Innovation and Interculturality: New Horizons in Educational Research
Innovazione e Interculturalità: Nuovi Orizzonti nella Ricerca Educativa
Anita Gramigna
Università
degli Studi di Ferrara (Italy) – grt@unife.it
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9147-8832
ABSTRACT
Editorial for Formazione & insegnamento,
22(1). This issue explores the theme of innovation and interculturality in
the context of educational research, highlighting how these two elements
intertwine with advanced methodologies to address challenges posed by
continuously evolving social, cultural, and economic contexts. Through a series
of articles, the journal outlines new methodological approaches that adapt to
different educational realities and promote a transformation in the approach to
education. The quote from Paulo Freire, mentioned in the editorial, serves as a
guiding reflection on the importance of education as a tool for liberation and
social transformation, underscoring the urgency of an educational approach that
is both inclusive and innovative.
Editoriale per
Formazione & insegnamento, 22(1). Il numero esplora il tema dell’innovazione
e dell’interculturalità nel contesto della ricerca educativa, evidenziando come
questi due elementi si intreccino con metodologie avanzate per affrontare le
sfide poste da contesti sociali, culturali ed economici in continua evoluzione.
Attraverso una serie di articoli, la rivista delinea nuovi approcci
metodologici che si adattano a diverse realtà educative e promuovono una
trasformazione nell’approccio all’educazione. La frase di Paulo Freire, citata
all’interno dell’editoriale, funge da riflessione guida sull’importanza dell’educazione
come strumento di liberazione e trasformazione sociale, evidenziando l’urgenza
di un approccio educativo che sia al contempo inclusivo e innovativo.
KEYWORDS
Innovation, Interculturality, Educational research, Social transformation, Roots
Innovazione,
Interculturalità, Ricerca educativa, Trasformazione sociale, Radici
CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS
The Author declares no conflicts of interest.
RECEIVED
April 20, 2024
ACCEPTED
April 25, 2024
The title chosen for the first 2024 issue of Formazione
& insegnamento focuses on new methodologies
and intercultural perspectives that characterize the various contributions,
many of which intertwine intercultural themes, innovative educational
methodologies, and utilize intersecting factors between research and
educational practice. The contributions explore various dimensions of education
from both a theoretical and practical perspective, focusing on how educational
methodologies can evolve in response to diverse social, cultural, and economic
contexts, confirming the importance of innovation and openness to diverse
contexts and practices in educational regions. Freire commented on this topic,
and his view is well summarised by Shaull in his Foreword to the 30th Anniversary
Edition of Pedagogy of the Oppressed. His statement reflects the theme
of interculturality as a tool for liberation and social transformation:
“Education
either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate the integration
of the younger generation into the logic of the current system and bring about
conformity, or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and
women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to
participate in the transformation of their world” (Shaull, 2005, p. 34).
Not coincidentally, the three dimensions of innovation,
interculturality, and new methodological approaches in educational research
emerge as central in this issue.
Innovation is a keyword that
stands out in the description of the articles. Multiple contributions focus on
the introduction and exploration of new teaching methodologies and research
models that promote a transformation in the approach to education. Innovation
manifests itself not only through new theories or tools but also through the
application of established methodologies in new or non-traditional contexts, as
shown in the contribution that explores the ethics of care in the reception of
unaccompanied minors, or the one discussing the use of Artificial Intelligence
in higher education. Innovation, in educational settings, is not only
technological but first and foremostly methodological and conceptual. The
articles in this issue display a commitment to experimenting with and adopting
new teaching strategies that meet the needs of a globalized and multicultural
society. From the use of the empirical phenomenological method to investigate
ethics in citizenship education to the usage of visual narratives in contexts
of urban marginality, research highlights a common denominator: the urgency of
an educational approach that is both inclusive and innovative.
Interculturality, for its part,
represents a cross-cutting theme of various contributions, reflecting the
importance of considering diverse cultural contexts in educational research.
