 |
2588-7343
2645-4661
Volume 7 , Issue 1 (22-38)
Geoconservation Research (GCR)
https://dx.doi.org/1057647/j.gcr.2024.0701.02
Dony Adryansyah Nazaruddin1*
, Norhayati Ab Manaf 2
1Marine Geoscience Program, Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
2Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
*corresponding author: [email protected]
Received:
2023-08-31
Revised:
2023-10-25
Accepted:
2023-11-06
Published: 2024-04-08
© The Author(s) 2024
Kenyir Geopark in Terengganu, Malaysia, was recognized as the country’s ninth national geopark on May 30, 2023. Many stakeholders are now prepared to support conservation and development efforts in the geopark area. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) as a local public university has taken some initiatives to develop local and indigenous communities in the geopark area through education programs focused on geoscience, called geoeducation, in collaboration with the Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG) Terengganu and other agencies/ institutions. The most recent Sungai Berua Geoschool Project (SBGP), is part of a series of geoeducation programs dedicated to indigenous communities, primarily for school kids living in the Sungai Berua village, Hulu Terengganu district, and coordinated under the Service Learning Malaysia University for Society (SULAM) initiative. This project provided an opportunity for UMT lecturers and students, as well as related partners, to teach basic geoscience and geopark knowledge to indigenous students through a variety of teaching modules including pre- and post-program questionnaires, presentations by facilitators, geoeducational games, coloring pic- tures of the geopark, and creating geoproducts. This study had three main objectives: first, to investigate the interest of all involved parties in geoscience and geopark topics; second, to exam- ine teaching strategies and approaches to attract people to learn basic geoscience and geopark; and third, to analyze the project’s benefits. This kind of project has the potential to be organized continuously to encourage the engagement of local or indigenous communities to improve their quality of education and economic level.
Keywords:Geoeducation, Geoschool, Sungai Berua, Kenyir Geopark, SULAM
Kenyir Geopark spans 2,449 square kilometers in Hulu Terengganu district in Malaysia’s Terengga- nu state. It was declared as Malaysia’s ninth and most recent national geopark during the National Geopark Committee meeting on May 30, 2023. The recognition was given as part of the Geopark
Development Program launched by Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change (NRECC 2023). There are so far 15 geosites, 11 biosites, and 11 cultural sites, as well as one archaeological site in this national geopark (Nazaruddin et al. 2023; Fig. 1). Among the main geosites and features (Fig. 2), there is the Bewah Hill karst morphology above the greenish
Figure 1. Location map of Kenyir Geopark with its geosites, biosites, cultural, and archaeological sites.
Kenyir Lake and the stunning Bewah Cave with many marine fossils on its walls. Beautiful wa- terfalls abound in several portions of the geopark area and dinosaur footprints in the Mount Gagau area enhanced the quality of Kenyir Geopark. There are certain biosites with endemic flora and fauna, such as the Raflessia site in the Tem- bat Forest Reserve and some species of hornbills in the Hornbill Valley in Lawit Hill. Among the geopark’s cultural sites are the Terengganu In- scription Stone and the Sungai Berua indigenous community settlement. The only archaeological site of the geopark is the Bewah Cave where the skeleton of the 16,000-year-old first Terengganu pre-historic human (named “Bewah Man”) was unearthed.
The Kenyir Geopark has become the pride of the state government and the people of Terengga- nu, especially for the working committee of the geopark. However, the designation means much work for all stakeholders to conserve and devel- op the geopark area. Therefore, the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), through its Marine
Geoscience Program and Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, in collaboration with the Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG) of Terengganu and other agencies/institu- tions look forward to conserving and developing all selected sites as well as the entire geopark area, including local and indigenous communities. One of the community activities implemented was a geoeducation program called “Sungai Berua Geo- school Project” (SBGP), which was designed for indigenous school pupils in the Sungai Berua vil- lage, Hulu Terenganu district, Terengganu, Malay- sia on July 9, 2023.
The Orang Asli (indigenous community) in Penin- sular Malaysia has rich customs and cultures relat- ed to nature. This indigenous community residing in the Sungai Berua village consists of the Semaq Beri (dominant) and Batek tribes with a population of about 334 people consisting of 172 males and 162 females. Their village has been equipped with basic facilities and can be reached by a paved tar road. All the villagers are indigenous people liv- ing in around 100 houses provided by the govern-
Figure 2. Some geosites, biosites, and cultural sites as well as an archaeological site of Kenyir Geopark: A, B, C ) Bewah Hill with its Bewah Cave and coral fossils in its wall (geosite); D) Kenyir Lake landscape (geosite); E) Sekayu Waterfall (geosite); F) a dinosaur (iguanodontian) footprint in Mount Gagau area (geosite); G) species of Rafflesia cantleyi in the Tembat Forest Reserve (biosite); H) a species of hornbill in the Lawit Hill (biosite); I) Terengganu Inscription Stone, one of icons of Terengganu (cultural site); J) Orang Asli (indigenous people) in Sungai Berua village (cultural site); K, L) location of the settlement of the first Terengganu’s pre-historic human where the 16,000-year skeleton of the pre-historic human (“Bewah Man”) was discovered in the Bewah Cave (archaeological site).
