Mendive. Journal on Education, july-september 2021; 19(3): 715-731

Translated from the original in Spanish

 

Independent work in the training of the Law Degree

 

El trabajo independiente en la formación del Licenciado en Derecho

 

Trabalho independente na formação do Licenciatura em Direito

 

Jorge Félix Gual Ramos¹ http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8500-4144
Elia Mercedes Fernández Escanaverino² https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3577-5637
Eldis Román Cao http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8552-7906

¹ Sancti Spíritus Legal Services Company. Cuba. jfgual@uniss.edu.cu
² University of Sancti Spíritus "José Martí Pérez". Cuba. mfernandez@uniss.edu.cu
³ Technical University of Manabi. Ecuador. eldisroman@gmail.com

 

Received: January 4^th, 2021.
Approved: June 12^th, 2021.

 

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ABSTRACT

The Ministry of Higher Education of Cuba goes through a process of updating and improving its training system. The project The strengthening of Educational Sciences at the University of Sancti Spíritus " José Martí Pérez " , has determined difficulties in the training of Law Graduates, since the articulation of independent work to the teaching and learning process is still insufficient learning. The objective of this article is to present a learning strategy so that the university students can use independent work in his class in the training of the Law Degree. The method used is census criteria. The model used is the case study since a specific sample is analyzed in the Law Degree. This is an investigation based on the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative ones in the form of participatory observations, and the quantitative ones obtained from semi-structured interviews, their study and description of the documentation. The article presents independent work as a learning strategy that allows improving the training of the Law Degree.

Keyword: education; training; independent work; Labor practice.

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RESUMEN

El Ministerio de Educación Superior de Cuba pasa por un proceso de actualización y mejora de su sistema de formación. El proyecto El fortalecimiento de las Ciencias de la Educación en la Universidad de Sancti Spíritus "José Martí Pérez" ha determinado dificultades en la formación de los Licenciados en Derecho, pues es aún insuficiente la articulación del trabajo independiente al proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. El objetivo de este artículo es presentar una estrategia de aprendizaje para que el estudiante universitario pueda utilizar el trabajo independiente en su formación como Licenciado en Derecho. El método empleado es el criterio censal. El modelo utilizado es el estudio de casos, puesto que se analiza una muestra concreta en la Licenciatura en Derecho. Esta es una investigación sustentada en el análisis de los datos cualitativos y cuantitativos. Los cualitativos en forma de observaciones participativas, y los cuantitativos obtenidos a partir de entrevistas semiestructuradas, su estudio y descripción de la documentación. En el artículo se presenta el trabajo independiente como estrategia de aprendizaje que permite mejorar la formación del Licenciado en Derecho.

Palabras clave: educación; formación; trabajo independiente; práctica laboral.

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RESUMO

O Ministério de Educação Superior de Cuba passa por um processo de atualização e aperfeiçoamento de seu sistema de formação. O projeto Fortalecimento das Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Sancti Spíritus "José Martí Pérez" tem apontado dificuldades na formação de Licenciados em Direito, visto que a articulação do trabalho autônomo ao processo de ensino-aprendizagem ainda é insuficiente. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar uma estratégia de aprendizagem para que estudantes universitários possam utilizar o trabalho autônomo em sua formação como Bacharel em Direito. O método utilizado é o critério do censo. O modelo utilizado é o estudo de caso, uma vez que uma amostra específica é analisada no curso de graduação em Direito. Esta é uma investigação baseada na análise de dados qualitativos e quantitativos. Os qualitativos na forma de observações participativas e os quantitativos obtidos a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas, seu estudo e descrição da documentação. O artigo apresenta o trabalho independente como estratégia de aprendizagem que permite aprimorar a formação do Licenciado em Direito.

Palavras-chave: educação; Treinamento; trabalho independente; Prática de trabalho.

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INTRODUCTION

According to the researcher Toledo Rodríguez et al. (2017), in Cuba there has been concern about student learning, as it is the case of Román (2013); this author has reviewed the subject of independent work as an activity that allows the student to self- direct and self- manage knowledge under the guidance and control of the teacher. 

