The theme of context has long represented a growing focus for pedagogical and didactic reflection and research; within this line of enquiry, spaces and materials are recognized to play a key role in shaping the mediation tools and strategies that teachers intentionally adopt to support children through significant learning processes. This study was part of a broader research programme regarding objects and materials in education and had the specific aim of exploring the potential role of unstructured materials, particularly those of an informal and undefined nature such as industrial waste products, within the educational programmes of early childhood services and schools. The initial research hypothesis was that use of highly unstructured materials would stimulate novel play and learning experiences in a contemporary manner, and would also encourage experimentation with a range of both expressive and cognitive exploration strategies. The reflections presented here were developed in the course of a training-research project that involved planning, testing and systematically observing preschool teaching programmes, with the primary aim of identifying the actions undertaken by the children when they encountered the materials under study. Analysis of the documentation collected indicated that these materials have interesting potential for use at preschool level, especially in terms of providing multidisciplinary and complex experiences. In particular, it seems that the use of such products intrinsically requires both adults and children to engage in planning and research

Il tema del contesto costituisce da tempo e sempre più un ambito di riflessione e ricerca pedagogica e didattica, nel quale è riconosciuto a spazi e materiali un ruolo di rilievo tra gli strumenti e le strategie della mediazione didattica, attraverso cui prendono forma le scelte intenzionali che l’insegnante fa per sostenere significativi processi di apprendimento con i bambini. Il presente contributo si colloca all’interno di una più ampia indagine su oggetti e materiali in educazione e intende nello specifico approfondire il ruolo che i materiali non strutturati, con particolare riferimento a quelli che presentano caratteristiche di elevata informalità ed indefinitezza quali quelli di scarto industriale, possono avere all’interno delle proposte dei servizi educativi per l’infanzia e delle scuole. Muovendo dall’ipotesi che l’utilizzo di materiali particolarmente non strutturati possa sollecitare differenti esperienze di gioco e apprendimento anche in modo contemporaneo, oltre che la sperimentazione di strategie divergenti non solo nella direzione di esplorazioni di tipo espressivo, ma anche di tipo cognitivo, vengono presentate alcune riflessioni maturate nell'ambito di un progetto di ricerca-formazione che ha previsto la progettazione, la sperimentazione e l’osservazione sistematica di percorsi didattici all’interno di scuole dell’infanzia, con l'obiettivo di rilevare le azioni messe in atto dai bambini nell’incontro con materiali che presentassero le caratteristiche descritte. L’analisi delle documentazioni raccolte ha permesso di evidenziare alcune potenzialità di interesse, in particolare nella direzione della multidisciplinarietà e della complessità delle esperienze, indicando una intrinseca dimensione progettuale e di ricerca, per i bambini come per gli adulti

Guerra, M. (2013). Unconventional materials at school: teaching experiences and educational potential. REVISTA LATINOAMERICANA DE EDUCACIÓN INFANTIL, 2(1), 105-120.

Unconventional materials at school: teaching experiences and educational potential

GUERRA, MONICA
2013

Abstract

The theme of context has long represented a growing focus for pedagogical and didactic reflection and research; within this line of enquiry, spaces and materials are recognized to play a key role in shaping the mediation tools and strategies that teachers intentionally adopt to support children through significant learning processes. This study was part of a broader research programme regarding objects and materials in education and had the specific aim of exploring the potential role of unstructured materials, particularly those of an informal and undefined nature such as industrial waste products, within the educational programmes of early childhood services and schools. The initial research hypothesis was that use of highly unstructured materials would stimulate novel play and learning experiences in a contemporary manner, and would also encourage experimentation with a range of both expressive and cognitive exploration strategies. The reflections presented here were developed in the course of a training-research project that involved planning, testing and systematically observing preschool teaching programmes, with the primary aim of identifying the actions undertaken by the children when they encountered the materials under study. Analysis of the documentation collected indicated that these materials have interesting potential for use at preschool level, especially in terms of providing multidisciplinary and complex experiences. In particular, it seems that the use of such products intrinsically requires both adults and children to engage in planning and research
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
context, materials, unstructured materials, teaching methods, teaching mediation, preschool
contesto, materiali, materiali non strutturati, didattica, mediazione didattica, scuole dell’infanzia
English
Italian
2013
2
1
105
120
open
Guerra, M. (2013). Unconventional materials at school: teaching experiences and educational potential. REVISTA LATINOAMERICANA DE EDUCACIÓN INFANTIL, 2(1), 105-120.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
51-195-1-PB.pdf

accesso aperto

Dimensione 450.19 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
450.19 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/45682
Citazioni
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
Social impact