Publicaciones del Seminario de Paleontología

Transcript

1 Abstract Book 3 rd International GEOschools Conference: TEACHING GEOSCIENCES IN EUROPE from Primary to Secondary School Publicaciones del Seminario de Paleontología de Zaragoza, nº11, 2013

2

3

4 Publicaciones del Seminario de Paleontología de Zaragoza (SEPAZ), Vol.11, 2013 Dpto. Ciencias de la Tierra Área de Paleontología, Universidad de Zaragoza C/ Pd Pedro Cerbuna, 12, E ZARAGOZA Tel.: / Fax: Editor de la Serie: Guillermo Meléndez Hevia gmelende@unizar.es Editores del Volumen: Georgia Fermeli Michael Dermitzakis Guillermo Meléndez Hevia Portada: Mª Dolores López Carrillo Georgia Fermeli Fotos: Georgia Fermeli & Anastasia Koutsouveli Impresión: Servicio de Publicaciones, Universidad de Zaragoza C/ Pedro Cerbuna, 12, E ZARAGOZA PRINTED IN SPAIN & Servicio de Publicaciones, Universidad de Athenas PRINTED IN GREECE Depósito Legal: Z ISBN:

5

6 Οργανωτική Επιτροπή Organizing Committee CHAIRMAN: Michael Dermitzakis, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece MEMBERS: Georgia Fermeli, National and Kapodistrian i University it of Athens Greece Anastasia Koutsouveli, Committee of Geosciences Didactics of the Geological Society of Greece Guillermo Meléndez Hevia, University of Zaragoza Spain Stylianos Merkouris, Directorate of Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education Greece Anastasios Savvaidis, 1st Directorate of Secondary Education of Athens Ministry of Education Greece SECRETARIAT: Tina Varela, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece Επιστημονική Επιτροπή Scientific Committee Michael Dermitzakis, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece Georgia Fermeli, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece Fritz Steininger, Krahuletz Museum Austria Anastasia Koutsouveli, Committee of Geosciences Didactics of the Geological Society of Greece Guillermo Meléndez Hevia, University of Zaragoza Spain Amelia Calonge García, University of Alcalá de Henares Madrid Spain Carolina D Arpa, University of Palermo (Geological Museum) Italy Carolina Di Patti, University i of Palermo (Geological l Museum) Italy Carlos Neto de Carvalho, Naturtejo European & Global Geopark Portugal Joana Rodrigues, Naturtejo European & Global Geopark Portugal Michael Stamatakis, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece Alexandra Zampetaki, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece Assimina Antonarakou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece Stavroula Alexandropoulou, Lyceum of Kamares, Directorate of Secondary Education ofachaiaprefect Prefecture Greece Konstantinos Voudouris, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Greece