The researcher Roman (2013) highlights the work developed by teachers J. A. Caballero (1762-1835) and Félix Varela y Morales (1788-1853); the first declared the importance of preserving an original culture that distinguished the Cuban conscience, which could be achieved to the extent that would unfold own decisions, and the second considered that since the class it should provide students with the tools that allow them get to the truth on their own.   Roman continues expressing  (2013), that José de la Luz y Caballero (1800- 1862) criticized the rote methods, formalism and dogma centered on the transmission of knowledge and Jose Marti (1853-1895) spelled out that there is no better education system than that which prepares the child to learn by himself.

Román (2013) continues addressing the study of independence in Cuba: López Núñez (1978), "On the need to develop the independent activity of the student"; Rojas Arce (1978), "The Independent work, its essence and classification"; Turner Martí (1979), "Teaching students to work independently. An inescapable need"; Pérez and Vasili (1980), "Application of independent work in the educational teaching process" (p. 146).

According to Roman (2013, p.141), in its educational dimension, self - employment has been associated with the activity performed by the student himself to learn so active under the direction of the teacher or not. In this regard, numerous researchers have expressed themselves; among the most important he includes Addine (2004) and Román-Cao & Herrera-Rodriguez (2010).

Independent work is one of the most effective means that should be used in Cuban universities to achieve the development of the student's own activity in the Law Degree. It is in it, due to its level of independence, where the student reaches a higher level of scientific deepening and develops general skills in the classroom and professionals outside the classroom context, such as through work practice.

That is why the teacher has the responsibility to educate the student of LLB in capacities to achieve their independence, they prepare for an active and creative confrontation with reality; its improvement favors the acquisition of knowledge, in addition to motivating students in their creative activity and self-preparation habits.

It is assumed in this article the concept of freelancing expressed by Toledo Rodríguez et to the. (2017), who state that:  

... Independent activities are a real opportunity to make the learning significant, as it can be applied in contexts where knowledge makes sense for the young, makes the student be responsible for their own knowledge process, fosters a sense of the responsibility, as well as deepen in the vision of the world" (p.20) 

Through an investigation carried out by members of the project Strengthening the Sciences of Education at the University of Sancti Spíritus " José Martí Pérez", it has been determined that the form, frequency and utility that is given to independent work as a strategy for learning in work practice for the training of the Law Degree, has deficiencies that give the gap to work it based on the professional training of this type of study. The most significant deficiencies are focused on:

• Lack of articulation between independent work and tasks oriented to work practice.
• Disarticulation in group work at the time of the execution of independent work in labor practice.
• The use of independent work as a learning strategy for the training of the Law Degree in labor practice is not frequent.
• The information with which the student interacts to carry out independent work is not always the one desired for the purposes of their professional training nor is it directly related to the objectives of the work practice.

There is evidence in the scientific literature that the systematic application of independent work in the Law Degree from the organization of a system of tasks, guarantees the elevation of the independent cognitive activity of the students.

Valdivia Cachón et al. (2019) explain that the teaching task is constituted in a learning situation, through which, under the direction and guidance of the teacher, the student appropriates knowledge, develops skills and is educated in values. 

Based on the above, the category teaching task will be used to designate the activity that is conceived to be carried out by students collectively or individually during work practices, which allows the development of motivation to continue learning and the appropriation of the contents received in the subject.

Teaching tasks, according to Valdivia Cachón et al. (2019) should be: "varied, in the sense that there are activities with different levels of demands that lead to the application of knowledge in known and unknown situations, that promote the effort and intellectual work of the schoolchild, leading them to higher stages of development" (P.194).  

For the improvement of the task proposed as a learning strategy to develop independent work in the student's work practice, different contemporary pedagogical models were studied, such as the Passive School of Ignacio Loyola, the Active School of Paulo Freyre, José A. Huergo and Enrique Perez Luna, assuming the model of the principles must assume a humanist pedagogy and developer, as a learning strategy for the formation of the LL.B., as one way of achieving this goal.

In the dynamics developed in Higher Education, the teaching - learning process is considered the fundamental link in the training of professionals and especially in the training of Law Graduates, where through the interaction of the subjects involved in a space for the construction of meanings, they develop the formative activity and with it their transforming capacity (Ortiz Guerra et al., 2020).  

According to Macías (2012), different investigations have been found that describe institutional experiences with professional practice projects considered as strategies for the formation of competencies in Higher Education, such is the case of the Universities of Deusto and Andes Táchira. In addition, this author states that in the studies found "they propose that the realization of the same has to be established from the Study Plan, as a strategy at the institutional level, since the realization of the same" (p.2).

