Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

celularismo (docente)

English translation:

insularity/egg crate model

Added to glossary by Taña Dalglish
Apr 5, 2020 11:20
4 yrs ago
28 viewers *
Spanish term

celularismo (docente)

Spanish to English Social Sciences Education / Pedagogy Teaching and learning strategies
SPAIN. The term appears (in quotes) in an article I'm translating about student autonomy and learning types.

"Lo colaborativo cobra interés básicamente en el grupo o equipo de trabajo, pero escasamente en las interacciones colectivas, es este “celularismo” o “colaboración entre afines” otro riesgo que observamos de forma recurrente."

The expression also appears in similar contexts, for example the two paragraphs below (from different sources); I understand the concept, but I'm not sure how to best render it in English.

"Fomentar un buen clima de trabajo entre los docentes es vital, así como la retroalimentación entre estos ya que este espíritu de trabajo colaborativo se transmite a los alumnos de una forma indirecta. En los centros educativos existe mucho celularismo por parte de los docentes y esto es algo que hay que evitar."

"En ausencia de una rigurosa tecnología pedagógica para afrontar estas demandas, y de forma relativamente paradójica, ello aboca al celularismo docente, entendido tanto como un efecto de la búsqueda de autonomía o la preservación patrimonialista del aula, cuanto como una realidad producida por organizaciones donde la responsabilidad colectiva aparece diluida o es inexistente."
Change log

Apr 12, 2020 12:36: Taña Dalglish Created KOG entry

Discussion

neilmac (asker) Apr 6, 2020:
@Chema Thanks for the heads up. I'm almost at the end of the first draft, and when I get there, I'll ask the author to make the final decision on which term to use out of all the useful suggestions so far.
Chema Nieto Castañón Apr 5, 2020:
It refers to "small group" mentality. I know it is not one word and "celularismo" lacks the obvious, almost explicit negative connotations of this expression, but this is the core idea.

Celularismo refers here to a small, closed group of teachers interacting just locally -within the group- but lacking a collective, out-of-the-group, sound engagement.

Hope it helps!

PS By the way, compartmentalization might actually be a good choice here; teacher isolation also... Although you can see how different these are from one another. The relevant nuance of celularidad might be that it is a rather neutral way of describing an otherwise "small group" mentality.
Lydia De Jorge Apr 5, 2020:
Here's an interesting take: http://stellae.usc.es/red/blog/view/123943/reflexionando-con...

Otro aspecto a señalar, es el siguiente, es imprescindible que los docentes se impliquen en la acción, en la búsqueda y en la resolución de problemas en grupos y en comunidades de aprendizaje profesional ya que al analizar conjuntamente los datos de los resultados del alumnado se benefician de formas de proceso de su aprendizaje. Aunque como ya hemos visto en multitud de ocasiones, lo que prima en los centros de nuestro país es el **celularismo y el individualismo docente**.
neilmac (asker) Apr 5, 2020:
@Lydia In this case, I think it refers to the opposite - teacher-centred hermetism (which I think would be a more recognisable term).
Lydia De Jorge Apr 5, 2020:
Not sure there's a specific term in English In the context of education, it refers to autonomous/independent thinking or teaching.

Proposed translations

5 days
Selected

insularity

https://www.ecorfan.org/collections/nayarit-2019/T4_Panorama... (page numbered 37).

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Note added at 7 days (2020-04-12 12:35:06 GMT) Post-grading
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Appreciate it. Thank you.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "In the end, the client left it up to me, and this is my preferred option this time. Thanks to everyone for contributing (and not criticising or doubting my motives)."
1 hr

cellular / egg crate model

Another definition:

"se visualiza un marcado celularismo, esto es, profesores
que trabajan solos, sin ningún tipo de colaboración y liderazgo, que desconocen el
trabajo que desarrollan sus colegas de los años inferiores o superiores"
http://e-spacio.uned.es/fez/eserv/tesisuned:Educacion-Vpsanc...