7

8 Content - Περιεχόμενα TEACHING GEOSCIENCES IN EUROPE from Primary to Secondary School Introduction 11 GEOschools: Teaching Geosciences in Europe from Primary to Secondary school, G. Fermeli & Michael Dermitzakis 15 Geosciences Literacy Geosciences and Society Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes using educational computer software. Λιθοσφαιρικές Πλάκες και Σεισμοί με τη χρήση εκπαιδευτικού λογισμικού, P. Anastasopoulos & An. Stathopoulou GEOschools Interest research on Geosciences content and teaching strategies in secondary schools in Europe. GEOschools: Έρευνα ενδιαφέροντος για τη Διδασκαλία των Γεωεπιστημών στην Ευρώπη, G. Fermeli, G. Makridis, M. Dermitzakis, F. Steininger, An. Koutsouveli, G. Meléndez, A. Calonge, C. D Arpa, C. Di Patti, C. Neto De Carvalho & J. Rodrigues.. 25 The geological Museum: a tool for teaching Earth Sciences. Il Museo geologico: uno strumento per la didattica delle Scienze della Terra, C. D Arpa, C. Di Patti, G. Ceresia, V. Chiovaro, G. D Angelo, G. Demma Carà, F. Di Trapani, Marilena Ilardi, Giovanni Surdi and Simona Todaro Teaching mineralogy, microscopy and geoscience issues at the primary schools of Kozani town, northern Grece. Διδασκαλία Ορυκτολογίας, Μικροσκοπίας και Γεω-επιστημονικών θεμάτων σε δημοτικά σχολεία της πόλης της Κοζάνης, A. Iordanidis Approaching Sustainable Development within the learning process through the Junior High School subject of Geology- Geography in Greece. Προσεγγίζοντας την Αειφόρο Ανάπτυξη στη μαθησιακή διαδικασία μέσω του μαθήματος της Γεωλογίας- Γεωγραφίας του Γυμνασίου στον Ελλαδικό χώρο, G. Kadigiannopoulos & M. Karavida The geological environment of Lavreotiki and its utilization in environmental education. Το γεωλογικό περιβάλλον της Λαυρεωτικής και η παιδαγωγική αξιοποίησή του στην περιβαλλοντική εκπαίδευση, M. Kayafa, E. Michailidou & F. Peppa Experimental proposal of the water cycle for the lesson Water in nature for A' class of high school. Πρόταση πειραματικής προσέγγισης του κύκλου του νερού για το μάθημα Το νερό στη φύση της Α Γυμνασίου, N. Kazakis & K. Voudouris

9 Lithos: Valuable for our life. Getting acquainted with the minerals and rocks of Greece through an environmental education program. «Λίθοι: Πολύτιμοι για τη ζωή μας». Γνωριμία με ορυκτά και πετρώματα της Ελλάδας μέσα από ένα πρόγραμμα περιβαλλοντικής εκπαίδευσης, Th. Makridou 51 Urban geotopes and local museistics as key instruments for Geodidactics: The role of exomuseums in Geoscience teaching. Los geotopos urbanos y la museística local como instrumentos clave en la didáctica de la Geología: Papel de los exomuseos en la enseñanza de las Ciencias de la Tierra, G. Meléndez, A. Calonge, G. Fermeli, R. Barella, S. López Lucía & J.A. Martínez. 55 Geology behind Archaeology. Educational activities planned to tangle senior primary schools pupils with both structure and pathology of ancient monuments made of stone. The case of Eleusina s sanctuary. Η γεωλογία πίσω από την αρχαιολογία. Εκπαιδευτικές δραστηριότητες που εμπλέκουν τους μαθητές των μεγαλύτερων τάξεων του δημοτικού στην κατανόση της δομής και της παθολογίας των λίθινων αρχαίων μνημείων. Η περίπτωση του ιερού της Ελευσίνας, S. Pateli & K. Plati 61 GEOschools Project teaching modules in Naturtejo Geopark: Teaching Geosciences in the Field - Geoparks and Geosites. Módulos de ensino no Geopark Naturtejo no âmbito do Projecto GEOschools: Ensino de Geociências no Campo - Geoparques e Geossítios, J. Rodrigues, C. Neto de Carvalho & M.M. Catana Environmental Education Program NERA(E)IDA by 5 th Gymnasium of Vyrona Το Πρόγραμμα Περιβαλλοντικής Εκπαίδευσης «ΝΕΡΑ(Ε)ΙΔΑ» του 5 ου Γυμνασίου Βύρωνα το , K. Triantafillou & An. Stathopoulou The necessity of teaching earth sciences in secondary education. Η αναγκαιότητα της διδασκαλίας των γεωεπιστημών στη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση, K. Trikolas & I. Ladas Geological Heritage of the Cyclades-An educational programme. Γεωλογική Κληρονομιά των Κυκλάδων - Ένα εκπαιδευτικό πρόγραμμα του Μουσείου Φυσικής Ιστορίας της Φιλεκπαιδευτικής Εταιρείας, F. Tripolitsiotou 77 Geology in a Cultural Context Concept for Guided Excursions to an Historic Quarry, exemplified by Adnet, Austria. Geologie im kulturellen Kontext Konzept einer geführten Exkursion in einen historischen Steinbruch, dargestellt am Beispiel von Adnet, Österreich, C. F. Uhlir. 81 Posters A New Aspect on Teaching Geology-Geography in Secondary Education in Greece. Μία νέα προσέγγιση στη διδασκαλία της Γεωλογίας-Γεωγραφίας στη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση στην Ελλάδα, G. Bampasidis.. 85 Geotrivia: an alternative learning process. Geotrivia: μια εναλλακτική μαθησιακή διαδικασία, Α. Bakopoulou Moving pictures in secondary education. Η κινούμενη εικόνα στη Δευτεροβάμια Εκπαίδευση, M. Chorianopoulou

