JOHANNES WALTHER AND GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION 3: THOUGHTS ON HOW GEOLOGY SHOULD BE TAUGHT AT THE PRE-COLLEGE LEVEL

Johannes Walther (1860-1937), known as the paragon of the actualistic approach to sedimentary geology and trailblazer for biogeology, devoted a considerable amount of time and energy to issues of geoscience education. In newspaper articles, articles for the general public and the pedagogical community, and especially in the third segment of his book Bau und Bildung der Erde (Structure and Formation of the Earth; 1925) he argued for a central role of geology (and physical geography) in the science education of students (elementary through secondary school). Grounded on constructivist ideas, Walther suggested that geology should form the stepping-stone and basis for science education, taking into account the innate curiosity and life-experiences of the young students. Other sciences, such as physics and chemistry, would be added later to the science foundation laid down by geology. He also provided curriculum recommendations for the preparation of pre-college teachers at universities, thereby ensuring that these teachers are well trained to teach geology in all grades at the pre-college level. Walther suggested, furthermore, how geology should be taught to students at the pre-college level: it must be taught in the field. Beginning at the elementary school level and building on the natural interests of the students in the local environment, field work should emphasize careful and critical observation of natural processes, observation of the resulting changes in the natural environment, measurements in the field, collection of materials, and sketches of geological phenomena. The guiding principle must be - own observations as much as possible – theory as little as possible. At the next stage in science education, geological and natural science facts will be added to the curriculum that go beyond the students' first-hand experiences within their own local environment; then, more classical scientific fields will be introduced and connected to geology, and the teaching will move to include a greater degree of formal lecture and textbook instruction, but without abandoning instruction in the field. At the secondary school level, the students will be able to deepen their understanding of geology by integrating their acquired knowledge of the other sciences.