DEBATECH

<< Background >>After a period of social isolation, in which people have entrusted their knowledge to the network, we considered extremely important to start an educational path in which each participant has the possibility to express an opinion on a specific question, through the analysis of the problem and using a “guided search” on the net. Through this exercise, that refers to the technique of the DEBATE, people are somehow forced to think and then express their opinions to the group and accept the consequent judgement. It is a modality that favors peer learning, stimulates creativity and investigating capacity. This activity can be understood as a team game but also as “a sport for the brain” because it stimulates imagination and research capacity. The project was aimed at all those people who have found themselves in a situation of social hardship, mainly due to the lock down. In this context, importance was also given to the acquisition of digital citizenship skills which were provided in order to be able to transfer the discussion also in a digital environment.<< Objectives >>With this project we wanted to support adults with fewer opportunities, or in social discomfort, through the practice of DEBATE useful activity in the acquisition of critical thinking and many other skills valid for both social and working life. Critical thinking consists in knowing how to analyze information, situations and experiences in an objective way, distinguishing reality from one's own subjective impressions and one's own prejudices, it means recognizing the elements that may affect their own thoughts and behaviors and those of others. In this way it was possible to realize the precondition for a responsible attitude that has made it possible to create effective relationships. Participants in this activity were informed in the organisations’ places normally attended through widespread communication made possible thanks to the networks of the individual partners. The educational activities, free of charge for the users, designed and the teaching methods have pursued an inclusive and participatory non-formal teaching.<< Implementation >>During the first International meeting, held in Udine, the organisations’ teachers were trained to be able to teach the Debate methodology and rules in their organizations. Debate sessions and presentations were carried out during the training in Italy. Later, each partner organised each lessons and meetings in their cities, dedicated to users with fewer opportunities, aimed at setting up teams of debaters. The DEBATE has offered real opportunities for both cultural and social growth; it has made it possible to acquire skills in an alternative way to the usual formal teaching. The necessity to use interpersonal skills to support a thesis or an argument allows the development and the continuous improvement of multidisciplinary knowledge, critical thinking and management confrontation in the debate. Digital teaching and English language courses were also promoted. In presence and online tournaments have been held in which the organisations’ teams (from all four partner countries) participated.<< Results >>During the project life, the motions (sentences to be debated) level of difficulty has grown, to meet the acquired cognitive skills reached by the participants. This enrichment in the learners skills and capacities was determined by the work done and thanks to the evaluations expressed by the judges. Every debate tournament was evaluated considering: the acceptability of the sources and information, the sufficiency and relevance of the evidence, the data or reasoning expressed, the oracy, the coherence between the verbal and non-verbal dimensions, the respect for deadlines, the structure of the intervention, the relevance and structural coherence between the different interventions. These evaluations, expressed by the judges, after each session established, with the group of debaters, a real relationship that was useful to everyone to reflect on one's own abilities, 'life skills', i.e. all those cognitive, personal skills and abilities and social skills necessary to deal with everyday life. The need to use interpersonal skills in support of a thesis or an argument brings with it the development and continuous improvement of multidisciplinary knowledge, the critical spirit and the management of confrontation in the Debate.