- Sociology of Education, Social Sciences, Education, Educational Research, Social Inequalities, Social reproduction, and 24 moreSocial Inequality, Equity in Education, Social Justice in Education, Comparative & International Education, Education Policy, Global and Comparative Sociology, History of Education, Social Research Methods and Methodology, Metodology of social research, Data Analysis, PISA and TIMSS Result, Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA), Student Assessment, Sociology of Knowledge, Social Stratification, Educational Policy Studies, Cultural Capital, Sociology of Science, Sociology, Educational evaluation, Higher Education, Big Data, Sociology Of Scientific Knowledge, and Sociology Of Technology (Science And Technology Studies)edit
This article presents the main results of a survey aimed at highlighting the process of choice-making related first to whether to continue or stop at the end of upper secondary education and then propensities toward those continuing their... more
This article presents the main results of a survey aimed at highlighting the process of choice-making related first to whether to continue or stop at the end of upper secondary education and then propensities toward those continuing their studies at the tertiary level in the various subject fields. In the case of those opting for a university, the aim is to reconstruct the cognitive process producing proximity or distance to the various potential fields of study through a technique called ‘mapping’. For the analysis, a configurational approach is adopted to explore and synthesise the composition of choices. On the one hand, through synthesis techniques for qualitative variables (multiple correspondence analysis, cluster analysis) in terms of the composition of choice baskets with moderate selectivity (low stake); on the other hand, through the simultaneous representation of choices using SNA-Social Network Analysis, to increase the level of selectivity (high stake). Once the choice baskets have been identified and characterised according to the ascriptive variables, systematic distortions of choice, according to social origin, gender, etc., are revealed
Research Interests:
This chapter assesses inequalities in educational outcomes in Italy linking their evolution to changes in the Italian educational system. We analyze how to track choice and performance in PISA tests among 15-year olds are influenced by... more
This chapter assesses inequalities in educational outcomes in Italy
linking their evolution to changes in the Italian educational system. We analyze
how to track choice and performance in PISA tests among 15-year olds are influenced by social origins. We consider how inequalities by social origins are intertwined with inequalities by immigrant status and area of residence. We detect a
small reduction of inequalities in participation in the academic track and a reduction
of inequality in achievement limited to the northern regions, but overall our results
show high inertia in the reproduction of social inequalities. These results are
observed during a period where the reduction of inequalities in education has
remained a marginal issue in the policy debate as well as a marginal target of
educational policies.
linking their evolution to changes in the Italian educational system. We analyze
how to track choice and performance in PISA tests among 15-year olds are influenced by social origins. We consider how inequalities by social origins are intertwined with inequalities by immigrant status and area of residence. We detect a
small reduction of inequalities in participation in the academic track and a reduction
of inequality in achievement limited to the northern regions, but overall our results
show high inertia in the reproduction of social inequalities. These results are
observed during a period where the reduction of inequalities in education has
remained a marginal issue in the policy debate as well as a marginal target of
educational policies.
Research Interests:
Historically youth transitions have been a central feature of how youth studies have conceptualized and theorized the notion of youth. This special section aims to continue and contribute to the reimagining of transitions in a complex and... more
Historically youth transitions have been a central feature of how youth studies have conceptualized and theorized the notion of youth. This special section aims to continue and contribute to the reimagining of transitions in a complex and ever-changing world. What is interesting to note is that social acceleration processes have an impact on people’s lives. This impact involves many aspects of personal and social life, and, compared to the previous era, the speed of these changes has visibly increased. What emerge from current debate on youth is the pressure to be part of a mechanism that predisposes people to be constantly active, without having the possibility to stop and reflect, or simply to enjoy the moment they are living. In this sense, Italy is a particularly relevant case as it shows the multifaceted and complex reality with which young people have to cope nowadays when imagining and planning their future. Stemming from these data and considerations, this special issue of IJSE aims at investigating the multifaced nature of youth transitions, using the Italian setting as fertile ground. Its main goal is to bring together research and analyses on educations policies, experiences and interventions dealing with life transitions and adulthood by collecting contributions that examine the situation in Italy, comparing it with other similar or contrasting settings to delineate the state of the art and research gaps on youth transition studies in a controversial high-speed society.
Research Interests:
The autonomy after the Autonomy in the school. Premises, results and perspectives of an intermittent policy The paper proposes an overview of School Autonomy Policy in Italy from its debut to today. The analysis compares the premises and... more
The autonomy after the Autonomy in the school. Premises, results and perspectives of an intermittent policy The paper proposes an overview of School Autonomy Policy in Italy from its debut to today. The analysis compares the premises and promises of Autonomy by linking it to new phenomena that recently appeared in the world of school. A comparison is made between Autonomy and students' performance. The analysis is conducted from a multidisciplinary perspective by combining approaches that range from educational policies to the sociology of education.
Research Interests:
Apprendimenti a distanza a più velocità. L'impatto del COVID-19 sul sistema educativo italiano (doi: 10.12828/97097) Scuola democratica (ISSN 1129-731X) Early access La pandemia di COVID-19 ci ha messo di fronte a una verità di fatto... more
Apprendimenti a distanza a più velocità. L'impatto del COVID-19 sul sistema educativo italiano (doi: 10.12828/97097) Scuola democratica (ISSN 1129-731X) Early access
La pandemia di COVID-19 ci ha messo di fronte a una verità di fatto che molti faticano ad accettare: «Non siamo mai stati moderni» (rifacendoci al titolo di un classico di Bruno Latour del 1991). Il distanziamento sociale che sembrava poter essere abbattuto dalle possibilità di connessione tramite web, di fatto ha prodotto scenari che mettono a dura prova – oltre che la resistenza individuale nella vita quotidiana – il sistema produttivo e il sistema dell’education (includendo con questo termine sia la scuola che l’università che il mondo della formazione). Le questioni in campo, quindi, non sono da poco. Un sistema paradigmaticamente vecchio, nonostante la cromata verniciatura di ICT, non è ancora stato né sostituito e neppure lontanamente affiancato da uno nuovo. Tante sono le questioni organizzative, procedurali, infrastrutturali, pedagogiche, sociali, ma anche amministrative e gestionali che entrano in gioco.
La pandemia di COVID-19 ci ha messo di fronte a una verità di fatto che molti faticano ad accettare: «Non siamo mai stati moderni» (rifacendoci al titolo di un classico di Bruno Latour del 1991). Il distanziamento sociale che sembrava poter essere abbattuto dalle possibilità di connessione tramite web, di fatto ha prodotto scenari che mettono a dura prova – oltre che la resistenza individuale nella vita quotidiana – il sistema produttivo e il sistema dell’education (includendo con questo termine sia la scuola che l’università che il mondo della formazione). Le questioni in campo, quindi, non sono da poco. Un sistema paradigmaticamente vecchio, nonostante la cromata verniciatura di ICT, non è ancora stato né sostituito e neppure lontanamente affiancato da uno nuovo. Tante sono le questioni organizzative, procedurali, infrastrutturali, pedagogiche, sociali, ma anche amministrative e gestionali che entrano in gioco.
Research Interests:
Nel capitolo si opera una comparazione tra tre casi internazionali e l'Italia. Seppure con profonde differenze e specificità, è possibile identificare una serie di tratti comuni di quei sistemi educativi che sono in grado di conciliare... more
Nel capitolo si opera una comparazione tra tre casi internazionali e l'Italia. Seppure con profonde differenze e specificità, è possibile identificare una serie di tratti comuni di quei sistemi educativi che sono in grado di conciliare equità con efficacia. I tre casi analizzati nel rapporto (Canada, Danimarca e Finlandia) danno evidenza di una serie di interventi riconducibili a una serie di fattori tra i quali: I) un’elevata spesa pubblica in istruzione; II) un riformismo didattico spiccato che spinge a una metodologia didattica fortemente esperienziale e interattiva dove gli studenti sono incoraggiati ad allenare la responsabilità personale, l’espressione di sé, il pensiero critico in ambienti di apprendimento sono basati sull'apertura e l’informalità (le lezioni frontali sono meno frequenti o accostate a lezioni esperienziali pratiche, se non addirittura abolite del tutto nel caso Finlandese); III) attenzione al pre – scuola e alle opportunità formative non scolastiche per gli studenti di età superiore ai 16 anni; IV) attenzione alla formazione del personale docente ai vari livelli, finalizzata alla sviluppo di forme didattiche innovative.
Research Interests:
Che voto mi dai? Le dinamiche che costruiscono i risultati scolastici Il contributo di ricerca presentato si pone l’obiettivo di problematizzare i processi e le dinamiche che sono alla base dell’attribuzione dei voti scolastici, tenendo... more
Che voto mi dai? Le dinamiche che costruiscono i risultati scolastici
Il contributo di ricerca presentato si pone l’obiettivo di problematizzare i processi e le
dinamiche che sono alla base dell’attribuzione dei voti scolastici, tenendo in considerazione
gli effetti connessi alla contestualità e la «non neutralità» delle pratiche valutative situate.
Questa ricerca si fonda su una base conoscitiva di tipo qualitativo, costruita nel corso
di un intero anno scolastico in cinque scuole secondarie superiori del territorio romano
(differenziate per filiera, collocate in una stessa macro-area della città). L’obiettivo è stato
quello di tipologizzare i criteri di attribuzione del voto emersi dal campo e discuterne con
i docenti stessi, al fine di generare una riflessione collettiva sulla delicata pratica della
valutazione degli studenti. Il paper si conclude con una riflessione sulle forme di coesistenza
tra valutazione degli studenti e contributo delle grandi indagini standardizzate.
