subjects are taught, such as Contemporary Philosophical Thought, Physical Education, Appreciation of the Arts and even, those that have to do properly with the process of teaching the foreign language, such as Elements of Pedagogy and Psychology, Teaching General and Teaching of Foreign Language Teaching, the latter grouped in the Discipline of Psycho-Pedagogical Studies (DEP).

From this perspective, the DEP, in FENHI suffers from a concept that will allow students to acquire the skills necessary to serve as teachers of foreign languages skills, which impacts the motivation for the subjects and understanding of the need for content you receive.

In this way, it is considered that there is a problematic situation related to the current curricular design of the FENHI Psycho-Pedagogical Studies Discipline, given the limitations that it presents, in terms of the logical structure that is required of this type of design, to the function, organization and precision of the contents of the subjects that make it up, so it pays little to the resolution of pedagogical problems and knowing how to teach a language other than mother tongue.

To respond to the situation mentioned above in the FENHI, the general objective is to: Design a strategy that contributes to the improvement of the curricular design of the Discipline Psychopedagogical Studies of the Degree in Spanish Language for Non-Spanish Speakers of the FENHI.

Research contributes to the Pedagogical Sciences, specifically didactics, while methodologically based Process Improvement Curricular (PPC) of the DEP, while it thus is taxed to the formation of future graduates in Spanish.

The novelty is in conceiving the PPP of the DEP from an integrative conception, in correspondence with the profile of the professional, the modes of action of the graduate and the professionalization in the teaching-learning of the Spanish language to non-Spanish speakers, which is specified in the model of the professional; through the systemic sequencing of specific strategic actions, which allow, at the academic level, to proceed efficiently and effectively in the methodological work to be carried out, without forgetting the curricular and extracurricular dimensions of the training process.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The development of research through research tasks required the application of a set of theoretical, empirical and statistical methods that, together with the dialectical-materialist method, assumed as the rector, allowed concrete and verifiable results to be achieved in practice.

The integral analysis of the contradictions that are shown in the problem to be investigated was made from a dialectical-materialist conception that evidenced the need for a current curriculum development of the DEP.  The concepts and structures, the causal relationship, as well as an exhaustive and concrete exploration of the PPC, for the discovery of the set of inherent connections, their own movement and development and the changes that are intended to be determined.

In consequence, with Dialectical materialist Method the following theoretical methods were used for this investigation:

The historical and logical to know about the stages that have marked the (PPC) evolution, historical connections, fluctuations and the main trends in the international and Cuban context and its particularization in the teaching of the Spanish language for non-Spanish speakers.

With the analysis and synthesis, the aspects that characterize and regularize the curriculum and its impact on the teaching learning of the Spanish language for non-Spanish speakers are deepened.

The induction and deduction to reach conclusions related to the PDC that can be transformed and applied in the DEP, based on a general frame of reference, related to theories, laws and categories related to pedagogy, teaching and educational management , the validity of the process and its applicability.

The systemic-structural as a strategy is designed, based on a SWOT analysis, the specific actions to be carried out are proposed.

Empirical methods such as:

The interview that was applied to leaders of the FENHI and the survey of the professors of the DEP of the race.

Scientific observation to evaluate in practice the classes taught by teachers.

The documentary analysis to determine, in the documents issued by the MES and the FENHI (Professional Training Model), how the curriculum is structured and the DEP.

Among the statistical methods used were:

For the diagnosis, descriptive statistics were used in the treatment and processing of the data and in the validation of the proposed strategy. As well as the inferential logic for decision-making through the conclusions reached with the numerical interpretation of the investigated phenomenon.

In general, an empirical exploratory study was carried out to verify the problematic situation and the research problem. This allowed the detection of the most significant trends after the instruments were applied and processed. Procedures and techniques were used that combine the qualitative and quantitative to more accurately show the results obtained.

The degree in Spanish Language for Non-Spanish Speakers of the FENHI and more specifically the DEP was determined as an observation unit.

The Faculty of Spanish for Non-Spanish Speakers is the institution, of the University of Havana, rector of the teaching of Spanish as a Foreign Language. In this one, short courses, long courses, courses by semesters of Spanish Language and the Degree in Spanish Language for Non-Spanish speakers are taught.

The Bachelor of Spanish Language for Non-Spanish speakers already has 4 graduations of students from the People's Republic of China and currently, students from other Asian regions and the English-speaking and French-speaking Caribbean are enrolled.

