ą 2007 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geographie Ȋ www.geographie.de
Educational Standards
in Geography for the
Intermediate School Certificate
April 2007
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geographie
Educational Standards in Geography for the Intermediate School Certificate
Editor:
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geographie (DGfG)
German Association for Geography
As the umbrella organization for the
German Association for Applied Geography – Deutscher Verband für Angewandte
Geographie
Geographical Societies – Geographische Gesellschaften
University Association for Geographical Education – Hochschulverband für
Geographie und ihre Didaktik
Association of German School Geographers – Verband Deutscher
Schulgeographen
Association of Geographers in German Universities – Verband der Geographen an
Deutschen Hochschulen
c/o
Geographisches Institut
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Rudower Chaussee 16
12489 Berlin
Cover design, layout: Peter Wittmann
© 2007 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geographie Ȋ www.geographie.de
Contents
Foreword 1
1 Geography´s contribution to education 5
2 Areas of competence of the subject geography 8
3 Standards for the areas of competence in geography 10
3.1 Standards for the competence area
"Subject-specific Knowledge" 10
3.2 Standards for the competence area
"Spatial Orientation" 16
3.3 Standards for the competence area
"Acquisition of Knowledge/Methodology" 18
3.4 Standards for the competence area "Communication" 20
3.5 Standards for the competence area "Evaluation" 22
3.6 Standards for the competence area "Action" 24
Contact/Address for orders 28
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Foreword
The establishment of Educational Standards for every discipline is of major significance
with regard to quality assurance and the development of the discipline‘s
content. The Permanent Conference of the Ministers for Education and the Arts of
the federal states of Germany (Kultusministerkonferenz, KMK) has taken on this
task for some subjects, but not for geography. Academics, lecturers in geography
education and geography teachers, however, recognize that there is a need to develop
such standards for the subject of geography in order to secure and improve
the quality of the educational process for the subject in schools. These standards
present a common nationwide foundation for the curriculum, and will position geography
in terms of the politics of the discipline. The German Association for Geography
(DGfG) has taken the initiative to establish these standards for geographic
education. This brochure presents the results of its consultations, and all of the
subsidiary geographical associations have agreed to these standards.
In response to international comparative studies, the KMK has placed a special
emphasis on the development and implementation of national Educational Standards.
These Educational Standards define the competencies that students should
possess upon completion of a specific phase of their education; thus they are a
crucial element of quality assurance. They are general standards and not minimum
standards.
Up to now the KMK has supervised the development of standards for German,
mathematics and the first foreign language learned as well as biology, chemistry
and physics. While it was initially planned to develop standards for all subjects,
in the autumn of 2004 it became apparent that the KMK would not commission
standards for any further subjects in the foreseeable future because of the high
costs involved. As a result the DGfG decided to develop standards for geography
on its own initiative and to present these to the KMK and the cultural authorities in
the federal states.
The Association for Geographical Education (HGD) set up a working group early
in 2005 to develop a draft version. It used the so-called Klieme-Expertise as well
as existing geographical documents (International Charter of Geographical Education,
Curriculum 2000+, Basic Curriculum) and made use of insights from the debate
among lecturers in teaching methods, geography teachers and academic geographers.
The interim results were presented and discussed at two conferences.
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At the same time talks were held with the KMK. By mid-November 2005 the first
draft version was ready and was approved in its basic structures by the committee
of the HGD and on the 3rd of December by the committee of the DGfG. It was then
presented for further discussion. A number of committed geography teachers and
lecturers in teaching methods as well as academic geographers made significant
contributions. This version was revised several times. In February 2006 a summit
meeting of the HGD and the VDSG (Association of German School Geographers)
took place, where most of the final editing was carried out. The executive committee
of the VDSG confirmed the final version on 18th March 2006, followed by the
general committee of the VDSG on 14th May 2006. The final version was sent to
the KMK, the 16 Ministries of Education and the Arts and a number of influential
educational scientists. Geography was thus the first subject to develop national
standards for the Intermediate School Certificate on its own initiative in co-operation
with teachers, lecturers in teaching methods and academics.
