Primary teacher education

The course aims to provide students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills useful for the design of interventions and the conduct of research, carried out with qualitative and quantitative methods and techniques, in particular through workshops on specific situations of pedagogical interest. The workshop’s objective is to provide methodological and critical tools useful to understand themes and issues related to research methodology in Education; allow them to know how to interpret information and to reflect on problems related to the field of Education, demonstrating to have acquired a scientific attitude and possess critical and self-critical thinking. The student will also be able to understand the logical process underlying a research and to operationalise the constructs in measurable variables. He/She will know how, to apply the research methodologies, useful for deepening understanding of the teaching profession and developing critical thinking and creative skills through the development of research projects and solutions based on research results. The student will have the opportunity to develop instrumental abilities (written and oral expression, observation, use of research tools, research information), develop their ability to communicate and express problems related to the purpose of the course, improve their ability to relate with others and know how to work in groups in an active and positive way. At the end of the course, the student will be able to know the main procedures of scientific enquiry (focus group, construction and administration of questionnaires, text analysis and method of observation), formulate and operationalise research questions, determine validity and reliability of an instrument, use research instruments suitable for the measurement of pedagogical knowledge and evaluate and design simple research paths to answer specific research questions. Some workshops will be organised to explore and put into practice range of methodological approaches and different ways of dealing with reality and reflecting on the data collected. The workshops will cover: bibliographic research and its implications in the definition of research design; construction and calibration of a questionnaire, narrative as a method and pedagogical tool, methodological approaches and objectives of brainstorming, focus groups and group interviews; process of collective creativity and analysis of group dynamics; method of textual and content analysis; teaching of reading strategies and their evaluation based on the use of standardised instruments. The workshops will be carried out, for the most part, in collaboration with researchers and specialists and will have, as their main objectives, the improvement of observation skills, critical thinking, design capabilities, active collaboration and capacity to use previous knowledge. Working in small groups will enhance cohesion and stimulate the process of socialization through active participation, negotiation and conflict resolution process. Through administration of a research instrument at school, classroom observation and preparation of a focus group, the student will be able to check empirically the methodological approaches studied. In addition, the student will empowered their autonomy of judgment regarding the theoretical models and research procedures adopted in Pedagogy and develop their observation skills and ability to problematise and analyse educational issues. Moreover, thanks to the participation in research projects (critical analysis of bibliographic sources, administration of questionnaires or open tests at school, data entry and analysis), the students will discover the interactions that underline the definition of research process in the pedagogical field and this will allow them to pursue their studies with a greater degree of autonomy and discernment.