10 Teaching geosciences in high school through a geo-cultural itinerary. Η διδασκαλία του μαθήματος της γεωλογίας στο Γυμνάσιο, μέσω μιας γεωπολιτιστικής διαδρομής, An. Giatra & G. Rouki Geodiversity of the coasts-a didactic approach at Gramvousa peninsula in Crete, Γεωποικιλότητα των ακτών-μία διδακτική προσέγγιση στη χερσόνησο της Γραμβούσας στην Κρήτη V. Kostantinidis Studying the Geoenvironment in conjunction with the myths and the local history of an area. An example from Pylos area (SW Peloponnesus, Greece) in the context of environmental education for middle school students. Μελετώντας το Γεωπεριβάλλον σε συνάρτηση με τους μύθους και την τοπική ιστορία μιας περιοχής. Ένα παράδειγμα από την περιοχή της Πύλου (ΝΔ Πελοπόννησος) στα πλαίσια της περιβαλλοντικής εκπαίδευσης για μαθητές Γυμνασίου, I. Ladas, A. Papavasiliou and K. Trikolas. 105 Development of motivational learning in Greece of crisis: An example from Planetary Geology short-course in Loutraki high-school. Δημιουργία κινήτρων μάθησης της εποχή της κρίσης στην Ελλάδα: Εφαρμογή στο Γενικό Λύκειο Λουτρακίου με την επιστήμη της Πλανητικής Γεωλογίας, G. Leontakianakos, S. Balis, A. Psarafti, C. Vrachas, & I.P. Baziotis Teaching geologic time using educational software. Διδασκαλία του γεωλογικού χρόνου χρησιμοποιώντας εκπαιδευτικό λογισμικό, An. Stathopoulou & P. Anastasopoulos Teaching geography and geology via Scratch programming. Διδάσκοντας γεωλογία και γεωγραφία με «scratch προγραμματισμό», M. Nastakou New approach to increase interest in studying Geology among secondary school students in the Czech Republic. Nový přístup ke zvýšení zájmu studentů středních škol o studium geologie v České Republice, M. Teliščaková, J. Trubač 121 Key notes Our restless planet Earth sciences and society, Dr. Franz Wolfgang Eder, Chairman of Earth Science Matters Foundation, UNESCO Director of Division of Earth Sciences ( ), c/o Department Earth Sciences, University of Munich-Germany Museums as teaching/learning organizations of Earth Sciences, Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c. Fritz Steininger, f. Director of Research Department and Senckenberg Museum, Director of Krahuletz Museum, Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. 127 Comenius actions managed by EACEA, Beata ZNoj, Project Officer, European Commission, Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) Workshops 9

