GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF GREECE 16 th International Congress

 

GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF GREECE 16 th International Congress

 

October 17-19, 2022
Patras, Greece

TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2022

 

Educational Proposal For Geology Through Walk Trails In The Urban Environment Of Palaio Faliron In Athens, Greece

 

 

 

16:00

 

S9a: Geoheritage,

Geoconservation,

Geoeducation and

Geoethics

 

 

G. Kontokostas1, A. Antonarakou1, H. Drinia1, Ch. Vasilatos1, S. Lozios1,

(1) National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, Panepistimiopolis, Zografos, Greece, geokon@geol.uoa.gr

 

 

Background and Objectives

Educational Geological walk trails in the urban environment are proposed as a successful interdisciplinary teaching approach to Geosciences in secondary education. Geological walk trail through Palaio Faliro, using techniques entailed in the scientific/educational methodology by inquiry, contributes in forming citizens who are active, responsible and aware of contemporary environmental issues, such as natural disaster management and natural resource exploitation (Kontokostas et al. 2020).

The designed geological walk trail is a practical endorsement in which the students will use fieldwork skills to identify a variety of rocks and geological materials in the built environment, as well as learn about geological features in the area.

The research area is located between Palaio Faliron and Alimos-Kalamaki, nearby Pikrodafni stream, along the coastline from Athens to Vouliagmeni. In this area the pre-Miocene basement of the HP metamorphic units of the lower plate and the un- or weakly metamorphosed units of the upper plate are covered by Neogene marine formations and Quaternary deposits (Papanikaloaou et al. 1999, & Papanikaolaou et al. 2004).

 

Research Methodology

This work follows the research steps outlined by inquiry–based learning: a) trigger of interest, b) reminding of basic knowledge/formulation of hypotheses, c) experimentation/trials, d) formulation of conclusions, e) applications/generalization according to learning (Bakopoulou et al. 2016). The designed walk trail includes: Faliron War Cemetery - Estuary of Pikrodafni stream - Riverbed of Pikrodafni (figure 1). We conducted our educational research with an experimental group of students of secondary school of Attica located near geolocially interesting areas.

 

Results and Conclusions

The findings of our study are compared to a control group of students from the same secondary school in Attica as the experimental group. There is a remarkable improvement in students’ comprehension, creativity, cooperation and critical thinking. They learned about the Pikrodafni, they recognized white marble of Pendeli, green Tinos’ marble, grey marble from Thasos, granite, Botticino limestone and fossiliferous limestone. The most intriguing aspect of the study was when the students realized that the complexity of the natural world is the result of the combinations of few simple procedures.

 

 

Keywords: Urban Environment, Educational Geological Walk Trails, field lessons, Educational Research.

GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF GREECE 16 th International Congress

 

GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF GREECE 16 th International Congress

 

TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2022

 

Educational Proposal For Geology Through Walk Trails In The Urban Environment Of Palaio Faliron In Athens, Greece

 

 

 

16:00

 

S9a: Geoheritage,

Geoconservation,

Geoeducation and

Geoethics

 

 

Educational Proposal For Geology Through Walk Trails In The Urban Environment Of Palaio Faliron In Athens, Greece

 

G. Kontokostas1, A. Antonarakou1, H. Drinia1, Ch. Vasilatos1, S. Lozios1,

(1) National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, Panepistimiopolis, Zografos, Greece, geokon@geol.uoa.gr

 

 

Background and Objectives

Educational Geological walk trails in the urban environment are proposed as a successful interdisciplinary teaching approach to Geosciences in secondary education. Geological walk trail through Palaio Faliro, using techniques entailed in the scientific/educational methodology by inquiry, contributes in forming citizens who are active, responsible and aware of contemporary environmental issues, such as natural disaster management and natural resource exploitation (Kontokostas et al. 2020).

The designed geological walk trail is a practical endorsement in which the students will use fieldwork skills to identify a variety of rocks and geological materials in the built environment, as well as learn about geological features in the area.

The research area is located between Palaio Faliron and Alimos-Kalamaki, nearby Pikrodafni stream, along the coastline from Athens to Vouliagmeni. In this area the pre-Miocene basement of the HP metamorphic units of the lower plate and the un- or weakly metamorphosed units of the upper plate are covered by Neogene marine formations and Quaternary deposits (Papanikaloaou et al. 1999, & Papanikaolaou et al. 2004).

 

Research Methodology

This work follows the research steps outlined by inquiry–based learning: a) trigger of interest, b) reminding of basic knowledge/formulation of hypotheses, c) experimentation/trials, d) formulation of conclusions, e) applications/generalization according to learning (Bakopoulou et al. 2016). The designed walk trail includes: Faliron War Cemetery - Estuary of Pikrodafni stream - Riverbed of Pikrodafni (figure 1). We conducted our educational research with an experimental group of students of secondary school of Attica located near geolocially interesting areas.

 

Results and Conclusions

The findings of our study are compared to a control group of students from the same secondary school in Attica as the experimental group. There is a remarkable improvement in students’ comprehension, creativity, cooperation and critical thinking. They learned about the Pikrodafni, they recognized white marble of Pendeli, green Tinos’ marble, grey marble from Thasos, granite, Botticino limestone and fossiliferous limestone. The most intriguing aspect of the study was when the students realized that the complexity of the natural world is the result of the combinations of few simple procedures.

