Studying in contexts of tragedy: the case of university students during Hurricane Otis in Mexico

Abstract

This article presents some of the findings from the research titled Fragmented Trajectories: Studying in Contexts of Tragedy. The objective of the study was to understand the learning experiences that the student community of the Autonomous University of Guerrero, Mexico, developed within the framework of the crisis generated by Hurricane Otis, which impacted the Port of Acapulco with a Category 5 storm. The theoretical frameworks emphasize the notion of educational innovation and recover the concept of education in crisis contexts. The research had an epistemic positioning of a phenomenological-hermeneutic nature with a qualitative approach, exploratory scope, and case study design. The instrument consisted of a semi-structured interview that was administered in February 2025. The findings show that Hurricane Otis severely impacted communication routes, buildings, electrical and telecommunications networks, which affected the student community in their family and school environments. Therefore, the natural phenomenon was attributed meanings related to finitude, devastation, and fear. The training processes took place amidst a backdrop of tragedy and lack of connectivity. The instant messaging app WhatsApp was the digital resource that, despite its limited reach, succeeded in maintaining sufficient learning to meet the epistemological, theoretical, and methodological objectives established in the curriculum.