11 At Areios Pagos. seeking answers through Drama. Στον Άρειο Πάγο αναζητώντας απαντήσεις με την τέχνη του δράματος, M.F. Christofalou & G. Fermeli. 131 Constructing a 3D geophysical map of Europe. Κατασκευή τρισδιάστατου γεωφυσικού χάρτη της Ευρώπης, Th. Papaioannou An integral part of life for students and a powerful tool in the hands of educators for teaching geosciences and study of geoenvironment. Παιχνίδι: Ένα αναπόσπαστο κομμάτι της ζωής των μαθητών/τριών και ένα δυνατό εργαλείο στα χέρια των εκπαιδευτικών για τη διδακτική των γεωεπιστημών και τη μελέτη του γεωπεριβάλλοντος, D. Pontikou Rocks: we are born, we live, we change but do we die? The cycle of our lives. Πετρώματα: Γεννιόμαστε, Ζούμε, Αλλάζουμε, Πεθαίνουμε; Ο Κύκλος της Ζωής μας, M. Psichogiou & P. Chrysostomides Sound, music and water. Ηχος, μουσική και νερό, K. Triantafyllou 135 Making my own fossil. Φτιάχνω το δικό μου απολίθωμα, Ol. Tripolitsiotou

12 TEACHING GEOSCIENCES IN EUROPE from Primary to Secondary School Introduction GEOschools is a European Union project supported by the Lifelong Learning Programme. The main target of the project is to define a Framework on geosciences literacy principles for the general European citizens, to be applied at least, for the revision of obligatory school curricula for secondary schools for the participant countries. Main aims of the project are: a) bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and school knowledge in geosciences; b) increasing the knowledge of teachers and the ability of students in valuing and appreciating geosciences; c) improving educational skills of Geosciences in European school environment; d) establishing and sustaining a consortium on research and initiatives on Geosciences didactics; and e) supporting Education for sustainability. The key areas to be addressed in the development of the project were the following: Curriculum comparison research Curriculum comparison research is based on the review of the geological content of curricula in secondary schools from Austria, Greece, Italy, Portugal Spain and members of other European countries. Besides comparing curricular contents, the research also focused on the analysis of geological contents in secondary school textbooks, based on a detail review of the amount and quality of the information given to students. The ultimate goal was to find effective ways of engaging students and geosciences teachers in a new learning approach, and placing Geology at the same level of other sciences in secondary schools. Interest Research One of the main aims of GEOschools project was to investigate the interest that secondary school students and teachers have on geosciences content and teaching strategies. For this purpose was designed an Interest Research which seek to understand the best teaching tools to foster student interest for geosciences. The research was based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of questionnaires distributed to 58 teachers, and filled in by 1749 pupils from Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Results of Interest research show that students set the higher interest on those topics having a higher social impact (mass extinctions, dinosaurs, geological hazards and disasters, origin of life, origin and evolution of mankind ). GEOschools Interest research show also that teaching strategies raise high interest between students and teachers as it is one of the three higher selected topics of the research. Specifically, students choose from the 17 suggestions of teaching strategies the experiments as the most interesting teaching strategy, most particularly if followed by Simulations and fieldtrips. The question students posed through the interpretation of the results of the research to GEOschools was: How can educators, capitalize on children s existing geosciences interests in order to make geosciences teaching more effective? 11

13 GEOschools tries to give an answer to this question through the development of Geosciences literacy principles and specific teaching modules. Framework on geosciences literacy principles Geoschools proposal on geosciences literacy principles are included in a booklet, which is GEOschools project proposal for a minimum acceptable common geosciences curriculum in European level, which aims to support the scientific literacy of European secondary education students. It is based on the comparison analysis of geosciences curriculum between GEOschools countries (Austria, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal), the results of an Interest Research ; as well as on the proposals of project partners and relevant bibliography. Proposals are summarized in 14 separate chapters. Each chapter includes the main hints of the subject with a brief description, the intended learning outcomes as well as key words and bibliography. Subject Teaching Modules Teaching Modules pretend to apply, as a teaching tool, the results obtained from research by creating working tools and key concepts. Teaching geosciences in the field is an obvious topic when students are taken to visiting geoparks, museums, relevant field points with a special educational potential (geotopes) and selected points with special scientific value and touristic attraction (geosites) but also in schools surrounding urban areas. Teaching geosciences in connection with other disciplines will gather Archaeology, Geography, Arts etc. bridging concepts of these disciplines with key geological concepts. School Geosciences Dictionary The main focus of this key area was to create an illustrated online Geosciences dictionary especially prepared for teachers and pupils from secondary school. This dictionary must be comprehensive for all the disciplines of geosciences but targeting on the curricula of secondary schools under study, i.e. accessible for children and keeping an easy level of understanding. A special attention is set on the accompanying graphic material for every term, which should be easy to include, as it is intended to be a virtual dictionary. GEOschools conferences Three GEOschools conferences were organized in order to disseminate the results and the educational material of the project and to be face to face with teachers and stakeholders. Periodical, yearly conferences of the project have been organized in Portugal (Geopark Naturtejo- European and Global Geopark under UNESCO, 2011), Spain (University of Alcalá de Henares and University of Zaragoza, 2012) and Greece (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Committee of Geosciences Didactics of the Geological society of Greece, 2013). The present volume is published in the framework of the 3 rd GEOschools conference, which is taking place in Athens and Aegina Island on 28 and 29 of September The activities of the project and its deliverables are presented and disseminated by a dynamic multilingual website (English, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish). 12