Varela-de-Moya et al. (2017) states that "Higher education, with the characteristics of its didactics, offers the teacher multiple possibilities to develop learning strategies conceived as flexible instruments that integrate different procedures in order to form more functional learning and with better possibilities of be transferred to other situations" (p. 269). 

As for the strategies of learning, the definition Varela-de-Moya et al is assumed. (2017), who states that "Learning strategies are simple sequences or agglomerations of skills; they go beyond the rules or habits that some manuals on study techniques advise" (p. 270).  

To achieve the fulfillment of the proposed objective, the role of the teacher is fundamental, who for Blanco & Recarey (1999) is prepared to carry out educational work within the university context, in order to fulfill the social function of guiding work practice, important for the professional of Law Degree.

According Addine (2004), of the role docent and the basic tasks deriving instruct and educate, features professional teacher - methodological, research and guidance as well as with texts of performance as school, family and community. Because of its importance in the formation of the LL.B., you should take the definition of the authors to be mentioned, which offer the meaning of the function guidance.

The guiding function is the activity aimed at helping self-knowledge and personal growth through diagnosis and psycho-pedagogical intervention in the interest of the comprehensive training of the future Law Graduate. Due to its content, the guiding function directly affects the fulfillment of the educational task, although it is also manifested during the exercise of instruction (Blanco & Recarey, 1999). The pedagogical categories training and development are also favored.

According to Rodríguez et al.  (2019), assuming the concept of "development", it is stated that ... " constitutes a continuous process of a quantitative type whose rhythm is determined by the economic and cultural conditions in which it occurs ... man develops in the activity, but it is important to specify that all activity in a general sense does not directly influence development ... " (p. 60). 

As defined by the Ministry of Higher Education (MES) (2018):

   The training of higher-level professionals is the process that, consciously and on a scientific basis, is developed in higher education institutions to guarantee the comprehensive preparation of university students, which is specified in a solid scientific- technical training, humanistic and high , political, ethical and aesthetic, in order to achieve revolutionary, educated, competent, independent and creative professionals, so that they can perform successfully in the various sectors of the economy and society in general" (p.3).

Regarding the mutual relationship between training and development , the definition of Rodríguez et al.  (2019) "Consciously, consistently and systematically directing the development of the personality of students, means simultaneously forming higher psychic functions, needs, motives, interests ... and moral qualities ..." (p .61). 

In this article, the concept of Schunk (1991) is assumed, who argues that learning implies acquisition and modification of knowledge, strategies, skills, beliefs and attitudes.

Portillo (2017) states that "The professional skill level is conceived as a combination of knowledge of materials and processes with manual skills required to carry out a productive activity. That is, the ability represents a particular property, a physical and mental ability to perform a task in the work process or in any activity" (p.3).

According to the MES (2018), in its article 127, the work practice is established as an organizational form of teaching work in higher education. The MES (2018) defines the work practice:

   It is the organizational form of teaching work that aims to promote adequate mastery by students of the modes of action that characterize professional activity, through their participation in solving the most general and frequent problems present in the professional or professional setting in which it is inserted and, at the same time, fostering the development of values that contribute to the formation of an integral professional, suitable for their future performance in society (p.43).

In this sense, the authors present the objective of this article to present a learning strategy so that university students can use independent work in their training as a Law Graduate.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

The objective of this research was aimed at presenting a learning strategy so that university students can use independent work in their training as a Law Graduate. The data were collected through a survey of 34 students and 10 teachers of the Law Degree of the University of Sancti Spíritus "José Martí Pérez", which allowed the characteristics and trends of the chosen sample to be described.

The techniques used to collect the data during the investigation are as follows:

• Bibliographic compilation and documentary processing of information in books, magazines, newspapers, internet and others, mainly related to the Law Degree.
• The survey:  in this case , a survey was conducted to 34 students of Bachelor of Law at the University of Sancti Spiritus "José Martí Pérez" , to establish how academic performance among students who perform independent work manifests as a learning strategy in work practice.
• Interview:  10 teachers who taught  degree in law , in order to investigate the effectiveness of the use of freelancing as a learning strategy in working practice of college students majoring in law were interviewed.

Instruments

• Bibliographic records and summary: they were used to synthesize the content and record data consulted bibliographic material (books, theses and web pages).
• Questionnaire:  a questionnaire of 10 closed questions for the 34 students of Law degree at the University of Sancti Spiritus "José Martí Pérez "was applied .
• Observation Guide: It was used to record the information product obtained from observation.
• Interview for teachers:  structured interview guide for a teaching, consists of 10 open questions.

