Mendive. Revista de Educación, october-december 2020; 18(4):808-823

Translated from the original in Spanish

Methodological Guide for the deployment of the management model of the internationalization of the curriculum

Guía Metodológica para el despliegue del modelo de gestión de la internacionalización del currículo

Guia metodológico para a implantação do modelo de gestão para a internacionalização do currículo

Mirian Camejo Puentes, María Elena Fernández Hernández, Mercedes Camejo Puentes

Universidad de Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Monte de Oca". Cuba. ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7851-4744, http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0406-7398, http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6077-1171. Correo electrónico: mirian.camejo@upr.edu.cu, mfdez@upr.edu.cu, mercedes.camejo@upr.edu.cu

Received: May 28^th, 2020.
Approved: September 25^th, 2020.

ABSTRACT

At University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", as in context of Latin America and Caribbean, internationalization curriculum continues to be the action that, as a main aspect of Master Strategy of the University Institutional Internationalization, has less advances as expected. In this sense, a Model to manage curriculum's internationalization from methodological work, a scientific outcome of research project "Improvement processes of management system in teaching department", was developed and put into practice in Early Childhood Education Faculty. In order to contribute to effective Model deployment, a Methodological Guide was conceived to conduct methodological guide the total or partially implementation tasks, of participating teachers both, at individual and collective levels, the Guide in exposed in present article. For its conception, were applied methods as historical-logical analysis, analysis-synthesis, inductive-deductive, document review, group interview, modeling, and systemic-structural and expert judgment. A year after Methodological Guide application in Early Childhood Education Faculty provides encouraging results leading to Curriculum Internationalization.

Key words: Internationalization of Higher Education; curriculum internationalization; international education and methodological work.

RESUMEN

En la Universidad de Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", al igual que para el contexto de América Latina y el Caribe, la internacionalización del currículo, sigue siendo la acción que menos avanza, como aspecto sustantivo de la Estrategia Maestra de Internacionalización Universitaria. En tal sentido, se elaboró y puso en práctica, en la Facultad de Educación Infantil, un modelo para gestionar la internacionalización del currículo desde el trabajo metodológico, resultado científico del proyecto de investigación "El perfeccionamiento del sistema de gestión de los procesos del departamento docente". Con el propósito de contribuir a su efectivo despliegue, se concibió una Guía Metodológica, cuya presentación es el objetivo del presente artículo, que permita conducir el trabajo metodológico, tanto individual como colectivo, de los docentes que participan en la implementación total o parcial del modelo. Para su concepción, se aplicaron como métodos: el histórico-lógico, el análisis-síntesis, el inductivo-deductivo, la revisión documental, la entrevista grupal, la modelación, el sistémico-estructural y el criterio de expertos. A un año de la aplicación de la Guía Metodológica en la Facultad de Educación Infantil se obtienen resultados alentadores conducentes a la internacionalización del currículo.

Palabras clave: Internacionalización de la Educación Superior; internacionalización del currículo; educación internacional y trabajo metodológico.

RESUMO

Na Universidade de Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", como no contexto da América Latina e das Caraíbas, a internacionalização do currículo continua a ser a ação que menos progressos faz, como aspecto substantivo da Estratégia de Mestrado para a Internacionalização Universitária. A este respeito, foi desenvolvido e implementado na Faculdade de Educação Infantil um modelo de gestão da internacionalização do currículo do ponto de vista metodológico, que é o resultado científico do projeto de investigação "Melhoria do sistema de gestão dos processos do departamento de ensino". Com o objetivo de contribuir para a sua implementação efetiva, foi concebido um Guia Metodológico, cuja apresentação é o objetivo deste artigo, que permite a realização de um trabalho metodológico, tanto individual como coletivo, dos professores que participam na implementação total ou parcial do modelo. Para a sua concepção, foram aplicados os seguintes métodos: histórico-lógico, analítico-síntese, indutivo-dedutivo, revisão documental, entrevista em grupo, modelação, critérios sistémico-estruturais e periciais. Um ano após a aplicação do Guia Metodológico na Faculdade de Educação da Primeira Infância, foram obtidos resultados encorajadores que levaram à internacionalização do currículo.

Palavras-chave: Internacionalização do Ensino Superior; internacionalização do currículo; educação internacional e trabalho metodológico.