The aforementioned career, in its curriculum with several disciplines, within these, is the Discipline of Psycho-Pedagogical Studies, which is the object of analysis in this research in order to be able to pay for its improvement.

The Discipline of Psycho-Pedagogical Studies is located within Curriculum Career as part of the ba se curriculum. In total, it has 240 hours and consists of the following subjects: Elements of pedagogy and psychology, General Teaching, Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language I and Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language II. The DEP was conceived for the "(...) preparation of future graduates of the Degree in Spanish Language for non-Spanish speakers, as teachers of Spanish as a foreign language, (...)." Ministry of Higher Education of Cuba, (2011).

For the study carried out, the variable denominated as PPC was operationalized and of this, its curricular (Table 1) and extracurricular (Table 2) dimensions.

In turn, for each dimension indicators which allowed they were designated and rum comprehensively evaluate the variable. A measurement scale was constructed for the indicators of both dimensions, which consists of the following ranges of: 0 to 4 Nothing Adequate (NA); 5 to 9 Poorly Suitable (PA), 10 to 14 Adequate (A); 15 to 19 Largely Suitable (GPA) and 20 onwards Very Suitable (MA).

Table 1. - Relationship between the curricular dimension and the indicators that qualify it. 2018.

Table 2. - Relationship between the extracurricular dimension and the indicators that qualify it. 2018.

It was determined to work with a population composed of different units of analysis such as students, professors and executives of FENHI. The population selected for the study was 38 students, corresponding to the second and 3rd. years of the career. As well as, 6 professors and 2 executives of the FENHI, in total.

The set of instruments was designed, based on the indicators proposed and applied to the different sample units, which are: Survey on the degree of satisfaction of the subjects of the Discipline Psycho-Pedagogical Studies. Survey of teachers. Interview with FENHI executives. Guide for document analysis. Observation guide to class.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

After the instruments have been applied and processed, the results obtained are presented. An evaluation of the PPC variable of the FENHI DEP is made, based on the evaluation of the dimensions and their respective indicators, which were awarded a rating of MA, GPA, A, PA and NA. Because of the analysis, it was possible to establish the PDC characteristics of the FENHI DEP.

The curricular dimension was evaluated of PA in 60 % and only of A in 20 % and in GMA in 20% equal, this previous behavior was due to:

• The state regulation of DEP as cri t e rio of teachers surveyed is that it is misplaced, since the second year of the career, the subject with which teaching students begin should enter the second semester of the referred year, because most of the students for that time, must have a better level of language. It is evaluated of A.
• Status of integration with other career disciplines, this aspect is recognized that more work can be done because the contents of the subjects of this discipline are interrelated with others, especially those dedicated to language teaching and doing interdisciplinary work, Well, 57 % of the students expressed that they do not know or that at some point they appreciated the link between various disciplines. So it is evaluated from PA.
• Curriculum forecast from the subjects: in the curricular design of the four subjects, there are deficiencies regarding the internal organization of each program, it was appreciated that they are not structured by didactic units, in some the cited bibliography is outdated, it is not address the extracurricular aspects and in general, there are deficiencies in the systemic integration of the contents. The professors interviewed suggested that the subject of Pedagogy and Psychology Elements should be reorganized and integrated with the General Teaching. They also propose to review the evaluation system of the DELE I and II subjects, taking into account the definition of the language descriptors, for the evaluation of the subject. It is evaluated from PA.
• State of the assimilation in the curriculum from the organizational forms of the PDE, in this aspect the professors consider that the students adequately assimilate the contents of the subjects that are within the discipline, although for 82% of the students it is between medium to little interesting. It is evaluated from PA.
• State of the teaching-learning process of the students, in this aspect the students recognize (53.3 %), that the subjects of the discipline pay tribute to their professional training and 43.3 % consider that perhaps and value very interesting the 46.6% content. In turn, only 26.7 % recognize that these subjects contribute to the learning of Spanish. No But 63.3 % said that these subjects could practice the language, perfecting and simultaneously acquire the skills to teach. It is evaluated by GPA.

