Combined Bachelor and Master in Primary Teacher Education

The degree programme in Science of Primary Education is structured as a single curriculum without division into options. It aims to provide advanced theoretical and practical training in the subjects– psycho-pedagogy, teaching methodology, technology and research – that concern the professional profile of a pre-school and primary school teacher. The curriculum contains prescribed course units covering theory and teacher training for the levels of schooling mentioned. It also provides specific training in handling and integrating cases of special needs pupils.

The single-cycle degree programme in Science of Primary Education aims to produce all-round teachers who can combine the creativity, flexibility and young-learner-motivating approach needed for pre-school, with the subject-by-subject approach typical of primary school. The purpose is to ensure greater continuity between the two school levels as the teachers are proficient in both settings.

Teachers trained by the single-cycle degree programme will also be competent at including special needs children; they will learn to make a positive feature of the difference, work to bring out the personal qualities and set up an enhanced climate of cooperation between the class teacher and the teaching assistant. Teachers need to learn how to note and cope with learning differences and obstacles by deliberate strategies based on recent research in educational psychology. The class teacher will also need to know how to turn differences of cultural background to good effect.

The programme includes in-depth learning of the subjects to be taught, as well as the most effective teaching strategies to encourage genuine learning and keep school children motivated. The professional training covers both cognitive learning and the relating-feeling side, with the teacher helping to mould the child as a whole in a positive atmosphere conducive to individual and group wellbeing.

The curriculum is made up of “basic educational subjects” developing psycho-pedagogic, teaching-methodology, socio-anthropological and digital skills, and also a core area devoted to the teaching syllabus at both school levels (“school learning”) and the learning of English.

A third area concerns special needs pupils and how to integrate them. The tuition includes course work and laboratories enabling students to apply what they have learned in class, for instance by producing teaching materials, devising techniques and using group-work and discussion to hone teamwork skills and critical thinking.

This programme is available in Italian.