Population

The 34 students of the Law Degree, at the University of Sancti Spíritus "José Martí Pérez" and 10 teachers from that same institution, from the 2018-2019 academic year.

Census criteria

A group made up of 34 students of the Law Degree at the University of Sancti Spíritus "José Martí Pérez", from the 2018-2019 academic year, who use independent work as a learning strategy in work practice.

Procedure

• It was applied the observation guide to the census criteria chosen by the student s of law degree at the University of Sancti Spiritus "José Martí Pérez"; This entire process was documented in cards and other variants of information processing.
• It was applied an interview guide and a questionnaire regarding the use of freelancing as a learning strategy in practical work students and teachers.
• Data were processed and analyzed. For the analysis and data management, the descriptive technique of central tendency was used; this in order to diagnose the most representative values of the data collected in the interviews and surveys.
• Group grades were compared to establish whether there are differences in academic performance among students who carry out their work practice through independent work.

The case study model, which has a characteristic use in research in the educational field "to develop theories about the teaching and learning processes that are developed at different educational levels" (Gutiérrez, 2005, p.154) was applied.

The method is related to the census criterion, it proceeds when the universe of the sample is finite and the elements that constitute it can be delimited and quantified. In this scenario it corresponds to the students of the Bachelor Degree from the University of Sancti Spiritus  "José Martí Pérez"; they can use a learning strategy to use independent work in their formation as Bachelor of Laws ( Arias-Gomez, Villasís-Keever, Miranda-Novales, 2016).

The theoretical level methods

The analytic-synthetic: during all stages of the selection process information in the study of the behavior of the development of independent work in professional practice as a learning strategy, in defining the elements acting on the object of investigation. The inductive-deductive: for the selection of the census criterion, verification of the solution of the problem empirically and for the analysis of the facts, processes and phenomena that are manifested in the situation under investigation. The historical-logical: for the analysis and determination of the theoretical and methodological foundations of the behavior of the development of independent work in the work practice at different times.

The methods of the empirical level: The documentary analysis: with the aim of making the selection of the theoretical and methodological foundations to take into account for the teaching of the program of the Agrarian Law subject within the Law Degree, as well as the forms organization of Higher Education, with an emphasis on work practice; In addition, other documents were analyzed, such as the plan of the teaching process of the Law Degree , the educational strategy of the Law Degree and the methodological guidelines that were developed for the Civil and Family disciplines . Survey: to diagnose the independent work as a learning strategy work practice and to gather expert opinion on the proposal. Observation: to obtain primary information on the census criteria investigated and in the process of implementing the proposal and determine through the modes of action the degree of development of the independent work practice of students. Statistical-mathematical: the percentage analysis, in the processing of the diagnostic results and in the validation of the proposal.

 

RESULTS

According to Román & Herrera (2010), the orientation of independent work for work practice is divided into four moments:

In the graph 1 the four stages of development of independent work are described and times to be used for each activity, taking into account the complexity in implementation. At first it takes place in the teaching department, where it conducts a study of the content to be evaluated as independent work, taking into account the institution where the student will carry out the work practice; It should be dedicated for this time two hours.

The second moment takes place in the classroom; It is where the teacher must guide the independent work correctly, leaving no room for doubt on the part of the students, specifying the bibliography and the legislation to be used in each scenario, as well as the officials of the Provincial Delegation of Agriculture who must be consulted to solve any problem that may arise (2 hours).

The third time is the most important and takes work practice, is where the student displays all their skills to achieve greater cognitive independence, using all the bibliographic material required to give timely response to questions oriented in class (4 hours).

The fourth and final time spent in the classroom with the participation of the students and teachers, evaluating the responses to each question (2 hours).

Graph 1. Moments of the Independent work
Source: authors' own elaboration (2020)

Chart 2 shows the result of the interview with the 10 teachers who taught the LLB, in order to investigate whether the use of independent work as a learning strategy work practice leads to improvements in academic performance of the students of the Law Degree.

Presentation of the learning strategy in work practice

The development of the learning strategy was developed through a teaching task that took into account the following structure: title, objective, guidelines, evaluation and bibliography. With this, uniformity was sought in the presentation and then execution by the students of the same, taking into account the previously mentioned didactic requirements.

