CRITICAL EDUCATION AND STUDENT PROTAGONISM: CURRICULAR TRANSFORMATIONS AND EMANCIPATORY PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES

Abstract

The article addresses the historical evolution of education and the transition from traditional pedagogical models to critical and emancipatory practices, with a focus on student protagonism. Initially, it examines primitive educational practices, linked to survival and cultural transmission, until the emergence of formal schools centered on hierarchy and memorization. The traditional education model, characterized by the centrality of the teacher and rigid curricula, is analyzed in its limitations, such as the reproduction of social inequalities and the absence of autonomy and creativity in the learning process. Based on the criticisms of authors such as Paulo Freire, Dermeval Saviani, Moacir Gadotti and Edgar Morin, the article presents critical education as a transformative alternative. This approach emphasizes dialogue, the contextualization of contents, and the appreciation of students' experiences, promoting the formation of autonomous subjects capable of transforming their realities. Student protagonism emerges as a central element of this paradigm, as it recognizes students as active agents in the process of knowledge construction. The text also explores innovative pedagogical practices, such as project-based learning, the flipped classroom, and the use of digital technologies, which strengthen students' autonomy. Finally, the article reaffirms the relevance of critical education and student protagonism as pillars for the construction of a more just, democratic and inclusive society, highlighting the central role of the school and the teacher in this process of educational transformation.