El tejido como estrategia de expresión artística para mejorar los procesos atencionales en niños y niñas de primaria de un centro educativo Waldorf

Abstract

​Existen múltiples formas y enfoques para definir la atención, es una capacidad, una habilidad, una función superior y neuropsicológica exclusiva del ser humano, por tanto, ligada a la región prefrontal del cerebro, que selecciona estímulos, permite enfocar los sentidos hacia determinada información u objetivo. También, permite concentrar los recursos mentales para para responder a las demandas del medio; por lo cual, es básica en los procesos de aprendizaje y éxito en cualquier actividad. Para esta investigación se tendrá como base la Teoría de redes atencionales de Posner. El tejido es una práctica artística ancestral que entrelaza hilos o fibras formando entramados que permiten la producción de un objeto determinado. Esta investigación se desarrolló con enfoque mixto de tipo correlacional, bajo el esquema denominado Diseño explicativo secuencial, con el objetivo de describir los efectos de la práctica regular del tejido como expresión artística en los procesos atencionales de los niños y las niñas de primaria de un centro educativo Waldorf.

There are multiple ways and approaches to define attention, it is an ability, a skill, a superior and neuropsychological function, exclusive to the human being, therefore, linked to the prefrontal region of the brain, which selects stimulus, allows to focus the senses towards certain information or objective. Also, it allows to concentrate the mental resources to respond to the demands of the environment; therefore, it is basic in the processes of learning and success in any activity. This research will be based on Posner's Theory of Attentional Networks. knitting is an ancestral artistic practice that intertwines threads or fibers forming lattices that allow the production of a certain object. This research was developed with a mixed correlational approach, under the scheme called Sequential Explanatory Design, with the aim of describing the effects of regular practice of knitting as artistic expression in the attentional processes of primary school children in a Waldorf educational center. For this, quantitative and qualitative information was collected, analyzed and integrated. For the attention variable, with an online instrument called Posner's Indication Task, pre and post measurements were made to a sample of 6 participants in a period of three months, during which time they performed regular weaving practice within the framework of the craft class. With respect to the knitting variable, was designed a questionnaire type Likert in order to quantify the level of performance in the practice of the knitting of the participants; this instrument was applied to two school teachers from the educational center. Additionally, a semi-structured interview was applied in which the categories Knitting Practice, Attention Development, Attentional Processes and Other Cognitive Processes and Waldorf Pedagogy were integrated, this, to characterize the teaching and learning process of the tissue and enrich the data analysis. The results derived from the information processing indicates an inverse linear association and negative correlation (r = -0.6622, r2 = 0.4385 and rs = -0.7714) between the variables Attention in Response Times (TR) and level of performance in knitting; that is, at lower TR there is a better level of performance in knitting. Additionally, there is evidence of a direct linear association and a positive correlation (r= 0.8481, r 2= 0.7194 and rs = 0.8857) between the variables Attention in Percentage of Correct Answers (%CR) and level of performance in knitting, which indicates that the higher %CR there is a better level of performance in knitting. Moreover, these results complement with the qualitative information that indicates that children who practice regularly the knitting, achieve levels of attention and concentration that are transferred to other academic areas and to some socio-emotional skills, which is associated proportionally with the skill in the technique of the person who practices it and the time of practice. For that reason, it is possible to conclude a positive effect of the regular practice of knitting on the levels of attention of primary school children of the Waldorf educational center and its possible transfer to other emotional and social cognitive skills.