EUCLIDES – Enhancing the Use of Cooperative Learning to Increase Development of Science studies
134246-LLL-1-2007-IT-COMENIUS-CMP
EUCLIDES –
What’s new and what’s good
in Italy…
29.08.08
Istanbul
2nd Project Meeting
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Italian Good Practices
Let’s start with
a brief national overview…
Italian Good Practices
According to the research we did, we found out that:
 In Italy many initiatives have already been
experimented to make science studies more attractive
 Also PBL has been tested even if not always it has
been called with its name
 The main national initiatives are organized in two main
steps:
1. a training for trainers section;
2. a test phase when the trainers experiment what they’ve
learnt
Italian Good Practices
Let’s introduce some
examples… of PBL applied
to the Scientific topics
study
Italian Good Practices
PROJECT DID@TIC
Brief
description
Methodology
DID@TIC is a joint project between MIUR and Microsoft “Partners in learning” started in 2006. It is a
teacher training project aimed at teaching through technology. This included video-seminars,
multimedia resources and tutorship experts that involved the participants in a virtual-learning
community.
The project was thought for secondary school teachers and was sponsored by the publisher Giunti.
The objective of Project Did@tic was to give teachers the opportunity to acquire knowledge necessary
to develop PBL activities in schools.
The project is part of the national plan for development of Digital School born out from the co-operation
between MIUR and Microsoft “Partners in learning” within the framework of a very specific programme:
teacher training for the use of technology in teaching.
The project was carried out with the e-learning method and was structured as follows: use of the PBL
materials such as video-seminars, handbooks and suggestions for implementation, bibliography, PBL
files with materials for teachers and students, materials for in-depth studies, indexes, linkography and
resources chosen by the tutor; attendance to meetings group activities for PBL files production
Each participant has been part of a virtual class divided in three areas of study: psychosocial,
history, human science and technical/scientific
During the first phase the teachers studied the materials, then they started group debates under the
tutor’s supervision, sharing ideas, proposals, suggestions and experiences and finally they studied the
PBL files, both together and individually.
Project DID@TIC
Strengths
Criticalities
Opportunities
Threats
The support research on PBL has highlighted that students are more proficient if they are
dealing with real life problems that require facing issues in the outside world.
Working on a project motivates students to be active and look for solutions.
Also the teachers’ role is changing, as it is no longer only a dispenser of knowledge but also and
foremost someone who makes learning easier in a joint effort context.
Technology then becomes the tool for easier work planning, for co-operation and accomplishment of
the project since it is the natural framework for knowledge sharing.
The following are some of the obstacles to the development of PBL projects:
•
Clarity in outlining the problem:
•
Originality of the idea and motivation;
•
Clarity and significance in identifying the objectives;
•
Integration in the syllabus;
•
Coherence in integrating technologies in the teaching strategy;
•
Clarity and coherence in evaluation procedure.
“Empirical evidence” shows that students with limited speaking and communication skills
achieve significantly better results with PBL.
This would strengthen the hypothesis that the PBL approach is more successful when trying to bring
up to level students who are in some difficulty.
Another important issue to think over is the fact that teachers still have problems in passing from
identification to a teaching topic and the approach to the relevant problems.
Project DID@TIC
Experimentation in class connected to Science
Studies:
“Energy… What future?”
“Sustainable growth: the environment and its impact
on economy”
“Global Warming”
“Research on water resources and per capita
consumption”
“Renewable energy and the Kyoto Protocol”
Project DID@TIC
An example “Energy… What future?”
Brief description
In this project students think about pollution related to the type of energy used nowadays.
The working method entails their active involvement by assessing the impact of energy
consumption and working out feasible saving plans.
Subjects: interdisciplinary project. Technology and computer science, science, geography.
Target: II degree secondary schools
Project DID@TIC
Experimentation in class: “Energy… What future?”
