73308 - STRATEGIE DIDATTICHE E DI COMUNICAZIONE PER GLI ADULTI

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students: - they will know, understand and analyze the complexity of the assumptions that interact in a learning environment for adults; - they will know, understand and analyze the theoretical assumptions and debates on educational environments for lifelong learning and continuing education; - they will understand and analyze the approaches and teaching models for lifelong learning and continuing education; - they will know and be able to analyze best practices of educational interventions for the promotion of personal social and professional development; - they will understand the specific elements of teaching and Learning strategies for adults (objectives, methods, tools, resources, time, etc.., and their interdependence); - they will know how to activate synergies, for complex learning environments; - they will be able to design specific learning situation in presence and blended, related to particular educational and training contexts, in a cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approach; - they will be able to define the necessary functionality to the learning environment in relation to the structure of communication (video conferencing, virtual classrooms, interactions with tutors, chat rooms, message boards, email, etc.); - they will be able to analyze the quality of formal learning situations and their connection with the non-formal and informal learning; - they will be able to analyze the quality of learning and teaching materials and of the educational relationships; - they will be able to recognize the characteristics of human resources appropriate for the development of a specific learning context; - they will know how to coordinate the learning and teaching activities of several trainers to achieve consistent educational processes; - they will be able to identify the training needs for their cultural and professional development.

Course contents

ERASMUS students are invited to contact the teachers at the beginning of the course to agree on any changes to the programme.

The course will be held by Elena Pacetti and Piergiuseppe Ellerani (innovative didactics).
The course will focus on the digital transition, which calls for a development of perspectives in continuing education: on the one hand, the explicit expression of greater mastery of the digital skills that adults should possess; on the other, the innovation of models in adult education capable of developing the integration of even the most advanced technologies with forms of learning. The most effective adult training models - based on experiential, transformative, active learning - must therefore be able to consider both the new work organisations brought about by innovation and their hybridisation with digital environments enriched with tools and strategies. In this dynamic, it is necessary to reconsider training not only as an increase in skills for immediate spendability - as defined by the andragogical theory - but to operate for the support of a transformative forma mentis, both subjective and organisational, capable of self-direction of existential enterprise. It is no coincidence that the acceleration imposed on several dimensions by the systems of the so-called Generative Artificial Intelligence requires the formation of an adult with greater critical thinking, an ecosystemic vision, and cooperative skills.
The extension of the lifelong learning/education paradigm is now crossed by the multifaceted incursions of the digital, which intersects lifedeep and lifewide learning, amplifying the resonance of the increasingly lifelong training/learning/education processes, more and more onlife. It is a matter of considering certain pedagogical categories such as agentivity, generativity and transformativity particularly charged with meaning in adult life.
This means that the experience of using the course is the origin of learning processes. It follows that the design of experiences in the digital context (also understood as innovative didactics) can foster the formation of a forma mentis of the professional profile capable of using the digital to initiate new ways of interpreting and enjoying adult education.

The course will therefore address the issue of teaching methodologies in adult education, also reflecting on the educational challenge represented by digital tools for the production and dissemination of culture, hybridised by AI. In particular, the course will explore:
- the environments for formal, non-formal and informal learning
- hybrid environments for learning and the development of life skills;
- the digital in education;
- teaching methodologies.
Teaching methodologies accompany the theories of adult learning addressed in the course: in particular experiential and transformational learning.

The expected outcome is a dual awareness: of learning, on the one hand, and of adult-oriented practices on the other.

The innovative didactic design envisages the realisation and use of digital training environments based on the realisation of course artefacts aimed at transforming the contents learnt into dissemination and orientation proposals. The distance learning on the TEAMS platform and mobile applications (Spreaker and Spotify), will make use of the planned 35% of 48 hours (equivalent to 16 hours). The distance learning envisages at the same time modes of management of the course learning environment based on project-based learning, cooperative learning, design thinking, while developing a set of life skills correlated to the expected output profile. The content, starting from the teaching topics, will be co-generated by the students' study and assessed as part of the final examination.

Readings/Bibliography

Module prof. Elena Pacetti

For all students:

Bochicchio, F., Rivoltella, P.C. (2017) (a cura di). L'agire organizzativo. Manuale per i professionisti della formazione. Brescia: Editrice Morcelliana (chapters 3, from 6 to 8 and from 13 to 19).

One book between:

1. Ligorio, M.B., Cacciamani, S., Cesareni, D. (2021). Didattica blended. Teorie, metodi ed esperienze. Firenze: Mondadori Università.

2. Bonaiuti, G., Dipace, A. (2021). Insegnare e apprendere in aula e in rete. Per una didattica blended efficace. Roma: Carocci.

3. Rivoltella, P.C. (a cura di) (2021). Apprendere a distanza. Teorie e metodi. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore (solo la parte prima, seconda e terza).

Module Prof. Piergiuseppe Ellerani

For all students:

C. Biasin, G. Chianese (2022). Apprendere in età adulta. Milano: Mondadori.

One book between:

1. Maestri, A., Polsinelli, P., Sassoon, J. (2019). Giochi da prendere sul serio. Gamification, storytelling e game design per progetti innovativi. Milano: Franco Angeli.

2. Panciroli, C., Rivoltella, P.C. (2022). Pedagogia algoritmica. Brescia: Scholè.

3. Ellerani, P. (2017). Costruire ambienti per l’apprendimento. Cooperative learning, problem based learning, service learning. Teramo: Lisciani.

4. ENGAGE (2022). Competenze trasversali e digitali per il futuro del lavoro. Milano: Franco Angeli.

Teaching methods

The course promotes an approach based on participative and active teaching.
The classroom becomes a place increasingly focused on teaching-learning methods and techniques capable of stimulating and facilitating processes in their connection with the territory and the lifewide. The lecture will be supplemented by in-depth studies and direct comparisons with problems and innovative experiments. Students will be asked to play an active role, through discussions, case studies (also presented by privileged witnesses and experts), cooperative group work.

Assessment methods

The coursework concludes with an examination with a grade in thirtieths.
The examination is unique for the two modules.
The examination consists of two parts: the first will consist of a presentation and discussion of the artefacts created in the innovative didactic environment; the second part will consist of an oral interview aimed at verifying the theoretical assumptions of the course.
The examination will be accompanied by a descriptive rubric, already provided at the beginning of the course, in order to facilitate the recognition of the expected quality of both the artefacts and the final interview, through which the weight to be given to the two parts will also be defined.


In order to take the examination, registration via the electronic notice board Almaesami is required, in strict compliance with the deadlines.

Teaching tools

Teams platform, mobile applications (podcasts in Spotify), Video.

Technological tools, materials for group work (handouts, articles, case studies) will be used during the lessons. The lectures will possibly also be supplemented by the screening of documentaries and films and by cycles of "open lectures".

Office hours

See the website of Elena Pacetti

See the website of Piergiuseppe Ellerani