The implementation of the standards involves several steps: curricula and exam
questions should be adapted to the Educational Standards. Furthermore, the
standards will be included in teacher training and further education as well as in
the development of schools and teaching. A new element of the system is the
empirical testing of the extent to which competences are actually attained at the
intended point in time. Because of the high costs and the limited capacities of
the Institute for the Development of Quality in the Educational System (IQB) at
the Humboldt University in Berlin, the development of comparative exercises and
actual testing are only planned for the core subjects in the foreseeable future. The
IQB will validate the standards presented by the KMK, make them more precise
and standardise them. Thus, the Educational Standards remain open for the further
development of discourse between educators involved in academic geography,
geographical teaching methods and geography in the schools.
The following must be considered with regard to adapting curricula to the standards:
Educational standards describe the target level to be achieved by a specific
school certificate. They focus attention on cumulative learning, i.e., learning
achievements built up over the long term (output). Curricula describe and structure
the way to attain this objective (input). In Germany, curricula and outline plans that
describe learning goals and the material to be learned systematically and in the
order in which they should be achieved, will continue to exist alongside the standards.
The compatibility of the curricula with the Educational Standards must be examined
in each federal state and relevant timetables must be taken into account.
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The next steps for geography consist of the formulation of sample exercises to
make the standards more specific. Furthermore, competence models must be designed
that will clarify in what age group and under what circumstances the individual
competences are to be developed.
We are very pleased with the high level of consensus and the positive reception
of these Educational Standards for Geography in all aspects of our subject, and
also with the positive response from the Ministries for Education in all the federal
states.
Elmar Kulke (DGfG), Ingrid Hemmer (HGD), Eberhard Schallhorn (VDSG)
The Educational Standards were developed by the following team:
Ingrid Hemmer (in overall charge), Michael Hemmer, Tilman Rhode-Jüchtern,
Gudrun Ringel, Eberhard Schallhorn
with the assistance of:
Hans-Rudolf Bork, Alexandra Budke, Frank Czapek, Michael Ernst, Hartwig Haubrich,
Wolfgang Hassenpflug, Hans Haversath, Günter Kirchberg, Helmuth Köck,
Norma Kreuzberger, Elmar Kulke, Jürgen Lethmate, Eberhard Lison, Gerhard Meier-Hilbert,
Jürgen Neumann, Karl-Heinz Otto, Hans-Dietrich Schultz, Karin Steinhäuser,
Helmut Johannes Vollmer, Ute Wardenga
Translation by Edel Sheridan-Quantz, with the assistance of Dieter Böhn, Hartwig
Haubrich, Sibylle Reinfried, Yvonne Schleicher and above all James F. Petersen.
The national Educational Standards can be downloaded as PDF files from the websites
of the geography associations (e.g., www.geographie.de/hgd).
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1 Geography‘s contribution to education
Geographically and geoscientifically relevant phenomena and processes such as
globalisation, climatic change, earthquakes, flooding and storms, as well as population
change, migration, disparities and conflicts over resources, shape many aspects
of our lives and our societies on planet Earth.
Dealing with these complex developments calls for adaptation of previous behaviour
and strategies on the basis of sound knowledge, judgement and problemsolving
competence, e.g., in the areas of environmental protection, risk assessment,
urban and regional planning, water supply issues, economic development
and developmental policy co-operation. Because the dynamics of these processes
stem from the interactions between natural, physical geographical conditions and
human activities, these qualifications can be developed especially through the
combination of natural science and social science education. It is in this very area
that geography‘s special potential lies.
Education in the natural sciences furthers the perception and understanding of
natural phenomena; at the same time it examines the specific methods used in
the natural sciences, their applications and their limitations. Education in the social
sciences furthers an understanding of social, political and economic events,
structures and processes; it also includes knowledge of social sciences methodologies.
The special contribution of the subject Geography to an understanding of
the world lies in its examination of the interrelations between nature and society in
different sizes and types of space. Thus it is a school subject which first, has a central
concern with the topic of spatial aspects and secondly, links knowledge from
natural science and social science. Thus, geography is a bridging subject between
these areas of science and education.
