Geology and Earth History in recent Secondary Education curricula in Spain

Abstract

The environmental problems humanity is facing requires a commitment from all areas of education. In particular, Geology offers a privileged holistic view of both spatial and time scale that may be undervalued. In this sense, this study analyses the presence of Geology and the History of Earth and Life in Secondary Education curricula, focusing on the comparison between the most recent laws in different Autonomous Communities. This is the first analysis of these characteristics based on a thorough review of the curricula of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO, in its Spanish acronym) and Baccalaureate by content blocks and for all the Autonomous Communities, both for the LOMLOE and the LOMCE laws. It was observed that Geology is predominantly addressed in 1st and 4th ESO, and Baccalaureate, extending in some Autonomous Communities to 3rd ESO. The History of the Earth appears in 4th ESO and Baccalaureate, except in the Valencian Community, where it is also presented in 3rd ESO. The territorial analysis of the contents of Earth history in the Baccalaureate of LOMLOE shows uniformity among the Autonomous Communities, while in ESO there are territorial divergences. The heterogeneous depth with which Earth History is dealt with in the Baccalaureate also stands out. This work claims the necessary understanding of some crucial aspects that ensure a comprehensive education that improves the understanding of the Earth system and its natural resources, with enormous links to sustainability.