How the experimentation has been developed
Outline of the problem - Global outlook
- Energy “hunger” in the world
- Possible models and scenarios
Objectives
•
Understand the value of energy
•
Awareness of the fact that energy is not “something” to be used lightly
•
Learn lexicon of the energy world
•
Understand the importance of energy saving beginning with one’s daily behaviour
•
Plan, prepare and present a multimedia project on these issues.
Activities, steps and timetable
•
With the help of one’s parents, prepare a survey on domestic energy costs (Electricity bills, car
and scooter fuel, central heating …)
•
Presentation and debate in class over results (2 hours)
•
Web research of material useful for multimedia work (4 hours)
•
Power Point presentation on the theme “Energy … What future?” (6 hours)
•
Presentation of the work (4h)
Project DID@TIC
Experimentation in class: “Energy… What future?”
How the experimentation has been developed
Details
•
The project is divided into 5 steps: the group work will begin from step 3 and the students will
share the results.
•
The work will have to be completed in chronological order.
•
Each group will be of 3 or 4 students.
Requirements
For group and not for single students
•
Know how to use a software for word processing, image processing, multimedia presentation,
web research
•
Have an internet connected pc at home
Technological Settings
•
Hardware: a computer at the Lab and in each of the students’ homes, a scanner, a printer
•
Software: Internet browser, Multimedia program, Image processing program
Project DID@TIC
Experimentation in class: “Energy… What future?”
How the experimentation has been developed
Abilities (introduced or consolidated)
•
create and format documents for the multimedia presentation
•
process images
•
insert still or moving images, graphs, tables
•
revision and edit texts
•
extra research of materials such as films, websites, books etc.
Project DID@TIC EVALUATION RUBRIC
CATEGORY
4 (8-10)
3 (6-8)
2 (4-6)
1 (1-4)
Presentation
Well described flowing
composition, high level of
attention in the audience.
Sufficiently flowing, high level of attention
in the audience for most f the time.
Not flowing but capable to keep the
audience interested for most of the
time.
Not flowing, the audience often loses
attention.
Sources
Information collected for all
diagrams, facts and quotations.
Everything is documented in the
chosen format.
In formation collected for all diagrams,
facts and quotations. Most of the material
is documented in the chosen format.
In formation collected for all diagrams,
facts and quotations, but not
documented in the chosen format.
Scant or no information at all on
sources.
Visual
attraction
Excellent use of characters,
colours, graphics, effects etc. to
improve presentation.
Good use of characters, colours,
graphics, effects etc. to improve
presentation.
Use of characters, colours, graphics,
effects etc, but occasionally diverting
attention from the contents of the
presentation.
Use of characters, colours, graphics,
effects etc, but often diverting
attention from the contents of the
presentation.
Language
No grammar or writing errors.
From 1 to 3 writing and/or grammar
errors.
4 writing and/or grammar errors
More than 4 writing and/or grammar
errors
Contents
Covers topic in depth with
detailed examples. Excellent
knowledge of the subject.
Includes essential knowledge of the topic
and seems to be good.
Includes essential knowledge of the
topic, but there are one or two serious
errors.
The content is poor and there are
many serious errors.
Organisation
Well organised contents with use
of titles and lists of the material.
Use of titles and lists and general
organisation of the work appears to be
imperfect.
Most of the content is logically
organised.
There is no logic and clear
organisation structure but only
random facts put together.
Oral
presentation
Well described flowing
composition, high level of
attention in the audience.
Sufficiently flowing, high level of attention
in the audience for most f the time.
Not flowing but capable to keep the
audience interested for most of the
time.
Not flowing, the audience often loses
attention.
Originality
Very original work. Supported by
creative ideas.
Quite original work. Supported by some
new ideas.
Uses ideas of others (although quoting
the sources). There is some original
thought.
Mere use of ideas of others with no
quoting.
Work
The work has been properly
carried out in co-operation.
The work has been carried out in cooperation, although some have done
more than others.
The work has been carried out in cooperation, but one student has not
fulfilled his duties.
The work has not been carried out
in co-operation, and more than one
student has not fulfilled his duties.
