A global perspective on soil science education at third educational level; knowledge, practice, skills and challenges
Abstract
The pivotal role of soil as a resource is not fully appreciated by the general public. Improving education in soil science represents a challenge in a world where soil resources are under serious threat. Today's high school students, the world's future landowners, agriculturalists, and decision makers, have the potential to change society's apathy towards soils issues. This research aimed to compare the level of soil education in high and/or secondary schools in forty-three countries worldwide, together comprising 62% of the world's population. Comparisons were made between soil science content discussed in educationally appropriate textbooks via a newly proposed soil information coefficient (SIC). Interviews with teachers were undertaken to better understand how soil science education is implemented in the classroom. Statistical analyses were investigated using clustering. Results showed that gaps in soil science education were most commonly observed in countries where soil science is a non-compulsory or optional subject. Soil science concepts are predominantly a part of geography or environmental science curricula. Consequently, considerable variability in soil science education systems among investigated countries exists. Soil information coefficient's outcomes demonstrated that a methodological approach combining textbooks and the use of modern digitally based strategies in the educational process significantly improved soil education performances. Overall, soil science education is under-represented in schools worldwide. Dynamic new approaches are needed to improve pivotal issues such as: i) promoting collaborations and agreements between high school and universities; ii) encouraging workshops and practical exercises such as field activities; and, iii) implementing technology tools. This, in turn, will prepare the next generation to contribute meaningfully towards solving present and future soil problems.
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BibTeX
@article{charzynski2026global,
title = {{A global perspective on soil science education at third educational level; knowledge, practice, skills and challenges}},
author = {Przemysław Charzyński and Magdalena Urbańska and Gian Franco Capra and Antonio Ganga and Peter Holmes and Melanie Szulczewski and Undrakh-Od Baatar and Ali Boularbah and Betim Bresilla and Horea Cacovean and Ashim Datta and Helen Gadsby and Kamel Gargouri and Eyob Gebrehiwot Gebregeorgis and Luise Giani and Samantha Grover and Mukhiddin Juliev and Raimonds Kasparinskis and Masayuki Kawahigashi and Liv Anna Kellermann and Kye-Hoon John Kim and Lenka Krótka and Imants Kukuļs and Ilia Kunchulia and Younes Laaouidi and Pierre Leglize and Dieudonne Mouketou-Tarazewicz and Frank Mugagga and Tibor József Novák and Juan Ortiz and Veronica Osuna-Vallejo and Vít Penížek and Plamen Tomov and Tatiana Prokofeva and Manuel Pulido and Charles Recha and Endla Reintam and Blaž Repe and Salih Şahin and Mohammad Hassan Salehi and Abdourahamane Tankari Dan Badjo and Károly Teperics and Tiina Törmänen and Viktar Tsyrybka and Rimantas Vaisvalavičius and Fabiane Vezzani and Shugang Zhang},
journal = {Geoderma},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116053},
url = {https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04321776v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A global perspective on soil science education at third educational level; knowledge, practice, skills and challenges
AU - Przemysław Charzyński
AU - Magdalena Urbańska
AU - Gian Franco Capra
AU - Antonio Ganga
AU - Peter Holmes
AU - Melanie Szulczewski
AU - Undrakh-Od Baatar
AU - Ali Boularbah
AU - Betim Bresilla
AU - Horea Cacovean
AU - Ashim Datta
AU - Helen Gadsby
AU - Kamel Gargouri
AU - Eyob Gebrehiwot Gebregeorgis
AU - Luise Giani
AU - Samantha Grover
AU - Mukhiddin Juliev
AU - Raimonds Kasparinskis
AU - Masayuki Kawahigashi
AU - Liv Anna Kellermann
AU - Kye-Hoon John Kim
AU - Lenka Krótka
AU - Imants Kukuļs
AU - Ilia Kunchulia
AU - Younes Laaouidi
AU - Pierre Leglize
AU - Dieudonne Mouketou-Tarazewicz
AU - Frank Mugagga
AU - Tibor József Novák
AU - Juan Ortiz
AU - Veronica Osuna-Vallejo
AU - Vít Penížek
AU - Plamen Tomov
AU - Tatiana Prokofeva
AU - Manuel Pulido
AU - Charles Recha
AU - Endla Reintam
AU - Blaž Repe
AU - Salih Şahin
AU - Mohammad Hassan Salehi
AU - Abdourahamane Tankari Dan Badjo
AU - Károly Teperics
AU - Tiina Törmänen
AU - Viktar Tsyrybka
AU - Rimantas Vaisvalavičius
AU - Fabiane Vezzani
AU - Shugang Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/02
JO - Geoderma
DO - 10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116053
UR - https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04321776v1
AB - The pivotal role of soil as a resource is not fully appreciated by the general public. Improving education in soil science represents a challenge in a world where soil resources are under serious threat. Today's high school students, the world's future landowners, agriculturalists, and decision makers, have the potential to change society's apathy towards soils issues. This research aimed to compare the level of soil education in high and/or secondary schools in forty-three countries worldwide, together comprising 62% of the world's population. Comparisons were made between soil science content discussed in educationally appropriate textbooks via a newly proposed soil information coefficient (SIC). Interviews with teachers were undertaken to better understand how soil science education is implemented in the classroom. Statistical analyses were investigated using clustering. Results showed that gaps in soil science education were most commonly observed in countries where soil science is a non-compulsory or optional subject. Soil science concepts are predominantly a part of geography or environmental science curricula. Consequently, considerable variability in soil science education systems among investigated countries exists. Soil information coefficient's outcomes demonstrated that a methodological approach combining textbooks and the use of modern digitally based strategies in the educational process significantly improved soil education performances. Overall, soil science education is under-represented in schools worldwide. Dynamic new approaches are needed to improve pivotal issues such as: i) promoting collaborations and agreements between high school and universities; ii) encouraging workshops and practical exercises such as field activities; and, iii) implementing technology tools. This, in turn, will prepare the next generation to contribute meaningfully towards solving present and future soil problems.
SN - 0016-7061
SN - 1872-6259
ER -