Designing and Evaluation of an Artistic Experience for the Development of Empathic Capacity: "Stepping into Others' Shoes"

This article evaluates an educational experience that uses art to develop empathy. The artistic educational project is called "stepping into others' shoes" and is carried out with 71 students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education and Primary Education degree programs of the University of Vigo. The main objective is to analyze the students' experiences in processes of empathic pedagogical relationships that allow empowerment dynamics of oneself and others. An ethnographic approach is used to evaluate the experience through a group case study design with different qualitative instruments: analysis of artistic production, field diary and life stories. The main results indicate that when art is used for the construction of an empathic identity, the participants of these creative dynamics find it difficult to express their feelings and emotions. However, these processes favor social relationships and mutual recognition, as well as self-knowledge. It facilitates the creation of alternative meeting spaces and the promotion of creativity. Based on these results and their discussion, lines of action are suggested which should allow using art as a resource to develop empathy and promote increased motivation in the classroom.