Can Children Acquire an Efficient And Aware Study Method since Primary School? A Qualitative Study on Challenges And Opportunities

Abstract

The development of an efficient and aware study method proves to be one of the most demanding educational challenges, even for secondary and university students. With the purpose of investigating the role played by primary school as starting point for practicing and gaining early study skills, this paper illustrates and discusses the results of an exploratory study conducted through a focus group attended by five primary school teachers working at “Don Lorenzo Milani”, a Comprehensive Institute of Montespertoli, Province of Florence, Central Italy—which adheres to the “Backpack-free [Senza Zaino]” project. The discussion was designed to gather insights in relation to five main areas: teachers’ knowledge of reference constructs, daily practices implemented, obstacles to be faced, the contribution given by educational technologies and further enabling steps. The results, serving as a basis for future and broader surveys, reveal the need to act on both teachers and students’ now rooted beliefs and approaches in favour of metacognitive attitudes and informed use of educational technologies.

Keywords

• Critical-reflective learning
• Educational technologies
• Metacognition
• Self-regulation
• Study method