What mark did I get? The dynamics that build school performance
The paper aims to explore the processes and dynamics that underlie the attribution of
school marks, taking into account the effects of contextuality and the «non-neutrality
» of the evaluation practices carried out by teachers. The empirical research presented
here is based on a qualitative knowledge base acquired through a full school year in
five secondary schools in the Rome area (different types of secondary school, located
in the same macro area of the city). The goal was to create a typology of school marks
attribution criteria and then discuss this with the teachers themselves, in order to elicit
a collective reflection on the delicate practice of student assessment. The paper ends
by reflecting on how the evaluation of students relates to the results of the large-scale
standardized surveys.
Il contributo di ricerca presentato si pone l’obiettivo di problematizzare i processi e le
dinamiche che sono alla base dell’attribuzione dei voti scolastici, tenendo in considerazione
gli effetti connessi alla contestualità e la «non neutralità» delle pratiche valutative situate.
Questa ricerca si fonda su una base conoscitiva di tipo qualitativo, costruita nel corso
di un intero anno scolastico in cinque scuole secondarie superiori del territorio romano
(differenziate per filiera, collocate in una stessa macro-area della città). L’obiettivo è stato
quello di tipologizzare i criteri di attribuzione del voto emersi dal campo e discuterne con
i docenti stessi, al fine di generare una riflessione collettiva sulla delicata pratica della
valutazione degli studenti. Il paper si conclude con una riflessione sulle forme di coesistenza
tra valutazione degli studenti e contributo delle grandi indagini standardizzate.
What mark did I get? The dynamics that build school performance
The paper aims to explore the processes and dynamics that underlie the attribution of
school marks, taking into account the effects of contextuality and the «non-neutrality
» of the evaluation practices carried out by teachers. The empirical research presented
here is based on a qualitative knowledge base acquired through a full school year in
five secondary schools in the Rome area (different types of secondary school, located
in the same macro area of the city). The goal was to create a typology of school marks
attribution criteria and then discuss this with the teachers themselves, in order to elicit
a collective reflection on the delicate practice of student assessment. The paper ends
by reflecting on how the evaluation of students relates to the results of the large-scale
standardized surveys.
Research Interests:
Le strumentazioni digitali e il mondo dell’ICT hanno già da tempo iniziato a modificare il campo della valutazione dell’istruzione e mostrano di possedere tutto il potenziale per modificarlo ulteriormente. Un aspetto di questo processo è... more
Le strumentazioni digitali e il mondo dell’ICT hanno già da tempo iniziato a modificare il campo della valutazione dell’istruzione e mostrano di possedere tutto il potenziale per modificarlo ulteriormente. Un aspetto di questo processo è legato alle modalità di somministrazione, più efficienti ed economiche rispetto a quelle tradizionali (Bridgeman 2009). Tra gli elementi a loro favore vi è la possibilità di ampliamento e arricchimento che riflettano meglio i domini di competenze da valutare. Vi sono costrutti cognitivi che sono difficili da valutare con i sistemi tradizionali e che sono in buona parte emersi come parte integrante dell’era digitale (Kelley, Haber 2006). Inoltre, la somministrazione di prove in modalità digitale consente di indagare meglio le interazioni dinamiche tra lo studente e il materiale di valutazione (tempi di risposta, modalità di costruzione della risposta o di risoluzione del problema). Tuttavia, oltre alla questione della "economicità" e a quelle più strettamente tecniche, il digital assessment ha aperto una serie di dibattitti molto importanti per l’immediato futuro della valutazione in campo educativo. L’utilizzo di strumentazioni e pratiche di ordine digitale nelle valutazioni di larga scala costituisce uno sviluppo progressivo delle metodologie di valutazione tradizionali oppure comporta una profonda trasformazione pedagogica del modo in cui l’istruzione e l’apprendimento verranno gestite nell’immediato futuro? Gli autori affrontano una serie di limiti e problemi cruciali che emergono con la rapida diffusione delle pratiche di valutazione digitale.
Research Interests:
The paper, based on a broad framework of interdisciplinary literature, we intend to discuss how, in the last decades, the concept of competence emerges in the educational field. First, we aim to propose a reconstruction of “the journey”... more
The paper, based on a broad framework of interdisciplinary literature, we intend to discuss how, in the last decades, the concept of competence emerges in the educational field. First, we aim to propose a reconstruction of “the journey” of competences in the various contest, discipline and in many different debates. Secondly, we introduce some models of competences that are emerging both at the international and at national level. Moreover, we discuss how the competences are assumed as measurement parameters within the Large Surveys at inter-national level. Finally, some critical considerations on the topic are proposed.
Research Interests:
Giancola O., Lovecchio D. (2018),“Le indagini internazionali come standardizzazione delle competenze” in Benadusi L, Molina S. (a cura di) “Le competenze. Una mappa per orientarsi”, Universale paperbacks, Il Mulino, Bologna, pp.123-152.... more
Giancola O., Lovecchio D. (2018),“Le indagini internazionali come standardizzazione delle competenze” in Benadusi L, Molina S. (a cura di) “Le competenze. Una mappa per orientarsi”, Universale paperbacks, Il Mulino, Bologna, pp.123-152. ISBN: 9788815274298
Capitolo quinto
LE INDAGINI INTERNAZIONALI COME STANDARDIZZAZIONE DELLE COMPETENZE
1. Le indagini su larga scala e l’origine della «misurazio¬ne» delle competenze
2. Un tentativo di interpretazione del concetto di compe¬tenza nei LSA
3. Il caso OCSE-PISA (2000-2018)
4. Un sistema in continua evoluzione
5. La frontiera del «testing» sulle competenze degli adulti (PIAAC)
6. Abilità, skills, competenze, tra «cognitivo» e «non co¬gnitivo»
7. Gli effetti dei LSA in Italia
8. Gli LSA e il dibattito teorico sulle competenze
9. Per andare oltre
Capitolo quinto
LE INDAGINI INTERNAZIONALI COME STANDARDIZZAZIONE DELLE COMPETENZE
1. Le indagini su larga scala e l’origine della «misurazio¬ne» delle competenze
2. Un tentativo di interpretazione del concetto di compe¬tenza nei LSA
3. Il caso OCSE-PISA (2000-2018)
4. Un sistema in continua evoluzione
5. La frontiera del «testing» sulle competenze degli adulti (PIAAC)
6. Abilità, skills, competenze, tra «cognitivo» e «non co¬gnitivo»
7. Gli effetti dei LSA in Italia
8. Gli LSA e il dibattito teorico sulle competenze
9. Per andare oltre
Research Interests:
L’articolo presenta un’analisi critica dei cambiamenti che hanno interessato le politiche educative italiane negli ultimi due decenni alla luce delle spinte provenienti dall’approccio comunitario europeo in direzione del potenziamento... more
L’articolo presenta un’analisi critica dei cambiamenti che hanno interessato le politiche educative italiane negli ultimi due decenni alla luce delle spinte provenienti dall’approccio comunitario europeo in direzione del potenziamento degli investimenti in educazione e life-long learning come leva strategica di sostegno ai fattori di competitività e di contrasto alle disuguaglianze sociali. Il sistema di welfare italiano si trova lontano da una prospettiva di questo genere, per il basso livello della spesa dedicata, per l’assenza di coerenti scelte di policy, troppo spesso orientate a tradurre «retoriche» del mutamento senza conseguenti piani per l’effettiva implementazione delle innovazioni, e infine per il problema della grande varietà interna, anch’esso da riferire non solo a una questione di risorse economiche ma anche a profonde differenze nella capacità amministrativa regionale e locale. Di questi vari differenziali si occupa il presente articolo, cercando di rintracciare continuità e rotture che hanno segnato il cammino delle riforme scolastiche in Italia.
Research Interests:
Piccoli e grandi numeri nel mondo dell’education.
Il voto scolastico e il testing su larga scala come
oggetti sociomateriali
Il voto scolastico e il testing su larga scala come
oggetti sociomateriali
Research Interests:
Obiettivo del contributo è indagare i processi di allestimento e costruzione delle reti sociali che contribuiscono alla formazione di dati, infrastrutture e dispositivi informativi in campo educativo. Le grandi survey e l’uso delle... more
Obiettivo del contributo è indagare i processi di allestimento e costruzione delle reti sociali che contribuiscono alla formazione di dati, infrastrutture e dispositivi informativi in campo educativo.
Le grandi survey e l’uso delle banche dati, che rendono disponibili misure e comparazioni sul piano nazionale e internazionale, rappresentano un fenomeno emergente nelle politiche educative
assumendo un ruolo cruciale, strategico ma anche controverso.
I database, in tale prospettiva, non sono collezioni di numeri funzionali solo a rappresentare il mondo, sono piuttosto scatole nere da aprire e da indagare al fine di conoscere i processi sociali, tecnici, politici, professionali e scientifici implicati nella costruzione e nell’uso dei dati per farne emergere punti di forza,
problematicità e criticità.
Le grandi survey e l’uso delle banche dati, che rendono disponibili misure e comparazioni sul piano nazionale e internazionale, rappresentano un fenomeno emergente nelle politiche educative
assumendo un ruolo cruciale, strategico ma anche controverso.
I database, in tale prospettiva, non sono collezioni di numeri funzionali solo a rappresentare il mondo, sono piuttosto scatole nere da aprire e da indagare al fine di conoscere i processi sociali, tecnici, politici, professionali e scientifici implicati nella costruzione e nell’uso dei dati per farne emergere punti di forza,
problematicità e criticità.
