FLIP AND WRITE

“Writing like a scientist in the xylology lab”

The dissemination and validation of scientific evidence heavily relies on the publication of research articles. While this type of information exchange is crucial for various communities such as bioscience, the skills required to read and write such articles do not necessarily come naturally from other forms of writing that undergraduate students may have experience with. In order for students to stay updated with advancements in a particular field of knowledge, they must familiarize themselves with research papers and start writing their own based on field observations and measurements. Paola Mazzanti wants to give her students the opportunity to write as scientists from the very beginning of their formative process.

Objectives:

Produce a scientific paper from experimentation with wood in the laboratory.

Methodology:
Throughout the course, students develop a continuous activity in the laboratory to deepen their understanding of the physical and mechanical behavior of wood. They perform various physical tests to measure, for example, the breaking strength of wood. The students carry out these experiments in the laboratory and transfer the quantitative data to an Excel file. At the end of the course they are asked to prepare a scientific paper describing the tests they have carried out, from a methodological point of view. In addition, they have to report the results obtained (using also different graphs and tables) and discuss them, as well as explain the main conclusions.

Evaluation:
Evaluation with grade, where aspects related to the technical language, content and mathematical operations carried out are taken into account.

“Learning diary in science”

In science education, conceptual learning requires students to apply their knowledge to new situations, reason about core ideas and demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills to explain phenomena, rather than simply memorizing and calculating. Writing-to-learn pedagogies contributes to conceptual learning in the field of science. One of the writing tasks that can contribute to this conceptual learning in science is to keep a learning diary in which data are collected and procedures developed in field situations are reflected upon through different written reports. Elena Tricarico is aware of the potential of this type of activity and proposes it in her science classes.

Objectives:
Use of writing to promote the acquisition of concepts, formalization of critical thinking and reporting in the area of science.

Methodology:
The writing activity is always linked to a field trip where different aspects related to the fauna, flora and geology of a territory are analyzed. In this first moment, students take notes and use writing to synthesize the most important parameters and data they have measured and collected in the real context. Subsequently, the writing has a reflective purpose and seeks to promote conceptual and meaningful learning. Thus, students prepare a detailed report on all the synthetic aspects they have extracted from the field trip. In this sense, they have to follow the scientific writing method (theoretical framework, description of materials, procedure, results, etc.) to develop the content, which not only allows them to develop communicative skills in the field of science, but also to acquire thinking schemes to reflect on the world and to acquire the first competencies for their possible future work.

Evaluation:
Formative feedback (taking into account the linguistic aspects of Italian, accuracy and formal aspects of scientific communication).

“Text analysis laboratory”

When it comes to written texts, it is suggested that the properties or capabilities inherent in writing itself can aid in the learning process. The idea is that writing allows learners to plan, organize, and develop a deeper understanding of their own thoughts and feelings, which can then be used to create both planned and unexpected meanings. Through writing, learners can also sequence, clarify, extend, judge, enact, inspect, revise, and reflect upon their own ideas as well as those of others. This epistemological approach highlights the ways in which writing can facilitate learning gains. Writing can therefore help improve learning in all disciplines, but it becomes a fundamental element in those subject areas that seek to promote literacy and language acquisition in all its forms. Giullia Tellini tries to harness the full epistemic potential of writing in her literature workshops. How does she do this?

Objectives:
The laboratory aims to promote the textual analysis of different literary productions through a continuous and reflective exercise of writing.

Methodology:
In each laboratory session students receive a classic Italian literary text (prose, poetry or theater). After reading this text, students are asked to elaborate a detailed written report where they reflect on the content, as well as on formal and linguistic aspects. In this writing exercise they have to relate their previous knowledge with the new concepts provided by each literary text. Thus, writing serves to favor the relation between concepts and to favor a more significant learning. This writing exercise is sometimes developed individually and sometimes collaboratively to promote cognitive conflicts that can lead to deeper learning and higher quality written texts.

