MoVimparo. Twelve years of action research at a kindergarten: 2008–2020

Abstract

MoVimparois a MEMO (Modena Educational Multicenter “Sergio Neri”) website. Memo is a structure of the Educational Services Sector of the Municipality of Modena, recognized as a Service and Consultancy Center for the educational infancy institutions of Emilia Romagna Region (DGR n.262/2010 as amended by DGR n.2185/2010). This educational multicenter is also accredited by the Ministry of Education (MIUR) for the training of school staff, refers to the Ministerial Directive n.170/2016. This article has analyzed seventy-tree educational projects through the narrative synthesis approach, derived from the qualitative analysis of the focus group reports (Oprandi, 2001; Cataldi, 2009), and based on the following steps: a) determination of the aim extrapolation of general didactic guidelines useful to outline applicable good practices for an educational project in outdoor education; b) identification of the relevant parts of the projects analyzed with respect to the purpose of the research; c) classification of categories referring to the relevant parts of the text; d) identification of the characteristic elements of the individual categories; e) summary of good educational practices. The teachers have shown that they know how to get involved and measure themselves with the daily work tools that they have highlighted in four main elements: a) teaching approach, b) methodology, c) characteristics of the setting, d) partnership. These four elements, deduced from the project’s analysis, underline an educational approach centered on the child and on his needs. Active and open didactics, spaces prepared in structured and unstructured forms, various materials, are always organized and combined by the adult to give space to the spontaneous action of the child. In this sense, outdoor education represents a winning strategy for teachers, thanks to its great operational adaptability of teaching. Each teacher, observing their children, can carry out educational projects appropriate to his/her school, to the spaces and times available, being able to give children great operational freedom without losing sight of the educational objectives of the school.