INTRODUCTION

Different authors have approached the Internationalization of Higher Education and the approaches and theoretical-methodological contributions on the subject are varied. Knight (1994) assumes internationalization as "the process of integrating an international and intercultural dimension to the functions of teaching, research and service institution" (p. 7). The author herself summarizes several approaches when implementing institutions plan and execute a strategy of internationalization: activity, competition, ethos and process.

In the definitions of Internationalization of Higher Education, drawn up in recent decades, a predominance of the process approach is observed, as well as the expansion and greater precision of the university areas and processes to which it must be integrated, which is reflected in the proposals of strategies and models for its management.  The other approaches are integrated as complementary. Thus, for example, Knight (2008) assumes "Internationalization as the process of integration of an international, intercultural dimension, within the purpose, functions and Guidelines of higher education" (p. 30).

Gacel-Avila (2009), in turn, refers to the a internationalization as an educational process that integrates in the basic functions a global, international, intercultural dimension, comparative and interdisciplinary , which aims to provide to students a global perspective of the human problems and a global conscience in favor of the values and attitudes of a responsible, humanistic and friendship and global citizenship. (pp. 7-8)

Another trend in the historical development of the concept lies in the progressive expansion and deepening of its characteristics, which include its link with globalization, its conception as a transversal and comprehensive process, its dual character (internationalization at home and abroad), its relationship with international education, as well as the benefits, challenges and challenges of its implementation, among other aspects.

A respect, Gacel-Ávila (2009) states that "the internationalization process is comprehensive and involves, integrating international, intercultural and global dimension in all policies and institutional programs, for international activities reach to achieve a priority place in institutional development" (p. 8). De Wit (cited by Gacel-Ávila, 2009) affirms in turn that "internationalization is an extension of the term international education and a strategic process, whose goal is the integration of the international and intercultural dimension or perspective in the substantive functions" (p. 6).

In this article, university Internationalization is assumed as:

• A dynamic and transversal process.
• That which allows integrating the international dimension in the mission and substantive functions of the university, which transcends politics and strategic planning, the structure and curricular contents and the educational teaching process.
• That which contributes to raising the quality of processes and results, with emphasis on the international education of teachers, students and workers in general.

The authors also assume it that:

• The international dimension includes the international, the intercultural and the global.
• Teaching, research and extension constitute the substantive functions of the university.
• The international education is the process of developing influences that institutions of higher Education develop, aimed at training of professionals committed with its and national identities and competent in international contexts, multicultural and global contemporaries.
• The international education is accepted as a process and as a result.

On the other hand, as explained above, the internationalization of the curriculum is one of the dimensions of the internationalization of Higher Education with lower advances, in particular as the internationalization home relates, although at present there is a significant increase in the literature and the theoretical and theoretical-practical contributions on the subject, which could generate advances in this component during the coming years.

The definitions of internationalization of the curriculum generally obviate its distinctive feature: it is a process, and although they implicitly assume it as an inheritance of the concept of internationalization, they differ in the use of the higher concept and the almost general tendency is to conceive it as an action: integrate the international dimension to the curriculum process , in addition to insisting on the results that, as a consequence of its application, should impact on the training of future professionals.

In this sense, Madera (2018) considers that " in this process, student and teacher mobility actions, the creation of innovative ways of face-to-face and virtual collaboration between students and teachers, the international accreditation of programs, the offer of courses in partnership with international institutions are important" (p.102 ).

For their part, Botero and Bolívar (2015) affirm: "the internationalization of the curriculum is related to the `creation of curricular models where tactics are formulated that guarantee students competencies and capacities that allow them to interact as future professionals in an international environment'"(p. 12). The same authors detail it as "making the curriculum of the academic programs of the HEIs competitive , through the offer of international subjects, or expanding the courses so that they have international and globalized content and conform to a global credit system, among others "(p. 41).

Similar to what happens with the concept internationalization, the historical development of the concept of internationalization of the curriculum is tempered by the deepening of related concepts such as intercultural skills, global competition and cultural sensitivity, among others; as well as by proposals for new models for its management, the identification of difficulties and obstacles for its implementation and the links with other concepts, such as comprehensive internationalization.

