Conference Agenda

Reducing educational inequalities remains one of the most pressing challenges across European education systems (Baysu et al., 2018). Despite decades of policy reforms, students from socio-economically disadvantaged and migrant backgrounds continue to face persistent structural barriers that limit their academic achievement, educational trajectories, and social participation (Breen et al., 2009). While a substantial body of research has documented the existence and reproduction of inequalities, there is an increasing need for robust empirical evidence on interventions that effectively compensate and reverse them over time and across contexts.

This symposium brings together three complementary studies that examine the impact of dialogic and community-based educational actions implemented in disadvantaged settings across Europe. Together, they offer multi-level evidence—from early childhood education to cross-national longitudinal analysis—on how Successful Educational Actions (SEAs) (Roca et al., 2024) contribute to fostering inclusive learning environments, promoting successful educational trajectories, and strengthening social cohesion.

The first paper analyses participatory and family-based interventions developed in socio-economically vulnerable territories in Italy. Moving beyond school-centred approaches, the study explores how interactive groups and co-created educational activities engage parents, teachers, and community members as active contributors to educational processes. Drawing on qualitative and participatory evaluation data, the findings show how these practices reshape school-family relationships, enhance parents’ sense of agency, and contribute to more inclusive and cohesive learning environments. The study argues that sustainable inclusion requires the construction of educational communities where responsibility for learning is shared across institutional and informal actors.

The second paper presents a longitudinal, mixed-methods, cross-country comparative analysis of SEAs implemented in 20 schools located in disadvantaged contexts across Ireland, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Combining quantitative data on students’ academic outcomes with qualitative evidence collected through the communicative methodology, the study identifies similar patterns and contextual differences in the implementation and impacts of SEAs. The analysis pays particular attention to students’ educational trajectories and to how participation in dialogic learning environments supports not only academic success but also broader forms of social participation, leadership, and community engagement. By synthesising national case reports, this contribution provides comparative evidence relevant for policymakers and practitioners concerned with long-term equity-oriented reforms.

The third paper focuses on early childhood education and examines how SEAs respond to contemporary social challenges by promoting early recognition and prevention of violence. Through a qualitative study conducted in a disadvantaged urban school in Catalonia (Spain), the research analyses the implementation of the Dialogic Model of Coexistence. Findings indicate that children as young as three demonstrate the capacity to recognise complex forms of violence, articulate ethical positioning, and engage in prosocial responses. The study highlights the importance of early preventive socialisation and collective action in building non-violent, supportive school cultures that extend beyond classroom boundaries.

Taken together, the three contributions provide complementary empirically grounded evidence that SEAs, dialogic and participatory educational actions, operate at multiple levels—early childhood, school-community ecosystems, and cross-national policy contexts—to reduce educational inequalities. By integrating community participation, longitudinal analysis, and preventive approaches, the symposium advances knowledge on how equity-oriented educational interventions are being sustained, transferred, and scaled across diverse European settings.

This paper discusses the results of a set of experimental educational actions aimed at strengthening inclusive learning trajectories through participatory and collaborative methodologies grounded in family and community engagement. The interventions were developed within socially, economically, and culturally fragile territories characterised by high levels of diversity, migration, and structural disadvantage. In these contexts, schools often face persistent inequalities (Brinbaum & Lutz, 2017) that cannot be effectively addressed through individualised support alone, but require broader community-oriented strategies (Skoglund & Bretthauer). The actions presented in this study were designed to promote the active involvement of parents and caregivers as key actors in educational processes, moving beyond traditional, school-centred approaches. In particular, the project implemented interactive groups (Díez-Palomar & Cabré, 2015) of SEAs (Successful education actions) and co-construction activities in which parents, cultural mediators, teachers, and educators collaboratively designed and supported educational pathways. These practices were not limited to the needs of single pupils or isolated classrooms, but were conceived as contextual and systemic interventions, capable of influencing school cultures and local educational ecosystems. Drawing on qualitative and participatory evaluation data from Italy, the paper highlights several emerging outcomes. First, family engagement initiatives contributed to reshaping relationships between schools and families, fostering mutual trust and dialogue across cultural and linguistic differences. Second, the collaborative spaces created through interactive groups enhanced parents’ sense of belonging and agency, enabling them to recognise their role not only as supporters of their own children but also as contributors to collective educational wellbeing. Third, schools involved in these actions reported positive effects on the overall learning environment, including improved social competence among students, stronger community ties, and greater attention to inclusivity in everyday pedagogical practices. The findings suggest that participatory family-based interventions can function as powerful tools for building “educational communities” (comunità educanti), where responsibility for learning and inclusion is shared across institutional and informal actors. By activating relational resources within vulnerable contexts, these practices open possibilities for reducing educational inequalities and generating more equitable and cohesive learning environments. The paper concludes by reflecting on the transformative potential of community-based and participatory approaches of SEAs arguing that sustainable inclusion requires not only targeted educational support, but also the strengthening of collective bonds, democratic participation, and shared educational responsibility.

Brinbaum, Y., & Lutz, A. (2017). Examining educational inequalities in two national systems: a comparison of the North African second generation in France and the Mexican second generation in the United States. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 43(15), 2591–2615. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183x.2017.1290522 Díez-Palomar, J., & Cabré, J. (2015). Using dialogic talk to teach mathematics: the case of interactive groups. ZDM Mathematics Education, 47(7), 1299–1312. doi: 10.1007/s11858-015-0728-x Skoglund, E., Bretthauer, A. (2019). Starting early with language learning. Enhancing human capital and improving the integration of migrant families in the Danube region. Examples from Bavaria. Comparative Southeast European Studies, 67 (2), 234-263.

