FERRI PAOLO MARIA

Universita’ degli Studi Milano Bicocca

Higher ducation/University

From October 2017 to date: Paolo Maria Ferri is Full Professor of Teaching  and Special Pedagogy, at the Department of Human Sciences “Riccardo Massa” of State University Milan Bicocca (M-PED /03 - 11 / D2). During  the academic year 2020/2021, he hold the teaching of "Educational Technology " (8 CFU) - Master of Science Degree “Adult Education and Counselling in Organizations”, and also teaches "Educational Technology " (4 CFU, 3rd year), - Master Degree of Primary Education. Moreover he teaches "New media communication" (8 CFU, 2nd year), in the Bachelor Degree - Intercultural Communication. He previously held the courses "Technologies for Education" (4 CFU, 3rd year) and "Digital Content for Education" (4 CFU, 4th year), in the Master Degree  in Primary Education, and "New media communication " (8 CFU, 2nd year), - Bachelor of Science in Intercultural Communication. The courses are part of the Bicocca Digital project. Sine the academic year 2013/2014, he has been teaching at the Online Master in Educational Technologies (DOL), http://www.dol.polimi.it/ of "Technologies and Didactics" – Politecnico di Milano.2005 – 2014 Associate professor from 1-10-2005 (M-PED/03), and researcher from 1-10-2001 in the same University (https://www.unimib.it/paolo-maria-ferri).

He held his coures in blended learning and the courses are part of the "Bicocca Digitale Project", which he has coordinated in the past, on behalf of the Rector and between 2014 and 2017. The project has involved all the Departments of the University the planning and delivery of around 100 Universitary courses in Blended Learning and 6 in Mooc format. As coordinator of the “Digital Bicocca Project” , he was delegated by the Rector to the Working Group of the CRUI on the Moocs

- He is a member of the Scientific Cometee of the PHD “Pedagogies of Contemporaneity" (2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022) - Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa" - University of Milan Bicocca, and was supervisor  of 4 PHD students.

During the Academic Year 2016/2017, he participated, with other, technology of education experts,  in the drafting of the CRUI Guidelines for the design of Mooc courses. Still on behalf of the Rector, he was among the promoters of Eduopen: the first Italian Mooc Network of Public Universities. The Network involves 17 italian public Universities www.eduopen.org).

During the Academic Year 2016/2017, he participated, with other, technology of education experts,  in the drafting of the CRUI Guidelines for the design of Mooc courses. Still on behalf of the Rector, he was among the promoters of Eduopen: the first Italian Mooc Network of Public Universities. The Network involves 17 Italian public Universities www.eduopen.org

He was a member (2015/2016-2017/2018,) of the Board of the PHD in " SCIENCES OF TRAINING AND COMMUNICATION - DOT13C6541",- Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa" of the University of Milan Bicocca, and is following in these years the work of 2 PhD students.

From the Accademic Year 2014/2015 to date he is professor at the Master in Psychology of new media dell'Assciazione il Minotauro.

He has been Member until the Academic Year 2014/2015 of the Board of the  PHD in “Communication and Information Technologies applied to the knowledge society and to the educational processes”  - University of Milan Bicocca, and has supervised in that years 6 doctoral students.- He is a member of the Board of the PHD “Pedagogies of Contemporaneity (2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021) in the Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa" - University of Milan Bicocca, and was supervisor  of 4 PHD students

Add separate entries for each relevant post occupied, starting with the most recent.

From 2013 to 2018. He has held numerous consulting positions for Ministry of Universities (Miur): consultant for the Staff of the Minister for the “Piano Nazionale Scuola Digitale”; Member of the “Scuola 2.0” scientific committee; Consultant for the “Classi 2.0” Project and for INDIRE (LIM Project, Classi 2.0, Technical-Scientific Committee of the PON Didatech Project, Design and revision of the editorial plan for the didactic contents of the “Pon Didatech” project and for the the project “For Docenti

SCIENTIFIC ASSIGNMENTS:

