New learning avenues Public science as a methodological concept
Situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, the Valparaíso Region features spectacular landscapes – and is acutely threatened by climate change. A public science project is now raising awareness of the ensuing consequences. The United Nations has established nine indicators that flag up dangers posed by climate change. Of these, seven apply to Valparaíso, namely low-lying coastal areas at risk
of flooding, arid and semi-arid areas, as well as areas affected by forest damage damage, alongside areas frequently impacted by natural disasters, droughts, air pollution, and sensitive and mountainous ecosystems such as the coastal mountains and the Andes. Professor Andoni Arenas, an internationally well-connected geographer and educationalist, is a Professor at the
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV) Institute of Geography. He asked himself how it could be that, despite the scientific evidence of all these dangers facing the Valparaíso Region, there is still no mention of them in local schools. The answer soon became clear to him: the problem is so complex that a traditional curriculum, strictly divided into separate subjects, is simply unable to cope.
© Costadigital
MICA digitally enhances geographical maps with information collated by specialists and interested amateurs through an app.
14
