Cultural Tools for the Dissemination of Biogeosciences
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course provides students with methods and tools for communicating biogeosciences in the perspective of dissemination and teaching
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire skills related to some areas of communication with regard to communication through videos and to multimedia supports for popular books and textbooks related to biogeoscience issues.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The contents of the 6-credit course "Cultural tools for the dissemination of BioGeosciences" are organized into two coordinated parts, one dedicated to the video/documentary for the dissemination of the Biogeosciences and one focused on the tools used for the different forms of scientific communication, from images to multimedia products, models, etc., designed for different users and usable in different contexts. Space will also be given to cultural tools for the creation of museum and outdoor itineraries and for written communication relating to the web and scientific publishing.
General part:
Introductory notes relating to cultural tools for communication and dissemination of BioGeosciences. Scientific dissemination and its evolution over time. Relevance of images in scientific communication and their impact on the collective imagination. The evolution of the image: from illustrations, to photos and 3D models.
Module A: Scientific video in Biogeosciencee dissemination
Introduction: birth and development of the scientific/naturalistic documentary. The potential of the video tool in scientific dissemination/teaching. Aims of the nature/scientific documentary.
The different types of nature/scientific documentary. Phases of making the documentary (theoretical elements, conception and construction of the narrative path, creative, authorial, organizational-logistic part). Ethics in documentary. The composition of the image, the shooting and sound techniques.
Postproduction, editing, sounds, writing on images. Graphics as a fundamental element of the scientific documentary. The organization of a project.
Module B multimedia tools
The use of clips in different contexts (museums, apps, web, etc.)
Biogeocultural itineraries in museums and outdoors: design, organization, description of naturalistic-cultural objects in closed environments and open spaces.
Written Biogeoscience dissemination: from popular books to textbooks: conception, structure, implementation, graphic design. Multimedia in books: the introduction and evolution of multimedia in publishing. Editorial creation of multimedia materials: identification of the scientific topic, creation of the script and text for audio, images and music with references to current legislation.
The practise include a part in the classroom for the conception, organization and processing of a scientific documentary and digital materials for the illustration of specific scientific topics and an outdoor part for video recordings relating to natural and anthropic elements, in places to be defined.
It should be noted that external activities are an integral part of the teaching content and subject to verification. As exercises, they are mandatory within the courses (see the Manifesto degli Studi).
The course "Cultural tools for the dissemination of BioGeosciences" is characterized by interactive and dialogue lessons, an important practical part and group work; therefore, attendance and personal notes are important.
General part:
Introductory notes relating to cultural tools for communication and dissemination of BioGeosciences. Scientific dissemination and its evolution over time. Relevance of images in scientific communication and their impact on the collective imagination. The evolution of the image: from illustrations, to photos and 3D models.
Module A: Scientific video in Biogeosciencee dissemination
Introduction: birth and development of the scientific/naturalistic documentary. The potential of the video tool in scientific dissemination/teaching. Aims of the nature/scientific documentary.
The different types of nature/scientific documentary. Phases of making the documentary (theoretical elements, conception and construction of the narrative path, creative, authorial, organizational-logistic part). Ethics in documentary. The composition of the image, the shooting and sound techniques.
Postproduction, editing, sounds, writing on images. Graphics as a fundamental element of the scientific documentary. The organization of a project.
Module B multimedia tools
The use of clips in different contexts (museums, apps, web, etc.)
Biogeocultural itineraries in museums and outdoors: design, organization, description of naturalistic-cultural objects in closed environments and open spaces.
Written Biogeoscience dissemination: from popular books to textbooks: conception, structure, implementation, graphic design. Multimedia in books: the introduction and evolution of multimedia in publishing. Editorial creation of multimedia materials: identification of the scientific topic, creation of the script and text for audio, images and music with references to current legislation.
The practise include a part in the classroom for the conception, organization and processing of a scientific documentary and digital materials for the illustration of specific scientific topics and an outdoor part for video recordings relating to natural and anthropic elements, in places to be defined.
It should be noted that external activities are an integral part of the teaching content and subject to verification. As exercises, they are mandatory within the courses (see the Manifesto degli Studi).
The course "Cultural tools for the dissemination of BioGeosciences" is characterized by interactive and dialogue lessons, an important practical part and group work; therefore, attendance and personal notes are important.
Prerequisites for admission
Good knowledge of all the basic notions of Earth Sciences and Biosciences that are acquired during the Bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences and which are required of students admitted to the Master's Degree in BioGeosciences are indispensable. Basic skills in the most common applications and software for graphics editing and presentation (Photoshop, Power Point, Canva, Bookcreator, or similar) are also required. In order to take the exam, it is necessary to have taken the exam of Teaching methodologies and technologies for BioGeosciences or, alternatively, the exam of Ecosystem analysis methods. For students enrolled in the master's degree course in BioGeosciences, attendance of one of the two courses mentioned as mandatory in the respective curricula is sufficient.