Thus, for example, Arango and Acuña (2018) refer to the internationalization of the curriculum as the construction of pertinent, flexible and comprehensive curricula, with international components, but also using different tools so that teachers and students have constant contact with international environments, even in a virtual way, which contributes directly to the improvement of the quality of the programs, and helps students to acquire the skills that are necessary to cope with changing environments (p. 40) .

Gacel-Ávila and Rodríguez-Rodríguez (2018) point out that according to the experience and perspective of the participating institutions [in the survey carried out], the main obstacle to the internationalization of the curriculum are "administrative or bureaucratic difficulties", such as those related to credit transfer, differences in school calendars and rigid institutional regulations, followed in descending order by "little interest or lack of training of academic staff", "lack of policy" and "too rigid curriculum" (p. 71).

Said that, in this article it is assumed internationalization of the curricula as a process through which, in order to strengthen international education of students in training:

• The international dimension and professional model and programs of disciplines and subjects; in the objectives, the contents (knowledge, values and skills), the means and teaching methods, in the evaluation, as well as in the mobility, the management of international projects and the participation in scholarships, events, international networks and online courses , among other actions is integrated.
• The international dimension to the strategies curriculum (or transverse axis) of the Higher Education  in Cuba is integrated.
• The international dimension is integrated into the components of professional training: academic, labor, research and extracurricular.
• The international dimension is integrated into the educational projects of career groups and groups of academic years.
• The international dimension is integrated into the execution of the educational teaching process and its system of control and evaluation of its results.

On the other hand, the concepts of methodological work and others associated with it are assumed for this work, based on what it is established in resolution number two of the Ministry of Higher Education (MES) (2018).

The results of the first survey on the subject, designed for the context of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and applied in the whole region, in order to know more deeply the different characteristics of  internationalization process, recognizes progress in efforts in this area, especially on the part of the institutions; In this regard, Gacel-Ávila and Rodríguez-Rodríguez (2018) state that "the internationalization of the curriculum continues to be the most neglected. It is the mobility programs that receive the most attention, but the integration of the international dimension in the curricular structure and in the study programs is what receives the least application" (p. 122).

In Cuba, specifically at the University of Pinar de Rio "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca", the balance of the results of the implementation of the Strategy Master Internationalization University during the years  2018 and 2019, in line with the results of the region reflects the internationalization of training processes, pre- and postgraduate, is the biggest challenge, and preparing executives and academics is the determinant factor for its materialization, which corresponds, also, with Results that in this sense reflect Cuban universities, according to a strategic analysis in which 14 MES institutions participated and that shows as weakness, precisely, insufficient progress in the internationalization of the curriculum, both in undergraduate and graduate programs.

In the UPR, because of a research project on the improvement of the management system processes the department teacher is implemented a model to manage internationalization of the curriculum, from the methodological work. The teachers, who participate totally or partially in its deployment, expressed the relevance of complementing it with methodological guidelines that allow the development of a more standard and coherent work; then it decides to develop the Methodological Guide for the deployment of the model management internationalization of the curriculum. The aim of this article is to present the most innovative and relevant parts of the Methodological Guide and the partial results of its introduction in the Faculty of Infant Education of the University of Pinar del  Rio "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca" .

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the critical analysis of the scientific results existing or related, in one comprehensive literature review , among which highlights the work of Jocelyn Gacel-Avila (2009, 2018); Knight (1994, 2008); Betty Leask (2016); Botero and Bolívar (2015); Gacel-Ávila and Rodríguez-Rodríguez (2018); Arango and Acuña L. (2018); Wood (2018); Among others, the following methods were used: historical-logical, analysis-synthesis and inductive-deductive .

In order to deepen weaknesses, limitations or needs of managers and teachers in implementing the model ,it was made  a documentary review of methodological plans, minutes of methodological activities, reports visits by the DRI in departments of the Faculty of Child Education and an interview to 43 teachers (eight tables, five heads of careers and 30 teachers) of 108 teachers from the FEI (nine paintings and seven heads Career and 92 teachers).

The systemic-structural method to establish relations system, coordination and subordination between actions or activities that are set in the guide were used.

