0009-0002-8881-7770 
osmany290983@gmail.comDanyer Martin Ramos2
0009-0008-1793-5546 martindanyer14@gmail.comMelva Luisa Rivero Rivero3
0000-0002-1413-6545 melvariverorivero@gmail.com
Mendive. Journal on Education, January-March 2025; 23(1), e4012
Translated from the original in Spanish
Original article
Art instructor training as a way to prevent bullying in preuniversity
La preparación del instructor de arte como vía para la prevención del bullying en preuniversitario
A preparação do instrutor de arte como meio para a prevenção do bullying no ensino pré-universitário
Osmany Brown Sánchez1 0009-0002-8881-7770 osmany290983@gmail.com
Danyer Martin Ramos2 0009-0008-1793-5546 martindanyer14@gmail.com
Melva Luisa Rivero Rivero3 0000-0002-1413-6545 melvariverorivero@gmail.com
1 Pre-University Institute "Bernabé Boza". Camagüey, Cuba.
2 Special School "Enrique José Varona". Camagüey, Cuba.
3 University of Camagüey "Ignacio Agramonte Loynaz". Camagüey, Cuba.
Received: 31/10/2024
Accepted: 1/03/2025
ABSTRACT
The preparation of the art instructor as a way to prevent bullying in the pre-university level is an element of great relevance and pertinence for the performance of this teacher in the students' formative process at this educational level. This negative behavior is aimed at harming another person, both physically and psychologically. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the level of preparation that the art instructors of the Pre-University Institutes "Bernabé Boza" and "Álvaro Morell" of Camagüey have, regarding the use of art in the prevention of bullying in students at the pre-university level. A mixed methodology was used that, from the theoretical approach, included methods such as historical-logical, analysis-synthesis and inductive-deductive, which allowed an analysis of the conceptions on the subject from different approaches and contexts. In addition, empirical methods were used, such as documentary analysis, interviews and observation of workshops on appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture, which allowed us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of teachers in this area, as well as to confirm that the improvement actions aimed at these teachers to prevent this type of behavior in pre-university education are still insufficient, since they do not address all the deficiencies detected. Hence, the need to prepare them, since this training is essential to increase their professional pedagogical competence.
Keywords: bullying; teacher; preparation; professional.
RESUMEN
La preparación del instructor de arte como vía para la prevención del bullying en el preuniversitario constituye un elemento de gran relevancia y pertinencia para el desempeño de este docente en el proceso formativo de los educandos en este nivel educativo. Este comportamiento negativo se orienta a dañar a otro, tanto física como psicológicamente. El presente artículo tiene como objetivo evaluar el nivel de preparación que poseen los instructores de arte de los Institutos Preuniversitarios "Bernabé Boza" y "Álvaro Morell" de Camagüey, respecto al uso del arte en la prevención del bullying en estudiantes de nivel preuniversitario. Se utilizó una metodología mixta que, desde el enfoque teórico, incluyó métodos como el histórico-lógico, análisis-síntesis e inductivo-deductivo, los cuales permitieron realizar un análisis de las concepciones sobre el tema desde diferentes enfoques y contextos. Además, se emplearon métodos empíricos, como el análisis documental, entrevistas y observación de talleres de apreciación y creación de Cultura Artística, lo que permitió identificar las fortalezas y debilidades de los docentes en este ámbito, así como constatar que las acciones de superación dirigidas a estos docentes para prevenir este tipo de comportamiento en la enseñanza preuniversitaria son aún insuficientes, ya que no abordan todas las deficiencias detectadas. De ahí la necesidad de prepararlos, ya que esta formación es indispensable para aumentar su competencia profesional pedagógica.
Palabras clave: bullying; docente; preparación; profesional.
