How evident is the apparent? Students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the terraced landscape

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate how Greek students and teachers perceive and interpret a cultural landscape element, namely cultivation terraces, in terms of the various uses and values (economic, environmental, ecological and cultural) that they may represent for those involved in the educational system. The study was carried out with a structured questionnaire, addressed to 362 students and 97 geography teachers, with different types of exposure to terraced landscapes: (1) inhabitants of the larger metropolitan area of Athens and (2) inhabitants of the Aegean islands of Lesvos and Nisyros -both featuring highly terraced agricultural landscapes. Results indicated that terraces per se escape the respondents' perception, irrespective of respondents' age. Students' knowledge about terraces seems to be inadequate, although both the concept and the issue appear in geography curricula and geography textbooks. The respondents' general attitude toward the terraced landscape was positive, while the majority of survey participants placed the primary value of terraces on their soil and water management properties. Teachers' perceptions regarding the terraced landscape are not reflected on the students' respective knowledge. Finally, findings seem to point out that everyday life experiences play a positive role in the formation of lay attitudes toward local environments and landscapes.

Students’ alternative conceptions of tropical cyclone causes and processes

“…This is particularly the case in Geography (Mackintosh, 1999). While there is an emerging body of research exploring students' alternative conceptions in the Earth Sciences (Boyes & Stanistreet, 1996;Coban, Akpinar, Kucukcankurtaran, Yildiz, & Ergin, 2011;Dal, 2008;Dove, 1997;Klonari, Dalaka, & Petanidou, 2011;Reinfried, 2006), there has been little research integrating a focus on scientific processes with the distinctively geographical perspectives of place, spatial distribution, scale, and interaction (including reciprocal relationships between the biophysical environment and human activities). For instance, in the research exploring students' preconceptions in meteorology, although there are studies examining students' beliefs about matter, air pressure, phase changes of water and the operation of the water cycle, few, if any studies have investigated students' conceptions of weather phenomena and natural hazards (e.g.…”

The Teacher’S Role in the Formation of the Attitude and Performance of Students in the Subject of Geography

“…It was quite striking that in the Geography test to which the sample students were assessed, the students whose teachers had not received training achieved better performance. This may be due to the fact that the preexisting personal experiences of teachers from their student years are very powerful, and affect teaching to a large extent (Klonari et al, 2011;Molin et al, 2015), and short-term training cannot have particular results. Moreover, the fact that most of the teachers consider themselves efficient to teach the subject of geography doesn't agree with the students' performance in geography tests.…”

“…It should also be noted that in a previous research (Klonari et al, 2014), most of the teachers stated that they were particularly satisfied with the new curriculum and the teacher's book. Thus, this attitude may be attributed either to the erroneous application of the new curriculum, or to inadequate teaching (Klonari et al, 2011).…”

Primary Education Teachers’ Attitudes Towards and Views on Differentiated Instruction on Geography

“…This is the case because there is now awareness of the overarching and multiple contribution of geographical and environmental education to the development and quality of citizens' life, in a globalised environment with great social and economic rearrangements, population movements, environmental threats, changes in climatic conditions of many areas around the world and wars, where often even human rights are restricted (Klonari et al, 2011).…”

“…Moreover, teachers who recognise the importance of the contribution of the New Geography Curricula within the context of differentiated instruction primarily recognise it as their own axis and are encouraged to flexible use the means and materials they are supplied with; they are also encouraged to use specific proposals and a series of teaching actions for each teaching unit, where such proposals are provided in the "New Curriculum -Teacher's Guide for the course of Geography" (Klonari et al, 2011).…”