This aspect is prominent in this issue’s studies that analyse the intersections
between cultural identities, educational practice, and social contexts—such as the
articles that deal with training in marginalized contexts or educational
practices in medieval healthcare settings. Interculturality is indeed closely connected
to innovation, as it pushes researchers to rethink and adapt educational
methodologies based on different cultural realities. We live in a world where
interactions between different cultures occur on an everyday basis, and
education must reflect this reality: remembering how education has always been
a bridge between diversity and a driver of social inclusion.
The orientation to new horizons in educational research aims to
emphasize the perspective of openness and exploration that these articles bring
to the landscape of educational research: each contribution represents a step
forward towards understanding how pedagogy and didactics can evolve, in
response to contemporary and future challenges. The issue, indeed, suggests a
journey through emerging ideas and practices that could define the future of
education. The goal is to challenge Formazione
& insegnamento’s
readers: how can we, as educators, researchers, and policymakers, adopt these
new horizons in our daily practice? How can we ensure that innovation and
interculturality are not adopted just as trendy words, but rather as the active
principles that guide our educational interventions? We thus invite our readers
to reflect upon these questions—stimulated by the research articles we propose.
Hence, we prompt readers to consider these contributions as an open window onto
innovative practices and intercultural contexts that can inspire and influence
the regions of education—in a global perspective. These are, indeed, the
dynamics that, once again, position the issue of the journal as an important
reference point for those interested in pondering on how educational research
can continually adapt and respond to a rapidly evolving world.
We encourage you to explore not only what has been written but also what
these contributions imply for the future of education. With this spirit of
inquiry and openness, we wish everyone a stimulating read full of insights.
Below we outline, in summary, the themes and key questions addressed in
this issue of Formazione & insegnamento.
This section explores one of the innovative theoretical and
methodological approaches that are redefining the boundaries of educational
research, the empirical phenomenological method, and analyses how it can be
effectively applied in various educational contexts, promoting deep reflection
on the dominant paradigms in the educational field. Mortari
et al. (2024) show a particular application in the study of ethics for
citizenship in a primary school. This approach demonstrates how specific
conversational techniques can be effectively used to analyse and evaluate
educational interventions.
The articles in this section delve into intercultural realities,
examining how education can bridge diverse social and cultural realities. From
ethnographic studies in Brazilian favelas to research on the religious
practices of Umbanda practitioners, this section provides significant insight
into how education can facilitate intercultural dialogue and promote social
inclusion. Gramigna et al. (2024) offer an
ethnographic appraisal of educational projects in the Vila Torres favela
in Curitiba, based on Freire’s pedagogy of hope. The work explores the dignity
and life projects of the catadores,
highlighting the importance of education as a tool for recognition and social
emancipation. Purificação & Ripoll (2024), in the realm of
religiosity and cultural identity, develop a study on young Umbanda
practitioners in Brazil to illustrate how religious identity can interact with
educational institutions, examining the dynamics of inclusion and intercultural
identity in the school context. Boschi (2024a), with “The Educational
Metaphor of the Tribe,” reflects on the historical and contemporary
connotations of the term “tribe,” comparing indigenous traditions with modern
aggregative practices, and emphasizing the implications for cultural identity
and education. The essay “Ethics of Care and Self-Care” (Iori,
2024) delves into reception practices for unaccompanied foreign minors, using
theories of care ethics to explore new approaches in intercultural education.
In “Developing Character Skills, Values and Virtues through Experience” (Liverano, 2024), the discussion focuses on how
sustainability and character skills can be integrated into education to promote
sustainable development and improve young people’s professional prospects.
This section focuses on higher education environments, analysing the
impact of new tools and methodologies on learning and student entrepreneurship.
Using data from extensive surveys and the integration of artificial
intelligence into educational processes, the articles included investigate how
higher education is evolving to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse
student population. The study “The impact of the university environment and
entrepreneurial education on students’ intentions to start their venture” (Loukidou et al., 2024) use data from the Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students’ Survey (GUESSS) to assess how entrepreneurship education can
influence students’ entrepreneurial intentions, with particular attention to
gender differences. The research by Rodríguez et al. (2024) in a higher
education setting explores how AI tools can assist at-risk students,
highlighting the importance of a pedagogy that integrates advanced technologies
to support personalized learning.