Evaluation:
Activity without grade

“Professional motivation and writing workshop”

Becoming more self-aware, including the thoughts and emotions we experience in each moment, can be achieved through self-reflection using writing. By consciously reflecting on one’s values, ideas and practices, we can make our coping mechanisms more explicit. This process can promote the development of critical and practical autonomy, which is essential for social workers to effectively navigate the many contextual pressures they face in their field. Teresa Baldi and Giuditta Pedana are aware of the potential of writing in this sense and place it at the service of reflection on the professional identity of the social worker. But how do they do it?

Objectives:
To contribute to the development of the professional identity of the social worker, through the use of writing as a tool for personal reflection.

Methodology:
Throughout the workshop, students are introduced to different contents related to the practices of a social worker. This content can be in visual format (documentaries, films…) or written (books, articles, etc.). Students are then asked to write a personal essay where they reflect on the representation of the social worker in this content, how this representation connects with their personal identity as professionals in the field, how it affects their motivation to practice the profession of social worker, etc. These writing exercises are sometimes elaborated individually, but also in groups using collaborative writing. Working and writing in a group promotes the confrontation of ideas, and the awareness of one’s own thinking by having to make it explicit to others. The reflective essays are finally provided to teachers, who give formative feedback on theoretical aspects related to the subject, but also on formal aspects related to writing.

Evaluation:
Activity without grade

“Writing and experiences of discrimination”

Autobiographical narratives are considered a useful tool for exploring the social construction of self and mind, as they reflect an individual’s personality and identity construction. How could we use this technique to become aware of experiences of discrimination in the university context? Brunella Casalini has a proposal that connects writing, individual narratives, and discrimination processes in the university

Objectives:
The activity is designed to reflect on the processes of discrimination using autobiographical writing and personal narratives.

Methodology:
The activity was developed with PhD students. The students were asked to write a personal experience of discrimination (first-person or witnessed) after reading an excerpt from the book “Teaching to transgress” (bell hooks). In his own essay, bell hooks explained how when she taught “The Bluest eye” (Toni Morrison) in the classroom, she asked students to talk about a discrimination experience. Based on this suggestion by bell hooks, doctoral students were asked to write about a discrimination experience they had personally experienced or testimonies they had heard in the university setting (classroom activity, relationship with teachers, etc.), during formative experiences. Students had half an hour to write their personal experiences and then they were shared with the class. This activity gave each person a voice and encouraged collaborative reflection on this type of situations based on autobiographical writing and personal narratives.

Evaluation:
Activity without grade

“The two faces of the journalist: combining objective and subjective writing”

The act of summarizing is closely connected to understanding written material, as the writer must comprehend the original text before summarizing it. Nonetheless, summarizing involves certain writing abilities that go beyond basic reading skills and may be more intricate. Research has indicated that teaching summarization not only improves writing proficiency, but it can also enhance learning. On the other hand, the use of writing with an epistemic use (linked to the construction of knowledge and not linked to the mere transmission of information) helps to establish a relationship between different concepts and to generate meaningful learning. How can writing be combined with a content synthesis purpose and a reflective goal? Nicolo Bellana has found the key with his activity: “the two faces of the journalist: combining objective and subjective writing”.

Objectives:
Employ writing to synthesize the content of scientific papers and promote personal reflection and meaningful learning of the content.

Methodology:
This is an evaluation activity at the end of the course. Students have at their disposal in moodle recent scientific articles related to the content of the subject. Students have to choose one of these articles and carry out a two-part report. The first part consists in the elaboration of a synthesis of the most important aspects of the author’s/authors’ thought. The aim is to summarize and carry out an objective report of the proposed theory, without adding personal elements. The second part, however, consists of developing an essay that reflects personally on the content of the paper and relates it to previous knowledge and life experiences.

Evaluation:
Students are required to prepare a final report with a minimum length of 6 pages. This document is evaluated by the teacher through the use of a rubric (which is available to students from the beginning of the course). In addition, the teacher makes available in moodle good examples of reports (after giving the grade), with the intention of providing feedback on good products.

