Experiential Learning in Natural and Research Laboratories: Supporting Earth Science in School Education through the EGU GEFO Programme in Romania

The growing need for meaningful Earth Science education calls for approaches that move beyond classroom-based instruction and actively support school curricula through authentic, experience-based learning. In many European education systems, Earth Science is not taught as a standalone compulsory subject; instead, its core concepts are distributed across mandatory disciplines such as geography, physics, chemistry, and environmental sciences. As a result, and in combination with other structural and pedagogical challenges, Earth Science often lacks visibility as a coherent field and is frequently perceived by students as abstract or fragmented. Strengthening its role in school education therefore depends on empowering teachers with relevant content, effective methodologies, and direct connections to contemporary geoscience research.

This contribution presents the Romanian experience within the EGU GEFO (Geoscience Education Field Officer) programme, highlighting how GEFO-led initiatives and activities are explicitly designed to support Earth Science in school education through targeted teacher training, sustained professional support, and the provision of adaptable educational resources. The approach is framed around experiential learning in natural and research laboratories, using geoparks as open-air classrooms and research infrastructures as complementary learning environments for pre-university teachers.

Geoparks are employed as living laboratories where key Earth Science topics—such as geological processes, geohazards, climate-related phenomena, and landscape evolution—are explored in direct alignment with school curricula. These settings form the core of field-based summer schools and thematic teacher training activities, promoting inquiry-based, place-based, and curriculum-relevant teaching strategies. The natural laboratory component is reinforced through structured engagement with research laboratories, where teachers interact with real scientific instruments, monitoring techniques, and datasets, strengthening their understanding of how Earth Science knowledge is generated and validated.

To ensure broader impact at school level, GEFO actions are extended through educational science caravans targeting rural and underserved schools. These outreach activities translate field and laboratory experiences into accessible, hands-on classroom modules, directly supporting teachers in implementing Earth Science topics and increasing student engagement.

The presentation demonstrates how coordinated GEFO initiatives contribute to enhancing the relevance, visibility, and pedagogical quality of Earth Science in school education. It discusses educational outcomes, challenges, and lessons learned, and argues that the Romanian GEFO experience offers a scalable and transferable model for supporting Earth Science education within the wider European context.