Italian Good Practices
PROJECT Chemicals, the environment and us: a joint
action between schools and research institutes
Brief
description
The project "Chemicals, the environment and us: a joint action
between schools and research institutes" addressed to middle and high school
students and teachers, has been promoted by the Italian National Institute of Health,
supported by the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
The project has been developed thanks to the grant obtained through law 6/2000 for the
development of scientific culture and since 2001 is has been addressed to both students
and teachers of the secondary school.
130 First and Second grade secondary school teachers form Lazio, Campania, Tuscany,
Umbria, Sicily, Puglia, Liguria and Emilia-Romagna have taken part to the training
courses. These courses have supplied essential and in depth information on the effect of
chemicals
The lessons have given essential and specific information on chemicals as resulted in
the students researches and have also given the opportunity to ascertain the
transferability to school programmes of the complex contents and methods.
Project Chemicals, the environment and us
Experimentation in class:
The Liceo Classico "Virgilio“ in Rome Experience
ROME
Project Chemicals, the environment and us
The Liceo Classico "Virgilio“ in Rome Experience
During the school year 2005-2006 they have dealt with the project on chemicals from a
biology/geography point of view (1 hour weekly) in the two classes of the experimental twoyear course (classic and scientific).
The work began with a presentation to the students of the results of previous projects and
they were asked to express their opinion.
One student proposed to begin the new project with the following problem:
“One student has lost a friend in the tsunami and asks if human behavior is
contributing to natural disasters”
Work groups were then organized and the starting point was the Kyoto Protocol: how it was
accepted or rejected by various countries”. The students were asked to collect information
about this. One student from each group went to form a specific group where information was
swapped in order to prepare a presentation to the ISS – Istituto Superiore di Sanità.
Project Chemicals, the environment and us
The Liceo Classico "Virgilio“ in Rome Experience
Strengths
Opportunities
What is important in this kind of work is the opening of the school system to the
outside world: presenting the work to the ISS meant making public the results of a
project carried out in a school.
Furthermore, in a group work carried out in co-operation the students must accept
different points of view and let their own opinions be debated.
This method allows also the acquisition of new knowledge by the three actors involved:
teachers, who are no longer the only co-ordinators of the group work; students, who
become active subjects in learning, the experts, in this case from the ISS, who will
popularize the issues interacting with their counterparts.
By adopting this teaching method the evaluation results tend to improve since group
study and making the students more responsible becomes more productive.
Furthermore, it introduces elements of active teaching such as a brief discussion at the
end of lesson on how a specific issue was understood.
Another positive side to this is the choice of topics strongly linked with real life which
develop the so called “cognitive conflict” and only through this students will have real
motivation to learn.
Project Chemicals, the environment and us
Experimentation in class:
The Liceo Classico “Ruggero Settimo” in Caltanissetta
Experience
CALTANISSETTA
Project Chemicals, the environment and us
The Liceo Classico “Ruggero Settimo” in
Caltanissetta Experience
The purpose of this project was to engage them in an autonomous PBL research work,
participation to the meeting with the ISS where they explained to other students, teachers and
researchers through a cd, the results of their research.
The objectives were the following:
improve the training offer through a new interest towards the problems
concerning the environment;
acquisition of a mentality open to doubt, questions and research as well as the
development of reading.
The method used by PBL was an issue we tiled “How to fight diseases without causing
disasters” which posed many questions. Each class was divided into three groups and
carried out the researched prompt by curiosity. It took about three months to finish and the
close co-operation made the task pleasant and without problems. The hours were borrowed
from science, Italian, law and computer science classes.
Project Chemicals, the environment and us
The Liceo Classico “Ruggero Settimo” in Caltanissetta
Experience
Strengths
Students’ opinion
The project has encouraged:
• a new way of working;
• a higher level of interest and commitment by the students;
• a higher level of co-operation and exchange of ideas among the students;
• the ability to recognize what is useful to the project and what is not;
• individual work;
• development of analysis and processing skills;
• gain a method that can be used both at school and outside.
