Abstract:

This study is part of a Teaching Innovation Project (2022) entitled “Interactive learning, research, and collaborative reflection in first-year students of the Degree in Primary Education”. The project aims to engage pre-service teaching students from two Spanish universities, the University of Cantabria and the University of Salamanca, in the knowledge of pedagogical theorists and representative authors who have had a significant impact on the history of education in schools worldwide.

The course guide of the Degree in Primary Education includes innovative experiences in primary education throughout the historical development of education. This content is a powerful tool to engage students in the history of education and promote innovative classroom improvements, in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. However, most students approach this knowledge from a superficial and disconnected point of view, without seeing the links between the theorists and how past challenges are often related to present-day issues.

To promote interactive and dynamic learning, a number of methodological innovations have been planned. These include providing motivating activities that encourage students to stay active and delve into different knowledge through research and collaborative reflection on the subject of pedagogy. Students are given a challenge: to carry out a research project in which cooperative learning methodology, tutorials, and the incorporation of apps or digital platforms such as YouTube favor critical, creative, and divergent thinking, along with reflection and autonomy in the classroom as per the 2030 Agenda. The project aims to train them to become “Edutubers”, experts on the topic of “pedagogical theorists of the last century”, focusing primarily on alternative pedagogy. After producing the videos, they are shared with fellow students via a YouTube channel to foster interaction and collaboration.

The results presented the design, production, and consumption processes of 287 participating students from the two universities. A total of 56 videos were created in mixed groups of students, having to interact with comments to answer questions at the end of each video. As a result, the experience offered the opportunity to interact and collaborate in digital projects, share information, and use the YouTube platform as an academic tool for learning and research.

Keywords:

Undergraduate Students, Teacher Education, Youtube, Pedagogical Innovations.