Favorire l’inclusione attraverso la promozione dell’interdipendenza tra gli studenti: uno studio esplorativo in un contesto scolastico vulnerabile

Abstract

From an ecological-cultural perspective, the learning paths of students derive from the way in
which individual characteristics, the functioning of contexts and the quality of relationships
interact each other (Bronfenbrenner, 1995). The relational experiences in school can significantly
influence the learning outcome of students and impact on the school success. The social network
within the classroom can be a source of support in the situation of vulnerability. School contexts
should therefore promote learning contexts that encourage positive interdependence, creating
conditions of positive interaction that allow full participation of all students, highlighting their
resources.
This paper describes an exploratory inquiry (Lumbelli, 1989), in which the experience of interdependence
was promoted within a group of students attending the second year of a vocational
school, through participation in an experimental project, aimed to improve positive interaction
in the class. The Social Network Analysis (SNA) was used to map the social networks of the
students and verified the quality of inclusion and participation in the class, at the beginning and
after the end of the activity. The results highlight a general positive impact of the project in
promoting interdependence within the group and the importance of the implicit cultural framework
present in the school, in the dissemination of a shared culture of inclusion, welcome and
participation.