Joel Mas invites us to rethink the educational model that has marked an entire generation.

With a critical eye, Joel Mas invites us to rethink the educational model that has shaped an entire generation. His article analyzes the foundations and contradictions of a system in transformation and focuses on the impact of technology and new cultural habits on learning.

Joel Mas "Education in Transition: Between Active Methodologies and Digital Overexposure"

When we talk about basic education, many of us think of concepts like "projects," "active methodologies," "cooperative work," or "emotional education." Most of my generation was educated under these premises. Our teachers' objective was clear: to move away from the traditional model based on memorization, originally designed to ensure that no one was left behind. A coherent goal within an educational project whose ultimate goal was to guarantee literacy for as many people as possible.

Today, after leaving compulsory education behind and spending a few years in post-compulsory education, it is inevitable to participate in the emerging debate about the model that shaped my generation.

The controversy has intensified following news reports of a widespread decline in PISA results, as well as studies pointing to a drop in the average IQ and an increase in failure rates in competitive examinations and civil service entrance exams. These data have rekindled criticism of the current education system, which has been singled out as the main cause of these results.

However, to avoid simplistic explanations, it is important to analyze all the factors involved. Current educational models are based on the learning theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, among others, advocating a more interactive and social approach that fosters innovation and creativity, as opposed to the traditional rote method. From this perspective, a plausible hypothesis is that the educational system has developed without considering the mechanisms by which it is still evaluated.

However, there is one aspect that should not be overlooked: context. Psychology, as a science, insists that the environment of the subjects of the study is decisive. And several analyses suggest that the impact of new technologies on the daily lives of young people could be decisively influencing this decline in results.

Our generation has seen book clubs, movie nights, bar gatherings, and museum visits replaced by a virtually infinite universe of immediate and constant stimuli. This isn't about idealizing the '80s or yearning for the past, but rather recognizing a phenomenon worthy of reflection: the way digital overexposure shapes our cognitive, social, and cultural capacities.