Abstract:

The present theoretical research focuses on the recognition and development of natural talent among upper secondary education students as a model for strengthening their academic formation and ensuring adequate social coexistence. Accordingly, the study seeks to advance the understanding of the dynamics required to substantiate an effective public policy that promotes critical dialogue around talent and capabilities, as articulated by Martha Nussbaum, particularly within the context of upper secondary education. To achieve this objective, a synchronic analysis of diverse pedagogical practices implemented in upper secondary education institutions in Bogotá D.C. between 2019 and 2023 is undertaken.

In this vein, the research approach adopted enables an in-depth reflection on pedagogical practices related to the recognition of natural talent. To this end, one hundred pedagogical practices from various schools located in the capital district are examined using qualitative data analysis (QDA) methods, which reveal both the limitations and strengths of pedagogical practices while simultaneously constructing the necessary theoretical foundation for the proposed public policy. This approach facilitates, on the one hand, the application of synchronic analytical tools and, on the other, a deeper interpretative engagement, in line with the proposals of Corbin and Strauss (2012).

In addition, the research integrates both a comprehensive review of the literature and the lived experiences of the diverse social actors involved in the pedagogical practices under study. Consequently, an exhaustive analysis of these practices is proposed based on Nussbaum’s capabilities approach and the concept of natural talent, with the aim of designing a public policy for upper secondary education grounded in the theoretical and empirical findings obtained. Through this process, it will be possible to develop strategies that foster the recognition and development of natural talent within the local education system.

Finally, the results of this research will contribute to the foundation of an educational public policy that prioritizes the recognition of natural talent and individual capabilities—such as life, the senses, imagination, thought, emotions, and affiliation—elements that Nussbaum considers essential.

Keywords:

Capabilities, natural talent, public policy, diversity, recognition.