Countering educational poverty and cultural disadvantage in lower secondary schools: Constructs, methods and initial activities of a PRIN project

Abstract

This article presents the theoretical and methodological framework, the survey methodology, and the series of interventions during the initial implementation phase of a PRIN22 project, aimed at investigating the dynamics of sociocultural disadvantage and educational poverty in lower secondary schools. These topics are currently central to the educational debate. Through the involvement of six universities and eight schools in vulnerable local contexts, the research adopts a multilevel perspective to analyze factors affecting equity and learning effectiveness. The theoretical framework highlights how inequalities, exacerbated by the pandemic, are deeply intertwined with students’ socioeconomic and cultural conditions, challenging simplified narratives of individual merit. The initial mixed-method study integrates qualitative and quantitative data collected from students, teachers, and administrators, providing a comprehensive representation of school contexts. These data allowed to identify strategic levels of intervention, both organizationally and educationally, with particular attention to teaching culture, especially as a collegiality, and the development of basic skills. Research-based Teacher Professional Development programs that actively involve the eight Class councils, promoting critical reflection and professional innovation, are based on these evidence.

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