1:45 PM - 2:00 PM
[MIS11-01] Effects of Geopark Learning in Unzen Volcanic Area UNESCO Global Geopark
★Invited Papers
Keywords:Geopark learning, effects of learning, Unzen Volcanic Area UNESCO Global Geopark
UNESCO Global Geoparks have three main projects: "protection and conservation of the Earth's heritage," "education using the Earth's heritage," and "tourism using the Earth's heritage. The Geopark education aims to be considered "a method and practice to convey the message to realize a sustainable society and earth (Takenouchi 2011). Promoting sustainable development of the region through such educational activities is one of important missions of Geoparks.
The Shimabara Peninsula, located in Nagasaki Prefecture, is the first area in Japan to be designated as an UNESCO Global Geopark in 2009. One of the issues facing the Geopark is the lack of understanding of the Geopark among local residents. Therefore, Geopark education for future generations is important in considering regional development utilizing the Geopark.
In this region, Geopark education for students attending schools in the city has been conducted since 2010. It has been pointed out that Geopark learning is likely to lead to the reconstruction of local residents' identity to their hometown (Yuzudo et al. 2016), but the effect has not been verified in this region. In addition, the effect may differ depending on the content of the Geopark learning and other factors. In this study, a questionnaire survey on Geopark learning was conducted among junior high school students at two junior high schools in Shimabara City to verify its effects.
The survey was conducted from December 13 to December 24, 2021, with students from two junior high schools in Shimabara City (hereafter referred to as Junior High School A and Junior High School B), where Geopark learning is conducted, as the survey subjects. The subjects were first- and second-year students at Junior High School A and first-year students at Junior High School B. The reason why A and B junior high schools were selected as survey targets was that they were taking different educational programs, and the effects of Geopark learning could be compared. A junior high school is implementing a Geopark study program. On the other hand, B Junior High School has been conducting a Geopark study program for more than 10 years to learn about the formation of the Shimabara Peninsula through bus tours. Therefore, by targeting these two schools, we will clarify the differences in the students' image and recognition of the Geopark due to the different Geopark study programs.
A questionnaire survey was conducted, and responses were obtained from 52 first-year students and 70 second-year students at A Junior High School and 51 first-year students at B Junior High School. As a result, differences in perception of the Geopark were observed between A and B junior high schools. For example, in response to the question item "subjects to which Geopark applies," 14% of students at A Junior High School selected "Geography" and 12% selected "History" while 22% of students at B Junior High School selected "Science," with the exception of "General," which was selected by the largest number of students at both schools. In addition, a larger percentage of students in Junior High School A than in Junior High School B chose options in the categories of "natural blessings" and "history, culture, and folklore. On the other hand, more students in Junior High School B chose the "Origin of the Shimabara Peninsula" and "Disasters/Volcanoes" categories than those in Junior High School A. This suggests that students' images of Geoparks differ depending on the content of the Geopark study they take.
Next, focusing on the grade difference in Junior High School A, 83% of first-year students chose "understand (can explain what Geoparks are)" or "understand to some extent (cannot explain)" for the question on "understanding of Geoparks," while 62% of second-year students chose "understand (can explain what Geoparks are)" or "understand to some extent (cannot explain)" for the question on "understanding of Geoparks. The reason for this was that 62% of the second-year students chose either "Understand (can explain what a Geopark is)" or "Understand to some extent (can't explain)". The reasons for this may be that there were many second-year students who did not respond to the questionnaire, and that many second-year students had never participated in Geopark studies. In other words, it was suggested that the degree of understanding of Geoparks is more related to the number of times they have participated in Geopark studies than to their age.
The Shimabara Peninsula, located in Nagasaki Prefecture, is the first area in Japan to be designated as an UNESCO Global Geopark in 2009. One of the issues facing the Geopark is the lack of understanding of the Geopark among local residents. Therefore, Geopark education for future generations is important in considering regional development utilizing the Geopark.
In this region, Geopark education for students attending schools in the city has been conducted since 2010. It has been pointed out that Geopark learning is likely to lead to the reconstruction of local residents' identity to their hometown (Yuzudo et al. 2016), but the effect has not been verified in this region. In addition, the effect may differ depending on the content of the Geopark learning and other factors. In this study, a questionnaire survey on Geopark learning was conducted among junior high school students at two junior high schools in Shimabara City to verify its effects.
The survey was conducted from December 13 to December 24, 2021, with students from two junior high schools in Shimabara City (hereafter referred to as Junior High School A and Junior High School B), where Geopark learning is conducted, as the survey subjects. The subjects were first- and second-year students at Junior High School A and first-year students at Junior High School B. The reason why A and B junior high schools were selected as survey targets was that they were taking different educational programs, and the effects of Geopark learning could be compared. A junior high school is implementing a Geopark study program. On the other hand, B Junior High School has been conducting a Geopark study program for more than 10 years to learn about the formation of the Shimabara Peninsula through bus tours. Therefore, by targeting these two schools, we will clarify the differences in the students' image and recognition of the Geopark due to the different Geopark study programs.
A questionnaire survey was conducted, and responses were obtained from 52 first-year students and 70 second-year students at A Junior High School and 51 first-year students at B Junior High School. As a result, differences in perception of the Geopark were observed between A and B junior high schools. For example, in response to the question item "subjects to which Geopark applies," 14% of students at A Junior High School selected "Geography" and 12% selected "History" while 22% of students at B Junior High School selected "Science," with the exception of "General," which was selected by the largest number of students at both schools. In addition, a larger percentage of students in Junior High School A than in Junior High School B chose options in the categories of "natural blessings" and "history, culture, and folklore. On the other hand, more students in Junior High School B chose the "Origin of the Shimabara Peninsula" and "Disasters/Volcanoes" categories than those in Junior High School A. This suggests that students' images of Geoparks differ depending on the content of the Geopark study they take.
Next, focusing on the grade difference in Junior High School A, 83% of first-year students chose "understand (can explain what Geoparks are)" or "understand to some extent (cannot explain)" for the question on "understanding of Geoparks," while 62% of second-year students chose "understand (can explain what Geoparks are)" or "understand to some extent (cannot explain)" for the question on "understanding of Geoparks. The reason for this was that 62% of the second-year students chose either "Understand (can explain what a Geopark is)" or "Understand to some extent (can't explain)". The reasons for this may be that there were many second-year students who did not respond to the questionnaire, and that many second-year students had never participated in Geopark studies. In other words, it was suggested that the degree of understanding of Geoparks is more related to the number of times they have participated in Geopark studies than to their age.