The extracurricular dimension was assessed for NA in 33.3 % and BP in 63.4 %, this was due to:

• State of development of the profile of psychopedagogical experiences of students. In this regard, the professors point out that the programs should contain, explicitly, the indications so that the students can carry out practices in the teaching exercise, although this is done to some extent in the Pre-professional Practice III course. In fact, 76.6 % said they did not regularly carry out activities related to the teaching profession. The above was corroborated in the classes visited in the subjects of Elements of Pedagogy and Psychology (EPP). It is evaluated from PA.
• Status of the extracurricular activities carried out, linked to the psycho-pedagogical teaching in ELE, the students (37 %) expressed that the few that are carried out are to their liking, but that it does not allow them to demonstrate the skills acquired in class. They even suggest that there are no independent exercises that have to be carried out outside the scope of the classroom, that is, in a context other than that of the group, for them to teach. It is evaluated from NA.

The variable, PDC of the DEP (Figure) is evaluated as NA by 16.7 %; of PA in 61.7 % and A in 10.8 %, as well as GPA in 10.8%.

Fig.1 - Quantitative behavior of the PDC variable.

From the above, the behavior of the variable can be appreciated, according to the results of each of the dimensions, establishing the criterion between inadequate and not adequate. It is important to specify that the variable under investigation require a transformation, which was generalized at the National Career Commission meeting, held in May 2017. Specifically, the regularities presented are given by: the necessary interdisciplinary integration, readjustments and reorganization of the contents of the subjects, the revitalization of the forms of organization for teaching, the placement within the professional model, the explicit incorporation of a system of extracurricular actions and greater methodological work, including the aspects that favor the learning of the foreign language, since everything raised affects the development and integral formation of the graduate.

Fundamentals of the strategy that is designed

The strategy has the characteristic that it is open, dynamic and with clearly defined objectives, in which the actual situation of the FENHI context and the DEP itself is taken into account, which can be considered as the entries of the System that conforms the strategy. On the other hand, the tangible results obtained and applied in practice are considered as the outputs, which at the same time constitutes an expression of the transformations made to the inputs. The above is possible due to the development of a set of sub processes that occur within the strategy (specific strategic actions) and that are conditioned by the imprint of the direction of the Faculty and the Department of Didactics, Translation and Interpretation, where the DEP is located.

The quality of the system that the strategy will take becomes evident because its components will be « (...) logically interrelated that have a structure and fulfill certain functions in order to achieve certain objectives». (Valle, 2007) , p.81 . Which guarantees functionality and dynamism to the strategy.

The entries are expressed in the need to respond effectively and efficiently in the management of the curriculum and specifically in the improvement of the DEP, so that it can contribute to a more holistic training of the language student. As well as the growing demand of Spanish speakers who have professional and cultural interests to learn and master the Spanish language.

The processes are given by the relationship between the professional profile, the profession of teaching the Spanish language and their learning. The set of processes is developed in three stages, in which the relationship of these is enhanced. Each stage as a whole is addressed from the academic level. The three stages in which the process takes place occur in the curricular and extracurricular dimension.

The outputs are expressed in the scope of a high degree of student satisfaction with the subjects that make up the DEP, as well as the level of sensitivity towards teaching foreign languages.

Principles of the strategy

The strategy has as a reference the pedagogical principles and those of educational management. The pedagogical principles are « (...) essential conditions for (...), the transformation of teaching practice, the achievement of learning and the improvement of educational quality». (Chavez, 2003).

The pedagogical principles are assumed by the principals for the pedagogical process proposed by Addine, González and Recarey , (2001) and of these the collective and individual character of personality education and respect for it, which raises the « (...) differentiated attention to students, taking into account the characteristics, interests and motivations (...) that, for others, have the right to be considered and respected ».

The principle of Flexibility in practices and relationships, from Mejía et al., Is taken from strategic educational management. (2010). It refers, in addition to the practices and relationships in the classroom, to the "(...) school organization and all the actors (...); although, the school is one level and the classroom is another (...) in both parts the same must happen in terms of practices and relationships, (...), implies flexible thinking " , pp . 111-113

The principles that govern the strategy are:

1. The collective and cooperative character in the teaching learning of the Spanish Language to Non-Spanish-speakers (IENH): this principle places the PDC as genuine and novel in its development. Group interests are combined with individual interests, professional profile requirements and the characteristics of the career itself. The year group and all teachers are responsible for promoting value judgments among their students, about the importance of training as professionals, who teach a foreign language. Make students consciously master the contents of the language, the history of teaching, values as trainers and make it interesting for their professional aspirations. So that in turn, teachers should have a thorough knowledge of their students, their motivations, needs and aspirations as professionals should.

