We explain what social and cultural relevance is. Also, what is the relevance of a project and a test.
What is relevance?
We commonly say that something is relevant when it has to do with the issue at hand or when it belongs to or corresponds to the topic. That is, what is considered relevant is normally something convenient, adjusted, even useful or that provides some information worth taking into account.
For example, a pertinent comment is one that contributes to what is being discussed or that at least has to do with it; while an impertinent comment is one that does not contribute anything or does not even have to do with what is being discussed.
The word pertinent comes from pertinence, and both from the Latin verb pertineretranslatable as “belonging”, “corresponding” or “being appropriate in a situation”. This verb is made up of the voices per- (“through” or “completely”) and I will have (“hold”, “dominate” or “hold”).
Seen this way, the relevance It is the quality of something of corresponding completely with its context: a pertinent allegation in a trial is one that deserves to be taken into account (for example, the objections of lawyers in a trial, when they are pertinent, usually receive a “place” from the judge).
The opposite of relevance is, of course, impertinence. Therefore, something impertinent is something that does not correspond to its context, that is not useful or has no place in what is done or said.
Social relevance
Social relevance is a concept coined for the study of educational systems, especially university or higher education systems. It is understood as the degree of adaptation or commitment that a university has with respect to the social context in which it develops. This concept can be applied to any type of specialized study institute.
That is to say, a university degree whose study projects have absolutely nothing to do with the social reality of the people around it is a degree with little social relevance.
There is talk of social relevance when evaluating and/or rethinking the place of universities in their environment. Of them They are expected to help solve society's problemstraining professionals in the areas and with the appropriate perspectives, that is, professionals committed to the improvement of the human group to which they belong and not disconnected from it (that is, alienated).
For example, a university that dedicates significant efforts to training technological professionals in a country with a lack of industrial development may be creating the leaders who will revolutionize the technological landscape locally, and in doing so is demonstrating great social relevance.
Cultural relevance
In education and other political-social processes, cultural relevance is the degree of adaptation that an educational process, a public policy or some training process has, with respect to the cultural framework of the population in which it occurs. That is to say, as one takes more into account one's own cultural context, one has more cultural relevance and one can, in theory, obtain better results.
Cultural relevance has to do with the values and budgets that are assumed when designing an educational strategy or a public campaign. For example, it would not make much sense to dedicate efforts to promoting the consumption of pork in a country of Muslim religion, since the latter prohibits the consumption of said animal.
This has its equivalent in educational work, for example, when trying to train individuals with values borrowed from another culture or disconnected from their own values. Ideally, the educational process not only connects socially and culturally with the students' reality, but also fosters in them a feeling of their own identity and belonging to their tradition.
Relevance of a project
A project (of any type) is said to be relevant when addresses central or relevant topics in your fieldor when it promises to develop ideas and solutions that have to do with the immediate reality of the society to which the researchers belong.
Relevant projects, thus, are those that show a high commitment to their place of enunciation, while impertinent ones are those that address topics or perspectives unrelated to their social, cultural or educational context.
For a project to be relevant, then, You must have a concrete justification that allows you to understand your contributions. to society, culture or its specific field of human knowledge.
Relevance of a test
In law and legal sciences, evidence is considered relevant when it has to do with the facts that are being judgedthat is, when it provides relevant information for the matter in question, and therefore can be assumed as valid, useful to the process or worthy of being taken into account.
This does not imply, however, that the evidence is conclusive or that a truth can be established based on it: evidence may be relevant, but not conducive.
For example, a blood-stained sock of the defendant may be relevant evidence in a murder trial, but it is of little relevance if what is being tried is a case of tax evasion. The relevant evidence is, therefore, that which belongs to the judicial process, and is therefore worthy of consideration.
Relevance and relevance
The notions of relevance and relevance are often confused. But while the first refers to that which belongs, which agrees and has place, Relevance refers to that which stands out, that stands out and that is therefore worthy of attention..
Thus, while relevance can be understood as suitability, agreement or adequacy, relevance, on the other hand, must be understood as importance, transcendence or significance.
So that something can be relevant but not relevant, and vice versa. For example, if we are debating the best economic strategy for our country, a comment that expresses the need to distribute money well may be pertinent, even if it is not very relevant because it does not say anything that we do not all think in one way or another.
On the other hand, a comment that affirms the importance of fiber in a balanced breakfast is totally impertinent. Finally, a third comment that proposes a fiscal reform of the State may be not only pertinent, but also relevant: striking, important, notable.
References
- “Etymology of Relevance” in the Online Spanish Etymological Dictionary.
- “Relevant” in the Language Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Substantiation definitions” in Conacyt (Paraguay).
- “Cultural relevance to improve learning” by Ricardo Hevia and others, in the magazine Pensamiento Pedagógico (Chile).
