Last September, Ashoka Italia began mapping scholastic innovation in Italy in collaboration with Onlus Staanoi and Wind Telecomunicazioni SpA.
Using the Snowball Analysis Methodlogy that was already successfully employed in 2015 to map social innovation, Ashoka Italia interviewed 40 experts in the education sector (headmasters, teachers, educators, researchers, social workers) on which schools in Italy were undertaking the most innovative approaches, including empathy, creativity, leadership, team play, new didactic methodologies and digital tools. Nominated schools were contacted and interviewed. The entire process was repeated three times, leading to 180 interviews.
Amongst the 300 mentioned private and public schools, 28 received more than 3 nominations. They were “connected” via shared innovation.
The map of school innovation in Italy indicates that there are a significant number of excellent private schools, but that public schools truly stimulate innovation and represent 95% of the mapped schools. Amongst the 300 schools that were nominated, there are 124 high schools: 39% lyceums and 61% technical and professional schools. Lazio holds the regional record with 60 schools, while Lombardy only ranks third with 40 schools. Out of the 28 most nominated schools, 8 are in Lombardy, 4 in Lazio, 3 in Marche, 3 in Tuscany and 2 each in Emilia Romagna, Friuli, Piemonte, Umbria e Puglia con 2. The Puglia Region, however, has the school with the greatest number of nominations.
The Fondazione Mondo Digitale stands out as one of the most active organisations in promoting school networking, together with Project Avanguardie Educative Indire.
Ashoka Italia will present the research report on May 16 in Bologna at the Learning City Event. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all updates.
The aim of the school mapping is to kick off a programme called Scuole Changemaker, which aims to identify, connect and support schools that promote innovative ideas and didactic methodologies.