This community service program was conducted under the Service Learning Malaysia Universi- ty for Society – Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (SULAM-UMT) as an initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia in partnership with UMT. Through this project, UMT lecturers and students as well as other related agencies/insti- tutions had an opportunity to teach fundamental
Some hypotheses of this study are as follows: first, all involved parties will demonstrate a greater in- terest in geoscience and geopark topics compared to those who do not participate; second, several teaching modules will attract involved people to study basic geoscience and geopark; and third, this project will positively impact participants and others involved. This study evaluates the project based on three primary goals: 1) To investigate the interest of all involved parties towards geosci- ence and geopark topics; 2) To examine teaching strategies and approaches to entice people to learn fundamental geoscience around the geopark; and
The concept of “geopark” emerged in the mid- 1990s in response to the need to preserve and enhance the value of geologically significant lo- cations in Earth’s history (UNESCO 2015). Since the early 21st Century, UNESCO promoted the geopark concept to conserve and enhance not only geological heritage but also natural and cultural heritage, while providing sustainable economic and social development (Martini 2009; Fornaro & Fernandes 2018). A geopark, according to GGN (2010), is a geographical area where geoheritage sites are administered with a holistic approach to protection, education, and sustainable develop- ment. The synergy between geological, biological, and cultural heritage must be emphasized as an es-
sential component of each geopark. According to Halim et al. (2011), geopark concept can be seen as a potential tool to bridge community marginal- ity and enhance livelihood sustainability. A set of programs should be initiated and planned to trans- late the geopark concept into action, such as edu- cational programs involving educational modules.
Geoparks provide opportunities to deliver edu- cation programs (specifically called “geoeduca- tion”) for all sectors and ages of society. Accord- ing to Andrasanu (2006), geoeducation is a form of education, formal or informal and a strong tool for successful geoconservation activities and the promotion of geosciences. A Geopark Manage- ment Toolkit (2023) provided that geoeducation programs can be organized in both indoor and out- door classrooms for teaching a wide range of basic geoscience knowledge and topics and developing an understanding of geopark concepts. Geoedu- cation is an ongoing process that offers “life-long learning” to residents and visitors which can be delivered in collaboration with existing education- al providers both within or outside the geopark and by engaging with other governmental and non-governmental bodies. Recently, several UN- ESCO Global and National Geoparks in the world have actively organized geoeducational programs. Geoeducation at the Gorontalo National Geopark in Indonesia aims to teach a variety of skills, to in- crease understanding of nature and other topics for children and adults. Several activities have been conducted for school students such as camping and visits to geothermal and lake sites (Geopark Gorontalo 2022). Singtuen et al. (2022) discussed the geoeducation activities at the Khon Kaen Na- tional Geopark which has a diversity of dinosaur fossils and other geological features. There were four geoeducational modules were conducted: a geodiversity one-day trip, geomorphological study trail, a geoethical site, and Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum visit for school and university students. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Langkawi Geopark
(2022) has always organized geoeducation pro- grams to nurture the young geoparkians including indigenous communities, institutions, and agen- cies by delivering information and hosting attrac- tive activities, such as geomangrove, geocoral, geoclub, geoteacher, geocamp, and so on.
Geoeducation programs can be implemented by the “geoschool” concept which was defined by Fermeli et al. (2011) as the name of a Euro- pean research project for innovative teaching of geoscience in (secondary) schools with the main objective of providing the geoscience education community with advice, assistance, and different educational aids, and so on. Geoschool refers to an EU project that brings together geoscientists and educators from universities, institutions, and other parties who can “translate” geosciences into terms and educational opportunities that school students can understand. In the geoschool projects, the main goals are to bridge the gap between scientif- ic knowledge and school knowledge in geoscienc- es, to improve teachers’ knowledge and students’ ability to appreciate and value the geosciences, and to enhance geoscience educational skills in the school environment. Fermeli et al. (2014) stat- ed that geoschool concept can investigate school students’ interest in geoscience and the teaching approaches used. The Secretaria Regional de Am- biente, Recursos Naturais e Alterações Climáticas (SRAAC 2016) stated that to improve geoscience knowledge, it is necessary for the participation of teachers, students, and the entire school commu- nity. Moreover, the mastery of local geological contents is required to understand the geological phenomena on a global scale. The main objectives of the geoschool are to know and understand the local geology, to improve teachers’ and students’ knowledge and skills in geoscience, to improve geoscience education in the surrounding environ- ment, and to assist the education for sustainabil- ity. Other than in European countries, geoschool project has also been developed in other parts of
the world. A geoschool project in Brazil started in 2002 to supply primary and middle school teach- ers with geological data, images, and maps of a certain region in a format of didactic materials as- sisted by computer support. Several assumptions included the lack of a specific discipline in Bra- zilian basic education that houses the geoscience contents, geoscience knowledge is confined to sparse insertions in the disciplines of geography and science, and there is a predominance of lec- tures, possibly illustrated by the teacher (Mon- teiro 2020). Meanwhile, the geoschool project at the Jeju Island UNESCO Global Geopark in the Republic of Korea began in 2018 aiming to raise awareness about geological heritage among com- munity members and school students and train lo- cals as geoguides at geosites. Geoschool can also refer to an education program for students who attend schools located near geosites or geoparks (Jeon et al. 2022). However, Carneiroet al. (2022) who have experienced two decades of learning with the geoschool project revealed several chal- lenges of conducting geoschool project such as precarious materials conditions, inadequate geo- scientific education of teachers, and students’ lack of enthusiasm.
