Innovative teaching strategies: enhancing the soft-skilloriented approach through integrated onsite-online learning environments

ABSTRACT The integration of ICT in Higher Education requires reflective design by teachers. In particular, from recent international research on the subject, it emerges that the perspective of the TPCK framework (Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge) can favour an effective design reasoning of teachers. Teaching practice requires the implementation of innovative organizational models for the creation of learning environments that offer continuity between classroom and distance learning (Hybrid Instruction Solution). The empirical mix-method research involved a group of volunteer teachers of different teachings. The objective was to design and implement innovative teaching solutions using ICT in onsite/online environments to enhance specific soft skills in students. The results of a questionnaire (CAWI) given to incoming and outgoing teachers from the experience of designing and conducting the didactic action will be presented. the TPCK perspective design of integrated learning environments and the reasoned choice of coherent methodologies seem to make a soft-skilloriented didactics feasible

Instructional planning and new technologies in teacher education: the initial phase of a research project

The purpose of this work is to present the initial phase of a research project focused on the integration of technologies in the education of kindergarten and primary school student teachers through instructional planning. Firstly, we illustrate a tool designed for planning integrated learning units and describe the training path in which it was used. Secondly, we report the results of a preliminary study conducted with 96 students attending a university course that investigates two personal traits considered as prerequisites for using the tool: perceived proficiency in technology use, and opinions on the importance of each constituent element of the tool. With regard to both traits, some statistically significant variations emerged. The results obtained are an encouragement to continue the research project to verify whether the tool could be suitable to help student teachers develop an integrated planning procedure

Integrare le ICT nella didattica universitaria

Negli ultimi anni la sfida per il miglioramento della qualit\ue0 della didattica ha spinto sempre pi\uf9 le universit\ue0 a orientarsi verso modelli learner-centered, nella direzione socio-costruttivista dell\u2019allestimento di ambienti d\u2019apprendimento integrati. Numerose ricerche, infatti, sottolineano come il cambiamento sia favorito dallo sviluppo di processi trasformativi che, unitamente alla considerazione delle concezioni sull\u2019apprendimento e sull\u2019insegnamento, affrontino sistematicamente la progettazione didattica, integrando le diverse conoscenze dei docenti relative ai contenuti, alle metodologie e alle tecnologie. In particolare, le riflessioni sull\u2019uso delle ICT hanno sviluppato studi teorici e analisi metodologiche volti a ripensare il loro impiego, anche nell\u2019ambito della didattica universitaria, considerandole sempre pi\uf9 come strumenti utili sia sul piano cognitivo (per ricercare, produrre, rielaborare e far interagire il sistema dei saperi), sia su quello socio-culturale (per favorire processi di comunicazione, sviluppo, condivisione e scambio)

Dialogue exchanges between children's centers and families: building digital narratives with Digital Storytelling for educational documentation

The integrated system of education and training 0-6 years children (D.L. 65/17) highlights the primary educational function of families by encouraging their involvement in the educational and school community. This confirms the horizontal educational continuity between families and services for 0-6, as an undisputed indicator of quality. Communication represents a founding element in the methodological approach of socio-cultural animation. It places educational services in privileged places in activating participatory processes and empowerment development for family education. Within this perspective, the integration of ICT in the promotion and mediation of communication processes is now at the center of a debate of scientific and methodological interest. The results of a project-based research will be presented on digital narrative documentation developed in a network of 8 childcare centers and involving 184 parents. The Digital Storytelling technique was used to define possible strategies and actions to innovate communication practices and activate participatory processes. The construction of a pedagogical environment based on accessibility and sustainability favored by the adoption of digital documentation practices emerged as an effective communication strategy with families

Towards an ICT-TPCK based design: Hybrid Solution for the development of soft skills in Higher Education

The implementation of the ICT-TPCK integrated design procedures (Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge) can foster an effective teachers\u2019 planning thinking. The aim is to consider all the elements as essen- tial to develop an effective integration of ICT in teaching in HIS (Hybrid Instruction Solution) learning environments. A mixed methods study was carried out in 2017-18 involving 42 volunteer teachers. The goal was to design and to implement some onsite/online hybrid solutions to enhance speci c soft skills in the eld of curricular disciplinary teaching. A structured questionnaire was built, administered in and out, and could lead to interesting re ections on some issues that are still open in the Higher Education area: the quality and objectives of teacher training; the effective overcoming of the frontal lesson; the relationship between technological affordances and methodological approaches

Questioni metodologiche, soft skill e integrazione delle ICT

Nell\u2019ambito della diffusa attenzione verso la didattica universitaria, in termini innovativi e qualificanti, \ue8 ormai consolidata l\u2019opportunit\ue0 di considerare tra loro collegati tre nodi complessi: la questione metodologica, l\u2019integrazione delle ICT, lo sviluppo congiunto di hard skill (disciplinari) e di soft skill (trasversali). Il presente contributo intende offrire alcune riflessioni metodologiche sulla formazione accademica in prospettiva learner-centered considerando, tra altri fattori, l\u2019utilizzo delle ICT questione cruciale

Learning by design nell’intersezione tra discipline, metodologie didattiche e tecnologie

Due to ICT integration in Higher Education, deep cognitive-procedural structures of teachers’ thinking are being modified, as teachers are called to link their subject matter, methodology and technology knowledge to foster meaningful learning (Angeli, Valanides, 2005; 2009; 2013). Here are presented the results of Phase 1 (briefing for design) of a mix-method research on ICT-TPCK framework implementation in blended learning context (Higher Education). The research engaged 25 teachers of 3 macroareas and 1615 students. From the analysis of categorical data emerging from the use of document of design, diaries and focus groups are emerging evidence on the potential offered by integrating Instructional design in relation to methodological and technological innovation; student involvement; personalized learning (work life balance).L’integrazione delle ICT investe le strutture profonde cognitivo-progettuali dei docenti impegnandoli come “designer” nella coniugazione di saperi disciplinari, metodologici e tecnologici volti a sviluppare apprendimento significativo (Angeli, Valanides, 2005; 2009; 2013). Si propongono i risultati della I fase (“briefing for design”) di una ricerca mix-method sull’implementazione del framework ICT-TPCK (blended learning nella didattica universitaria) svolta con 25 docenti delle 3 macro-aree e 1615 studenti. Dall’analisi categoriale dei dati tratti da document of design, diari e focus group sono emerse evidenze sul potenziale offerto dalla progettazione integrata per l’innovazione di metodologie didattiche e tecnologie; coinvolgimentoe partecipazione degli studenti; personalizzazione dell’apprendimento (work life balance)