The way to develop the learning strategy is in the work practice and it is taught in the second semester, in the afternoon, in sessions of four hours to the fourth year of the Law Degree in the Agrarian Law subject, responding to the discipline civil and Family law , establishing legal relations of civil character and Family law in ownership and rights to property, intellectual creations protected by copyright, obligations and contracts, inheritance and land matters , where the teacher , for the application of the learning strategy, must take into consideration that it is organized in moments and each of these intertwine forming a cycle, where the teacher becomes its main driver.  Then, moments of learning strategy:

- Scheduling the task teacher: Which are the objectives of the task?    

- Objectification: Which are the main features of the task?    

• These moments coincide with the methodological work carried out individually by the teacher as part of their self-preparation in the scientific-technical, didactic and pedagogical aspects, necessary for the development of independent work planning (MES, 2018).

-Task analysis: What level of knowledge about the subject students have to develop the task?

-Choice of methods and learning techniques: How the teacher will use the task in carrying out Independent work?

• Guidance by the teaching of independent work in the classroom, after coordination with the discipline in the use of supplementary literature, with emphasis on the use of Technologies of Information and Communications.             

- Author review: What is the best way for students to reach academic achievement which we aspire?

- Planning phase: When the teacher knows that the proposed objective was met?

• These moments coincide with the completion of the work practice by the students, after selection by the main professor of the discipline and the university authorities, of the labor entities that are appropriate for the development of the modes of action of the future graduate (MES, 2018).

- Auto assessment: review if the learning strategy met the target proposed by the teacher.  

- Application of the teaching task as a learning strategy.    

• Planification of the teacher of independent work, prior coordination of the group of the subject, proposing the methods, means and organizational forms of teaching, in order to contribute to the development of the student's autonomous learning.             

Teachings task No 1. Contraventions in agrarian matters in Cuba (MES, 2018).

Placement in the program: introductory class

Objective:  identify the contraventions in agrarian matters that regulate land tenure and agricultural activity in Cuba.

Skill system:

1. Specify the rules applicable to the eventual assumption and the corresponding procedure, as the case may be.

2. Develop habits and skills in accordance with the theoretical and practical conceptions on which the agrarian legislation is based.

3. Develop oral and written language in a clear and coherent way, although always using the corresponding technical - legal vocabulary.

System values: The task, for its own content, is taxed to the formation of a group of essential values in our students. The commitment to the Revolution, justice, honesty, anti-imperialism, are some of those that can be transmitted starting from the student understanding of the operation of our socio-economic system and the prevalence of general objectives over individuals.

Description of the exercise

The student, through a real situation given in the Provincial Delegation of Agriculture, which was modified to not reveal identities, can identify the elements comprising the laws and institutions of which the state uses to develop farming; this exercise will be discussed in the first part of the class as an introduction to the new content. The situation is the following:

Assumption of fact

You, an official of the Municipal Delegation of MINAG, are in person to carry out an inspection at "Las Minas" Production Unit, where there is a usufruct in the name of Adriel Martínez Rodríguez, of 13.42 hectares, with a fundamental line of various crops. In the inspection carried out, you detect that there is no production in the line in which the usufruct was conceived, there are people working the land without legal authorization and larger livestock belonging to the usufructuary grazing in an adjacent state area without authorization to do so.

Questions:

a) Mention the sources of Agrarian Law involved in the aforementioned event.             

b) Mention the infractions of the rule detected during the visit and impose the corresponding measure. Legally justify your answer.             

c) State the violations of the norm that motivate the termination of the usufruct contract, according to the aforementioned event. Legally justify your answer.             

d) The usufructuary does not agree with the Resolution issued by the Municipal Delegate of Agriculture that provides for the extinction of the usufruct granted and wishes to establish an appeal against it. Mention the term to file the appeal and before what authority. Legally justify your answer.             

Evaluation: To accomplish the task teaching students the LLB will be present in the Provincial Delegation of Agriculture, where there will be books, official gazettes, educational videos and multimedia, being this the first teaching introductory task assigned of the subject Agrarian Law, seeking a climate of trust between the group and the teacher with the group. It will be conducted a workshop with the aim of exposing how to develop it, explaining that the questions are evaluated with score between two and five, after exposure in the group of responses; The purpose of the teacher with the teaching task is to relate the content of the subject with a practical situation that can be created in work practice. The active participation of students will be conceived in the exhibition of the results achieved in solving the task teacher , through interviews that they can do to officials of agriculture , and will take  into account the criteria issued by others on answers given by their peers.