The geoeducation program for the indigenous community SBGP in Kenyir Geopark, Tereng- ganu, Malaysia, fully funded by the Center of Knowledge Transfer and Industrial Linkages – Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (PIJI-UMT) under the SULAM-UMT, was presented to the public during a one-day event occurred 9th July 2023 at the SK Sungai Berua (school). As many as 38 facilitators, overseen by three UMT lecturers,
were registered in the SBGP among UMT year-2 and year-3 students from the Marine Geoscience Program, Faculty of Science and Marine Environ- ment. Twenty-two participants, selected among indigenous elementary school students, joined the SBGP. Five agencies/institutions, such as the De- partment of Orang Asli (Indigenous People) De- velopment (JAKOA), the Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG) Terengganu, the Terengganu State Forestry Department, and the Quety Qeeds Interactive Learning Center also participated to the program contributing to the success of the project. This study adhered to ethi- cal guidelines when conducting a research project that involves indigenous communities. Before this project started, researchers came to consult and discuss with JAKOA staff, the head of indigenous communities (called “Tok Batin”), and the school (SK Sungai Berua) headmaster in a planned meet- ing in the Sungai Berua village. The consultation and negotiation achieved a mutual understanding of our proposed project including the time, venue, participants, aims, methods, and potential bene- fits. All the above-mentioned parties also super- vised and accompanied researchers when activi- ties of the project were going on.
The SBGP was articulated in the following five modules:
Pre- and Post-Program Questionnaire.
Presentations by Facilitators.
Geoeducational Game.
Coloring Pictures of Geopark.
Creating Geoproducts.
Figure 3. Some materials used in different modules of this geoeducation program: A) laminated pictures for the “presentations by facilitators” module, B) different sets of dinosaur bone puzzles for the “geoeducational game” module, C) printed pictures and colored pencils for the “coloring geopark pictures” module; D) acrylic keychains for the “creating geoproducts” module; E) screw pine leaves to create some local products of indigenous community used during the “creating geoproducts” module.
Figure 4 depicts the activities carried out for each module.
A questionnaire was designed in advance for data collection of this study (see Supplementary Mate- rial). This in-person questionnaire was scheduled at the beginning and end of the program. The goal of this module was to assess the impacts of this geoeducation program on all parties involved, pri- marily indigenous pupils of Kenyir Geopark. This questionnaire was divided into three sections: gen-
Figure 4. Activities in all modules of Sungai Berua Geoschool: A, B) face-to-face (pre- and post-program) questionnaire; C, D) presentations by facilitators on basic geoscience and geopark topics; E, F) geoeducational game of dinosaur bone puzzles; G, H) coloring activity of geopark pictures; I, J) creating geoproducts (geopark merchandise) such as keychains and screw pine mat.
eral information of respondents, before (pre-) geo- education program assessment, and after (post-) geoeducation program assessment. According to the UW-Madison Division of Extension (2021), questionnaire results may be compared to illus- trate improvements in respondents’ knowledge and abilities before and after participation in this program.
To introduce the participants to basic geoscience
and geopark, facilitators were separated into nine groups and presented selected geoscience topics based on the geodiversity of Kenyir Geopark. The printed and laminated images or photos of geosites and features based on minerals, igneous, sedimen- tary, and metamorphic rocks, fossils, landforms/ landscapes, and geological deformations were utilized in several oral presentations (Fig.3A). A large poster of Kenyir Geopark provided by JMG Terengganu was displayed in the venue during the event. According to Elliot (2023), presenting im- ages (alongside text) is a way to make presenta- tions more eye-catching and will make the ideas feel more immediate, relevant, and positive feed- back. Visuals are crucial for a presentation to be interesting. If the audience only sees text, they will stop paying attention. Some tips for using images in the presentations are: use high-quality photos, practice consistency in tone (aesthetic quality of the images), avoid photos/images clutter, don’t use watermarked images, and keep it simple.