Research Interests:
Drawing inspiration from the research conducted in Italian schools involved in the reform process, the article proposes to investigate two visions in the research on Sociology of Education: one distal and the other proximal. The distal... more
Drawing inspiration from the research conducted in Italian schools involved in the reform process, the article proposes to investigate two visions in the research on Sociology of Education: one distal and the other proximal. The distal vision is offered by quantitative research nowadays supported by extensive public funding and framed as comparative international programmes, while the proximal one concerns mainly qualitative methodological and epistemology perspectives. In an attempt to bring the strengths of each into focus, the article approaches these two visions.
http://eer.sagepub.com/content/13/1.toc
doi:10.2304/eerj.2014.13.1.47
http://eer.sagepub.com/content/13/1.toc
doi:10.2304/eerj.2014.13.1.47
Research Interests: Education, Sociology of Education, Social Research Methods and Methodology, Mixed Methods, Educational Research, and 8 moreEducation Policy, Qualitative Research Methods, Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA), PISA and TIMSS Result, Qualitative and Quantitative Social Research, Large Scale Assesment, Big Data, and Large Scale Assessment
(Paper in Italian & English version) The ‘comprehensivization’ of secondary school is a reform process that began in some European school systems in the 60s and 70s. With the comprehensive-type reform, a unitary scholastic model such... more
(Paper in Italian & English version)
The ‘comprehensivization’ of secondary school is a reform process that began in some European school systems in the 60s and 70s. With the comprehensive-type reform, a unitary scholastic model such as that which had already been in use for some time in the United States was introduced in a large part of Western Europe Countries. Our main problem has been verifying whether and to what extent the promises of greater equity linked to the comprehensive model, and those of greater quality linked to the selective one have been confirmed by the facts, comparing the respective results achieved by the comprehensive and traditional (or selective) systems, above all from the viewpoint of equity/quality of performance. In our contribution we shall deal with this issue, with an overview of the European panorama (based on different data sources) and summaries of papers dealing in depth with the situations in four countries (Germany, Italy, England and Sweden).
Luciano Benadusi, Orazio Giancola, Saggio introduttivo: sistemi di scuola secondaria comprensivi versus selettivi. Una comparazione in termini di equità (English version included), in "Scuola democratica" 2/2014, pp. 461-482, doi: 10.12828/77426
The ‘comprehensivization’ of secondary school is a reform process that began in some European school systems in the 60s and 70s. With the comprehensive-type reform, a unitary scholastic model such as that which had already been in use for some time in the United States was introduced in a large part of Western Europe Countries. Our main problem has been verifying whether and to what extent the promises of greater equity linked to the comprehensive model, and those of greater quality linked to the selective one have been confirmed by the facts, comparing the respective results achieved by the comprehensive and traditional (or selective) systems, above all from the viewpoint of equity/quality of performance. In our contribution we shall deal with this issue, with an overview of the European panorama (based on different data sources) and summaries of papers dealing in depth with the situations in four countries (Germany, Italy, England and Sweden).
Luciano Benadusi, Orazio Giancola, Saggio introduttivo: sistemi di scuola secondaria comprensivi versus selettivi. Una comparazione in termini di equità (English version included), in "Scuola democratica" 2/2014, pp. 461-482, doi: 10.12828/77426
Research Interests: Education, Sociology of Education, History of Education, Educational Research, Educational Inequalities (class; race; gender etc), and 9 moreComparative & International Education, Education Policy, Social Justice in Education, School effectiveness and school improvement, Education, education system, PISA and TIMSS Result, Educational Policy Studies, Large Scale Assessment, and Equity in Education
The aim of this work is to analyze the inequalities in educational performances among the Italian regions after the period of educational reforms started on the end of 90’s. The policies for decentralization and school autonomy have... more
The aim of this work is to analyze the inequalities in educational
performances among the Italian regions after the period of educational reforms started
on the end of 90’s. The policies for decentralization and school autonomy have
produced a wide range of local implementations and the picture which emerges on
examining the effects of those education policies in recent years is that of an extremely
dynamic situation with a wide range of local declinations. In this paper, using data
from OECD PISA 2006, we attempt to identify the dynamics that produce the
differential in educational performance (both between individuals and between
geographical areas) taking into account the effects produced by the students
background, the school-level variables (aggregated background, school track, etc.) and
the contextual factors, in relation with the new policy framework.
Keywords: regional disparities, school autonomy, social inequality, equity in education
performances among the Italian regions after the period of educational reforms started
on the end of 90’s. The policies for decentralization and school autonomy have
produced a wide range of local implementations and the picture which emerges on
examining the effects of those education policies in recent years is that of an extremely
dynamic situation with a wide range of local declinations. In this paper, using data
from OECD PISA 2006, we attempt to identify the dynamics that produce the
differential in educational performance (both between individuals and between
geographical areas) taking into account the effects produced by the students
background, the school-level variables (aggregated background, school track, etc.) and
the contextual factors, in relation with the new policy framework.
Keywords: regional disparities, school autonomy, social inequality, equity in education
Research Interests: Sociology of Education, Multilevel Modeling of Educational Data, Education Policy, Regression Models, Social Inequalities, and 9 moreLogistic Regression, Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA), Cultural Reproduction and Social Reproduction. Knowledge, Power and Education, Sociology of Education, Social Stratification and Inequality, PISA and TIMSS Result, Social reproduction, Equity in Education, Multiple Linear Regression, and OECD Education Policy
Research Interests:
Giancola O., Benadusi L., (2016), “Per una valutazione bilanciata nel sistema educativo italiano” in “Uno specchio per la valutazione della scuola: paradossi, controversie, vie di uscita”, in Ladri P. e Maccarini A. (a cura di), Franco... more
Giancola O., Benadusi L., (2016), “Per una valutazione bilanciata nel sistema educativo italiano” in “Uno specchio per la valutazione della scuola: paradossi, controversie, vie di uscita”, in Ladri P. e Maccarini A. (a cura di), Franco Angeli, Milano, pp.49-64, ISBN: 9788891740410
Il cambiamento delle politiche e l'avvento della valutazione scolastica; Gli organismi sovranazionali, l'INVALSI e i nuovi orizzonti di policy; La questione delle finalità della valutazione: il binomio qualità/equità; La questione del rapporto fra valutazione e governance; La pluralità dei livelli e degli oggetti della valutazione; Per una valutazione delle scuole bilanciata tra esterna ed interna; Conclusioni; Riferimenti bibliografici
Il cambiamento delle politiche e l'avvento della valutazione scolastica; Gli organismi sovranazionali, l'INVALSI e i nuovi orizzonti di policy; La questione delle finalità della valutazione: il binomio qualità/equità; La questione del rapporto fra valutazione e governance; La pluralità dei livelli e degli oggetti della valutazione; Per una valutazione delle scuole bilanciata tra esterna ed interna; Conclusioni; Riferimenti bibliografici
Research Interests:
This paper presents, a two-step analysis based on the new Piaac data (Programme for the International Assesment of Adult Population). Specifically: a) a study of the effects of ascriptive variables (as gender, parents’ education, etc.) on... more
This paper presents, a two-step analysis based on the new Piaac data (Programme for the International Assesment of Adult Population). Specifically: a) a study of the effects of ascriptive variables (as gender, parents’ education, etc.) on educational attainment in four age cohorts (born from 1946 to 1955, from 1956 to 1965, from 1966 to 1975 and from 1976 to 1985) aimed to produce an overview of the structure of educational inequalities over time; b) an analysis of the effect of the educational level when testing proficiency in reading skills (controlled by ascriptive variables and educational attainment). Thanks to the Piaac data features (which not only include background variables and the educational level, but also cognitive skills), this study aims to explore the advantage linked to the different educational levels on reading skills in the four age cohorts. Another goal of this essay is to analyze the influence of the ascriptive variables over the relationship between educational level and cognitive skills, in particular evaluating the effect of each of these independent variables and their dynamic over time.
Research Interests:
"Il nuovo scenario delle politiche educative: tra valutazione, quasi-mercato e l’emergere di nuovi attori" di Orazio Giancola in "Neoliberismi e azione pubblica. Il caso italiano" a cura di Giulio Moini (Edizioni Ediesse, 2015)... more
"Il nuovo scenario delle politiche educative: tra valutazione, quasi-mercato e l’emergere di nuovi attori"
di Orazio Giancola
in
"Neoliberismi e azione pubblica. Il caso italiano"
a cura di Giulio Moini (Edizioni Ediesse, 2015)
L’attuale crisi economica e finanziaria globale ha stimolato un
intenso dibattito scientifico, oltre che politico, sulle cause
della crisi stessa e sulle possibili risposte. In questo quadro si
è aperto un confronto sulle politiche orientate al mercato e alla competitività, con particolare riferimento alle caratteristiche e al destino del paradigma di azione pubblica di tipo neoliberista, che si è imposto nel mondo a partire dalla metà degli anni settanta del secolo scorso e che dura fino ad oggi. Ma quali tipi di politiche neoliberiste si sono affermate in Italia in questo stesso arco temporale? Con quali differenze e similitudini nei diversi settori di intervento? E cosa spiega la perdurante egemonia degli interessi e delle idee del neoliberismo in
Italia? Al fine di rispondere a queste domande, il libro ricostruisce sistematicamente, con un’impostazione critica e di tipo comparativo, le forme assunte dal neoliberismo italiano in differenti ambiti e scale di azione pubblica: bilancio e finanza pubblica, mercato del lavoro, welfare state, istruzione, programmi per le smart city, uso dello spazio urbano,
sicurezza nelle città.
