Claudia Maria Mazzanti: Living biological systems at school

PUBLIC SCHOOL IQBAL MASIH BIENTINA E BUTI

SECONDARY SCHOOL “F. Di Bartolo” di Buti (PI)

ITALY

Authors: Claudia Maria Mazzanti Ph.D in Marine EcologyFrancesca Bombaci,

Daniela Pieraccini and Carlo Fiorentini

Living biological systems at school, a powerful learning experience in a research-based curriculum design

THE STUDENTS FOR YOU

HALLO SCIENTIX !!!!!!

Introduction

Today our discussion will be the journey I made together with my students during the last school

yearIn this brief presentation I’ll show only some of

the most interesting results,My research has the aim to design a new

curriculum in science for students between11 and 14 years old

Curriculum innovations

It is important to encourage students aged 13-18 to study science. I agree with the followingwords: “It is between these ages that youngpeople tend to choose major school subjects thatwill influence their future career. At this crucialpoint in their education they gravitate towardsor away from science and technologystudies”taken from Science it’s a girl thingcampaign


Some of the issues around goals for studentlearning in Italy are:

• Disparity between theory and practice

• Fragmented learning on modular programmes

• You need to build inclusive experiences


Some of the issues around the learning processare:

• Traditional passive transmission approachesfoster surface learning

• Divergence between research and teaching

• Poor student motivation

• Diversity of learner needs

Research and innovation

• Research in education, carried out over more thantwenty years by National Centre of Research inEducation (CIDI) in Italy, has proved that a judiciousselection of the topics to explore is essential to thedesign of a curriculum in science

• This requires a careful plan of meaningful learningexperiences and a thorough investigation of the mainfactors that affect students’ learning.

Research and innovation

• Our educational methodology aims at enablingstudents to acquire the concept of naturalphenomena by means of practical activities andenquiry, stimulating discussions andobservations through oral and writtenlanguage. My colleagues of Technology and I worktogether with a teacher specialized with studentswith learning disabilities

Living biologicalsystems

Our pilot Science education program takes place in amiddle school, where our students, aged 11 to 14 years,studied in depth ecology building an aquarium of 100 litreswith a community of tropical fish, plants and invertebrates.

• They had a unique opportunity to observe fish life andeven death: the unexpected killing of some newborn fishled to the understanding of the first elements of thenatural selection processes.


• They are thus engaged as partners in the learning process: an increase in

motivation and self esteem is the hiddenconsequence of this approach.

• Science together with friendship and discovery

Interviews

• The students interview the teachers on the

aquarium project for our on-line newsletter

called “DiBartoliamo”:

• Q: How did the project of the aquarium start?

• A: The idea was of two teachers: Claudia Mazzanti

and Francesca Bombaci

• Q: What is the aim of the project?

Interviews

• A: The project has two principal aims:

• Deepen the knowledge of vertebrate anatomy

• Acquire the knowledge of the main existing

relationships between organisms, building an

ecosystem and monitoring physical and chemical

parameters necessary for a correct maintenance

Our aquarium

Our aquarium

Our aquarium

Our aquarium

Grants for ourprojects

• Our pilot project on living biological systems wasfinanced by a grant on Teaching Innovationmethodologies in Science given by the Region of Tuscany.It was a grant given for three years from 2011 to 2014.

• The name of the project is Laboratori dei saperiscientifici, L.S.S. Lab of scientific knowledge.It includesmore than 100 primary and secondary schools inTuscany, Italy

Grants for our project

• A scientific committee made of researchers and teachersworked together with policy makers in order to supportinnovation in schools. Our Public Secondary School wasselected and the grant assigned only if the projectfollowed particular standards

• Our aquarium had the following costs:

• 300 euros for the building and 150 euros for themaintenance.

Students’ posters

Our newbornsurvivor


During the same school year our experience with biologicalsystems expanded to the breeding of stick insects(Carausius morosus) and silkworms (Bombyx mori) tounderstand the true meaning of “life cycle” and seasonality.

Breeding of silkworms



They also observe the mouthparts and nourishthem with mulberry leaf . I received the eggs on19th of April, the eggs hatched on 30th of April, wecounted more than 400 silkworms in 3 or 4 days. Atbirth they were 3mm, after four days they were6mm.


• The eggs hatched at different times, so the bugshad different lengths.

• The boys using the magnifying glass, arecollecting data on growth and observing anychange in color, shape and size .


Knowledge and motivation

The interest of research in education is what influences thelearning process. I believe that only experiences thatinvolves creativity in thinking solutions in front of realphenomena could impact on:

• Motivation

• Responsability and passion to scientific subjects. Theactivity of enquiry, an approach to problem solving iswhat the student need, in order to be aware of hispotential ability in finding solutions to problems andcritical situations.

Ready to learn

• Last year when I proposed to my students thebuilding of an aquarium they put the evidenceon their lack of knowledge and were afraid ofkilling all the fish.

• Now they are aware of all the risk ofneglecting and ready to raise other biologicalsystems

Motivation

• Practical experience and direct contact with livingbiological systems motivated all students toexplore scientific subjects:

• in particular pupils with learning disabilitiesimproved their comprehension and use oflanguage, but they eventually become maincharacters in the process of learning, findingthe courage to share their comments with theirpeers.

Development Students’ motivation

The continuity of care and maintenance for the survival of our biological system has given and is now giving to ourstudents the opportunity:

to become responsible, prepared and creative in finding the habits of the organisms and eventuallypersonal solutions for their needs All these actionspromote motivation in our students

Well prepared for the test

SELF CONFIDENCE AT THE EXAMStudents are always afraid of exams and test: whathappens in our project is that they are not afraid butconscious and eager to write what they have learned,I’ll show some images of their work at home and atschool:

Well prepared for the test

LIFE CYCLE OF THE SILKWORM

What studentsbelieve

• We are really satisfied of our work because we havelearned to look after our ecosystem, we improved ourcollaboration we understand how a biological systemworks and we are more competent in science.

• We have been very happy when our fish were born!!!

• Unfortunately many of them died but we take care of thesurvivors….

CONCLUSIONS

• Learning science for our students is living the labevery day, this has developed in them a strong andreal curiosity about every detail of living beings. Ithas given them the opportunity to take care ofthem and in particular has been invaluable for thestudents with learning disabilities because a realand deep awareness, emerged in them and will nolonger disappear..

CONCLUSIONS

• Guys need the support , you have to believe inthem

• Reinforce the behavior that brings to a choice

• Long time: helping students understand thingdon’t happen in a day

• Give personal answers to child needs

OUR OUTCOMES

• Development of skills and personal qualities.• Development of a wide range of abilities: knowledge

creation;team-working; presentation; problem-solving; creativity;

• Gaps in students’ knowledge, Incorporates a methodby which students can identify and fill gaps in theirknowledge base

• Allows theory to be explored within realisticcontexts

• Enquiries involve integration of knowledge

Good bye

• The image on theslides is property ofSergio Borghesi, anItalian artist fromVolterra, Pisa, Italy

• I thank him and allmy colleagues.

Our new project…