EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATION

This course is one of the educational activities called “affini e integrative” of the master's degree program in Language Sciences that allow students to acquire the knowledge and understanding of basic research principles in the educational and pedagogical area. Starting from the epistemological foundations of the main pedagogical research paradigms, the course is oriented to develop knowledge and basic skills of empirical research in the educational / training field and of scientific, ethical and educational / training evaluation in practice and in real contexts. The experimental education will deepen quantitative research, through dedicated laboratories, taking into account connections with qualitative and mixed research. The achievement of these objectives allows the student to broaden the bases for the study of language acquisition and teaching through an interdisciplinary approach to language learning and the complex phenomena that characterize it through continuous dialogue and exchange with other disciplines.

Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of educational research paradigms; knowledge of methods and strategies for investigating and evaluating research and its impact on education; demonstrate understanding of the circular relationship between theory, research, ethics, educational practice and evaluation.

Applied knowledge and understanding: Apply the theoretical and methodological knowledge to evaluate a research proposal in the pedagogical field in the real context and verify the effects in the real context.

Judgment autonomy: know how to evaluate and evaluate the processes and the empirical evidence; ability to evaluate the ethical aspects of the research project; ability to evaluate the research phases through hypothesis testing and comparison with other industry research; to be able to reflect, discuss and evaluate in the face of divergent theoretical perspectives in interpreting the same phenomenon. To know how to evaluate the outcome of the results in the educational / training practice.

Communication skills: ability to communicate and discuss research / evaluation results in different contexts (academic, scholastic and extra-scholastic) in a clear and reasoned manner; demonstrate to master the specialized lexicon typical of the discipline in order to communicate clearly and unambiguously the results with specialists and non-specialist interlocutors.

Learning Skills: demonstrate that you have acquired autonomous learning skills and strategies that allow you to update on educational research topics and to operate in a qualified way in school or continuing education.

For this course there are no prerequisites.

1. Fondamentals of pedagogical and educational research
2. Research paradigms and methodological considerations (science and scientific method, scientific method and pedagogy, and the aims of science)
3. Evidence Based Education
4. Ethics and educational research
5. Analysis / evaluation in the selection of scientific resources
6. Research design, research procedures and their evaluation in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods
7. Design, application and evaluation of data collection tools
8. Evaluation of the outcomes of educational research applied in educational practice

Main references
a) Trinchero, R. (2002). Manuale di ricerca educativa (pp. 1-432). Franco Angeli.

b) D'Odorico, L., & Cassibba, R. (2002). Osservare per educare. Carocci.

c) An article of empirical research in the field of education chosen by the student among those available in scientific repository + filling in the research form (will be provided by the teacher). The analysis conducted will be the subject of the examination.

Non-attending students are kindly requested to contact the teacher to request the form to be filled in and to choose the research article to be analysed.





Further reading

Bassey, M. (1999) Case Study Research in Educational Settings, Buckingham, Open University Press.
Bond, T. (2005) ‘Researching Education: A Question of Trust?’ Keynote lecture given on the MEd course, University of Cambridge Faculty of Education, 2 March 2005.
Checkland, P. and Holwell, S. (1998) ‘Action Research: Its Nature and Validity’, Systemic Practice and Action Research, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 9–21.
Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2000) Research Methods in Education, London, RoutledgeFalmer.
Denscombe, M. (2003) The Good Research Guide, Maidenhead, McGraw-Hill.
Gillham, B. (2000) Case Study Research Methods, London, Continuum.
Hargreaves, D. (1999) ‘The Knowledge Creating School’, British Journal of Educational Studies, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 122–144.
Kemmis, S. (1993) ‘Action Research’ in: Hammersley, M. Ed. Educational Research: current issuesLondon, Paul Chapman.
MacGilchrist, B., Myers, K. and Reed, J. (2004) The Intelligent School, London, Sage.
Stake, R. (1995) The Art of Case Study Research, London, Sage.
Stutchbury, K. and Fox, A. (2009) ‘Ethics in Educational Research: introducing a methodological tool for effective ethical analysis’, Cambridge Journal of Education, vol 39, no.4, pp. 489–504.
Wilson, Elaine, ed. School-based research: a guide for education students. Sage, 2017.
Yin, R. (2003) Case Study Research: Design and Methods, London, Sage.

For attending and non-attending students: fill in the research form to be submitted one month before the exam [*].
For attending students: Written exam of one and a half hours (consisting of 21 short-answer questions and multiple choice).
For non-attending students: Written exam of one and a half hours (consisting of 21 short-answer questions and multiple choice) and oral exam, designed to verify critical and reflective thinking skills and knowledge of the subject matter.
[* The compilation of the research form is aimed at ascertaining knowledge and skills applied in practice in a specific educational context].

Assessment methods

Learning assessment will take place through a written exam consisting of multiple-choice questions and questions with short open answers. These questions cover both theoretical knowledge and practical reasoning acquired during the course, and the application of these skills to case studies.
The evaluation criteria of the short-answer questions on theory and reasoning are: (a) the accuracy of the theoretical information reported; (b) the appropriate use of the discipline's own language; (c) the validity of argumentation; (d) the ability to communicate and explain effectively.
These criteria are also used for the search form and oral exam.
Students regularly attending classes are offered the opportunity to take a test before the end of the course.

The lectures will be integrated with collaborative learning activities, supported with video/web materials. In order to prepare students for the final exam, the course offers the opportunity to participate in educational activities through physical presence and online (Moodle) to self-evaluate learning, with the assistance of the teacher and the tutor.

Italian

Students not attending class are asked to contact the teacher one month before the exam.

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development