The essence is that the potentialities of the students and the group are developed collectively, so that they look and feel like potential trainers of a foreign language. Which is part of that personal enrichment that should be achieved and cooperative work is possible, as a method for the solution of personal problems, those of the profession and those of society. The mutual help and the realization of joint activities between students and teacher, promotes learning among all. The student must assume an active and leading role in the search for solutions to the problems related to the teaching of the foreign language, its holistic interpretation and the integral variants. In addition, to promote a fluid communication between all, where the recognition and acceptance of individualities, specifications or interests is appreciated, however diverse they may be. It also contributes to the development of motivation towards the teaching of foreign languages.

2. Flexible and contextual recognition of the IENH teaching-learning training practice: this principle is based on the budgets raised in strategic educational management.

The formation of skills in students for work with the teaching-learning process of a foreign language must take into account the specific historical context, the fields of action of professionals and the forms of socio-communicative interaction. In this sense, from the DEP and its subjects an update is imposed on the ways of conceiving the direction of the pedagogical activity. This demands a methodological work at the level of discipline group and academic year so that the second and third year students, who are taught the subjects related to pedagogy, recognize them as relevant, relevant and necessary for their training as professionals of the Spanish language.

The second and third year educational strategies, from their designs, should consider the general and particular characteristics of foreign language teaching, especially in the third year, where this should be an aspect to work in greater depth. The changes and updates that are proposed to be made must establish the moments in the short, medium and long term to be fulfilled. Thus, as the indicators for its evaluation.

The development of teaching practice requires a flexible and dynamic character. What implies that the group of career, discipline and year, is willing to incorporate procedures and techniques to anticipate and react to change and the most diverse needs, assume that it is important to learn before teaching, learn from others and Your own practice. At the same time, being able to combine the principles of strategic school planning with methodological work. This gives them the possibility of anticipating school failure, something of special importance when students are required to value the importance of being foreign language teachers, since this profession can be complex and in many cases not sufficiently recognized.

From the planning of the professional model and its derivation in the disciplines and subjects, prior knowledge linked to the characteristics of the teaching of the foreign language should be considered as a profession. In addition, the students' individualities, their learning styles and rhythms, which allow them to propitiate differentiated opportunities and avoid possible failures and inappropriate and inappropriate shocks.

The preventive approach is essential. This approach refers to the situations and characteristics of the students. Which contributes to a better understanding of the profession of a foreign language teacher and the responsibility that this performance represents. A correct and adjusted diagnosis of the group will favor the correct decision-making and the approach of strategies that allow the advance in the intention to develop the love towards the profession of teacher of foreign language.

What it is about is to visualize the educational scenario as an also inclusive space, to favor the student's practices as a teacher and that the methodological work affects and favors in this sense; so that students perceive the profession of teaching a foreign language as enriching, positive and relevant in the current world context.

Essential strategy relationships

In the PDC there is a three-way relationship between the professional profile, the profession of teaching the Spanish language and learning the Spanish language. Until the moment of this investigation, the relations of interdependence between them had not been established. Giving relevance to the profession of teaching the Spanish language and making it part of the PDC is one of the novel elements that characterizes it. This triadic relationship is dialectical and interfunctional and has significance at the macro, meso and micro curriculum levels.

In each element that establishes this relationship, there are a set of operations that materialize, both in the state and operational components of the process, energized by the personological component: students, teachers and managers (Pacheco, 2016), p. 58.

This triadic relationship shows the necessary union between what is required to train a competent graduate: professional profile, the update of this professional and its contextualization to be efficient and effective in teaching a foreign language. Seen this way, an indissoluble relationship between the three is appreciated, which is achieved in a sequence of stages, through the subjects of the DEP.

The profile of the professional contemplates everything that the graduate of a certain specialty needs to be competent in the workplace. The determination of the object of your profession and the problems that should be solved in practice are aspects that mediate the training activity.

The profession of teaching the Spanish language: it is a process that is addressed « (...), in a mediating way (...), through regulation, control, feedback, rectification of what is done or learned. (…) » (Fernández, 2015). In this sense, the professional must be able to place himself with his knowledge of the language, in order to recognize and integrate with his colleagues in a process of constant feedback.