Criticalities
Negative aspects pointed out by the students
• difficulty in organizing work;
• risk to loose sight of the real problem;
• difficulty in processing the information collected.
Threads
Negative aspects pointed out by the students
• difficulty in finding information;
• little time
Project Chemicals, the environment and us
The Liceo Classico “Ruggero Settimo” in Caltanissetta
Experience
Opportunities
Students’ point of view
This has been a positive experience since the methods has allowed us to select from a
vast quantity of information what we consider useful; the splitting into groups had
brought a higher level of co-operation and exchange of ideas. Form a teaching
point of view we have increased our competences both in scientific and in computer
fields.
Teachers’ point of view
From the final results we can no doubt affirm that there has been an improvement in
teaching proposals by the school, but notwithstanding the great quantity of work carried
out, our sensitiveness, attention and availability towards the students and the fact
that the issues were dealt with rigorously with a vast quantity of information, only in the
future we will be able to assess the effective advantages received by the students who
have constantly shown great enthusiasm.
The students have taken a friendly attitude and during their work have also
strengthened their “esprit de corp”, attention and interest.
Their participation to a meeting of results presentation in Rome has been the occasion
to get to know each other and to exchange views with their colleagues from other
schools who were also attending.
Other opinions concerning the initiative
Table 1 – Teacher’s opinion on PBL
Positive
Negative
Allows to face the problem without
specific knowledge and in autonomy
Difficulty in applying the method to
all subjects
Stronger involvement
The risk of giving wrong or
unspecific information because of
helping
Use of diverse sources of information
Little time available
Work group
Lack of suitable tools
Greater motivation to study compared to
the traditional method
Difficulty in organising
Greater flexibility in debates
Difficulty in collecting and selecting
information from different sources
Increasing analysis and processing
abilities
Gain a method that can be used both at
school and in other situations
Other opinions concerning the initiative
Table 2 – Teacher’s opinion on PBL
Positive
Negative
Opportunity to experiment and use new
research method and widen one’s
own knowledge
Difficulty in the first steps of the
project caused by limited
knowledge
It stimulates work group
It allows freedom in organising the work
It gives a better ability to re-elaborate
and present
It gives the ability to work in new social
contexts.
Italian Good Practices
Let’s go on now with other
examples… of approaches
to make science studies
more attractive
Italian Good Practices
Ministry plan: “Teaching experimental science”
Brief
description
MIUR has been implementing for some years now a project to develop scientific and
technological education. The organizations that participate to the project are:
3 teachers’ associations of experimental science studies - AIF (Physics), ANISN (Natural
science), DD - SCI (Chemistry); the Museum of Science and Technology of Milan and the
City of Science of Naples; the last two have been promoting teaching experimentation
involving hundreds of thousands students and teachers offering a vast range of lab activities
as well as shared work in new practices within national and international projects on formal
and informal education.
The trainer/teacher use hypertexts and multimedia tools as follows:
- contents, lab tables and on-the-field activities, identification keys, glossaries all supporting
the cultural experience previously acquired. They could also be disciplinary and transversal
studies linked to the students’ experiences and with other literary subjects.
- teaching contents to overcome obstacles to learning, structural concepts of teaching,
conceptual experience network; theory of knowledge.
- contents focusing on teaching media. The teacher will define the necessary conditions for
experience acquisition, the methods to hold a conversation with children and young people in
class in order to understand their learning difficulties and find ways to overcome these
problems.
Italian Good Practices
Ministry plan: “Teaching experimental science”
STRENGHTS
OPPORTUNI
TIES
The cultural and teaching foundation of the plan is based on a continuous communication
and cooperation process between subjects with a common vision: the improvement of
science education in schools.
The development of a science education curriculum outlined by:
a strong vertical set up of the programme in all primary and secondary schools:
continuity/integration with other fields of study;
cultural and social relevance in scientific learning;
importance of learning experiences for students;
historical view of the development of science studies
integration with Maths and ITC.
