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EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH. SOCIETY AND TEACHING-LEARNING STUDIES
Scope
The doctoral program in Educational and Social Research. Society and Teaching-Learning Studies leverages on pedagogical, sociological, psychological, and philosophical scientific fields. It is the effect of a long-standing research traditions of two Departments of the University of Salerno: the Department of Humanities, Philosophy and Education-DISUFF and the Department of Political and Social Studies-DISPS. The doctoral program faces the major social and educational challenges raised by the transformations taking place in contemporary social, formative, educational, teaching and learning processes (diffusion and use of new information and communication technologies, development of innovative teaching skills, interculturality and migration, emerging and latent forms of discomfort, educational poverty and socio-cultural inequalities, radicalization, violence, fundamentalism, etc.). It offers theoretically and empirically grounded responses to such challenges. Particularly, it aims to provide theoretical, methodological and technological competencies for basic and applied research in educational, social and health contexts, able to support educational, social, environmental, health and cultural policy design and evaluation.
Thus, the doctoral program aims to train highly qualified interdisciplinary professionals with competences not confined to academic research (where they find their formal recognition in public competitions) but also coherent with private sectors and in particular with contemporary knowledge economy.
The doctoral program is articulated into four curricula anchoring innovative technological and methodological skills in the pedagogical, educational, sociological, psychological and philosophical theoretical traditions, so attributing to research in the soft disciplines the role of driving a process of critical analysis and interdisciplinary innovation and professionalization, which is particularly urgent in contexts with an innovative lag.
Course Objectives
The doctoral program aims to respond to the challenges imposed on humanistic knowledge in today's knowledge-intensive economy by providing inter-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary and inter-sectoral competencies though face-to-face lessons, workshops, laboratories, seminars, socialization paths to scientific practices (scientific writing, publication processes in national and international journals, presentation of research outputs, management of information tools for the humanities, use of virtual libraries and digital databases, knowledge of national and international research funding programs, etc.) and field research experiences.
The balance between the specificity of the individual disciplinary areas and the interdisciplinary vision is guaranteed by the structure of the doctoral course, which is divided into 4 curricula that meet in interdisciplinary research areas such as those of innovative didactics, inclusive societies, social, educational and psychological processes, and inclusive educational practices. Referring to the different cultural and scientific matrix of the program, the themes of the course will focus on the analysis of social, educational, learning actors, contexts and processes with a focus on inclusion.
The excellence of the training program proposal lies both in the depth of the theoretical level and in the profound epistemological and methodological skills related to social and educational research methods (qualitative methods, quantitative methods, mixed methods and digital research); to the critical use of information technologies for social, educational and inclusion research; and to the ability to design, implement and evaluate inclusive social and educational programs, projects and interventions.
In addition, the program intends to enrich the research projects and, contextually, the professional profiles of the researchers with the support of innovative highly specialized training paths. Visiting research fellowships in international universities and/or research centers will be planned. More specifically, for the different research projects outlined in the program, there will be the possibility of targeted training paths to be selected from offers proposed by accredited international universities and research centers such as: Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis, University of Essex (UK); Digital Methods Initiative. New Media & Digital Culture University of Amsterdam (NL); Kingston Centre for GIS (CGIS), Italian Society for Special Pedagogy (SiPES), Italian Society for Research on Media Education (SIREM), Italian Society for Educational Research (SIRD), Italian Society of Pedagogy (SIPED), Collège de France, Assistance Publique - Paris University Hospitals, Université de Neuchâtel).
Not a secondary goal will be to promote multilingualism other than through international research experiences by means of compulsory attendance of language courses at the University Language Center and privileged access to foreign language proficiency certification pathways according to the Common European framework of Reference for Language.
The doctoral program also includes laboratory activities dedicated to the use of communication and digital technologies and qualitative and quantitative data analysis statistical packages.
Minimum expected products are planned for each year of the PhD course aimed at accompanying doctoral students in the individual research process and in the exploitation of research results. In addition to the progress reports expected at the end of each year, during the first year it will be necessary to develop a research proposal (including the research design and a literature review on the topic being researched). During the second year, at least one presentation at a national or international conference and the presentation of the individual research project to the Doctoral Board, open to collegial and peer-to-peer discussion of the intermediate research milestones, will be scheduled. During the third year, in addition to a preliminary version of the doctoral dissertation, a submission of a paper to a scientific journal will be required.
Intended occupational and professional outlets
From an occupational and professional point of view, the doctoral program aims at providing knowledge and skills coherent with the needs of private and public research centers, educational centers, public administrations, and all institutions where research is placed at the service of innovation, evaluation and analysis of social and educational processes:
- Public and private research institutions: universities, research centers, research divisions, observatories, laboratories, documentation centers, evaluation groups.
- Educational institutions: universities, educational institutions, training organizations, e-learning centers, Teaching and Learning Centers, etc.
- Third Sector: Foundations, Associations, NGOs, non-governmental organizations, etc.