Capitolo sesto
Il nuovo scenario delle politiche educative:
tra valutazione, quasi-mercato e l’emergere
di nuovi attori
di Orazio Giancola
1. Il mutamento delle politiche dell’education:
tra spinte internazionali e processi di decentramento
2. Gli organismi sovranazionali e i nuovi orizzonti di policy
3. «Grandi dati», valutazione e nuova governance
della scuola
4. L’Italia nel contesto Europeo ed internazionale:
il nodo problematico della valutazione
5. Dietro i «dati», dentro le politiche
di Orazio Giancola
in
"Neoliberismi e azione pubblica. Il caso italiano"
a cura di Giulio Moini (Edizioni Ediesse, 2015)
L’attuale crisi economica e finanziaria globale ha stimolato un
intenso dibattito scientifico, oltre che politico, sulle cause
della crisi stessa e sulle possibili risposte. In questo quadro si
è aperto un confronto sulle politiche orientate al mercato e alla competitività, con particolare riferimento alle caratteristiche e al destino del paradigma di azione pubblica di tipo neoliberista, che si è imposto nel mondo a partire dalla metà degli anni settanta del secolo scorso e che dura fino ad oggi. Ma quali tipi di politiche neoliberiste si sono affermate in Italia in questo stesso arco temporale? Con quali differenze e similitudini nei diversi settori di intervento? E cosa spiega la perdurante egemonia degli interessi e delle idee del neoliberismo in
Italia? Al fine di rispondere a queste domande, il libro ricostruisce sistematicamente, con un’impostazione critica e di tipo comparativo, le forme assunte dal neoliberismo italiano in differenti ambiti e scale di azione pubblica: bilancio e finanza pubblica, mercato del lavoro, welfare state, istruzione, programmi per le smart city, uso dello spazio urbano,
sicurezza nelle città.
Capitolo sesto
Il nuovo scenario delle politiche educative:
tra valutazione, quasi-mercato e l’emergere
di nuovi attori
di Orazio Giancola
1. Il mutamento delle politiche dell’education:
tra spinte internazionali e processi di decentramento
2. Gli organismi sovranazionali e i nuovi orizzonti di policy
3. «Grandi dati», valutazione e nuova governance
della scuola
4. L’Italia nel contesto Europeo ed internazionale:
il nodo problematico della valutazione
5. Dietro i «dati», dentro le politiche
Research Interests:
This work aims to analyze the issue of equity in education in a comparative way, using international data (from the OCED – PISA project). In the first part there is a description of the policy change in educational field compared to the... more
This work aims to analyze the issue of equity in education in a comparative way, using international data (from the OCED – PISA project). In the first part there is a description of the policy change in educational field compared to the stability of the impact of family background effect on skills achievements and school career; there is also a theoretical proposal that will be tested in the following paragraphs (“hypothesis of multiple contingencies”). In the second part we examine the three principal measures of equity in education: inter-individual equity, the inter-categorical equity and the minimum threshold. In the third part we try to explain, using our hypothesis, the Italian singularity: the reasons which make the Italian education system is ineffective and at the same time that unfair.
Research Interests: Sociology of Education, Social Stratification, Education Policy, Social Justice in Education, Social Inequality, and 5 moreCultural Reproduction and Social Reproduction. Knowledge, Power and Education, Social reproduction, School Choice, School Education, School Choice, Education Policy, and Equity in Education
6. Iscritti e laureati di Luciano Benadusi e Orazio Giancola Introduzione/Il periodo antecedente alla riforma dei cicli/La riforma dei cicli e la crisi finanziaria/Dall’incremento alla flessione delle immatricolazioni/Stabilità e... more
6. Iscritti e laureati di Luciano Benadusi e Orazio Giancola
Introduzione/Il periodo antecedente alla riforma dei cicli/La riforma dei cicli e la crisi finanziaria/Dall’incremento alla flessione delle immatricolazioni/Stabilità e cambiamenti nella struttura delle immatricolazioni/Un quadro in trasformazione/Riferimenti bibliografici
Introduzione/Il periodo antecedente alla riforma dei cicli/La riforma dei cicli e la crisi finanziaria/Dall’incremento alla flessione delle immatricolazioni/Stabilità e cambiamenti nella struttura delle immatricolazioni/Un quadro in trasformazione/Riferimenti bibliografici
Research Interests:
Questo capitolo si propone di approfondire il tema dell’inserimento lavorativo dei laureati in sociologia, analizzandone due aspetti rilevanti: l’inquadramento occupazionale e la situazione reddituale. Il valore aggiunto delle analisi... more
Questo capitolo si propone di approfondire il tema dell’inserimento lavorativo dei laureati in sociologia,
analizzandone due aspetti rilevanti: l’inquadramento occupazionale e la situazione reddituale. Il valore aggiunto delle analisi qui presentate è che si analizzano nel dettaglio gli esiti occupazionali dei laureati in sociologia, facendolo per la prima volta su scala nazionale con un ampio campione di casi. Grazie all’indagine condotta, è possibile contare su informazioni ricche, in particolare sia su un
vasto insieme di variabili (tratte da domande chiuse e aperte).
1. Introduzione
2. Cosa fa un laureato in sociologia?
2.1. Il settore di impiego
2.2. L’occupazione svolta
3. Quanto guadagna un laureato in sociologia?
4. Oltre il dato medio: i fattori di eterogeneità del rendimento
della laurea in sociologia
5. Osservazioni conclusive
Appendice. La modalità di codifica dell’occupazione svolta dagli intervistati
analizzandone due aspetti rilevanti: l’inquadramento occupazionale e la situazione reddituale. Il valore aggiunto delle analisi qui presentate è che si analizzano nel dettaglio gli esiti occupazionali dei laureati in sociologia, facendolo per la prima volta su scala nazionale con un ampio campione di casi. Grazie all’indagine condotta, è possibile contare su informazioni ricche, in particolare sia su un
vasto insieme di variabili (tratte da domande chiuse e aperte).
1. Introduzione
2. Cosa fa un laureato in sociologia?
2.1. Il settore di impiego
2.2. L’occupazione svolta
3. Quanto guadagna un laureato in sociologia?
4. Oltre il dato medio: i fattori di eterogeneità del rendimento
della laurea in sociologia
5. Osservazioni conclusive
Appendice. La modalità di codifica dell’occupazione svolta dagli intervistati
Research Interests:
"La riproduzione sociale e culturale" Capitolo in "Famiglia e sociologia. Dai classici alla modernità" (a cura di Antonietta Censi) Capitolo 6 - La riproduzione sociale e culturale Nel capitolo sono trattati i concetti ed i... more
"La riproduzione sociale e culturale"
Capitolo in "Famiglia e sociologia. Dai classici alla modernità" (a cura di Antonietta Censi)
Capitolo 6 - La riproduzione sociale e culturale Nel capitolo sono trattati i concetti ed i contributi specifici degli autori riconducibili al cosiddetto filone teorico e di ricerca della “riproduzione sociale e culturale”. Vengono affrontate in particolare le tematiche relative: alla crisi delle teorie della modernizzazione di stampo funzionalista; il contributo specifico degli autori del suddetto filone rispetto alla sociologia della famiglia; il processo di trasmissione del capitale familiare (socializzazione, habitus e codici linguistici). Infine, viene analizzata criticamente l’influenza e l’eredità storica delle teorie della riproduzione rispetto all’analisi della famiglia, evidenziandone le potenzialità interpretative ma anche i rischi insiti in una lettura caratterizzata talvolta da un eccesso di determinismo sociale.
Capitolo in "Famiglia e sociologia. Dai classici alla modernità" (a cura di Antonietta Censi)
Capitolo 6 - La riproduzione sociale e culturale Nel capitolo sono trattati i concetti ed i contributi specifici degli autori riconducibili al cosiddetto filone teorico e di ricerca della “riproduzione sociale e culturale”. Vengono affrontate in particolare le tematiche relative: alla crisi delle teorie della modernizzazione di stampo funzionalista; il contributo specifico degli autori del suddetto filone rispetto alla sociologia della famiglia; il processo di trasmissione del capitale familiare (socializzazione, habitus e codici linguistici). Infine, viene analizzata criticamente l’influenza e l’eredità storica delle teorie della riproduzione rispetto all’analisi della famiglia, evidenziandone le potenzialità interpretative ma anche i rischi insiti in una lettura caratterizzata talvolta da un eccesso di determinismo sociale.
Research Interests:
“Una mappa dei percorsi di vita giovanili tra vincoli ed opportunità”; “Consumi culturali, fiducia, istituzioni e servizi: pratiche e rappresentazioni nel passaggio all’età adulta”; “Il disegno della ricerca: dal campione alla raccolta... more
“Una mappa dei percorsi di vita giovanili tra vincoli ed opportunità”; “Consumi culturali, fiducia, istituzioni e servizi: pratiche e rappresentazioni nel passaggio all’età adulta”; “Il disegno della ricerca: dal campione alla raccolta delle informazioni” (in “Tra presente e futuro”, a cura di Antonietta Censi)
Nel pieno di una recessione che ha messo in seria difficoltà larga parte dei paesi ad economia avanzata, sono soprattutto i giovani a pagare il conto più salato per la maggiore difficoltà nel dare concretezza ai propri progetti di vita, nell’affrontare le proprie scelte in autonomia, nel costruirsi un futuro. La ricerca alla base del presente volume guarda ai percorsi di vita dei 20-30enni residenti nella zona centrale di Roma, con attenzione agli elementi strutturali (vincoli e opportunità) e alle rappresentazioni soggettive (immagini e aspirazioni) che li sostengono nel confronto con il proprio presente e futuro. Supportati da contesti famigliari e sociali spesso privilegiati, questi giovani rilasciano un ‘autoscatto’ a tinte solo apparentemente decise: tenendo saldamente al centro del proprio universo la sfera privata, e in particolare il legame famigliare, e proponendo un’immagine di sé all’altezza delle prove poste dall’affermazione sociale e allineata ai valori condivisi dell’autonomia, della responsabilità e della tolleranza. Rivelano al contempo le loro fragilità e il loro disagio nel rapporto con le concrete esperienze di ‘passaggio’ all’età adulta (quali la stabilità affettiva, la genitorialità, il lavoro). In dialogo con la pianificazione sociale a livello territoriale, la ricerca pone in luce anche le sfide da raccogliere attraverso politiche sociali realmente capaci di promuovere il cosiddetto ‘diritto al futuro’ dei giovani.