14 As an important, supplementary tool for spreading the results of the project in the Society, an e-newsletter is spreading the news of the project every four months, getting closer to the teachers involved in the project and all the interested people. For the dissemination of GEOschools results have been published in the proceedings of conferences and scientific journals more than 25 publications in English, German, Greek, Italian Portuguese, and Spanish. As the closing activity of the project the present proceeding volume, edited as volume 12 of the scientific series SEPAZ (Seminarios de Paleontología de Zaragoza) gathers the scientific contributions presented at the final GEOschools conference. It includes a whole of 36 contributions (4 invited lectures and Keynotes; 16 oral presentations, 10 poster presentations and 6 workshops) by the numerous participants in the event. Among them, 8 contributions by the members of the consortium, focusing on the most relevant developments of the project and the particular educational values of the activities done. This makes the present volume a valuable tool and a solid contribution to geodidactics, as well as a precious instrument in the hands of Secondary School teachers, as they really offer a wide-open field of experiences, possibilities, educational strategies etc., to make Earth sciences something accessible to students and a valuable information to teachers in the difficult task to explain geology in the school. The series SEPAZ (Seminarios de Paleontología de Zaragoza) edited in the University of Zaragoza (Spain) by Guillermo Meléndez, of which this volume makes the number 11, has classically focused on the publication of scientific meeting proceedings, scientific and cultural events in the frame of Geosciences, Paleontology, Geological heritage and Geodidactics. It is worth nothing that the proceedings of the second yearly meeting of the project GEOschools were also edited as volume 10 of the same series. This makes a solid, unitary database on geodidactics as a good proof of the developments and results of the project. We would only thank the participants in the meeting for their contributions, which will stand as solid and valuable educational tools for teachers in the not always easy task of teaching geology to children. Special thanks are also due to the organizers of the meeting; members of the organizing and scientific committee, and to all members of the project and supporting staff who have made possible the completion and edition of the volume. Finally, thanks are specially due to the Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs (GEOschools fall under the auspices of the Ministry) and all supporting institutions collaborating in the organization of the meeting and, of course, to the leading European LLP programs, of which the present research project GEOschools is a part of. Georgia Fermeli Michael Dermitzakis Guillermo Meléndez Editors of the volume 13

