Learning objectives
The course aims to achieve the following goals, in line with the “Dublin descriptors”:
1. To know the basic terminology of education and pedagogy, as well as the main concepts of theory of education and social pedagogy.
2. To know, understand, critically analyse, and elaborate the concepts, linking themes, authors, and trends.
3. To connect theories to cases of educational work, with reference to social worker profession.
4. To analyse educational programs – both at the individual and group level – with reference to social worker profession.
5. To communicate, in writing and in oral form – at the individual and group level – their knowledge and thoughts on educational issues.
Prerequisites
None.
Course unit content
The course will try to make students familiar with the pedagogical glance, debating themes about general and social pedagogy, analysing specific language of Educational sciences, and reflecting about pedagogical tools, in connection with references theories and main areas of application.
In particular, the following topics will be addressed:
1. The main pedagogical models and trends developed during the Twentieth Century, identifying the salient topic, and dealing with some reference authors.
2. The educational relationship, according to the epistemic paradigm of Educational sciences.
3. The educational planning, in relation with social worker profession.
4. The educational needs expressed by social communities, especially those linked to the current polycentric conformation of the educational system, to cultural changes, and social inequalities.
5. The moral education in the educational contexts: from the moral development to the moral atmosphere in school.
Full programme
The course is divided into two parts: the first focuses on the theory of education, during which the main pedagogical models developed throughout the 20th century and the educational relationship,
will be discussed. The second part will examine the role of educational planning, as a crucial tool for educational professionals (including social workers), in light of the current polycentric educational system, ongoing cultural changes, and social inequalities, in order to address the needs expressed by social communities.
Bibliography
The texts required to take the exam are:
1. Felini D. (2020). Teoria dell’educazione. Un’introduzione. Roma: Carocci.
Only the following chapters:
- Chapter 1: Metafore dell’educare (pp. 17-31);
- Chapter 2: Educazione e i suoi falsi sinonimi (pp. 33-89);
- Chapter 3: Cinque idee di educazione (pp. 91-124);
- Chapter 5: I fini dell’educazione: la teleologia pedagogica (pp. 151-183);
- Chapter 7: La relazione contesto e strumento dell’agire educativo (pp. 229-274);
- Chapter 8: Progettare: atteggiamento e metodo dell’agire educativo (pp. 275-313)
2. Tramma S. (2010). Pedagogia sociale. Milano: Guerini Scientifica (Wholly)
3. Scurati C. (1991). Profili nell’educazione. Ideali e modelli pedagogici nel pensiero contemporaneo, Milano: Vita & Pensiero
Only the chapters concerning:
- Alexander Neill (pp. 87-100);
- Paulo Freire (pp. 119-134);
- Burrhus F. Skinner (pp. 249-265);
- Jerome S. Bruner (pp. 267-285);
- Jacques Maritain (pp. 289-312)
4. BOOK EXTRACTS available on the Elly platform:
Dewey J. (1897). Il mio credo pedagogico, a cura di Borghi L., Firenze: La Nuova Italia, 1954, pp.3-31 passim.
5. Zobbi E. (In press). L’educazione etico-sociale in contesto. Uno studio sull’atmosfera morale scolastica, Milano: FrancoAngeli
Only the following chapters:
- Chapter 1: Lo sviluppo del senso morale: dall’infanzia all’adolescenza (pp. 21-61);
- Chapter 2: L’educazione morale a scuola: dal quadro storico-normativo al ruolo del contesto nello sviluppo morale dell’individuo. Alcuni approcci all’educazione morale (pp. 63-100) [The book is open access and can be downloaded at the following link: https://series.francoangeli.it/index.php/oa/catalog/book/1069]
Teaching methods
The course consists of a “learning environment”, prepared by the teacher and composed of several elements:
- Lectures.
- Paper and digital texts, to be prepared individually, also through the exercises that will be assigned.
- Classroom discussions.
Involvement of educational and social professionals.
- Classroom and/or on the Elly platform workshops.
Assessment methods and criteria
The final evaluation will take place through a written examination. There is no mid-term evaluation.
The exam consists of three or four open questions, with 10-25 lines for answers.
For the open answers evaluation it will be considerate passed the exam in which one shows, with correct use of language and terminology, to have understood the fundamental concepts of general and social pedagogy. In particular, the elements that will define a score higher than sufficiency are: appropriate references to authors and trends; connection or comparison between different theories; application of theory to practice (and vice versa); the reflective, critical-argumentative, and analytical skills in order to compare different theories, authors, and practices.
Therefore, the correction criteria considered for evaluation are the following:
1. Correct use of the pedagogical language.
2. Knowledge of texts and the connection between them.
3. Reflective, critical-argumentative, analytical, and comparative skills.
Each answer will be given a score from 0 to 30. The overall score of the exam is calculated through the arithmetic mean of the scores achieved in every answer. The exam is considered passed only if every scores in each answer are equal to or greater than 18.
For example:
Question 1: 27; Question 2: 30; Question 3: 15 exam not passed.
Question 1: 18; Question 2: 21; Question 3: 25 exam passed.
Other information
The professor receives, by appointment, at the end of class, from 11.30 am, at the location where the class is held (see https://agendastudenti.unipr.it/). Alternatively, on Tuesday, by appointment, from 2.30 pm to 4:30 pm, at Borgo Carissimi, 10 (Parma), Third Floor, Education Unit.
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
The course is particularly relevant to the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially points: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 16.