He is a member of the scientific committee of the following journals: TD. Educational technologies, http://www.tdjournal.itd.cnr.it/; Je-LKS, Journal of e-Learning and Knowledge Society, http://www.je-lks.org/ojs/index.php/Je-LKS_EN_ ; Form@re, Open Journal for online teahing and training, http://formare.erickson.it/wordpress/ ; Qwerty - Open and Interdisciplinary Journal of Technology, Culture and Education, http://www.ckbg.org/qwerty/index.php/qwerty ; ECPS, Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies, http://www.ledonline.it/index.php/ECPS-Journal/article/view/124 ; International Journal of Digital Literacy and Digital Competence, http://www.igi-global.com/sample-journal-issue/international-journal-digital-literacy-digital/1170 ; among the founding members of SIREM (Italian Society of Research in Media Education), http://www.sirem.org/.

From 2017 to 2019 he is among the five members of the " Media and Minors Committee. For the application of the Media Self-Regulation  Act" appointed by the Ministry of Economic Development

Since September 2015 to date he is Vice President of Siel, the Italian E-learning Society.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Its main research areas are

1. E-learning and distance digital learning, with particular reference to the design of digital teaching and learning activities. He has  coordinated the e-learning activities of the “Dipartimento di scienze umane per la formazione Riccardo Massa” of the University of Milan Bicocca, through the design, implementation and delivery of  the Blended Learning Courses and Mooc through the Open Source Virtual learning environment Docebo. In the context of this activity, particular attention was paid to the design and production of digital contents (e-tivities, Learning Object) and to the system of conducting, tutoring and monitoring of e-learning activities. The Docebo platform subsequently (2014/2015) has been replaced by  the  Moodle platform implemented in the Faculty of Education Sciences for the entire Milano Bicocca Universit.

2. The techniques and applications of digital technology to different educational and training contexts: scholastic, university, and professional long life learning, with particular regard to the design and implementation of VLE LMCS ( Learning and Content Management System), CMS (Content Management System), LMS (Learning Management System) dedicated to training and Computer Supplied Collaborative Learning (CSCL) as well as to Computer Supplied Collaborative Working (CSCW) . He also started the Moocs project of the University Milan Bicocca and worked on the use of social network platforms  in  Accademic and School learning context..

3. The theme of "Digital Natives", and of the new cognitive and communicative styles that characterize the digital media appropriation of children and preadolescents. He was a member of the research team, coordinated by Professor Susanna Mantovani, who developed the research "Computers, children and adults, experiences and representations" with the financing of the IBM Foundation Italy A research dedicated to analyzing from a qualitative point of view the approach and the first use by preschool and school children (2-6 years) to digital technologies and the transformations introduced by them in cognitive and learning frameworks. The research also dealt with identifying training courses for teachers and teachers of nursery and primary school whose results are presented in the volume P. Ferri, S. Mantovani, “Bambini e Computer”, “Digital Kids” (ETAS, 2006, 2008) ) and Nativi Digitali (2011) e I nuovi bambini (2014)..

5. The theoretical and practical problems of the transition from analogic to the digital publishing, especially in the context of school textbook. He has therefore dealt with digital  data base for education and edutainment  and the problems of digitalization, coding and digital archiving of texts; the design and multimedia production of digital   learning objects and online and blended learning environments.

MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION ACTIVITIES

        He is the director and coordinator of the ICT Pole of the Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa". The Digital Pole is a laboratory that brings together all the researchers of the Department who in their work deal with issues related to digital technologies applied to education. Website: http://www.formazione.unimib.it/polo-digitale/.

    He has been delegated by the Rector as his Representative within the Eduopen Network - the first Network of 15 Italian Public Universities (in addition to Milano Bicocca, Modena and Reggio, Genoa, Venice, Bari, Bari Polytechnic, Catania, Ferrara, Foggia, Polytechnic University of Marche, Perugia, Salento, Padua, Foggia, LUMSA, Parma) for the production and dissemination of Mooc, www.eduopen.org, an activity that he still carries out today, as a member of the Steering Committee of the Eduopen Network.

  He has been delegated by the Rector in the CRUI Working Group on Moocs. During the Academic Year 2016/2017 he, therefore, participated in the CRUI Working Group that drafted the Italian Guidelines for the design of Mooc courses, the document was published in 2017: https://www.crui.it/images/1-_LineeGuidaMOOCsItalia_aprile2017.pdf.