Nel pieno di una recessione che ha messo in seria difficoltà larga parte dei paesi ad economia avanzata, sono soprattutto i giovani a pagare il conto più salato per la maggiore difficoltà nel dare concretezza ai propri progetti di vita, nell’affrontare le proprie scelte in autonomia, nel costruirsi un futuro. La ricerca alla base del presente volume guarda ai percorsi di vita dei 20-30enni residenti nella zona centrale di Roma, con attenzione agli elementi strutturali (vincoli e opportunità) e alle rappresentazioni soggettive (immagini e aspirazioni) che li sostengono nel confronto con il proprio presente e futuro. Supportati da contesti famigliari e sociali spesso privilegiati, questi giovani rilasciano un ‘autoscatto’ a tinte solo apparentemente decise: tenendo saldamente al centro del proprio universo la sfera privata, e in particolare il legame famigliare, e proponendo un’immagine di sé all’altezza delle prove poste dall’affermazione sociale e allineata ai valori condivisi dell’autonomia, della responsabilità e della tolleranza. Rivelano al contempo le loro fragilità e il loro disagio nel rapporto con le concrete esperienze di ‘passaggio’ all’età adulta (quali la stabilità affettiva, la genitorialità, il lavoro). In dialogo con la pianificazione sociale a livello territoriale, la ricerca pone in luce anche le sfide da raccogliere attraverso politiche sociali realmente capaci di promuovere il cosiddetto ‘diritto al futuro’ dei giovani.
Research Interests:
Il presente contributo, basato sull’analisi dei dati prodotti dall’indagine internazionale ocse-pisa 2006 per l’Italia e in particolare sulle 13 aree territoriali sovracampionate, si propone l’obiettivo di individuare i meccanismi da... more
Il presente contributo, basato sull’analisi dei dati prodotti dall’indagine
internazionale ocse-pisa 2006 per l’Italia e in particolare sulle 13 aree territoriali
sovracampionate, si propone l’obiettivo di individuare i meccanismi da cui dipendono
l’efficacia e l’equità dei processi di insegnamento/apprendimento delle
competenze di base in scienze. Nel lavoro di ricerca si è tentato di stimare comparativamente
i fattori riferibili a tre livelli di analisi – individuale, di scuola, territoriale
– al fine di tracciare una mappa dell’Italia dal punto di vista dell’efficacia e
dell’equità e dei meccanismi che le generano. Infine, ci si è proposto di comprendere
meglio la relazione tra i due principali fattori di disuguaglianza empiricamente
riscontrati, riconducibili l’uno al territorio e l’altro alle filiere dell’istruzione secondaria
superiore, e la relazione tra questi e il background socio-culturale degli
studenti. I principali risultati sono: l’inesistenza di un trade-off tra efficacia ed
equità; l’importanza dell’origine sociale degli studenti, soprattutto quando è «aggregata
» a livello scolastico (attraverso i peer effects) e la sua forte associazione
con la tipologia di scuola frequentata; la necessità di andare oltre la dicotomia
Nord/Sud per rappresentare la realtà italiana.
Keywords: equità, efficacia, disuguaglianze sociali nell’educazione, disuguaglianze
territoriali nell’educazione.
internazionale ocse-pisa 2006 per l’Italia e in particolare sulle 13 aree territoriali
sovracampionate, si propone l’obiettivo di individuare i meccanismi da cui dipendono
l’efficacia e l’equità dei processi di insegnamento/apprendimento delle
competenze di base in scienze. Nel lavoro di ricerca si è tentato di stimare comparativamente
i fattori riferibili a tre livelli di analisi – individuale, di scuola, territoriale
– al fine di tracciare una mappa dell’Italia dal punto di vista dell’efficacia e
dell’equità e dei meccanismi che le generano. Infine, ci si è proposto di comprendere
meglio la relazione tra i due principali fattori di disuguaglianza empiricamente
riscontrati, riconducibili l’uno al territorio e l’altro alle filiere dell’istruzione secondaria
superiore, e la relazione tra questi e il background socio-culturale degli
studenti. I principali risultati sono: l’inesistenza di un trade-off tra efficacia ed
equità; l’importanza dell’origine sociale degli studenti, soprattutto quando è «aggregata
» a livello scolastico (attraverso i peer effects) e la sua forte associazione
con la tipologia di scuola frequentata; la necessità di andare oltre la dicotomia
Nord/Sud per rappresentare la realtà italiana.
Keywords: equità, efficacia, disuguaglianze sociali nell’educazione, disuguaglianze
territoriali nell’educazione.
Research Interests:
The ‘comprehensivization’ of secondary school is a reform process that began in some European school systems in the 60s and 70s. With the comprehensive-type reform, a unitary scholastic model such as that which had already been in use for... more
The ‘comprehensivization’ of secondary school is a reform process that began in some European school systems in the 60s and 70s. With the comprehensive-type reform, a unitary scholastic model such as that which had already been in use for some time in the United States was introduced in a large part of Western Europe Countries. Our main problem has been verifying whether and to what extent the promises of greater equity linked to the comprehensive model, and those of greater quality linked to the selective one have been confirmed by the facts, comparing the respective results achieved by the comprehensive and traditional (or selective) systems, above all from the viewpoint of equity/quality of performance. In our contribution we shall deal with this issue, with an overview of the European panorama (based on different data sources) and summaries of papers dealing in depth with the situations in four countries (Germany, Italy, England and Sweden).
Research Interests: Education, Sociology of Education, Educational Research, Educational Inequalities (class; race; gender etc), Comparative & International Education, and 6 moreEducation Policy, Comparative Education, Sociology of Education, Social Stratification and Inequality, Large Scale Assessment, Equity in Education, and Educational Systems
Data for what? Converging and diverging trajectories of Large Scale Assessment in Education: OECD versus IEA Author(s):Orazio Giancola (presenting), Assunta Viteritti Conference:ECER 2016, Leading Education: The Distinct Contributions... more
Data for what? Converging and diverging trajectories of Large Scale Assessment in Education: OECD versus IEA
Author(s):Orazio Giancola (presenting), Assunta Viteritti
Conference:ECER 2016, Leading Education: The Distinct Contributions of Educational Research and Researchers
Network:28. Sociologies of Education
Format:Paper
28 SES 04, Data and Policies in the Fabrication of the European Space of Education
Paper Session
Time:2016-08-24
09:00-10:30
Author(s):Orazio Giancola (presenting), Assunta Viteritti
Conference:ECER 2016, Leading Education: The Distinct Contributions of Educational Research and Researchers
Network:28. Sociologies of Education
Format:Paper
28 SES 04, Data and Policies in the Fabrication of the European Space of Education
Paper Session
Time:2016-08-24
09:00-10:30
Research Interests:
The Social and Material Role of Databases in the Educational Field Author(s):Orazio Giancola (submitting/presenting), Assunta Viteritti (presenting) Conference:ECER 2014, The Past, the Present and the Future of Educational Research... more
The Social and Material Role of Databases in the Educational Field
Author(s):Orazio Giancola (submitting/presenting), Assunta Viteritti (presenting)
Conference:ECER 2014, The Past, the Present and the Future of Educational Research
Network:28. Sociologies of Education
Format:Paper
Literature and socio-economic research clearly point out the increasing role played by “big data” in a variety of fields: economy, cultural consumption, food, education, finance, wars, and famine. In order to be functional and usable, data provided by these organizations require and involve a large number of human, economic and institutional resources, and produce increasingly detailed information that cannot be ignored, allowing comparative analyses across countries. The result is the implementation of ranking processes for the assessment of countries and local contexts (such as OECD Regions at a Glance). In all fields, databases make it possible to collect, produce and monitor a great deal of information, which seems to construct an objective, natural view of societies. Databases affect public, media and political institutions, which use data as “natural empirical evidence” to legitimize and make decisions.
The effects of databases are also evident in the educational field. The social history of educational databases has recently been characterized by a transition from static to dynamic databases, the latter allowing not only the collection and storage of data, but also the constant and direct acquisition of information, thanks to digital technologies and the Web. The resulting process of “databasization of education” is indeed a relevant, expanding and ever-changing phenomenon (with regard to the typology of data, themes and geographic areas), and represents both a radical discontinuity with the (even recent) past and an innovation for the future, although it is not exempt from critical (ethical, technical and political) issues.
In the last few decades, various types of databases have emerged in the educational field:
- Large-Scale Assessment (LSA) infrastructures (such as PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS and PIAAC), maxi-surveys collecting data related to the “competence levels” of students (or adults) and information about families, schools and individuals.
