VinKiamo is a program intended for the students of three-year secondary schools, in which they can take active part in scientific data collection with the aim to protect and preserve the dialects and minority languages of northern Italy.  Through the data collection, VinKiamo is deeply intertwined with the AlpiLinK project, just as it was in the past with VinKo (hence the name “VinKiamo”). VinKiamo allows the students to hone their digital, linguistic and active citizenship skills, as well as their interpersonal skills, by meeting speakers from different generations and acting as intermediaries between the AlpiLinK platform and the informants themselves, who may not be used to using IT tools independently. The program serves to contribute to the recognition and preservation of the linguistic minorities and multilingualism that characterizes our territory and to safeguard the intangible linguistic heritage of the Italian Alps.

Currently AlpiLinK has programs running in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (VinKiamo Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia), South Tyrol (VinKiamo Südtirol), Trentino (VinKiamo Trentino) and Valle D’Aosta.

Building on the data collected (partly) through VinKiamo (available in the “Listen & Explore” section of this website), the AlpiLinK team aims to create a link between linguistic research and education in schools, with the aim of promoting the use of innovative teaching methodologies that make use of databases and primary source language materials.

The first pilot project for secondary schools is currently underway, and it is titled “La tosa, la buteleta o la fiola? Explorations in the languages of Veneto”. In this project we highlight how the students’ participation in crowdsourcing contributes to scientific research and how it helps us gain a better understanding of how languages work. Specifically, it focuses on the use of the scientific method for the analysis of linguistic data and the promotion of pluri- and multilingualism. The training consists of meetings with teachers on the one hand and interactive workshops for students held by AlpiLinK team members on the other.

The teaching materials developed for the workshops can be requested from the AlpiLinK team (see contact information in Team and Contact) and is freely available for use by interested teachers.