The focus group method was applied to make a qualitative assessment of the scientific result, based on the criteria of experts, employers and users. Experts were considered managers and advisers who have had the responsibility of conceiving the internationalization process at the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca"; employers to executive of the Faculty (Dean, vice dean, principal of departments and heads of careers), who plan, organize and control processes of IC and  the methodological work. Users are considered heads of disciplines, heads of academic years and teachers who are under the direct influence of the methodological guide for the implementation of the model. The focus groups involved are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1- The structure of the focus groups

Criteria made for selection of the focal group: teachers, were based on that, were subject to the influence of the model and the methodological guide. As a method, it was established to send both documents one week before the meeting to each subject who underwent the group interview. In all cases, evidence of the opinions of the interviewed subjects was recorded in summary form and in writing.

RESULTS

From the application of theoretical methods used in the critical analysis of the scientific results, materials, articles existing on the topic, it was prepared systematization given in the introduction of this article and the methodological acts to settle the guide.

The document review and interviews with the heads of departments and heads of careers allowed to identify, among the main needs of managers and teachers to improve the implementation of the model, the following: guidance on the basic literature to use in the interest of time, procedures to build and characterize the international profile of students and to advance more quickly in the integration of this into the curricula.

From the above results and by systemic-structural approach, it managed to establish the system of relations, coordination and subordination, including actions designed, which facilitated the building of a Methodological Guide for the deployment of the model management internationalizing the curriculum, with a logical and didactic structure and coherence,  to which is available to interested parties on the website of the Direction of Formation of the University of Pinar de Rio "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca": http://vrfp.upr.edu.cu/index.php?option=com_phocadownload & view = category & id = 43: internationalization & Itemid = 139 on the Intranet.

The Guide is structured in an introduction and three parts:

Part 1.  Methodological guidelines for the development of each of the actions foreseen in the implementation of the model.

Part 2. Compendium of updated bibliography on the Internationalization of Higher Education and, especially, on the internationalization of the curriculum that includes title, authors, year of publication and a summary of its content.

Part 3.  Folder with all the literature, which has been identified with the same number in the compendium.

The most innovative and relevant elements of the Methodological Guide are:

I. Recommendations for training through previously recommended bibliography.

II. The summary of the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that should characterize, in general terms, the international dimension of the professional profile.

III. The general procedure to characterize the international dimension of the profile in a specific career.

IV. The procedure to integrate the exit of the international profile of the student to the curricular design, to the educational strategies of ages and years, to the execution of the teaching - educational process, as well as to the control and evaluation system of the process and the results in the training of students, as essential tools to the deployment of the model.

I. Recommendations for previously recommended library training ( Model Phase 1-Preparatory)

For the execution of this phase, the faculties and departments may request advice from the Direction of International Relations and Study Center of Educational Sciences.

Initially, they must shall train the dean, vice - deans, heads of departments and heads of careers and , later, the leaders of years and disciplines, who train their respective groups, reflecting a cascade deployment .              

The methodological meeting and teacher - workshops methodology to develop at this stage, will aim to discuss general theoretical fundaments, socialize the model and the guide to use by teachers groups in the development of methodological work, emphasizing the procedure to form the international profile of the students of a career, the proposal of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to take into account, as well as the bibliographic compendium prepared, essential tools for its deployment.

To materialize this action it would be used an extensive literature available on the compendium, part II of the guide. It is suggested as a preamble to socialize and discuss, among others, the following materials:

1. The introductory chapter: " Internationalization of Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean: main trends and characteristics", by Jocelyne Gacel-Ávila and Scilia Rodríguez-Rodríguez, in:  "The international dimension of higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean " , Published by RIESAL in 2018. (No 2 in the Compendium).

2. The article: "Internationalization in the higher education system in Cuba", by Tania Yakelyn Cala Peguero, María Elena Fernández, Marianela Constanten Macías and Raúl Hernández Pérez, in: "The international dimension of higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean", Monograph, Publish for a by RIESAL in 2018. (No 2 in the Compendium).

3. Chapter IV: "Education and sustainable development by 2030: internationalization of teacher training in Latin America and the Caribbean", by Luz Inmaculada Madera Soriano in: "Higher Education, internationalization and integration in Latin America and the Caribbean. Regional and prospective balance". Regional Conference on Higher Education. CRES 2018. Coordinated by Jocelyne Ávila. (No 3 in the Compendium).

