Corso di laurea magistrale a ciclo unico in
Scienze della Formazione Primaria

As far as the objectives of the course, we highlight the following specific objectives: 

• acquisition of scientific structural concepts the Life Sciences and Earth Sciences, selected according to their relevance and accessibility in the context of nursery and primary schools and their regional and territorial specificities;
• acquisition of awareness of the existence of a ecosystemic and complex nature, as evidenced by the relations of interdependence between living and chemical-physical environment;
• acquisition of knowledge and teaching skills relating to various scientific disciplines interconnected (learning to identify the scientific concepts and structuring their connections, to reflect on the cognitive obstacles, to develop possible activities and educational courses and to develop a systemic vision);
• acquisition of the ability to reflect on their own behavior in terms of use of natural resources and the ethical principles of the sustainability.

At the end of this course, the student should be able to:

• Understand and model the basic and organizing concepts of Earth Sciences in a non-stereotypical way.
• Recognize the main conceptual obstacles and misconceptions inherent in the field of study.
• Connect the various proposed concepts, distinguishing the essential from the superfluous.

Applied Knowledge and Understanding.

At the end of this course, the student should be able to:

• Design learning pathways on Earth Sciences topics and sustainability education.
• Organize and implement teaching interventions consistent with the competencies to be achieved.
• Understand and structure educational research to improve the effectiveness of teaching interventions.
• Investigate the mental representations of children and adults.

Autonomy of Judgment.

At the end of this course, the student should be able to:

• Select content and levels of depth in the discipline based on specific teaching/learning contexts.
• Recognize misconceptions and evaluate specific levels of learning.

Communication Skills.

At the end of this course, the student should be able to present geological topics covered in class and related didactic issues using appropriate language.

Learning Skills.

At the end of this course, the student should demonstrate an aptitude for epistemological and didactic reflection on the main knowledge areas related to Earth Sciences and sustainability.

• Investigate the spontaneous mental representations of children and adults;
• Reflect on the typical problems and cognitive obstacles of the discipline;
• Identify the connections between the conceptual organizers necessary to tackle the subject;
• Reflect and adopt perspectives (anthropocentrism - biocentrism - geocentrism…) and ways of looking at complex reality and reasoning in different ways (structural, functional, systemic, temporal approaches).

The first part of the module discusses with the structuring concepts of Earth Sciences, referring to the Earth dynamic, geomorphology, natural resources, geological risks and biogeochemical cycles, selected according to their relevance and accessibility in the context of the school and our region. Starting from the analysis of mental representations of students and teachers, we intend to consolidate some basic knowledge of the discipline, identify the structuring concepts and their connections, to reflect on the cognitive obstacles, develop possible activities and integrating educational paths and developing a systemic vision. In the second part, it provides a interdisciplinary path of knowledge of our planet: the complex and systemic nature of the relations of interdependence between living forms and the chemical-physical environment is recognized in situations and environments of everyday life. Examples of educational activities and reflections develop the possibility of becoming conscious protagonists of the use of natural services, material and energy resources, renewable and non-renewable, in a perspective of sustainable development.

There is no difference between the programmes for attending and non-attending students.

The module will be using, through the use of original powerpoint, attend frontal lessons  where it is required the active participation of students. In some cases small individual and group activities will be planned, which will then be discussed in the classroom. All the materials presented to the course and others materials to deepen will be present on the Moodle platform.

Associated with the module there is a 25-hour laboratory activity (16 hours of practical activities in the field in the teachers presence and 9 hours of individual work) whose attendance is mandatory. It is possible to make a maximum of 3 hours of absence that must be regularly justified and only for the preliminary lesson (except field trips). It is not possible to make absence at the field trips. The student must then recover the absence, making agreements with the teacher of the laboratory, through the realization of an alternative job.

Remote mode: Use of the Moodle platform with numerous resources: slides presented in classroom (files PWP), some scientific articles, short videos, various supplementary material with links to websites. Activities: homeworks to be accomplished, forums.

