Innovative teaching projects - Psychology

The project “Integrated enhancement of linguistic, digital and transversal skills”, carried out between 2023 and 2024, was developed on the basis of needs expressed by the student body. A key aspect was the enrichment of the degree courses through the introduction of three MOOCs for the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Techniques and Methods in Psychological Science, integrating digital learning methodologies. At the same time, the project placed emphasis on the development of linguistic and transversal skills through workshops on soft skills, involving 19 students; a Content-Based Learning course, with the final award of Open Badges to 13 students; and the introduction of "Socratic debates" to promote critical thinking and intercultural communication skills, which saw overall participation of around 250 students. Dedicated materials were created and supervision by a tutor was provided to support international students in the Tirocinio Pratico Valutativo, demonstrating attention to their specific needs. The multifaceted approach combined digital innovation, the development of linguistic and professional skills, and personalised support, representing an effective model for improving the quality of university education. Overall, the strong participation of the student body in the various activities offered highlights the importance of a student-centred approach in the design and implementation of innovative teaching initiatives.

Project lead: Gianluca Campana.

Keywords: linguistic skills; soft skills; MOOC; digital learning.

As part of the project “Professionalising training activities for the qualifying degree in Psychology”, developed between 2023 and 2024, numerous online seminars were organised and delivered by professional psychologists on professionalising topics of interest to students enrolled in Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in Psychology. Participation in these initiatives was broad and cut across all the Department’s degree programmes: the seminars received a high level of appreciation from students in terms of their usefulness for learning professional skills and the interest of the content. Numerous positive feedback comments were received, highlighting their importance for preparation geared towards the world of work. In parallel, several video seminars were also produced, likewise focusing on professionalising topics identified through the direct involvement of student representatives and relevant stakeholders. These videos were then made available to lecturers to supplement the curricular teaching. In addition, for international students on the "Developmental and educational psychology" curriculum, two Italian language courses were organised and attended by most of them, with the aim of strengthening the language skills preparatory to undertaking the practical evaluative traineeship.