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FrancoAngeli Journals

Articles/Articoli

No. 2 (2025)

The Life Project: Toward an Integrated Paradigm Bridging Universal Design for Transition and Life Designing

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/ess2-2025oa20910
Submitted
agosto 29, 2025
Published
2025-12-11

Abstract

In contemporary pedagogical debate, the Life Project stands out as one of the most pressing challenges for building inclusive, self-determined pathways. It should not be understood as a mere bureaucratic requirement, but rather as a complex, multidimensional pedagogical framework capable of sustaining and orienting existential choices through an ongoing dialogue among personal aspirations, life contexts, and social opportunities. This perspective is grounded in the construct of Quality of Life, conceived as a situated, dialogical, and participatory dimension that places the person at the center of the educational process, recognizing and valuing them as an active agent in their own development.

Starting from these premises, this contribution proposes the integration of two complementary paradigms: Universal Design for Transition (UDT), which offers a pedagogical framework aimed at ensuring accessibility and continuity across life transitions, and Life Designing, a narrative approach that accompanies individuals through critical transitions by equipping them with tools for the reflective, socially situated construction of their Life Project. Developing an integrated paradigm makes it possible to identify narrative and self-determination as two fundamental mediators capable of translating theoretical principles into concrete, effective educational practices. Within this framework, the Life Project takes shape as an educational and cultural process of transformation aimed at promoting inclusion, quality of life, and active participation across the diverse spheres of human experience. Among operational applications inspired by this approach, the MiRacconto app stands out as a digital tool that, through narrative, fosters self-determination and supports the definition of meaningful life pathways.

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