From Reality to Digital Discourse: A Critical Analysis of Relevant Local Issues in Initial Teacher Training

Abstract

Civic education today is shaped by access to information via social media, where disinformation and polarisation pose significant challenges. In this context, initial teacher training must foster critical thinking and democratic competence to prepare future teachers who are committed to addressing the issues in their local communities. This study analyses which local eco-social issues are identified by students on the Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education at the University of Extremadura, how these are represented on the social media platforms they use, and what teaching strategies they propose to address them in schools. Using an action-research approach, an intervention involving 164 students was developed, structured in three phases: identification of local issues, analysis of their presence on social media, and the design of teaching proposals using educational resource packs tailored to primary education. The results reveal differences between direct observation of the problems and their treatment on social media. Furthermore, the proposal demonstrates that working with relevant social issues, critically analysing social media and designing teaching resource packs promote reflection, critical awareness and the ability to apply teaching strategies among future teachers.