Simulandia. Giochi di simulazione e ambienti di apprendimento della matematica

Il contributo presenta una sperimentazione, nell’ambito di un articolato progetto di ricerca ancora in atto nella scuola primariae secondaria di primo grado, che si prefigge di verificare se le caratteristiche strutturali dei giochi di simulazione possanopromuovere il processo di astrazione, far pervenire alla rappresentazione dei concetti matematici e alla loro formalizzazionea partire dal linguaggio naturale, utilizzando il pattern della transcodifica, influenzare l’autoefficacia scolastica e socialee la motivazione ad apprendere. La sperimentazione ha confrontato il gioco di simulazione (Gruppo Sperimentale) e la lezione frontale (Gruppo di Controllo) in due classi di scuola primaria, riguardoall’autoefficacia scolastica e sociale, alla motivazione, all’apprendimento e alla sua ritenzione.I risultati relativi all’autoefficacia scolastica e sociale dei GS in ciascuna classe risultano migliori rispetto a quelli dei CG; mentreriguardo alla motivazione una dif ferenza significativa risulta a favore del GS di una sola classe. Per le altre variabili non si registrano differenze significative

Antibody Avidity and Neutralizing Response against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant after Infection or Vaccination

Background. The recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant exhibits several mutations on the spike protein, enabling it to escape the immunity elicited by natural infection or vaccines. Avidity is the strength of binding between an antibody and its specific epitope. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds to its cellular receptor with high affinity and is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, protective antibodies should show high avidity. This study aimed at investigating the avidity of receptor-binding domain (RBD) binding antibodies and their neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and vaccinees. Methods. Samples were collected from 42 SARS-CoV-2 infected patients during the first pandemic wave, 50 subjects who received 2 doses of mRNA vaccine before the Omicron wave, 44 subjects who received 3 doses of mRNA vaccine, and 35 subjects who received heterologous vaccination (2 doses of adenovirus-based vaccine plus mRNA vaccine) during the Omicron wave. Samples were tested for the avidity of RBD-binding IgG and neutralizing antibodies against the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Omicron variant. Results. In patients, RBD-binding IgG titers against the wild-type virus increased with time, but remained low. High neutralizing titers against the wild-type virus were not matched by high avidity or neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant. Vaccinees showed higher avidity than patients. Two vaccine doses elicited the production of neutralizing antibodies, but low avidity for the wild-type virus; antibody levels against the Omicron variant were even lower. Conversely, 3 doses of vaccine elicited high avidity and high neutralizing antibodies against both the wild-type virus and the Omicron variant. Conclusions. Repeated vaccination increases antibody avidity against the spike protein of the Omicron variant, suggesting that antibodies with high avidity and high neutralizing potential increase cross-protection against variants that carry several mutations on the RBD

The Wikiplantbase project: the role of amateur botanists in building up large online floristic databases

The Wikiplantbase project, started in 2013, provides a framework where the full set of georeferenced floristic records of Tuscany and Sardinia can be entered, stored, updated and freely accessed through the Internet. Mainly thanks to the collaboration of amateur botanists, data have accumulated quickly. All records entered by collaborators are submitted to the project coordinators, who are enabled to accept, modify, or reject them. As of 22 November 2016, Wikiplantbase #Toscana holds 116,402 verified floristic records (90% based on published literature, 5% on unpublished herbarium specimens, 5% on field observations), and Wikiplantbase #Sardegna 40,043 (77% published literature, 18% unpublished herbarium specimens, 5% on field observations ). The records include over 90% of the specific and subspecific taxa known for Tuscany and about 70% – but rapidly growing – of those known for Sardinia. The most recorded species are Quercus ilex L. (Fagaceae) for Tuscany and Pistacia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae) for Sardinia. With minor software tweaking, the online platform Wikiplantbase might be adopted in other contexts, resulting in a well connected network of regional floristic databases suited to exploit the involvement – still largely untapped – of nonacademic collaborators, as advocated by citizen science

ASSESSING SUMMARY WRITING: QUANTITY, QUALITY OR BOTH?

Recognizing that summarizing skills can contribute to the development of linguistic and transversal competence, we present a revised perspective on summary writing as a complex task, pointing up the highly complex linguistic and cognitive features of summarizing, and discussing the key role that assessment can play throughout teaching-learning processes aimed at developing primary school students’ summarizing abilities. After reviewing qualitative and quantitative tools tested in the assessment research literature, we go on to recommend a new approach to evaluation that combines both structured and open-ended tools. Specifically, we propose a set of guidelines on how to assess primary students’ ability to integrate cognitive, language and content aspects in order to grasp the meaning of the narrative text at both the local and global levels and organize a summary of it

Development and Analysis of A Design Model for Geometry-Based Simulation Games

AbstractIn order to construct efficient and motivational learning environments for the primary school, this paper proposes a design model for geometry-based simulation games. It is structured on the basis of the isomorphism found in the didactic process among three simulation games purposely conceived, designed, and developed: Cardland on the isometries, Similand on the similarities and Angleland on the angles.The paper presents and compares Cardland, Similand and Angleland, and highlights their structural characteristics and the isomorphism in the didactic process, that is invariant in respect to the content of each simulation game. The references take into account the theoretical framework and methodological choices, drawn from the recent research findings on the literature of the simulation games, and on the theory of learning, on the basis of which the simulation games are designed.On the basis of observed analogies, the paper describes the important elements of the design model developed, and explains the conceptual diagram, the design and assessment criteria, that have been assessed and validated in previous research carried out with Cardland

Giochi di simulazione in ambito matematico per alunni con deficit sensoriale. Percorsi di ricerca

Dottorato di ricerca in Psicologia della programmazione e intelligenza artificiale, XXIII ciclo, A.a. 2009-2010Università della Calabria, Dipartimento di linguistic

The neutralizing response to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2 in COVID-19 patients and homologous and heterologous vaccinees

The rapid replacement of Omicron BA.1 by BA.2 sublineage is very alarming, raising the question of whether BA.2 can escape the immunity acquired after BA.1 infection. We compared the neutralizing activity toward the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 sub-lineages in five groups: COVID-19 patients; subjects who had received two doses of mRNA vaccine; subjects naturally infected with SARS-CoV-2 who had received two doses of mRNA; and subjects who had received three doses of homologous or heterologous vaccine. The results obtained highlight the importance of vaccine boosters in eliciting neutralizing antibody responses against Omicron sub-lineages, and suggest that the adenovirus vectored vaccine elicits a lower response against BA.1 than against BA.2 sub-lineage