The objectives of the first step are the following:
- experimentation and validation of a non-stop training method for teachers based on the
cohesive action of the territorial structures, as permanent resource centers, with integrated
training and self-teaching, also through the use of internet;
- experimentation and validation of teaching material for teachers and students;
- development of low-cost innovative labs;
- firsthand assistance to experimentation;
- develop tools to assess the validity of new learning itineraries in science (lab activities,
visits to science centres and structures of environmental interest, etc).
Italian Good Practices
PROJECT: ENISCUOLA
Brief
description
Eniscuola is a joint project between Eni and Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei which began
in the year 2000 to give young people the information needed to familiarize with the
world of energy and the environment, and to prompt eco-sustainable behavior through
multimedia tools, interaction and the use of internet.
Eni Scuola has become a reference point at national level thanks to its joint action with
regional school authorities and the direct contact with primary and secondary schools
and is well known for its past history in the fields of energy and the environment.
Furthermore, Eni Scuola participates to the most important Italian scientific and cultural
venues and is supported by many international organisations such as UNESCO and
EU.
Its activities are shown in the website www.eniscuola.net (in Italian and English):
documents, diagrams, tables and didactic quizzes, video-interviews with Italian and
international experts, games designed to discover the world of energy and the
environment – about 1000 pages with texts and images, 3 million diagrams and 140.000
reports.
During 2007 almost 4 million pages were spread over more than 100 countries; 15000
students logged on the website for an insight of topics regarding energy and the
environment through the e-learning platform.
ENISCUOLA
The portal www.eniscuola.net (in Italian and in English)
DEVELOPED
LEARNING
PATHS
ENISCUOLA
The portal www.eniscuola.net (in Italian and in English)
Multimedia tools,
on-line tests
and experiments,
video, quiz, mp3 files...
ENISCUOLA
Strengths
Opportunities
The e-learning platform was developed by the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei for the
project "Energy and the Environment in Schools", based on the fact that non-stop
development in communication technology has brought new education models. The
platform is easily accessible, well organised, clear, composed of solid scientific
documentation, flexible and well supported.
The courses deal with energy and environment problems through the use of multimedia
material and texts as teaching tools and means of scientific dissemination.
The courses now available are 6 and will be implemented during the year and divided
into different levels of difficulty.
In 2007 the project promoted sustainable growth in schools supplying them with
teaching tools based on ICT.
Under the teacher’s supervision the students improved their knowledge of problems
regarding the environment and acquired a deeper insight of those affecting our planet
as well as those involving more specific local situations.
Italian Good Practices
Swedish Software HAVE PHUN
An example of software for simulations
Brief
description
Free multiplatform (Windows, Linux, OSX), in Italian, a simulating physics playground
explaining the laws of Physics with a selection of tools to draw and animate realistic or
fantastic machines.
Phun, in which the word “fun” is combined with Physics was developed in a Swedish
university as a thesis for a master course and is an application for creating 2D simulations of
physics. It has a cartoony feel to it and is simple and fun to use. You can design anything,
from a brick falling from above to a kite conveyor belt.
Main Objectives:
• To make physics fun.
• To promote interest in science and technology among kids, youth, students and most likely
adults too.
• A high level of interactivity and a simple and efficient interface that encourages creativity
and exploration (this is why 2D was chosen over 3D) rather than efficiency and usage
patterns influenced by the tool
• To enable learning using a constructionist approach
• To use fast and stable cutting-edge methods for multi-physics simulation and solvers
HAVE PHUN - www.phunland.com
Here you are a demo!
Italian Good Practices
UMBRIA
REGION
Let’s go on with some
local examples of
good practices
Umbrian Good Practices
Name & Surname: DANIELA AMBROSI
Andress/Nation: via del Bucaccio, 02- 06124 Perugia/ Italy
E-mail: daniela.ambrosi@istruzione.it
Profession: Teacher
Role in the initiative/project: stakeholders of project
Brief
description
LIMTE K/T ( Bottacione’s GORGE)
Adopted
methodology
An example of a study about a deposition unit: from macro to micro. An example of
recostruction starting from information extracted from the analysis.
clast’s origin,tipes,mode,time of forces that have influenced it. Visit to the place and to the
University of Perugia, science department. Questions: What kind of environment was
this?why? How could you date a sedimentary rock? What is a fossil? What does KT means?
