117,366 research outputs found
From theory to practice: assessment practices in schools through a qualitative analysis
No full textAs one of the main factors guiding learning and personal growth (Grion & Restiglian, 2019), assessment plays a central role both in an individual's schooling and in teachers' practice. Assessment experiences can make a difference in acquiring critical and reflective competence as early as childhood.
In addition to the better known approaches of assessment, such as summative and formative in which the teacher is the main actor in the assessment processes (Grion & Serbati, 2019; Grion and Restiglian, 2019; Nigris & Agrusti, 2021); recent research (Lipnevich et al, 2021) point to the benefits of assessment for learning (AfL) and sustainable assessment (SA) (Grion, Restiglian & Slaviero, 2025). AfL and SA are characterised by the active involvement of students in assessment processes and the use of appropriate feedback that promotes learning (Sambell, Brown & Race, 2019).
Despite the theoretical framework outlined in educational and assessment research, no extensive national or regional studies of assessment practices are employed in Italian schools.
This research's purpose was to explore the assessment practices stated in the Three-Year Educational Offer Plans (PTOF) and Self-Assessment Reports (RAV) of preschools and first-cycle schools in Italy. The PTOF is a fundamental document provided for by Italian law (L. 107/2015) that each educational institutions are required to develop every three years. The document constitutes the school's cultural and design identity and explicitly outlines its educational purposes, general objectives, didactic, curricular, extracurricular, and educational activities, as well as the resources provided to achieve them. The RAV is a self-assessment document introduced by Presidential Decree 80 of 2013 and aimed at providing a representation of the school through an analysis of its functioning. It also constitutes the basis for identifying the new development priorities that guide the school improvement plan.
The questions that guided the research were:
- What conceptualisations, tools, and assessment practices emerge from the schools' statements in the PTOF and RAV documents?
- How do these concepts and practices relate to the current theoretical models that educational research proposes about assessment in school?
To answer the relevant research questions, the PTOF and RAV documents of the 362 State Comprehensive Institutes in the Veneto Region were analysed. The documents were subjected to a qualitative content analysis using the Atlas.ti 24 software (Braun & Clarke, 2012).
An initial analysis of the documents shows that although assessment is outlined as a continuous and integrated process for learning and is oriented towards educational success, the implemented assessment practices are mainly carried out by teachers with little student participation. The assessment tools most frequently cited in the documents are, in fact, grids, rubrics, written and oral tests (for first-cycle schools) and occasional or systematic observations (for preschools).
These initial results, therefore, indicate that although it is now known at a theoretical level that assessment practices acquire value in a collaborative dimension, this is still not fully realised in practice
Actions for plant biodiversity improvement and recovery in lowland ancient woods and artificial forest stands
No full textItalian forest ecosystems, characterized by a long tradition of forestry and agro-pastoral practices that have guided their evolution, have ensured the preservation over time of significant aspects of naturalness to which important landscape,ecological (carbon stock) and recreational values are associated.
These functions have become increasingly important leading to the implementation of several reforestation projects. Nevertheless, the new forest stands, born on lands subject to agricultural use for a long time, evolve into ecologically sustainable ecosystems only in a very long time.
One of the main findings of this process is represented both by the structure of biological communities and their complexity, which remain greatly simplified for a long time.
In particular, nemoral herbaceous species, which represent the most valuable and ecologically significant component of a forest habitat, remain confined to the ―ancient forests‖. These species, closely habitat-specific and substantially unable to adapt to the environmental changes (Buffa and Villani in pubbl.; Eckert, 2002; Honnay et al., 1999), are in risk of local extinction due to the small size and isolation of their populations.
In order to preserve the venetian lowland ecotypes, some experiments were started in 2010 with the aim of producing some target species (Arum maculatum L., Allium ursinum L., Asparagus tenuifolius Lam., Carex remota L., Colchicum autumnale L., Mercurialis perennis L., Lamium orvala L., Leucojum vernum L., Loncomelos pyrenaicum (L.) Hrouda ex J. Holub s.l., Paris quadrifolia L., Ranunculus auricomus L., Viola reichenbachiana Jordan ex Boureau).
The peculiarities of the environment in which these species are adapted impose a continuous integration of autoecology knowledge with plant nursery techniques. Thus in situ (ancient forest) and ex situ (germination room and outdoors cultivation tunnel) germination tests were carried out to understand how soil variables (texture, pH, organic C, N, P), physical environment variables (quantity and quality of light radiation in the undergrowth) and microclimatic variables (soil T at 0 cm) allow to break dormancy, induce germination and promote seedlings recruitment.
