C9343 - TEORIE E METODI DI PROGETTAZIONE E VALUTAZIONE

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the students will be able to: know and understand the relevance of design and evaluation approaches in education and training; know, understand and analyse the different theoretical and epistemological assumptions underlying design and evaluation, recognising their educational, ethical and professional implications; understand and analyse the similarities and differences among different approaches to and models of design and evaluation in education and training; understand and analyse the similarities and differences among the different methods used to design and evaluate continuing education and training processes and interventions; critically analyse project documents and evaluation reports relating to different education and training contexts, distinguishing empirical data from educational value judgements; understand and analyse empirical research on the design and evaluation of education and training projects; carry out basic needs assessments in different education and training contexts; design the structure and sequence of educational and training activities; design the management and coordination system of an education or training project; develop an evaluation design for education and training processes; collaborate with different stakeholders throughout the different stages of project development, monitoring and evaluation; analyse and interpret the requirements set out in public calls for proposals and institutional frameworks that guide the design and evaluation of education and training projects; prepare a project document, including in response to a public call for proposals; make ongoing adaptations to the project document in response to feedback arising from the implementation of the education or training intervention, using evaluation findings to inform decision-making and continuous improvement; analyse the quality of project monitoring and evaluation reports and communicate the relevant findings appropriately to stakeholders; evaluate the quality of a project document and of the documentation relating to the different stages and activities of project implementation; use reflective tools and self-assessment strategies to improve their professional and ethical competences, while promoting participation and shared engagement among the stakeholders involved.

Course contents

The module syllabus—applicable to both the Specialist in Training and Integration into Organisational Contexts curriculum and the Specialist in Digital Training and Hybrid Contexts curriculum—is designed to provide an in-depth examination of design and evaluation theories and models in lifelong education and continuing training, with the aim of developing the ability to make critical use of methods, tools, and procedures for designing and evaluating training processes and interventions.

A range of design scenarios will be considered, with reference to different organisational and professional contexts, as well as to the face-to-face, digital, and hybrid modes through which training interventions may be delivered.

Particular attention will be devoted to managing design and evaluation processes in response to public calls for proposals, and to the use of generative artificial intelligence to support training design.

_________________________________________________

 

For students enrolled in the course unit 94335 – Teorie e procedure di valutazione degli apprendimenti (6 ECTS credits), within the Master’s Degree Programme in Didattica e comunicazione delle scienze naturali, the specific study programme and related materials, aligned with the credit load and the course learning outcomes, will be specified on the Virtuale platform.

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory readings both for attending and not attending students:

- Lipari, D. (2009). Progettazione e valutazione nei processi formativi (3a ed.). Roma: Edizioni Lavoro (Chap. 1 and 2).

- Leone, L. & Prezza, M. (2003). Costruire e valutare i progetti nel sociale. Manuale operativo per chi lavora su progetti in campo sanitario, sociale, educativo e culturale. Milano: Franco Angeli (Chap. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7).

- Marcuccio, M. (2026). Elementi per sviluppare la competenza progettuale e valutativa dell'esperto nei processi formativi (2026 Edition). The monograph, available on the Virtuale platform, also includes in-depth sections on the design and evaluation of training interventions delivered in digital and hybrid learning environments, as well as on the use of generative artificial intelligence to support training design.

- Bevilacqua, C. & Marcuccio, M (2025). I nuovi strumenti per la ricerca attiva del lavoro. Il Questionario «come cerco lavoro» (Qccl) per operatori e persone in cerca di occupazione. Roma: Edizioni Lavoro.

On Virtuale platform, there is a document titled Suggerimenti per lo studio that students must read before starting to study the books in the bibliography.

In addition, a range of materials, including videos, podcasts, and texts, will be made available on the Virtuale platform to support students’ learning and further exploration of the topics addressed in the materials listed in the course bibliography. These resources are supplementary and do not constitute additional compulsory material for examination preparation.

 

Teaching methods

The course will be delivered in a blended format, comprising both face-to-face and online activities.

The face-to-face activities will favour active learning methods, such as interactive lectures, case studies, and group work, drawing on participants' direct experiences and on the interactions among learners.

The online activities will include case studies and practical exercises concerning training interventions situated in a variety of organisational contexts and delivered face-to-face, digitally, or in hybrid formats.

In preparation for the Laboratory and Models of Project Design module (C8602), which forms an integral part of the integrated course, a specific in-depth unit will be devoted to identifying, reading, and interpreting national and regional calls for proposals in the fields of training and active labour market policies, as well as to completing the related application forms.

An experimental, workshop-based module will also be delivered on the use of generative artificial intelligence to support the design of training interventions.

Assessment methods

During both face-to-face and online activities, students will receive feedback from the instructor and from their peers, aimed at supporting them in regulating their own learning, both individually and with others.

The assessment of learning will comprise three sequential stages:

1) completion and submission, within the agreed deadlines, of the assignments required as part of the online activities;

2) a two-hour written examination consisting of open-ended questions. Students will be admitted to the written examination only after submitting the online assignments within the agreed deadlines;

3) an oral examination, which students may take only after passing the written examination. The oral examination will focus on three areas: a) the activities completed online; b) the outcomes of the written examination; and c) the content of the required course materials.

The online assignments serve a primarily formative purpose and do not in themselves demonstrate individual attainment of the intended learning outcomes. These assignments will be revisited during the oral examination, where students will be asked to explain and justify the choices they made.

The final grade will be determined on the basis of an overall assessment of the student’s performance in the written examination and the oral examination. The latter may confirm or revise the assessment resulting from the written examination.

The final grade for the integrated course may be officially recorded only after successful completion of the Laboratory and Models of Project Design module (C8602).

All three stages of the assessment process require not only knowledge of the concepts presented in the required course materials, but also the ability to apply them to realistic situations, establish connections among them, analyse their interrelationships, and identify their underlying assumptions and implications.

The written and oral examinations will be assessed according to the following criteria: 1) the relevance of the response to the requirements of the question; 2) the accuracy of the information provided, with reference to the required course materials; 3) the completeness of the response in relation to the requirements of the question; 4) the ability, where relevant, to establish connections with, and integrate, knowledge developed in other courses; and 5) the ability to critically rework the course content and draw on it to construct well-founded responses.

The document Guide to Preparing for the Written Examination is available on the Virtuale learning platform. Students are required to consult it before taking the written examination.

The use of artificial intelligence tools in any form is prohibited during both the written and oral examinations. This prohibition covers chatbots, text generators, AI-based translation tools, content-summarisation tools, and AI-enabled features integrated into electronic devices, with the exception of any assistive technologies that have been explicitly authorised. Any unauthorised use of such tools constitutes a breach of the examination rules and of the principles of academic honesty and integrity set out in the University Policy, and may result in the invalidation of the examination by the instructor, who remains responsible for determining the validity of the assessment process as a whole.

Teaching tools

Digital presentations.

Authentic documents and materials.

Video recordings.

Case studies and online activities.

Students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLDs) are advised to contact the relevant University service well in advance. Any proposed adaptations must be submitted to the course instructor for approval at least 15 days before the examination. The instructor will assess their appropriateness in relation to the course learning outcomes.

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Marcuccio