The main goals of geography lessons are therefore to provide insights into the
connections between natural conditions and social activities in different parts of
the world, and to teach an associated spatially-oriented competence that can be
applied. These main goals are in accordance with the International Geographical
Union‘s "International Charta of Geographical Education", the "Curriculum 2000+"
of the German Association for Geography as well as the "Basic Curriculum" of the
Association of German School Geographers.
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In accordance with these aims, students of geography have the opportunity to
recognise interactions between nature and society (economy, politics, social aspects)
based on selected regional examples, They can also learn to understand
the resulting structures, processes and problems involved with these interactions
and to consider solutions for these problems. To this end an understanding of the
Earth as a system is necessary, i.e. of the various natural systems and subsystems
of the geosphere. Thus geography is a centralising subject for all aspects of geosciences
relevant to schools (see Leipzig Declaration of the German Association of
Geography/Alfred Wegener Foundation). It also furthers an understanding of social
systems in their main spatially relevant basic structures.
With this general geographical approach, geography lessons make a special
contribution to the encouragement of multi-perspective, systematic and problemsolving
thinking.
Space, as well as time, is an existential aspect of our lives and it is therefore urgently
necessary to consider it in detail. The ability to orient oneself spatially in different
ways is therefore an important geographical competence, going well beyond
the possession of basic topographic knowledge and serving as the foundation for
the development of further geographical competences. However, students do not
only acquire spatial orientation competence, but also analyse regions of the Earth
at different scales, e.g., their homeland Germany, Europe and selected non-European
regions, from different perspectives and with regard to various problems.
In this way they acquire fundamental regional geographical knowledge about
regions, nations and groups of nations as well as the potential to develop a considered
awareness of their home country, awareness as Europeans and cosmopolitan
attitudes between the global and the local. In geography, spaces are examined
from various perspectives: as concrete, material spaces, as thematically/systematically
ordered spaces, as individually perceived spaces or as socially constructed
spaces.
Geography as a subject is traditionally strongly oriented towards methods and media;
(visual) clarity and topicality play a major role. Students have an opportunity to
become familiar with numerous traditional and computerised media. They thereby
acquire the ability to use media effectively and in an informed and considered way;
in particular the use of all types of maps is learned. Students also acquire a methodological
competence that is essential for self-determined learning and action.
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Field trips and projects make possible the inclusion of reality outside of school and
students‘ own active experiences.
Geography as a school subject makes a significant contribution to interdisciplinary
and co-operative tasks in education. The following will highlight those
aspects that are of particular significance to the subject. Together with biology,
geography is a central subject in environmental education. Students learn from
examples of many environmental themes, both close to home and far away, that
natural science and social science have to be interconnected. Education in development
policy and intercultural learning are also particularly important aspects of
geography teaching in schools. By considering natural, economic, political and
social interrelations, students acquire important competences in these areas. Because
of its contents and function, geography is particularly committed to education
for sustainable development (see UN Decade 2005–2014) as well as to Global
Learning.
The aims, contents and methods of basic geographical education are a major element
of general education and also create the foundations for connectible vocational
learning in many professional areas, e.g., in planning, environmental protection,
tourism and public and private economic development.
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2 Areas of competence of the subject geography
On completion of the Intermediate School Certificate, students will have acquired
general competences in natural and social sciences as well as specific geographical/geosciences
competences.
Competences are "... the cognitive abilities and skills available to individuals
or learnable by them to solve specific problems, as well as the associated motivational,
volitional and social readiness and abilities to apply these problem
solutions successfully and responsibly in variable situations" (Weinert 2001,
p. 27 f.). The individual expression of these competences is determined by
the following factors: ability, knowledge, understanding, skill, action, experience
and motivation (see Klieme 2003, p. 73). Educational standards specify
competences that students should have in order to be considered as having
attained certain important educational goals. Competences and standards describe
learning outcomes for students up to the completion of the Intermediate
School Certificate.