The article by Calleja & Boşnak (2024), featured in this
section, performs a critical review of existing literature on the specific
topic of autism, providing a comprehensive analysis of evidence-based
strategies that support effective inclusion and authentic learning in general
educational contexts.
Teaching is at the heart of this section, which presents studies on
teacher professional development, new assessment tools, and the impact of
post-pandemic educational policies. The articles reflect on how teachers can
navigate and balance organizational, didactic, and formative needs in
continuously evolving educational contexts. Pettenati
et al. (2024) introduce a framework of professional standards for teacher
self-assessment, focusing on the importance of continuous professional
development in education. The article “Beyond formative assessment” (Scierri, 2024) presents an innovative tool (StraVI) designed to analyse formative assessment strategies
used by teachers. The study offers a methodological and psychometric overview
that contributes to the literature on education assessment, confirming the
importance of self-assessment and self-regulation in learning. Andreatta et
al. (2024) in the contribution “Principals and the fragile balance between
organizational, educational, and vocational training” examine the role of educational
leaders—and principals in particular—in shaping educational responses during
and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of interviews with principals
from different Italian regions highlights how they were able to balance
contrasting needs during a crisis, offering insights for effective leadership
in times of uncertainty. Ellerani and
Ferrari (2024) in their paper “The Contribution of Generative AI Ecosystems
in Micro-Instructional Design” discuss the evolution of educational digital
environments with the integration of artificial intelligence. This article
assesses the potential of such technologies to renew the instructional design
process, emphasizing both the opportunities and challenges posed by AI in
education. In his contribution, Cuozzo (2024) focuses on the importance
of developing conscious study methods from an early age. The qualitative study
with primary school teachers explores how study skills can be effectively
integrated into the educational curriculum, underscoring the need for a
conscious and structured approach to learning. The contribution “Potential
Pitfalls in Economics Education: Pedagogical Opportunities” (Mizzi,
2024) discusses traditional conceptions of economic education, proposing a new
vision that can better prepare young people to understand and tackle
contemporary economic challenges. The article invites a critical rethinking of
economic education, with particular attention to ethics and social
responsibility.
In this section, we delve into the historical roots of education to
better understand how past practices influence and inform present ones. The
articles explore the educational role of medieval hospital communities and the
meaning of childhood in folklore, among other topics. This historical analysis
helps to decipher the evolution of educational concepts and their applications
over the centuries, offering a valuable perspective on educational traditions
and their impact on modern pedagogical theories. Gualdaroni’s
(2024) “Educating to Heal: The Educational Role of Late Medieval Hospital
Communities in the Rhineland and Mainz” explores the significant educational
function performed by hospital communities in the Middle Ages. These
institutions not only provided medical assistance but were also vital centres
of training and health education. The study illuminates how doctors and nurses
acquired practical knowledge and promoted values of compassion and solidarity,
revealing the crucial role of such communities in the educational and social
context of the time. Marcelli’s (2024) contribution “The Myth of
Childhood in the Kalevala” investigates the representation of childhood in
Finnish cultural heritage. Through a historical and philological approach
inspired by the Greater Humanities for Education (Marcelli, 2020), the article
reveals how the text manages themes of childhood and education, intertwining
mythology and social reality to form a narrative that spans generations. This
study highlights the importance of folklore and oral tradition in bridging the
gap between educational practices and heritagization.
In the final section, the review of Etnografia della
scuola: La cultura materiale dell’educazione [Ethnography of School: Material Culture in Education] by Agustín Escolano Benito” (Boschi, 2024b)
offers a critical overview of a work that investigates the meaning of “school
material culture”. With a long career dedicated to research in the field of
education, Escolano Benito uses a vast archive of teaching materials to explore
how objects and school tools contribute to educational formation. The review
considers the author’s unique approach to connecting physical objects with the
educational experience, highlighting the importance of material culture in the
school context. The final review, in particular, in
direct connection with the historical-pedagogical section, invites reflection
on the practical and theoretical implications of educational research, linking
past and present in an ongoing dialogue about the nature and purposes of
education.