Geoeducational resources need to be funny and impressive for the teachings to be properly under- stood and retained (Mergili et al. 2023). Therefore, a game-based approach was created for the effec- tive and empirical dissemination of related knowl- edge during an organized event (Sütő et al. 2020). A geoeducational game called “dinosaur bone puzzles” was created to introduce participants to dinosaur fossils discovered in the Kenyir Geopark area, specifically in the Mount Gagau area (during the Gagau Scientific Expedition in 2014), which consisted of footprints of three different types of dinosaurs: iguanodontian, sauropod, and thero- pod. The participants were separated into six groups and given different puzzles (Fig. 3B).
Coloring books or sheets for children are geoed- ucation tools to present the topics in a funny and
interesting way (Frey 2021). A lot of pictures of important sites and features in Kenyir Geopark such as Bewah Hill, Bewah Cave, Lasir Water- fall, Ship Rock, Kenyir Lake, Rafflesia, and so on, were prepared for all participants to color. This module was designed to allow participants to ex- press their creativity and imagination about some of the geopark’s locations and features. Before the session began, the facilitators gave each partici- pant a black-and-white photo and colored pencils (Fig.3C).
The last module of the SBGP was practicing (hands-on) how to create geoproducts (or geopark merchandise). This activity was carried out to generate souvenirs and promotional goods for the Kenyir Geopark, such as keychains with im- ages of geopark sites and features (Fig. 3D) and other indigenous community products, such as
mats made of screw pine (Pandanus amaryllifo- lius) leaves (Fig. 3E). According to Rodrigues et al. (2021), geoproducts refer to produced goods or commercial services that draw inspiration from geodiversity of a territory. Geoproducts have a close relationship with the outstanding geolog- ical elements that define the area. Meanwhile, Rodrigues & Neto de Carvalho (2009) elaborated that as innovative products and marketing strate- gies, geoproducts can actively support the growth of local economies by playing a significant role in the geotourism, giving new experiences and long-lasting memories to geotourists. Geoprod- ucts may also combine traditional products with new ideas and perspectives.
Geoeducation research works by using question- naires are still scarce in the global community (for example Comănescu & Nedelea 2020; Sütő et al.
Figure 5. Respondent profile for Sungai Berua Geoschool project.
2020; and Georgousis et al. 2022). In the Malay- sian context, the concept of geoeducation itself is still poorly introduced and explained to the com- munities. Questionnaires have been already used for the assessment of geoeducation programs (for example Nawi et al. 2020 and Yusof et al. 2021), however, these studies were more on environmen- tal education.
In this current study, the impacts of the SBGP were thoroughly evaluated by using a questionnaire be- fore (pre-) and after (post-) the program. Analysis of the questionnaire was separated into three sec- tions based on the three parts of the questionnaire.
38 respondents among the UMT student facil- itators;
22 respondents among the indigenous students of SK Sungai Berua;
5 respondents among the Geoscientists/Lectur- ers from UMT and JMG Terengganu;
5 respondents among the components of the Government staff from SK Sungai Berua/school (headmaster, teacher, and admin staff), JAKOA (staff), and Terengganu State Forestry Department (staff).
Interviewers were the 38 UMT student facilitators. They asked questions in person to respondents of geoscientists/lecturers, government staff working in the Sungai Berua village, and indigenous pupils living in the village. Meanwhile, UMT students completed the questionnaires on their own.
Respondents were classified by gender, age, and level of education (Table 1). Of 70 selected re- spondents, 31 (44.3%) were male and 39 (55.7%)
female, indicating a quite balanced gender distri- bution. However, there were more female respon- dents because UMT had more female than male students, a prevalent phenomenon of the gender gap in Malaysia’s public institutions (Tienxhi 2017). In terms of age, 16 respondents (22.8%) were children under the age of ten, 6 respondents (8.6%) were 11-15 years old, 38 respondents
(54.3%) were 21-25 years old, and 10 respondents (14.3%) were beyond the age of 30. The majority of respondents (47 people or 67.1%) had tertiary education or university level, just one respondent (1.4%) had pre-university level, and 22 respon- dents (31.4%) were school pupils (indigenous community).
