How about the Attitudes towards Nature? Analysis of the Nature and Biology Primary School Education Curricula in Poland

Abstract

One of the most important goals in biology education is shaping positive attitudes towards nature, social and global problems, as well as health. Environmental education is an essential element because without pro-environmental attitudes, every environment-protecting action is less successful, and the results have much less impact on society. In the following article, we tried to combine this idea with the school curriculum, which is one of the most important documents used in education. The research question addressed in this paper is to what extent does biology/nature primary school’s education curriculum highlight shaping attitudes (at sensory, functional, and rational levels), and how did it change during the educational reform in Poland? The sample is the Polish core curricula for nature and biology for primary school. National curricula have been revised by the analysis of the content methods before and after the 2017 reform of the education system. The results showed that while sensory and functional levels are represented quite equally in the curricula, the rational level is neglected and has decreasing tendency (when comparing curricula before and after educational reform in 2017). It is presented an interdisciplinary method of analyzing the core curriculum, particularly what relates to attitudes. The presented analysis method is, by definition, interdisciplinary, combining the approach of cognitive sciences, psychology, and science education. On the basis of the research, new elements that should or might be taken into consideration in school practice are proposed. The proposed approach assumes that the combination of teaching ideas and values (that are deeply rooted in our nature) will be successful in shaping pro-environmental attitudes toward nature and health.