The goal of the course is to move beyond teaching about the environment to teaching done for the environment, based not only on knowledge but also on adaptive behavior, awareness of environmental values and change. The intent is to promote in young people a mindset of environmentally conscious development starting from the living and relational contexts in which they live, from the school environment to the city and the territory in which they are embedded, grasping and synthesizing as best as possible the links between man, the environment, resources and the alterations that man has produced and the effects to which we must adapt in light of Agenda 2030 towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs/SSSGs). These issues will be approached through two practical and general principles: understanding in the sense of being aware and responsibility as the ability of each stakeholder (individual and community) to become an actor in the new world they want to build through proper environmental communication and awareness.

Glossary. Concepts for a common language.

Interpretations of the ecological crisis

The limits of the planet: climate crisis and biodiversity

A new ethics

The need for an ecological humanism

Toward a new paradigm

Ecological anthropology

The concept of sustainability and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development

Economics and ecology

How an ecosystem works

Natural Capital

From ecological functions to ecosystem services

Environmental energy sustainability

Raw materials and recycling

Water and climate

Water and Soil

The role of law for sustainability

An ecological ethic: Toward an ecological education charter

None

Knowledge and understanding

Knowledge of the foundations in ecology and the basic languages of the discipline and the scientific method. Knowledge of phenomena and processes related to abiotic and biotic components, their interactions and functions.

Knowledge and understanding of ecological processes and mechanisms of interaction between natural functions of ecosistems and human influences for the conservation of the natural capital and improvement of the life quality. Use of the knowledge and skills acquired to identify and design educational paths to contribute to the primary education of the child's environmental culture in the primary and secondary schools.

Expected results are achieved through frontal teaching activities and supplementary seminars. The results are evaluated through oral and written examinations.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Knowledge and recognition skills of ecosystems at different scales and abilities of analysis of biotic and abiotic components, their interactions, their functions and relationships with anthropic actions.

Ability to identify and realize educational paths based on the basic foundations of the discipline. Expected results are achieved through frontal teaching activities and supplementary seminars. The results are evaluated through oral and written examinations.

Making judgements

The student must be able to critically evaluate the role of the biotic and abiotic elements that make up an ecosystem and the actions that compromise it. The student must have acquired the basic knowledge for the development of the teaching methods presented. The results are evaluated through oral and written examinations.

Communication

The student should be able to describe the fundamentals of the ecology learned during the course by expressing it clearly, with the acquisition of an appropriate scientific language.

Lifelong learning skills

The student should be able to build his or her discipline knowledge pathway in a critical and autonomous way, being able to use the study material as indicated by the teacher or who will be able to obtain it. These skills will, as far as possible, be stimulated by the teacher by offering further insights.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal lessons

Attendance

Not mandatory

Course books

Luigina Mortari, 2020. Educazione ecologica. Editori Laterza

Autori vari, 2022. Scienze della sostenibilità. Zanichelli

Assessment

An oral interview. This method of assessment is indispensable for evaluating the acquired knowledge, in particular concerning the willingness to verify both the student's synthesis capacity and communicative and expressive skills, as well as the acquisition of the appropriate bio-ecological scientific language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

Luigina Mortari, 2020. Educazione ecologica. Editori Laterza

Autori vari, 2022. Scienze della sostenibilità. Zanichelli

Assessment

An oral interview. This method of assessment is indispensable for evaluating the acquired knowledge, in particular concerning the willingness to verify both the student's synthesis capacity and communicative and expressive skills, as well as the acquisition of the appropriate bio-ecological scientific language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.