Category | Frequency (f) | Percentage (%) | |
Gender | Male | 31 | 44.3 |
Female | 39 | 55.7 | |
Age | ≤ 10 years old | 16 | 22.8 |
11 – 15 years old | 6 | 8.6 | |
16 – 20 years old | 0 | 0 | |
21 – 25 years old | 38 | 54.3 | |
26 – 30 years old | 0 | 0 | |
> 30 years old | 10 | 14.3 | |
Educa- tion | Not attend school | 0 | 0 |
Primary School | 22 | 31.4 | |
Secondary School | 0 | 0 | |
Pre-University | 1 | 1.4 | |
Tertiary Educa- tion | 47 | 67.1 |
Pre-program assessment showed that the majori- ty of respondents (58 people or 82.8%) were in- terested in learning about the Earth (geoscience) because they were all geoscientists/lecturers (5 respondents), government staff components (5 re-
spondents), UMT students of Marine Geoscience Program (38 respondents), and some indigenous students (10 out of 22 kids). Seven (10%) and five (7.2%) indigenous students were not interested and were unsure about learning this subject. Like many others, several indigenous students were in- terested in learning the subject, most likely because as local or indigenous communities, they had con- nections to geological sites and features in the en- vironment they lived in or around, and they loved to be outdoors (Gorokhovich & Learning 2013). In the meantime, the majority of respondents (53 people or 75.7%) had ever previously studied geology, mostly through subjects of science and geography in schools and geoscience subjects in universities, including UMT students enrolled in the Marine Geoscience Program. Meanwhile, 17 respondents (24.3%) had never studied the Earth before. When asked about their plans, all respon- dents, including geoscientists/lecturers (5 respon- dents) and government employees (5 respondents) stated that they desired to improve their careers in their respective disciplines. The majority of UMT students (22 out of 38) planned to be geoscientists or geologists in the future, while the remainder desired to work in other geoscience-related fields. According to Gray et al. (2021), there are several reasons why geoscience students still want to stay in this major and become geoscientists, among others: personal interests, influence by others, and introductory classes attracted them to this field. Meanwhile, many indigenous students aspired to be teachers, police officers, and other well-known professions. The SBGP showed that the profession of geoscientist/geologist is still not a popular job in Malaysia as listed by UOW Malaysia (2023).
As many as 55 respondents (78.6%) were aware that the Kenyir area had been designated as a na- tional geopark in Malaysia, whereas 15 respondents (21.4%) were unaware. This high percentage is plausible owing to a number of factors, including:
1) Involvement of geoscientists/lecturers (from
UMT and JMG Terengganu) in the working com- mittee of Kenyir Geopark; 2) participation of gov- ernment staff (from the national school, JAKOA, and the State Forestry Department) in several ac- tivities within the geopark area; 3) UMT students learned about Kenyir Geopark mostly through their lecturers (such as Nazaruddin et al. 2023) and online news such as broadcasted by The Star (www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/06/01/ tasik-kenyir--now-a-national--geopark), Astro Awani (www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/ tasik-kenyir-diiktiraf-sebagai-geopark-kebang- saan-421937), and Sinar Harian (www.sinarha- rian.com. my/article/261134/edisi/terengganu/ tasik-kenyir-diiktiraf-sebagai-geopark-kebang- saan), and so on or social media such as face- book of Bulletin TV3 (www.facebook.com/ BuletinTV3Official/posts/7206232772725175), twitter of BFM News (twitter.com/NewsBFM/ status/1663930978216329216), and instagram of Beautiful Terengganu Malaysia (www. instagram. com/p/Cs5qELyPu5j/). Only one UMT student was unaware of the news. Meanwhile, just eight of the 22 indigenous pupils understood the status of the Kenyir area due to the information from oth- ers. Nevertheless, the awareness and knowledge of indigenous people, including indigenous students, can contribute to the sustainable management of geopark (Pásková 2018).
When asked which sites in Kenyir Geopark they visited, the majority of respondents (58 people or 82.9%) visited Kenyir Lake, the most famous des- tination in the geopark area which has previously been gazetted as one of ecotourism sites in Malay- sia (for example Adam et al. 2019). Meanwhile, 38 people (54.3%) visited Bewah Cave, 37 peo- ple (52.9%) visited Sekayu Waterfall, 19 people (27.1%) visited Lasir Waterfall, 14 people (20%) visited Lata Buweh Waterfall, 10 people (14.3%) visited Saok Waterfall, and six people (8.6%) vis- ited other places such as Rafflesia site, Mahseer Sanctuary in Pertang River, Chetai Hill, and Chi-
for pre-program assessment.
Analysis of post-program assessment disclosed that after taking part in the SBGP, 63 respondents (90%) were interested in learning about the Earth (or geoscience), with an increase of five respon- dents (7.2%) compared to 58 respondents (82.8%) who were interested in learning about the subject before the program. This growing number was likely contributed by indigenous students who were enthusiastic about the program’s modules. Meanwhile, seven respondents (10%; all of them
Figure 6. Summary of respondents’ responses to questions for the pre-geoeducation program assessment.
were indigenous pupils) were unsure. Generally, indigenous students in Malaysia have low moti- vational levels to study (Salleh et al. 2009), there- fore, it is important to carry out educational pro- grams with attractive modules that can increase their motivation and enthusiasm. Of the five top- ics presented by the facilitators to the indigenous students, “fossils” was chosen as the favorite topic by 18 respondents (25.7%) because many respon- dents, particularly school students, were obsessed with fossils after seeing some pictures of dinosaur fossils during the program. This was consistent with Marples’s (2021) assertion that children will experience a time of hyperfixation, referred to as “imagination-based play” during which they will become intensely engaged in things such as dino- saurs. Other respondents preferred “landforms/ landscapes” (17 respondents or 24.3%), “rocks”
(16 respondents or 22.8%), “minerals” (10 re- spondents or 14.3%), and “geological deforma- tions” (nine respondents or 12.9%).
