Geographical Reasoning and Learning: Perspectives on Curriculum and Cartography from South America (International Perspectives on Geographical Education)

This book presents the distinctive theoretical and methodological approaches in geography education in South America and more specifically in Brazil, Chile and Colombia. It highlights cartography and maps as essential tools and provides a meaningful approach to learning in geographical education, thereby giving children and young people the opportunity to better understand their situations, contexts and social conditions. The book describes how South American countries organize their scholar curriculum and the ways in which they deal with geography vocabulary and developing fundamental concepts, methodologies, epistemological comprehension on categories, keywords and themes in geography. It also describes its use in teachers’ practices and learning progressions, the use of spatial representations as a potent mean to visualize and solve questions, and harnesses spatial thinking and geographical reasoning development. The book helps to improve teaching and learning practices in primary and secondary education and as such it provides an interesting read for researchers, students, and teachers of geography and social studies. Contents Geography Education in South America: Curricular Frameworks, Categories of Analysis and the Role of School Cartography Introduction Changes in the Significance and Perspectives of Geography Education The Contents of This Book Conclusions For a Powerful Geography in the Brazilian National Curriculum Introduction The Context of Educational Policy in Brazil Geographic Reasoning Constructed on Real Situations Geography in the Brazilian Common Core Curriculum The Impact of the BNCC on Academic Research in Brazilian Geography Conclusion References The Challenges Faced by the Re-contextualisation of a National Curriculum in Local Contexts: An Approach Based on the Brazilian Case Introduction The Brazilian National Curriculum and the Diversity Issue Bernstein’s Contribution: Contexts, Texts and Communication Codes at School The Policies of Equality and Diversity, and the Brazilian National School Curriculum The Principles and Stances of School Geography in the Context of Inequality and Diversity Final Notes: On Understanding the World and Oneself References Opportunities and Limitations for Spatial Justice in the Chilean National School Curriculum: An Overview of the Technologies Used in Geography Teaching Introduction The Chilean School Curriculum in Geography The Completion of a Cycle Socio-spatial Justice as Possibility and Meaning for the Learning of Geography A Model for the Comprehension of Subjectivity, Analysing the Curriculum for Spatial Justice: Landscapes of Internalisation for the Production of Technologies Analysis of the Chilean Curricular Bases Results—First Cycle of Elementary Education Ready-Made Technologies of Location Technologies of Personal Orientation Technologies of Discovery Summary of the Cycle and the Problem of Spatial Justice Through the Analysis of Technologies Results—Second Cycle Technologies of Representation, Adaptation, and Transformation Technologies of Classification: Physical Description of Chile with a Deterministic Approach Technologies of Risk Technologies of the Political-Administrative Region Summary of the Second Cycle Results—Third Cycle (Chilean Secondary Education) Summary of the Third Cycle Technologies of Contemporary Geography Conclusions References The Social Sciences Curriculum in Colombia: A Proposal for the Strengthening of Geography Teaching in the Country Introduction A Review of Geography Teaching Policy in Colombia The Gradual Disappearance of Geography The Gradual Disappearance of Geography Geography Teaching: Legislation and School Curricula Transformations of the Educational Legislation on the Social Sciences in Colombia Curricular Proposals at Specific Educational Institutions The Conceptual and Methodological Proposal What to Teach? How to Teach It? A Curricular Proposal for Geography Teaching in Colombia Reflection on the Use of Resources Such as Textbooks Conclusions References The Path of School Cartography in Brazilian Geographic Education Introduction School Cartography in Brazil The Dissemination of Cartography to Children and Students The Power of School Cartography: From Mental Maps to Thematic Maps School Cartography and Spatial Thinking: Future Movements References Spatial Thinking: A Bibliometric Analysis (1970–2019) Introduction Methods Results Discussion Final Considerations References Dealing with Words to Deal with the World: How Can We Use the Geographic Education Vocabulary in Learning Pathways? Introduction The Taxonomy of Spatial Thinking: Linking Geographic Information Words on Maps: Maps as Layers of Geographic Information Dealing with Words: A Spatial Vocabulary? Dealing with the World: Learning the Outcomes of Pathways Stage 1: Perception Stage 2: Situation and Location Stage 3: Investigation Stage 4: Creation and Action Summary Conclusions References Territory: Pedagogical Potential for Civic Training and Political participation Introduction What is Meant by “Territory”? Associated Concepts: Necessary Limits Territory: Material Path and Semanticised Social Construct Territorial Studies: Pedagogical Potential for Geographical Education Conclusions References The Landscape as a Social Construct for the Teaching of Geography Introduction Landscape in Geography: Sociocultural and Biophysical Interactions School Geography and the Teaching of the Concept of Landscape in Colombia Landscape as an Alternative to Geography Teaching and Geographical Education in Colombia Final Considerations References Place as a Spatial Category for Geographic Education Introduction The Need for a Category Questioning the Reference of Sense Questioning Mutual Implication Equipping the Category with a Theory Place Like Methodological Artefact Place and the Development of Spatial Thinking Place and the Regimes of Representation Conclusion References Scientific Literacy in Geography: The Use of Indicators for the Assessment of Learning Introduction Geographic Literacy Indicators Data Processing and Application Results of the Application of the Geographic Literacy Indicators (GLI) Analysis of an Excerpt from Learning Situation I Analysis of an Excerpt of the Reapplication of Learning Situation I Conclusions References The Role of Language in the Construction of Spatial Thinking in Early Childhood Education Introduction Spatial Thinking and Language: Symbolic Mediation Research and Teaching Practices Children and Cartography: Answers Final Considerations References Geography Textbooks in Brazil and the Development of Spatial Thinking in School Students Using Maps and Images Introduction Brazilian Geography Textbooks and Spatial Thinking: The Approach of the Present Study Forms of Spatial Representation Found in the Geography Textbooks Activities that Require Spatial Thinking in the Geography Textbooks Levels of Reasoning in the Questions that Require Spatial Thinking Cartography and Spatial Thinking in the Textbooks Conclusion References Indicators of Scientific Literacy in Geographic Education Introduction Scientific Literacy in Geographic Education Geographic Reasoning What Are the SLGE Indicators? Final Considerations References Cultural Manifestations in the City: Building a Critical Perception of Space Introduction Dialogue Between the City and Its Graffiti The Study: Taking a Path The City Re-signifies Learning The Strategy in the Classroom: Mental Maps Analysis Conclusions References The Role of Argumentation in the Building of Concepts of Territory and Citizenship Introduction The Theoretical Framework: Territory and Citizenship Territory and Citizenship The Teaching and Learning Framework: Argumentation and Problem-Solving Field Procedures: Collecting the Written Output of the Students Study Results and Data Analysis Final Considerations References Educational Resources in Geography Classes and Reflections on the Teaching Practices Used to Promote Student Learning Introduction The Educational Process and the Development of Spatial Thinking Methods The Research Context Analysis of the Results Conclusions References Cartographic Language in the Context of Geography Teaching in Brazil Introduction Geography at School: Procedures and Learning Cartographic Language and Geography Teaching Methods Didactic Situation: Theoretical and Methodological Bases for the Development of the Pedagogical Workshops Development of the Didactic Situation Description of the Didactic Situation Discussion Conclusions References Perspectives on Brazilian Geography and Cartography Education Research Introduction The Colloquium on Cartography for Children and Students: Some Background The Initial Joint Conference: Different Languages in the Contemporary World A Range of Contributions Cartography, Geography and Spatial Thinking: Research for the Future Conclusion References