Abstract:

Our epoch has been characterized as the epoch of information while, with the growth of Technologies of Information and Communication the changes that take place in overall level are immediately diffused in null time, under the influence of globalisation. New significances and communication methods have submerged our daily life. Geographical information systems are one of them. But what exactly is a Geographical Information System? Do the students in primary school have understood it?
In this study we present the attitudes of pupils in primary school with regard to open source environments, such as Google earth, about understanding what Geographical Information System is. The sample was 27 pupils of primary school. The data was collected after 2 hour laboratory work. The pedagogical procedure started with pre-tests with closed questions answered by the pupils. From the results of a pre-test, we realised that the pupils had confusions and misconceptions about what is Geographical Information System. The next step was a power point presentation of what geographical Information System is. In order to explore the opinions of the selected sample, the participants were introduced to the Google earth environment as well as to short on line games constructed for 2 hours laboratory training. In the Google earth environment the pupils “play” by finding the distance from one city to another, the distance between their house and their school, the distance between famous places of the world. The on line games were available in the web portal of eGis project in which this research took place (http://www.e-gis.org/) in the frame of Leonardo Da Vinci programme. Using the Google Earth and on line games, the pupils worked by themselves, with active attendance, they had the chance to explore what is Geographical Information System and understand it working step by step. After the educational procedure the students answered to the Post-tests with closed questions same as the Pre-test. The findings of this research are that the environment is very easy to handle, enriches the educational process, promotes the active attendance and strengthens the interest and self-activity of the pupils.
The evaluation of the study shows us that after the educational procedure the students of the primary school changed their opinion and realised what a Geographical Information System is and they had approached the scientific model.

Keywords:

egis, education, icts, primary school, exploratory learning, educational process.