15 14

16 GEOschools: Teaching Geosciences in Europe from Primary to Secondary school GEOschools: Η Διδασκαλία των Γεωεπιστημών στην Ευρώπη από την Πρωτοβάθμια έως τη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση G. Fermeli 1 and M. Dermitzakis 2 1, 2 Department of Historical Geology and Palaeontology, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zographou, Athens, Greece. gfermeli@geol.uoa.gr, mdermi@geol.uoa.gr Abstract: Recent years, the interest of geosciences education seems increasing as evidenced by the number of sessions on this theme in congresses and initiatives worldwide; as well as results on geosciences educational research have been presented in Journals and conference proceedings. Although this posivite remark, in most European countries, Geology does not exist as a separate subject in secondary education. Geology is included, indirectly, through other subjects and educational activities such as Environmental Education. A main target of GEOschools European project was to define a "Framework on geosciences literacy principles". For this purpose it has organized: a) a Curriculum comparison research, b) an analysis of the geological contenets in secondary school textbooks and c) an interest reserach on geosciences subjects between students and teachers. Brief remarks of the results of this reserach, which took place in five European countries: Austria, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal, are presenting in the curent publication. Key words: Geology, Curricula, High School. Summary: Τα τελευταία χρόνια έχει παρατηρηθεί αύξηση του ενδιαφέροντος για τη διδασκαλία των γεωεπιστημών, γεγονός που αποδεικνύεται από την παρουσία του αντικειμένου σε πολλά συνέδρια και πρωτοβουλίες σε διεθνές επίπεδο. Επίσης, έχει αυξηθεί ο αριθμός των δημοσιεύσεων σε επιστημονικά περιοδικά και συνέδρια σε θέματα σχετικά με τη διδασκαλία των γεωεπιστημών στην υποχρεωτική εκπαίδευση και το Λύκειο. Βεβαίως το χάσμα μεταξύ Γεωλογίας και των άλλων Φυσικών Επιστημών εξακολουθεί να υφίσταται και να απουσιάζει η Γεωλογία από τα αναλυτικά προγράμματα πολλών χωρών ή να εμπεριέχεται μέσα σε άλλα γνωστικά αντικείμενα. Ένας βασικός στόχος του Ευρωπαϊκού προγράμματος GEOschools είναι να προτείνει «Βασικές αρχές εγγραμματισμού για τις γεωεπιστήμες», για το σκοπό αυτό πραγματοποίησε έρευνα που περιελάμβανε: α) σύγκριση των αναλυτικών προγραμμάτων σπουδών στις γεωεπιστήμες, β) ανάλυση περιεχομένου σε θέματα γεωεπιστημών στα σχολικά εγχειρίδια της Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης και γ) έρευνα ενδιαφέροντος για τη διδασκαλία των γνωστικών αντιεκειμένων των γεωεπιστημών μεταξύ μαθητών/τριών και εκπαιδευτικών. Συνοπτικά αποτελέσματα της έρευνας η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε σε πέντε Ευρωπαϊκές χώρες (Αυστρία, Ελλάδα, Ιταλία, Ισπανία και Πορτογαλία) παρουσιάζονται στην παρούσα εργασία. Key words: Γεωλογία, Γυμνάσιο, Λύκειο, Διδακτική, Αναλυτικά Προγράμματα. INTRODUCTION Recent years, the interest of geosciences education seems increasing as evidenced by the number of sessions on this theme in congresses and initiatives worldwide; as well as results on geosciences educational research have been presented in Journals and conference proceedings. At the same time in national and international bodies developed discussions around learning and teaching and assessment of practice in Geosciences in K-12 stage. Although it s truth this increasing of geosciences interest, it much remains to be improvement on geosciences education future. high secondary school. As much as old is this question so much clear and simple is the answer. Students have to be taught in geosciences because citizens ought to know and appreciate their home EARTH. A main target GEOschools European project was to define a "Framework on geosciences literacy principles". For this purpose it has organized a Curriculum comparison research, an analysis of the geological contents in secondary school textbooks and interest reseach on geosciences subjects between students and teachers (Fermeli, et al., 2011a; Fermeli, et al., 2011b). Even today, it continues the debate on the necessity of geosciences teaching and some curriculum developers are still wondering if they have to include geosciences in curricula for compulsory education and 15