4. Article: "Internationalization of the curriculum and all student learning", by Betty Leask (2016), Executive Director of Learning and Teaching at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia, where she assumes the internationalization of the curriculum as a process and as a result of training, based on the concept of an internationalized curriculum, a concept that we have assumed in the work of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca" (No 13 in the Compendium).

In a second time to socialize and discuss the model to manage the internationalization of the curriculum from the methodological work at the University of Pinar de Rio "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca" (No 1 in the Compendium). It completed the above steps; proceed to socialize the methodological guide for the deployment of the model management internationalization of the curriculum.

The sequence of actions executed can recommend that deepens in the proposal of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will determine, the actions and the formation of the  international the  students profile  and procedures to form the international profile of students in a career and for their integration into the design curriculum and to educational projects career and academic years, which is the guidance based on the TCM of the Collective career, establishing the schedule that workshops will do at  faculty level to socialize the results of each career.

A graphical representation of the structure of the guide and its relationship with the phases of the strategic deployment of the model (graphic 1), may help to an integrated compression results.

Fig. 1- Methodological Guide - deployment of the Model, 2020.

II. Summary of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that should characterize broadly the international dimension  of the professional profile (phase 2 of the model)

Indicators in relation to knowledge: Knowledge of foreign languages; Knowledge about multiple global issues; Knowledge on ICT and other means of communication, Knowledge on the international dimension in their profession.

Indicators, in relation to skills: development of communication skills in a foreign language; development of general skills from a global, flexible and diverse thinking; development of professional skills from a global, flexible and diverse thinking and development of action skills and social participation from a global, flexible and diverse thinking.

Indicators in relation to the values / skills:  local cultural, regional and international conscience and ethics and enriching interaction on a basis of equals.

The guide suggests, in addition, a set of sub - indicators and a scale for measurement.

III.  General procedure for characterizing the international dimension of the profile of the student in a particular career (phase 2 of the model).

1.       Each discipline , relying on general indicators to characterize the international dimension of the profile of a student , which is offered in the Methodological Guide, determines the invariants of knowledge, skills and values , through which it will tax to professional problems of the the career.

2. The career collective, from the proposals of the disciplines determines the invariants of knowledge, skills and values of the international dimension, which are taxed at each of the professional problems of the career, forming with them the PIE of the career.

3.       The collective of career studies, deepens and shapes the international dimension of the objectives of the Professional Model of the object, of the scope, functions and professional issues of the career, from the coherent integration from the international profile of the students.

4.       The collective of the career studies, deepens and shapes the international dimension in the specific objectives to each year and discipline to pay tribute to the formation of the international profile that has been developed for students.

5.       The collective of the career establishes the scale for assessing the level of the PIE at level of the year and career.

6.       The collective of the year characterizes the international profile of students individually and collectively, to the end of each semester.

7.       The collective of the career characterizes the international profile of students individually and collectively, to the end of each school year.

It is extremely important to apply different variants to guarantee the participation of students in this process, essentially ensuring their active participation in the groups of careers and years.

IV. Procedure to integrate the output of the international profile of the student of curricular design, educational strategies careers and years, to the to execution of the teacher education process and the system of monitoring and evaluation of the process and results in the formation of students, as essential tools to the deployment of the model (phase 2 of the model).

1. Study, deepening and discussion groups of disciplines about the international dimension of the discipline and profession.

2. Critical analysis at the level of collective stroke, discipline and year, current strategies, focused on how we could do things differently with respect to the design of the curriculum and the implementation of the activities of teaching and learning, who more could participate in this process?

3. Critical analysis at the level of collective career, discipline and year of the system of monitoring and evaluation of the process and results in the formation of students, focused on how we could do things so differently, who else might be involved in this process?

A Here are some topics that may use different groups when executing the above steps.

1. Study, deepening and discussion groups of disciplines about the international dimension of the discipline and profession.

