Keywords

1 Introduction

The concept of geoethics has evolved, as its use in the contemporary geoscientific panorama has increased. If its initial use was related to the sustainable exploitation of non-renewable resources, currently, the definition of geoethics is much broader, as can be seen from the content of the “Cape Town Statement on Geoethics” (Di Capua et al. 2017). According to several authors (e.g. Bobrowsky et al. 2017), it is geosciences and geoscientists who seem to have the proper competence for addressing and resolving issues on sustainability and protection of the planet, including those related to the exploration and maintenance of the quality of groundwater resources.

In the Portuguese secondary education system, the teaching of groundwater resources is carried out within the geoscience content of science/humanities courses (one of secondary education offers that are mainly aimed at students wishing to continue their studies in higher education) in the subject areas of biology and geology (11th grade - 16th years old students) (BG11), geography A (10th grade - 15th years old students) (GeoA10), geography C (12th grade - 17th years old students) (GeoC12) and Geology (12th grade) (G12). With this study, we intended to evaluate the possibility of address geoethics through the scope of the teaching of groundwater resources in secondary education in Portugal.

2 Methods

This study focused on the analysis of current curriculum reference documents: curriculum programmes and core learning from subject areas such as BG11, GeoA10, GeoC11 and G12, on the contents/domains/themes in which groundwater resources are taught (Table 1).

Table 1 Groundwater resources in the curriculum reference documents of scientific-humanistic courses in secondary education (Alves et al. 2001; Amador et al. 2003; Amador and Silva 2004; Martins et al. 2002; ME 2018a, b, c, d)
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With the analysis of the curriculum reference documents, we wanted to identify the objectives, competences and core learning that allow students to acquire knowledge and develop skills in geoethics. For convenience and curriculum likeness, the subject areas were divided into two analysis groups: BG11 and G12; GeoA10 and GeoC11.

3 Results

The data obtained from  curriculum reference documents analysis are presented in Tables 2 and 3.

Table 2 Results of the analysis of the curriculum programmes and the core learning in the subject areas of biology and geology (11th grade) and geology (12th grade) in the contents/domains/themes in which groundwater resources are taught
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Table 3 Results of the analysis of the curriculum programmes and the core learning in the subject areas of geography A (10th grade) and geography C (12th grade) in the contents/domains/themes in which groundwater resources are taught
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4 Discussion

The data obtained, in the content and subject areas under consideration,  allows us to affirm that in the teaching of this curriculum there is an obvious approach of ethical, social and cultural values that form an individual ethically committed to the preservation of the Geo-Planet.

Thus, in the BG11 and G12 curriculum reference documents (Table 2) and in those of GeoA11 and GeoC12 curriculum reference documents (Table 3), it is clear the intention to develop in the geoscience student, a future conscious and ethically responsible citizen, skills that will allow him to make concrete decisions, in his daily actions and as a professional, for the conservation of the geoenvironment or to deal with the global economic and environmental challenges (e.g. Bobrowsky et al. 2017); and, at the same time, to face one of the challenges of Geoethics that of having a greater social intervention (Almeida and Vasconcelos 2014). In these curriculum reference documents, the following main goals/core learning become more relevant: ‘to develop attitudes of geological heritage valorization’ (curriculum programme, BG11); ‘to recognize the role of mankind in water exploration and contamination’ (curriculum programme, G12); ‘to analyse data and formulate critical judgments, scientifically based, on the sustainable exploitation of geological resources in Portugal’ (core learning, BG11); ‘to infer on possible scenarios for the twenty-first century, because of global warming and environmental changes’ (core learning, G12); ‘to speak about the existence of conflicts in the use of space and resource management with situations of unequal development at local and/or regional level’ (curriculum programme, GeoA11 and GeoC12); ‘issue an opinion on concrete actions that enhance the appropriate use of essential resources at the global level’ (core learning, GeoC12). To achieve all these skills the effectiveness of using a didactic methodology incorporating hands on skills should be explored.

5 Concluding Remarks

Studying geoethics in geosciences can contribute to broadening the applications of geology to everyday life; to achieving a greater perception of the characteristics of geological knowledge and the potential and limits of this knowledge in society; to clarify the role of the geoscience professional in the search for a path for the development of a humanity that is more just and more respectful of the environment (Almeida and Vasconcelos 2014). In this context, we believe that the secondary education curriculum in which groundwater resources are taught, enables the training of citizens who, at the end of compulsory education and regardless of whether they undertake a professional activity in the geosciences area, demonstrates an ethical awareness and a capacity to act responsibly on the abiotic environment. Therefore, these citizens should be able to evidence a personal awareness and capacity for autonomy and responsible actions in daily life as well.

This study focused on the approach to geoethics through formal education. However, the training of an individual is not confined to what he learns only in the curriculum. His full education includes non-formal learning in which the above-mentioned skills can also be developed. Examples of these non-formal learning activities include: the Side-Event to the Geoethics and Groundwater Management Congress, an educational programme that promoted a national competition/contest (GEOETH&GWM’20) and the International Geoethics Day promoted by the IAPG (2019), the first for pre-university school communities and the second  for society in general.