Perception of Arctic issues among young learners in Poland and Lithuania

• Published in: Oceanologia
• Main Authors: Izabela Kotyńska-Zielińska, Sergej Olenin, Karolina Fornalewicz, Anna Prądzińska, Jan Marcin Węsławski
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020
• Subjects: Arctic; Environmental awareness; Forms of education; School curriculum; Oceanography; GC1-1581
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.03.006; https://doaj.org/article/e6b120bde58e41b0b47c0e4f6fdd40ff

Summary: In this work, we show the results from two different types of approaches designed to map the Arctic (Polar) perception of young learners in Poland and Lithuania. The first case study is composed of both closed and open questions (Case Study 1), while the second one is a closed, multiple choice type of questionnaire (Case Study 2). We have questioned a total of 274 learners in Case Study 1 and 80 in Case Study 2. In both cases, learners were divided into four age groups. The results show that the Case Study 1 questionnaire, due to its structure, provided more comprehensive information about the state of awareness among young learners in comparison with the limited option for answers (no open option) in Case Study 2. The results show that documentaries and nature films together are the dominating sources of information for all age groups. A very interesting finding came out from Case Study 1, which shows that school lessons dominate in public schools, with exception to high schools, however, other means of learning were also mentioned. Educational workshops play a very important part in learning among three youngest groups of students of public schools. In case of autonomic schools, it is lessons that play a key role in knowledge transfer at all levels of education, which is most likely related to the educational system in these schools, which regularly conduct group projects. Both studies show that nonformal education has an important role in education of young learners in Poland and Lithuania.