2) SCHOOLS INVOLVED

CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLACIERS. A DIDACTIC LINK BETWEEN RESEARCH AND SCHOOL Gianni Boschis1, Eleonora Paris1, Philip Deline2, Franco Talarico3, Daniele Cat Berro4 1UNICAMearth group, School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, Italy - 2 Laboratoire EDYTEM, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, France - 3 Department of Earth, Environmental and Physical Sciences, University of Siena, Italy - 4Società Meteorologica Italiana, Torino, Italy

4) EDUCATIONAL SET AND METHODOLOGY The complexity of the topics, the lack of knowledge and the misconceptions require the necessity of a combined blended learning/teaching approach,

which alternates face to face introductory lessons, hands-on activities in field, individual and team work on real scientific data collected by the students

and others provided from the most up-to-date information. The didactic set-up consists of 3 phases, the first in the classroom, the second in the field,

the third in the classroom/computer room for on-line data search and the elaboration of the results. The teachers also play an active role, before, during

and after the experimentation, for the choice of the topics, the coordination of the work groups and for the elaboration of the final products, which are

prepared according to the type of school (posters, multimedia presentation, artistic productions...).

ABSTRACT The legislation regarding the programs of Italian school on the topic of climate change is very deficient. This project is intended to be a didactic tool to

deal with this subject - especially with regard to its effects on glaciers - using a specific methodology. Only recently climate change has been mentioned

in the programs for the High School (DPR 89, 2010), but no precise indications are given for contents, time and extent in the scheduling, even though a

higher level of integration between subjects and topics is aimed for. The aim of this research is to investigate how an innovative approach, which puts in

contact research and schools, may allow to improve the knowledge about climate change and glaciers, especially for students living in alpine areas. The

experimentation, which is part of a PhD project, will also allow to produce didactic materials and a questionnaire aimed at increasing awareness on

climate among students in Italian schools.

Phases Contents (C), objectives (O) Devices

1) in the classroom,

2 h

C) Alpine eco-system, glaciers, connections between glaciers and climate, Val Veny. A simplified

geomorphological map of the area as a topographical base for the enquiry activity.

O) Prompting a guided enquiry on the Alpine eco-system in order to encourage questions and

answers on the connections among natural environment, glaciers and human activity.

Mind mapping outline,

data on climate and glaciers.

draft of the didactic map of

the area of study.

2) in field,

6-8 h

C) Val Veny as an example of Alpine eco-system, with particular reference to the relationship

between glaciers and climate at local level. Elaboration of the simplified geomorphological map. O)

Hike aiming at prompting direct observations/remarks and stimulating questions and possible

scientific hypotheses on the subjects under examination.

Compass, photo / video-

camera, colors, didactic map.

3) in the classroom,

2 h

C) Climate and Glaciers at a global level. Consequences of global warming and possible remedies. O)

O) From the observation in field to the elaboration of the evidence of the strict relationship

between glaciers and climate and to a critical evaluation of human responsibilities and the

necessary countermeasures.

Mind mapping outline,

data on climate and glaciers.

Schools Classes Age Students

Scuola Media of Almese 4 11 81

Collège of Saint Andiol 6 11 125

IIS Buniva of Pinerolo 16 15-17 422

IIS Pascal of Giaveno 2 18 38

Total 28 11 – 18 666

5) QUESTIONNAIRE During the project an informative questionnaire has been tested to evaluate the perception of climate change among the students at the end of the

educational experimentation. The date concerning the 28 classes involved have been collected at the end of the 20015-16 school year.

The questionnaire (14 questions, 8 of which of the multiple answer type) investigates the awareness of the students regarding climate change, its causes

and effects, both on the environment and on people.

6) FIRST RESULTS The 28 classes answered in a very active way which can be detected in the questionnaire itself and the other individual and class works produced during the experimentation (20 teamworks and 58 individual) .

7) PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS The data collected till now during this project allowed to prove that: 1) the data collected by scientific teams in the area of the field trip and used during

the school project greatly increased the level of interest and involvement of the students; 2) the involvement in the outdoor activities was higher for

younger students; 3) differences between French and Italian students of the same age in the awareness of climatic changes have been detected; 4) the

interest for the project was so high that students of one of the school (IIS Pascal) used the questionnaire for a survey for the whole school, to collect data

on the level of interest and knowledge on the topic of climate change and glaciers.

1) CLIMATE CHANGE IN SCHOOL As a preliminary base for this study the most widespread High School

textbooks for Geography and Natural Science are being examined. The

parameters for the evaluation – measured according to the Likert scale –

include: amount of space allotted, didactic integration, interdisciplinary

presentation, data quality, multimedia tools suggested and the national

and/or regional context. Following these criteria an educational set was

prepared and put into practice as an integration of the topics dealt in the

textbooks. The experimentation was carried out in 4 schools in the Alpine

area, 3 in Piedmont and one in Provence (France).

3) SOURCE DATA AND STUDY AREA From the scientific point of view the data for the project come directly from the University of Savoie-Mont Blanc and the Società Meteorologica Italiana

(for the Alpine climatological and glacial aspects) and from the University of Siena (for the polar climatological and glacial aspects).

In the area chosen as the location for the experimental activity - Val Veny, Courmayeur, Mont Blanc - an educational documentation is presently taking

place. Such activity consists in the collection of photographs and videos on glacial monitoring. This documentation will be used to set up short

multimedia presentations to be employed in the classroom.

Exemple 2 - Have you ever

heard about climate change?

Both Italian and French students answer

positi ely, ho e er hen asked …

Exemple 3 - How important is the

climate change for you?

Only 40% of the Italian and 53% of the French Middle School

students say it is very important, 7 and 13% respectively say

it is little or not important.

Exemple 4 - 24% of the Italian and 43% of the French Middle

School students say their families suffered damages

connected to or caused by hydrogeological events.

Acknowledgements Daniele Cane, Beatrice Curtabbi, Aristide e Paola Franchino, Andrea

Giorda, Maddalena Macario, Alessandro Mazzetta, Gianni Mortara,

Marco Mosso, Gualtiero e Bridie Poletti, Giulia Realdon, Grazia

Trisciuoglio, teachers and students of the Scuola Media of Almese,

Collège of Saint Andiol, IIS Buniva of Pinerolo, IIS Pascal of Giaveno.

Val Veny: southern slope of the Mont Blanc and Miage Glacier

Partnership, Alpine and study area

Exemple 1 - Choose from the list the 3 most worrying environmental

problems for you. The students perceive the atmospheric pollution

and the climate change as the most important ones. The Italian students also

highlight the depletion of the natural resources.

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Exemple 5 - Which are your sources of information about

climate change?

Television and internet are the major source but the teachers

are still very important, whereas government sources and

books are ignored.

Exemple 6 - Which source of information do you trust more?

Students trust scientists most!

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