Preliminary communication
Th e Opportunities of Acquiring Knowledge and Understanding of Natural and Cultural Heritage in Primary Schools in the Republic Of Croatia
Zdenka Čukelj
; Doctoral Programme, The Faculty of Teacher Education, Zagreb
Abstract
Th is paper analyses out-of-classroom teaching in primary schools in the Pannonian lowland and Coastal region of Croatia, as well as the opportunities for pupils (forms 5 to 8) to learn about the environment and natural and cultural heritage of their county. Th e representative sample consisted of 230 primary schools from the Pannonian lowland and Coastal region, attended by 53.837 pupils from 5th to 8th forms. Th e research found that the majority of pupils learn about the local environment in regular school lessons. In both geographical areas schools provide education outside the classroom, where pupils learn about cultural heritage, and the lessons are usually focused on familiarizing the pupils with oral and written heritage, as well as with castles and forts. Primary schools seldom provide out-of-classroom teaching about natural monument, soil, lakes or rivers, so the majority of pupils have no opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of these first hand. The findings lead to the conclusion that primary schools in the Pannonian lowland and Coastal region provide out-of-classroom learning in which pupils acquire knowledge, understanding and skills related to the environment of their county. However, the choice of the places for teaching is usually narrowed down to protected category monuments near the school or town so there is a difference between opportunities for learning about natural and cultural heritage, not only among but also within geographic areas, in the Republic of Croatia.
Keywords
environment; natural and cultural heritage; outdoor learning; project teaching
Hrčak ID:
54109
URI
Publication date:
16.11.2009.
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