RESUMO
A preparação do instrutor de arte como meio para a prevenção do bullying no ensino pré-universitário é um elemento de vital importância e relevância para o desempenho das funções deste docente no processo de formação dos educandos que transitam por esse nível educacional. Este comportamento negativo é essencialmente um ato destinado a ferir o outro, tanto de forma física quanto psicológica. Portanto, o objetivo deste artigo é avaliar o nível de preparação dos instrutores de arte dos Institutos Pré-Universitário Bernabé Boza e Álvaro Morell de Camagüey em relação ao uso da arte na prevenção do bullying entre os alunos do ensino pré-universitário. Foi utilizada uma metodologia mista, que, do ponto de vista teórico, envolveu o uso de métodos como: o histórico-lógico, análise-síntese e indutivo-dedutivo, os quais possibilitaram uma análise sobre as concepções do tema a partir de diferentes enfoques e contextos. Além disso, também foram aplicados métodos empíricos, entre os quais: análise de documentos, entrevistas e observação de oficinas de apreciação e criação de Cultura Artística; esses métodos permitiram delimitar as forças e fraquezas que esses docentes apresentam nesse sentido, bem como constatar que as ações de capacitação dirigidas a esses professores para a prevenção desse tipo de comportamento, ainda são insuficientes, pois não tratam a totalidade das deficiências detectadas. Daí a necessidade de prepará-los, o que constitui um elemento indispensável para o aumento de sua competência profissional pedagógica.
Palavras-chave: bullying; professor; preparação; profissional.
INTRODUCTION
The topics associated with the teacher preparation process are of great relevance and significance today. They constitute an essential axis within the agendas of a large number of institutions in various parts of the world, all in order to achieve higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the educational process, fundamentally the one aimed at educating in terms of social action modes of people and, therefore, of students, in order to prevent behaviors that break with social values, such as bullying.
In Cuba, this process, and specifically that of art instructors as teachers of pre-university education, acquires great value, because it allows them to obtain the necessary knowledge so that they are capable, from their context of action, that is, from the workshops of appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture that they teach, of facing with high levels of effectiveness the students' process of formation who go through this educational level, with particular emphasis on what is related to educating them in terms of preventing this type of behavior, which so undermines their normal development.
Hence, this constitutes an act that is cardinally channeled, according to Resolution 138 of 2019 of the Ministry of Higher Education, to ensure both the development process and the improvement of professional work, which is essential in this teacher based on the deficiencies they show in their professional pedagogical performance to achieve such purposes in such students, from their context of action.
Authors such as Añorga (2010) note that the term preparation can be understood as the "(…) organization of training for performance (…), which (…) allows (…) to achieve the professional and human improvement of human beings and their environment" (quoted in Medina, Márquez and Martínez, 2020, p. 73). Meanwhile, Medina et al. (2020) emphasize that this process involves understanding that the teacher´s training, and with it that of the art instructor, takes place throughout his or her professional life and essentially stimulates the apprehension, updating and improvement of his or her knowledge, skills and attitudes inherent to his or her professional pedagogical practice.
For this reason, it is inferred that this process will mainly contribute to teachers achieving satisfactory improvements in their professional pedagogical performance based on completing knowledge and skills not previously acquired; that is, during their training process, and which are extremely necessary to materialize such a task in the students who attend this educational level.
According to Chapé and Quiala (2019), pedagogical professional performance is the professional skill learned by the teacher in educational matters, which is mainly aimed at responding in the most accurate way possible to the different problematic situations that occur in the pedagogical exercise. For his part, Moreno (2002) considers that this consists of "(...) the teachers' real performance in teaching practice, where the mastery of a certain field of knowledge is manifested in an updated way (...) assuming an ethical attitude, of help and collaboration (...) during the instructive-educational process (...)" (Chapé & Quiala, 2019, p. 3).
From the above it follows that, in the art instructor's professional pedagogical performance can be understood as the conscious action with a marked posture of cooperation and help, which is carried out during the workshops of appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture that he teaches, where an adequate mastery prevails in relation to the prevention of bullying in pre-university students.
