A contextual approach to assess learning dispositions through Learning Stories: first notes on a research project

The paper aims at explaining some issues arisen during the designing of an empirical research that explores whether and how the learning environment fosters the children’s learning dispositions within Italian ECEC services – particularly infant toddler centers for 3-36 months old children – by means of Margaret Carr’s Learning Stories. Within a sociocultural and ecological perspective, the framework of the research entails three main aspects: the cultural specificity of the educational system, the concept of infant toddler center as a complex context where various factors are intertwined and the integration between the principles of validity, reliability and feasibility of the assessment practices. Data were collected on completion of ex ante evaluation of the research design development. The research design considers evaluation as an ongoing, transparent, participatory and democratic process. Ethical principles were used in order to meet the needs and the goals of the research as well as to maintain the rights of the research partecipants. Confidentiality and preservation of anonymity of participants were guaranteed. One of the first issues that was addressed is the cultural impact of the assessment approach which stands at the root of Learning stories. Some Italian educational approaches and services value context evaluation prior to learning assessment; overlap documentation and evaluation of learning processes; moreover, share several, different images of child and children’s autonomy in the learning processes. A second problematic research area covers possible integration between the context evaluation processes and the Learning Stories ones. Furthermore, some critical aspects about feasibility of the new learning assessment proposal emerged in close conjunction with some issues about reliability and validity of the Learning stories tool. The issues above could renew pedagogical choices about learning processes, assessment an professional development within ECEC.