The course aims to provide a) advanced epistemological, theoretical and methodological knowledge in relation to some of the main theories of the curriculum; b) advanced epistemological and didactic knowledge in relation to the teaching of the humanities.

Specifically, the course aims to promote the following educational objectives:

• advanced knowledge of some of the main curricular theories;
• understanding of the disciplinarity/interdisciplinarity dialectic in the curriculum;
• understanding of the epistemological and operational aspects of integrated curricular design;
• ability to use procedural principles to design activities aimed at developing the habitus of the epistemically virtuous agent;
• ability to integrate epistemological issues in the design of the history curriculum.

The course programme focuses on the key concept of the curriculum and is divided into two parts: the genesis of the construct in the 1960s and 1970s up to the current integrated curriculum model; curriculum integration in the humanities area. Specifically, the programme deals with the following topics:

Part I. The curriculum: from the movement curriculum to the integrated curriculum

- The educational process after Dewey (Bruner)

- From the school of the programme to the school of the curriculum (Stenhouse)

- The curriculum in crisis (Whitfield)

- The Structure of Disciplines (Schwab)

- The reasons for an integrated curriculum

- Knowledge in the knowledge society

- Centrality of the curricular dimension

- Historical antecedents of curricular integration

- Epistemological foundations of current curricular integration models

- An integrated curriculum hypothesis: principles

- An integrated curriculum hypothesis: operational devices

Part II. Curricular integration in the humanities area. 

- Epistemic virtues and the second-level curriculum

- Procedural principles for the design of teaching activities aimed at promoting epistemically virtuous behaviour

- An epistemological 'grammar' for reading history books

- Epistemology of historical explanation

- A method for teaching how it is that any fact becomes a 'historical fact'

- Methodological criteria for distinguishing between scientific and ideological historiography

- Quantitative and qualitative methods. Operativists and essentialists compared

None.

Knowledge and understanding:
By the end of the course the student should have understood the genesis of the construct of curriculum; should have acquired knowledge of some of the main theories of curriculum; should have knowledge of curriculum design devices; should have understood the construct of integrated curriculum and its characteristics; should have acquired advanced epistemological and didactic knowledge for the teaching of the humanities.

Applying knowledge and understanding:
At the end of the course the student will have to demonstrate the ability to:
identify the field of curricular problems through the analysis of educational contexts; analyse real curricula and proceed to their redesign in an integrated key; know how to use procedural principles to design teaching activities aimed at the exercise of epistemically virtuous behaviours; elaborate hypotheses of integration between the different disciplines of the curriculum consistently with the educational objectives of the area of human sciences. 

Making judgements:
At the end of the course the student should demonstrate the ability to:
critically evaluate the adequacy of didactic choices related to advanced curricular design; identify the most appropriate operational devices to implement integrated curricular models; evaluate the quality of curricular integration in the area of human sciences.

Communication skills:
At the end of the course the student should have acquired: the ability to communicate through the use of an evolved discipline-specific language; the ability to articulate and coherently argue curricular design choices in relation to the field of school problems. 

Learning skills:
At the end of the course, the student will have acquired full autonomy in the reading of study and teaching materials related to the course; the ability to evaluate the impact of certain teaching choices on curricular design.

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

Formative assessment tests are provided during the course to enable students to evaluate the degree of their own preparation. These tests are intended as self-assessment tests (with answer key) and will be available within the Moodle platform› blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

The course includes multi-modal lectures and structured activities.

Innovative teaching methods

Some topics of the course will be covered following the practice of 'debate' and 'flipped classroom'.

Attendance

Attendance at the course is not compulsory.

Course books

B. Martini, M.C. Michelini (2020), Il curricolo integrato, Milano, Franco Angeli, pp. 43-66, 91-123.

J. Bruner (2000), Il processo Educativo dopo Dewey, Roma, Armando Editore (ed. or. 1960-1977), pp. 19-56.

L. Stenhouse (1971), Dalla scuola del programma alla scuola del curricolo, Roma, Armando Editore (ed. or. 1971), pp. 14-40.

J. Schwab, La struttura delle discipline, pp. 1-10, 17-27.

R. C. Whitfield (1982), Il curricolo in crisi, in , R. C. Whitfield (1971) (a cura di), Programmazione del curricolo e discipline di insegnamento Firenze, La Nuova Italia, pp. 7-48.

M. Tombolato (2023). Promoting epistemic virtues across the curriculum to educate 21st century citizens, in M. Carmo (ed.), Education Applications & Developments VIII, inScience Press, pp. 95-107 (open access: https://insciencepress.org/education-applications-developments-viii/). 

D. Antiseri (2000). Epistemologia contemporanea e didattica della storia, Armando Editore, pp. (5-10; 52-67; 81-94; 163-168).

Some materials will be made available on the Moodle platform ' blended.uniurb.it.

Assessment

The learning objectives are verified through an oral interview.

The oral examination will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• relevance, effectiveness and degree of articulation of the answers with respect to the programme content
• adequacy of the disciplinary language used
• ability to apply the knowledge acquired with reference to different educational and professional contexts
• ability to critically discuss the topics covered 

The final assessment is expressed in thirtieths. 

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.

Teaching

Those unable to attend class lectures will study on their own according to the program outlined in this vademecum and taking into account the files available on the platform Moodle › https://blended.uniurb.it.

Attendance

Attendance at the course is not compulsory.

Course books

B. Martini, M.C. Michelini (2020), Il curricolo integrato, Milano, Franco Angeli, pp. 43-66, 91-123.

J. Bruner (2000), Il processo Educativo dopo Dewey, Roma, Armando Editore (ed. or. 1960-1977), pp. 19-56.

L. Stenhouse (1971), Dalla scuola del programma alla scuola del curricolo, Roma, Armando Editore (ed. or. 1971), pp. 14-40.

J. Schwab, La struttura delle discipline, pp. 1-10, 17-27.

R. C. Whitfield (1982), Il curricolo in crisi, in , R. C. Whitfield (1971) (a cura di), Programmazione del curricolo e discipline di insegnamento Firenze, La Nuova Italia, pp. 7-48.

M. Tombolato (2023). Promoting epistemic virtues across the curriculum to educate 21st century citizens, in M. Carmo (ed.), Education Applications & Developments VIII, inScience Press, pp. 95-107 (open access: https://insciencepress.org/education-applications-developments-viii/). 

D. Antiseri (2000). Epistemologia contemporanea e didattica della storia, Armando Editore, pp. (5-10; 52-67; 81-94; 163-168).

Some materials will be made available on the Moodle platform ' blended.uniurb.it.

Notes, slides and guided exercises related to the programme content are available on the Moodle platform in the lesson sections dedicated to these topics.

Assessment

The learning objectives are verified through an oral interview.

The oral examination will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• relevance, effectiveness and degree of articulation of the answers with respect to the programme content
• adequacy of the disciplinary language used
• ability to apply the knowledge acquired with reference to different educational and professional contexts
• ability to critically discuss the topics covered 

The final assessment is expressed in thirtieths. 

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.

For updates and information on the course and the support and in-depth materials prepared by the lecturer, it is recommended to systematically visit the course page on the Moodle platform ' blended.uniurb.it.