32855 - Educational Theories and Models of Gender Differences

Learning outcomes

 At the end of the course students will

- KNOW the “history of genders” of the twentieth century: both the most important legal, cultural, social economic changes and authors, theories and cultural trends which have mainly influenced education;

- KNOW the educational models that have transformed knowledge and beliefs on genders in everyday practice;

- REFLECT on the concepts of  diversity and differences with references to multi-disciplinary knowledge;

- KNOW the concept of personal identity, its polysemy in various spheres, its plural meanings in contemporary context and its process of discoveries - elaboration - construction - comparison from pedagogic point of view;

- KNOW the process and elements involved in the building of the identity of gender starting from early childhood;

- RECOGNISE the procedure in which the worlds of culture and information establish the categories of “male” and “female”;

- IDENTIFY how educational contexts as social, sociomedical, cultural, recreation and sports services repeat/produce stereotypes, prejudices, categorizing on genres;

- PLAN AND REALIZE educational procedures for people applying to social, sociomedical, cultural services oriented to a many-sided behaviour towards "role tasks";

- EMPLOY a variety of language points and strategies in order to deconstruct stereotypes linked to the dominating paradigm of disjunction and reduction;

- PLAN AND CONDUCT cultural initiatives in towns, schools, for subjects in vocational training, at the same time developing each subject's peculiarity as well as plurality implied in the construction of gender;

- STIMULATE AND MANAGE education towards cultural change for the whole community also by means of initiatives of popular work;

- ANALYSE and evaluate disciplinary knowledge and their own knowledge using the categories of the paradigm of Complexity;

- KNOW the recent national and international texts on pedagogic topic in order to integrate purchasing and actively participate in the discussion on the quality of education on gender.

Course contents

The course will take place during the first semester (September-December 2018) at the Rimini Campus of the School of Psychology and Education, Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Educazione.

During the course we will analyse the educational theories and the main educational models which have been dealing with the gender differences in Italy, Europe and within the international context. Students will understand the main issues concerning the Gender Pedagogy and Education both the theoretical and the operational level and their common points. On the one hand, the course promotes the knowledge of authors, theories and socio-cultural movements which have taken into consideration the gender differences theme, in particular those who mainly influenced the educational field. On the other hand, it examines how the educational contexts - welfare, socio-sanitary, cultural, recreational services etc.- repeat/produce stereotypes, prejudice, gender categorizations and how educational intervention models have “translated" such knowledge and beliefs into daily praxes.

In addition to that, we will focus on the modalities through which education, culture and media create the categories of “male and “female" (through the analyses of commix, cartoons, school textbooks, games, toys, films, advertisement, childhood literature etc.).

The course works on the factors which influence the educators during their activity; it shows how to deconstruct, in a proper way, the gender stereotypes related to the dominant cultural paradigm (disjunction and reduction); Furthermore, it aims to encourage an education to the cultural change, in reference to the themes of construction of gender identity, addressed to the entire community. The course foresees a part about the possibility of planning:

a) educational projects for people who turn to welfare services, socio-sanitary, cultural services, aimed at the promotion of a variety of attitudes and behaviours toward the“role tasks" of gender;

b) cultural paths  addressed to the city, the school and institutions involved in education, aimed at the valorization of both the singularity (of everyone) and the plurality (of experiences) built in the construction of gender.

Readings/Bibliography

TWO BOOKS REQUIRED:
- Gamberi C., Selmi G., Maio M.A., Educare al genere. Riflessioni e strumenti per articolare la complessità, Carocci, Roma 2010
- Biemmi I., Leonelli S., Gabbie di genere, Rosemberg & Sellier, Torino 2016

YOU NEED ALSO TO STUDY ONE BOOK AT YOUR CHOICE:

- Albanesi C., Lorenzini S. (a cura di), Femmine e maschi nei discorsi tra compagni di classe, Clueb, Bologna 2011
- Bellafronte F., Bambine (mal)educate. L'identità di genere trent'anni dopo, Palomar , Bari 2003
- Biemmi I., Genere e processi formativi. Sguardi femminili e maschili sulla professione di insegnante, Ets, Pisa 2009
- Biemmi I., Educazione sessista. Stereotipi di genere nei libri delle elementari, Rosemberg & Sellier, Torino 2010
- Contini M., Ulivieri S., Donne, famiglia, famiglie, Guerini, Milano 2010
- De Luigi N., Gobbi L., Giovani e genere. L'immaginario degli studenti sammarinesi, Carocci, Roma 2010
- Gigli A. (a cura di), Maestra, Sara ha due mamme?, Guerini, Milano 2011
- Leonelli S., Selmi G. (a cura di), Genere, corpi e televisione. Sguardi di adolescenti, ETS, Pisa 2013
- Ulivieri S. (a cura di), Le bambine nella storia dell'educazione, Laterza, Roma-Bari 1999 (only 5 cap. at your choice)
- Ulivieri S.(a cura di), Educazione al femminile. Una storia da scoprire, Ets, Pisa 2007
- Ulivieri S. (a cura di), Corpi violati. Condizionamenti educativi e violenze di genere, Franco Angeli, Milano 2014

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons; group work; guided discussions; showing of documentaries and videos. The course foresees the presentation and the analysis of basic texts, with moments of deepening and discussion. Students will work in groups on issues treated and agreed in class; case analysis; simulations during classes; role-playing; construction of educational projects.

Assessment methods

The final assessment is based a verbal exam in Italian language.

Teaching tools

PC, Internet, power point, web resources

Office hours

See the website of Silvia Leonelli