In another order, bullying is a concern for educational systems, essentially due to its increasingly significant presence in the classroom, where, in order to respond accurately to this situation, these systems encourage the execution of studies that lead to intervention proposals that contribute to its prevention, fundamentally from the context of the teachers' actions. However, even though there is a substantial increase in research on this subject, there are still deficiencies in this regard, which is confirmed by the high number of registered cases.
Likewise, these systems highlight the vitality of the teachers´ adequate performance and, therefore, of art instructors to successfully address such problems from their context of action; in this case, from the workshops for appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture, since this favors the development of preventive actions of this type of negative behavior based on the logic of the subject and in accordance with its interdisciplinary and integrative nature.
However, theoretically, there is still insufficient argument regarding this professional´s training as a way to materialize the prevention of bullying in these students from their scope of action in pre-university education. Therefore, from this perspective, a professionalization process is assumed that is adjusted to the professional needs that these teachers present in this direction.
For this reason, the present article aims to evaluate the level of preparation presented by the art instructors of the "Bernabé Boza" and "Álvaro Morell" Pre-University Institutes of Camagüey, regarding the use of art in the prevention of bullying in pre-university students.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A descriptive study was carried out in which, from a theoretical perspective, the following methods of this nature were used: historical-logical, analysis-synthesis and inductive-deductive, which made it possible to carry out an analysis on the evolution of the main concepts referring to the subject from various approaches and contexts, as well as allowing the appropriation of the relationships, connections and peculiarities of this process, both from theory and practice.
At the empirical level, documentary analysis was mainly used to review the documentation related to the preparation process of art instructors aimed at developing preventive work on bullying, essentially for those who teach in pre-university schools. Specifically, the workshop plan, the study plan for their training, the strategy for improvement of the institutions, the individual development plans of such teachers and the methodological work regulations of the Ministry of Education and Culture were reviewed.
In addition, observations were also used in workshops for the appreciation and creation of artistic culture, to verify what preventive actions of this negative behavior are developed by such professionals from their context of action with these students; and the interview, with the purpose not only of confirming the data obtained in relation to the subject being addressed, but also for the compilation of the information obtained in a thorough, in-depth and contextualized manner around the level of knowledge and preparation that these professionals present to effectively prevent this type of negative behavior in such students, and for the identification of both the competencies and needs, as well as the pedagogical strategies used by them, in the course of their educational work, in that direction.
In order to fulfill the objective of this article, several instruments were applied in order to diagnose the initial state of preparation of art instructors at the "Bernabé Boza" and "Álvaro Morell" Pre-University Institutes of Camagüey, for the development of bullying prevention in students of the aforementioned educational level. To do so, a population and sample consisting of eight art instructors who teach at such institutes in the municipality and province of Camagüey was worked with. The sample was chosen intentionally, since 100% of the population was selected; that is, the eight art instructors who work in this teaching in such municipality.
According to the theoretical systematization carried out, it was possible to arrive at an operational definition of the variable: the art instructor´ preparation, oriented towards the prevention of bullying in pre-university. Since three dimensions lie within it as inherent elements, which are clearly expressed in the distinctive aspects that make up its conceptualization, in which through indicators they made it possible to evaluate the process under study. Within the aforementioned variable, the following dimensions and indicators of the process being addressed were determined (Table 1).
Table 1. Dimensions and indicators
Dimensions |
Indicators |
Dimension I. Theoretical mastery on bullying |
Indicator 1. Mastery of the concepts of prevention and bullying. |
Dimension II. Performance of art instructors in bullying prevention |
Indicator 1. Level reached to plan actions aimed at developing bullying prevention in pre-university students from the appreciation workshop for the creation of Artistic Culture. |
Dimension III. Attitudinal manifestations of art instructors in the face of overcoming bullying prevention |
Indicator 1. Interest shown in searching for information related to bullying prevention. |
RESULTS
The documentary analysis concluded that there is a correspondence among the workshop plan, the curriculum for the training of this teacher, the improvement strategy of the institutions, the individual development plans of such teachers and the methodological work regulations of the Ministry of Education and Culture. However, these do not specify how the art instructor should develop the preventive work of bullying in pre-university students from his context of action; that is, from the appreciation and creation workshops of the subject he teaches.