Reducing educational inequalities remains a key priority across European education systems (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2023). This paper will present a cross-country comparative analysis of Successful Educational Actions (SEAs) (Roca et al., 2024; Ruiz et al., 2023) implemented in schools serving socio-economically disadvantaged communities, with the aim of exploring how such interventions may contribute to reversing inequalities over time. The contribution forms part of a broader symposium focused on equity-oriented approaches to education in Europe. The analysis will draw on a longitudinal, mixed-methods studies currently being conducted in five European countries: Ireland, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. A total of 20 schools (four per country) have been selected as case studies. These schools are located in low socio-economic contexts, serve diverse and vulnerable student populations, and have been implementing SEAs consistently since between 2011 and 2020. Many of the participating schools have developed into Learning Communities, characterised by participatory decision-making processes and strong engagement of families and local communities. National case reports are currently being developed. They combine quantitative longitudinal data on students’ academic outcomes and progression pathways with qualitative data collected through communicative methodologies, including students’ daily life stories, in-depth interviews with teachers, school leaders, and family members, and communicative focus groups with students and teachers. The paper will synthesise evidence across the national reports to conduct a cross-country comparative analysis. The focus will be on identifying patterns and differences in how SEAs are implemented and experienced, with particular attention to students’ educational trajectories. Through the analysis of life stories, the study seeks to better understand how participation in SEAs may support not only academic success but also broader forms of social participation, community engagement, and leadership. By presenting a comparative, empirically grounded cross-country comparison of SEAs across European contexts, the paper seeks to contribute evidence that is relevant for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers concerned with the design, implementation, and long-term effectiveness of equity-oriented educational actions.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2023). Equity and inclusion in education. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Roca, E., Fernández, P., Troya, M. B., & Flecha, A. (2024). The effect of successful educational actions in transition from primary to secondary school. PloS One, 19(6), e0304683. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304683 Ruiz-Eugenio, L., Soler-Gallart, M., Racionero-Plaza, S., & Padrós, M. (2023). Dialogic literary gatherings: A systematic review of evidence to overcome social and educational inequalities. Educational Research Review, 39(100534), 100534.

During early childhood years, children may experience and engage in different forms of violence within the school environment (Falla et al., 2023). However, research has often overlooked young children’s ability to recognize complex forms of violence and to act prosocially in response. Within this context, this contribution explores how dialogic learning environments, specifically the Dialogic Model of Coexistence (DMC), respond to contemporary social challenges by promoting early recognition, interpretation, and prevention of violence. The DMC is grounded in egalitarian dialogue, positioning alongside the victim, the participation of the whole educational community and the preventive socialization of violence (Flecha et al., 2024; Puigvert et al., 2019). Research shows how the implementation of this dialogic model improves school coexistence and reduces violence (Roca-Campos et al., 2021; Soler-Gallart et al., 2025). However, there is little evidence on the impact of this model in early childhood education. To contribute to filling this gap, this study was conducted in an early childhood and primary public school in an urban area of Catalonia (Spain). The school is located in an low SES area and serves a high proportion of students from immigrant-background families. Data were collected through (1) six in-depth interviews with preschool and primary teachers and the headteacher; (2) one communicative focus group involving five of these teachers and three additional participants; and (3) six in-depth interviews with families whose children attended different grades. Findings indicate that children as young as three are able to recognize multiple forms of violence, including implicit and relational dynamics such as exclusion, coercive behaviour, or subtle peer pressure. Children identified these situations in classroom and spontaneous interactions, labelling the behaviour, explaining its harmful nature, and verbally rejecting it. Teachers and families also highlighted children´s ability to articulate ethical positioning and show empathy toward peers affected by harmful interactions. The evidence also indicates transfer and continuity of these learning processes across contexts. Teachers described the use of dialogic strategies during playground situations, while families noted similar behaviours at home, particularly in children´s reflections on fairness, solidarity, and friendship. Overall, the findings highlight that by fostering early awareness, ethical positioning, and collective action among children, in this setting, the DMC contributes to coherent, prosocial, and non-violent orientations that extend beyond isolated interventions and across developmental stages.

Falla, D., Dueñas‑Casado, C., & Ortega‑Ruiz, R. (2023). Unjustified aggression in early childhood education. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2023.101857 Flecha, R., Guo, M., Khalfaoui, A., López de Aguileta, A., Puigvert, L., Rodrigues de Mello, R., Rodríguez, A., Valls, R. (2024). Guía de Comunidades de Aprendizaje. Hipatia Press. Guía de Comunidades de Aprendizaje – HIPATIA PRESS Puigvert, L. Gelsthorpe, L., Soler-Gallart, M., & Flecha, R. (2019). Girls’ perceptions of boys with violent attitudes and behaviours, and of sexual attraction. Palgrave Communications, 5(1), 56. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-019-0262-5 Roca-Campos, E., Duque, E., Ríos, O., Ramis-Salas, M. (2021). The Zero Violence Brave Club: A successful intervention to prevent and address bullying in schools. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.601424 Soler-Gallart, M., Galar, A., Olabarria, A., Alzaga, A., López de Aguileta, G., Pulido, C., Flecha, R. (2025). A teacher´s perceptions of the impacts of the Zero Violence Brave Club in students´ wellbeing. Aims Neuroscience 12 (3), 418-433. 10.3934/Neuroscience.2025023