   He has coordinated on behalf of the Rector and for the Academic Years 2014/2015, 2016/2017 the Bicocca Digitale project, from 2014 until the Academic Year 2016. This is a project that involves all the departments of the University and the methodological coordination of the design and delivery of 66 courses in Blended Learning and 6 in Mooc format.

PARTICIPATION IN EUROPEAN RESEARCH PROJECTS

Horizon 2020. He has participated in the design and presentation of the project and has coordinated the working group developing the virtual learning environment of the European project: "Inclusive education and social support to tackle inequalities in Society." ISOTIS - within the Horizon 2020 programme-REV-INEQUAL-06-2016 613318 - Coordinated at international level by Professor Paul Lesemann - Utrecht University, and at national level by Dr Giulia Pastori, University of Milano Bicocca.

Has obtained funding for the European project, “Memory Line: an intergenerational course of learning and communication "in the framework of the European program SOCRATES GRUNDTVIG Agreement n . : 230212-CP-1-2006-1-EN-GRUNDTVIG-G1 2006-2514 / 001-001 SO2 31PRO. During his scientific career he was a consultant between 2006 and 2009 for the "New Millennium Learner" OECD / CERI project.

RESECH ACTIVITIES, AGREEMENT, CONTRACT AND CONSULTANCY

 The following research projects were presented and funded by the University of Milan Bicocca and other public and privare organizations during the academic years 2022-2014:

"Children and lockdown", research project conducted by the Italian Society of Primary Pediatric Care (SICuPP Lombardia) with the collaboration of a group of researchers from the University of Milan-Bicocca (Paolo Ferri and Chiara Bove, professors of the Department of Human Sciences for training "Riccardo Massa") and of the spin-off of the University of Milan-Bicocca "Children Bicocca" Children and Lockdown. Two questionnaires were issued. The first in 2020 after the Lockdown and the second in 2021 after the partial winter lockdowns. The research involved more than 3,500 families in 2020 and 3,200 in 2021, all with children between zero and ten years of age residing in all the provinces of Lombardy. The aim of the research was to investigate the rhythms, rules, routines (nutrition, sleep, play, physical activity), the educational and didactic experience and the emotional states of children and parents during the lockdown (Mantovani et al. , 2021, Picca, 2021). In this article we will investigate more specifically, starting from the data collected in the two surveys (2020, 2021), the relationship of children with digital technologies

“Theory and practice of digital learning”. The research project aims to investigate the characteristics, forms and applications of this new evolution of e-learning. The term Digital Learning, in fact, identifies an evolution of e-learning (2019-ATE-0090/ ATE - University Fund) 2019- 2022. Research for the implementation of a three-year research and training project for the AssociatioSVA. He carried out a research and training activity concerning the analysis  of the digital competencies of teachers within the group of schools adhering to ASVA. He also carried out the training of a pilot group of teachers, which could be extended to all the teachers adhering to the association and which could be carried out according to a specific protocol attached to the contract as a technical annex.

In particular, the research and training consist in carrying out the following activities:

Research phase: based on a questionnaire on digital competencies to be delivered to the teachers of the 106 schools of the association, aimed at providing a reasoned updated mapping of the ability of teachers in the province of Varese targeted at digitally enhancing their teaching contexts. The questionnaire will be designed and tested by the University research team, on the basis of a survey of similar national and international initiatives.

Training phase: (First cycle) A course made of four workshops dedicated to the digital transition of schools, with particular reference to the definition of new teaching settings that allow to build a bridge between the new learning styles of digital natives and the teaching practices of their teachers - (Second cycle) Advanced course entitled "The Flipped classroom is not enough. Intermediate digital augmented education”.

