THEORIES AND RESEARCH IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

This course is one of the elective and optional courses (in the 12 ECTS Environmental Cultures track) of the Master's Degree Course in Environmental Humanities. This is held during the second term.
The course aims to introduce students to the approaches and methods of research in environmental education and education for sustainable development. Among the various research approaches, the course will focus on participatory research with children.
The course is structured in three parts:
- The first part is dedicated to introducing participatory research with children in environmental education and sustainable development. This part includes: participatory research with children, the development of children's capacity to participate, organisational principles of participation and models for the involvement of children.
- The second part is devoted to the development of basic knowledge and skills for the design of both conventional and participatory education research. This part includes the following topics: types of research; research paradigm; research literature and research questions; population and sample; variables and hypotheses; instruments.
- The third part is dedicated to analysing participatory research methods with children in the field of environmental and sustainable education, applying the knowledge and skills acquired in the first and second parts of the course. The third part consists of working in groups on the above mentioned topics.

Knowledge and understanding: Knowing and understanding participatory research with children; Children's developing capacity to participate; Organizational principles of participation and new model for involving children; Types of research; Research paradigm; Research literature and questions; Population and sample; Variables and hypothesis; Instruments; research methods with children.
Applying knowledge and understanding: Knowing how to design conventional and participatory research with children.
Making judgements: Show the ability to evaluate research stages through hypothesis testing and comparison with other research in the field; be able to reflect, discuss and evaluate when faced with divergent theoretical perspectives in the interpretation of the same phenomenon.
Communication skills: Demonstrate mastery of the specialized vocabulary typical of the discipline in order to communicate findings clearly and unambiguously to specialist and non-specialist interlocutors.

This course is a required/elective course offered to students enrolled in the Master Degree in the Environmental Humanities. No prior background in the subject is required.

Partecipatory research with children; children's developing capacity to participate; organizational principles of participation and new model for involving children in participatory research; types of research; research paradigm; research literature and questions; population and sample; variables and hypothesis; Instruments; participatory methods with children.

Mandatory: Course lessons + research papers made available in MOODLE (for all students)

Optional: Other books, research papers and resources will be communicated during the course.

Assessment of learning will take place through a written exam composed of multiple-choice questions and questions with a short open answer. These questions concern both theoretical knowledge learned during the course and the skills of reasoning and application on case studies.
The evaluation criteria of the short answer questions on theoretical knowledge and reasoning skills are:
(a) the accuracy of the information reported in relation to the theoretical knowledge learned
(b) the appropriate use of the language proper to the discipline;
(c) the validity of the argument;
(d) the effectiveness of communication and presentation.

Blended learning (face-to-face classes and online classes). Five lessons are delivered on-line and ten in presence. The students will be required to participate actively in the classroom activities in person and/or online (moodle.unive.it).

English

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