“Supervised writing”

Feedback for written assignments often relies heavily on summative assessment, wherein an essay is assigned a grade or a percentage, accompanied by some general comments. Typically, this feedback is received after submitting the final version of the assignment, and students are already moving on to the next topic. Unfortunately, this approach deprives students of the chance to reconsider or revise their work, leading to a lack of progress in their subsequent writing assignments. As educators, it is crucial for us to augment the provision of formative feedback by incorporating drafting and immediate feedback. By doing so, we can foster the growth and enhancement of students’ writing abilities. Francesco Salvestrini and Igor Melani apply this formative feedback approach when they ask their students to prepare the final written report. How do they do it?

Objectives:
Both professors ask their students to write a report at the end of the course on a historical topic. This report has to be elaborated as a scientific work and be based on a bibliographic search. The objective is to train the students in the elaboration of what will be the thesis at the end of their university degrees.

Methodology:
Both teachers guide their students through the writing process, asking for different intermediate products to which they provide formative feedback. For example, once the historical topic has been chosen, teachers can request an index of the main points that students will address in their report. They also ask for short excerpts from the report at different times before the final submission. During this process, individualized tutoring takes place through which teachers provide guidelines to improve the quality of the written product.

Evaluation:
Students submit the final report, which is evaluated and graded. This report is complemented with an oral defense.

“Digital Storytelling”

The activity “Digital Storytelling-DS” has been developed in the framework of a project funded by the European Union (The e-Media Education Lab-eMEL) whose objective is to develop and evaluate educational materials for initial and continuous teacher training in the field of media literacy.

Objectives:
The main objective is to use digital storytelling as an effective pedagogical tool in educational settings to enhance media and digital literacy. Digital storytelling is considered a dynamic and versatile method capable of facilitating both analysis and production of media content, while fostering self-representation, self-expression and civic/social agency.

Methodology:
The activity is structured into four thematic sections, each representing a step in the process of creating a digital story. The initial unit serves as a theoretical introduction to DS, where students are exposed to various examples of digital stories and encouraged to contemplate potential applications of DS within the school environment. The second phase focuses on story writing, encompassing the presentation of techniques such as story core and story mapping. Students are given the task of individually designing their own stories and engaging in exercises to evaluate the effectiveness of their narratives. Visual literacy constitutes another unit, providing students with guidelines on audiovisual grammar and demonstrating the selection, production, and utilization of images and sounds to effectively communicate with and captivate the audience. Additionally, students actively analyze both static and dynamic images as part of a media analysis exercise. The final section is dedicated to the actual production of a digital story. Working in groups, students collaborate through a web forum to share ideas, plan their actions, and develop the script of their project using a wiki platform. The activity was mainly carried out online, using the eLAB platform.

Evaluation:
Every subtask incorporate feedback from the teacher. In addition, several tools are employed to facilitate self-assessment processes (e.g. rubrics and worked examples, which provided additional support and guidance for students to evaluate their own progress and performance).

“Writing scaffolds: the power of templates”

In educational terms, scaffolding can be defined as a situation where a knowledgeable participant can create supportive conditions in which the novice can participate, and extend his or her current skills and knowledge to higher levels of competence. There are multiple ways to scaffold a writing process, but one way with proven evidence is through templates. In operational terms, scaffolding refers to the utilization of supportive templates that provide guidance to students through semiotically mediated situations. The template serves as a framework for the overall structure and key elements of the writing task, allowing learners to concentrate on the specific details within their capabilities. For instance, when using a template for a letter of invitation, the learner is provided with the basic structure and framework of the task, enabling them to focus on the specific details of the invitation itself. How to promote writing in the field of agronomy through templates? Cesare Pacini tells us about it.

Objectives:
Use of templates to facilitate the development of higher-order writing skills and self-regulation among students, as well as the development of well-grounded projects in the field of agronomy.