- Public Administration: European and International Agencies and Institutions; Departments and Ministries (e.g. Ministry of Education and Merit, Ministry of Universities and Research), Evaluation Agencies (INVALSI; INDIRE; ANVUR), Social, Cultural and Health Policy, Superintendencies, Regions, Municipalities, Health Authorities, social-educational services, etc.
- Businesses: publishing companies, international companies, digital platforms, museums, etc.
Professional profiles
PhDs will be able to enter the labor market as:
Social researchers, social and educational research methodologists, public policy evaluators, docimologists- Social, health, educational, training and cultural planners
C. counselors, scholars of processes related to learning (as well as diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders), cultural mediators - Educational technologists (designers of learning environments, educational video game, connected learning environments, etc.) and designers of serious and edu games, educational and learning apps
Consistency with the objectives of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR)
The educational concept of the doctoral program is characterized by the inter-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary and inter-curricular matrix consistent with the transversal priorities of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the goal of strengthening the potential of the younger generation by closing the skills gap with other European countries, including Key enabling technologies.
The doctoral course responds to the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030 and the three strategic axes of the PNRR, particularly digitization and innovation, ecological transition and social inclusion by promoting their interconnection. In fact, the educational offer is founded around the concept of inclusive and sustainable societies, made possible by the potential offered by a critical use of digitization both on the research side (e.g., through the digital research pipeline) and on the inclusive education side supported by digital technologies.
In this sense, the doctoral course supports innovation for social inclusion by consolidating digital capital in slower-growing territorial areas (such as the South) and by strengthening the attention to minority and vulnerable population.
With reference to the Plan missions, the doctoral course directly insists on:
- Mission 4. Education and Research: in particular with the aim of developing research, analysis, monitoring, evaluation and innovative and inclusive educational training skills, expanding the technical-scientific skills, triggering processes of educational innovation, reforming PhDs, training on digital transition, delivering integrated digital education tools, promoting methodologies for digitizing cultural heritage and designing connected learning environments, etc.;
- Mission 5. Inclusion and Cohesion: particularly on inclusion of marginal and vulnerable population groups and on strengthening social services and practices.
It indirectly insists also on Missions 1. Digitization, Innovation, Competitiveness, Culture and Tourism and 6. Health.
Last but not least, the doctoral course contributes to the acquisition of knowledge and skills which find an appropriate placement of the future PhDs within various labor sectors including Public Administration. Consistent with the PNRR and investment 4.1 referring to PhDs for Public Administration, the doctoral project proposes methodological solutions useful for the design, implementation and evaluation of policies and valid technology for creating integrated learning environments in schools and universities.
Moreover, the scientific fields of the members of the Doctoral Board fully corresponds to the CUN Areas indicated in Article 8 of DM 9.04.2022 No. 351 for Doctoral programs for Public Administration (Area 11: Historical, Philosophical, Pedagogical and Psychological Sciences; Area 13: Economic and Statistical Sciences; Area 14: Political and Social Sciences).
In line with the cross-cutting priorities of the PNRR, the doctoral program contributes to reducing the territorial and citizenship gap between the North and South of the country and the gender gap by providing an opportunity for strengthening humanities skills in innovative research in the South.
Curricula
| A | DIDACTICS, SPECIAL PEDAGOGY AND TECHNOLOGY FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION | The “Didactics, Special Pedagogy and Technology for Inclusive Education” curriculum, grounded in the recognition of the complex nature of Didactics and Special Pedagogy, aims to promote inter- and transdisciplinary educational models and approaches. The curriculum provides innovative teaching skills for the use of inclusive technologies and for digitization of cultural heritage focusing on the theme of differences with a view to individualization and personalization of educational processes in formal and non-formal educational contexts. |
| B | METHODOLOGY OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH | The "Methodology of educational research" curriculum aims to provide the necessary skills to deal with research in both theoretical-methodological and empirical-experimental fields. It promotes the development of empirical research skills by systematically cooperating with national and international research groups. The areas of specialization address the growing needs of both academic research and the labor market to: (a) develop complex interpretations of socio-cultural and educational systems and deepen their conceptual, theoretical and methodological models; (b) design and evaluate: methodologies, practices and styles of intervention of educational and training professionals; multimedia learning environments; modes and outcomes of the use of tools and ICTs; methodologies, educational techniques and actions to foster the development of methodological skills necessary for educational and docimological research. |
| C | SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL RESEARCH | The "Sociology and social research" curriculum aims to provide the theoretical and empirical tools for sociological analysis of the contemporary world and for understanding social phenomena from a macro, meso and micro sociological perspective. It intends to promote theoretical, historical, and epistemological knowledge of social sciences and to reconstruct the theoretical foundations of human behavior, human sociality and social institutions. Specifically, it focuses on the conceptual tools for decoding inclusive societies and their constituent factors by proposing a sociological understanding of conditions of social vulnerability, non-normative behavior, education and digitization, managerial and organizational processes, social transformations due to production, wealth distribution, changing environment-society relationship, sustainability challenges, and relationships between social, organizational and public policy systems. A constituent part of the course will focus on the epistemological and methodological foundations of empirical research in the social sciences. |
| D | MIND, KNOWLEDGE, SOCIETY. PSYCHOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY AS COMPLEMENTARY THEORIES OF COMPLEX COGNITIVE SYSTEMS | The "Mind, knowledge, society" curriculum aims to provide skills for the development of scholarly research in the areas of psychological and philosophical disciplines, with a focus on cultural psychology, cognitive psychology, dynamic psychology, neurosciences, on the one hand, and phenomenology, existential analytics, critical theory, gender studies, bioethics, and social science epistemology, on the other.
