Training Activities
Teaching and Seminar Activities
Planned Teaching Activity
Introduction to the Methods of Empirical Research in the Human Sciences
(72 hours – first year – first semester)
The course is divided into two sections:
- Methods and Methodologies of Research in the Human Sciences (36 hours)
- Models and Techniques of Empirical Research in the Human Sciences (36 hours).
Each section is organized into six modules of 6 hours each, focusing on the methodological approaches of the disciplines involved in the doctoral programme, specifically:
(a) Methodology of Sociological Research
(b) Methodology of Pedagogical Research
(c) Methodology of Historical Research
(d) Methodology of Philosophical Research
(e) Methods and Knowledge in Psychology
(f) Methods and Knowledge in Psychology
Subsequently, methodological and technical aspects will be examined as follows:
(a) The debate between quantitative and qualitative approaches
(b) The tools of the quantitative–experimental method and data analysis
(c) The tools of the qualitative method and data analysis
(d) Methods and techniques of evaluative research
(e) Methods and techniques for formative and social inclusion
(f) Research techniques and tools applied to the territory
The aim of the course is to provide doctoral students with comprehensive methodological training in the field of the human sciences and to introduce them to the issues of empirical research, both specific to and shared among the different disciplines. Key elements of the epistemological debate in the human sciences will be addressed, with the intention of highlighting the current orientation of the human sciences towards the integration of methods.
Accordingly, the main aspects of both quantitative and qualitative research approaches in the context of the human sciences will be presented, with attention to their specificities, differences and necessary integrations in applied contexts.
The course will be taught (preferably) by faculty members of the Department of Education Sciences, including members of the Academic Board of the doctoral programme.
Informatics (72 hours – First Year – First Semester)
The course aims to strengthen computer science knowledge in order to develop:
- the ability to effectively consult major national and international databases, and
- the ability to use the main software tools for data processing and analysis.
The first module sets the following objectives:
- to understand the functioning of information systems;
- to become familiar with the theoretical foundations of the main Database Management Systems (DBMS), with particular reference to the relational model and relational algebra;
- to understand the theoretical principles of database querying;
- to gain knowledge of web database architectures;
- to understand the evolution of databases, from centralized systems for small and medium-sized enterprises to parallel and distributed systems for managing Big Data in the Cloud;
- to acquire skills for effective consultation of web databases, with special reference to those dedicated to scientific research.
The second module aims to provide doctoral students with competences in the design, development and management of relational databases. It offers a broad overview of methodologies, technologies and key tools of data science, with particular emphasis on data analytics, data warehousing, data mining and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, it equips doctoral students with the necessary skills to use advanced software capable of processing and manipulating data through machine learning techniques, in order to predict outcomes and extract knowledge.
English (36 hours – First Year – Second Semester)
The course aims to consolidate and enhance English language skills, with particular attention to grammar, morphology and vocabulary related to the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It also focuses on oral comprehension and production, as well as linguistic reflection on topics relevant to the humanities and the doctoral research project.
The course specifically aims to develop and strengthen the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in an academic context. By the end of the course, students will have improved their language proficiency for the following purposes:
- reading and understanding scientific articles;
- giving oral presentations supported by PowerPoint;
- listening to and comprehending academic lectures; and
- writing short academic texts (e.g., abstracts).
Additionally, students will expand their specialized academic vocabulary.
The course for PhD students will be organized by the University Language Centre (Centro Linguistico d’Ateneo) and taught online by a highly qualified native speaker with extensive and proven experience, selected by a committee of university professors and English language specialists. There will be a final examination at the end of the course.
Seminar Activities
