Formarsi alla ricerca: un’impresa collaborativa

Il contributo descrive la prima fase qualitativa della ricerca mixed method “L’università come luogo in cui si fa esperienza della valutazione. La prospettiva degli studenti” attuata in collaborazione con gli studenti di un Corso di laurea magistrale con l’obiettivo di coniugare la generazione di conoscenza scientifica e la promozione di competenze di ricerca, essenziali nelle professioni educative e formative. L’oggetto di indagine – la valutazione degli apprendimenti nel contesto universitario – rappresenta un reale tema di interesse per il team docente e per gli studenti, i quali sono stati coinvolti nella progettazione del dispositivo, nella costruzione degli strumenti e nella raccolta dei dati sul campo. L’indagine empirica self reported relativa al processo e alle acquisizioni maturate dai corsisti evidenzia, oltre a un generale apprezzamento verso la proposta, un guadagno formativo nel merito, riferito alla tematica oggetto di indagine, e nel metodo, relativo al processo di lavoro sperimentato.The paper deals with the first qualitative phase of a mixed method research “The university as a place where evaluation is experienced. The students’ perspective” carried out collaboratively in a master’s degree course; the aim is combining the generation of scientific knowledge and the development of research skills strategic for practitioners working in education. The assessment of learning in the university context is a topic for the teacher due to her scientific interest and for the students due to their life experience; the last ones have been involved both in research planning, tools design and data field collect. The self-reported empirical survey regarding the students’ process and reflections shows not only a general appreciation of the proposal but also a training gain in merit, referring to the research topic, and in method, relating to the process been managed

Integrative systematics illuminates the relationships in two sponge-associated hydrozoan families (Capitata : Sphaerocorynidae and Zancleopsidae)

An integrated approach using morphological and genetic data is needed to disentangle taxonomic uncertainties affecting the hydrozoan families Sphaerocorynidae and Zancleopsidae. Here we used this approach to accurately characterise species in these families, identify the previously unknown polyp stages of the genera Euphysilla and Zancleopsis, which were originally described exclusively based on the medusa stages, describe a new sphaerocorynid genus and species, and assess the phylogenetic position of the two families within the Capitata. The monotypic genus Astrocoryne was found to be a synonym of Zancleopsis. Astrocoryne cabela was therefore transferred to the genus Zancleopsis as Zancleopsis cabela comb. nov. The new polyp-based genus and species Kudacoryne diaphana gen. nov. sp. nov. was erected within the Sphaerocorynidae. Both taxa are primarily based on genetic data, but the introduction of this new genus was made necessary by the fact that it clustered with the genera Heterocoryne and Euphysilla, despite showing Sphaerocoryne-like polyps. Interestingly, the species analysed in this work showed contrasting biogeographical patterns. Based on our data and literature records, some species appear to have a wide circumtropical range, whereas others are limited to few localities. Overall, these results lay the ground for future investigations aimed at resolving the taxonomy and systematics of these two enigmatic families.Peer reviewe

Diversity, host specificity and biogeography in the Cladocorynidae (Hydrozoa, Capitata), with description of a new genus

The hydrozoan family Cladocorynidae inhabits tropical to temperate waters and comprises the two genera Pteroclava and Cladocoryne. Pteroclava lives in association with some octocorals and hydrozoans, whereas Cladocoryne is more generalist in terms of substrate choice. This work provides a thorough morpho-molecular reassessment of the Cladocorynidae by presenting the first well-supported phylogeny of the family based on the analyses of three mitochondrial and four nuclear markers. Notably, the two nominal genera were confirmed to be monophyletic and both morphological and genetic data led to the formal description of a new genus exclusively associated with octocorals, Pseudozanclea gen. nov. Maggioni & Montano. Accordingly, the diagnosis of the family was updated. The ancestral state reconstruction of selected characters revealed that the symbiosis with octocorals likely appeared in the most recent common ancestor of Pteroclava and Pseudozanclea. Additionally, the presence of euryteles aggregation in the polyp stage and the exumbrellar nematocyst pouches with euryteles represent synapomorphies of all cladocorynid taxa and probably emerged in their most recent common ancestor. The analysis of several Pteroclava krempfi colonies from Indo-Pacific and Caribbean localities associated with several host octocorals revealed a high intra-specific genetic variability. Single- and multi-locus species delimitations resulted in three to five species hypotheses, but the statistical analysis of morphometric data showed only limited distinction among the clades of P. krempfi. However, P. krempfi clades showed differences in both host specificity, mostly at the octocoral family level, and geographic distribution, with one clade found exclusively in the Caribbean Sea and the others found in the Indo-Pacific.Fil: Maggioni, Davide. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Garese, Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Danwei Huang. National University Of Singapore; SingapurFil: Hoeksema, Bert W.. University of Groningen; Países BajosFil: Arrigoni, Roberto. Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn; ItaliaFil: Seveso, Davide. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Galli, Paolo. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Berumen, Michael L.. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Montalbetti, Enrico. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Pica, Daniela. Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare; ItaliaFil: Torsani, Fabrizio. Università Politecnica Delle Marche; ItaliaFil: Montano, Simone. Università degli Studi di Milano; Itali

Effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the management of coral restoration projects