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Educational Plan and Research Project
The course lasts three years. Course activities include:
- Dedicated classes with compulsory attendance for doctoral students.
- Other learning activities: additional advanced training courses for which certificate of attendance is provided and subject to approval by the Doctoral Board; language courses; transdisciplinary seminars (research methodology, research management, research funding programmes, research transfer, intellectual property, open access data and publications, basic principles of ethics, gender equality and integrity, dissemination/communication and exploitation of research activity, academic writing).
- Guided self-study (literature review, scientific and academic literature, scientific resources and tools and applications, etc.)
- Supervised research activities to be carried out on-site and, for an appropriate period of time (min 3 months - max 18 months), in a foreign university or research institution.
Participation in Seminars, Workshops and Scientific Conferences.
Where expressly provided for and subject to the advice of the Doctoral Board, participation in teaching assistance of the university's courses in subjects of specific interest to the PhDs. - Writing of the Doctoral Thesis.
The regular attendance of teaching activities, certified by positive evaluation at midterm and final tests, as well as the regular performance of research activities, allows the PhDs to obtain CFUs (University Educational Credits). Each CFU is commensurate with the amount of work done: 1 CFU corresponds to 25 hours; 1 year corresponds to 60 CFUs for a total of 180 CFUs at the end of the three years provided for the completion of the doctoral course.
The Department of Political and Social Studies and the Department of Humanities, Philosophy and Education provide highly specialized resources and facilities to doctoral students in order to ensure the performance of their academic activities.
In particular, PhDs will have access to the facilities of all research laboratories of the Departments.
The Department of Political and Social Studies DISPS provides, only for the students of the PhD Program in "Educational and Social Research, Society and Teaching-Learning Studies only, the following courses:
| Educational activities YEAR I | ||
| Core educational activities | ||
| Course title | Scientific field | CFU |
| Epistemology of social sciences | MFIL 03 | 2 |
| History of the humanities | SPS/07; M-PED 03 | 2 |
| Educational and Social research Methods | SPS/07; M-PED 04 | 2 |
| Technology mind and mew media | SPS/08; M-PSI/08 | 2 |
| History and theories of complexity | M-PED 03 | 2 |
| Subtotal | 10 | |
| Seminars | ||
| Winter School Research funding Programs | 10 | |
| Summer School Academic Research | 10 | |
| Subtotal | 20 | |
| Conferences, Language Knowledge, Self-Study | ||
| Participation in conferences as a speaker | 10 | |
| Transition report next year | 10 | |
| Language Knowledge | 10 | |
| Subtotal | 30 | |
| Total CFU | 60 | |
| Educational activities YEAR II | |
| Activities | CFU |
| Characterising educational activities | 5 |
| Informatics seminars and workshops | 10 |
| Participation in conferences as speaker | 10 |
| Transition report next year | 10 |
| Visiting research fellowiship | 25 |
| Total | 60 |
| Educational activities YEAR III | |
| Activities | CFU |
| Informatics seminars and workshops | 4 |
| Participation in conferences as speaker | 6 |
| Publications | 10 |
| Doctoral dissertation | 25 |
| Final Exam | 15 |
| Total | 60 |
The individual research project is approved by the Doctoral Board and the supervisor(s) assigned to each PhDs. Normally, the supervisor(s) assignment is approved by the Doctoral Board during the first year of the course. The teaching plan and research proposal may be periodically revised, after approval by the Doctoral Board, to include any study and research needs arising during the PhD.
Internationalization
The Doctoral Program encourages and promotes internationalization, both incoming and outgoing. To this end, the Coordinator, the Doctoral Board and the Supervisors encourage PhDs to carry out periods of study or research abroad, at Universities, Research Institutions or other foreign public or private Institutions, making available, if necessary, their network of international relations.
The stays abroad are agreed with the Supervisors, in accordance with the specific research topic of each PhDs, and authorized by the Doctoral Board.
The members of the Doctoral Board support, according to their own network of international relations, the incoming mobility of foreign doctoral students or scholars. The Doctoral Board promotes Joint doctorate, Cotutelle programme, Doctor Europaeus title, and any other initiative contributing to strengthen national and international scientific cooperations.
In order to pursue excellence in the field of research, a Steering Committee composed of the Coordinator, national and international experts and professional representatives is being established, with the task of fostering the matching of labor demand and supply, measuring and adjusting the curricula to international research trends and concrete national and local professional needs.