How could be a mass extinction?
From macroscpic to miscroscopic. Interessed subjects: Sedimentology and
Micropaleonthology.
Two depositional unit confronted in space and in time
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGHTS
Carry out a cooperative research,collect and analize scientific information to confirm a
theory, visit important geological places, know better the territory, keep in touch with
university teachers and researchers, understand actual problems about research.
CRITICALITIES
Geleocical sites visit’s cost,time request, lack of a mineralogy microscope. Involve other
subject’s teachers
OPPORTUNITI
ES
Keep in touch with university teachers, understand important actual problems,know better
the territory and also understand the connection between macroscopic and microscopic.
THREATS
Find proper spaces to the work’s presentation
Umbrian Good Practices
Name & Surname: DANIELA AMBROSI
Andress/Nation: via del Bucaccio, 02- 06124 Perugia/ Italy
E-mail: daniela.ambrosi@istruzione.it
Profession: Teacher
Role in the initiative/project: stakeholders of project
Brief
description
ECOSCIENCE
Adopted
methodology
The students will be organized in groups to understand some opposite aspects about:
a) Greenhouse effect causes
b) Possibility of using alternative energies
Research and use scientific information and graphs, go on step by step and answer to the
following questions:
Greenhouse effect: Is it a friend or a enemy? Does exist clean energies?
Use of chemistry and physics laboratory
To make students and teachers aware of environmental saving, suggest changing in the
school to increase ecological actions, make a presentation which collect all the results of
them researches and experiments, and show it in public.
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGHTS
CRITICALITIES
OPPORTUNITIES
Solve a research in a cooperative way, organize two groups to collect and analize
scientific information useful to confirm a specific theory; perform a professional role in a
simulated scientific discussion. How could we save the ambient?
Students could have prejudices, it is a political problem, long time required.
Interdisciplinary work, italian,biology, physics, use of multimedia technologies, use of
TIC, creation of a multimedia product
Umbrian Good Practices
Name & Surname: DANIELA AMBROSI
Andress/Nation: via del Bucaccio, 02- 06124 Perugia/ Italy
E-mail: daniela.ambrosi@istruzione.it
Profession: Teacher
Role in the initiative/project: stakeholders of project
Brief
description
WHO IS THE MURDERER?
Learn chemistry ability and competences showing how this subject is in everyday life, in
particular chemistry applied in forensic science and criminology, encourage the student’s
curiosity beginning from their interests
Adopted
methodology
Teaching in laboratory, seminars and conferences, a visit to university and\or RIS in Rome.
One group should create a simulation of a murder with a story board and a short film
added, the other group should solve the problem. Both groups should use the information,
learned before, to create proof and understand it answering to the following questions:
Who is the murderer? Whose finger prints are this? Are they recent or old? Has the
murderer used some poison or drugs?
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGHTS
Chemistry as a comprehension tool of reality.
Use the student’s preferred films or serials. Encourage the teamwork and an ideas
exchange, use concept like redox-base and acid- chemical equilibrium, color and
structure of a precipitation reaction applied to reality. Involve the ability to formulate
hypothesis. Solve scientifically a criminal problem
CRITICALITIES
Equip the school laboratory for making chemical experiments, trips cost, time necessary
to realize a short film, use afternoon after the school’s timetable
OPPORTUNITIES
Interdisciplinary work, Italian, biology, physics, use of multimedia technologies, creation
of a short film or of a performance
Umbrian Good Practices
Name & Surname: Francesca Vergine
Address/Nation: Perugia-Italia
E-mail (or other contacts):effevergine@gmail.com
Profession; teacher Liceo Scientifico Statale "G.Galilei" Perugia
Role in the initiative/project: co-ordinator
Brief
description
MINERAL WATER IS BETTER THAN TAP WATER
The activity aim comes from the water emergency that all the planet must face and that it places everybody we
in front of the necessity of seeing our behaviours and habits again. The class has divided the a supportive of
water in bottle and one the other one into two groups in favor of the tap water consumption.
