Construcción de la Identidad y el Pensamiento Crítico en los Estudiantes de Décimo Grado de la Institución Educativa la Perdiz.

Abstract

This research is being conducted at the La Perdiz Educational Institution, located in the municipality of Algeciras, Huila, a region deeply marked by the armed conflict. In this context, the Escuela y Café project emerges as a transformative pedagogical proposal that seeks to strengthen cultural identity and critical thinking in tenth-grade students by recovering the historical memory associated with coffee cultivation. Using a qualitative approach and under an action-research design, contextualized activities were implemented that integrated school and community knowledge. Semi-structured interviews and observation guides were conducted with students who actively participated in the project. These tools allowed us to identify how young people redefine their family history, their relationship with the territory, and their understanding of the conflict. The theoretical framework addresses key categories such as identity, historical memory, critical pedagogy, and the benefits of coffee. The findings reveal that Escuela y Café facilitated processes of memory reconstruction, revaluation of peasant labor, and strengthening of a sense of belonging. Furthermore, it allowed students to develop a critical perspective on inequality, violence, and the opportunities to transform their reality at the local level. Thus, coffee ceased to be merely an economic product and became a symbol of resistance, cultural legacy, and hope. This project demonstrates that a situated, critical, and context-sensitive education can develop reflective, committed, and empowered individuals, contributing to the social fabric and peacebuilding in rural areas.