Action research in a complex socio-educational intervention: the "chance project" in Naples from 1998 to 2008

Chance is an Action-Research project promoted by the Ministry for Instruction University and Research by the end of the 80s. It tackles the problems related to teenagers living in situations of social exclusion which were not tackled by the school. In order to meet its experimental purpose, the project avails itself of strong observation teams made of professionals of different cultural backgrounds. This allowed us to start experimental cycles drawing from theory as well, and to arrange our work based on different points of view. Interaction with scientific, theoretical and academic research resulted in a wider awareness of the role of theory and consented to go into more depth some important theoretical matters deriving from reflection on practices. Among such matters there are: a new definition of the professional figures. Also thanks to such research activities it was possible to define different competence profiles for the operators as well as professional development paths. Finally, the most important point is covered by the understanding of conflict in the educational process: conflicts and contradictions are the main engine for the development of an authentic research activity. Being aware of the existence of conflicts and developing the capability to negotiate are isomorphic dimensions as that of action research, and they constitute a contact point among on field action research (intended as the research of operative pedagogical principles), and theoretical action research (intended as the research of principles which can keep together all of the complex actions carried out). The presence of different points of view produces the emotions and relations which are central to the project and that can easily be defined by the "foundation myth" which constitutes the narration and the meeting point between the experimented methodologies and the professional stories of the operators.

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Cesare Moreno, La ricerca-azione nel contesto di un intervento sociale ed educativo: il progetto chance a Napoli dal 1998 al 2008 in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 3-4/2009, pp 197-217, DOI: 10.3280/RIP2009-003012