Abstract:

This study presents an innovative teaching intervention within the "Ecology and Agronomic Science" course, in the Master's Degree: Landscape Architecture, Soil, Landscape, and Heritage at the esteemed Politecnico di Milano. The pedagogical approach adopted explicitly aims to foster a significant conceptual shift and is meticulously designed to align with the master's program's learning outcomes. These outcomes focus on the nuanced management and ecological analysis of agricultural and forestry systems, alongside their profound architectural implications, intending to equip students with the requisite skills for conducting comprehensive, integrated landscape analysis and agroecological interpretation.

The pandemic has intensified calls for pedagogical innovation in higher education, spotlighting the need for advanced educational technologies and a shift towards student-centered learning that underscores continuous feedback and self-regulation. However, the essential role of conceptual change in effective learning has yet to be explored, with few studies delving into its implementation in university courses. To examine the impact of this educational strategy, a qualitative case study was conducted during the 2019/20 academic year within the course mentioned above. The investigation involved 93 students navigating the complexities of COVID-19 restrictions through a hybrid delivery model. This qualitative and descriptive research strategy encompassed a comprehensive data collection process, spanning initial knowledge assessments and intermediate group work evaluations. It concluded with a multifaceted assessment incorporating multiple-choice and open-ended questions and self-assessment surveys.

The educational strategy blended dialogical lectures, group work, and fieldwork in collaboration with a farm to develop an urban agriculture project. Emphasizing active learning, it fostered collaboration and project-based tasks with farmers, diversifying instruction and ensuring deep concept understanding. This process aimed to boost students' analytical and project management skills in agroecology, preparing them to impact complex agricultural systems.

The results of this study revealed a progressive evolution in the student's grasp of the course's core concepts, particularly regarding landscape and ecosystem functions, although at varying levels of complexity. Data derived from surveys on concept definition elaboration indicated a marked increase in the adoption of systemic and holistic perspectives. However, applying these concepts practically, as inferred from group work and self-assessment data, needed more visibility.

This study highlights the need to refine teaching methods that foster profound conceptual change and practical application in real-world scenarios, considering multiple variables for effective architectural and landscape projects within agroecology.

Keywords:

Formative assessment, Agroecology, Landscape, Conceptual change, Higher education.