Forced Smiles, Humanization in the Teaching of Arts and Design

Ana Gaspar

(School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Portugal)

Abstract: Technological evolution was rapid and adaptation was also rapid. However, society in general has not kept up with this progression. What does progress mean then? If this is purely technical and technological? The biggest issue concerns students who arrive at Higher Education without mental conditions to capture more knowledge, arrive exhausted and too tired. Why? What reasons are causing this problem? All technological progress, based on the machine: mobile phone and computer, has not fulfilled its function? Were your goals not achieved? So what are the goals of technology? Who are they for? And for what? To speed up processes? What are the human processes? Never, with so many technological resources, the rates of severe depression have been so high in the young student group, and whose rates of unhappiness have been so low. And contrary to what was expected, social networks invaded the lives of these young people, and are full of smiles and wonderful encounters. Perhaps the obligation to maintain a smile, even if it is forced, leads to a state of emotional degradation, contributing to everyone being inserted in a society alienated from their genuine feelings, and which characterize a humanized state. Based on a text “The betrayal of the self”, whose scope is being analyzed, the problems of intellect and social learning arise in terms of the relationship between emotion and learning. Thus, and taking into account this relationship of approach to the young student, in which the lack of this impetus makes it difficult to acquire knowledge, as well as to prolong its memorization and integration. Taking into account these social and cultural aspects, and since technical and technological conditions concern the highest sociological scope, the following questions are still posed: what to do to improve the emotional conditions for capturing and accessing intellectual and emotional knowledge? Is it just using a machine and a brilliant and enthusiastic technical presentation, without, however, establishing an affective and emotionally expressive bond? The analysis carried out based on the direct observation of students who access Higher Education in the recent academic years, demonstrate technological inefficiency, only with the use of advanced technical devices. Only results are obtained with a closer approach to the student and above all with a learning relationship, based on an affectivity linked to the intellect. In this sense, there is the problem of large classes and large working groups for monitoring. The 21st century would have to solve numerical issues and reduce the working groups to a maximum of 10 to 15 students in Higher Education and per class. However, what we see is the opposite, which makes it difficult to approach the individual. This education system has no profitable results in the medium and long term. The eventual answer is found in an approach between the teacher and the student, allowing for personal development, as well as the awakening of a personality of their own, thus allowing them to acquire the technical and technological skills that society requires of them. However, and still adding in this scope, a field of affection and humanity, contributing to a more emotionally balanced society.

Key words: creation, awakening, emotion, teaching, me