87123 - DIDATTICA DEL DIRITTO

Learning outcomes

The course covers the main tools, methods, and content needed to teach law and related subjects. Students will be taught to analyze the language of law and its use for an effective strategy in the teaching of law, to this end availing themselves of digital technologies.

Course contents

The course contains two modules.

Module 1 is aimed at acquiring basic knowledge in the field of psycho-pedagogical and law teaching training. The course surveys the literature on educational contexts and analyses the regulatory framework governing education and the teaching of law and citizenship under six headings as follows:

• elements of general pedagogy (paradigms, research methods, main authors in the current debate);

• John Dewey: pragmatism, education, democracy;

• learning theories and methods;

• strategies and the topic-based syllabus in the teaching of law;

• law and teaching (planning the teaching of law and of legal skills, the social functions of the law, and the basic legal concepts);

• law and citizenship (building a unit for teaching civic education).

 

Module 2 takes a more practical angle, with a focus on the teaching of law in upper secondary school, in keeping with the most recent guidelines. We will specifically cover the following topics:

• inclusive teaching;

• learning disorders (special needs, autism spectrum disorder), compensatory and dispensatory teaching;

• the distinction among skills, abilities, and knowledge;

• the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and its targets;

• civic education and digital citizenship;

• digital education;

• cooperative and peer-to-peer learning;

• real-world problem solving

• the flipped classroom;

• conceptual and mental maps;

• main methods of learning assessment.

 

In covering these topics, we will be analyzing the main textbooks on law and economics in use in secondary schools in Italy, including their e-book versions digital technologies for teaching.

Readings/Bibliography

The reference book of the course is:

-La didattica del diritto. Metodi, strumenti e prospettive, a cura di V. Marzocco, S. Zullo, T. Casadei, Pacini Giuridica, Pisa, 2019.

 

The coursepack includes lecture slides and materials for further reading that will be made available online at https://iol.unibo.it/

Teaching methods

Because the content and aims of the course are practical, students will be encouraged to have an active role: this means participating in workshops and group discussions in which the experience and practice of teaching the law can be explained and interpreted.

Assessment methods

Students will take a final oral exam covering both modules and the exam consists of 3-4 open questions on the entire program.

The final exam is aimed at verifying the knowledge of the topics and tools illustrated during the course and the ability to use these tools to plan a teaching unit in the legal field.

Teaching tools

In addition to the slides and coursepack, we will be providing illustrations and demonstrations for the different units, bringing in experts, viewing audio-visuals, and providing readings for further study.

 

Students with learning disorders or other impairments who need special aids can point that out to the instructor, who will make appropriate arrangements to that end.

Office hours

See the website of Silvia Zullo

See the website of Francesca Faenza