(denominadas por el léxico escolar tradicional como “trabajo en solitario”, o por neologismos como “celularismo”, “insularidad docente” o “balcanización”, o mediante metáforas como “cartón de huevos”)
https://www.slideshare.net/AlexiaLiapatisCerda/4-antunez-hac...


Time to Abandon the Egg Crate Approach to Education ...www.educationnext.org › time-to-abandon-the-egg-crate-approach-to...
Apr 18, 2013 - The main force behind the cellular school is bureaucratic momentum. The egg crate model of schooling places unnecessary pressure on ...


Re-Making Teaching: Ideology, Policy and Practicebooks.google.es › books
Geoffrey Shacklock, ‎John Smyth - 2002 - ‎Education
Teaching has transcended the isolation of cellular egg-crate ways of organizing classrooms...


Introduction - In Perspectivewww.in-perspective.org › pages › teacher-collaboration-introduction
This way of structuring schools has often been referred to as the “egg crate” model: compartmentalized, lonely and not optimal for students or teachers.
Note from asker:
Hmmm... I like "compartmentalized", I might use that instead. I'll ask the author...
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1 hr

isolation

BENEFITS OF ICT-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTSbooks.google.co.uk › books
MANISHA KULKARNI
... coordination among themselves and augmenting thus the “celularismo” (o isolation, instead of collaboration/working in group). Some teachers point out that it ...


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Note added at 1 hr (2020-04-05 12:22:25 GMT)
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OR

isolated learning

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Note added at 1 hr (2020-04-05 12:22:46 GMT)
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Barriers to and Opportunities for the Implementation of Best ...www.researchgate.net › publication › 51405523_Barriers_to_and_Oppo...
... in order to prevent a strong teacher's isolation, through options that fluctuates ... limitando el fuerte celularismo del profesorado, con posibilidades que oscilan ...

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Note added at 1 hr (2020-04-05 12:23:01 GMT)
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isolation;)
Note from asker:
Isolation... a strong contender, cheers. I'm going to ask the author to decide.
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3 hrs

fragmentation

Note from asker:
Cheers. I'll add this to the list of options....
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Reference comments

59 mins
Reference:

different context, however...

Emmanuel Haven, ‎Philip Molyneux, ‎John Wilson - 2015 - ‎Business & Economics
23: “The objective of this book: ... a genealogy of the present scientificolegal ... sociological theories of social degeneration, present cellularism as a means of ...
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1 hr
Reference:

Ref.

I though immediately of "insularity".

https://www.ecorfan.org/collections/nayarit-2019/T4_Panorama... (page numbered 37):

However, Antúnez cited by Rodríguez (ibidem: 32) mentions the following disadvantages of collegial work: **"Isolation (cellularism, insularity or balkanization of teachers)**, rigid structures that dictate what has to be done, the formal structure, well determined and formalized does not guarantee collaboration, teachers give more importance to their role than other situations, school schedules, usually prevent meetings, teachers with passive behavior or hindering teamwork.

Sin embargo, Antúnez citado por Rodríguez (ibidem: 32) menciona las siguientes desventajas del trabajo colegiado: " Aislamiento
***(celularismo, insularidad o balcanización docente)***, las estructuras rígidas que dictan lo que se tiene que
hacer, la estructura formal, bien determinada y formalizada no garantiza la colaboración; los docentes
le dan más importancia a su función que a otras situaciones, los horarios escolares, por lo general,
impiden los encuentros, docentes con conductas pasivas u obstaculizadoras del trabajo en equipo, la
forma de proceder del directivo, la situación de inmunidad o impunidad que percibe el docente y por
último, la magnitud del centro escolar facilitara o dificultara el trabajo colegiado."

I've come across a term "balkanization" but I am not 100% convinced that in your case whether the term applies.

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Oops ... I thought ...

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From Teacher Isolation to Teacher Collaboration - The ...www.ccsenet.org › journal › index.php › elt › article › download
PDF
Apr 18, 2016 - Egg-crate isolation is the physical separation of classrooms. This state is related to the school structure where teachers lack contact with each ...

