Introduction

The Political Constitution of ^{Colombia (CPC) of 1991} acknowledges the Colombian nation's ethnic and cultural diversity (^{Colombia, 1991}). This recognition implies an education that defends, knows, values, and enriches its own culture with the contributions of others in a dimension of cultural alterity, that is, in a respectful dialogue of knowledge and insights from diverse cultures that interconnect and complement one another (^{Artunduaga, 1997}; ^{Castillo Guzmán; Caicedo Ortiz, 2008}). Colombian ethno-educational policy must pave the way to transcend from a mono-cultural system to one that recognizes and involves the faces and voices immersed in the Colombian educational system (^{Mena García, 2011}). However, ethno-education has generated tensions in its implementation in Colombia, as it has not fully overcome the discrimination, stigmatization, and invisibility faced by Afro-descendants, Indigenous peoples, Rrom, and foreigners.

At the policy level, Law 115 of 1994, the General Education Law, in its Article 55, conceives of ethno-education, or education for ethnic groups, as "that which is offered to groups or communities that are part of the Colombian nationality and that possess their own and indigenous culture, language, traditions, and customs" (^{Colombia, 1994}, p. 38). Title III (Chapter III) elaborates on the conditions of ethno-education with the aim of "[...] strengthening the processes of identity, knowledge, socialization, protection, and use of vernacular languages, teacher training, and research in all areas of culture" (^{Colombia, 1994}, p. 38).

Therefore, ethno-education is a continuous educational process that involves strengthening diverse ethnic and cultural identities from the autonomy of the communities that construct their overall life project in environments where cultural diversity (CD) and interculturality are fundamental. Ethno-education is conceptualized as a "[...] transformative strategy focused on BEING, creating bridges of interculturality to strengthen self-recognition, otherness, citizenship competencies, values, alterity, sustainability, and respect" (^{Gobernación de Antioquia, 2015}, p. 11). In this way, it should serve as a tool for change in educational contexts, fostering respect, recognition, and the strengthening of the principles and values underpinning ethno-education itself, and as a starting point for the design of relevant curricula in these educational contexts.

This article presents the progress of a research project to establish the dynamics that enable the collective construction of an intercultural and multilingual curriculum. It focuses on a curriculum that strengthens the cultural diversity of a community composed of Afro-Colombian, Palenquera, mestizo, Indigenous, and Venezuelan migrant populations, served by a public ethno-educational institution (IEPC) in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia (^{Montes Pérez, 2022}). The challenges of enhancing the cultural diversity of this population and the complexities of designing an intercultural and multilingual curriculum in urban contexts drive this research. Specifically, we aim to explore, "Which aspects of the written and lived curriculum of the IEPC align with or clash with the practices of the community served by the institution?"

Strengthening cultural diversity through the curriculum

The relationship between cultural identity and curriculum in the educational context is fundamental for understanding and strengthening cultural diversity (CD). Identity is a set of traits that characterize an individual or group, constantly changing and in ongoing negotiation with the environment (^{Real Academia Española, 2001}; ^{Walsh, 2005}). The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines culture as a set of distinctive features that characterize a society, encompassing ways of life, value systems, traditions, and beliefs (^{UNESCO, 1982}, ²⁰⁰²). This conception encompasses a variety of worldviews that seek respect and coexistence.

Cultural identity (CI) also encompasses a political dimension, especially in Indigenous and Afro-descendant contexts, where ethno-development, i.e., self-government and self-management, are seen as means to overcome imposed cultures and make independent decisions (^{Bonfil, 1982}; ^{Castillo Guzmán; Caicedo Ortiz, 2008}; ^{Orozco-López, 2018}; ^{Pardo, 2002}; ^{Rojas, 2011}). Therefore, the rescue, promotion, recognition, preservation, and strengthening of CI are among.

Within this framework, Cultural Diversity (CD) is woven, representing the encounter of multiple cultures in a context, each distinguished by its unique characteristics (^{Montes Pérez, 2022}). ^{UNESCO (2002)} defines CD as the multitude of forms through which cultures express themselves in societies, transmitting the cultural heritage of humanity through various methods: artistic creation, production, dissemination, distribution, and enjoyment across generations. This is because culture evolves and manifests in various ways depending on time and space, "[...] as an open and dynamic process, a relational process linked to power relations" (^{Grimson, 2008, p. 61}). It is about recognizing differences without engaging in discrimination or power games.