In order to determine the mastery that these teachers show regarding the subject matter of this study, the eight art instructors that make up the sample were interviewed. 100% of them stated that they had not previously received content related to the subject matter. However, all of them affirmed that they sometimes take into account the content of the workshops to develop preventive actions against bullying in the students of this teaching to whom they provide educational attention.
During the observation of the workshops on appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture given by the art instructors who make up the sample, it was observed, although in a very basic way, that only in two, for 25%, the development of preventive actions of this negative behavior in the students of this educational level takes place. Furthermore, only in these two was it possible to visualize the existence of correspondence between the activities projected in the workshop and the development of these actions based on real situations of behavior in the educational, family and community environment.
These results confirm that the art instructors who were part of this research, although they showed mastery over the contents of the subject they taught, lacked the necessary knowledge to carry out the development of preventive actions against bullying in these students from their context of action; that is, from the workshops of appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture, which is demonstrated in the results obtained in each of the indicators that make up the dimensions determined for the development of this study.
In dimension I, aimed at checking the basic knowledge that art instructors should have in relation to the concepts of prevention and bullying, the mastery of the particularities that typify bullying and the characteristics that typify students who commit bullying, the results shown below were obtained.
Indicator 1 (mastery of concepts about prevention and bullying) showed that seven of the eight art instructors, representing 87.5%, were evaluated as regular because they only showed mastery over some basic elements related to the conceptualizations of prevention and bullying; while one, representing 12.5%, was evaluated as poor, since they showed complete ignorance about these conceptualizations.
In this sense, in indicator 2 (mastery of the characteristics that typify bullying), it was found that six art instructors, representing 75%, were evaluated as average because they only mastered the characteristics that typify bullying, which is a violent behavior in which a marked conduct of physical and psychological persecution prevails, as well as which implies constant actions of harassment and humiliation. Meanwhile, two, representing 25%, were evaluated as poor, because they did not show mastery over the characteristics that typify bullying.
The evaluation of indicator 3 (mastery of the characteristics that typify students who bully) showed that five art instructors, 62.5%, were evaluated as average, because they only mastered the characteristics of students who bully, such as breaking things on purpose, uttering insults and changing the meaning of what is said to them in their favor. While the rest, or three, 37.5%, were evaluated as poor because they did not master the characteristics that typify students who bully (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Initial diagnosis results
Dimension II, designed to verify the professional pedagogical performance of the art instructor, translated into the planning and implementation of actions aimed at developing bullying prevention in pre-university students from the appreciation workshop for the creation of Artistic Culture, showed the results that can be seen in figure 2.
Indicator 1 (level reached to plan actions aimed at developing bullying prevention in pre-university students from the appreciation and creation of artistic culture workshop) showed that of the eight art instructors that make up this study, only one, representing 12.5%, received a regular evaluation, because he demonstrated a certain skill when planning such actions in that direction in these students; while the rest, that is, seven art instructors, 87.5%, were evaluated poorly, since they failed to plan actions aimed at developing bullying prevention in pre-university students from the appreciation and creation of artistic culture workshop.
Likewise, indicator 2 (level reached to apply actions aimed at the development of bullying prevention in pre-university students from the workshop on appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture) had the following behavior. Of the total number of art instructors that constituted the study (eight), only one received a regular evaluation, for 12.5%, since he demonstrated certain abilities to apply actions aimed at the development of bullying prevention in pre-university students from the workshop on appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture; while, the remaining seven, for 87.5%, were evaluated as poor, since they failed to apply actions aimed at the development of bullying prevention in pre-university students from the workshop on appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture, reason why this dimension turns out to be evaluated as poor, since its indicators were evaluated in the same way.