17 TABLE III. GREECE:a) Curriculum comparison research, b) Analysis of the geological contents in secondary school textbooks. TABLE I. SPAIN:a) Curriculum comparison research, b) Analysis of the geological contents in secondary school textbooks. TABLE IV. AUSTRIA:a) Curriculum comparison research, b) Analysis of the geological contents in secondary school textbooks. TABLE II. PORTUGAL :a) Curriculum comparison research, b) Analysis of the geological contents in secondary school textbooks. TABLE V. ITALY:a) Curriculum comparison research, b) Analysis of the geological contents in secondary school textbooks. 16

18 FIGURE 1. Geosciences teaching and Society, Calonge, 2011a. CURRICULUM COMPARISON RESEARCH The comparison research has been done between the geological contents of curricula in secondary schools from: Austria, Greece, Italy, Portugal Spain and members of other European countries. The first step of this area has been a curriculum comparison research based on the review of the geological contents of curricula in secondary schools from Austria, Greece, Italy, Portugal Spain and members of other European countries. In the next tables (TABLES: Ia, IIa, IIIa, IVa, Va) is presented a general view of the situation of geosciences teaching in schools in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Austria and Italy (Calonge, 2011). This analysis shows that, at the lower levels, Geology is studied as a discipline included in a generic Sciences subject, and a single teacher normally teaches all subjects to one class. At the intermediate levels there are two possibilities: «Horizontal approach»: in countries like Spain, Portugal, Austria and Italy, the approach is the classic of Natural Sciences, where a subject includes several scientific disciplines: Biology (the most relevant), Geology or Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Physics. «Vertical approach»: the case of Greece where Geology is included with Geography, which is closely related (Fermeli, 2011). Finally, in the higher educational levels some countries, such as Portugal, show an important presence of Geology in school curricula of Secondary School (Rodrigues & Catana, 2011). But in most European countries, the geological concepts are distributed in other disciplines vaguely related. In secondary schools, specialist teachers teach the different curriculum subjects. In the case of Science, a single science teacher normally teaches the whole science curriculum to year old students (including Biology, Chemistry and Physics with some elements of Earth science, Environmental science and Astronomy). In this way these students are normally taught Science by specialists in Biology, Chemistry and Physics - but still have to cover the whole curriculum (including some elements of Earth science, Environmental science and Astronomy). There is a shortage of science teachers, particularly of Geology teachers; in fact in some schools in Spain almost all Science is taught by Biology specialists. In case of Greece the subject of Geology- Geography is taught also by some other specialists like mathematicians and household economy teachers ANALYSIS OF THE GEOLOGICAL CONTENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS Besides comparing curricular contents, GEOschools research also focused on the analysis of geological contents in secondary school textbooks in the five participant countries (TABLES: Ib, IIb, IIIb, IVb, Vb), based on a detailed review of the amount and quality of the information given to students. The ultimate goal was to find effective ways of engaging students and Geosciences teachers in a new learning approach, and placing Geology at the same level of other sciences in secondary schools. In summary, the inclusion of Geology within other twin or conceptually close subjects, such as Biology, Environmental sciences, or Geography, although conceptually unjustified, means the actual subordination of Geology, which deals with earth and geosphere, to other separate disciplines that deal with separate subjects of knowledge (Biosphere for Biology; Earth in 17

