INSTALL Innovative Solution to Aquire Learning to Learn

INSTALL promotes inclusive education, equity and social cohesion while preventing university drop-out of students with educational disadvantages (disadvantaged students) caused by personal, social, cultural or economic circumstances, who need support to fulfil their educational potential - Recommendation EU Parliament & Council on Key Competences for LL (2006/962)- hence exposed to social exclusion, academic underachievement and university dropout. Disadvantaged students are an increasingly important phenomenon in EU calling for more flexible tertiary education system able to promptly respond to their specific needs. Disadvantaged students are a significant group comprising students from disadvantaged parts of society, migrants/students from migrant households, women, working students, and more in general the so called “non traditional learners” (Council Conclusions on Social Dimension of Education and Training, 2010/C 135/02). Disadvantaged students have inadequate or merely sufficient educational background upon enrolment in university, inevitably undermining their ability to fully reap benefits of tertiary education and capacity to acquire key competence of Learning to Learn (L2L). INSTALL targets directly the group of disadvantaged students enrolled in the first year of university, as the first year is crucial for drop-out and underachievement phenomena, i.e. in Italy 17 to 20% of drop outs happen from the first to the second year of university. In sum, this group of students is the most exposed to university underachievement and potential drop-out. Thorough research carried out by partners shows that disadvantaged students are affected by low academic achievements in the first academic year, undermining their entire academic experience and ultimately increasing exposure to social exclusion and drop-out. The determinants of disadvantaged students are similar, if not tantamount, to those of the “non-traditional students”. Reportedly, 20 to 45% of European students are non-traditional learners (Eurostudent III 2005–08, Social & Economic Conditions of Student Life in EU, Higher Education Information System). This is confirmed by results of thorough research carried out by partners: approximately 25 to 35% of their respective academic population are underachievers exposed, to various degrees, to long term patterns of social and educational exclusion. HE students clearly indicate that L2L is crucial: FlashEUbarometer Series 260, Students and Higher Education Reform, 2009 indicates that 9 in 10 students agree that study programmes should cover L2L techniques. HE teachers and professionals agree with the need to improve L2L: 85% strongly agree/agree that “study and training programmes should encompass [..] learning to learn” (FlashEUbarometer Series 198, Perceptions of Higher Education Reforms, 2007). The EU stresses the need to address the specific dynamics of such groups and revamp educational models and institutions accordingly. The 2010 joint progress report of Council and Commission on implementation of “Education & Training Work Programme” calls for the need to develop and implement innovative approaches to teaching and learning (2010/C,117/1). The Report highlights the need for “more efforts to support acquisition of key competences for those at risk of educational underachievement and social exclusion”. Council Conclusions of May 2010 on social dimension of education and training, calls for the “promotion of specific programmes for [...] non-traditional learners”. In this context, INSTALL timely addresses those students’ capacity constraints to consolidate L2L competence and prevent underperformance and social exclusion. INSTALL builds on consolidated research and operational cooperation in this area of some project partners who have investigated the field to identify key constraints and issues as well as potential solutions. The proposal is fully aligned with the development strategies and institutional mission and functions of the partners that are universities and departments at the forefront of research on narrative mentalisation as a means to assist learning processes. the coordinator is a university department focusing on assistance to disadvantage students.INSTALL promotes acquisition of key competence of Learning to Learn (L2L) at university level by developing and implementing innovative Narrative Mediation Path (NMP) targeted at this disadvantaged group of students. The Narrative Mediation Path is based on the psychological concept of mentalisation (as the ability to understand oneself or someone else’s mental state) to develop and enhance L2L. Mentalisation allows individuals to becoming aware of their, and others’, mental state (thoughts, beliefs, emotions, wishes, motivations) and recognise, elaborate and modulate emotions throughout the learning process. Mentalisation is key to empower individuals to strategically use cognitive actions related to mental states (interpret, reason, anticipate, remember, codify, etc), effectively communicate and interact with others. Scientific evidence demonstrates the key role of narrating as instrumental for the mentalisation process: INSTALL will define an innovative methodology based on narration (narrative methodology) to sustain the development of a reflexive/mentalisation competence of individuals’ learning experience. INSTALL will develop, test and validate European NMPs based on narrative training methodology to develop and enhance L2L key competence; at University level L2L translates into being able to take positions on issues relating to the personal educational and professional development path, with the goal of improving skills and abilities to decide, self-orient and use resources. INSTALL aims to developing/enhancing a transversal competence to allow students to build resources in their own environment and turn capacities, knowledge and skills into competences to self-empowerment for educational and professional achievements.