24 February 2022. Russia’s military attack on Ukraine made a dramatic appearance in our daily lives. The media coverage, geographical vicinity and many personal bonds have made us particularly aware of this war. The worries and fears of adults have interwoven with those of children and teenagers, and the war has also come knocking on the doors of our classrooms.
In the last two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has interrupted the ordinary school routine, while amplifying the problems: educational methods too often based on transmission, the worrying phenomenon of implicit dropouts, the role of socialisation, and growing unease that has increased problems linked to mental health...
In various ways, war also affects schools and those dealing with education; the rationale based on violence and subjugation poses questions for the educational environment in relation to the relative objectives and teaching. In the case of education that does not just wish to transmit knowledge, but also develop life skills, creating active, aware and responsible citizens, war is a reality that undermines the underlying sense of education in a personalised, democratic and inclusive perspective.
These and other important reflections and observations are contained in this volume of RicercaAzione, both in the "Research" section, full of important contributions, and in the varied section "Experiences and reflections", in addition to the stimulating comments in the "Reviews" section.
