La ricerca partecipativa con i bambini come forma di educazione democratica. Riflessioni etiche e ricadute formative del progetto di ricerca europeo ISOTIS in 8 Paesi

This paper presents several results of the “Feel
good: Children’s view on inclusion” study, i.e. an
international European participatory research work
with groups of children and preadolescents in eight
countries as part of the ISOTIS project. Set within the
theoretical-methodological framework of children’s
rights, participatory research, student voice and
democratic education, the research work involved
331 minors (145 aged 4-5; 139 aged 9-11 years;
45 aged 11-14) and 32 professionals (25 teachers,
7 educators) in areas with a high cultural diversity
and social inequality. It analysed the factors that promote or hinder well-being and inclusion at school,
and it contributed to the definition and implementation of proposals for improving schools. This paper
pinpoints and discusses a number of outcomes and
lessons relating to ethical-methodological issues
and formative impacts of the research process on
the participants.