Therefore, in the profession of teaching a foreign language, the professional must have in mind the importance of the context where the language he teaches arises and develops, the usefulness of it in its most dissimilar spheres (social, economic, cultural, political, among others) and the capacity for contextual interpretation.

Each foreign language teacher must have behavioral flexibility as a characteristic in the development of his or her profession. In this way, he may be able to adapt his behavior to different needs and situations of the teaching-learning process, which means consciously transforming his behavior and that of his students, as well as his adaptation to work in conditions of cultural diversity.

In this triadic relationship, the learning of the Spanish language is essential, since it is where students are trained in the contents of the language, based on the content system they are taught. At the same time, that in the teaching learning process itself, especially with the DEP subjects, they receive their own content for the teaching of the Spanish language. Both content systems combine to give a more holistic approach to the professional profile.

In this sense, the contents of the DEP subjects must contain, in their curricular dimension, the main theorists in foreign language teaching, their postulates, the history of the profession, the application contexts, the areas of specialization, the exchange with specialists, the practices located and contextualized, which as a whole, allow an approach, as real as possible to the work scenarios that in the future they will have as professionals.

In the extracurricular aspect, activities such as the ELE class festival, work with student assistants, knowledge games, visits to institutions where foreign languages are taught, specialized conferences with teachers and researchers in this area, are necessary places to help develop students' motivation to train as future Spanish language teachers.

What is involved is to combine individual and group work, meaningful work done and contribute to the training process, from a solid theoretical apparatus with expressions of flexibility. The following strategy should promote positive thinking, learning as a pleasant and satisfying experience.

Design of a strategy for the improvement of the DEP curriculum

For this research, the concept of pedagogical strategy is assumed, offered by Marimon and Guelme , (2010) , understood as: «(...) the process oriented towards maintaining a dynamic balance between the organization and execution of educational work (…) To adapt the needs and operations of the teaching-learning process with the change of students and their environment " , pp. 28-29

Next, the structure of the strategy is presented, based on what was proposed by López (2005), p.93 :

1. Introduction: the purposes, their foundations and projections are declared.

2. Diagnosis: those more general and essential needs of the actors involved in the process are determined through the application of techniques that allow us to reach the most relevant conclusions and trends from the empirical method.

3. Course objective: It expresses the real level that is intended to be achieved and the transformation that is expected to be achieved, guides the elaboration of the specific strategies and the reference when evaluating the proposed strategy.

4. Specific strategies: contemplate in the form of essential ideas, the new way of conceiving the PPP of the DEP.

5. Evaluation of the strategy: based on the proposed objective, compliance with each indicator is assessed, so that the validity and effectiveness of the strategy is demonstrated.

Introduction

The strategy is designed, in order to implement in a systemic way and with logical coherence, the improvement of the PPP of the DEP, in the FENHI, for which theories were assumed, which from the sciences of education and in particular the teaching-learning of IENH have been approached, those that contributed to give foundation, especially to the specific strategic actions that compose it.

The fundamental ideas on which the strategy has been developed are the following:

• The foreign language student, as a language learner and socializer of the contents of the language he learns.
• Students are protagonists of a learning process, contextualized and dialogic, that allows them to know how to self-regulate in their sphere of professional performance, as a foreign language teacher.
• The work in cooperative teams and the application of the theoretical precepts of the culture of diversity.
• The leading character that is given to students, professors and managers, so that they can creatively and purposefully contribute to the development of the DEP.
• The systemic and strategic nature of the CFP and its improvement.
• The strategy contemplates three stages for its subsequent development, which, in ascending order, makes it possible to improve the PPP of the DEP, in the context of the FENHI.
• The actions proposed as part of the strategy are an expression of cooperative work between students, students-teacher and teacher-teacher.
• The strategy for its development is based on the structures that exist in the FENHI, board of directors, teaching vice-dean, collective career, discipline and academic year.

The above, makes the strategy the ideal way to implement the PPC, so it resolves in practice and how to integrate it into the professional training process.

Determination of weaknesses, threats, strengths and weaknesses, based on the diagnosis made.

The existing reality in the FENHI and its conditions for the development of such a strategy could be verified by applying the diagnosis made. The integrated analysis of the diagnostic results allowed the determination of the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities that the process has, object of study and its implementation in practice.

