Participatory teaching and situated learning in elementary school. A design hypothesis between civic education and urban redevelopment

Journal title EDUCATION SCIENCES AND SOCIETY
Author/s Tommaso Farina
Publishing Year 2025 Issue 2025/1
Language Italian Pages 13 P. 200-212 File size 0 KB
DOI 10.3280/ess1-2025oa19730
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

View article Download Open Access article

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

This paper addresses the issue of participatory teaching and educational experimentation “outside the classroom”, aimed at involving students in the construction of their own knowledge through situated learning. The thesis is that experimental pedagogical approaches and experiential educational-didactic methodologies can foster a critical reading of contemporary environmental and geographic-social dynamics. In this sense, a learning unit focused on the study of social and environmental geography is proposed, with the aim of imagining – and, hopefully, activating – the process of redevelopment of a neighborhood, starting from the ideas and active involvement of students from an elementary school in XXX (Italy). The potential of an educational style that promotes collaboration, dialogue and reflection on social-environmental phenomena, contributing to the development of civic consciousness in learners, for the formation of future responsible citizens are also highlighted.

Keywords: ; participatory teaching; social geography; situated learning; educational processes; urban redevelopment; experimental pedagogy

  1. ASviS (2020). Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile, «testo disponibile al sito: https://www.agenziacoesione.gov.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/agenda-2030-card-17-goals.pdf» (10/3/2025).
  2. Allen C. and Haugh H. (2018). Environmental Education and Urban Sustainability. Journal of Urban Education, 12(2): 34-49.
  3. Ainscow M. et al. (2006). Improving Schools, Developing Inclusion. London: Routledge.
  4. Alessandrini G. (2003). Pedagogia sociale. Roma: Carocci.
  5. Bandura A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
  6. Benton-Short L. and Short J.R. (2013). Cities and Nature. Milton Park: Taylor & Francis.
  7. Betti S. et al. (2023). Augmentation Reality (AR): geotecnologie per una didattica della geografia tra inclusione e integrazione. In: Lazzeroni M. et al., a cura di, Geografia e tecnologia: transizioni, trasformazioni, rappresentazioni. Firenze: Società di Studi Geografici.
  8. Birbes C. e Bornatici S. (2023). La terra che unisce. Lineamenti di pedagogia dell’ambiente. Milano: Mondadori.
  9. Buyse R. (1935). L’expérimentation en pédagogie. Bruxelles: Lamertin.
  10. Corsi M. (1993). La formazione alla competenza personale e relazionale: la persona per la persona. Prospettiva EP, 3: 99-105.
  11. Corsi M. (1997). Come pensare l’educazione. Brescia: La Scuola.
  12. Deluigi R. et al., a cura di (2015). Active Citizenship and Prosocial Cooperation. Theory and Practice of Inclusive Education. Fano: Aras.
  13. Dewey J. (1916). Democracy and Education: an introduction to the philosophy of education (trad it: Democrazia e educazione. Torino: La Nuova Italia, 1961).
  14. Dusi P. e Pati L., a cura di (2011). Corresponsabilità educativa. Scuola e famiglia nella sfida multiculturale: una prospettiva europea. Brescia: La Scuola.
  15. UE (2018), Raccomandazione del Consiglio del 22 maggio 2018 relativa alle competenze chiave per l’apprendimento permanente. Gazzetta ufficiale dell’Unione Europea. -- «testo disponibile al sito: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018H0604(01)» (10/3/2025).
  16. Farina T. (2023). Urban parks and playgrounds between quality of life, participatory design, and outdoor education. Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics, 7(3). DOI: 10.32043/gsd.v7i3.986.
  17. Farina T. (2025). Geografie della fiducia. Alleanze educative tra famiglia, scuola e territorio. Bergamo: Edizioni Junior.
  18. Florida, R. (2002). The Rise of the Creative Class. New York: Basic Books.
  19. Gennari M. (1997). Pedagogia degli ambienti educativi. Roma: Armando.
  20. Hearn G. et al. (2011), Community engagement for sustainable urban futures. Futures, 43(4): 357-360.
  21. Hirsh-Pasek K. et al. (2008). A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool: Applying the Scientific Evidence. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  22. Johnson D.W. and Johnson R.T. (2002). Cooperative Learning and Social Interdependence Theory. In: Tindale R.S., et al. Theory and Research on Small Groups. Social Psychological Applications to Social Issues. Vol 4. Boston, MA: Springer. DOI: 10.1007/0-306-47144-2_2.
  23. Lave J. and Wenger E. (1991). Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  24. MIUR (2012), Indicazioni nazionali per il curricolo della scuola dell’infanzia e del primo ciclo di istruzione, -- «testo disponibile al sito: https://www.mim.gov.it/documents/20182/51310/DM+254_2012.pdf» (10/3/2025).
  25. Mulè P. (2016). La Buona Scuola. Questioni e prospettive pedagogiche. Lecce-Brescia: Pensa MultiMedia.
  26. Musello M. e Sarracino V., a cura di (2017). Scuola inclusiva e società aperta. Per una pedagogia e didattica dei BES. Barletta: Carfagna.
  27. Papert S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. New York: Basic Books.
  28. Prensky M. (2001). Digital Game-Based Learning. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  29. Rickinson M. et al. (2004). A Review of Research on Outdoor Learning. National Foundation for Educational Research and King’s College London.
  30. Rossi P.G., Toppano E. (2009). Progettare nella società della conoscenza. Roma: Carocci.
  31. Soja E. W. (1989). Postmodern Geographies: The Reassertion of Space in Critical Social Theory. London: Verso.
  32. Tilbury D. (2011). Education for Sustainable Development: An Expert Review of Processes and Learning. Paris: UNESCO. -- https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000191442.
  33. Wenger E. (1998). Communities of Practice, Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Tommaso Farina, Didattica partecipata e apprendimento situato nella scuola primaria. Una ipotesi di progettazione fra educazione civica e riqualificazione urbana in "EDUCATION SCIENCES AND SOCIETY" 1/2025, pp 200-212, DOI: 10.3280/ess1-2025oa19730