- Indicator systems (such as OECD, IEA, Unesco, Eurostat) based on standard processes for collecting, gathering and processing large sets of data, which are gradually passing from being “static” (namely, “stored” in large, more or less accessible, databases) to “dynamic”. Dynamism is indeed ensured by the possibility to integrate and graphically display them through infographic models or Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
Another interesting aspect is that this process of first- and second-level “infrastructuralization” (respectively, the production of data through LSA and data collection systems or of dynamic, constantly updated and integrated data) ends up producing various data-use practices, ranging from institutional uses following an “evidence-based policy” to “more social” uses, open to a greater interpretative flexibility, also due to the free availability of data. Most of them (such as OECD data) are indeed provided free of charge. In this process, the production of open-access data plays an important role, requiring expert users – as in the cases of OECD (PISA or PIAAC) and IEA (PIRLS and TIMSS) surveys – while also opening up new fields of research and analysis, which may follow less institutional theoretical and/or methodological paths and produce unexpected outcomes.
Method
The study is based on an exploratory, quali-quantitative research method, which will make it possible to develop a descriptive analysis of the new databases in the educational field and reflect on the practical and theoretical meaning of these infrastructures. Datasets in education are likely to raise various interpretative issues with regard to the social effects of their diffusion and use. The databases investigated and analyzed in the study can be divided into the following categories: - Databases “as infrastructures”: large networks based on complex quantitative research methods, tools, individuals, competences, digital devices, etc., which operate at a supranational level; - Databases “as people”: data are often taken as an exact picture of the surveyed people, a natural report of the observed events. Data correspond to the surveyed people and provide an uncritical, objectified view of them. - Databases “as knowledge”: these infrastructures are complex clusters of material and cognitive knowledge, which require the joint work of multiple disciplines and professional communities (researchers, analysts, computer operators, policy makers, etc.). Databases constantly produce knowledge and, in order to survive, need to be continuously nourished, updated, supported and monitored. These infrastructures involve multiple sets of knowledge (computer science, statistics, economics, sociology, etc); - Databases “as a support for policy-making”: in all fields, these databases are increasingly used as a “natural basis” for making decisions, but can also be adapted to different uses and analytical purposes. They are technocratic instruments for making a number of different, sometimes conflicting, decisions. In particular, this work will analyze the following topics: - The rise of databases in the educational field; - Their evolution (from static to dynamic); - Description and map of the various types of databases; - “Allies” necessarily required for building and establishing static or dynamic databases in the educational field. These issues will be dealt with through an analysis of websites (presentation of data, justification rhetorical discourses, networks of partners for the production of data) and sources (reports and documents). An online survey will also be conducted to describe and classify the various types of databases available on the Internet.
Expected Outcomes
The various databases described in the study produce two main effects: on the one hand, the technical production of data seems to overshadow the researchers’ work and turn data into the “second nature of educational events”; on the other, these large sets of data can be subject to numerous and controversial interpretations. The vast amount of data coming from educational databases can indeed be interpreted in various ways; there are standard, institutional uses, but there are also new (unexpected) uses, which strip data of their “natural” appearance and increasingly transform them into social and political elements. The objective of the paper is to highlight both the expected and unexpected social effects of these databases. The study will try to trace a chronological map of this “databasization” process, describing the growing number of available data sources. The analysis will also focus on the network of scientific/technical and institutional actors involved in the gradual establishment of these data sources. The study will then draw a map of the disciplines that have contributed to the establishment of these datasets and have in turn established themselves through them. An analysis of the stated objectives of this data production and its unexpected effects and uses will also be made. The final goal of the study is therefore to produce a critical analysis of the genesis, (technical) creation, and diffusion of the various typologies and uses of “big data” in education. The analysis will move from a descriptive to a more analytical level to highlight the general and specific aspects of this phenomenon, which is rapidly changing the way we look at, and into, educational systems.
Author(s):Orazio Giancola (submitting/presenting), Assunta Viteritti (presenting)
Conference:ECER 2014, The Past, the Present and the Future of Educational Research
Network:28. Sociologies of Education
Format:Paper
Literature and socio-economic research clearly point out the increasing role played by “big data” in a variety of fields: economy, cultural consumption, food, education, finance, wars, and famine. In order to be functional and usable, data provided by these organizations require and involve a large number of human, economic and institutional resources, and produce increasingly detailed information that cannot be ignored, allowing comparative analyses across countries. The result is the implementation of ranking processes for the assessment of countries and local contexts (such as OECD Regions at a Glance). In all fields, databases make it possible to collect, produce and monitor a great deal of information, which seems to construct an objective, natural view of societies. Databases affect public, media and political institutions, which use data as “natural empirical evidence” to legitimize and make decisions.
The effects of databases are also evident in the educational field. The social history of educational databases has recently been characterized by a transition from static to dynamic databases, the latter allowing not only the collection and storage of data, but also the constant and direct acquisition of information, thanks to digital technologies and the Web. The resulting process of “databasization of education” is indeed a relevant, expanding and ever-changing phenomenon (with regard to the typology of data, themes and geographic areas), and represents both a radical discontinuity with the (even recent) past and an innovation for the future, although it is not exempt from critical (ethical, technical and political) issues.
In the last few decades, various types of databases have emerged in the educational field:
- Large-Scale Assessment (LSA) infrastructures (such as PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS and PIAAC), maxi-surveys collecting data related to the “competence levels” of students (or adults) and information about families, schools and individuals.
- Indicator systems (such as OECD, IEA, Unesco, Eurostat) based on standard processes for collecting, gathering and processing large sets of data, which are gradually passing from being “static” (namely, “stored” in large, more or less accessible, databases) to “dynamic”. Dynamism is indeed ensured by the possibility to integrate and graphically display them through infographic models or Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
Another interesting aspect is that this process of first- and second-level “infrastructuralization” (respectively, the production of data through LSA and data collection systems or of dynamic, constantly updated and integrated data) ends up producing various data-use practices, ranging from institutional uses following an “evidence-based policy” to “more social” uses, open to a greater interpretative flexibility, also due to the free availability of data. Most of them (such as OECD data) are indeed provided free of charge. In this process, the production of open-access data plays an important role, requiring expert users – as in the cases of OECD (PISA or PIAAC) and IEA (PIRLS and TIMSS) surveys – while also opening up new fields of research and analysis, which may follow less institutional theoretical and/or methodological paths and produce unexpected outcomes.
Method
The study is based on an exploratory, quali-quantitative research method, which will make it possible to develop a descriptive analysis of the new databases in the educational field and reflect on the practical and theoretical meaning of these infrastructures. Datasets in education are likely to raise various interpretative issues with regard to the social effects of their diffusion and use. The databases investigated and analyzed in the study can be divided into the following categories: - Databases “as infrastructures”: large networks based on complex quantitative research methods, tools, individuals, competences, digital devices, etc., which operate at a supranational level; - Databases “as people”: data are often taken as an exact picture of the surveyed people, a natural report of the observed events. Data correspond to the surveyed people and provide an uncritical, objectified view of them. - Databases “as knowledge”: these infrastructures are complex clusters of material and cognitive knowledge, which require the joint work of multiple disciplines and professional communities (researchers, analysts, computer operators, policy makers, etc.). Databases constantly produce knowledge and, in order to survive, need to be continuously nourished, updated, supported and monitored. These infrastructures involve multiple sets of knowledge (computer science, statistics, economics, sociology, etc); - Databases “as a support for policy-making”: in all fields, these databases are increasingly used as a “natural basis” for making decisions, but can also be adapted to different uses and analytical purposes. They are technocratic instruments for making a number of different, sometimes conflicting, decisions. In particular, this work will analyze the following topics: - The rise of databases in the educational field; - Their evolution (from static to dynamic); - Description and map of the various types of databases; - “Allies” necessarily required for building and establishing static or dynamic databases in the educational field. These issues will be dealt with through an analysis of websites (presentation of data, justification rhetorical discourses, networks of partners for the production of data) and sources (reports and documents). An online survey will also be conducted to describe and classify the various types of databases available on the Internet.
Expected Outcomes
The various databases described in the study produce two main effects: on the one hand, the technical production of data seems to overshadow the researchers’ work and turn data into the “second nature of educational events”; on the other, these large sets of data can be subject to numerous and controversial interpretations. The vast amount of data coming from educational databases can indeed be interpreted in various ways; there are standard, institutional uses, but there are also new (unexpected) uses, which strip data of their “natural” appearance and increasingly transform them into social and political elements. The objective of the paper is to highlight both the expected and unexpected social effects of these databases. The study will try to trace a chronological map of this “databasization” process, describing the growing number of available data sources. The analysis will also focus on the network of scientific/technical and institutional actors involved in the gradual establishment of these data sources. The study will then draw a map of the disciplines that have contributed to the establishment of these datasets and have in turn established themselves through them. An analysis of the stated objectives of this data production and its unexpected effects and uses will also be made. The final goal of the study is therefore to produce a critical analysis of the genesis, (technical) creation, and diffusion of the various typologies and uses of “big data” in education. The analysis will move from a descriptive to a more analytical level to highlight the general and specific aspects of this phenomenon, which is rapidly changing the way we look at, and into, educational systems.
