Books on the topic 'Pedagogical investigations'

This research stems from the need of the Italian Cultural Institute to map the institutions involved in teaching Italian in the area considered and to analyse the quality of the teaching and learning process of the Italian language. The objectives are multiple and linked to the importance of finding the causes that slow the growth of the study of Italian in Japanese Kansai. Therefore, the first part of this action research will outline the cultural and linguistic education coordinates that characterize the Japanese context; in the second part, the research data will be interpreted in order to trace new methodological development trajectories to increase the quality of the Italian teaching process in Kansai.Part 1 This part focuses on the situation of foreign language teaching in Japan. It also describes the strategies to promote the teaching of the Italian language in Japan from 1980 to now. 1 Modern Language Policy in Japan Between Past and Present This first chapter describes linguistic policy for the promotion of foreign languages in Japan by the Ministry of Education (MEXT). 2 Japanese Educational System Focus of this chapter are the cultural, pedagogical and linguistic education characteristics of the context under investigation. 3 Teaching Italian Language in Japan The purpose of this chapter is to outline the general frame of the spreading of the Italian cultural model in a traditional Japanese context. Part 2In the second part the action research and the training project design are described. 4 The Action-Research Project This chapter describes the overall design of the research and the research questions that inspired an investigation in the context under study. The aim is to understand whether there is a link between the methodological choices of the teachers and the difficulties in learning Italian for Japanese students. Part 3 In this third part, the situation of teaching Italian in relation to different learning contexts in Japanese Kansai will be examined. 5 A Case Study at Italian Culture Institute in Osaka The goals of this chapter are to analyse the problems of teaching Italian at the IIC and suggest methodological improvement paths for teachers of Italian language at IIC. 6 A Case Study at Osaka University The data obtained by the informants will be used to analyse the situation of the teaching of Italian at Department of Italian language of this university and suggest curricular and methodological improvements to increase the quality of teaching and learning Italian. 7 A Case Study at Kyoto Sangyo University The chapter outlines the methodological and technical characteristics used to teach Italian at Kyoto Sangyo University and suggests strategies aimed at enhancing students’ language learning.

This chapter begins by investigating perspectives on practice and creativity in the scholarly literature and in both practical and pedagogical writing, and it argues that to date little attention has been paid to creativity in relation to individual practice. To redress this, the chapter then explores the creative processes that underlie the practising of classical musicians, focusing on the findings of a research project that allowed participants to identify aspects that they considered important to the creative development of their performances. Creative processes to do with moment-by-moment practice strategies are discussed, along with those resulting in the creative development of interpretations and a sense of ownership in music-making. This discussion leads to a series of insights concerning musicians’ creative ways of working, how technical and expressive elements can be interrelated and integrated, the nonlinear nature of the creative processes in question, and what practice itself entails. The chapter ends by encouraging new ways of thinking about practice and by suggesting some approaches which both teachers and individual student musicians might find effective.

Pedagogical objectives and educational outcomes play a significant role in foreign policy analysis. The actor-centered approach of foreign policy analysis gives students the unique opportunity to place themselves in the shoes of decision makers and to understand the different constraints, both domestic and international, that influence the policies adopted by decision makers. In other words, foreign policy analysis can have two functions: to teach students about the processes by which foreign policy is made, or the substance of the foreign policies of various countries, and to enhance students’ ability to imagine the perspectives of others. Whether foreign policy analysis does, in fact, manage to develop this ability is an empirical question that also depends on the course emphasis and pedagogies employed. In this sense, pedagogy does not only mean excellent teaching, but also systematic investigation of teaching methods and techniques, student learning outcomes, educational assessment, and curriculum development. The literature on foreign policy analysis, pedagogy, and curriculum emphasizes active learning strategies and the need for clearly articulated learning objectives for the curriculum as a whole and the place of specific courses within it. Examples of active learning pedagogies are case teaching, simulations, and problem-based learning. Despite some very worthwhile research that has been done, there are still some gaps that need to be addressed. One is the lack of empirical work that helps evaluate the merits of the various teaching strategies in foreign policy analysis, and another is the inconsistent findings produced by the empirical studies that do exist.

This book investigates the history of a popular genre of Sanskrit devotional poetry in Kashmir: the stotra, or hymn of praise. Such hymns demonstrate and frequently reflect upon the close link between literary and religious expression in South Asia—the relationship between poetry and prayer. This study presents an overview and reassessment of the stotra genre, including its definition and history, focusing on literary hymns in Kashmir from the eighth to the twentieth century. Investigating these hymns as theological texts, it argues for their pedagogical potential and their particular appeal for non-dualistic authors. Analyzing such hymns as prayers, it unpacks the unique capabilities of the stotra form and challenges persistent assumptions in the study of Hindu prayer. The book argues for the literary ambition and creativity of many stotras across the centuries, and it complicates standard narratives about the vitality and so-called death of Sanskrit in the region. Śaiva poets also engaged with the rich discourse on aesthetics in Kashmir, and this study charts how they experiment with the idea of a devotional “taste” (bhaktirasa) long before Vaiṣṇava authors would make it well known in South Asia. Finally, it presents new perspectives on the historiography of bhakti traditions and “Kashmir Śaivism.” Overall, this book reveals the unique nature and history of stotra literature in Kashmir; demonstrates the diversity, flexibility, and persistent appeal of the stotra genre; and introduces new sources and ways of thinking about these popular texts and the comparative study of devotional poetry and prayer.