Andreatta,
C., Rossi, L., & Cianfriglia, M. C. (2024). Principals and the fragile balance between
organizational, educational, and vocational training: Insights for an impactful
post-pandemic school. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6979
Boschi, C.
(2024a). La metafora formativa della tribù. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1).
https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7000
Boschi, C.
(2024b). Recensione: ‘Etnografia della scuola: La cultura materiale dell’educazione’
di Augustín Escolano Benito. Formazione
& Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6741
Calleja, C., & Boşnak, Özge. (2024).
Inclusive Strategies for Children with Autism: Behavioural
Strategies. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7083
Cuozzo, G. (2024). Can Children Acquire
an Efficient And Aware Study Method since
Primary School? A Qualitative Study on Challenges And
Opportunities. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1). Retrieved from https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6657
Ellerani, P., & Ferrari, L. (2024). Il contributo degli ecosistemi di AI
generativa nella micro-progettazione didattica: opportunità e limiti. Formazione
& Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7233
Gramigna,
A., Lupion Torres, P., & Camargo, R. A.
Formazione e liberazione: Un progetto freiriano nella favela di Vila Torres a
Curitiba. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6844
Gualdaroni, F. (2024). Educare per Curare: Il ruolo formativo delle
comunità ospedaliere tardo medievali di Renania e Magonza. Formazione & insegnamento,
22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7251
Iori, M.
(2024). Etica della cura e cura di sé: Prospettive per la ricerca e l’accoglienza
di minori stranieri non accompagnati. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1).
https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6987
Liverano,
G. (2024). Sviluppare competenze del carattere, valori e virtù attraverso l’esperienza:
Una strategia per promuovere lo sviluppo sostenibile. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1).
https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6828
Loukidou, A., Morselli, D., & Sarri,
K. (2024). The impact of the university
environment and entrepreneurial education on students’ intentions to start
their venture: Evidence from the GUESSS survey in Greece. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7044
Marcelli,
A. M. (2024). Il mito dell’infanzia nel Kalevala: Un caso di fatalismo
formativo nel patrimonio culturale finlandese. Formazione & insegnamento,
22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7269
Marcelli, A. M. (2020). Greater
Humanities per la Formazione. Formazione & Insegnamento, 18(1),
144–156. https://doi.org/10.7346/-fei-XVIII-01-20_13
Mizzi, E. (2024). Potential Pitfalls in
Economics Education: Pedagogical Opportunities. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7111
Mortari,
L., Bombieri, R., Valbusa, F., & Ubbiali, M. (2024). Il Metodo
Fenomenologico Empirico (MFE) e la sua applicazione in una ricerca
educativa. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6920
Pettenati,
M. C., Tancerdi, A., & Martinelli, S. (2024). Il
Nuovo Bilancio delle Competenze per Docenti Neoassunti: Un Dispositivo
Flessibile Basato sugli Standard Professionali Minimi per l’Auto-valutazione
degli insegnanti. Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1).
https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7036
Purificação, M., & Ripoll, D. Encruzilhadas
de saberes: os despachos etnográficos de narrativas de jovens
umbandistas no terreiro e na escola. Formazione & Insegnamento. https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6922
Rodríguez, M. E., Raffaghelli, J. E., Bañeres, D., Guerrero-Roldán, A. E., & Crudele, F.
(2024). Exploring Higher Education
Students’ Experience with AI-powered Educational Tools: The Case of an Early
Warning System . Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1). https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/6976
Scierri, I. D. M. (2024). Oltre la valutazione formativa: Costruzione e
validazione della scala delle Strategie Valutative degli Insegnanti (StraVI). Formazione & Insegnamento, 22(1).
https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/7099
Shaull, R. (2005). Foreword. In P.
Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (30th Anniversary Edition, pp. 29–34).
Continuum.