The two groups, at home, have collected information on the subject and trained a process. At school, in the
chemistry lab analyses were conducted on water. Subsequently, in the classroom, in three sessions, each
group, through its spokesman, has given evidence in favour of their choice: at this stage the teacher played the
role of judge. The judgement in favour of consumption of water from the tap, was accepted by all as a natural
consequence of evidence concluding that the iperconsumo of mineral water is based on an almost total lack of
information and good dose of prejudices.
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGHTS
OPPORTUNITIE
S
Exercise analysis: port to break the complex problems and to address issues that are
considered crucial and resolvable with the resources available.
Exercise design: is the synthesis which brings together information provided by the analysis,
logical division of labour between the components of the group, reconnaissance of resources,
scanning phases and tasks, compared to times and dates, use of information technology.
Progressive autonomy of student
Ability to work as a team
Observance of roles
Able to speak in public
THREATS
Need to organise programmes curriculum in less time
Umbrian Good Practices
Name & Surname: Paola Arcaleni
Address/Nation: Perugia-Italia
E-mail paola.arcaleni@libero.it
Profession SSIS Supervisor at the University of Perugia.
Role in the initiative/project:author
Brief
description
CHEMISTRY IN THE COLORS AND TRANSFORMATION
Adopted
methodolog
y
Brain storming (based on common sense and daily experiences) and problem posing (What is a transformation? What
is colour? Which colour do you prefer?What colours do you observe in your kitchen and your diet? The synthetic and
natural colours are the same?), PBL , debate/discussion lessons, group works, simple laboratory experiences and poor
materials (vegetables and fruits; coloured pens, pastels..), worksheets, experimental notebook, online searching and
learning, documentation and narrative methodology.
Life Science was introduced as supplementary discipline in the curricular plan of Scientific PNI course of IIS “L. Da
Vinci” (a 1 hour period each week) in the first classes. The teachers of Natural Sciences Department suggested the
module “Science in laboratory” to realize continuity with lower secondary school beginning 2006-2007 and to develop
the scientific area. The teaching committee adopted these choice according to the rules on scholastic autonomy with
regard to “research, experimentation and development” . The “Chemistry in the colors and transformations” was
performed in the 2nd classes as an action of the micro curriculum “The sun colors” planned by the primary, lower and
upper secondary schools (“Alta valle del Tevere” group, ISS plan, object: the matter)
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGHTS
CRITICALITIES
•continuity with the primary and lower secondary
•development of the scientific area
•autonomy about research, experimentation and development
•students active participation and motivation in learning processes
•opportunities for students' success
some difficulties to perform the activities according to the curricular programs
the students do not perceive laboratory experiences to be particularly important in their learning
OPPORTUNITIES
implementation of a fruitful cooperation with the territorial educational institutions (school
network) to carry out and to validate a Natural Science vertical curriculum
teacher professional development to become effective in science teaching
THREATS
limitations in resources (budget, human resources, access to appropriate technology tools)
Umbrian Good Practices
Name & Surname: Paola Arcaleni
Address/Nation: Perugia-Italia
E-mail paola.arcaleni@libero.it
Profession SSIS Supervisor at the University of Perugia.
Role in the initiative/project:author
Brief
description
ADVANCED BIOTECHNOLOGIES AND BIOETHICS COURSE
“Bioethics and advanced biotechnologies” were introduced as new disciplines into the curricular programs since the 19981999 scholastic year, coherently with the rules about scholastic autonomy.
Three modules were carried out:
1. Embryonic development, cloning, artificial reproduction – from ethics to bioethics
2. Advanced biotechnologies and medicine – confronting bioethics: open issues and problems
3. Advanced biotechnologies, nutrition, environment – ethics, nature and future generations
These modules were performed during the 3th, 4th, 5th years of curricula, each period lasting 30 hours (science: 20
hours; philosophy/religion. 10 hours) by curricular and extracurricular activities.
