Education and Training Science

Name Didactics of Geometry and Space Educational Goals Course's general goal is to facilitate the study of maths and other topics connected to scientific disciplines, especially geometry and astronomy, overcoming fears and indifference often developed in the previous school years. Another goal is to let experience different and active methods of teaching-learning. For this purpose, students are invited to join "adult workshops" where they are involved in explorative and cognitive activities of medium length (two months) and where their moving bodies allow an active interaction with the environment. In a second stage, are discussed the issues related to their didactic transpositions and their pedagogical meanings with regard to the various ages and conditions. At the same time, during the course there will be individual activities of observation into the nature, and of registration, representation with various languages, and collective interpretation of these kinds of observation, and of construction of dynamic models aimed at being able to schematise natural phenomena, with adequate graphs and charts too. One more goal is to be able to systematically collect and interpret data related to the study area of didactics of science, and to reflect on the relative issues, proving to have a scientific and cooperative aptitude, and critical and self-critical skills. Learning Results Acquired knowledge: the students who pass the exam will be able to deal with scientific topics with a curious and critical aptitude, being able to distinguish a descriptive stage from an interpretation and cause-research one. They will have recognised the local and relative character of errors and their management with educational purposes. They will have understood the epistemological importance of some learning disorders and some teaching methods of maths. They will have known the differences between the continuity of some natural phenomena and the discreet character of their registration by means of the choice and the use of pertinent tools. At the end of the course, the student will also have a basic knowledge on didactic elements, such as the necessity of acquiring the initial concepts of who is learning, the attention to educational obstacles, and the choice of the methods useful to make the initial concepts evolve by expanding the field of meanings [Dublin Descriptor No. 1]. The acquired knowledge will be about a greater ability to work in group, to make questions with a clear and technically correct language, to reflect on one's learning, and cognitive difficulties and doubts. The student will have integrated using methods of his/her body and sensory skills among the knowledge tools [Dublin Descriptor No. 2]. The acquired cross skills will be about the critical skills and the skills at making judgements strengthened by participation to activities of reflection and workshop, and by the ability to make questions [Dublin Descriptor No. 3]. Course's activities, included the final ones called "The stands of science", organised by students and presented to pupils of different ages and teachers, will allow to perfect expository skills, and skills in choosing related questions, materials, and issues, based on the age of the audience [Dublin Descriptor No. 4]. By means of the discussion with his/her colleagues, meetings with recent graduates, and participation to thematic seminars, the student will be better able to pursue a further education in an independent way, and to examine in depth scientific themes and the ones specific of planning in the educational field [Dublin Descriptor No. 5]. Learning Results Acquired skills: the students who have passed the exam will be able to prepare activities related to the presentation of some scientific aspects and themes taking into account some solutions to various educational difficulties. To reflect on the specificity of an approach to science open to complexity, that involves the whole person, and to perfect the perception of natural phenomena. To give value to concrete efficiency connected to the thinking of and planning of objects and tools. To orally express the themes of course's work.