The comparison of in situ and ex situ tests showed that for the majority of the species germinating output is significantly higher in natural conditions or artificial conditions that simulate more accurately the natural ones than in germination room.
Seeds of some species kept at 20 ° C in dry storage (eg. Leucojum vernum L., Mercurialis perennis L.) showed a reduction of viability even more than 80% in 6 months since the collection date, proving potential recalcitrance, and explaining the negative results for their germination tests.
The first results encourage further tests in order to implement the knowledge on the production of these species, which is desirable both in terms of biodiversity conservation, and for the reinforcement of existing populations or for the naturalization of artificial forests. A new frontier, finally, may be offered by their use in private gardens (for aesthetic and naturalistic reasons, in a sort of transposition of the bird-gardening practice within the conservation of nemoral species), with the activation of a production chain giving also employment benefits
Antiseptics for burns: a review of the evidence
No full textThe burn patient is easily subject to colonization by microorganisms and infection, due to reduced defence capabilities and immune dysfunction. Moreover, burn units and intensive care units are characterized by a selection of resistant bacterial strains. If the burn patient is not adequately cared for in terms of infection prevention and control, sepsis is inevitable. Nowadays, several different antiseptics and antiseptic dressings are used in the topical treatment of burns, each with positive and negative effects. Topical antiseptics allow control of bacterial load, but they can also cause cytotoxicity and reduce healing rate. Choosing the most effective antiseptic is crucial to preventing infection from compromising wound healing. The present study aims to review the available literature in order to highlight evidence on the use of topical antiseptics in burns
IL RECUPERO AMBIENTALE E LA PRODUZIONE DI ELEMENTI DI PREGIO DELLA FLORA SPONTANEA: UN NUOVO METODO PER “DIGERIRE” L’INTEGUMENTO DEI SEMI PER LA PROPAGAZIONE DI SPECIE DI BASSA GERMINABILITÀ
No full textIl recupero della vegetazione può essere eseguito utilizzando vari metodi, dalla semina di miscugli per la preservazione, come il fiorume, alla produzione di piante in vaso da trapiantare in natura. Purtroppo l‟esistenza di meccanismi di dormienza dei semi rende difficile la germinazione e la propagazione ex situ di alcune piante spontanee, spesso elementi rari o di pregio della nostra flora. La dormienza può essere associata alla presenza di un integumento rigido e impermeabile costituito per la maggior parte di lignina (legno). I metodi tradizionali per la scarificazione dell‟integumento utilizzano sostanze chimiche corrosive, come l‟acido solforico o l‟ipoclorito di sodio, che possono però danneggiare anche l‟embrione del seme e/o avere effetti collaterali sulla germinazione e lo sviluppo della pianta. Nel presente lavoro viene analizzata l‟ipotesi che enzimi prodotti da funghi per la digestione della lignina (ligninasi), possano essere impiegati per rompere il tegumento del seme e stimolare la germinazione, con particolare riferimento alle orchidee spontanee delle praterie semi-naturali. Una ligninasi è stata somministrata a semi di Himantoglossum adriaticum e Anacamptis morio in condizioni sterili in vitro, utilizzando due metodi: (1) incorporazione dell‟enzima direttamente nel substrato di agarosio; o (2) “bagnatura” dei semi dopo la semina con aggiunta di una soluzione sterile dell‟enzima. In entrambi i casi è stata utilizzata la concentrazione di 1 unità attiva di enzima per lotto di semi/piastra Petri. Dopo sei mesi, il tasso finale di germinazione per entrambe le specie è raddoppiato rispetto al controllo, soltanto quando l‟enzima è stato aggiunto al substrato, nel caso di A. morio da 25 a 50%, mentre per H. adriaticum da 2 a 5%. Per contro, il trattamento con la “bagnatura” di enzima ha significativamente ridotto la germinazione rispetto al controllo, introducendo tra l‟altro contaminazioni. I tassi di germinazione ottenuti possono apparire bassi; tuttavia in specie che producono migliaia di semi per frutto come le orchidee, un modesto incremento nella germinazione può tradursi in un consistente aumento in termini di piante prodotte. L‟utilizzo delle ligninasi nella propagazione di specie rare appare dunque particolarmente promettente, anche perché l‟intervento è mirato all‟integumento, senza il rischio di indurre potenziali complicazioni allo sviluppo dell‟embrione
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Correction to: Outcomes on safety and efficacy of left atrial appendage occlusion in end stage renal disease patients undergoing dialysis (Journal of Nephrology, (2021), 34, 1, (63-73), 10.1007/s40620-020-00774-5)