^{Dietz, Mateos Cortés, Jiménez Naranjo, Mendoza Zuarry (2009)} and ^{Dietz; Mateos Cortés (2011)} understand CD as the product of the presence of ethnic and/or cultural minorities or the establishment of new migrant communities within contemporary society. These authors illustrate the complexity of CD as a product of intercultural relations among different ethnic and cultural groups at the national and international levels, incorporating intercultural, multicultural, and cross-cultural aspects into our current society. Thus, CD is conceived as a web of cultural differences that territorialize, deterritorialize, and reterritorialize in the process of hybridization generated in each space.

In this context, an understanding of the curriculum determines how others are perceived, possible interactions, reactions, and relationships that either favor or disadvantage, modes of participation, messages of acceptance, adaptation, respect, and rejection (^{Banks, 1989}). In this sense, it is necessary to establish the aspects that characterize a curriculum from the perspective of CD, interculturality, and multilingualism. This way, the curriculum can assist the educational community in conferring sociocultural meaning and significance to their experiences, especially in an urban context marked by vulnerability.

The findings in the literature reveal practices, strategies, and methods that are considered essential for transforming practices in intercultural, multicultural, and ethno-educational contexts. Among these perspectives are the works of ^{De Ávila Torres, Simarra Obeso (2012)}, ^{Cabarcas Bello (2017)}, ^{Carreño Bolívar (2018)}, and ^{Perneth Pareja, Ortiz Fonseca, García Becerra (2019)}. These studies share a common emphasis on the need to transform pedagogical practices towards the defense, strengthening, and inclusion of CD in the design and implementation of strategies that align with the communities served by the teachers. The studies by Ricardo (2013), ^{Ricardo Barreto, Llinaz Solano, Hernández Beleño (2017)}, and ^{Gómez-Zermeño (2018)} highlight the importance of the affective dimension and sensitivity to intercultural or multicultural education and the CD of the school actors.

Research design-realist ethnographic action research (REAR)

The research approach is qualitative, with an ontological and epistemological stance grounded in critical realism (CR) and Southern epistemologies. CR is a philosophical paradigm that emerged from the ideas of ^{Roy Bhaskar (1998)}, (2008) as a response to the dichotomy between positivism, constructivism, and intermediate paradigms (post-positivism, critical theory, pragmatism). On the other hand, Southern epistemologies use a decolonial critical perspective that is indigenous and autonomous, aiming to unveil social reality (^{Hall, 2014}; ^{Santos, 2011}). An integration of these paradigms is achieved in this research.

This qualitative research is understood as a community activity aimed at pursuing the common good and a social practice that involves reflection on what is done and what is investigated (^{Elliott, 2000}; ^{Martínez Miguélez, 2000}). Realist Ethnographic Action Research (REAR) (^{Montes Pérez, 2022}) is the central method used to address the question: What are the dynamics that enable (or hinder) the collective construction of an intercultural and multilingual curriculum? Action research, rooted in the socio-critical paradigm, has an orientation towards change and the transformation of reality by bridging theory and practice (^{Creswell, 2009}; ^{Elliott, 2000}; ^{Fals Borda, 2018}, ¹⁹⁹⁴; ^{Johnson; Christensen, 2008}). On the other hand, ethnography allows for the description, interpretation, and reflection on reality from the voices of different actors in the specific context where it unfolds (^{Coulon, 1995}; ^{De Tezanos, 1998}; ^{Dietz, 2011}; ^{Woods, 1987}). Realist Evaluation (RE) is a critical realist method based on systems theory and critical theory (^{Pawson; Tilley, 1997}; ^{Tilley; Pawson, 2014}). RE establishes the causality of social issues and the agency of communities in solving these problems, aiming to unravel the effectiveness, impact, and effects of programs, projects, and interventions in society by bringing public policies into the spotlight (^{Parra, 2017}, ²⁰¹⁹).