“The evaluation of the quality of EMC training with the Lombardy Region Providers of ECM. A two-year action-research”. The project planned for the a two-year period (2018/2019) has these goals : a. carrying out a scoping review on ECM evaluation tools. b. design and construction of "prototypes" of innovative tools for the Evaluation of EMC training results in the three areas: a. learning, organisational impact and sustainability b. testing in pilot contexts of the innovative tools designed. c. monitoring of the effectiveness of the proposed tools in view of their implementation in the Lombardy ECM training system. d. dissemination of results and drafting of the final report 2018-CONV25-0070

- Digitally augmented teaching: theories and practice. Enriching the educational experience with technologies is an key requirement for a education sistem that intends to face and manage the challenges of the informational  society (2018-ATE-0067- ATE)

- “Digitally augmented teaching: theories and cases.” Enriching the learning experience with technology is an unavoidable requirement for a school that intends to face and manage the challenges of  the “informational society”

(2018-ATE-0067- ATE - Fondo di Ateneo)

He was the Principal Investigator (PI) for the Agreement: “Measurement of the training qualities and relapse within the EMC accreditation system[1] ”(2017-CONV25-0029 2017 CONV25) – “Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa" - Éupolis Istituto Superiore per la ricerca, la statistica e la formazione.
 

Together with Giulia Pastori, he was  the  responsable of the Agreement between the Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa" and Reggio Children S.r.l. (2017-CONV25-0009 2017 CONV25-Convenzioni).  This Agreement aims at developing activities and research in the field of understanding the phenomenon of appropriation of digital technologies by children.

He is the scientific coordinator of the research Back to school with Nao, Didactics augmented by technologies (2017-COMM25-0097 2017 COMM25) between the Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa" of the Università degli Studi Milano Bicocca and Istituto Comprensivo Pontecagnano S. Antonio, aimed at developing innovative models of Didactics augmented by technologies, in particular those focused on the theme of computational thinking and robotics.

He was the principal investigator (PI) who also designed and implemented (26/06/2017-27/06/2017 and 26/06/2017) the project Digital environments, computational thinking, and educational robotics- and the project The Flipped Classroom, at the Istituto Comprensivo S. Antonio of the Municipality of Pontecagnano/Faiano (SA). The intervention included four consultancy meetings with managers and teachers on didactics augmented by technologies and computational thinking.

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He is Principal Investigator (PI) or the research “Digital Augmented education and training in primary school” (2016-ATE-0481ATE- Ateneo Projects 2016). An ongoing research in some schools, for example, those of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, the Municipality of Monza, the Municipality of Latina This research is aimed at investigating the medial appropriation of technologies by pupils and students through research experiences and exchanges with the institutions mentioned above            

He was principal investigator (PI) for the research project ject “Mooc. A new  way of university teaching” (2015-ATE-0181 ATE-Progetti di Ateneo). The aims of the project are to deepen the knowledge of the existing and potentially activatable links between three dimensions of digital education: E-learning; Learning Analytics, Assessment in VLE and Moocs. The more specific aims of the project are: a) to deepen the knowledge of existing and potentially activable interactions between the three dimensions; b) to develop and test, on the basis of these interactions, an operational model for digital learning environments; c) to define an assessment model centered on processes, on a plurality of subjects (students, teachers, administrators, researchers) and different focuses: hetero-assessment, self-assessment (also of teachers), peer assessment.

He was in charge of the research project “Digital augemented education at School  and the Universal Design” (12127 2014-ATE-044ATE-Progetti di Ateneo).  The project focuses on the analysis of innovative ways and methodologies to bridge the gap between the new learning styles of pupils and young student and the teaching strategies and concrete practices of teachers in Italian schools. The aim is therefore to facilitate the dissemination of a "technology augemented didactics” also in Italy, with particular attention to the high variability of skills that characterizes pupils, and in particular those with BES (Ministerial Directive of 27/12/2012).

He was the principal investigator (PI) for the research contract (2014 2014-COMM25-0033 2014 COMM25) Children and technologies between the Dipartimento di Scienze Umane per la Formazione "Riccardo Massa” and the Social Cooperative Coopselios. The contract is aimed at developing the training of a group of Coordinators of Cooperatives working in early childhood services, and at supervising some projects of "learning augmented by technology’’ with young children.

