Learning outcomes

In order to attend the Lab, the students must have attended at least 80% of the lessons of ‘Theories and Techniques to Observe Child Behavior’ (TTOCB).

The Lab offers the opportunity to apply the theoretical and instrumental knowledge acquired during the class of TTOCB, to design a research project based on observational methods and techniques. The observational research project should be usefully used in educational contexts.

Program

The lab activities are structured in both plenary sessions and small group sessions. The first plenary sessions are aimed to develop and train basic research skills, such as skills to use online databases, read scientific papers, and formulate good research questions. The small group sessions are aimed to elaborate an observational research project (one project each group) to be used in an educational setting. In particular, the small group sessions will be focused on the different steps to design the rsearch project: to define the research aim, identify participants and procedure, choose the most adequate observational techniques, adapt and/or build the observational instruments and, finally, identify effective ways to evaluate the research process. The work in progress made within the different groups will be constantly supervised by lab tutors, and discussed in plenary sessions.

Examination Methods

At the end of the Lab, there is no examination, but only a plenary session for a critical discussion of the research projects developed by each working group. However, the lab activities will support the preparation of the TTOCI examination.