Introduction

The Jesuit tradition of education dates to 1547 when St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) accepted an invitation from leading citizens to establish the first Jesuit School in the city of Messina in Sicily for their children.  This has marked the beginning of a long – standing of commitment to education that was and has been a great success. From the very beginning, the Jesuits adopted adaptive learning style based on the context of the students. For this reason, Fr. General Claudio Acquaviva, S.J., was able to form a team that constructed “Ratio Studiorum” in 1599 which became a comprehensive guide to Jesuit education worldwide at that time.  This foundational document continued to shape the Jesuit education system in the 20^th century. Because of its impact, the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education (ICAJE) published “the characteristic of Jesuit education” (ICAJE, 1986), that includes a commitment to academic excellence, the formation of the whole person (Cura Personalis), and the promotion of social responsibility. In evolving and refining the Jesuit way of proceeding to education, in 1993, the ICAJE took another initiative to develop and publish “The Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP): A Practical Approach” which integrates the principal of Jesuit education with the contemporary theory. The IPP presents five cycles of learning processes, namely context, experience, reflection, action and evaluation and has been widely adopted and practiced by Jesuit schools around the world.

To understand the impact of IPP in the context of Timor Leste, this reflection explores the perception of alumni from Instituto São João de Brito regarding the IPP. The alumni’s perceptions are grounded in informal conversations and anecdotal evidence, highlighting how the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP) has influenced their educational experiences and continued to shape their professional growth and development. Therefore, I recognize that because of the time limits and geographical boundaries, the conversation was limited within the circle of 10 alumni from five different batches of ISJB. Although the alumni perceptions may not be representative of the majority, they do offer valuable insights into the potential impacts of the IPP as experienced and practiced by this group of alumni.

Reflection on the Insights

As I reflected on the insights gathered from the informal conversation, I am struck by the profound impact of the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm on the alumni. They express that IPP emphasizes on holistic education, critical thinking, reflection and action that has truly transformed the way they approach teaching and learning in their professional carrier. However, our conversation also reveals the areas for improvement which include more explicit integration of IPP principles into the curriculum, greater emphasis on experiential learning and more opportunity for reflection and feedback.

One of the most significant takeaways from our conversation is the importance of context, experience, reflection, action, and evaluation in the learning process. The alumni highlighted the IPP’s ability to foster a deeper understanding of the learning process, encouraging students to become active participants in their own formation and education. This resonates with my own experiences as an educator and formator, where I have seen students thrive when given the opportunity to take ownership of their learning.

As we conversed more deeply into the practices and implementations of the IPP, I could also sense the transformative power of the IPP on teaching approaches and personal growth. They reported that the IPP had changed their approach to teaching, emphasizing reflection, action, and critical thinking. This, in turn, had a profound impact on their personal growth and professional life, helping them become more reflective, critical, and socially responsible. As I reflect on my own teaching practices, I am reminded of the importance of ongoing professional development and the need to continually challenge myself to become a more effective and socially responsible educator.

The role of teachers in interiorizing the IPP and implementing it effectively in their teaching practices cannot be overstated. The alumni recalled how their teachers had demonstrated interiorization of the IPP through their teaching methods, such as using project-based learning, service-learning programs, and student-centered activities. This highlights the need for ongoing teacher training and support to ensure that educators are equipped to implement the IPP effectively.

The interplay between experience, reflection, and action is a critical component of the IPP. In our conversation, the alumni highlighted the importance of this interplay in helping students understand real-life issues more profoundly, develop critical thinking, and become socially responsible. As I reflect on my own teaching practices, I am reminded of the need to create opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning, reflection, and action.

Conclusion

Our conversation highlights several key implications for the effective implementation of IPP. Firstly, IPP’ emphasis on holistic education is crucial for fostering socially responsible individuals. Secondly, teachers require training and support to internalize the IPP and integrate it effectively into their teaching practices, thirdly, the IPP’s student centered approach promotes critical thinking skills, while the interplay between experience, reflection, and action is essential for helping the students to understand real-world issues and develop into socially responsible individuals.

Recommendation

Based on our informal conversation on how to improve the IPP in the context of Timor Leste through the Jesuit schools, we recommend that it would be beneficial when the Jesuit schools in Timor Leste:

1. Integrate the IPP principles into the curriculum more explicitly across all subjects and grade level.
2. Emphasize the experiential learning, increase opportunities for reflection and feedback from teachers and peers.
3.  Provide ongoing professional development for teaches to ensure that they are equipped to implement the IPP effectively.
4. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of IPP.

As mentioned earlier, this conversational reflection was limited to a small group of 10 individuals, due to time constraints, geographical boundaries, and personal circumstances. To enhance the depth of the perception through reflection, future reflective conversation will engage a more diverse and larger group of alumni. Additionally, incorporating objective measurement instrument will be helpful to reduce social desirability bias in order to increase the depth of the reflection. [Pe. Side Pereira, S.J]

AMDG!