TY - JOUR
T1 - On Education and Geographers
T2 - The Role of Cognitive Developmental Theory in Geographic Education
AU - Downs, Roger M.
AU - Daggs, Debra G.
AU - Liben, Lynn S.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to acknowledge the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and would like to thank all of the teachers, administrators, chil- dren, and parents who made this work possible. Downsand Liben aregrateful to the National Institute of Education for financial support (under Grant #NIE-G-83-0025)for the research reported here. Anyopin-ions, findings and conclusions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute or the Department of Education.
PY - 1988/12
Y1 - 1988/12
N2 - The current focus on geographic ignorance within the discipline and within the mass media offers another opportunity to reform the teaching of geography at all grade levels. Previous reforms have met with little success. We argue that current efforts will succeed only if we integrate ideas from geography, child development, and education. Programs of geographic education must link geographic content with an understanding of the nature of the learner and with the expectations and knowledge of the teacher. We illustrate this argument using the Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary Schools (1984). The concept of a map is central to the Guidelines: of 30 suggested learning outcomes for kindergarten through second grade, 13 depend upon understanding maps. We explore early map understanding by linking Piagetian developmental theory, cartographic theory, and educational practice. We discuss empirical data on the young child's (1) understanding of maps as graphic representations, (2) ability to use a classroom map, and (3) ability to understand the concept of geographic hierarchy. Successful reform of the geographic curriculum is possible if we match an understanding of geographic content with an appreciation of the development of logical and spatial skills in children.
AB - The current focus on geographic ignorance within the discipline and within the mass media offers another opportunity to reform the teaching of geography at all grade levels. Previous reforms have met with little success. We argue that current efforts will succeed only if we integrate ideas from geography, child development, and education. Programs of geographic education must link geographic content with an understanding of the nature of the learner and with the expectations and knowledge of the teacher. We illustrate this argument using the Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary Schools (1984). The concept of a map is central to the Guidelines: of 30 suggested learning outcomes for kindergarten through second grade, 13 depend upon understanding maps. We explore early map understanding by linking Piagetian developmental theory, cartographic theory, and educational practice. We discuss empirical data on the young child's (1) understanding of maps as graphic representations, (2) ability to use a classroom map, and (3) ability to understand the concept of geographic hierarchy. Successful reform of the geographic curriculum is possible if we match an understanding of geographic content with an appreciation of the development of logical and spatial skills in children.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-8306.1988.tb00238.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-8306.1988.tb00238.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0024161285
SN - 0004-5608
VL - 78
SP - 680
EP - 700
JO - Annals of the Association of American Geographers
JF - Annals of the Association of American Geographers
IS - 4
ER -