The REAR research design at the macro level is developed in five stages: opening, exploration, collective construction, implementation, and evaluation-reflection (^{Montes Pérez, 2022}). The Exploration Stage, conducted in the second semester of 2022, is reported here. Additionally, the question "What aspects of the written and lived curriculum of the IEPC align or clash with the practices of the community served by the institution?" is addressed with the participation of members of the educational community, as well as traditional knowledge holders, and community leaders to highlight their ancestral educational practices in educational processes, particularly within the social, political, historical, territorial, and cultural context of the IEPC.

Regarding ethical considerations, criteria for accessibility were established for teachers, school leaders, students, and parents with explicit expressions of participation and belonging to the institution and the surrounding community, including ancestral knowledge holders, community leaders from the neighborhoods surrounding the IEPC, where part of the students and their families live.

To collect information, strategies such as Kuagro Etnomercedista (^{De Ávila Torres, 2017}; ^{De Ávila Torres; Simarra Obeso, 2012}), Curriculum Evaluation Protocol including the Curriculum Evaluation Grid (^{Banks, 2014}; ^{Montes Pérez, 2022}), Ethnographic Observation using Ethnographic Records (^{De Tezanos, 1998}; ^{Woods, 1987}), Audiovisual Material, and Conversation Circles (^{Arias Monge, 2012}) were employed (see Figure 1). The strategies are detailed below.

Source: Own construction.

Figure 1 Information gathering strategies in the exploration stage 

Interpretative-Reflective Analysis

This analysis reveals the reality of the observed community school dynamics and practices. The Ethnographic Record, a fundamental research instrument, includes an interpretation section aligned with previous categories and subcategories. It also includes a comments and reflections section, where teachers from Kuagro Etnomercedista randomly conducted their ethnographic observations of school practices. Later, Author 1, with the support of colleagues and additional assistance from Atlas.ti 22, conducted an interpretative-reflective analysis of the resulting material from the observations.

In sum, multiple data collection and analysis strategies were used to compare these data with emerging categories and subcategories to ensure the credibility and dependability of the findings and results based on them (^{Creswell, 2009}; ^{Johnson; Christensen, 2008}). Figure 2 illustrates the triangulation performed.

Source: Taken from ^{Montes Pérez (2022)}. Triangulación en el Momento de Exploración p. 164. Adaptado de ^{Mertler (2009)}. Figure 5.6 Triangulation of Three Sources of Data, p. 116.

Figure 2 Exploration stage triangulation 

Results and Discussion

The comparison of collected and analyzed data revealed the elements of the IEPC's written and lived curriculum, which emerged from the voices of the educational community, the community ethno-educational project, and institutional documents. Table 1 presents the emerging elements of the current curriculum.

One of the elements of the school curriculum aligned with school practices is the ethno-educational policy established in school documents such as the Community Ethno-Educational Project (PEC) and cross-institutional projects (77), minutes and videos from the Kuagro Etnomercedista and conversation circles (14), as well as observations (19). An assortment of regulations was analyzed, which stems from the 1991 Political Constitution of Colombia (CPC) and the laws and regulatory decrees related to ethno-education. Furthermore, this assortment is guided and complemented by the general educational policy (with occurrences of 63, 2, and 12) found in Law 115 of 1994 and its decrees, guidelines, and quality standards. As explained by ^{León García León (2012)}, ^{García Rincón (2015)}, and ^{Perneth Pareja, Ortiz Fonseca, and García Becerra (2019)} in their analysis of ethno-educational policy and its impact on schools, the written curriculum possesses legal tools to implement ethno-education in the urban context of Cartagena de Indias.

As an identified curricular element, the school environment (18% occurrences) is conducive to respecting, defending, and strengthening cultural diversity. This environment is embedded and manifested in the school atmosphere, which is positively sensitive to cultural diversity. It encompasses extracurricular activities, pedagogical sessions, classroom projects, cross-institutional projects, bulletin boards and murals, festivals, commemorations, celebrations, physical education programs, recreational activities, sports, and arts, as well as the participation of educational community members in school life.

This aligns with the intercultural competence of the community (with 12.4% of occurrences), manifested in their attitudes, beliefs, skills, abilities, and knowledge regarding the cultural diversity of the population and respect for differences observed in school practice observations. However, there is a need for more adaptable, sensitive, and diversity-strengthening environments that lead to critical reflection on the conditions of development and the generation of opportunities for the defense of cultural diversity in school practices.

