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Spartaco Vitiello, that as a video maker has realized video documentation and popularization, operates from the 1995 as "media educator" planing and implementing didactic experiences for teachers and students.
At present he lives and operates in Padova.
He has built and mantained the site www.videoletter.org
Has written Fare audiovisivo nelle scuole , a how-to book on making audiovisuals at school.

HERE ARE SOME VIDEOS  by him and his students.

addresses: via mozart 15 - 35132 Padova - Italy    e-mail    phone. 3476037082
Spartaco Vitiello was born in Padova in the 1953; at the high school he realizes , in 8mm, his first fiction. He graduates ( in biological sciences ) implementing with the center of scientific cinematography of the university of Padova a popular video on the basic principles of the genetics, having as tutors professor G.A. Danieli and dr. Paola Robuschi.
From 1983 to 1986 works as graduated technician with the linguistic center of Venice university where contributes in setting up the video section and implements numerous documentation of conferences in the field of linguistics and glottodidactics.
From 1986 to 1990 cooperates at the production of several AV with the center of scientific cinematography of the university of Padua and others.
in 1991 begins, as Viesse video, a production activity implementing many documentaries, above all on ecological thematic, and event documentation works, mainly theatrical.
From the 1994 starts to propose initiatives of didactic character, planing and implementing instructive activity for teachers and schoolboys of the schools of every order, in Padua and in other Italian towns.
Particularly important is the experience of the school newscasts and of videoletters for the exchange with schoolboys of other nations.
From the September 2001 works primarily in Naples, always in the circle of the didactics of the audio-visual.
From the November of the 2001 he is a member of the MED - Media education

At the end of 2002 builds and mantains for 3 years the site www.videoletter.org

In  2005 publishes the manual "Fare audiovisivo nelle scuole".  ( Dino Audino Editore, Roma )


Main works in video:

(for the complete list click here)

Fantaecofiaba
(Eco-tail)
1989 23'

Guida semplificata all'uso del Chemical Abstract
(Simplified guide for the use of the Chemical Abstract)
1994 19'

Da Rifiuti a Risorse
(From wastes to resources)
1994 30'

Usa e Riusa
(Uses and reuses)
1996 30'

Dalla terra e ritorno
(From the soil and return)
1997 20'

Il compostaggio domestico
(The domestic composting)
2000 19'

Esperienze di logopedia
(Logopedia experiences)
2001 27'

some thoughts

I think that now it is possible to use video in the schools as a real mean of communication.
( don't forget this main point: unlike other media like books, learning software, Internet, video can be seen at the same moment by 2, 20, 200 ... people )

The basic concept is that a group of students works for a certain amount of time ( 5/ 20 hours) on a project and the result may be used by hundreds or thousands of other students.

some examples:
- researchers at the local university explain and show what they do and how they work.
- mayor and councilors explain how the city council works
- a family house : project, building, maintenance
- evidences of Physics in the REAL World
- local history
- and so on.

the main problem is to create a net for connecting "producers" with audience ( that shall be, on their turn, producers )

for example, filmed contributions made in different schools could be collected on DVD or video CD (the actual frequency -ideally once a week- depends on the amount of materials produced) and diffused in all the schools ( also overseas, why not ? ) taking part to the project.

It is clear that such a "peer to peer" television is rather different from the entertainment TV we are used to see, and shall require the development of new formats and languages.

didactics experiences with the audio-visuals from 1995 to 2004

Typology of activities:
(for the complete list clicks here)

School newscast

In the context of the afternoon activity, an editorial staff of 8/12 students implements 4/5 filmed news inherent the life of the school for every issue of the TG . The reports are presented and enriched with other news by one or two announcers (look). Among the various methods of diffusion experienced, the projection during the general meeting of the students appeared the more functional. In one occasion has been successfully experienced a live "broadcast": the TG was product in library and contemporarily projected in main hall (look).
On school newscasts you can see a page of links with other experiences.

Introductory course for high schools

(broadly experienced in the second classes and third) In collaboration with the teacher to letters, in antemeridian time in the arch of two or three weeks.
Three theoretical-practical lessons ( contact with the video camera; analysis of television materials and selection of the program to implement; introduction to editing techniques and indications for the implementation of the program )
Two operational meeting for carring out the program ( during generally two to five minutes ) that in the meantime the boys have conceived and writing with the help of the teacher.

Videoletter

(actually experienced with middle and elementary schools)
It is a video tape specifically carried out to introduce the school or the class to partner in the circle of exchanges with foreign schools.
The way of realization is varied in the different situations, generally the students have been involved in the planning and performing sketches on their life at school an at home. Presentation and comments have obviously been effected in the vehicular language of the exchange.

Intensive stage

(experienced in the third class of a high school of communication) in the course of 5 full forenoons a television type program that combines action in studio and recorded operations has been carried out. It is necessary a preventive work of documentation on the arguments to be treated, essential at least four preparation meetings. The use of the television studio ( different cameras and sources of video signal connected to a video mixer ), even if not essential, let students experiment live production .

Thematic documentary

(experienced in a high school of Vicenza and, with a different procedure, in Siena)
A group of 6/8 students, with the help of an expert of the matter (in this particular case an astronomy professor) produces a documentary on a specific argument.
It is then possible to record the exchange of questions and answers that develops between the class and the expert following the vision of the documentary. (in this phase, if available, a television studio may be used) The implementation requires six/seven meetings ( of which at least three with the expert ) in the arch of a pair of months.

Instruction trips documentation

(several experiences in Padua and Siena) Before the trip, in the arch of two or three meetings the students and the accompanist teachers are instructed on how to pick up the visual documentation ( preferably on videocassette but if it is not possible even only on photos ). After the trip the materials are selected and edited and an audio comment is added in a pair of meetings with the boys. The final assembly may be done even with the technique of live television .
list of works