When asked which method of teaching and learn- ing was their favorite, 20 respondents (28.6%; of indigenous students and UMT students) chose “coloring pictures of geopark”. Coloring exercise gives a medium for children to express themselves or show off their creativity. This simple and fun activity may strengthen their motor skills as well as provide kids with the thrill of producing art- work (Ahmed 2023). Other favorite modules were “educational game” (18 respondents or 25.7%), “presentations by facilitators” (17 respondents or 24.3%), and “creating geoproducts” (15 respon-
dents or 21.4%).
In terms of their interest in becoming a geosci- entist, most respondents (54 people or 77.1%) said they were interested in their current jobs as geoscientists or in becoming geoscientists in the future. Meanwhile, 10 respondents (14.3%; all indigenous students) were uninterested in this work, while six others (8.6%; a UMT lecturer in
social anthropology and five government staff) were not related to this job for their future. When asked which site in the Kenyir Geopark area they would like most to visit, 28 respondents (40%) chose Kenyir Lake, 21 respondents (30%) for Be- wah Cave, seven respondents (10%) for Sekayu Waterfall, and each four respondents (5.7%) for Saok Waterfall, Lasir Waterfall, and Lata Buweh Waterfall, as well as two respondents (2.9%) did not know which site they preferred to visit.
Geoeducation programs are important tools for developing principally human resources in the Kenyir Geopark. When comparing before and af-
Figure 7. Summary of responses of the respondents on questions for the post-geoeducation program assessment.
ter the SBGP, there was an increase in the number of people interested in learning about the Earth (geoscience). During the project, the favorite geoscience and geopark topics included fossils, landforms/landscapes, rocks, minerals, and geo- logical deformations. In terms of teaching meth- ods (or modules), “coloring pictures of geoparks” was the most favorite one to entice participants to learn fundamental geoscience and about geoparks during the project, followed by “educational game”, “presentations by facilitators”, and “creat- ing geoproducts”. This project was beneficial to all parties involved, such as getting basic knowledge on geoscience and geopark, having fun, providing an opportunity to talk to different people, motiva- tion to contribute to education, getting meals and souvenirs, motivation to study, and other benefits.
The assessment of this geoeducation program for indigenous students in the Kenyir Geopark also brought broader implications that extend beyond the immediate research context. This successful SBGP can serve as an example of an educational
program to bridge the gap of knowledge between indigenous and non-indigenous students. Such a program also empowers indigenous students by equipping them with knowledge of fundamental geoscience and geopark for their roles and in- volvements in their geopark development. For the potential long-term effects, it is expected that in- digenous students and communities who received this geoeducation program may be more likely to pursue higher education and careers related to geo- science and geopark, to generate incomes within the geopark area for their life improvement, and so on.
We express our gratitude to PIJI-UMT for sup- porting our geoeducation program as part of the SULAM-UMT project. The authors would also like to thank the Department of Orang Asli (In- digenous People) Development (JAKOA) for per- mitting and assisting us in organizing this project with an indigenous community in the Sungai Be-
rua village, Hulu Terengganu district, Terengga- nu, Malaysia.
Conceptualization: Dony Adryansyah Nazaruddin and Norhayati Ab Manaf. Data collectionand analysis: Dony Adryansyah Nazaruddin and Norhayati Ab Manaf. Writ- ing – original draft preparation, review and editing: Dony Adryansyah Nazaruddin.
The authors declare that they have no con- flicts of interest.
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Li- cense, which permits use, sharing, adapta- tion, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give ap- propriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third-par- ty material in this article is included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the ar- ticle’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the OICCPress publisher. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4.0
Adam SM, Shuib A, Ramachandran R, Kunase- karan P (2019). Impacts of Ecotourism Devel- opment in Tasik Kenyir on the Quality of Life as Perceived by the Local Community. Journal of Sustainability Science and Management. 14
(3): 100-109.
Ahmed A (2023). 13 Amazing Advantages of Coloring Pages for Your Child’s Develop- ment. MomJunction Private Limited. https:// www.momjunction.com/articles/amazing-ad- vantages-coloring-pages-childs-develop- ment_0086656/. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
Andrasanu A (2006). Basic Concepts in Geocon- servation. In Csiki Z (ed). Mesozoic and Ce- nozoic Vertebrates and Paleoenvironments – Tributes to the career of Dan Grigorescu (pp. 37-41). Ars Docendi.
