68006 - Elements of Physics and Physics Teaching

Academic Year 2022/2023

Learning outcomes

The student is expected to reach the following learning objectives:

- disciplinary knowledge on selected topics within a more general view of the cultural role of Physics and its history;

- ability to re-construct basic disciplinary concepts taking into account the various interconnected aspects of scientific knowledge: the experience based, the linguistic and the mathematical ones;

- ability to design educational projects devoted to infant and primary school levels according to the approach to teaching/learning science based on the guided transition from spontaneous and individual ideas to shared concepts that aim at the accepted disciplinary knowledge.

Course contents

The course is organized into two modules and runs during the second semester, from the middle of February to the end of May.

The first module that will be implemented (Module 1, 24h) deals with calorimetry and climate change, including radiation-matter interaction aiming at interpreting the greenhouse effect.

The second one (Module 2, 24h) deals with Optics, in particular with geometrical optics.

Within these topics, the following knowledge and competences are introduced and developed:

- basic Physics concepts and peculiarities of Physics knowledge;

- phenomenological approach and model building in Physics;

- the role of children's spontaneous ideas in the construction of scientific knowledge

- the role of scientific education in the knowledge society.

The course also includes 1 CFU of laboratory activity.

 

Students must follow the associated laboratory. The scheduling will be communicated before the beginning of the course.

The laboratory provides 1 CFU, meaning 8 presence hours and 17 homework hours. In fact, laboratories involve not only the active participation of students but also a “final product”. After the completion of the laboratory experiences, where some disciplinary aspects are investigated and some strategies for stimulating scientific knowledge are proposed, the planning of a didactic activity is requested (which might be useful during school trainings as well).

Students will be graded by lab teachers with -1, 0, or +1 (on a 30 scale). The grade obtained in one of the disciplinary laboratories will add to the final score of the Physics course. These grades will be available up to the completion of the grading procedure.

 

Readings/Bibliography

During the course, teaching materials are made available on the online platform “Virtuale”.

The materials include slides and presentations, excerpts from Physics textbooks and other materials for study (e.g.: tutorials, guides for group activities, questionnaires, etc.), papers both in Italian and English.

The following texts are suggested (and available from the teacher when out of print) for more in depth study of the course topics.

Texts for module 1:

- Guidoni P., Arcà M., Guardare per sistemi e guardare per variabili, riedizione a cura di AIF.

- Giordano E., Longo C., Majorino Bonelli P. (1988). Calore e Temperatura. Edizioni EMME.

- Romeni C. (2014). La Fisica dei cambiamenti Climatici. Edizioni: Zanichelli.

- Pasini A., Fiorani L. (2010). Il pianeta che scotta. Capire il dibattito sui cambiamenti climatici. Città Nuova. [FACOLTATIVO]

- F. Taddia, E. Palazzi (2019). Perché la terra ha la febbre?Editoriale Scienza. [FACOLTATIVO]

Texts for module 2:

- Arcà M., Ferrarini M., Garuti N., Guerzoni D., Guidoni P., Magni M. (1989). Esperienze di luce. Edizioni EMME

- Website: http://www.didascienze.formazione.unimib.it/Lucevisione/Index.html

Text for oral examination:

- Gagliardi M., Giordano E. (2014), Metodi e strumenti per l'insegnamento e l'apprendimento della fisica, EdiSES

Teaching methods

The course is so designed as to illustrate a large variety of educational methods that can be used in teaching science at elementary level.

For this purpose the students experience on themselves different types of lesson (socratic/dialogical vs. academic lectures), seminars by experts, brainstorming activities, group work supported by tutorials, peer-to peer evaluation, microteaching activities.

During the lab sessions the students are requested to carry out and discuss simple experiments and/or work in small groups on materials provided by the tutor. These activities too are intended to suggest possible activities to include in science teaching at elementary level.

Assessment methods

The final examination, concerning both modules, is made of a compulsory written part and an optional oral part. The written examination is assessed on a 30 point scale (18 meaning "pass") and the mark of 30 cum laude can be only awarded after taking the oral examination.

The written examination contains both open-end and multiple- choice questions, concerning Physics topics addressed in the modules and taking into account the connected educational aspects and problems. The written examination is individual and takes about 1 hour.

If rejected at the exam, it is possible to have a second chance.

Only after succeeding in the written part and after having attended the laboratory course, the student can ask to take also the oral part of the examination (that is an optional).

Participation into lab activities is mandatory and the students will be graded by lab teachers with -1, 0, or +1 (on a 30 scale), according to the level of participation shown by the candidate.

For ERASMUS students only: possibility to arrange an oral exam in Italian or English Language.

In order to take the exam it is absolutely necessary for a student to have enrolled on Almaesami before the enrolment deadline. It is not possible to take any exam without formal enrolment there. In case of problems students MUST contact the UFFICIO DIDATTICO.

 

 

ERASMUS INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: written product replacing laboratories

The final exam, as well as the course contests, are the same for Erasmus students and non-Erasmus students. Due to several reasons, however, Erasmus International Students are not requested to take part to any laboratory in order to take the Elements of Biology exam. Conversely, those Erasmus International Students who inserted Elements of Chemistry and Ecology and/or Elements of Physics and Teaching Physics in their study plan will hand in a written series of experimental classes focusing on water, which will replace the laboratories.

The series of experimental classes will target pre-primary or primary school and will have the properties and peculiarities of water as an aim, under different point of view. The proposed activities will be thoroughly described in terms of materials, methods, timing, and so on; we also ask to state learning goals clearly. A written text must be handed in at least 10 days before the examination day and will be assessed by Elements of Chemistry and Ecology and Elements of Physics and Teaching Physics colleagues.

The assessment will affect examination’s assessment, by adding or subtracting a point (or by leaving it unaffected): this will be carried out both for Elements of Chemistry and Ecology and Elements of Physics and Teaching Physics, if the Erasmus International Students participates to both courses; this will be carried out for a single course, if the Erasmus International Student participates to a single course. In case the written text is not handed in, a point will be substracted by the relevant exam grade.


Teaching tools

Teaching materialsintroduced during the course will be availableon the online platform “Insegnamenti online”.

Laboratory devices and materialsnecessary for performing experiments and discuss educational implications are provided by the teacher.

Video and audio recordersare used to present multimedia materials (e.g.: educational applets, movies, recorded materials from implementation of teaching sequences in primary schools, etc.).

Office hours

See the website of Giulia Tasquier

See the website of Cecilia Bulgarelli

SDGs

Quality education Gender equality Affordable and clean energy Climate Action

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.