Università Roma Tre

The course aims to develop students’ understanding of key concepts and basic principles of experimental educational research design and methodology, considering its ethical implications and reflecting on its philosophical underpinnings and quality. Students will be introduced to the main experimental research designs in the pedagogical field, to the construction of structured tests, to the use of educational technologies and to the main national and international surveys on ECEC. The course will deepen the techniques of construction, use and interpretation of the main tools and evaluation procedures for primary school, starting from the most recent theoretical events of sector research both at national and international level. The course is aimed at students who wish to refine their skills in the selection and administration of standardised tests, in the construction of original tests and in the interpretation of results for classroom assessment.

Foreseen knowledge obtained by the students at the end of the course “Foundations of Educational Research”:
- Knowledge and understanding: be able to know and understand the basic concepts of experimental research in the field of education; be able to know the theoretical and methodological foundations of evaluation in education.
- Applying knowledge and understanding: be able to analyse the main experimental research designs in the pedagogical field; be able to read and interpret the results of experimental research in the educational field.
- Making judgements: be able to distinguish between different approaches to experimental research in the field of education; be able to identify strengths and weaknesses of different methods that can be used in experimental research in the field of education.
- Communication skills: be able to explain the results of research to specialists and non-specialists.
- Learning skills: be able to demonstrate the skills necessary to undertake experimental research studies in education with a high degree of autonomy.

Part of the course is dedicated to early childhood and applications to educational contexts for children.

B. Vertecchi, Le parole per la scuola, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2012.

B. Vertecchi, G. Agrusti, B. Losito, Origini e sviluppo della ricerca valutativa, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2010.

Further materials will be distributed on the course website.