Developmental and educational psychology - Psicologia dell' educazione (2013/2014)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide a basic understanding of the theoretical and methodological issues related to the stages of development of a child's learning process in an educational context and to provide a basic knowledge of the risk indicators of difficulties or delays in these processes in preschool and school-aged children.
Specifically, the expected learning outcomes are as follows:
1) knowledge and understanding of the development of the learning processes of reading, writing and mathematics during school age, with reference to the main theoretical models and understanding of the role of memory and attention in learning development;
2) the ability to critically take into account the relationship between the characteristics of the child (individual factors, skills, how he/she learns), characteristics of the school environment (education, teaching methods, the class group and the wider school setting) and other contexts in order to determine the learning processes;
3) the ability to apply the knowledge acquired in the process of observation and educational programming in various educational contexts, particularly for learning difficulties.

In the first part of the course the basic mechanisms responsible for the processes of learning in children are considered. It aims to provide knowledge on the main theoretical models that describe the development of reading, writing and calculation, taking into account the role of the mechanisms of memory and attention. The specific prerequisites for preschool children that consent the development of the processes of literacy in primary schools are presented.
In the second part of the course the role of context variables in the educational processes at different levels (educational proposals, class groups, school context, family), with reference to the socio-constructivist theoretical perspective are considered, taking into account the interaction between cognitive factors, socio-emotional and motivational processes of learning.
Exploration of the theme of observation and educational planning in cases of potential or actual learning difficulties will also be focused on.

The exam of Developmental and Educational Psychology will consist of a written test only. The student will have 2 hours to answer six open questions: three questions about Developmental Psychology, and three questions about Educational Psychology.


Exam texts
Preparation for the Educational Psychology exam includes studying the following monograph, chapters and a paper:


Stella, G. (2000). Lo sviluppo cognitivo. Milano: Bruno Mondadori Editore. (cap. 3,4,5,6)

Boscolo, P. (2012). La fatica e il piacere di imparare. Torino: Utet.

Orsolini, M., Fanari, R., Maronato, C. (2006). Difficoltà di lettura nei bambini. Bologna: Carocci.