Our epoch has been characterized as the epoch of information while, with the growth of Technologies
of Information and Communication the changes that take place in overall level are immediately
diffused in null time, under the influence of globalisation. New concepts and communication methods
have submerged our daily life. Geographical information systems are one of them. But what exactly is
a Geographical Information System? Do the students in primary school have understood it?
In this study we present the attitudes of pupils in primary school with regard to open source
environments, such as Google earth, about understanding what Geographical Information System is.
The sample was 26 pupils of primary school. The data was collected after 2 hour laboratory work. The
pedagogical procedure started with pre-tests with closed questions answered by the pupils. From the
results of a pre-test, we realised that the pupils had confusions and misconceptions about what is
Geographical Information System. The next step was a power point presentation of what geographical
Information System is. In order to explore the opinions of the selected sample, the participants were
introduced to the Google earth environment as well as to short on line games constructed for 2 hours
laboratory training. In the Google earth environment the pupils “play” by finding the distance from one
city to another, the distance between their house and their school, the distance between famous
places of the world. The on line games were available in the web portal of eGis+ project in which this
research took place (
http://www.e-gis.org/) in the frame of Leonardo Da Vinci programme. Using the
Google Earth and on line games, the pupils worked by themselves, with active attendance, they had
the chance to explore what is Geographical Information System and understand it working step by
step. After the educational procedure the students answered to the Post-tests with closed questions
same as the Pre-test. The findings of this research are that the environment is very easy to handle,
enriches the educational process, promotes the active attendance and strengthens the interest and
self-activity of the pupils. The evaluation of the study shows us that after the educational procedure
the students of the primary school changed their opinion and realised what a Geographical Information
System is and they had approached the scientific model.
Keywords - eGis, Education, ICTs, Primary school, Exploratory Learning, Educational process,
active attendance.