Methodology:
At the beginning of the course, students receive a template, accompanied by a video tutorial, on how to develop a project in the field of agroecology. The template specifies in sections the key elements of a project aimed at promoting the transformation of a piece of land to make it more ecological and sustainable. Some of the sections are the characteristics of the client, site description, action plan, expected impact in ecological terms, etc. Throughout the lessons, part of the session is devoted to establishing connections between the theoretical and conceptual aspects and how to translate them into the project template. At the end of the course each student has to present his/her project, which will be evaluated and graded.

Evaluation:
The projects are evaluated and graded based on the criteria of the template (which is used as an evaluation rubric).

“The writing and the social dimension of science”

Educational programs in scientific and technical fields traditionally prioritize acquiring knowledge and technical skills. Despite preparing students to be proficient professionals, a common challenge arises: many struggle to effectively communicate the significance of their work to society. This communication gap is evident as professionals often face difficulties conveying the societal relevance of their work. To address this, future scientists’ education should integrate optimal communication skills. María Luisa Ruiz and Julio Manuel De Luis are aware of this challenge in the technical areas and have therefore developed an activity based on the writing of a scientific poster to promote the social dimension of mining and energy activities. But how do they do it?

Objectives:
Contribute to scientific dissemination through the writing of scientific posters.

Methodology:
The activity includes an initial phase of bibliographic research in which students gather information about the phenomenon they will later convey in poster format. For instance, one of the cases examined involves the analysis of a tidal power plant in France. During this initial documentation phase, students investigate when it was installed, how it was installed, its characteristics, and the specific features of the environment, among other aspects. Following this phase, students in the same class are divided into two groups. The first group is tasked with conveying this information in a scientific poster format, as if the audience were attendees at a scientific conference. The other half is assigned to communicate the message to the residents of the town where the plant is located, within the context of sociocultural events. Both groups receive instructions on organizing the poster information, following the established scientific standards for this format. Once the posters are completed, they are presented in class to analyze differences in communication patterns based on the target audience.

Evaluation:
Evaluation and grading using a rubric designed to assess both the content of the poster and the presentation of information.

“Solving case studies through writing”

In health sciences education, the focus is on acquiring knowledge and professional specialization. Reading and writing have little space in classroom training. However, Professor Ignacio Varela offers in his course the possibility of preparing written reports to progressively detail the students’ progress. Although it is true that the educational activity is centered on the implementation of content through case studies, writing is proposed as the means to structure the students’ ideas. Integration into the workforce will demand from healthcare professionals adequate linguistic training. Communicating effectively with patients, families, or laboratory colleagues is a cross-cutting skill that can often be crucial when coordinating efforts. Ignacio Varela is aware of the importance of these aspects and, therefore, proposes the described activity.

Objectives:
Prepare several written reports that help synthesize the concepts covered in the course through the resolution of a practical case.

Methodology:
The activity involves the creation of several written reports based on the study of a specific topic in Health Sciences, applying computer tools to analyze biological data. In the first phase, students tackle various practical cases throughout the course. Each student receives a particular case related to the use of computing in the extraction and analysis of biological data. The aim is to generate writings that, based on the molecular data obtained of various patients, explain why certain people develop a pathology and others do not. The resolution of each practical case is reflected in a detailed report that must present the results in a clear and structured manner. In the second phase, a final project will be carried out that integrates the content of the units covered throughout the course. This project involves solving a complex problem over several weeks individually, but with the collaboration of peers and the assistance of teachers. To support the development of the activity, prior bibliography is provided, and students are equipped with the knowledge to search for and interpret relevant scientific articles.

Evaluation:
The assessment of the reports does not follow a formal structure. The teacher takes into account both the content and the form of the writing. However, specific guidelines are not established; instead, the mastery of knowledge and the expression of such ideas are prioritized. The evaluation method is based on continuous reflection on the accuracy and internal consistency of the writing.