69514 - Anthropology of Education (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the students will have learned the main theoretical frameworks of the discipline, and the methods of application of anthropology to various contexts and processes of learning in present-day world.

Course contents

The course will begin on the 26th of September 2019

Lectures timetables:

Thursday h. 12:00-15:00 and Friday h 9:00 - 12:00 Room 2, Via Zamboni, 33.

Classroom as a learning setting

The first part of the course, which serves as an introduction to the second, aims to survey the main anthropological theories in order to offer a common ground to think through and focus on educational practices in various social contexts, in an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective. The theoretical approach will refer to various ethnographic methodologies of investigation, with particular attention paid to the acquisition of abilities in intercultural contexts in the course of learning process.
The second part of the course deals with the topic of learning process in educational and working contexts, from the point of view of its social interactions.

The theories analyzed during the course are based on the assumption that the learner is an active agent that acquires abilities in a meaningful and inter-relational environment. Hence the study of the situated learning process is conducted in a systemic, relational and social perspective, and is therefore no longer centered on individual characteristics that would favor or harm personal developments.

This course originates from a consideration of pragmatic character, based as it is on research experiences of collaborative kind and conducted in various relational contexts: from educational ones (formal and informal, academic) to those of the enterprises and complex organizations. From ethnography it emerges how, in the learning process, it is not possible to promote any transformation in social and relational contexts if, at the same time, concrete experiences of dialogue, observation and listening are not made by facilitators and researchers.

The questions to which the course will try to give an answer are the following: how can one learn to become a researcher in contexts of everyday life like schools, academia and working environments, considering that the experience of being researchers regards the life of each and every individual and is not confined to a particular academic field like anthropology?

Moreover, what theoretical approaches and experiences in anthropology may result most useful in establishing a collaborative relation to other fields like, for example, psychotherapy? How can one activate processes of reciprocal learning (concerning languages, behavioral patterns, practices) that bring together various professional profiles that are encountered in the course of the research?

There will be meetings with experts coming from the field of education. The course entails the possibility to carry out research activities and group works, both inside and outside the classroom, for acquiring abilities through the application of the notions acquired during classes, so that the traditional learning context can be transformed in a veritable learning setting.

Readings/Bibliography

For students who attend regularly the course (3 mandatory readings):

Bonetti R. 2019. Etnografie in bottiglia. Apprendere per relazioni nei contesti educativi. Milano. Meltemi.

Ingold T. 2019. Antropologia e/come Educazione. Bologna. La Linea. 

Lave J., Wengers E. 2006, L'apprendimento situato, Trento, Erickson or: Dewey J., 2019, Come pensiamo, Milano, Raffaello Cortina.

 

For students who cannot attend classes (3 mandatory readings):

Benadusi, M. (2017). La scuola in pratica. Prospettive antropologiche

sull'educazione. Firenze. Editpress.

Bonetti R. 2019. Etnografie in bottiglia. Apprendere per relazioni nei contesti educativi. Milano. Meltemi.

Ingold T. 2019. Antropologia e/come Educazione. Bologna. La Linea.

 

Further suggested readings (not mandatory)

Antropologia, 2004: Scuola, Anno VI (4), Milano, Meltemi.

Bateson G. 1976, Verso un'ecologia della mente, Milano, Adelphi.

Lave J., Wengers E. 2006, L'apprendimento situato, Trento, Erickson.

Sclavi M. 2003, Arte di Ascoltare e mondi possibili, Mondadori.

 

Further readings (not mandatory):

Anderson-Levitt K. M.(Ed.) 2012, Anthropologies of education. New York: Berghahn.

Biscaldi, A. (2013). Etnografia della responsabilità educativa, Archetipolibri,

Bologna.

Bonetti, R. (2014). La trappola della normalità. Antropologia ed etnografia nei mondi della scuola. Firenze: Seid.

Boumard P. Des ethnologues à l’école. Paris: Téraèdre.

