97029 - History of Pedagogy

Academic Year 2023/2024

  • Docente: Dorena Caroli
  • Credits: 2
  • SSD: M-PED/02
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Professional education (cod. 8477)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student: - will know the historical development of the main pedagogical theories; - acquires interpretative tools, regarding the main theories and methodologies of 20th century pedagogy and is able to place their professional and methodological profile within this frame. He is able to use his knowledge in order to have a constructive critical view of the models applied in the contemporary world. He is able to pursue a continuous updating of his knowledge independently.

Course contents

The course intends to present some of the most important authors in terms of the dual educational intervention and treatment of disability. We will start with J.J. Rousseau to continue with the doctor and educator Itard and the study of the wild child to advance with the study with come topics of the history of disability and futhermore with significant twentieth-century authors to reflect also on the history of educational problems and their solution in different historical contexts.

Introduction: From Rousseau to Itard (XVIII-XIX): the case of the wild child and the problem of deaf-mutism. Features of educational intervention: the debate between the french and the german method.

The so-called show of the disabled persons ("the freaks" phenomenon) through centuries;

History of educational institutions and types of disabilities: blindness and educational treatmen;

Maria Montessori, the education of oligophrenic childrenand the "scientific objects";

The conception of Hans Asperger and the encoding of the autism spectrum.

Readings/Bibliography

The listed authors should be studied on the textbook:

F. De Giorgi (a cura di), Storia della pedagogia, Brescia, Scholé, 2021  Rousseau, Montessori e don Milani (the last ne only for students who choose Letter to a Teacher).

Or in a textbook such as Ugo Avalle, Michele Maranzana, Pensare ed educare. Storia, testi e laboratorio di pedagogia, voll. 2 e 3, Milano, Paravia, 2003 (only the pages corresponding to the main Authors); students can also study the authors in other textbooks about the history of the pedagogy.

The studentes should prepare also the following chapters:

Schianchi M., Storia della disabilità. Dal castigo degli dèi alla crisi del welfare, Roma, Carocci, 2018 (la parte su sordomutismo, cecità e trattamento dei malati di mente).

Reading at your choise from the five following volumes:

Don Milani, Lettera a una professoressa, all editions;

P. Freire, Pedagogia degli oppressi, all editions;

Basaglia F. (a cura di), L'istituzione negata. Rapporto da un ospedale psichiatrico. Con nota introduttiva di F. Ongaro Basaglia, Baldini e Castoldi, Milano, 2018 (3 chapters on your choise)

Gecchele M., Dal Toso P. (a cura di), Educare alla diversità. Una prospettiva storica, Pisa, Edizioni ETS, 2019 (2 capitoli a scelta)

Riccardi R., Un cuore da campione. Storia di Ludvig Guttman, inventore delle paralimpiadi, Firenze, Giuntina, 2021.

Further critical studies and (eventually optional )readings

Canevaro A., J. Gaudreau, Dai primi tentativi alla pedagogia moderna, Roma, Carocci, 1988.

Crispiani, P., Storia della pedagogia speciale: l’origine, lo sviluppo, la differenziazione, Pisa, ETS, 2016, pp. 782 (chapter about Hans Asperger).

Foucault M., Gli anormali. Corso al Collège de France (1974-1975), Milano, Feltrinelli, 2017, pp. 322.

A case of representation of disabled persons in the literature:

De Amicis E., Nel giardino della follia, a cura di R. Fedi, Firenze, lLe Cariti Editore, 2002.

About th ehistory of abandonment, risk behaviour of youth and disabilityin Esatern Europe:

Caroli, D., Abbandono, fame e devianza dei giovani in URSS, «Storia e problemi contemporanei», 27, 2001, pp. 173-202

Caroli, D., Bambini anormali nella Russia pre-rivoluzionaria e sovietica, in M. Ferrari (a cura di), I bambini di una volta. Problemi di metodo. Studi per Egle Becchi, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2006, pp. 195-241.


Teaching methods

Lectures presenting the main theories in relation to the history of educational institutions of the nineteenth century with an introduction on Rousseau and Itard (XVIII-XIX) on the discovery of the child and the birth of special education).

Moments of discussion and confrontation on educational problems of teh past on the basis of written texts produced by students (on particular topics).

Assessment methods

The final exam will be written and consists in 3 questions, with open answer in the form of brief essay, lasting 90 minutes. In order to pass the examination, it is compulsory to answer to all 3 questions. The preparation of short texts during the lessons is also required, which will be taken into account during the exam.

In the event that the health situation of Covid 19 reveals new critical periods, the exam will be carried out orally on the TEAMS platform (you must register through Almaesami).

The evaluation will be in thirties.

To pass the exam, it is necessary to register via the electronic bulletin board (AlmaEsami), in compliance with the deadlines set. Those who fail to register due to technical problems by the scheduled date, are required to communicate (and in any case before the official closing of the registration lists) the problem to the didactic secretariat.

It will be the faculty of the teacher to admit them to pass the examination. The evaluation will take into account the following indicators: 1. knowledge of the contents of the discipline and in particular of the authors and of the educational problem they face; 2. ability to analyze a text and to elaborate the single parts in a concise and exhaustive way 3. reworking and personal critical reflection and clear exposition of the concepts of the discipline 4. reflections and insights elaborated in the classroom. The final grade will be in thirtieths. Verification of learning and knowledge acquisition takes place through a written test lasting 90 minutes.

The objective of the exam is to ascertain the skills of analysis and understanding of the contents of the discipline, evaluating the ability to display, re-elaborate and conceptualize the contents learned. Particularly evaluated will be the student's ability to know how to orient himself within the sources and bibliographic material in order to identify them useful information that allows him to illustrate the aspects and cultural areas of the discipline.

The exercises produced by studentes during the lessons individually or in groups, corrected and accompanied by a summary evaluation, will be discussed during the lessons and will contribute to the final evaluation.

Teaching tools

Slides and other materials, videos.

The students will find the materials on virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Dorena Caroli