Los ambientes de aprendizaje como metodología activa promotora de la actividad física en Educación Infantil. Un estudio de caso (Learning environments as an active methodology to promote physical activity in Early Childhood Education. A case study)

Abstract

La presente investigacion centra su foco de interes en el estudio de caso de una practica innovadora en Educacion Infantil relacionada con el fomento de la actividad fisica como potenciadora del desarrollo cognitivo, concepto que representa una de las cuestiones mas debatidas en la investigacion educativa actual. Esto, unido al papel esencial de dicha etapa en el desarrollo y a la alta tasa de inactividad infantil, hace de nuestro tema una prioridad en numerosos paises, pero para abordar esta problematica es preciso un cambio radical en los modos de ensenar y aprender. Nuestro objetivo es profundizar en el conocimiento de metodologias activas implementadas en Educacion Infantil y descubrir como favorecen la practica de actividad fisica entre el alumnado, instaurando habitos mas activos en las escuelas. Para ello estudiamos una experiencia basada en ambientes de aprendizaje desde una perspectiva analitico-descriptiva, empleando la metodologia del estudio de caso junto con otras tecnicas y herramientas de recogida y analisis de la informacion. Los resultados evidencian que esta metodologia precisa de un continuo movimiento por parte del alumnado, tanto para acceder a las distintas propuestas como para realizarlas, por lo que parece oportuno considerarla como favorecedora de la actividad fisica y, por ende, de un optimo desarrollo de las capacidades fisicas y cognitivas de los ninos y ninas. Abstract: This research focuses on a case study of an innovative educational practice in Early Childhood Education related to the promotion of physical activity as an enhancer of cognitive development, a concept that represents one of the most debated issues in current educational research. This, together with the essential role of this life period in children’s development, and the high rate of inactive youth, makes our topic a priority in many countries; however, a radical change in teaching is required in order to address this topic, including the implementation of active and innovative methodologies. The objective of this paper is to deepen the knowledge of active methodologies that are being implemented in Early Childhood Education and discover how they favor the practice of physical activity among students, contributing to establish more active habits in schools. To do so, we studied an innovative experience based on learning environments, and we investigated the way in which it encourages students’ physical activity from an analytical-descriptive perspective, using the case study methodology together with other techniques and tools for collecting and analyzing information. The results show that this methodology requires students to move continuously, both to access the different proposals and to perform them, so it seems appropriate to consider it as an enhancer of physical activity and, therefore, of an optimal development of children’s physical and cognitive abilities.