19 Geology explained, and the appropriateness of the teaching staff. Some cases, for instance, the Spanish educational system in which the discipline of Geology is excluded from the university access tests, or Greek s educational system in which Geology is totally absent in the high cycle of Secondary Teaching, are particularly alarming. The progressive decrease of the amount of Geology being taught in schools, both in time assigned and in contents share in science programs, could bring highly negative consequences to the university background and future research and knowledge of Earth. What is happening is that the reduction of geological subjects in secondary schools plus the significant gaps in the training of teachers who deliver these subjects, results in negative impacts on the education. Students do not choose college degrees related with Geology. Therefore, there is a decrease in geologists just when the European market needs more of these professionals (Fig. 1). INTEREST RESEARCH ON GEOSCIENCES SUBJECTS One of the main aims of GEOschools project was to investigate the interest that secondary school students have on geosciences content and teaching strategies. GEOschools Interest research took place in 5 European countries (Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal) by questionnaires which were distributed in 20 schools (20 teachers and around 600 students) in each participating country. This research shown that students point the higher interest on those topics having a higher social impact (mass extinctions, dinosaurs, geological hazards and disasters, origin of life, origin and evolution of mankind). Results also shown that teaching strategies raise high interest between students and teaches as it was one of the three higher selected topics of the research. Specifically, students has choosen from the 17 suggestions of teaching strageties Experiments, Simulations and Fieldwork as the most intersting teaching strategies. (Fermeli et al., 2012a; Fermeli et al., 2012b). RESULTS-CONCLUSIONS TABLE VI. GEOschools Interest research-demographic statistic data: a) by participating country (Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain), b) by gender and c) by age (n=1.749) (Fermeli et al.; 2013). relation to Man, and human impact on Earth for Geography and Environmental sciences) (Calonge, 2011). This subordination has produced a misbalance in teaching regarding: the shared space of text for the different matters, the conceptual accuracy of the The project Geoschools aims to improve teacher s teaching and students geoscientific literacy all over Europe and make them able to understand the fundamental concepts of earth s dynamic and complex systems, to assess scientifically credible information about earth and take responsible decisions regarding earth as a "system". Geosciences is the link between biotic and abiotic environment and the key science to understand the history of Earth and the evolution of life on it. The evidences of continents drift, evolution of life, climatic 18

20 TABLE VII. Students Interest from Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain on Geosciecnces (n=1.749, mean, 1-5) (Fermeli et al., 2013). and sea-level changes; as well as the volcanism, mountain building and erosion and landscape changes are recorded on the rocks, minerals, fossils and geologic procedures around us. Students (-future citizens) need to be taught basic geoscientific knowledge for their everyday life. They live in and use Earth s materials. They observe and feel Earth dynamic procedures and they have to know how to avoid natural hazards and how to protect themselves and their families. The study of geosciences expand students interest about phenomena in the Earth around them and offers opportunities to find explanations. It engages them at many levels, linking direct practical experience with scientific ideas. They also understand how geosciences contribute to natural resources discovery affecting industry, business and improving quality of life and they also develop high level observation and interpretation skills and learn to question and discuss issues and phenomena that may affect their own lives, society and the future of the planet. According to many researchers geosciences characterized by a number of specific strands (key concepts and processes), like particular geoscientific thinking, understanding the Earth as a complex and complicated system, spatial reasoning, and direct observations of the Earth in the field, that make geosciences a distinctive curriculum subject (Frodeman, 1995; Frodeman, 1996; Kastens, & Ishikawa, 2006; Kastens et al., 2009, Fermeli et al., 2013). It can also be argued that good knowledge in geosciences is often only very partly known and understood by the society and there is a gap in understanding between geologists and the public. This is one more reason to develop geosciences curricula. Nowadays, a wealth of geosciences knowledge is available and we ought, as a science, in order to push geoscientific knowledge forward and prepare the next generation of Geoscientists to invest in school students education. Therefore, it is necessary to teach geosciences in schools and increase the interest to schools students on key concepts, theories and skills on geosciences that effective global citizens should know. The secondary role assigned to geology previous years was creating serious concern among geologist community due to the substantial drop of geology contents in Secondary school curricula, which could presumably produce a consequent drop of geology students in universities and the lack of geologists in the society (Meléndez et al., 2006; Meléndez et al., 2007). While working in the schools is necessary; it is not sufficient; it is also needed to convince education policy makers and communicate effectively with the general public. It is important geoscientists to look outward and avoid to became isolated from the society and regionalized because inadequate geosciences curricula (in content and competences) make understanding between geologists and the public if not impossible still very difficult and this make society to pay a cost by incorrect decisions concerning geological matters. Geosciences are playing an increasingly important role in the understanding of the Earth and are becoming more and more multidisciplinary, oriented toward solving grand challenges facing modern society and support sustainable development. In this way of thinking, we consider Earth as a system in which 19