Importance of the Educational Plan

The development of activities organized on the basis of planning that allows for their systematic execution is shown to be a resource that increases the efficiency of what is planned. Therefore, its adoption in the educational field offers a range of benefits in the training field, covering: 1) the establishment of clear objectives, relevant both to the area of ​​knowledge and to the cognitive level of the students and the competencies of the teachers;

2) the definition of teaching methods, based on the objectives and learning characteristics specific to the needs of the students;

3) the selection of teaching materials and resources that allow the consolidation of learning;

4) the implementation of the most appropriate evaluation mechanisms for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of the knowledge acquired;

5) the contemplation of the adaptations and contributions necessary for the comprehensive development of students.

The concept of Educational Plan refers to all forms of planning that can be carried out in the educational field, whether from the highest levels of government to the plans that a teacher in front of the classroom can project for the school year. The importance of the educational plan as a way of organizing the task is clear if we take into account that formal education is a gradual process that requires planning and projection both in the short and long term.

Progress in the implementation of educational models that allow the inclusion and attention of students according to their particular needs and abilities has provided the scenario for the design of programs that are increasingly committed to the true humanistic sense that must guide education, with educational planning being the pillar that provides support for the adoption of values ​​and principles that currently guide us towards the achievement of equal rights and educational opportunities.

A structure for learning

Similarly, the creation of an educational plan is manifested as an essential need that allows for guaranteeing a structured and quality education, through the logical and sequential organization of the contents, progressively facilitating the understanding and acquisition of knowledge, as well as the development of the abilities and skills, both physical and mental, of the students, as they build new knowledge on the bases of the previously acquired knowledge.

The definition of clear goals, prior to the educational experience, makes it possible to assess the relevance of the topics, the resources to be implemented and the potential expected results, giving the teacher greater capacity to master his or her area, also facilitating the necessary contemplation of the particular facts that may positively or negatively influence the achievement of the proposed objectives, depending on their maximum use or, on the contrary, on the prior resolution of potential adversities. This orientation also provides a clear sense of direction and purpose regarding what is expected of students, encouraging more active participation in achieving learning.

Opportunities for evaluation, correction and changes

Despite the standardization that the educational plan allows for educational programs, the identification of weaknesses during learning experiences, through planned assessment tools, provides the necessary flexibility for the adaptation of resources and an assessment focused on the specific needs of each student, allowing the integration of the necessary reinforcements for a more equitable achievement of the educational evolution of the entire student group.

This feedback obtained through the evaluation of results allows for an increase in the quality of student progress and the effectiveness of teaching, while encouraging teachers to update their own knowledge and pedagogical skills, thus raising the quality of the education provided and also improving the teaching experience.

Turning ideas into strategies

The design of an educational plan involves the development of a prior basis that supports it based on:

1) the curriculum, which defines the areas of knowledge and topics that must be addressed according to the educational level, along with the skills that can be developed through them;

2) the specific methodology based on the content, skills and results sought;

3) the production of teaching materials and pedagogical resources, including the implementation of new technologies, the use of creativity and student participation;

4) the establishment of evaluation criteria and tools as appropriate;

5) the possible incorporation of complementary programs and activities and the design of tasks that encourage students to empower their own training processes.

Educational Plans: State responsibility

In reference to educational plans, it is important to point out that today our societies assume that education is no longer a part of the private sphere of each family but that it is part of the public sphere and, therefore, it is the responsibility of the States and the different levels of government to take charge of planning education at all its levels, formats and scopes for the population . Thus, educational plans start from the State to descend to a society that wants to educate in the transmission of certain values, ideals, history , symbols, scopes, goals and objectives . States organize educational plans that must then be evaluated in the future to determine if they are achieving the proposed objectives or if they must be reformed by others that better adapt to the needs of society.

Educational Plan: an everyday reality in the classroom

However, educational plans are not only the exclusive responsibility of governments and this is so because they impose a structure of knowledge and the process by which it must be carried out, but it is the teachers and educational institutions who think, decide and act to fulfill them, using certain methodologies, structures, commitments, etc. In this sense, the actions of teachers and their particular way of planning the educational year are very important to establish the guidelines to be followed by students but also the elements to be observed by teachers and the references to which to adhere in case of doubt or disorder.

Without an educational plan there is nothing

Although many people argue that more free and less rigid forms of education are important, the reality is that the educational process always requires a certain amount of organization and planning, especially when it comes to formal education, which is systematic, structured by levels, hierarchical and gradual. That is why the presence of educational plans helps to organize the ways of working and allows us to get closer to the stated objectives and the expected results.