Paper short abstract:

We performed an analysis of the children perceived image of the Science and Scientist, the Planet Earth, its sustainability and its future over the drawings collected for creating calendars, featuring drawings from contests for primary school children.

Paper long abstract:

Starting in 2005, INGV initiated a project involving the creation of calendars designed for schools, featuring drawings from contests for primary school children. Schools participate by submitting pupils' drawings on specific themes, which vary annually and align with Earth science subjects. Engaging primary school children in this project brings them closer to science and provides an opportunity to explore their perspectives on the Earth, science, the environment, and sustainable behavior. Drawing plays a crucial role in children's development, as it fosters imagination and serves as an effective means of expressing emotions. We start to analyze this extensive dataset by comparing drawings related to competitions with comparable main topics, such as children's perceptions of science, scientists, and their views on the Planet Earth, its sustainability, and its future.

We present a preliminary analysis of the children perceived image of the Planet Earth, its sustainability and its future over the drawings collected for the 2009 calendar: “The Earth of tomorrow is in my hands today”, the 2010 calendar: “Precious Earth” and the 2021-2022 calendar: “A future sized for the Planet”. The methodology involves a qualitative and statistical analysis of the drawings, representing the first comprehensive comparison of drawings created by primary school children across the entire Italian territory. This spans a decade or more, providing insights into how children's visions of Earth science subjects have evolved over time.

Furthermore, the results contribute to evaluating how science is portrayed, assessing whether it has fostered a shared understanding and a less stereotyped image.