Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

The teams had three months to gather and discuss with their supervisors all theevidence they needed. They met once a week for a couple of hours maximum. Duringthe meetings the student teachers acted as advisors. They helped the pupils get theinformation they needed from geography magazines, newspapers, books and theInternet. Whenever they realized that the evidence was not sufficient or appropriatethey explained to the pupils the problems that may arise and encouraged them tolook for new and stronger arguments.The pupils of grade six of the 3 rd pilot primary school, acting as the “jury”, wereasked by their teacher to do a “preliminary investigation” on the relationship betweenhumans and rivers, so they would be prepared to listen to the evidence of both parties.In fact, it would have been fairer if the “jury” had known nothing about the case butthe pupils wanted to be more active and do something for the project.Table 1. The structure of the trialPublic Prosecutor Student Counsel for the DefenseTopics covered by the pupils teachers Topics covered by the pupils1 st Pilot • the destruction of the natural1 st team • recreation (sailing, fishing 2 nd PilotSchoolriver bed and the discon-etc.)Schooltinuity of the channel• the pollution and contamination2 nd team • transportation of goods andof the riverpassengers• the destruction of fauna and 3 rd teamflora• electrical power production,dams• the reduction of water discharge• the reduction of delta formation4 th team5 th team• irrigation, water supply• public works against floodingThe Jury – 3 rd Pilot schoolThe Judge – a teacher from any of the schools (in this case the writer of the article)The trialThe date of the trial was fixed in June 7, 2002 at 08:30 a.m. The venue was the mainauditorium of the department of Primary Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,Greece. The writer of this article was appointed to be the judge, given thatthe teachers of the three schools were already engaged in the procedure and they hadalso asked for it. Each party was positioned at a different place; the public prosecutorto the left of the bench, the counsel for the defense to the right of the bench and thejury at the right of the bench, at the side of the parties, facing the two parties andthe judge. The public – the rest of the pupils of the three schools and their parents– were sited behind the two parties.The trial began with the announcement of the accusation from the judge and afterthat the public prosecutor asked to support the evidence. Each team revealed theirevidence using various ways. They gave speeches, recited poems, used posters,displayed photographs and diagrams, they even performed a drama to play that theywrote for the occasion. Both parties had many objections against each other, some50