Adopted
methodology
Brain storming, traditional lectures, PBL (Problem Based Learning as: What is evolution? What about Homo species
evolution? What is a chimera? What is biodiversity? How molecular markers can be used to investigate biodiversity,
Which fruit do you prefer? And what about its origin?.....), debate/discussion lessons, group works, textbooks, review,
print publications, instructional video, print publications, workshops, conferences, seminars, and study tours, molecular
experiments, online searching and learning. These activities were carried out with the help of external experts, thus
increasing territorial contacts.
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGHTS
CRITICALITIES
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
didactical autonomy (modularity/flexibility)
autonomy about research, experimentation and development
widening the formative supply (implementation of actions and activities taking into account the needs of the
cultural, social and economic context of local situations)
multidisciplinarity / interdisciplinarity
students active participation and motivation in learning processes
opportunities for students' success
limited budget / some difficulties to perform the activities according to curricular programs
to carry out activities with external collaborations (research, institutional, other formative agencies, professional
categories, environmental association, school networks...) thus increasing territorial contacts.
limited and unsuitable technique resources (tools, laboratories, experimental instruments, technicians)
Umbrian Good Practices
Experimental Sciences Laboratory in Foligno
A Central Experimental Sciences Laboratory
was opened in Foligno in the early 1960s.
Initially it was intended to be a place providing
refresher courses for lab technicians working
in high school laboratories, and it later
became the location for refresher courses
provided for teachers of scientific subjects at
national level. Over time it acquired significant
amounts and types of laboratories, equipment
and materials for chemistry, biology, general
physics, optics, acoustics, geography and
geology; there is also a botanical garden and
a meeting room with a videoconferencing
system.
In recent years, the Laboratory has been used
by Foligno Municipality schools and only
thanks to the enthusiasm and volunteer
dedication of several teachers.
Umbrian Good Practices
The Laboratory’s chief activities are:
- Support and experimentation in chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, botany;
- Astronomy workshops;
-Training of teachers and scholastic operators.
The Experimental Sciences Laboratory has also drawn up in particular the following
project, experimenting simulations and games:
"The Meteorology Workshop"
"Technologies of information and communication for teaching science subjects“
"Science in Schools"
Umbrian Good Practices
POST Science Centre
Science and Technology Centre in Perugia
Playing, observing and understanding Science together
Inaugurated in December 2003, POST Science
Centre - Science and Technology Centre in Perugia
represents the permanent point of reference in
Umbria where you can explore the universe of
scientific culture in an interactive way.
Thanks to the fun animations, the scientific
exhibitions and the numerous didactic activities
organized, the POST has become a hinge and base
for activities that promote Science.
Umbrian Good Practices
POST Science Centre
These activities are not only carried out in schools, but
also in libraries and other public spaces. The Centre
was set up with the University of Perugia.
Inside the Science Center, young people who have a
strong passion for science and experiments can find
the ideal atmosphere to develop their own interests and
their own abilities by participating as animators in
various activities or planning the themes of didactic
applications.
The Centre is made up of an interactive exhibition
space in which the public can be in contact and
familiarize themselves with the themes and techniques
of Science and Technology in a fun way.
Umbrian Good Practices
POST Science Centre
The three sections that make up the exhibition area are:
EXHIBITION ZONE
How is sound transmitted? How does the brain process the information that surrounds us? What has making soap
bubbles have to do with architecture and engineering? To help visitors answer these questions, there are
interactive exhibits and installations that allow visitors to experience some natural phenomenon personally.
GALLERY OF IMAGES
An area in which there are temporary exhibitions.
DIDACTIC CLASSROOM
In this room experiments are conducted to find innovative didactic solutions.
EUCLIDES – Enhancing the Use of Cooperative Learning to Increase Development of Science studies
134246-LLL-1-2007-IT-COMENIUS-CMP
Thank you for your kind attention!
29.08.08
Istanbul
II Project Meeting
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.