Syllabus
Study of the didactics of Geography connects to the knowledge and skills gained in the first three years of the study of geography teaching and to the absolutorium of aggregated exam in pedagogy and psychology. The study of the didactics of geography is followed by pedagogical practice in the fourth and fifth years. The study is evaluated by credits and it is finished by state final exam. The aims of the subject The main aim of the didactics of geography is to contribute to students' capability to teach geography at both four-year and eight-year secondary schools. We perceive geography teaching as a form of bringing up (including education) and teacher's activity as a creating of conditions for constructive educational activity of a pupil. Didactical themes (and resulting tasks) are therefore presented and practised in a broader geographic-didactic-pedagogic-psychological context. The intent of the didactics of geography is to contribute to that that student: - can perceive the world in its integrity which provides a base necessary for knowledge integration, well thought out selection of main educational trends, themes, methods, and forms of education, ways of evaluating, etc. - can outline geography education in a broader context (National strategy of education, geography as a scientific discipline, pedagogical documents, conditions and needs of school, needs of particular pupils). - can transform scientific knowledge into school practice (in accordance with given objectives select curriculum, methods and forms of education, ways of evaluation). - can motivate students to learn generally, can arouse deeper interest in geography and geographical themes, can enrich interest activities of students. - knows possible alternative approaches to the education of geography and could use those ones that are adequate to particular setting. - knows various methods of geography teaching and their dependences and could be able to use them in a particular situation. - would be able of self-reflexion, consciousness of own activity and the way of consideration. - can evaluate students' performance, the process of teaching/learning and own activity according to the criteria set in advance. Knows "qualities" of different evaluating methods and their usage and is able to justify their usage on the base of arguments. - can understand the problems of basic school and the particularity of geography teaching at secondary school. - should want and can take active part in professional discussions concerning the problems of school including geography teaching and preparation of school documents, etc. - should want and be able to decide freely and responsibly (in the role of a teacher) in the frame of autonomous school. Thematic focus of seminars
1) General approaches to the content of education. Conception of geography teaching in the context of different educational theories.
2) Main current issues in geographical education in the world and in Czechia. Tradition and prospects. International Charter of Education in Geography of the IGU. National Strategy of Education ("White Book").
3) The aims of geography teaching - sense, conception, and the ways of setting educational aims. Examples of target structures for secondary and basic schools.
4) Key competences (specific and general) in geography teaching at secondary and basic schools: the conception of education based on activity - practice and firming of general and particularly geographical skills. Types of activities, the way of evaluating. Meaning for life.
5) Pedagogical documents (function, content, form, creative usage): geographical standards/Frame educational programmes, educational programmes, geography curricula for basic and secondary schools.
6) Geography textbooks: criteria of their evaluation, good knowledge and evaluation of textbooks and workbooks published by Czech Geographical Society Publisher.
7) Preparation for teaching of geography: didactic analysis of selected thematic units of regional character and of physical and social geography. Application of constructivist model of teaching and learning.
8) Problems considering approach to the conception of the content, methods, and forms of geography teaching. Project teaching: educational and bringing up senses, aims, and meaning for life.
9) Methods and forms of geography teaching at secondary and basic schools, their conditionality to the aims of education.
10) Evaluation in geography teaching: functions, sense, and relation to the aim of education, traditional and new forms of evaluating. Differentiate approach to verifying of performances and evaluation of students. Self-evaluation.
11) Tests: meaning and creation of tests and their evaluating. The typology of geographical questions and tasks.
12) Region-geographical study at generally educational school: sense and aims, concept and content of teaching at basic and secondary schools at hierarchical differentiation of a village, local region, and the world.
13) Physic- and socio-geographical curricula: aims, content, methods and forms of teaching, means of illustration, and field practice.
14) The environment in geographical education: sense and aims of teaching, content, methods and forms. Natural and social components of the environment. Environmental education and its tools.
15) A Level in geography: the conception of A Level questions, forms of examining. A Levels in developed European countries, the prospects of A Level conception in Czechia.
16) Computers in geography teaching and at work of a teacher. Existing programmes and their usage, Internet. Conditions for credit obtaining (winter and summer terms): Presence at three-hour seminars (75 %), submitting the portfolio of written works according to the assignment, course (year-long) project chosen individually, and final written test.
Annotation
Main problems of geographical education, traditional and perspective approaches. Valid pedagogical documents. Meaning, aims, interpretation, and content of principal themes on basic and secondary schools. General and specific key qualifications. Methods and forms of geography teaching. Geography textbooks, school atlases, and other educational sources. Creation and using of tests. A level. Projecting of educational programmes and individual forms of teaching. Strategy of students grading (evaluating).
References
HUNTEROVÁ, M. (1999): Účinné vyučování v kostce. Portál, Praha.
KŰHNLOVÁ, H. (1999): Kapitoly z didaktiky geografie. Karolinum, Praha.
KŰHNLOVÁ, H. (1995): Zeměpis pro život. Pracovní učebnice. Nakl. ČSGS, Praha.
PASH, M. a kol. (1998): Od vzdělávacího programu k vyučovací hodině. Portál, Praha.
PETTY,G. (1996): Moderní vyučování. Portál, Praha.