Bibliography to use:

-Law Number 1279. Livestock registries and the national registry of purebred animals and their crosses dated October 9, 1974.         

-Decree-Law Number 125 of the Council of State. Regime of possession, ownership and inheritance of land and agricultural goods, of January 30, 1991.         

-Decree Law 358. On delivery of idle state lands in usufruct dated April 9, 2018.         

-Decree-Law Number 99 of the Council of State. Regulates the treatment system for personal offenses, of December 25, 1987.         

-Decree Number 203 of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers. Contraventions of the Regime of possession, ownership and inheritance of land and agricultural goods, and of the Land Tenure Registry, of November 21, 1995.         

-Decree Number 225 of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers. Personal violations of the regulations for the control and registration of large livestock and purebreds, of October 29, 1997.         

-Decree 350 of June of 29 2018. Regulation of the Decree Law 358 about delivery of state lands in usufruct.         

-Resolution Number 24 of the Minister of Agriculture. Regulation of the regime of possession, property and inheritance of land and agricultural goods, of March 19, 1991.         

-Resolution Number 93/74 of the Minister of Agriculture. Regulation of Law 1279, of October 11, 1974.         

-Resolution No. 170/2017 of the Ministry of Agriculture. Regulation of Agrarian Administrative Procedures, published in GOC-2017-427-O20.         

-Resolution No. 170/2017 of the Ministry of Agriculture. Regulation of Agrarian Administrative Procedures, published in GOC-2017-427-O20.         

Of the 10 teachers interviewed, who represent 100 %, 7 teachers, who represent 70 %, expressed the criterion that the students reached a grade of 5 points after finishing the work practice; 3 teachers, representing 30 %, stated that the students achieved grades of 4 points, allowing us to ensure that the use of the learning strategy allows raising the academic performance of the students.

In the survey of the 34 students of the Law Degree at the University of Sancti Spíritus " José Martí Pérez" it was determined that of the 34 students surveyed, who represent 100 %, 21 students, which represents 61.76 % of the students Respondents obtained marks of 5 points; 11 students, representing 32.35 % of the surveyed students, obtained marks of 4 points and 2 students representing 5.88 % of the surveyed students, after completing the internships.

 

Graph 2 - Teachers' criteria on student academic performance
Source: authors' own elaboration (2020)

In table 1 the actual questionnaire it is presented the to the students of the Bachelor of Law at the University of Sancti Spiritus "José Martí Pérez", which performed independent work in professional practice. Of the 34 students, who represent 100 %, 25, who represent 73.52 %, consider that the orientation by the teacher of the independent work contributed correctly to carry out the work practice.  This result shows that the teacher must give this time, with the aim of students are properly guided to the search of the content oriented in class.

After completion of the independent work in practical work, 29 students, representing 85.29 %, consider their academic performance has been strengthened and 31 students, representing 91.76 %, considered the systematic development of independent work in practical work contributes to Fortress academic performance; of this result it is evident the potential of introducing independent work as a learning strategy work practice in the formation of the Bachelor of Law.

  Table 1- Questionnaire made to the students of the Law Degree at the University of Sancti Spíritus "José Martí Pérez"

Table 2  - Result of the evaluation of the teaching task in the classroom

The teacher carried out in the classroom the evaluation of the responses issued by the students who participated in the teaching task through independent work, which was implemented as a learning strategy in labor practice in the Law Degree. As a result it was found, as shown in table 1, that of the 34 students who performed the task teacher work practice, which represents 100 %, in question 22 students, representing 64.70 % were Maxim evaluated with a score of 5 points; in Question B 23 students, representing 67.64 %, were evaluated with Maxim a score of 5 points; in Question C, 21 students, representing 61.76 %, were evaluated with Maxim a score of 5 points and question D, 23 students, representing 67.64 %, were evaluated with Maxim a score of 5 points. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of independent work in labor practice and that it can contribute favorably to raising the cognitive levels of students, who achieve greater independence in training as future Law Graduates; In addition, it was demonstrated, despite the correct guidance by the independent work teacher, that this must be controlled individually for each student, so that all achieve the fulfillment of the objectives proposed in each activity.