Teaching methods
The course will use different methods and techniques to achieve its educational and training objectives, in particular it will be able to make use of:
- Frontal lessons;
- Laboratory and outdoor activities;
- Multimedia;
- Individual and/or group projects;
- Small group discussion activities.
- Frontal lessons;
- Laboratory and outdoor activities;
- Multimedia;
- Individual and/or group projects;
- Small group discussion activities.
Teaching Resources
Pdf of the lessons, scientific and informative articles, audio-video material posted by the teachers on the ARIEL didactic site of the course, texts, materials provided by teachers, personal notes
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam aims to:
- ascertain the student's knowledge of the characteristics of popular science books, school textbooks and the digital materials that integrate them;
- ascertain the student's ability to organize, describe, create and present a short video/documentary and a multimedia product on a scientific topic (Biogeosciences);
- ascertain the student's ability to organize, describe and present a scientific topic with specific tools for scientific dissemination;
- ascertain the student knowledge of the proposed topic
- verify knowledge of the basic concepts of dissemination in the scientific field;
- ascertain the ability to collect existing material for the organization of the documents.
The exam consists of two ongoing tests and a phase for registering the final grade.
The two ongoing tests focus on: 1) the discussion of two products (a short documentary video - approximately 2 minutes - and a multimedia product to be defined with the teachers) accompanied respectively by a synopsis and a storyboard/storytelling etc. and an explanatory sheet illustrating the product presented (video and multimedia content for books, museums or the web, etc.), the reasons for the choice and the strategies used for scientific dissemination 2) on verifying the contents of the lessons, including any in-depth seminars. Further information will be provided in class and reported in Ariel.
The exam will consist of a discussion of the products presented, of the attachments (synopsis, storyboards, storytelling, etc.), and a verification of the teaching contents including the materials provided in class (pdf of the lessons, articles made available, personal notes and texts/ videos, films and documentaries indicated in class).
All instructions will be provided during the lessons for the realization of the video/documentary and the multimedia products. The two products and related attachments must be delivered to the teachers in the manner indicated in class and on the Ariel teaching website. The test is considered passed if both ongoing tests are sufficient (i.e. with a grade greater than or equal to 18/30). The final grade will consist of the average of the two grades. The student may be asked for an oral integration in the event of a high discrepancy between the two grades.
For each module the grade will be made up as follows: video product and related attachments 40%, multimedia product 30%, other teaching content 30%.
- ascertain the student's knowledge of the characteristics of popular science books, school textbooks and the digital materials that integrate them;
- ascertain the student's ability to organize, describe, create and present a short video/documentary and a multimedia product on a scientific topic (Biogeosciences);
- ascertain the student's ability to organize, describe and present a scientific topic with specific tools for scientific dissemination;
- ascertain the student knowledge of the proposed topic
- verify knowledge of the basic concepts of dissemination in the scientific field;
- ascertain the ability to collect existing material for the organization of the documents.
The exam consists of two ongoing tests and a phase for registering the final grade.
The two ongoing tests focus on: 1) the discussion of two products (a short documentary video - approximately 2 minutes - and a multimedia product to be defined with the teachers) accompanied respectively by a synopsis and a storyboard/storytelling etc. and an explanatory sheet illustrating the product presented (video and multimedia content for books, museums or the web, etc.), the reasons for the choice and the strategies used for scientific dissemination 2) on verifying the contents of the lessons, including any in-depth seminars. Further information will be provided in class and reported in Ariel.
The exam will consist of a discussion of the products presented, of the attachments (synopsis, storyboards, storytelling, etc.), and a verification of the teaching contents including the materials provided in class (pdf of the lessons, articles made available, personal notes and texts/ videos, films and documentaries indicated in class).
All instructions will be provided during the lessons for the realization of the video/documentary and the multimedia products. The two products and related attachments must be delivered to the teachers in the manner indicated in class and on the Ariel teaching website. The test is considered passed if both ongoing tests are sufficient (i.e. with a grade greater than or equal to 18/30). The final grade will consist of the average of the two grades. The student may be asked for an oral integration in the event of a high discrepancy between the two grades.
For each module the grade will be made up as follows: video product and related attachments 40%, multimedia product 30%, other teaching content 30%.
SPS/08 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION - University credits: 6
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 30 hours
Lessons: 30 hours
Professor(s)