It is also reflected in the dichotomy between teachers with general education and those with ethno-educational training in the way they carry out their teaching practices (^{Fals Borda, 2018}; ^{Freire, 2005}). Ethno-educator teachers display greater sensitivity, and respect, and strengthening of the community's diversity. General education teachers are in the early stages of sensitivity development.

These results indicate an initial development of intercultural sensitivity in which cultural diversity is recognized, and both one's own and others' differences are respected. Studies on intercultural/multicultural awareness and development suggest that in contexts with initial or low levels of community members' intercultural competence (^{Gómez-Zermeño, 2018}; ^{Hammer; Bennett; Wiseman, 2003}; ^{Ricardo Barreto; Llinás Solano; Hernández Beleño, 2017}; ^{Ricardo Barreto, 2013}), a more profound process of self-recognition of cultural identity and the consequent critical respect, defense, and strengthening are required. (^{Giroux, 2013}).

On the other hand, the analysis results show a hybrid curriculum between general elements (31% occurrences) and ethno-educational and intercultural elements (23.6% occurrences). This curriculum includes ethno-educational pedagogical experiences and classroom projects but is based on a general pedagogical model divided into fundamental and compulsory areas and subjects. In practice, it is moving toward an intercultural curriculum in some areas such as Social Sciences, Spanish Language, English, Natural Sciences, Arts, and Physical Education.

Ethno-educational and intercultural elements such as strategies, methods, ethno-educational practices, evaluation systems, teaching methods, and motivation suitable for the ethnic and cultural diversity of students, student welfare programs for diversity, and parental involvement in school life, collide with general elements of the school curriculum such as the pedagogical model, study plans, general fundamental and compulsory areas and subjects. The former has a lower impact on the curriculum than the latter. This is due to the history of the IEPC itself and the gradual transformation of the curriculum from general to ethno-educational. The promotion of a plurilingual curriculum has been observed in festivals, commemorations, and celebrations specific to ethnic and cultural diversity, as stated in the Rectoral Resolution 010 of 2019.

Emerging community school practices

This section will discuss the school practices that align with a context-based intercultural curriculum. Six institutional cross-cutting projects have been identified among the community school practices, which run parallel to regular classes.

Firstly, the School Democracy Project, led by Social Sciences teachers and supported by Student Welfare and other departments, involves activities related to the School Government. It includes the planning, organizing, and developing elections for its members. This project continues with meetings and training for the elected leaders. The documentation and systematization of this project, such as guidelines, candidate and election records, publication of results to the entire community, campaign activities, inauguration, and programs written by each student candidate, makes it a highly visible and significant project for school life.

Secondly, the School Environmental Project (PRAES), led by the Natural Sciences team and with cooperation from other departments, is responsible for promoting, preventing, and caring for the school environment. This project is divided into subprojects focusing on water conservation, electricity conservation, solid waste management, and recycling in general. It is implemented in all five branches of the IEPC through workshops, campaigns, and environmental events. Students actively participate through ecological groups, environmental committees, and as collaborators.

Thirdly, the Bilingualism Project, led by the Foreign Language Department - English, emphasizes learning English as a foreign language from elementary to eleventh grade. It combines communicative competence, interculturality, disciplinary topics, and local and foreign cultures using various methodologies outlined in the curriculum plan. It creates a bilingual environment in the school through activities such as Spelling Bee, English Friday on the school radio, and English Day/Week, as well as through bilingual murals, posters, and notices in both Spanish and English. However, there is a need to link the Palenquero language and indigenous languages to this project.

Fourthly, the Communication Project, led by the Spanish Language department and with collaboration from Art, Computer Science, and English, encompasses different ways of communication within the school. This project includes the INSEMA Magazine, INSEMA Stéreo Radio Station, participation in the Leer el Caribe program, and classroom projects within the Spanish Language department, such as Cangrejo Moro and literary analysis. The project involves various departments and external collaborators such as the District Education Secretary, the Caribbean Writers' Society, the El Universal newspaper, and some city radio stations.

Fifthly, with support from the Student Welfare team and the Ethics and Values, Religious Education, Philosophy, and Social Sciences departments, the Potters of Healthy Coexistence Project is responsible for school coexistence and disseminating, promoting, and preventing minor and significant disciplinary offenses. They also provide support through school vigilance groups and peace facilitators in preventing or addressing situations and violations of the rules established in the Coexistence Manual (^{Mercedes Ábrego Educational Institution, 2014}).

