A Project to Promote English Learning in Primary School: “An English Island®” E-learning Platform

The present study was aimed to investigate English learning as second language, in school, in first, second and third graders of twelve classes randomly assigned to a control or an experimental group. Children in the latter are exposed during English school teaching to the method “An English Island®” and to its platform activities. The method “An English Island®” offers a variety of strategies for teaching English in primary school, an innovative digital tool that promotes teaching/learning English language’s communicative approach, lead students to become familiar with the language in a sort of continuous, inclusive workout, in which everyone participates and talks. English skills as well as cognitive abilities are tested in both groups at the beginning and at the end of the school year with the aim to compare control and experimental classes in both a longitudinal and a cross-sectional design

Ambienti di apprendimento digitali innovativi: nuovi paradigmi

This paper focuses on the digital evolution as a protagonist of training and educational processes, within the national and international panorama. In particular, the paper identifies the origins of the current technological didactic perspectives and declines them through the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In addition, it focuses on recent didactic approaches adopted in digital learning environments, with a specific focus on MOOCs; with reference to this, it highlights the key role of the development of digital competence in teaching and learning. Digital competence is, in fact, declined as a key component of the eight key competences for lifelong learning and, in this sense, it is essential to reinforce and develop digital skills in teachers first of all

Measuring autonomy support in special needs teachers from a self-determination theory perspective: validation of the Italian version of the learning climate questionnaire

Introduction: Self-determination construct is a motivation theory used in professional and educational context to foster special needs teachers’ development of metacognition, and psychological wellbeing. The Learning Climate Questionnaire (LCQ) is a validate questionnaire used to underly teachers’ professional and personal competence, and improving social, emotional and career outcomes. The present paper aims to evaluate the degree of reliability (R1) and the adherence of construct validity to the construct of self-determination (R2) of the Italian adaptation of the LCQ. Methods: A confirmatory factorial analysis was conducted to evaluate the factorial structure of the LCQ in a sample of Italian special needs teachers (N = 953). Teachers was asked to complete an online version of the LCQ. Construct validity was conducted by relating the learning climate with the basic psychological needs satisfaction, measured with PBNSF, and with academic motivation scale, measured with AMS. Results: The analysis showed a good reliability (R1) and construct validity of the Italian adaptation of the questionnaire, with a high internal consistency compared to those obtained in other studies (R2). Discussion: Teachers’ autonomy support and teacher-student relation can positively impact the students’ psychological factors and enhance students’ learning motivation and academic achievement. Findings reveal that higher levels of learning climate could also be a key factor in reducing teachers’ negative stress and mental health consequences. Conclusion: This study may facilitate further research about the autonomy-supportive learning climate in educational settings in Italy