My community, my identity: Geography for local development

Abstract

This article presents the design of the curricular proposal “My community, my identity: Geography for local development,” aimed at promoting the study of geographic content as a means to strengthen territorial identity among students aged 10 to 12 and to encourage their active participation in local development. In this sense, it makes use of theoretical methods such as analytical-synthetic reasoning, systemic-structural-functional analysis, and modeling, as well as participant observation, semi-structured interviews with teachers and families, focus groups with students, analysis of audiovisual products, and diagnostic surveys. These tools revealed both the limitations and potential of the context to support the proposed intervention. The proposal is grounded in educational sciences, considers the specific characteristics of the students, and reflects the social perspectives of local development in Cuba. It emphasizes the understanding of local identity as a prerequisite for participation in both social and individual transformation, and it involves families and students as protagonists in audiovisual creation, guided by the educational institution’s orientation role. The conception of this intervention proposal in San Miguel del Padrón municipality, in Havana province, acknowledges the population’s characteristics and embraces the need to promote actions in this direction.