Educational offer - University of Padova

Syllabus

Prerequisites:	None
Target skills and knowledge:	The module “Foundations of Biology” aims to provide basic knowledge of Biology, such as the main features of the living cell, the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell, advantages and disadvantages of unicellularity and pluricellularity. Moreover, reproduction will be presented as a typical feature of living organisms and the various modalities of reproduction will be presented. Finally, the main representatives of the animal, vegetal and fungal kingdom will be examined. The module “ Didactics of Biology aims to stimulate students to an experimental research perspective in order to provide some useful approaches for reaching Biology. Some methodologies useful to face, in a competent and modern way, the didactics of Biology in nursery and primary school will be presented, together with some basic contents of Biology. Particular attention will be devoted to fundamental, important themes for biological knowledge, on which the connections among the structural concepts required to deal with the topic will be identified. Mental representations of children and adults will be discussed, considering problems and cognitive obstacles.
Examination methods:	The exam is split in two independent tests, each of which will contribute to the final mark, proportionally to the CFU number. The module “Fundamentals of Biology” forecasts a written test where the student is required to answer appropriately a series of questions (opens and multiple-choice questions). The module “Didactics of Biology also has a final, written test, where the student is asked to answer a series of open/closed questions, eventually followed by an oral integration.
Assessment criteria:	In the module “Fundamentals of Biology”, the evaluation will be based on the comprehension of the topics discussed in the class. In the module “Didactics of Biology” the knowledge of disciplinary contents, the expository clarity and the use of an appropriate terminology will be evaluated, as well as the capability to apply unconventional didactic methodologies based on the scientific method.
Course unit contents:	Fundamentals of Biology: 1 – Cellular organisation. Properties of water and biological macromolecules. Organisation levels of living organisms: unicellularity e pluricellularity. Unicellular organisms: prokaryotes and eukaryotes and the different cellular organisations. Prokaryotes and the origins of metabolic diversity: bacteria and archaea. Protists and the origin of pluricellularity. Animal and plant eukaryotic cell: a comparison. Nucleus and chromosomes, citoplasmic organelles, cytoskeleton. 2 - Reproduction. Cell cycle: interphase, mitosis and cytokinesis. Asexual reproduction in prokaryotes, protists and pluricellular eukaryotes. Sexuality in prokariotes and protists. Advantages of sexuality. Somatic and germ lines. Meiosis. Sexual reproduction in animals. Gonads and gametes. Sex determination (genic, chromosomic and environmental). Gametogenesis (spermatogenesis and oogenesis). Types of eggs. Internal and external fertilisation. Acrosomal and cortical reactions. Cleavage. Gynogenesis and parthenogenesis. Ermaphroditism. Mendel laws 3 - Diversity of living organisms. Main phyla of invertebrate and vertebrate animals: cnidarian, flatworms, anellids, molluscs, arthropods, echinoderms, chordates. aploid, diploid and aplodiploid living cycles. Sexual reproduction in plants and evolution of the living cycle with particular reference to mosses, ferns and spermatophytes. Seed and its meaning. Fruit. Fungi and their reproduction. Viruses. Didactics of Biology: 1 – How to teach Biology in nursery and primary schools. 2 – The variety of living organisms. 3 – The biological evolution. 4 – The body of humans and other animals.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods:	The course forecasts lessons and laboratory activities, during which various didactic strategies will be used to favour the interaction between teacher and students.
Additional notes about suggested reading:	The material presented in the class as PowerPoint presentations will be available to students in the tramite Moodle platform and will integrate the content of the suggested textbooks (for the module “Fundamentals of Biology”, a Biology textbook of the secondary school can be used for the preparation of the exam). Lessons can be flanked by short, movies useful to the comprehension of the topics.
Textbooks (and optional supplementary readings)	Santovito G., Insegnare la Biologia ai bambini. Dalla scuola dell’infanzia al primo ciclo d’istruzione.. Roma: Carocci, 2015. Curtis H., Barnes N.S., Invito alla biologia. Bologna: Zanichelli, 2009.