Strengths: interest of teachers in general, and of the DEP in particular, to participate in the improvement of the PPC, work in groups, identification of common tasks; awareness of the importance of methodological work to develop the process.

The faculty of the Department of Didactics, Translation and Interpretation, where the DEP is inserted, has an average of 32 years of experience in teaching Spanish as a foreign language. They count in the cloister where e l 43 % are doctors of science and 71.4 % have the primary teaching category of Assistant Professor or owner; in general, good conditions are appreciated to develop the PPC.

Opportunities: the consolidation of Spanish as the second most spoken language in the world, according to the Cervantes Institute; the indications guided by the National Commission of Career of the Degree in Spanish Language, in May of 2017, related to perfecting the subjects that comprise the DEP; the priority to the improvement of the PPC in the FENHI, with special reference to the integral formation of the students; the comprehensive review of the curriculum, with a view to its improvement for Plan E in the year 2019.

Weaknesses: the PPC is not addressed in the FENHI from a strategic conception; The correlation between the contents of the DEP and the contents of the language taught is not yet fully appreciated; Training actions in curriculum design for teachers and managers have not been designed.

Threats: insufficient training of teachers and managers on curriculum design, its forms of implementation and its importance; The FENHI teaching vice-dean, does not yet have an integrated system for the methodological work of the curriculum, which allows to efficiently and effectively address the PPC.

General objective of the strategy

The design of the strategy and its subsequent implementation, facilitates and stimulates, in a systemic, systematic and coherent manner, the conditions conducive to the development of the PDC of the DEP, at the academic level. Its implementation leads to a change in the ways of acting and behaving of the subjects involved. As well as, to work with the curriculum, the way to integrate the subjects and the holistic conception of this during the conception of the process itself.

Thus, the general objective was defined: Consolidate the curricular improvement of the DEP in the FENHI by implementing the strategy in practice.

Specific strategic actions

Based on the theoretical bases assumed and the foundations proposed for the strategy, the results of the SWOT matrix and the need to clarify the most relevant aspects that allow its effective introduction, the following specific strategic actions were established:

1st. Sensitization to teachers and managers about the curricular improvement of the DEP.

2nd. Training of the academic level structures in Strategic Direction of the curriculum in Higher Education: particularities in the teaching of foreign languages (postgraduate course)

3rd. Implementation of the PPC for the improvement of the DEP.

1st. Sensitization to teachers and managers about the PPC for the improvement of the DEP.

The DEP is necessary in the process of training students who have a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Language at FENHI. However, as far as it could be observed, even the subjects that make up the discipline do not satisfy the students' training interests, nor what is required to provide them with a content system on the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language. On the other hand, it can be seen that the relationship between the subjects is anemic, fragmented and in many cases even atomistic. Teachers and managers do not yet have all the theoretical and methodological tools that allow them to develop an efficient improvement of the discipline. The interest of students to develop and socialize experiences as teachers who teach a foreign language is still low.

The following specific strategy aims to: raise awareness among teachers and managers about the improvement of the DEP, through the development of a PDC that promotes motivation towards teaching Spanish as a foreign language, based on cooperated work, conscious participation in the Performing tasks in educational contexts and consolidating positivist and integrationist attitudes among all involved.

The operational system of the first action is structured as follows:

1. Manage the methodological work in the FENHI and its relationship with the Professional Profile and more specifically in the educational strategy of the years.

1.1. Evaluate the contents of the DEP and its insertion in the Curriculum of the Bachelor in Spanish Language that is taught in the FENHI, its relationship with the Profile of the professional and more specifically in the second and third year educational strategy, for being where the subjects that are included in the DEP are taught.

1.2. To assess what organizational aspects of the Curriculum of the Bachelor in Spanish Language, require an analysis, which allow the integral conception of the improvement of the DEP.

1.3. Insert the PPC at the institutional level, as a specific strategic action, the Estrategi to Planned FENHI

2. To make compatible and derive from the Curriculum of the Degree in Spanish Language for Non- Spanish speakers the main features of the DEP and the subjects that compose it, to comply with it at the academic level.

For this, several operations are required:

2.1. Evaluate the derivation of the DEP, from the curriculum of the Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Language taught at FENHI, until reaching the academic year. This requires that the decision makers insert the fundamentals of the PDC, specifically, based on the actions to be carried out.

2.2. Identify whether in the educational strategies of the academic years, there are evidenced potential, interests or motivations related to the improvement of the DEP.