Research Interests:
Choices are made by individuals, and individuals are bearers of social factors: as a consequence, social and material choices and actions performed by individuals produce short- and long-term changes. Based on this premise, this study... more
Choices are made by individuals, and individuals are bearers of social factors: as a consequence, social and material choices and actions performed by individuals produce short- and long-term changes. Based on this premise, this study moves away from the general rhetoric of macro-systems and tries to introduce elements that go beyond the mere understanding of macro-phenomena in terms of socio-cultural reproduction. While there are some persistent trends in this field (which have been identified and analysed by well-established studies in the field of Sociology of Education), there are also some significant changes underway, whose effects are not easily predictable. Through a large survey conducted in Italy, we intend to show whether and how individual choices in education show signs of innovation and creativity. The most relevant international studies in this field are comparative analyses focusing on the efficiency of educational systems and individual performances in relation to a variety of competences: writing, reading, sciences, etc. (Two examples are the OECD/PISA survey, conducted among 14-year-olds, and the OECD/PIAAC study, which focuses on a target population aged between 16 and 65 years). Little consideration is instead given to micro-trends in the educational and professional choices of individuals, which may actually reveal innovative and creative patterns. Educational choices are indeed fertile ground for understanding how people subjectively respond to the pressures exerted by more general factors. In the context of the current economic crisis, which seems to affect future perspectives in terms of satisfaction, personal motivation and potential economic returns to investment in education, it is interesting to understand how the new generations project themselves into the future. In our study we adopted a multi-theoretical approach, observing individual choices from different perspectives. A first traditional perspective is that of Bourdieu, who considers individual choices in terms of reproduction of class and family habitus, and Boudon, who regards choices as rational deliberations made by individuals to maximize their efforts and reach desired goals. From a second perspective, which we can define as situated and post-modern (De Certeau, 1980), individuals try to break the chains of social reproduction and interest, turning to more immediate, innovative and creative ways of expression. Our basic assumption is that educational choices act upon processes of social and gender reproduction and may therefore be a vehicle for future changes. Along with phenomena of “social reproduction”, it is also possible to find significant elements of change and innovation (Penn, 2009) as well as a form of equity in educational processes that does not depend as much on educational systems and policies as on voluntary and subjective actions, which are not necessarily teleological or rational.
This quali-quantitative study involved 1,000 students from a sample of secondary schools (from scientific/humanist schools to technical/professional institutes) in Rome and the Province, grouped by geographic area, school size and type of education provided. To better convey the complexity of the social and individual processes behind people’s choices, our questionnaire included a large number of detailed questions aimed at investigating the multiple dimensions of their preferences, also considering the impact of social pressures. As the survey shows, young people have different levels of awareness with regard to the opportunities available and the constraints and limitations imposed on them: some students are more able to resist social pressures and expectations; others may have a limited social capital or lower planning skills (or both) and be more affected by constraints and limitations. Using the mapping technique, we tried to illustrate students’ intentions and attitudes towards the choice of a university degree course. Questions have been formulated to elicit their intention to enrol on a course and their motives for doing or not doing so. What emerges is an interesting combination of motives associated with the various courses of study.
Along with some predictable trends towards social reproduction, which have already been pointed out by a number of Italian and international studies, other micro-trends emerge, allowing us to identify innovative educational choices. In our analysis, we detected micro-trajectories that seem to break the chains of social reproduction and go beyond the domain of self-interest and instrumental (or strategic) rationality. The results of the survey actually show how, in times of uncertainty about the future, young people who intend to pursue higher education do not give up making innovative educational choices. It is possible to identify different patterns of choice: - In choosing their course of study, an increasing number of girls follow a non-traditional gender orientation, opting for scientific studies (such as engineering, biotechnology, chemistry, etc.); - Young people from lower-middle class families are increasingly oriented towards innovative careers in the arts/music/design fields; - There is also an increase in the demand for non-academic education, with a preference for other creative and self-fulfilling educational paths. The results of the study show that, even in times of crisis and economic uncertainty, there are educational choices oriented towards innovation, creativity and self-fulfilment.
This quali-quantitative study involved 1,000 students from a sample of secondary schools (from scientific/humanist schools to technical/professional institutes) in Rome and the Province, grouped by geographic area, school size and type of education provided. To better convey the complexity of the social and individual processes behind people’s choices, our questionnaire included a large number of detailed questions aimed at investigating the multiple dimensions of their preferences, also considering the impact of social pressures. As the survey shows, young people have different levels of awareness with regard to the opportunities available and the constraints and limitations imposed on them: some students are more able to resist social pressures and expectations; others may have a limited social capital or lower planning skills (or both) and be more affected by constraints and limitations. Using the mapping technique, we tried to illustrate students’ intentions and attitudes towards the choice of a university degree course. Questions have been formulated to elicit their intention to enrol on a course and their motives for doing or not doing so. What emerges is an interesting combination of motives associated with the various courses of study.
Along with some predictable trends towards social reproduction, which have already been pointed out by a number of Italian and international studies, other micro-trends emerge, allowing us to identify innovative educational choices. In our analysis, we detected micro-trajectories that seem to break the chains of social reproduction and go beyond the domain of self-interest and instrumental (or strategic) rationality. The results of the survey actually show how, in times of uncertainty about the future, young people who intend to pursue higher education do not give up making innovative educational choices. It is possible to identify different patterns of choice: - In choosing their course of study, an increasing number of girls follow a non-traditional gender orientation, opting for scientific studies (such as engineering, biotechnology, chemistry, etc.); - Young people from lower-middle class families are increasingly oriented towards innovative careers in the arts/music/design fields; - There is also an increase in the demand for non-academic education, with a preference for other creative and self-fulfilling educational paths. The results of the study show that, even in times of crisis and economic uncertainty, there are educational choices oriented towards innovation, creativity and self-fulfilment.
Distal and Proximal Vision: a multi-perspective research in sociology of education ORAZIO GIANCOLA, DISSE - Department of Social Science and Economics, University of Rome 'Sapienza', Italy ASSUNTA VITERITTI, DISSE - Department of Social... more
Distal and Proximal Vision: a multi-perspective research in sociology of education
ORAZIO GIANCOLA, DISSE - Department of Social Science and Economics, University of Rome 'Sapienza', Italy
ASSUNTA VITERITTI, DISSE - Department of Social Science and Economics, University of Rome 'Sapienza', Italy
pages 47-57
http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2014.13.1.47
Drawing inspiration from the research conducted in Italian schools involved in the reform process, the article proposes to investigate two visions in the research on Sociology of Education: one distal and the other proximal. The distal vision is offered by quantitative research nowadays supported by extensive public funding and framed as comparative international programmes, while the proximal one concerns mainly qualitative methodological and epistemology perspectives. In an attempt to bring the strengths of each into focus, the article approaches these two visions.
ORAZIO GIANCOLA, ASSUNTA VITERITTI (2014) Distal and Proximal Vision: a multi-perspective research in sociology of education, European Educational Research Journal, 13(1), 47-57. http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2014.13.1.47
ORAZIO GIANCOLA, DISSE - Department of Social Science and Economics, University of Rome 'Sapienza', Italy
ASSUNTA VITERITTI, DISSE - Department of Social Science and Economics, University of Rome 'Sapienza', Italy
pages 47-57
http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2014.13.1.47
Drawing inspiration from the research conducted in Italian schools involved in the reform process, the article proposes to investigate two visions in the research on Sociology of Education: one distal and the other proximal. The distal vision is offered by quantitative research nowadays supported by extensive public funding and framed as comparative international programmes, while the proximal one concerns mainly qualitative methodological and epistemology perspectives. In an attempt to bring the strengths of each into focus, the article approaches these two visions.
ORAZIO GIANCOLA, ASSUNTA VITERITTI (2014) Distal and Proximal Vision: a multi-perspective research in sociology of education, European Educational Research Journal, 13(1), 47-57. http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2014.13.1.47
Educational Inequalities In Italian Common School: Empirical Evidences And Implications For Policies The common or comprehensive school model appeared in educational policies and debates in Italy between the end of the 50s and the... more
Educational Inequalities In Italian Common School: Empirical Evidences And Implications For Policies
The common or comprehensive school model appeared in educational policies and debates in Italy between the end of the 50s and the beginning of the 6os, when attempts were made to put into ordinary laws the norms set out in the republican constitution (1948). According to these norms, the duration of compulsory schooling was to cover a period of “not less than eight years”. The debate led to the reform of 1962, which not only prolonged compulsory schooling but also introduced a “scuola media” (middle school) for all, with a three-year course after the end of “scuola elementare” (primary) instead of the three pre-existing streams: “scuola media”, “scuola di avviamento professionale” (starting vocational school) and post-elementary classes. Italian reformers of the period drew inspiration from the Swedish experience and socio-pedagogical literature - for example, the works of T. Husen - founded on principles of social equality of opportunity. These ideas had developed among political left-wingers (socialists and communists) and labor unions in Italy from the period in which the Resistance movement opposed the Fascist regime and as they continued to flourish following the birth of the Republic, they were gradually embraced also by Catholics and Catholic schoolteachers’ organizations. The aims of the reform were threefold: inclusion through expansion; equality of opportunity; the cultural unification of the country. Our paper proposes to assess the results of the reform fifty years on, analyzing whether and to what extent its aims have been achieved and with which side-effects (for example, impact on learning), also by adopting a comparative perspective. This analysis comes at a time in which the debate surrounding educational policy in Italy has seen the emergence of heavy criticism directed at the “scuola media”, which is considered to be the “weak link” in our national system. It is held to be responsible for the marked decrease both in efficacy and equity, which has been registered between the final years of primary school and the first years of upper secondary school by the IEA and OECD learning tests. According to those critics, this drop in the quality of learning is the result of an unrealistic and utopian quest for equality in the “scuola media”, and therefore questions not only the ways in which the reform was carried out, but the philosophy of the common school itself. Today, the justification of a “scuola media” remodelling through “counter-reforming” policies inspired by a meritocratic and elitist ideology is also attempted by adopting this interpretative hypothesis. The principal aim of the analysis we present here is to verify such a hypothesis. Our investigation forms part of quantitative sociological studies on educational inequalities, and will refer to the twofold concept of equality proposed by F. Dubet: égalité des chances and égalité des places or résultats. It will be based on the theoretical hypothesis proposed by supporters of comprehensive education and confirmed by the results of many empirical research, that the longer duration of the common school mitigates the influence of social origin on students’ scholastic choices.