Capello C. 2016 Antropologia della persona. Un’esplorazione. Torino: Franco Angeli.

Dal Fior, C. (2009). Cosmologia di una scuola dell'infanzia. Counseling etnografico e riflessione pedagogica. Roma: Cisu.

Dei Fabio (a ura di) 2018, Cultura, scuola, educazione. La prospettiva antropologica. Pisa, Pacini Editore.

Dewey J. 2014. Esperienza e educazione. Milano: Raffaello Cortina.

Galloni, F. (2009). Giovani indiani a Cremona. Esempi di successo. Roma: Cisu.

Gillen J. and Cameron A. 2010, International Perspective on Early Childhood Research. Palgrave Macmillan.

Giorgis P. 2013, Diversi da sé, simili agli altri, CISU.

Gobbo F. e Simonicca A. 2014, Etnografia e intercultura, Roma, CISU.

Gobbo F., (a cura di) (2007). Processi educativi nelle società multiculturali, Roma, CISU.

Gomes A.M.R. (2017 [1998]). “Vegna che ta fago scriver”. Etnografia della scolarizzazione in una comunità di Sinti, Roma, CISU.

Gomes A.M.R., Gobbo F., (a cura di), 2003, Etnografia nei contesti educativi, Roma, CISU.

Gomes A.M.R., Piasere L., (a cura di), 2004, “Scuola”, numero speciale della rivista Antropologia, anno IV, numero 4, Roma, Meltemi.

Guerzoni, G. & Riccio, B. (eds.) (2009). Giovani in cerca di cittadinanza. I figli dell'immigrazione tra scuola e associazionismo. Rimini: Guaraldi.

Mc Dermott K.A. 1999. Controlling Public Education. University Press of Kansas.

McDermott R., Varenne H. 2008, Successful Failure, Westview Press.

Novara D. 2011. La grammatica dei conflitti. Sonda.

Ongini V. 2019. Grammatica dell’integrazione. Bari, Roma. Laterza

Peano G., 2013, Bambini rom Alunni rom. Un'etnografia della scuola, Roma, CISU.

Pescarmona I. 2012, Innovazione educativa tra entusiasmo e fatica, CISU.

Piasere, L. 2010, A Scuola. Tra antropologia e educazione. Firenze: Seid.

Pontrandolfo, S., 2004, Un secolo di scuola. I rom di Melfi, Roma, CISU.

Sansoé R. 2012, Non solo sui libri, CISU.

Simonicca A. a cura di (2011), Antropologia dei mondi della scuola. Questioni di metodo ed esperienze etnografiche. Roma: CISU.

Schön D. 1993, Il professionista riflessivo, Bari, Dedalo.

Teaching methods

A wide range of methodologies of teaching will be used to meet a varied set of needs and requests from students. The course will be conducted in a seminar-like fashion, and there will be group activities, with readings, presentations of ethnographic cases and film watchings. An active participation of students is requested, together with their willingness to contribute to the discussion of texts to be studied for the final exam.

Assessment methods

The student will have to hold an individual oral exam on the basis of the suggested bibliography, of the notes from the lectures and of the contributions made by their fellow classmates in class. The final evaluation is cumulative and will keep into account the students' involvement in any phase of the formative process. Active participation in class and in the lab activities is integral part of the final evaluation.

In particular, the following items will be tested:

command of theoretical and methodological basic knowledge as taught in lectures and seminars;

command of elements of theoretical knowledge as provided by the bibliographical leads;

capacity to critically scrutinize, observe, describe and analyze the various topics debated in the course;

the student's ability to critically integrate any topics debated in class, their critical use and the command of the scientific language will award them notes of excellence.

Students attending the course will present a group work in a seminar-like fashion during the last classes of the course: every group will be assigned an ethnographic case to analyse according to the methodology learnt during classes.

Teaching tools

Lab activities

For the schedule of the lab activities, please consult the instructor's website.

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Bonetti