Lastly, the Cultural Cabildo Project, led by the Social Sciences department, promotes folk dances in the IEPC. This project aims to strengthen the cultural identity of the educational community of Cartagena de Indias through the respect, defense, and understanding of the customs and traditions of the region and the language of dance that is part of their identity. The Cabildo expresses the culture and heritage of Afro-descendants, Indigenous people, and Europeans. Dancers are selected annually from different secondary grades to form the group that participates in the institutional Cabildo. This year, primary grades have also been included.

These cross-cutting school practices have a significant impact on the educational community. These results align with the findings of ^{Ortiz Fonseca, Rodríguez Gaitán, Perneth Pareja (2018)} and ^{Perneth Pareja, Ortiz Fonseca, García Becerra (2019)}, who found that integrated classroom projects are contextualized and relevant to the needs of the population for the development of ethno-education and IE in rural and urban contexts in the Caribbean region. While these reported contextualized experiences are valuable, they do not cover the entire curriculum, unlike the scope of this study.

Other school practices include pedagogical meetings (classes), breaks, festivals, celebrations, and commemorations, pedagogical experiences and classroom projects, extracurricular activities, school coexistence, institutional development weeks, evaluation and promotion committees, and meetings of teachers and school leaders. These practices are related to the lived curriculum and some documents that make up the written curriculum. In these practices, student participation predominates, along with teachers, school leaders, parents, guardians, and the Student Welfare team. Occasionally, some administrative and support staff members and other community members are also involved. The participation of knowledgeable individuals, leaders, and community figures occurs during training sessions for teachers. School leaders, welfare teams, and administrative personnel participate during institutional development weeks or when festivals and celebrations related to ethno-education and cultural diversity are held.

As explained by ^{De Ávila Torres, Simarra Obeso (2012)}, ^{Cabarcas Bello (2017)}, ^{Carreño Bolívar (2018)}, ^{Gómez-Zermeño (2018)}, and ^{Perneth Pareja; Ortiz Fonseca; García Becerra (2019)}, it is only through the participation of everyone that the integration of differences can be achieved in a process of ethno-relativism that involves us all.

Final considerations

The exploratory phase of this study revealed the initial dynamics that enable (or hinder) the collective construction of an intercultural and plurilingual curriculum, as well as the community school practices that strengthen the cultural diversity of the educational community, especially the identity of the Afro-Colombian and Palenquera, indigenous, mestizo, and migrant populations served by a public ethno-educational institution in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

The active participation of community members in school practices is emphasized, involving all actors regardless of their cultural identity. In this way, the identified school practices become examples of interaction within the institution's diversity: all its members converge in the same space to make school dynamics their own. They "wear the shirt" (or get involved) and give their best. Students from different grades not only attend but also organize presentations for events. Their commitment to their institution is evident as they continue to enrich and strengthen their culture and identity.

These results show an initial development of intercultural sensitivity in which cultural diversity is recognized, and differences, whether one's own or others are respected. For this reason, it is possible that activities that enrich school practices can be transformed into intercultural spaces where reflection on the purpose of community life, problem-solving, and context-based needs can take place; they can become problematizing axes. The transition can occur in these spaces from doing to praxis, generating critical and reflective dialogues and conversations about these practices. Various issues can be explored, including how they influence self-recognition and respect for others, demonstrate the strengthening of the cultural diversity of the population, and how classroom processes can be further enhanced to relate subjects and areas in general to the lived curriculum.

As mentioned, ethno-educational pedagogical experiences and classroom projects clash with the general pedagogical model divided into fundamental and mandatory subjects. School practices can serve as a bridge or device to transition from a general pedagogical model to an intercultural and plurilingual pedagogical model. This model should contain the necessary elements for educational community members to construct an ethno-relativism process involving all of us.

In this regard, the emergence of an intercultural and plurilingual curriculum matrix that goes beyond subject divisions and strengthens diversity while interweaving disciplinary concepts and ancestral knowledge, worldviews, territory, and languages that persist in the urban context of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, is foreseen. This matrix needs to result from the consensus of all community members. Much work still needs to be done, but we have taken the first step.