Federico Corni

Federico Corni is a Professor of Physics Didactics at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, Free University of Bozen/Bolzano. He teaches courses including Didactics of Mathematics, Science and Computer Science, Physics Didactics for age groups (0)-2-7 and 5-12, and Fundamentals of Physics and its Didactics within the Single-cycle Master's degree in Educational Sciences for Primary Education.

Professor Corni specializes in innovative approaches to science education for young children. His research focuses on Imaginative Education, which uses storytelling, metaphors, and embodied learning to make physics concepts accessible to early childhood educators and their students. Rather than simplifying formal scientific concepts, his approach begins with how humans naturally experience natural forces (Wind, Rain, Fire, Water, Electricity) and transforms these into narrative frameworks that resonate with children's cognitive development. His work emphasizes that children are not 'incomplete adults' but complete individuals with unique cognitive tools that benefit from mythic and romantic thinking stages.

His recent publications reveal a clear trend toward developing practical applications of his theoretical framework. The articles focus on translating physics education into accessible formats through narrative structures, theatrical embodiments of natural forces, and systemic thinking approaches. His work bridges theoretical educational philosophy with classroom-ready techniques, particularly for early childhood science education.

Professor Corni directs the MultiLab research laboratory in Bressanone and has been actively involved in several significant projects:

• The 'Piccoli scienziati' (Little Scientists) project developed in Modena and Reggio Emilia
• Erasmus+ 'e4 higher' program for teacher training
• STEAM training for 80 teachers at IC Bolzano 2
• Development of the 'Teatro delle Forze della Natura' (Theater of Natural Forces) methodology

He is currently working on a second volume with Springer to expand his educational framework to cover electricity, chemical substances, motion, and complex systems like the water cycle and carbon cycle.