La incidencia de la memoria historica en el pensamiento critico de los estudiantes del colegio Fervan Campestre

Abstract

This research addresses the role of historical memory as a pedagogical tool to strengthen critical thinking of eleventh-grade students at Colegio Fervan Campestre in Facatativá, Cundinamarca. Through a qualitative case study approach, the study sought to understand how young people construct new knowledge in historical memory, critical thinking, and symbolic capital, which constitute the categories of our research. Data was collected using two instruments: a semi- structured interview and a focus group, in which ethical principles of confidentiality were guaranteed.The results indicated that students understand historical memory as a social and collective process that goes beyond the mere transmission of data, allowing them to learn from the voices of those who have been silenced. It was also found that when discussing history from a critical perspective, past situations can be related to current problems, thus revealing their link to the country's inequality and polarization. Regarding critical thinking, participants demonstrated a strong interest in political and social dynamics, mentioning in their discourse the importance of questioning official narratives.Through proposed activities such as a seminar on student participation, body mapping, and an audiovisual production, the development of critical thinking skills like analysis and argumentation was fostered, thereby enhancing a deeper understanding of reality. The final category, symbolic capital, enabled students to question dominant structures and assign value to historical memory. With this category, students adopted a critical stance and were able to propose social transformations from their own perspectives. In conclusion, the articulation of these three categories resulted in a pedagogical strategy that promotes the formation of more conscious and committed individuals dedicated to building a more just and inclusive society. Thus, promoting critical thinking in the classroom becomes a formative and transformative endeavor that seeks to empower students as protagonists in the construction of citizenship and social transformation processes.