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Postal address

Adolf Florensa. s/n
C.P. 08028
Barcelona

Phone

+34 93 403 46 64

Fax

+34 93 403 46 50

e-Mail

info@cecace.org

The Centre for the Study of Change in Culture and Education (CECACE) includes a group of researchers dedicated to understanding the phenomena linked to the transformations and emergences of contemporary societies related to culture and education.

From 2001 to 2010 the CECACE has been part of the Scientific Park of Barcelona. In 2010 it became part of the University of Barcelona.

Background

The history of this centre dates back to 1987 when a group of researchers created the Research Group of Education in Catalonia (GREC), the aim of which was to undertake studies about the processes of innovation and change in an educational system in the process of transformation.

The study entitled Learning from innovations in schools was one of the pieces of work carried out by this group. This work was a pioneer in its field, not only because of the subject covered—how educational institutions relate to changes and reforms—but also due to the multi-methodological perspective employed.

This early experience enabled three lines of research to be opened up which aimed to analyse:

  1. how the different members of school community construct their vision, relationship and involvement with educational innovations.
  2. the relationship between the discourses and practices in the use of information and communication technologies in education.
  3. the role of cultural pedagogy—the 'educational' function of media—and visual culture in the construction of contemporary subjectivities.

In 1995, these lines converged with others relating to the study of the pedagogical discourse and practice and teacher professional development, which resulted in the setting up of the Consolidated Research Group Training, Innovation and New Technologies (FINT), coordinated by the heads of CECACE and from which some of its members form part.

Objectives

  1. To contribute to the transformation of conceptions and practices regarding the role of the school and other agents of socialisation in the education of children and young people.
  2. To promote alternative educational experiences based on research and contemporary educational and cultural know-how that take into account the voices of the subjects, the families and the community.
  3. To rescue the know-how of the educators, the young people and other members of society from a reconstructive and creative perspective of research.
  4. To create innovative teaching and learning environments that make the most of the educational possibilities of information and communication technologies and of the new modes of expression (visual, aural, digital…) in order to broaden the experiences and capacity to act of the subjects.

Lines of action

  1. To develop studies about the changes in culture and education related to the transformations in modern societies.
  2. To produce research about learning and experience outside the school and its effects on school learning.
  3. Undertaking consultancy and professional development activities for people and institutions that want to reflect on education, its social function and practical improvement in education.
  4. To design environments for teaching and learning and innovative educational experiences, paying special attention to the use of communication and information technologies in order to change the current ‘grammar’ of the school.
  5. To evaluate educational institutions with the aim of encouraging organisational forms that enable each student and each teacher to find their learning place.
  6. To evaluate educational programmes and experiences with the aim of producing new knowledge about education and favouring the creation of new learning environments.
  7. To promote exchanges between the members of the international community interested in studying the innovations, changes and improvement in education.