SINGLE ORAL EXAM (associated with the module "Fundamentals and Teaching of Life Sciences") TO BE TAKEN MANDATORILY IN THE SAME SESSION. It is important to register for both modules.

Learning is monitored (but not assessed) during the course through some individual and small-group exercises, with feedback provided through discussion of the work with the teacher.

FINAL ASSESSMENT – Oral examination (lasting approximately 15–20 minutes) is aimed at verifying foundational knowledge (as outlined in the syllabus) as well as reflective and integrative thinking. In particular, the following will be assessed: the ability to coherently structure and present acquired knowledge; the critical reasoning based on the studied material; the clarity of expression and proper use of scientific vocabulary; the ffectiveness, coherence, and summarising ability during the interview; the ability to critically discuss environmental issues and propose practical everyday solutions.

The final valutation, expressed out of thirty, will be the rounded-up average of the oral exam results for the two modules.

Students must register for both modules in order to take the exam in the same session. Examination order will follow the date of registration for the Earth Sciences module. Any special needs, if documented, must be indicated in the "Notes" field at the time of registration.

OPTIONAL WRITTEN TEST – A written test may be arranged for attending students (with at least 50% attendance), provided there are at least 35 registrants. The written test will consist of two parts: one related to the Earth Sciences module and the other to the Life Sciences module. The Earth Sciences test will include two parts: the first part with five multiple-choice questions, each requiring justification for the chosen answer (max 1 point per question); the second part with two open-ended questions requiring analysis of a depicted landscape and the planning of suitable teaching activities (max 5 points per question).

The final valutation (sum of both parts, each marked out of fifteen) will be expressed out of thirty. The written test result, once accepted, will remain valid until the final session of the current academic year.

It will be possible to take the oral exam to improve the mark obtained in the written test by correcting any mistakes made. However, once the oral exam is taken, the written test result will be cancelled and will no longer be valid for future sessions.

WORKSHOP ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATION – The final mark for the course may only be recorded after certification of attendance at a workshop session. This can occur if:

- at least 75% of the workshop hours have been attended (excluding field trips, as per regulations). Any missed hours must be made up with supplementary work agreed upon with the lab instructor.

- a short reflective written piece connecting the workshop experience with the professional competencies of a teacher has been submitted to the workshop instructor. For multi-day residential labs, no additional work is required.

The assessment of this written piece will not contribute in any way to the final grade of the integrated course, but is required for the final recording of the exam result.

The training offer relating to the workshop is very various (from the workshops where daily excursions are planned on different themes and in different places to residential workshops in alpine shelters, marine hostels or itinerant). In all workshops, the main objective will be to discover the natural environment and its peculiarities through perceptual and practical activities, with collection, description and manipulation of natural materials, also through Land Art artistic practices.

For the schedule of the individual laboratories, see the item TEACHING MODULES on the page of the integrated course Fondamenti e didattica delle Scienze naturali (Savigliano) INTEGRATO 

For students with DSA or disabilities, please read the support methods (https://www.unito.it/servizi/lo-studio/studenti-con-disabilita) and reception (https:// www.unito.it/reception-studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa) of the University, and in particular the procedures necessary for support during the exam (https://www.unito.it/servizi/lo- study/students-with-disabilities/support-for-students-with-disabilities-take-exams).

Students are advised to register for courses on the Campusnet and Moodle platforms, so as to receive timely communications from the teacher.

-   Ferrero Elena, Provera Angela & Tonon Marco, 2004, Le Scienze della Terra: fondamenti ed esperienze pratiche, Ed. Cortina, Torino.

 -   Ferrero Elena, Provera Angela & Tonon Marco, 2004, Le Scienze della Terra: la scoperta dell'ambiente fisico, Ed. Cortina, Torino.

- Scientific and didactic articles selected from time to time and uploaded to the Moodle platform.

There is no difference in the recommended texts for attending and non-attending students.

Students are advised to register for courses on the Campusnet and Moodle platforms, so as to receive timely communications from the teacher.