The islands perceived from within. Geographical knowledge of the Balearic Islands among island students

Abstract

This article looks at geo-literacy, which aims to analyse the attainment of skills in geography and spatial literacy amongst future teachers and pupils coming to the end of primary school education. Geographical knowledge and perception about the Balearic Islands have been analysed amongst island students on the Degree in Primary Education. Moreover, the same topic has been analysed for pupils in the sixth year of primary school education so as to compare their patterns with those of the university students in terms of island knowledge and perception. Islanders mainly know their own island and, to a lesser extent, the neighbouring islands in the archipelago. Ethnocentrism is the overwhelming trait amongst future teachers, as well as their protégés—pupils in primary school education. All of them demonstrate similar characteristics, mainly referring to places they know through contact from their own life experience rather than from their educational paths.