Carneiro CDR, Barbosa R, Amendola DF, Cas- tilho-Barbosa INB (2022). Two Decades of Learning with the Geo-School Project: A Jour- ney to Introduce Geoscience into Schools. Ciência & Educação (Bauru). 28: e22007. https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-731320220007.
Comănescu L, Nedelea A (2020). Geoheritage and Geodiversity Education in Romania: Formal and Non-Formal Analysis Based on Question- naires. Sustainability. 12: 9180. https://doi. org/10.3390/su12219180
Elliot J (2023). A Guide to Using Images and Pho- tos for Powerpoint. Noun Project. https://blog. thenounproject.com/a-guide-to-using-images- and-photos-for-powerpoint/ Retrieved August 24, 2023.
Fermeli G, Meléndez G, Calonge A, Dermitzakis M, Steininger F, Koutsouveli A, Neto de Car- valho C, Rodrigues J, D’Arpa C, Di Patti C (2011). Geoschools: Innovative Teaching of Geosciences in Secondary Schools and Rais- ing Awareness on Geoheritage in the Society. In Fernández-Martínez E and Castaño de Luis
R (eds.) Avances y retos en la conservación del Patrimonio Geológico en España (pp. 120- 124). Actas de la IX Reunión Nacional de la Comisión de Patrimonio Geológico (Sociedad Geológica de España). Universidad de León.
Fermeli G, Steininger F, Dermitzakis M, Melén- dez G, Page K (2014). Literacy and Students’ Interest on Geosciences - Findings and Results of GEOschools Project. Geophysical Research Abstracts. 16, EGU2014-8678, EGU General Assembly 2014.
Fornaro A, Fernandes AM (2018). Geoparks: from Conception to the Teaching of Geoscienc- es. Terrae Didatica. 14: 330-338. https://doi. org/10.20396/td.v14i3.8653533 .
Frey M-L (2021). Geotourism—Examining Tools for Sustainable Development. Geosciences, 11, 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/geoscienc- es11010030.
Geopark Gorontalo (2022). Geo-education. https://geopark.gorontaloprov.go.id/addition- al-information/geo-education/. Retrieved Oc- tober 23, 2023.
Geopark Management Toolkit (2023). Geo-ed- ucation. Interreg Atlantic Area Atlan- tic Geopark. https://www.geoparktoolkit. org/%E2%80%AFgeo-education/. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
Georgousis E, Savelidi M, Savelides S, Mosios S, Holokolos M-V, Drinia H (2022). How Greek Students Perceive Concepts Related to Geo- environment: A Semiotics Content Analysis. Geosciences (Switzerland),.12. https://doi. org/10.3390/geosciences12040172 .
GGN (Global Geoparks Network) (2010). Guide- lines and Criteria for National Geoparks Seek- ing UNESCO’s Assistance to Join the Global Geoparks Network (GGN). UNESCO.
Gorokhovich Y, Learning L (2013). 2. Why do people study geology? Geology 101 for Leh-
man College (CUNY). Pressbooks.
Gray RE, Riche AT, Shinnick-Gordon IJ, Sample JC (2021). The reasons women choose and stay in a geology major: a qualitative multi- case analysis. Innovation and Education. 3. 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42862-021-00010-2
Halim SA, Komoo I, Salleh H, and Omar M (2011). The Geopark as a Potential Tool for Alleviating Community Marginality: A Case Study of Langkawi Geopark, Malaysia. Shima: The International Journal of Research into Is- land Cultures. 5:94-113.
IGGP (International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme) (2023). Connecting geoparks’ lo- cal communities through Earth Heritage Edu- cation in four continents (4GEON). IGCP Proj- ect 751. UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/ en/iggp/igcp-projects/751. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
Jeon Y, Koh J-G, Southcott D (2022). A Case Study of Geopark Activation through Geobrand- ing and Geotrails at the Jeju Island UNESCO Global Geopark, Republic of Korea. IUGS Episodes Journal of International Geoscience. 46(2):211-227. https://doi.org/10.18814/epii- ugs/2022/022024.
Karkut JR (2018). Policy Tectonics: Theory and Enactment Around the Model for UNESCO Global Geoparks. Dissertation, University of Roehampton, United Kingdom.
Kenyir Geopark Main Committee (2023). Dosier Permohonan sebagai Geopark Kebangsaan: Kenyir Geopark (Application Dossier as a Na- tional Geopark: Kenyir Geopark – in Malay). Unpublished.
Langkawi Geopark (2022). GeoEducation. https:// langkawigeopark.com.my/geoeducation-2022/ Retrieved October 23, 2023.