No full textThe article Outcomes on safety and efficacy of left atrial appendage occlusion in end stage renal disease patients undergoing dialysis, written by Simonetta Genovesi, Luca Porcu, Giorgio Slaviero, Gavino Casu, Silvio Bertoli, Antonio Sagone, Monique Buskermolen, Federico Pieruzzi, Giovanni Rovaris, Alberto Montoli, Jacopo Oreglia, Emanuela Piccaluga, Giulio Molon, Mario Gaggiotti, Federica Ettori, Achille Gaspardone, Roberto Palumbo, Francesca Viazzi, Marco Breschi, Maurizio Gallieni, Gina Contaldo, Giuseppe D’Angelo, Pierluigi Merella, Fabio Galli, Paola Rebora, Mariagrazia Valsecchi, and Patrizio Mazzone, was originally published electronically on the publisher’s internet portal on 6 June 2020 without open access. With the author(s)’ decision to opt for Open Choice the copyright of the article changed on 10 July 2020 to © The Author(s) 2020 and this article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creat iveco mmons .org/licen ses/ by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The original article has been updated
Square Dancing with the Stars to Enhance Dynamic Hirschman Linkages?
No full textIn this Presidential Address, the author takes the reader on a reconnaissance of his life and time as a regional scientist. He points out scenery he found scintillating along the way, hoping that some may pick up the banner and chew on a few of the ideas for a while. He suggests a revisit to Albert O. Hirschman’s notion of key sectors and more empirical analysis related to Marcus Berliant’s and Masahisa Fujita’s notion of knowledge creation and transfer.Presidential Address, San Antonio, Texas, March 29, 2014 (53rd Meetings of the Southern Regional Science Association
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
No full textWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Numerical Analysis of an Off-Grid Cold Room with Latent Energy Storage for Food Preservation
No full textThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that more than 1/3 of the food produced annually, about 1,3 billion tons, is wasted and that more than 800 million people worldwide suffer from malnutrition, Waste of perishable food is mainly associated to numerous weaknesses in the cold chain, from the very first stages of crop preservation to storage at the final retailers. The economic implications of those inefficiencies are estimated to generate losses for 940 billion $ every year and that contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission with around 4.4 Gton of CO2 eq/year, the 2.5% of the total amount. Latent thermal energy storages (LTESs), based on phase change materials (PCMs), represent a technology that could bring positive effects in terms of greenhouse gas emission reduction if coupled with renewable energy sources. Moreover, LTESs could serve as a flexible way to solve the current issues of the cold chain, especially in developing countries. This work investigates a novel concept of cold room coupled with a LTES filled with water powered only by photovoltaic panels as a viable solution for food storage and conservation in developing countries. The numerical study investigates the transient behavior of the cold room using TRNsys in different locations of Africa and Italy. The results will explore the interaction between the cold room, the photovoltaic field and L TES to develop simplified tools for the design of the different components
Does flowering synchrony contribute to the sustainment of dry grassland biodiversity?
No full textPhenological relationships among entomophilous species for pollination may play an important role in structuring natural plant communities.The main aim of this work was to test whether in dry grassland communities there is a non-random flowering pattern and if the pattern influences the species richness, and the richness of subordinate and common species.Field sampling was carried out in temperate dry grasslands in NE Italy. Species composition and the flowering phenology were monitored in 45 2 m × 2 m plots randomly placed over dry grasslands.To quantify the degree to which insect-pollinated species overlap in their flowering time we developed a "co-flowering index" (CF-index). The significance of the observed flowering pattern was tested using a null model.A positive correlation was found between the synchronic flowering and the number of subordinate species. Subordinate species showed shorter flowering length than the common species and a mostly specialized pollination system.Our findings suggest that flowering synchrony might be a key characteristic which may contribute to shape dry grassland composition by favouring the long lasting maintenance of rare species populations within the community.The comprehension of such functional relationships between species of different trophic levels is of great importance for the conservation of dry grasslands and the maintenance of the ecosystem services that pollination provides
- …