 

DISCUSSION

In the updating of the Cuban Economic and Social Model of Socialist Development, where the institutions are in an improvement of their work system that results in legislative changes, it is necessary that the Law Graduate present a good work performance in their professional performance, due to that companies require professionals who are efficient in developing the different processes necessary to meet their objectives.

To have a good job performance in legal activity there are several determinants. In the first place there is academic training, since the acquisition of knowledge obtained at the university is of the utmost importance; another determinant is the development of skills, both technical and cross, and  these are not only learned in college, but outside these.

In the search for theories that allow improving the working efficiency of the future Law Graduate we found the studies of  Macías (2012), which represents  the strategy within the curriculum, of which we agree entirely with the authors Varela- de-Moya et al. ( 2017), who exposed some of the tactics of learning most frequently used by the student  to gain knowledge as  techniques underlining, summary writing, repetition, charts and diagrams or mental exercise by explanatory car the matter to another partner .  

According to Varela-de-Moya et al. (2017): 

   These strategies presuppose demanding explanations and demonstrations, guiding and demanding the timely confrontation of criteria among students, setting tasks that encourage student reflection on the processes that allow them to appropriate the material under study, promote self-evaluation, co-evaluation and hetero-evaluation, helping them to analyze the operations and mental decisions they make in order to improve the cognitive processes they put into action (p.297).

We agree with these authors on the criterion that the teacher is the one who provides models and tools that guide the conscious activity of students toward achieving learning goals, while the learning students their own experiences and exchange between them; But, compared to the learning strategy that we propose, it is limited only to the relationship between students- teacher, and does not conceive of learning outside the classroom in a relationship between students- teacher-society.

The learning strategy proposed is higher than previously analyzed, to the consider a full responsibility for teaching  to correct orientation of independent work, which will ensure the proper organization of system content destined for , where students will be the ones who will develop the objectives from the independent oriented work .

Multiple are the conceptualizations of the term independent work; we assume what was stated by Toledo Rodríguez et al. (2017). Independent work occurs in the activity and that activity is directed by the teacher and its outcome depends on how it is organized. It is imperative educational system tasks that students develop institutions which carry out work practice, to reach a correct learning.  

To do this, the teacher has to be aware of the transformation that students want to achieve in order to organize the execution of independent work as a learning strategy in work practice, in such a way that they appropriate learning methods that allow them to solve problems in the courtly context and out of it, designed to ensure their independence.

The learning strategy that is proposed establishes a continuous dialogue between the training received by the students in the university and the reality, it is a space of growth of the learning processes; In addition, they are activities that the student must carry out in order to make an assimilation in the real world of everything theoretically acquired in class.

The strategy of learning selected lifting required of the student study, research and creativity, while considering reflection and criticism against their own practice and their professional colleagues; the latter should be seen as a moment of personal growth for which the teacher is committed to instruction, feeling at this point responsible for their development.

That is why the introduction of independent work as a learning strategy in work practice in the Law Degree is, in the opinion of the authors, an aspect to be worked on by teachers, particularly from a conception that visualizes its opportunities and advantages. Establish independent work as a learning strategy in work practice, which, organized as a management process, constitutes a useful tool for learning the content in the Law Degree.

 

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Conflict of interest:

Authors declare not to have any conflicts of interest.

 

Authors´ Contribution:

Jorge Félix Gual Ramos: Conception of the idea, general advice on the topic addressed, literature search and review, translation of terms or information obtained, preparation of instruments, application of instruments, compilation of information resulting from the applied instruments, statistical analysis, preparation of tables, graphics and images, database preparation, writing of the original (first version), review and final version of the article, correction of the article, review of the applied bibliographic standard..

Elia Mercedes Fernández Escanaverino: Conception of the idea, general advice on the topic addressed, literature search and review, translation of terms or information obtained, preparation of instruments, application of instruments, compilation of information resulting from the applied instruments, statistical analysis, preparation of tables, graphics and images, preparation of the database, review and final version of the article, correction of the article, review of the applied bibliographic standard..

Eldis Román Cao: Conception of the idea, general advice on the topic addressed, literature search and review, translation of terms or information obtained, preparation of instruments, application of instruments, review and final version of the article, correction of the article, review of the applied bibliographic standard .

 

This work is under a licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional
Copyright (c) Jorge Félix Gual Ramos, Elia Mercedes Fernández Escanaverino, Eldis Román Cao