Abstract:

In the Law for National Education (Act No. 1739) which is still in force, it is specified that elementary and middle schools should be revised as primary schools. Geography education at primary school level is generally carried out through various courses such as life studies, social studies and science and technology. In this courses the aim of geography education is to help students understand the world's different places, natural structures, peoples, economies, and cultures, and the link and relationship that these have with students' own lives. Identifying how primary school students perceive geography will expand the insight we have about how geography education is delivered. So far, various studies have generally been conducted on how teachers or teacher candidates perceive geography. Considering the research in the literature, this study aims to determine how primary school students perceive geography. Designed along the survey model, this study has been completed with 332 students of 4 different primary schools located in the province of Ecuador. The results have shown that the dominant perception about geography was either of an earhtist or locationist view among the participants. The next common perception has been identified to be a globalist view, which can be considered as a positive change in our education system. On the other hand, the number of students who look at geography in accordance with interactionist view has been found to be really small; and no student who has an environmentalist view-which emphasizes problems and concerns about environmental issues-has been seen; also some of the participants have been determined to hold either incomplete or totally false perceptions about issues related to geography science.   Keywords: geography education, primary school students, geography perceptions.