Geography is an integrating subject between the natural sciences and social sciences,
which has consequences for its competence structure. Parallel to the purely
natural science subjects of biology, chemistry and physics, geography includes
the competence areas of knowledge specific to the subject, methodology, communication,
evaluation. Furthermore, building on these four areas of competence,
geography includes action as a separate area of competence. This area can also
be found in other social science subjects. A unique characteristic of geography is
the area of competence in "spatial orientation".
The competences from these areas lead not only to understanding natural and
social interrelations in various parts of the world, in the context of the main aims of
the subject, but also to a considered, ethically-grounded and responsible ability to
act spatially. These areas of competence overlap. The desired overall geographical
competence ensues not from the addition but from the interconnection of the individual
areas of competence. The competences and standards of the various areas
are not acquired in isolation but within the framework of specific problems and in
a geographical context.
Thus geography includes the areas of competence described in the following table.
These areas of competence work together and complement each other to create
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an overall geographical competence within the framework of general education.
Each area of competence is subdivided on the basis of a sound theoretical foun-
dation.
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3 Standards for the areas of competence in geography
In the following, general standards will be formulated for the six areas of competence,
which are to be acquired by the students on completion of the Intermediate
School Certificate. Sample exercises will relate these to specific content areas.
3.1 Standards for the area of competence "Subject-specific
Knowledge"
Geography sees the Earth as a human-environment or human-Earth system from
a spatial perspective. The central objects of study are the interrelations between
the system Earth1
or its physical geographical subsystems, and humankind or the
human geographical subsystems (Fig. 1). Significant contributions are made to the
analysis of the system Earth by knowledge from other geosciences and natural sciences,
e.g., geology, geophysics, climatology. The analysis of human geographical
systems is augmented by insights from other social sciences, in a spatial context,
e.g., urban development, economics and ethnology.
Geography is interested in identifying geographical patterns and relationships in
the physical and human geographical subsystems. To this end it explains the spatial
expression of the components of these systems at different scales, i.e., regional
geographical conditions in particular areas (e.g., countries and regions). Spaces
are thereby always considered as systems.
The breadth and complexity of geographical information calls for a reduction to the
core of geographical/geoscientific knowledge for geography as a school subject,
and the use of examples for teaching. This can take place using basic concepts
that structure the content of the subject. As geography considers itself as a systems
science, the fundamental concept of the subject is the systems concept.
1
The object of study of geography is the geosphere, which is understood as the interconnected
system consisting of the subsystems lithosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and
atmosphere as well as the anth roposphere. The anthroposphere includes further subsystems
such as settlement, transport and agricultural systems etc. This is the human-Earth system in the
broadest sense, which is influenced by processes/energy flows from outer space and the centre
of the Earth. In geography and other geosciences, "system Earth" is generally accepted to be
roughly the same as the "geosphere", whereby the anthroposphere is an additional aspect of the
"system Earth", not as an object but as an external human activity.
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Subordinate to this main concept are the system components of structure, function
and process as basic subconcepts.
Geographic factors such as relief, climate, settlement and economy in their spatial
organisation and distribution form the structure of a system. These elements
are interrelated and therefore each has functions (e.g., the function of climate
for vegetation, roadways for settlements, relief for roadways). The spatial systems
themselves can also have functions as subsystems for other systems (e.g., city
– hinterland). Each individual element of a system, and systems as a whole, change
through the interactions among continuous processes. These processes can extend
over different periods of time and have different spatial extents (e.g., global
Fig. 1 Basic concepts in the analysis of space in geography
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climatic change, formation of the Alps, vulcanicity in Asia, metropolisation in the
world, structural change in the Ruhr region).
The basic concepts of geography apply to human, physical and regional geography
as well as to the overall human-Earth system at all scales (Fig. 1).
For students of geography, the fundamental concepts form the foundation of a
systematic accumulation of knowledge from a subject and a life-world perspective.
