Social Problems in the Secondary Classroom: Gaps in Teacher Initial and Ongoing Training in the Andalusian Region of Spain from the Perspective of Intercultural Education and New Technologies

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the initial and ongoing training of secondary school teachers to deal with the social problems of students in the classroom from the perspective of intercultural education and new technologies. The research starts from the thesis that these social problems can influence the academic and social success or failure of adolescents. Intercultural education and ICTs, with sustainability values, can favor the maturation process of students. The methodology used has been mixed: (1) documentary analysis of the curriculum of initial and continuing teacher training in relation to these social problems; (2) qualitative techniques with teachers, such as interviews and discussion groups to learn about their discourses regarding their professional vision and the training received. This has allowed us to understand professional practice from the perspective of intercultural education and new technologies. The results show training gaps in the curriculum for secondary school teachers to be able to work on social problems in the classroom with interculturality, together with the challenge of including new technologies and sustainability in the accompaniment of students. This research has done in Andalusia, the southernmost region of Spain, but with a desire to extrapolate its conclusions to other national or international contexts.