• Influence of different cultures.
• International and primary sources contributing to its international dimension.
• Relevant scientists' results, authors, current research fields. International referents for their knowledge and scientific results, as peers.
• Historical perspectives and comparative perspectives in its development. Contemporary approaches.
• Approaches and standard practices in its treatment in other regions, countries and universities.
• Dominant paradigms that frame it and emerging paradigms that is obvious.
• Innovative and flexible curricular designs for its treatment. Advanced experiences.
• Didactic resources for its treatment from comparative perspectives based on global, flexible and diverse thinking. Active teaching methodologies: comparative, interdisciplinary, international and intercultural studies, based on references on different international, conflictive and multidisciplinary sources linked to the discipline or international events.
• Quality assessment systems internationally recognized.
• Academic networks, international events and publications related to the discipline and profession.
• Historical and present influence of some countries and regions. Advanced countries and universities to establish actions.
• Dynamics forms and internationalization activities that best suit its characteristics.
• Programs, scholarships and international networks that prioritize their training areas.
• International organizations and international research and cooperation projects for development that prioritize their training areas.
• Strategy to promote the teaching and learning of other languages.

2. Critical analysis at the level of collective career, discipline and year of current strategies, focused. How could we do things differently, with respect to the design of the curriculum and the implementation of the activities of teaching and learning, Who more could participate in this process?

• The own conception of the subjects of the basic curriculum and the elective-elective curriculum.
• The participation in international cooperation networks and associations; the virtual mobility of students and teachers , exchange of experiences and bibliography, the continuous use of massive open online courses , with international character, with the supervision of teachers , based on the use of information, technological and pedagogical resources.
• The face-to-face participation of international teachers in the activities of the teaching and learning process.
• Mobility, outgoing or incoming students face: internships, scholarships, academic stays, investigative or practices pre professional , courses, events, pro search projects or partner community , cotutors  for scientific activity student and publishing articles through agreements with institutions, research centers, international organizations and NGOs.
• Selection and preparation of student leaders with the potential to attend international events and compete for international awards.
• Conferences or courses at the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", offered jointly with other foreign university (s).
• Design of credit, joint programs and / or double degrees with universities in other countries through traditional media or new technologies.
• Use of foreign students as a source of information and dissemination of their realities, cultures, idiosyncrasies and vision.
• Calls for international events and awards in the themes of the disciplines, projects and lines of research of the students.
• Chairs of cultural identity or regional integration that visualize the identity of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca" in relation to Cuban and Pinar del Rio culture and identity, with those of other countries.
• Days of activities and exhibitions linked to the history of each of the nationalities by countries or by continents, to promote interculturality within and outside the university.
• National and international exchange of representative fan groups.

3. Critical analysis at the level of collective career, discipline and year of the control system and evaluation of the process and results in the formation of students, focused on how we could do things so differently? Who else could participate in this process?

• Integrating progressively the PIE indicators to the process of diagnosis and characterization of students and to the instruments for assessing compliance with the targets.
• Monitor, applying creative techniques and instruments, compliance with the international profile of students, update the characterization and design new strategies.
• To gradually integrate the indicators of the international profile of students in the process of diagnosis and characterization of teachers.
• Integrating gradually indicators of the international profile of students to the instruments for monitoring visits to the activities of the teaching process - education (in its different components), update the characterization of teachers and designing new strategies.
• To develop scientific - methodological meetings, scientific methodological conferences at Faculty level about internationalization of the curricula.

Quantifying the results of the application of the method of focus groups helped to confirm that:

• The relevance of the guide was evaluated as very appropriate for 4 7 specialists (93.3 %), while the other evaluated it appropriately.
• The 50 members of the focal group (100 %), evaluated very appropriate theoretical foundations underlying the guide.
• The perspective given to the work of the managers was evaluated as very appropriate by the 50 specialists (100%).
• The perspective given to the activity of the teachers was evaluated by the 50 specialists as very appropriate (100 %).
• The perspective in relation to the optimization of the UI process in time, space and economy, was evaluated as very appropriate and appropriate by 4 7 specialists (93.3 %), and 3 (6.7  %), respectively.
• The methodological guidelines for the implementation of the model were evaluated very appropriate by 45 specialists surveyed (90.0 %) and the 5 remaining s (10 %)  evaluated it appropriate.
• The feasibility of the guide proposal was evaluated very suitably by 48 specialists (96%) and suitable for two of them (4%).
• 50 specialists consulted (100 %) Considered that was very appropriate the perspective of the generalization of the guide.

