The course provides the students with the fundamental theoretical concepts regarding  pedagogy of cognition in relation to various educational contexts.

1. Basic Course: it will consider epistemological problems as shown by H. Gardner regarding the possibility to create a new science of mind, which will lead to progress in scientific knowledge, with the help of a complex interdisciplinary model based on cognition. 

2. Monographic Course: the course has the objective of deepening the automotivational processes underlying the cognitive dynamics in the active construction of knowledge in education; some aspects of the possible relationship between the educational processes and the development of graphical, creative, and graphical-artistical expression, mostly in childhood and adolescence; the pedagogical foundations of aikido, an educational art aimed at integrating the mind and body and the intercultural models East and West. 

The student has to prove to have acquired:
- regarding mastery of basic knowledge:

• The students will be able to acquire theoretical and methodological knowledge of the main topics regarding the cognitive model applied to the field of education, particularly regarding the epistemological foundations of cognitive science, which, starting with the “revolution” of the Fifties of the past century, is acquiring more and more importance in the field of pedagogy.
• There will be presented multiple instruments of reflection about Gardner’s cognitive revolution, mostly regarding the examination of multiple knowledge which, as Harvard’s  psycho-pedagogist suggested, should be integrated in a unified system of pedagogical knowledge, like philosophy, psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, anthropology, and neuroscience, creating a unified net of knowledge finalized to a process of optimization in education.
• During the lessons the students will get to know some educational topics relating to the context of apprehension and to the motivational processes of knowledge. In particular, there will be an analysis of the environment of apprehension and expression of graphical gesture in childhood, primarily from scribble to drawing and to writing.

- regarding comprehension of the fundamental concepts of the discipline:

• During the course the students will have the opportunity to choose and compare the various instruments of observation and data gathering in relation to the paradigms of research considered most useful to the field of investigation.
• The students will analyze the theoretical model of cognitivism through a historical and cultural prospective, and then relate it to the dimension of educational research and to various cognitive and explanatory paradigms.

- regarding the ability to use knowledge and concepts of the discipline:

• During the course will be proposed projects of research of topics chosen by the students and topics which has been objects of analysis during the lectures (motivation, relation between body and mind in education etc.), to promote autonomous and active elaboration of the theoretically explained topics.
• This way the students can confront themselves in an empirical way to some important questions regarding the relationship between the complexity of educational phenomenons and different possible approaches of research.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The official course material, as well as other support activity can be obtained at the moodle blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal lessons, seminars, research groups, workshops, essays.

Course books

1. Basic course

H. Gardner, La nuova scienza della mente. Storia della rivoluzione cognitiva, Fletrinelli, Milano 2016 (until p. 471).

2. Monographic course:

R. Travaglini, Motivarsi ad apprendere, Aracne, Roma 2014, pp. 230.

R. Travaglini, Pedagogia e educazione dell'attività grafica infantile, ETS, Pisa.

The professor will give further bibliographic references during the lessons.

Assessment

The exam consists of a oral or written exam on all the topics covered in the texts. The examination aims to assess:- Organic knowledge of the subjects exposed in the texts and during the lessons;- Precise knowledge of the specific terminology used in the texts;- Ability to make connections among the topics covered by the texts and the reference material under study;- Ability to apply the acquired knowledge to observation in education contexts.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

H. Gardner, La nuova scienza della mente. Storia della rivoluzione cognitiva, Fletrinelli, Milano 2016 (until p. 471).

2. Monographic course:

R. Travaglini, Motivarsi ad apprendere, Aracne, Roma 2014, pp. 230.

R. Travaglini, Modelli educativi ed evolutivi del gesto grafico, ETS, Pisa (in corso di stampa).

The professor will give further bibliographic references during the lessons.

Assessment

The exam consists of a oral or written exam on all the topics covered in the texts. The examination aims to assess:- Organic knowledge of the subjects exposed in the texts and during the lessons;- Precise knowledge of the specific terminology used in the texts;- Ability to make connections among the topics covered by the texts and the reference material under study;- Ability to apply the acquired knowledge to observation in education contexts.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.