Greening science curriculum in in-service teachers' education

In Italy many teachers working in pre-primary and primary school have not a University degree. Dating from 2006 the Faculty of Education – University of Padua, created a three year long, on-line training course, designed for in-service teachers to improve their competences. Within the teaching of Science Education we thought how to deal with this subject in a more ecological way, both as methodology and as contents. In fact, greening science curriculum also means finding more eco-sustainable ways to teach and to think teaching, for instance avoiding scientistic drifts and choosing more critical approaches. For this purpose, it is important to begin from teachers: starting up a on-line forum has been an excellent opportunity to lead teachers to a reflection about the meaning of science and its connection to nature. Starting from open tasks and working through a non-directive support by tutors, a complex web of considerations has been developed: highlighting, discussing and sharing ideas such as responsibility, limit, risk, care, public commitment. It seems important (and qualifying from an educational point of view) the way throughout this process has been developed: a conversation with many voices, a reciprocal listening respecting the diversity of ideas, the frequent linking to personal background and life contexts, the awareness about teaching as an ethically committed task.