The course aims to illustrate the main methods of empirical research in education and to provide students with the theoretical and methodological tools for designing research carried out in school and extra-school contexts, in order to innovate educational and teaching practices. In particular, the objectives of the course are:
- the acquisition of knowledge of the fundamental concepts of research methodology appropriately framed in their historical and cultural evolution;
- the acquisition of the skills and abilities necessary to correctly use the fundamental concepts and the specific language of educational research;
- the acquisition of knowledge and skills to develop the theoretical-operational framework underlying research in education.
no prerequisites
Participatory lesson, laboratory teaching, practical exercises, meetings with industry experts
The assessment of learning will be done through an oral exam and the creation of a project work regarding the contents discussed and experimented during the course, the indicated bibliography and the teaching material provided.
The evaluation will be expressed out of 30, with a score between 18/30 and 30/30 with honors, based on the skills demonstrated during the exam.
The latter will be considered excellent (i.e., 30–30 cum laude) when it demonstrates comprehensive, structured, and accurate preparation of the content, combined with rigorous and informed use of scientific terminology. The exam will be considered excellent (i.e., 28–29) when it demonstrates very solid and well-organized preparation, with clear and precise presentation and appropriate and informed use of disciplinary vocabulary. The exam will be considered good (i.e., 25–27) when it demonstrates solid and overall correct preparation, with clear presentation and generally adequate use of disciplinary vocabulary, albeit with some minor inaccuracies.
The exam will be considered fair (i.e., 22–24) when it demonstrates overall adequate but not always thorough preparation, with some inaccuracies in presentation and use of specific terminology. The exam will be considered sufficient (i.e., 18–21) if it demonstrates essential knowledge of the topics covered, with some inaccuracies in the presentation and use of specific terminology. The exam will be deemed insufficient if significant gaps in understanding the content are found, difficulties in connecting topics, or a predominantly notional and uncritical use of information, as well as an inadequate use of the language specific to the discipline.
The assessment of the exam will take into account in particular the following criteria:
- articulation, precision and significance in the theoretical contents acquired
- personal critical reworking of the contents
- ability to present, argue and summarize the constructs treated with an appropriate language and referring to precise theoretical references;
- interest, commitment, availability for independent study of themes and problems;
- relevance and correctness (orthographic and morpho-syntactic) of the exercises and products created during the laboratory activities.
1) Coggi C., Ricchiardi P., Progettare la ricerca empirica in educazione, Carocci, Roma
2) Vivanet Giuliano, Evidence based education. Per una cultura dell'efficacia didattica, PensaMultimedia, Lecce, 2015 (solo i capitoli 1, 2, 3)
3) Bove Chiara, Ricerca educativa e formazione. Contaminazioni metodologiche, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2009. (solo i capitoli 1, 2, 3, 4, 9)
4) materiale didattico e articoli scientifici condivisi durante le lezioni
- Experimental Pedagogy: historical framework.
- Experimentation and research in education
- Research methodology: research phases, formulation of research hypotheses, variables, indicators and indices, choice of the unit of analysis and sampling.
- Research tools in educational contexts in reference to qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Survey techniques and tools. Tests and achievement tests. The questionnaire and interviews.
- Data collection, coding and analysis. Communication of results. The structure of a research report.
- Evidence Based Education
- Ethnographic method and educational research: photography as a visual method
- Field research activities