The people interviewed highlighted as the most innovative and pertinent elements of the Methodological Guide , the recommendations for working with the bibliography, the precision of the knowledge, the procedure to conform the international profile of the student and the skills, values and attitudes to have consider. They also provided some recommendations that contributed to the improvement of the guide; Among the most significant are: to present the guide in the Collective Training, conducted by the Directorate of Education of Professional University of Pinar de Rio "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca", in order to ensure that it is included in the design of the methodological plan, progressive deployment at the level of faculties and departments.

The Methodological Guide is introduced as an experimental phase at the Faculty of Infant Education at the University of Pinar de Rio "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca". The figures 2 and 3 show the subsystems of methodological activities carried out at the faculty level, careers and groups of disciplines and academic years, respectively.

As partial results of the implementation of the Methodological Guide it has  achieved: directives and teachers trained, motivated and committed to the internationalization of the curriculum and the  internationalization strategy; the significant increase of novel proposals in relation to the objectives, the conception and treatment of the contents by the teachers in the teaching - educational process ;  and progressively integrate the variables and general indicators defined in the process for the diagnosis and characterization of the students, in the control visits to the activities of the teaching - educational process (in its different components) and in the instruments for the evaluation of compliance of the students' objectives.

Fig. 2- System of methological activities developed at the level of faculty and carriers. FEI. 2019.

Fig. 3-System of methological activities developed at the level of disciplins and year colective. FEI. 2019.

Progress is being made in raising awareness and involving the University Training Department in the process of introducing the results presented in other faculties and departments.

On the other hand, the components in which the least progress has been made for the internationalization of the curriculum are: student and academic mobility, as well as the still insufficient level of proficiency in foreign languages. The partial results in the implementation of the Methodological Guide reveal the need to deepen, in the next stages, in the aspects less achieved and in the obstacles that are indicated, as well as in the evaluation of the process and its results.

The internationalization of the curriculum is included in the strategic planning of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca" for the year 2020, as a strategic action that contributes to the objective corresponding to the comprehensive training of students.

DISCUSSION

The introduction of the new tools provided by the Methodological Guide in the deployment of the management model of the internationalization of the curriculum in the Faculty of Early Childhood Education of the University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca", has expanded the relevance of the methodological work implemented in favor of the internationalization of the curriculum. Qualitative and quantitative advances are experienced with respect to other methods applied in previous years in the institution (workshops, seminars, exchanges of experiences, among others, derived from strategic planning exercises, in favor of awareness, commitment and systematic work of teachers and managers, in order to achieve progress in the internationalization of the curriculum and in the management of this process).  Recommendations for training through literature previously recommended; the summary of the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that should characterize the international dimension of the professional profile, the general procedure to characterize the international dimension of the profile in a specific career and the procedure to integrate the departure of the international profile of the student to the curricular design are pointed out.

As such, the contributions to increase progressively or the quantity and quality of the actions of the methodological work conducted according to the internationalization of the curriculum and& the preparation of principals and teachers are emphasized. The characterization of the international profile students and accuracy what action, how and when should be performed by the different components of the base link, limiting as prior to the application of the guide, allowed faster progress in the integration of the international dimension of the curriculum; and in general sense, the method applied as suggested by the guide was an example of how to ;ensure further integration of the components of the base link in other processes.

By way of conclusion, it can be said that the internationalization of the curriculum is a complex process that is exacerbated when principals and teachers do not have a solid formation of its international profile, to supply this challenge, requiring develop during the own process of training of their students, to which is added, frequently, the lack of objective conditions and flexibility in the conception of curricular designs.

The Methodological Guide for the deployment of the management model for the internationalization of the curriculum has been built from current theoretical and methodological references, anticipating its impact, as a system, on all substantive processes of the University.  For its conception there were applied as methods: historical-logical the analysis-synthesis, the inductive-deductive, document review, the group interview, modeling, the Systemic structural and expert judgment.

The Faculty of Early Childhood Education experiences progress in the indicators of the implementation of the Master Strategy for University Internationalization and in the preparation of managers and academics, as well as in the motivation and effort of managers and teachers to join the process and sustain progress going forward. Gradually, other faculties of the University join the introduction of the Methodological Guide.

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Conflict of interest:

Authors declare not to have any conflict of interest.

Authors´ Contribution:

Authors participated in the writting process of this article and in the analysis of documents.

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Copyright (c) Mirian Camejo Puentes, María Elena Fernández Hernández, Mercedes Camejo Puentes