Isn’t all about trash... Children’s conceptions about ecology and their implications for biology education in Colombia

Abstract

ABSTRACT The article presents the results of an exploratory-qualitative study about children´s conceptions of ecology in relation to media messages. The objective of the study has been to identify the role of ecologism and environmental campaigns on ecology conceptions of 105 6th grade children, age 10–12, from an educational institution in Bogotá, Colombia. A multi-method study, with an open-ended questionnaire and the use of drawings, has been conducted to explore students’ conceptions about ecology and its role; the concept of ecosystem and systemic thinking; and the identification of the sources of information. A content analysis, with theoretical categories based on the theory of social representation, has been applied. Results indicate that participants often relate ecology to recycling, separation of solid residues, and the care and conservation of the environment. Children do not refer to ecology as scientific theory probably because of the general discourse circulating in the media. The authors suggest that results have strong implications for biology education, especially about the ecology process, requiring the teacher's intervention to expand the children´s conceptual profile and scientific knowledge.