Children Environment representation at primary school Sabrina Pandolfi

Children Environment representation at primary school Sabrina Pandolfi Paola Nicolini Department of training, cultural heritage and tourism, University of Macerata, C. da Vallebona, 62100 Macerata, Italy Department of Humanistic studies, University of Macerata, Via Garibaldi n° 20, 62100 Macerata, Italy

• In environmental representation Evaluating processes

What kind of environment concept we referred to? • …a dinamic system of reciprocal interactions among physical, biological and socio-cultural dimensions (Bonnes, Bonaiuto & Lee, 2004; Birbes, 2006)

Aim of the research To analyze and describe children’s conceptions about environment SAMPLE Number of participants M F TOT. 33 40 73 We would like to thank the headmistress of IC “L. Lanzi “of Corridonia, the teachers Cinzia Mazzaferro, Tiziana Mercuri, Rossana Morresi, Maria Pia Rignicolo, Giovanna Salsiccia and children of first class of primary schools “L. Lanzi” and “San Claudio”.

Survey instruments Cognitive maps and Drawings INSTRUMENTS COGNITIVE MAPS Schematic graphical representation of thoughts on a particular topic DRAWINGS Can be considered an approximation to mental contents; is a communicative act

The main categories of elements individuated in drawings and maps Physical aspects Geo-morphological and abiotic elements Biological aspects Living organisms, such as plants and animals Social aspects Elements that indicate the presence of human beings and/or their action in the environment

Drawings can contain: only social elements; physical elements plus biological elements; physical elements plus social elements; biological elements plus social elements; physical, biological and social elements.

Results There are works in which environment is purely considered as social

There are works in which environment is purely considered as social

Physical plus biological representation of environment

Physical elements plus social elements

Environment represented with physical, biological and social elements

Number of drawings codified with the categories identified and their combinations Categories M(7) F (7) Tot. Only social elements 3 0 3 Physical elements plus biological elements 7 4 11 Physical elements plus social elements 3 0 3 Physical, biological and social elements 20 36 56 Total number 33 40 73

Results Children mainly use all kinds of elements – physical, biological and social (56/73). For the 7 years old environment is represented through different dimensions, even if these elements seem to be just one next to the other, without an actual interaction.

Results We can state that at this age children refer to the environment as an ensamble of objects, with a low level of awareness about the reciprocal interactions between human beigns and the environment. In a previous research, with children 8 -9 aged we collected data in which we could see signals of interaction (i. e. . cultivation, presence of waste bins, maintenance of green).

Conclusions In most of the Italian schools Environmental education is about giving information, listing rules and suggesting the right behaviours (rational, scientific approach, ecological literacy) We suggest to turn this approach into a more practical one involving children in an olistic way, through cogntion but also emotions, perceptions and so on

From a teaching process centred on teacherstudent relationship to the interactions between student and all the environments that he/she is requested to explore (Bardulla, 2006)

Methodological suggestions - Collecting children ideas, representations, understandings - Asking for the collaboration of a specific expert (as in Progetto Grotte) - Using discussion as a co-construction of knowledge and tool of conceptual change

Thank you! Sabrina Pandolfi – Paola Nicolini sabrina. pandolfi@unimc. it