An Interview with Giuseppe Corrente on Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and University in Italy (Part Three)
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2020/05/08
Abstract
Dr. Giuseppe Corrente is a Computer Science teacher at Torino University. He earned a Ph.D. in Science and High Technology – Computer Science in 2013 at Torino University. He has contributed to the World Intelligence Network’s publication Phenomenon. He discusses: the scholastic system in Italy; middle and high schools in Italy; treatment of foreign and atheist students in Italy; the university system in Italy; he common and uncommon traits of Italy; moral education; professional academic standards; most respected and prominent Italian researchers; and experience on the individual level for funding and academic freedom.
Keywords: elementary school, Giuseppe Corrente, high school, middle school, university.
An Interview with Giuseppe Corrente on Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and University in Italy (Part Three)[1],[2]*
*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citation style listing after the interview.*
1. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: The scholastic system in Italy can be different than other countries in the world. I have some graduate student colleagues who went to Italy after they went to graduate school and earned a Masters’ degrees because of the allure and charm of places there. At present, of course, under SARS-CoV-2 producing symptomatology of Covid-19, the enjoyment can be limited. Nonetheless, as things begin to return an old normal in addition to adaptations within a new normal for the entire world as this pandemic subsides while killing hundreds of thousands of people in its wake, we can expect the allure and charm of Italy to return in due course. Condolences to all who have lost loved ones, friends, and newfound acquaintances who had the promise to become lifelong friends. How is the scholastic system in Italy? Let’s start on the elementary school system, please incorporate gifted and talented education into this.
Giuseppe Corrente: Italian Elementary school is in my opinion a good system, but it is compromised by two negative points: low teacher salary and too crowded classes. The initiative about inclusion are above all for people with some certified disability and not for now also for high intellect quotient children. There is an association , AISTAP, that is going to incentive initiative thought for high IQ children, but are very sporadic and it is not reaching to attract enough attention. AISTAP collaborates also with MENSA and with some universities with some pilot studies, but politically there is no intention to really support this type of educational direction.
2. Jacobsen: How are the middle or high schools catering or helping the older generations of the students who went through the elementary school system in Italy?
Corrente: In the middle and high school typically the age is between 10 and 18 years. Above all in the middle the children-adolescent age is the most difficult and there is not enough attention on this. The negative constant remains the same two points underlined before: more teacher’s salary and less numerous classes were strongly needed. Some program of interest are Olympiads of various disciplines, I define these as a for talented boys and girls initiative, but these are not really a solution for gifted people.
3. Jacobsen: Also, for the elementary and middle/high school system in Italy, how is religion tied to it? It’s Italy after all. How are foreign students and atheist students treated and integrated into the educational system as well? These can be consequential questions for other countries with different educational systems, which makes this an important question to ask pointedly.
Corrente: This integration problem is managed with Alternative Hour, also if the integration problem remains. Alternative Hour is an option instead of official religion teaching, the integration problem has to be managed more deeply.
4. Jacobsen: What about the university system? How is this an integrated network with student education, research for scholastic purposes, connections to politics, and benefits to the business community in Italy? These tend to be mixed up with the university system as an admixture or nexus of these elements.
Corrente: Until now industry and academic research were two distinct sectors ignoring each other. From few years this is changing. The funds for theoretical research are becoming zero, while the enterprise world is seeing with interest to Industry 4.0 business model, that needs of advanced expertise. But this happens only near the most important universities while the others are more and more near the only role of teaching centers.
5. Jacobsen: How is this compared to the rest of the OECD countries or Europe in general? What characteristics make Italy relatively common and other traits make Italy uncommon in the educational department?
Corrente: The common trait is that the academic paths for post-doc people is becoming the exception while since ten or twenty years ago it was the rule. The negative factors of nepotism and political sponsoring of academic youth are stronger in Italy than in North Europe.
6. Jacobsen: Is moral education included in Italy? If so, how so? If not, any idea as to why not?
Corrente: I don’t know. I think it depends on the discipline.
7. Jacobsen: How are the professional academic standards for graduate students and professorial-level researchers in Italy?
Corrente: I think it is very good, too much sometimes to be valorized not abroad.
8. Jacobsen: Who are the most cited or respected and prominent researchers in Italy?
Corrente: In my opinion the most popular are Carlo Rovelli, Elena Cattaneo and Fabiola Gianotti.
9. Jacobsen: How has your experience been on the individual level for funding and freedom to inquire and critically evaluate academic interests?
Corrente: Also if in some disciplines there is more freedom, to become known and having access to funds and consideration is too often due to a compromise between choices of arguments and public relations, and not only own experience and intelligence. Another strong obstacle is age; if one is over 40 or 50 as age and is only a post-doc, also if he is a very valid researcher he is stopped.
Appendix I: Footnotes
[1] Ph.D. (2013), Science and High Technology – Computer Science, Torino University.
[2] Individual Publication Date: May 8, 2020: http://www.in-sightjournal.com/corrente-three; Full Issue Publication Date: September 1, 2020: https://in-sightjournal.com/insight-issues/.
*High range testing (HRT) should be taken with honest skepticism grounded in the limited empirical development of the field at present, even in spite of honest and sincere efforts. If a higher general intelligence score, then the greater the variability in, and margin of error in, the general intelligence scores because of the greater rarity in the population.
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