Environmental problems and Geographic education. A case study: Learning about the climate and landscape in Ontinyent (Spain)
AbstractCultural perceptions of the environment bring us back to elements and factors guided by “natural” cause-effect principles. It seems that academic education has had little effect on the manner and results of learning about changes in the local landscape, especially as regards rational explanations. There is considerable difficulty relating academic concepts about the climate to transformations in the environmental landscape. Teaching tasks are mediatized due to the use of rigorous and precise concepts which facilitate functional and satisfactory learning. This is the objective of the research this article aims to undertake, for which we have chosen the case of Ontinyent (Spain). This…
Educate to coexist with the flood risk
In the Mediterranean region, floods are the main natural risk. This hazard has been aggravated in recent decades by the increase in exposure of the human being and is expected to increase the danger according to the forecast of climate change scenarios. For this reason, dealing with these issues in the classroom and the training of teachers on this subject should be a priority, as established in the curriculum of Primary Education (Social Sciences). The objectives of this research are: 1) To analyze the knowledge that future teachers have about the risk of flooding to develop these contents in the classroom; 2) Check the relevance that they give to this social-environmental problem; and 3) …
La enseñanza de problemas socio-ambientales. Reflexiones para la innovación educativa
En los dos decenios finales del siglo XX se generó un debate sobre las posibilidades de mejorar la enseñanza de las ciencias sociales desde el tratamiento de los problemas sociales y ambientales. Los principales grupos de innovación presentaron propuestas de formación del profesorado y elaboración de materiales y metodologías para llevar adelante estas iniciativas. Algunos grupos, como GREDICS, IRES y Gea-Clío, han continuado con estos programas de trabajo, que se han denominado de diferentes maneras: problemas socialmente relevantes, cuestiones socialmente vivas, temas socialmente controvertidos, no siempre coincidentes en sus finalidades. Sin embargo, su aplicación en los currículos escol…