Coral restoration initiatives are gaining significant momentum in a global effort to enhance the recovery of degraded coral reefs. However, the implementation and upkeep of coral nurseries are particularly demanding, so that unforeseen breaks in maintenance operations might jeopardize well-established projects. In the last 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a temporary yet prolonged abandonment of several coral gardening infrastructures worldwide, including remote localities. Here we provide a first assessment of the potential impacts of monitoring and maintenance breakdown in a suite of coral restoration projects (based on floating rope nurseries) in Colombia, Seychelles, and Maldives. Our study comprises nine nurseries from six locations, hosting a total of 3,554 fragments belonging to three coral genera, that were left unsupervised for a period spanning from 29 to 61 weeks. Floating nursery structures experienced various levels of damage, and total fragment survival spanned from 40 to 95% among projects, with Pocillopora showing the highest survival rate in all locations present. Overall, our study shows that, under certain conditions, abandoned coral nurseries can remain functional for several months without suffering critical failure from biofouling and hydrodynamism. Still, even where gardening infrastructures were only marginally affected, the unavoidable interruptions in data collection have slowed down ongoing project progress, diminishing previous investments and reducing future funding opportunities. These results highlight the need to increase the resilience and self-sufficiency of coral restoration projects, so that the next global lockdown will not further shrink the increasing efforts to prevent coral reefs from disappearing.Peer reviewe

La valutazione di impatto nei progetti di contrasto alla povert\ue0 educativa. Primi esiti di un\u2019indagine

Nel nostro Paese la valutazione di impatto in ambito sociale \ue8 oggetto di una crescente attenzione. Nel campo del contrasto alla povert\ue0 educativa l\u2019Impresa sociale Con i Bambini l\u2019ha resa una condizione per accedere ai bandi di finanziamento rivolti ad enti del Terzo settore. Per fare emergere in modo induttivo una prima geografia degli orientamenti esistenti in tema di valutazione di impatto si \ue8 analizzato attraverso un\u2019apposita griglia esplorativa costituita da quattro categorie \u2013 tipologia di organizzazione, orientamento disciplinare, servizi offerti, professionalit\ue0 coinvolte \u2013 quanto dichiarato nei siti web dei soggetti valutatori accreditati dall\u2019Impresa sociale nel Bando Nuove Generazioni 5-14 anni. Dall'analisi esplorativa condotta emerge la centralit\ue0 degli approcci economico-sociali mentre la matrice pedagogica appare debole nonostante il contrasto alla povert\ue0 educativa sia un tema particolarmente pertinente al campo educativo e ai suoi metodi di valutazione e ricerca. Tali evidenze sollecitano alcune riflessioni sullo spazio di lavoro per la pedagogia nel campo della valutazione di impatto e sugli elementi peculiari al suo approccio.In our country, the impact evalution/assessment in the social context is receiving a lot of attention. Inside the project against educational poverty, the social enterprise Con i Bambini has made evaluation a necessary condition to access funding addressed to third sector. In order to inductively highlight a first geography of the existing orientations in terms of impact assessment/evaluation, it has been analysed through a specific exploration grid consisting of four categories \u2013 type of organization, disciplinary orientation, services offered, professionals involved \u2013 what was declared on the websites of evaluators accredited by the social enterprise in the New Generation call 5-14 years. From the exploratory analysis conducted emerges the centrality of economic-social approaches while the pedagogical perspective appears weak despite educational poverty is a subject particularly pertinent to the educational field and its methods of evaluation and research. These evidences encourage some reflections concerning the pedagogy environment and impact assessment field

Monitoring and assessing a 2-year outbreak of the corallivorous seastar Acanthaster planci in Ari Atoll, Republic of Maldives

Outbreaks of the corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastars have received increasing attention due to their negative impacts on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. However, outbreaks in remote and dislocated islands are still poorly understood. This study aims to begin filling informational gaps regarding outbreaks of Acanthaster planci in the remote islands of the central Ari Atoll, Republic of Maldives. The population of A. planci was monitored during three periods over 2 years (2015-2016) to evaluate variations in abundance and to characterise size structure and feeding behaviour. The outbreak appeared to be severe and active throughout the entire study period. The size structure analysis revealed a multimodal distribution dominated by individuals between 20 and 30 cm, suggesting that the outbreak may have resulted from a few nearby mass spawning events. Additionally, the most abundant live coral was Porites, which was also the most consumed genus; however, the electivity index showed a preference for corals of the genera Favites and Pavona. Finally, we also highlighted the need for more geographically extended surveys to better understand local patterns regarding outbreaks of A. planci in the Republic of Maldives.JRC.D.1-Bio-econom

Innovare la didattica universitaria fra vincoli e opportunità. Un’esperienza di peer feedback con i futuri insegnanti

The outbreak of the pandemic has prompted universities to make a substantial technological upgrade in order to continue pursuing their educational goals. Further, both the overall operation of the system and teaching practices have been revised. This contingency was taken by the authors as an opportunity to redesign the “Educational research methods” course, experimenting with innovative student-centered educational methodologies. There has been a development in the experience of peer feedback supported by digital tool self & peer assessment embedded in the university’s Learning Management System. Given its innovative nature it was considered appropriate, consistent with the perspective of educational evaluation adopted in the course, to detect students’ perceptions regarding the process experienced by administering a questionnaire. The evidence collected recognizes that the peer review was successful and lays the groundwork for proposing it again in the future with appropriate adjustments