Author: Yenny Pilar Rodriguez Diaz Author Details: Educational Psychology, Project Manager Certificate. With over 15 years of experience...
Author: Yenny Pilar Rodriguez Diaz
Author Details: Educational Psychology, Project Manager Certificate.
With over 15 years of experience as a Psychopedagogue and Project Management Specialist, holding positions such as Deputy Director of Childhood and Adolescence, Psychosocial Coordinator, Pedagogical Advisor, Social Area Professional for a Special Education Institution, Researcher, and Project Manager, I have had the opportunity to interact with diverse populations facing different dynamics and challenges. This enriching experience has led me to continually seek modern and more effective tools that align with the evolving world and contribute to the integral development of human beings.
In
2011, while working at an institution for people with disabilities, during a
team-building training session, we developed a Learning Styles Test. This
piqued my curiosity and interest, as I realized that there were tools available
to help us identify aspects of our unique learning styles. Although I had
encountered personality tests during my university studies, they hadn't been on
my radar for quite some time.
In
early 2016, with the idea of learning styles tests still on my mind, I delved
deeper into the subject. I spent about 10 months extensively researching
various existing tests (both educational and psychological), their structure,
objectives, impact, and effectiveness. What stood out to me during this
research was the generalized structure of these tests, which are typically
questionnaires about the respondent's interests, skills, decisions, and
perceptions regarding different aspects. The primary goal of these tests is to
provide self-awareness, with varying degrees of accuracy, depending on how
seriously and objectively the respondent answers the questions. However, I
found many of them to be lengthy, tedious, and sometimes overly complex.
For
those unfamiliar with Psychopedagogy or Educational Psychology, this
interdisciplinary science combines the study of human beings from a
psychological perspective with the factors that affect academic development,
seeking solutions to learning difficulties and improving pedagogical practices.
This science is relevant at all stages of human life, as learning is a constant
across personal, familial, academic, social, and professional domains.
After
analyzing and developing various tests, I shifted my focus to the contribution
of psychology in the development of these assessments. This led me to the field
of color psychology, which studies how color affects perception and human
behavior, as cited in my first article: file:///C:/Users/17623/Downloads/ARTICULO%20
PUBLICADO.pdf. In this article, I describe the PERA Test
(Personality-Learning) as a didactic tool that integrates studies on
representational systems, brain hemispheres, learning styles, and color
psychology to enhance learning from an autonomous and effective perspective. While
this test is often administered under professional supervision, it features a
simple, concise, and dynamic structure, resulting in more accurate and
objective outcomes, as detailed in the article.
Source: Prepared by the authors
Figure 1. Color chart explaining the PERA test
In 2020, I needed a Vocational Test for inclusion in a Psychopedagogical Workshop for high school students. Once again, I encountered outdated tools with cumbersome structures, which concerned me because my professional role involves motivating students in their learning processes. This can be challenging when they are required to spend hours completing questionnaires that they may not fully understand, all in the name of discovering their own abilities and interests. I revisited the color psychology theory from my previous research, analyzed various profiles and professional areas, and managed to integrate this study with the impact of chromatic personality patterns to design an illustrative vocational questionnaire called "Test PYLA." This test features a straightforward structure, easy comprehension, and therefore highly accurate results. It also includes specific, generic, and hierarchical competencies, personality traits, and a profile for each professional area. In 2023, the Global Journal of HUMAN-SOCIAL SCIENCE: H Interdisciplinary published the article "Colors and Metacognitive Strategies in PYLA: An Illustrative Vocational Test," which you can find at the following link:
file:///C:/Users/17623/Downloads/Colors_and_Metacognitive_Strategies_in_PYLA_an_Ill.pdf
This article examines the differentiating elements of the PYLA Test from a theoretical perspective and its applicability as a practical, didactic, and objective tool for vocational guidance.
Source: Prepared by the author
Figure 2. PYLA Vocational Test
The experience of developing, applying, and receiving positive feedback on these two pedagogical and didactic tools, which, as mentioned earlier, are applicable across all domains and stages of human life, highlights the vast potential of educational innovation. While technological innovation is a global movement, why not also embrace educational innovation as the foundation of society?
"Man achieves self-fulfillment
to the extent that he is committed to fulfilling the meaning of his life."
This
quote, which I cite in my latest article, serves as an invitation to
collectively create a healthier and more productive society.
Research article:
https://globaljournals.org/GJHSS_Volume23/5-Colors-and-Metacognitive.pdf
Published by Global Journals