Sketching Geology: Primary and Secondary School Pupils’ Perceptions

Abstract

AbstractThis study focuses on primary and secondary school pupils’ perceptions of geology in the context of the NEED (The Northern Environmental Education Development) logo competition. The NEED project is a transnational cooperation project within four countries: Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and Norway which focuses on environmental education. The logo competition was directed towards 11-15 years old pupils who were asked to draw a logo they thought suitable for the project. They were told about the NEED project and were instructed to propose a logo which described geology. We analyzed the drawings sent by the Finnish teachers as well as those sent to the competition by coordinators from other countries. There were 105 participants in the study; Finland (N=25), Iceland (N=40), Ireland (N=31) and Norway (N=9). The Finnish pupils also wrote about their drawings. Results indicate that pupils’ perceptions of geology are quite extensive. Endogen processes in lithosphere were highlighted and processes and issues from the biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere were present in their drawings. Only a few pupils, however, described interaction between humans and nature, the majority of drawings portraying natural environments instead social or cultural environments. The pupils’ own national geology and its features were not emphasized in their drawings.