 

 

Keywords: Urban Environment, Educational Geological Walk Trails, field lessons, Educational Research.

Geology in secondary education through Educational Geological walk trails in the urban environment

 Geology in secondary education through Educational Geological walk trails in the urban environment.

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In this doctoral thesis Educational Geological walk trails in the urban environment is suggested as a successful interdisciplinary teaching approach to Geological Sciences in secondary education. It aims at forming citizens who are active, responsible and aware of environmental matters, management of natural disasters and exploitation of natural resources.

Initially some pilot research was carried out in Junior High Schools and High Schools, which are located in areas of geological interest: rivers, streams, hills, mountains, churches, historical buildings and momuments (42^nd Junior High School of Athens, Music School of Halkida, Arts School of Gerakas, 2^nd Junior High School of Moschato). The control group was also the experiment group. The students of the schools mentioned above either visited the Palaiontology and Geology Museum of the Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment at the National and Kapodisrian University of Athens, or they attended our teaching intervention in the class. The students’ preconceptions or misconceptions were confirmed according to bibliography, the necessity of hands-on teaching outdoors was highlighted and the questionnaires before and after research were formed.

Pilot interventions then followed in which students walked/explored suitable routes in the urban field (walk trails) and constituted the experimental group (Private Junior High School – High School of Nea Ekpaideutiria Maliaras in Dafni Monastery and Pykrodafni Stream). Apart from the completion of questionnaires (pre-test and post-test) short interviews with students occurred while teachers, answered the relevant questionnaire observing the educational intervention. Data were processed and compared to the equivalent results of triangulation in different students of the same school, who attended teacher-centered teaching and formed the control group.

After studying the bibliography, suitable venues were selected which constituted the walk trail for the major research (Historical Centre of Athens –Heridanus and Phaleron War Cemetery - estuaries of Pykrodafni Stream). Groups of experiment and control were created and the results of triangulation were compared.

Last, as a part of the Project in a 1^st Year High School class the interdisciplinary teaching approach of Geoscience was performed with the contribution of Educational Geological walk trails in the urban environment. The experimental group was also the control group. The students chose the venues, studied the location, planned the walk trail in the historical centre of Athens, they edited a written guided tour and made a mobile phone application with the locations and information about the walk trail. This innovative active learning procedure had some encouraging results as far as the aims and purposes of this specific doctoral thesis are concerned.

 

MODULE: Geological and Environmental Science Education.

KEY WORDS: Urban Enviroment, Educational Geological Walk Trails, field lessons, Educational Research.

THE FIRST STAR OBSERVATION

 THE FIRST STAR OBSERVATION

Τοιχογραφία στο προϊστορικό σπήλαιο Lascaux πριν 15.000 χρόνια. Παρατηρούμε να σχεδιάζονται ζώα που κυνηγούσαν  οι άνθρωποι εκείνη την εποχή.

Στις τοιχογραφίες βλέπουμε τις πρώτες καταγεγραμμένες αστροπαρτηρήσεις της ανθρωπότητας. Είναι το πρώτο ημερολόγιο των φάσεων του φεγγαριού. Οι δεκατρείς κηλίδες της πρώτης εικόνας αντιστοιχούσαν στις νύχτες πριν την βραδιά χωρίς φεγγάρι, που απεικονίζεται με ένα τετράγωνο. Στις άλλες τοιχογραφίες βλέπουμε τις 29 μέρες της περιόδου του δορυφόρου της Γης κάτω από το άλογο ή κάποιους αστερισμούς δεξιά και αριστερά από τον ταύρο.

Οι προϊστορικοί άνθρωποι είχαν συνειδητοποιήσει τη ρυθμικότητα της φύσης και η επιβίωση τους εξαρτιόταν από αυτήν. Κάθε βραδιά δεν ήταν ίδια με την προηγούμενη, ούτε με την επόμενη, καθώς η σελήνη  βρισκόταν σε διαφορετική φάση και μάλιστα κάποια βραδιά δεν  έβλεπαν καθόλου φεγγάρι. Οι προϊστορικοί άνθρωποι ένιωσαν την ανάγκη να καταγράψουν την κάθε βραδιά και εισήγαγαν ως κοινή μονάδα του χρόνου την περίοδο της σελήνης, καταγράφοντας κάθε πότε είχαν πανσέληνο ή δεν είχαν καθόλου φεγγάρι, μια χρήσιμη σε κάθε κυνηγό πληροφορία για ένα επιτυχημένο κυνήγι.

"It's half of the Moon's monthly cycle," Dr Rappenglueck said. "One dot for each day the Moon is in the sky. At the new Moon, when it vanishes from the sky, we see an empty square, perhaps symbolically representing the absent Moon.

ACCELERATING EDUCATION (AC.ED) Physics keeps life going-物理 依据 生命: FROM SPACE TO QUARK

ACCELERATING EDUCATION (AC.ED) Physics keeps life going-物理 依据 生命: FROM SPACE TO QUARK:              TRAVELING THROUGH THE UNIVERSE Nasa 1 Nasa 2 Nasa 3