As principal investigator (PI), he designed and implemented together with the group of teachers of the Istituto di Istruzione Superiore "L. Cobianchi", of Verbania, the research project Cobipad, (A.A. 2012/2013; 2013/2014; 2015/2016 - 127-2012-COMM25-0043-2012-COMM25 – Contracts on commission). The Cobipad project was one of the first Italian "school without a backpack" projects. This project involved two classes, which used a tablet instead of paper textbooks as well as digital learning content developed by teachers. The main aim of the project was to reposition students at the centre of the learning process, allowing them to learn by doing, working in groups, practising problem analysis and solving, using a variety of sources and tools to acquire autonomy and a critical thinking. The experiences and research carried out became the subject of scientific publications and presentations in conferences.

He won as Head of the Milan-Bicocca Research Unit il  PRIN project, "Conoscenza e ambienti digitali di apprendimento: ricerca sul campo e metodologie per la costruzione cooperativa di un ontologia locale dell'e-learning nella scuola primaria e dell'infanzia” (PRIN, Anno 2006 - prot. 2006113225_003)”.

OTHER CONSULTANCY AND TRAINING – “THIRD MISSION”

He is coordinator for the Framework Agreement with the Roberto Franceschi Onlus    Foundation (2020 to date). 

Since March 2017 she has been working as a scientific and managerial consultant for the Rizzoli/Mondadori Group, the Italian market leader in the field of miscellaneous, non-fiction and educational publishing. His consultancy is dedicated to the theme of digital platforms for learning and to digital content for teaching, and also concerns the design of training courses for teachers on these topics.

Form 2017 He has been the principal investigator (PI) and consultant who designed and implemented several projects dedicated to the theme of media appropriation of technologies by young children (children 0-10 years old), in particular:          

a)   He designed and implemented in collaboration with the team of Reggio Children - Loris Malaguzzi International Centre of Reggio Emilia the consulting and training days      - Digital Environment. Construction of possible worlds  (15/16/17 March 2017). The       event was aimed at preschool and primary school teachers and included targeted t          raining and dedicated coaching on the methods of "technology-enhanced teaching”

b)          He was the scientific director and coordinator of the project [2] "Connected            Parents",              (October 2015 - January 2018), in agreement with the Municipality of Reggio Emilia,    and with the collaboration of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and the Cooperative Coopselios. The project aimed at increasing the awareness of parents,              operators, primary and secondary school teachers on the issue of digital languages and     tools and their "informal" use by children.

c)          During the Academic Year 2014/2015 and 2015/2016, he carried out some consultancy work for the CoopsElios Cooperative, targeted to managers of children's           education services.

d)          As a consultant of the Fondazione Gruppo Credito Valtellinese, in 2013/2014,          2014/2015, 2016/2017, he developed a series of conferences and cycles of training            meetings aimed at digital literacy and methodology for teachers and managers of the        educational system of the Province of Sondrio. In particular, the various initiatives           included, in agreement with the Sondrio UST, the training of the Province's          Educational Digital Consultants. This training was developed in a course of seven              meetings during the spring-summer of 2015.

e)          As a consultant for the Liceo delle Scienze Umane Alessandro Manzoni in Latina for the academic years 2013/2014, 2014/2015, 2016/2017, he developed a project on       the theme of "Digitally augmented school". The project included a series of conferences, consultancy meetings and training sessions aimed at the digital and          methodological literacy of teachers and pupils. The training sessions were the basis for an action-research project conducted in five classes at the Liceo. The intervention involved boys and girls from five classes and more than sixty teachers. The experiences              and research carried out here, became then the topic of scientific publications and reports at conferences.

From January 2014 to date, he has been working as a scientific and managerial consultant for the Spaggiari Group, the Italian market leader in the field of school digitization, on the topic of digital platforms for learning and of digital content for teaching.

From 2013 to date he is was the principal investigator (PI) who also designed and implemented, in agreement with the Municipality of Pordenone and the Rotary of Pordenone, the cycle of conferences and meetings Connected parents. The course annual course included counselling, and the organization of four conferences/events with parents of primary school children in Pordenone. In Pordenon  he was also consultant for the Istituto Comprensivo Pordenone Sud (Headmaster, Professor Nadia Poletto), for issues related to "augmented didactics augmented" by technologies (13/09/2013-14/03/2014).