Marples M (2021). Dinosaurs are Colossal Beings that Shaped Our Childhood. Psychologists
Share Why They Capture Kids’ Hearts. CNN Health. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/24/ health/dinosaur-psychology-children-well- ness-scn/ index. Html. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
Martini G (2009). Geoparks… A Vision for the Future. Geologia USP. Publicação Especial.5: 85-90. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316- 9087.v5i0p85-90
Mergili M, Pfeffer H, Köstner J, Gosch L, Kellerer-Pirklbauer A, Eulenstein J, Gulas O (2023). Immersive Virtual Reality Gaming for Geoeducation: Proof-of-Concept for the Pre- historic Wildalpen Rock Avalanche, Austria. EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-2743. https://doi. org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2743.
Monteiro VA (2020). Geo-school Project: Educa- tional Technologies to Teach Geoscience. The Educational Review, US. 4(3):45-53. https:// doi.org/10.26855/er.2020.03.001
Nawi A, Mohd Yaakob MF, Yusof MR, Ren CC, Abd Hadi F-S, Zakariya Z, Subramaniam TS, and Jaini A (2020). The Needs of Geo-Edu- cation Module for Trainee Teachers: A Pre- liminary Study. Universal Journal of Educa- tional Research. 8(9): 3902-3906. https://doi. org/10.13189/ujer.2020.080914
Nazaruddin DA, Baharim NB, Rahman MNIA, Atan MNA, Shahimi S, Manaf NA (2023). Geological, Biological, and Cultural Heritage Site Identification for the Development of the Kenyir Aspiring Geopark, Terengganu, Malay- sia. In Abstract of the 4th Geotourism Festival & International Conference (pp. 6), Lombok (Indonesia), 20-23 July 2023.
NRECC (Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry) (2023). Kenyir Geopark Diiktiraf sebagai Geopark Kebang- saan (Kenyir Geopark Recognized as a Nation- al Geopark). NRECC Press Release on 2 Jun
2023.
Pásková M (2018). Can Indigenous Knowledge Contribute to the Sustainability Management of the Aspiring Rio Coco Geopark, Nica- ragua? Geosciences. 8 (8):277. https://doi. org/10.3390/geosciences8080277
Rodrigues J and Neto de Carvalho C (2009). Geo- products in Geopark Naturtejo. In: Neto de Carvalho C and Rodrigues J (eds.). New chal- lenges of geotourism. In Proceedings of the VIII European Geoparks Conference (pp. 82- 86). Finland: Idanha-a-Nov.
Rodrigues J, Neto de Carvalho C, Ramos M, Ramos R, Vinagre A, and Vinagre H (2021). Geoproducts–Innovative Development Strat- egies in UNESCO Geoparks: Concept, Im- plementation Methodology, and Case Studies from Naturtejo Global Geopark, Portugal. In- ternational Journal of Geoheritage and Parks. 9(1):108-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ij- geop.2020.12.003.
Salleh MJ, Idris NK, Abd Aziz NA, Yusuf NH, and Hashim SA (2009). Kajian Terhadap Kese- daran Pendidikan Di Kalangan Masyarakat Orang Asli. Persidangan Kebangsaan Pendi- dikan Luar Bandar 2009 (pp. 1-15).
Singtuen V, Vivitkul N, and Junjuer T (2022). Geoeducational assessments in Khon Kaen National Geopark, Thailand: Implication for geoconservation and geotourism development. Heliyon. 8(12): e12464.
SRAAC (Secretaria Regional de Ambiente, Re- cursos Naturais e Alteracoes Climaticas) (2016). GEOschool. https://geodiversidade. madeira.gov.pt/en/geoeducation-2/geoescolas. html. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
Sütő L, Ésik Z, Nagy R, Homoki E, Novák TJ, and Szepesi J (2020). Promoting Geoheritage Through a Field-Based Geo-education Event: A Case Study of the Hungarian Geotope Day in the Bükk Region Geopark. Geoconservation
Research. 3(2):81-96. https://doi.org/10.30486/ gcr.2020.1906171.1029 .
Tienxhi JY (2017). The Gender Gap in Malay- sian Public Universities: Examining The ‘Lost Boys’. Journal of International and Comparative Education. 6:1-16. https://doi. org/10.14425/JICE.2017.6.1.0116
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) (2023). Sustainable Development Goals: The SDGs in Action. https://www.undp.org/sus- tainable-development-goals. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientif- ic and Cultural Organization) (2015). Statutes of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme. Unesdoc.uneco.org/ark:/48223/ pf0000260675. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
UOW (University of Wollongong) Malaysia (2023). Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in Ma- laysia. https://www.uow.edu.my/blog/high- est-paying-jobs-in-malaysia/. Retrieved Au- gust 27, 2023.
UW-Madison Division of Extension (2021). Using the Retrospective Post-then-Pre Questionnaire Design. https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/pro- gramdevelopment/files/2021/12/Retrospective Post- then-Pre.pdf. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
714. 10.11591/ijere.v10i2.20706.