Method
The analysis will operate on two distinct grounds: careers and learning outcomes. We shall try to highlight the relationships between the two grounds in order to verify the hypothesis that there is a spiral of inequalities proceeding from one to the other and generating a systematic bias. Furthermore, on one hand we shall attempt to understand in what measure the inequalities at the end of “scuola media” have their origins either within that school itself or previously, that is within “scuola elementare”. And, on the other, in what measure the inequalities found after the first two years of upper secondary school are either an inheritance from the previous scholastic pathway or can be attributed to the impact of students’ socio-cultural background on their channel choice and experience within it. The analysis will be based on the joint use of TIMMS 2007 and PISA 2009 data, adopting a pseudo-panel technique. It will allow us to estimate the effects of individual variables (socio-cultural background, gender, scholastic career) on learning outcomes in the 3rd year of “scuola media” (8th grade) and at age 15 in a first phase, and the cumulative effect of inequalities throughout students’ school career in a second.
Expected Outcomes
In light of the outcome of our analysis, we shall resume the discussion centred on the experience of common school in Italy, with all its strengths and weaknesses, also in relation to the current debate on the reform of upper secondary school. From this point of view, of great interest is the transition from low to upper secondary school, a crucial point for educational inequalities, given that at age 15 students’ performances vary very strongly between channels and the choices of channel are strongly influenced by students’ social origins. We shall, in fact, be able to distinguish the effect of social origin on the choice passing through learned competencies and that passing through students’ expectations, knowing that they can suggest different equity policies. The results of the analysis will provide elements useful in assessing the consequences of applying the common school model in Italy, as well as in reconsidering the relationships to be established by the “scuola media” with both the previous and the subsequent scholastic level. In fact, an important weakness of the Italian “scuola media” seems to be the lack of integration of the entire compulsory school within a logic of commonality aimed at both equity and quality.
The common or comprehensive school model appeared in educational policies and debates in Italy between the end of the 50s and the beginning of the 6os, when attempts were made to put into ordinary laws the norms set out in the republican constitution (1948). According to these norms, the duration of compulsory schooling was to cover a period of “not less than eight years”. The debate led to the reform of 1962, which not only prolonged compulsory schooling but also introduced a “scuola media” (middle school) for all, with a three-year course after the end of “scuola elementare” (primary) instead of the three pre-existing streams: “scuola media”, “scuola di avviamento professionale” (starting vocational school) and post-elementary classes. Italian reformers of the period drew inspiration from the Swedish experience and socio-pedagogical literature - for example, the works of T. Husen - founded on principles of social equality of opportunity. These ideas had developed among political left-wingers (socialists and communists) and labor unions in Italy from the period in which the Resistance movement opposed the Fascist regime and as they continued to flourish following the birth of the Republic, they were gradually embraced also by Catholics and Catholic schoolteachers’ organizations. The aims of the reform were threefold: inclusion through expansion; equality of opportunity; the cultural unification of the country. Our paper proposes to assess the results of the reform fifty years on, analyzing whether and to what extent its aims have been achieved and with which side-effects (for example, impact on learning), also by adopting a comparative perspective. This analysis comes at a time in which the debate surrounding educational policy in Italy has seen the emergence of heavy criticism directed at the “scuola media”, which is considered to be the “weak link” in our national system. It is held to be responsible for the marked decrease both in efficacy and equity, which has been registered between the final years of primary school and the first years of upper secondary school by the IEA and OECD learning tests. According to those critics, this drop in the quality of learning is the result of an unrealistic and utopian quest for equality in the “scuola media”, and therefore questions not only the ways in which the reform was carried out, but the philosophy of the common school itself. Today, the justification of a “scuola media” remodelling through “counter-reforming” policies inspired by a meritocratic and elitist ideology is also attempted by adopting this interpretative hypothesis. The principal aim of the analysis we present here is to verify such a hypothesis. Our investigation forms part of quantitative sociological studies on educational inequalities, and will refer to the twofold concept of equality proposed by F. Dubet: égalité des chances and égalité des places or résultats. It will be based on the theoretical hypothesis proposed by supporters of comprehensive education and confirmed by the results of many empirical research, that the longer duration of the common school mitigates the influence of social origin on students’ scholastic choices.
Method
The analysis will operate on two distinct grounds: careers and learning outcomes. We shall try to highlight the relationships between the two grounds in order to verify the hypothesis that there is a spiral of inequalities proceeding from one to the other and generating a systematic bias. Furthermore, on one hand we shall attempt to understand in what measure the inequalities at the end of “scuola media” have their origins either within that school itself or previously, that is within “scuola elementare”. And, on the other, in what measure the inequalities found after the first two years of upper secondary school are either an inheritance from the previous scholastic pathway or can be attributed to the impact of students’ socio-cultural background on their channel choice and experience within it. The analysis will be based on the joint use of TIMMS 2007 and PISA 2009 data, adopting a pseudo-panel technique. It will allow us to estimate the effects of individual variables (socio-cultural background, gender, scholastic career) on learning outcomes in the 3rd year of “scuola media” (8th grade) and at age 15 in a first phase, and the cumulative effect of inequalities throughout students’ school career in a second.
Expected Outcomes
In light of the outcome of our analysis, we shall resume the discussion centred on the experience of common school in Italy, with all its strengths and weaknesses, also in relation to the current debate on the reform of upper secondary school. From this point of view, of great interest is the transition from low to upper secondary school, a crucial point for educational inequalities, given that at age 15 students’ performances vary very strongly between channels and the choices of channel are strongly influenced by students’ social origins. We shall, in fact, be able to distinguish the effect of social origin on the choice passing through learned competencies and that passing through students’ expectations, knowing that they can suggest different equity policies. The results of the analysis will provide elements useful in assessing the consequences of applying the common school model in Italy, as well as in reconsidering the relationships to be established by the “scuola media” with both the previous and the subsequent scholastic level. In fact, an important weakness of the Italian “scuola media” seems to be the lack of integration of the entire compulsory school within a logic of commonality aimed at both equity and quality.
Research Interests:
Le ricerche sulle cosiddette “seconde generazioni” sono certamente numerose nella letteratura internazionale e in Italia. L’immigrazione di nuclei famigliari e la socializzazione educativa dei giovanissimi in tutto o in parte stranieri è... more
Le ricerche sulle cosiddette “seconde generazioni” sono certamente numerose nella letteratura internazionale e in Italia. L’immigrazione di nuclei famigliari e la socializzazione educativa dei giovanissimi in tutto o in parte stranieri è centrale per la società italiana, i cui segnali d’invecchiamento furono colti dai demografi oltre quaranta anni fa. La ricerca ha confrontato con diversi strumenti (la PNA Personal Network Analysis, lo scaling degli atteggiamenti e delle motivazioni, la clusterizzazione dei casi in base a variabili sintetizzate in fattori complessi) i ragazzi italiani e “G2” dell’ultimo anno delle superiori di Roma. Il risultato, sorprendente, mostra i giovani “stranieri”, ormai italiani in pectore, più agguerriti nei confronti delle sfide educative, sociali e professionali che li attendono, rispetto ai loro compagni italiani.
Research Interests: Sociology of Education, Social Research Methods and Methodology, Social Networking, Multidimensional Scaling, Social Network Analysis (SNA), and 6 moreAttitudes (Social Psychology), School Choice, Second Generation Immigrants, First Generation College Students, Students Attitudes, and Educational Attainment
Background. This study aims to verify if the presence and severity of perinatal depression are related to any particular pattern of attachment.Methods. The study started with a screening of a sample of 453 women in their third trimester... more
Background. This study aims to verify if the presence and severity of perinatal depression are related to any particular pattern of attachment.Methods. The study started with a screening of a sample of 453 women in their third trimester of pregnancy, who were administered a survey data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Experience in Close Relationship (ECR). A clinical group of subjects with perinatal depression (PND, 89 subjects) was selected and compared with a control group (C), regarding psychopathological variables and attachment patterns.Results. The ECR showed a prevalence of “Fearful-Avoidant” attachment style in PND group (29.2% versus 1.1%,p<0.001); additionally, the EPDS average score increases with the increasing of ECR dimensions (Avoidance and Anxiety).Conclusion. The severity of depression increases proportionally to attachment disorganization; therefore, we consider attachment as both an important risk factor as well as a focus for earl...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This study aims to investigate the influence of the "romantic attachment" style, stressful life events, social factors on the risk of developing a depression during pregnancy and on the severity of depressive symptoms. The study... more
This study aims to investigate the influence of the "romantic attachment" style, stressful life events, social factors on the risk of developing a depression during pregnancy and on the severity of depressive symptoms. The study started with a screening on a sample of 453 women, during their third trimester of pregnancy, to which has been administered a survey data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Experience in Close Relationship (ECR). Based on the results at EPDS, a clinical group of pre-natal depression (D=89) was selected and compared with a control group (C=89), in regards to psychopathological and social variables, exposure to stressful life events and attachment patterns. Analysis of correlation were performed to evaluate the influence of these factors on depressive symptoms severity. In D group, 52.8% of subjects reported previous psychiatric disorders and 49.4% a familiarity; 29.2% of these women complains of conflicts with their famil...