2.3. Appreciate the level of integration of the organizational forms of the subjects included in the DEP, in the curricular and extracurricular activities proposed in the second and third year.

3. How to stimulate among teachers and managers the need for the improvement of the DEP and that this transcends, to the profile of the professional, while contributing to the formation of a more comprehensive graduate.

3.1. Influence the need for students to become fully aware of the need to also train for the teaching of a foreign language.

3.2. Encourage the relationship between the curricular and extracurricular dimension of the subjects that make up the DEP at the department level, discipline group and faculty management.

3.3. Assess the proposals for solutions provided by professors, managers and even students, who contribute to the improvement of the DEP and somehow see themselves as decision makers and executors of the process, thereby ensuring greater relevance and participation of all.

2nd. Training for academic level structures in Strategic Direction of the Curriculum in Higher Education: particularities in the teaching of foreign languages.

The following action is necessary for the gradual implementation of the DEP curriculum improvement, through the development of the PPC. With the training course, which has become a postgraduate course, it is shared with the trainees about the fundamentals of educational management and the phases through which it travels. The incidence and importance of strategic direction is analyzed and a characterization and functionality of the levels of management in Higher Education is offered: institutional and academic. On the other hand, theories are approached from the Didactics, which as a scientific discipline explain what the curriculum and methodological work in foreign languages are. As well as, the curricular design models, their relationship with meaningful and developer learning and the specific didactics for teaching foreign languages. The objective of this action is to train managers and teachers to improve the DEP.

The operational system of the action is structured as follows:

2.1. Design the postgraduate course Strategic Addressing of the Curriculum in Higher Education: particularities in the teaching of foreign languages, based on the fundamentals of the strategy.

2.2. Implement the postgraduate course within the training system established for the postgraduate training of FENHI.

2.3. Validate the proposed postgraduate through an exploratory technique to measure the level of knowledge achieved by the trainees.

3rd. Implementation of the PPC for the improvement of the DEP.

This action is divided into three stages, which relate to the curriculum subdivision proposed by Alvarez de Zayas (2001), macrocurriculum, mesocurrículo and microcurrículo. The objective is to implement the improvement of the DEP gradually from the macro, meso and micro curriculum, through the integrated work of FENHI executives and professors, who have the task of establishing the necessary standards and guidelines, as well as their evaluation.

The operational system of the third action is structured as follows:

3.1. Execute an action plan, for the review and update of the macro curriculum of the Bachelor of Spanish Language for Non-Spanish speakers.

• Explain the characteristics of the macro curriculum of the Bachelor's Degree in non-Spanish speaking Spanish language.
• Organize the functions of each teacher for the evaluation and updating of the macro curriculum of the Bachelor's Degree in Non-Spanish-speaking Spanish Language.
• Review the foundation, the spheres of action and the fields, the skills system and the number of disciplines, in a general way for an integral assessment of each of these disciplines.
• To elaborate a first approach of how the macro curriculum of the Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Language Not to Spanish speakers should look.

3.2. Examine integrally, in the meso curriculum of the Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Language Not to Spanish-speakers, specifically, concerning the DEP.

• Advise participants on how to implement this stage of work.
• Analyze the interrelation of the DEP with the objectives of the macro curriculum.
• Evaluate the most appropriate time for placement in the curriculum.
• Review the personal and non-personal components of the discipline.
• Generate consensus regarding the subjects that compose it.
• Specify a system of actions for further methodological work with the DEP.

3.3. Approve the subjects that will be part of the DEP as part of the work with the micro curriculum:

• Arguing didactically the subjects proposed to be part of the DEP.
• Analyze the didactic structuring of each subject.
• Argue the precedence levels of each subject.
• Analyze the personal components of the subjects.
• Analyze the non-personal components of the discipline and clearly establish the foundation; relationship between problem-object-objective; the content system (knowledge, skills and values); methods; the media system; the evaluation and bibliography system.
• Ensure that the didactic principle of derivation and integration between the micro, meso and macrocurriculum is fulfilled.

Strategy Evaluation

Once the strategy was proposed, its evaluation was carried out as follows:

Partial: the operations system of each specific strategic action was evaluated and then evaluated as a whole.

Total: the strategic actions were evaluated, the results were contrasted with those obtained in the diagnosis and the degree of improvement achieved is analyzed.

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