Critical action-research for democratic education in Spain : an assessment of teachers' cultural change

Abstract

The last two decades have witnessed important changes in the Spanish education system. Obviously, these changes have been closely related to changes in the economy and society. A mainly rural society in the 1960's, Spain has transformed itself into a modern European country. The technological development in industry and services during the 1980' s and especially the type of monetary policies implemented to control inflation rates made possible the adaptation of the Spanish economy to a competitive European market. In the political arena, democracy brought new rules of power relations and new formal practices of social reproduction. Cultural capital rather than political position has become crucial in conditioning social mobility. Hence, new middle classes have expanded and emerged as the new dominant groups. Changes in educational policy have played an important role in changing the social structure and its reproductive forms. Firstly, the policies pursued in education have reduced social inequalities which came from a dual education system divided into a private, elite sector (mainly religious) and a poor, low quality state sector. Secondly, public expenditure on education has expanded and improved the quality of schooling through curriculum change policies, initial and in-service teacher training courses, and the democratization of educational institutions. The arrival of the socialist government in 1982 meant the introduction of a new state intervention culture. Education became-for the first time in fifty years-an area of public interest. Successive regulations and expenditure policies aimed to overcome the former dual education system and to expand the state education system. During the 1980's, aims like equality of educational opportunities, the expansion of public education, democratic parental participation, the professionalization of teachers and the quality of state schools became central objectives that characterized state education policies and discourses. Interestingly enough, the simultaneous process of crisis and consolidation of mass schooling in Spain made contradictions in education policy especially acute (Bonal & Rambla, 1996; Gomes, 1996). Since the mid-eighties, the socialist education mandate turned to focus on making the system of administration and management more modern and flexible. Based on a discourse of 'improving the quality of schooling to catch up with European standards', former objectives of social equality and democratization, although not completely accomplished, were gradually substituted by priorities of curriculum change and the introduction of a new culture of school management and decision-making.