Training for educational support at the nursery school. Elaboration and definition of a situated and transformative research approach for innovative university didactic

Abstract

The nursery school is a very relevant service and not only because of its educational and social purposes, but because it often coincides with the moment dedicated to the diagnosis or the start of the process during the years of attendance. The phase of diagnosis and subsequent steps, involve an extremely delicate moment for families that requires a staff prepared to accompany them “in the acknowledgement” (Montuschi, 2020) of their child's disability, the quality of which may affect their effective involvement in their life project. The Specialization Course for Support, at present, trains and qualifies teachers from kindergarten through secondary school, excluding nursery school staff. Exclusion, by the way, in strong contradiction with Legislative Decree 65 of 2017 establishing the Integrated System of Education and Education zero six years. Hence the implementation of a Higher Education project that can finally bridge this educational inequity by acting as a driver also in policy making change (Dainese, Pileri, 2023). These elements will be discussed and explored in depth considering a three-year research conducted by the authors, which has brought out the prerequisites for a Situated and Transformative Research methodology.