Programme

The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the historical development of educational theories, from antiquity to the present day. Particular attention will be paid to the analysis of the main themes in the social history of education — such as educational institutions, processes and practices — as well as to the conceptual paradigms that have characterised Western pedagogical thought over the centuries. The course will explore the educational thought and practice of the leading theorists and pedagogues of the Western tradition.
A significant part of the course will be devoted to modern and contemporary pedagogical thought, with particular reference to the major educational transformations which, from the 19th century onwards, have redefined the role of the school and its educational function, orienting educational practices towards a greater focus on the pupil and their active involvement in teaching and learning processes.
The concluding part of the course will be dedicated to some of the most significant figures in 20th-century Italian pedagogy, whose thinking profoundly renewed the discipline and continues to offer fruitful insights even in the current context of epochal transformation linked to the emergence of artificial intelligence.

Core Documentation

Mark S. Johnson, Peter N. Stearns, Storia dell'educazione. Una prospettiva globale, Einaudi, Torino, 2025.
S. di Biasio, L. Silvestri (a cura di), Maestre e maestri della ricostruzione. Una nuova scuola nell'Italia tra dopoguerra e boom economico, Mondadori Education, Milano, 2024
I. Illich, Descolarizzare la società, Mimesis, Milano, 2019.

Reference Bibliography

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Attendance

frequency not mandatory, although recommended

Type of evaluation

The examination is conducted orally. The assessment will focus on the student’s grasp of the content relating to the history of pedagogy and education, with particular reference to the evolution of the educational relationship between teacher and pupil, as well as on the student’s ability to critically and personally reflect on the topics covered during the course. The assessment criteria will take into account the relevance and richness of the content presented, the internal coherence of the arguments, the ability to articulate concepts in a coherent manner, and the accuracy of terminology and expression.