Being able to understand and explain geological, hydrological, and atmospheric processes is a fundamental part of studying geography. But how can these topics be taught in a meaningful and engaging way in schools? Earth Systems Education (ESE) offers didactic and methodological impulses for addressing this question. The approach not only supports a deeper understanding of physical geography but also shows how such insights can be used in addressing anthropogenic climate change.
ESE has developed alongside discourse in geography education and aims to enable students to acquire scientific knowledge through inquiry-based learning—and to draw concrete conclusions for their everyday actions based on this knowledge.
This educational approach has been significantly shaped by Prof. Dr. Nir Orion (Weizmann Institute of Science). Together with his colleague Dr. Ariel Meroz (Hebrew University), he visited the GIUB in April/May to explore the ESE approach in practice with students.
The workshop began with a short excursion to the nearby Melbtal valley, where students observed geological features and formulated their initial questions based on these observations.
On the following day, students conducted small laboratory experiments to investigate the questions raised during the excursion. These activities formed part of a self-directed learning process designed to draw abstract conclusions about geological processes through engagement with concrete investigation materials.
As part of the “Wednesdays at the GIUB” lecture series, Prof. Nir Orion also gave a talk titled “Climate crisis or educational crisis?” in which he discussed current perspectives on Earth Systems Education and provided insights into the educational thinking that informs his work with school pupils and university students.
The workshop concluded with a one-day excursion to the Siebengebirge, where the didactic principles of ESE could be directly experienced and applied by the students. The methods discussed and applied during the week served as exemplary models for how physical-geographical questions can be addressed through inquiry-based learning and how out-of-school learning environments can be effectively integrated into teaching practice.
We would like to thank the Bonn Center for Teacher Education (BZL) and the German-Israeli Society Bonn (DIG) for their support. We look forward to welcoming Prof. Dr. Nir Orion and Dr. Ariel Meroz back to the GIUB for future workshops and collaborative projects.