From Teacher Isolation to Teacher Collaboration - ERICfiles.eric.ed.gov › fulltext
PDF
by SA Ostovar-Nameghi - ‎2016 - ‎Cited by 42 - ‎Related articles
Apr 18, 2016 - Egg-crate isolation is the physical separation of classrooms. This state is related to the school structure where teachers lack contact with each ...

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https://books.google.com.jm/books?id=wbmbDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA260&l...

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Neil: While you ponder, here is another link: http://www.personal.psu.edu/rlc296/blogs/reagan/2013/06/less...
Lesson 6 Blog Part 2: Pros/Cons of Various School Cultures
By REAGAN LYN CHALMERS on June 26, 2013 3:06 PM| 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks
In your view, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the following types of school cultures: individualistic, balkanized, contrived collegiality, and collaborative?
Individualistic:

Advantages: Teachers who work in isolation due to physical barriers present or due to personality tend to take more ownership of their work and develop strong, caring relationships with their students due to the fact that they are very much involved in the happenings of their classroom. Also, these teachers value privacy and working in an individualistic manner can prevent the teacher from being distracted by outside happenings (i.e. gossip at the school). Furthermore, these teachers tend to protect their time and energy for immediate instructional demands and this type of work style is seen as an adaptive strategy to the work environment of teaching. These teachers are autonomous. This type of teaching style is generally stereotyped as negative or due to their personality trait however research does not support this.



Disadvantages:

These teachers do not have the opportunity to receive praise or support from their colleagues. Also, when a teacher isolates herself, she may be blamed as a scapegoat who is resistant to change. Furthermore, when a teacher isolates herself consequently she will not feel like a member of the school "family" and may not feel the inter-connectedness of being a part of the school team. They are fragmented from other teachers and students within the school. A final negative point is that this style of teaching goes against the recent push for collaboration amongst teachers.



Balkanized:



Advantages:

A positive to this learning style is that the subgroup that is frequently collaborating together can communicate often with other colleagues of the same subject area; they can bounce ideas off of one another and plan together. There are opportunities for support.

Disadvantages:

The sub-groups within the school that define balkanization frequently become isolated from other groups. There is exclusivity to these groups and other teachers often cannot join the group once it is established. Another drawback is that teachers in these sub-groups cannot learn from teachers who have different backgrounds or who teach different areas. This limits their learning to solely from people who have very similar experiences/beliefs.

Once teachers are in their sub-group they usually stay there and do not network with teachers from other groups.



Contrived Collegiality:

Advantages:

This practice is in alignment with ideas about instructional leadership, transformative leadership, and shared governance practices. Another positive is that when collegial practices are in place, it is easier to implement a new curriculum (as all teachers are frequently meeting together) and it ensures a more centralized curriculum being presented within the school.

Collegial experiences provide teachers the opportunity to learn from one another. As a result of learning more things, a teacher may be more willing to experiment or take risks in the classroom because they feel that they are in a safe environment.

They are regularly scheduled, which is good for a teacher who needs weekly or monthly support from colleagues.



Disadvantages:

A drawback to this practice is that collegiality can take many different formats and unless leadership is well versed in this area and has a clear vision, purpose for these collegial experiences among the teachers, it could be implemented incorrectly.

Another negative aspect to this strategy is that teachers feel forced by administration to engage in collaborative experiences with peers and there is no ownership of buy-in on their part.

The scheduled meeting times may be inconvenient to some teachers.

Finally, it has been found that these sessions usually consist of short-term unit planning among teachers, which is on the intent- which is to discuss principles, ethics of practice.

Lots of preparation is involved- such as identifying norms for the group, setting a vision, facilitation to make sure that the collegial sessions are being carried out as it is intended to.

[...]

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Note added at 5 days (2020-04-10 21:43:16 GMT)
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Thanks Neil. Done.
Note from asker:
I like 'insularity' as well. You guys are a lifesaver!
The author has left it up to me to decide, and I'm using 'insularity'. If you would like to post it as an answer, I'll give you the points. Otherwise, I'll have to select the runner-up by the "pito-pito"method :-)
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