Earthlearningidea: Enhancing Earth Science Education for Upper Secondary Students

Earthlearningidea (ELI) is a free online platform offering a wide range of teaching resources focused on Earth science and geography. Primarily aimed at secondary level educators, including teachers, teacher trainers, and trainees, it also provides valuable materials for primary school educators.

Rooted in the CASE model (Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education), each resource introduces Earth science topics through interactive, inquiry-based activities designed to engage students, stimulate critical thinking, and develop investigative skills. These activities use basic materials commonly found in secondary school science labs and come with teacher guidance, handouts, and additional support materials.

With more than 450 activities available, many accompanied by teaching videos, general videos, and extension ideas, ELI provides a rich resource for Earth science educators. All materials are completely free and can be downloaded as PDFs from https://www.earthlearningidea.com, with a new topic published every month.

Since its launch in December 2008, ELIs have been downloaded over 7 million times worldwide. Many of the activities have been translated into 11 languages by experts in geoscience education, making the platform accessible to a diverse, international audience. Additionally, the Earthlearningidea Blog, updated weekly on http://earthlearningidea.blogspot.com, offers further insights and resources.

This presentation will provide an overview of the Earthlearningidea project, its origins, and the scope of its activities. It aims to complement the work of the EGU Geoscience Education Field Officers (GEFO) and highlight how ELI resources support the workshops they conduct in their respective countries.