Figure 2. Results of the initial diagnosis
Dimension III (visible in figure 3), designed to verify the interest shown by art instructors in searching for information related to bullying prevention, as well as their willingness to take advantage of the workshop on appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture in this regard, showed the following behavior.
Indicator 1 (interest shown in searching for information related to bullying prevention) showed that only two art instructors, or 25%, received a regular evaluation because they showed some interest in searching for information related to bullying prevention. The remaining six, or 75%, were evaluated poorly because they showed no interest in searching for information related to bullying prevention.
For its part, in indicator 2 (willingness to take advantage of the appreciation and creation workshop of Artistic Culture for the prevention of bullying in pre-university students) it was found that five art instructors, representing 62.5%, were evaluated as regular, because they showed little willingness to take advantage of such workshop in order to prevent this type of behavior in these students, while three, for 37.5%, were evaluated as poor because they showed no willingness to take advantage of the appreciation and creation workshop of such subject, in order to prevent bullying in these students.
Figure 3. Initial diagnosis results
DISCUSSION
Based on the evaluation of these results, it was possible to visualize the prevalence of regular and poor as a criterion when evaluating the knowledge that these teachers present in relation to the subject, based on the indicators defined in each dimension in the present study. All of this denotes that the preparation of the art instructors of the "Bernabé Boza" and "Álvaro Morell" Pre-University Institutes of the municipality and province of Camagüey aimed at developing the prevention of bullying in pre-university students was characterized by the existence of:
The results derived from the implementation of the aforementioned methods made it possible to recognize that although the art instructor shown an adequate command of the subject he taught at this educational level, he lacked the necessary knowledge to materialize the preventive work of bullying from the workshop on appreciation and creation of Artistic Culture that he developed.
Similarly, it was possible to affirm, based on the interviews that were carried out, that all of these professionals showed very basic knowledge in relation to bullying and its prevention process. However, the observation carried out in the appreciation and creation workshops that they taught revealed the existence of notable difficulties, both in the methodological order, as well as in their professional pedagogical performance in developing preventive actions aimed at dealing with this type of behaviour in these students.
One of the causes that led to the existence of this situation, according to the authors of this text, was the lack of a preparation process that would allow them to be trained with the required efficiency in this regard, and thus solve this problematic situation, since this process will fundamentally bring with it the updating and completion of knowledge in this teacher, in order to efficiently face, from their context of action, this task. All this allowed visualizing the contradiction that took place between the need to perfect the professional pedagogical performance of the art instructor to achieve such purposes and the limitations that in the theoretical, methodological and practical order they manifested to develop preventive actions of bullying in pre-university students.
When analyzing the results obtained in this study and comparing them with those existing in the bibliography examined, it was appreciated the existence of correspondence with those achieved by authors such as: Alfonso et al. (2014); del Río and Tamayo (2023); del Río, García and Alfonso (2024); Herrera and Horta (2016); Ramos et al. (2024) and Trujillo et al. (2024), in terms of considering that, it is from the process of improvement that it may be possible, mainly for teachers and, with it, on which this research has focused, to achieve both the necessary preparation and training as well as the updating and completion of essential knowledge to materialize an optimal professional performance, in this case, pedagogical.
Such convergences essentially lies in the fact that, it is from this process that it can be possible to:
The results obtained in this text are novel, since they have not been addressed in other related research, both with the professional development of teachers and with the prevention of this type of negative aggressive behavior, mainly in students and with particular emphasis on those who attend this educational level.
It is concluded that the preparation of art instructors is characterized by the prevalence of an insufficient level of knowledge and mastery in relation to bullying and its prevention process. This justifies the need for a new proposal that allows for the effective training of these instructors in this direction, which in turn will contribute very effectively to facing this type of behavior in the context of pre-university education.
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Conflict of interest
Authors declare no conflict of interests.
Authors' contribution
The authors participated in the design and writing of the article, in the search and analysis of the information contained in the consulted bibliography.