They serve to further the vertical integration of the knowledge acquired, e.g.,
the students can discover similar structures and processes in different areas or
contexts in consecutive classes. These concepts are also a basis for the horizontal
expansion of knowledge, in that they make connections to other situations and
subjects apparent to the students. Thus, for example, similar fundamental concepts
are to be found in the natural science subjects.
The subject-specific knowledge (F) for geography as a school subject is structured
according to competences (F1 to F5), to which the physical and human geographical
systems, the different scales, and the system components contribute (Fig. 1). Competence
F1 involves the ability to characterise the whole Earth as a part of the superordinate
solar system. Competences F2 and F3 concern the ability to comprehend spaces
as physical or human geographical systems (e.g., oceanic systems, the city as a system).
The main goal of geography teaching is, however, to develop and establish the
competence F4; here students learn to analyse developments and problems in space,
examining physical and human geographical factors and their interactions (e.g.,
land-use in various regions, provision of drinking water, urban climates, the regulation
of rivers and flooding). The development of this competence is a keystone of education
for sustainable development. The analysis of physical and human geographical subsystems
is an important precondition for understanding interrelations in this context.
Parallel to the development of competences F1 to F4, with competence F5, students
acquire the ability to carry out an independent analysis of individual spaces
in the framework of a problem-oriented regional geography. The students learn
to study selected areas from a geographical/geoscientific point of view and to analyse
structures, functions and processes in accordance with this goal. By learning
such methods using specific examples, they learn to transfer this knowledge to
other areas and recognise similarities and individual differences. This knowledge
of the interaction of factors and the processes taking place within and between
regions also enables them to predict the future development of regions. It contrib-
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utes to an ability to evaluate the expected consequences of human intervention in
the environment and to act accordingly. This becomes evident in the competence
areas "Evaluation" and "Action".
Topographical orientation and knowledge of spatial ordering systems, which have
an integral significance for all of the competences listed here, form a separate area
of competence – "Spatial Orientation".
These competencies relate primarily to physical areas, or regions, or spatial systems
of the locational relationships among physical objects. In geography, space and place
are, however, not considered to be simply inherently obvious. They are delimited according
to specific perspectives (e.g., the delimitation of Europe from a geological,
cultural, political point of view) or are created for different human purposes (e.g., planning
regions such as the Euroregios) and are therefore human constructs; spaces are
also perceived in quite different ways by individuals and groups (e.g., mental maps
of one‘s own country or of Africa). It is an important task of geography in schools to
make students aware of these aspects of spatial understanding. These latter perspectives
are chiefly anchored in the competence area "Spatial Orientation".
F 1 Ability to describe the Earth as a planet
Students can
S 12
describe the Earth’s fundamental planetary characteristics (e.g., size,
shape, structure, inclination of the Earth‘s axis, gravitational pull),
S 2 explain the position and movement of the Earth in the solar system and
the consequences thereof (day and night, seasons).
F 2 Ability to comprehend different types and sizes of spaces as physical
geographical systems
Students can
S 3 name the natural spheres of the Earth system (e.g., atmosphere, pedosphere,
lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere) and describe specific interactions,
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The abbreviation „S“ denotes the individual standards. In order not to break the flow when reading,
the term „geographical“ is used in the standards instead of the frequently used „geographi-
cal/geoscientific“.
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S 4 describe and explain current spatial aspects of physical geographical
phenomena and structures (e.g., volcanoes, earthquakes, drainage systems,
karst landforms),
S 5 explain past and projected physical geographical spatial structures (e.g.,
movement of geotectonic plates, glaciation),
S 6 describe and explain the functioning of spatial physical geographical factors
(e.g., significance of climate for vegetation, of bedrock for soils),
S 7 describe the operation of spatial physical geographical processes (e.g.,
weathering, weather events, mountain formation),
S 8 describe the interaction of geographic factors and simple cycles (e.g.,
altitudinal zones of vegetation, ocean currents and climate, the ecosystem of
tropical rainforests, the water cycle) as systems,
S 9 apply the knowledge acquired on the basis of examples to other spaces
and places.
F 3 Ability to comprehend different types and sizes of space as human
geographical systems
Students can
S 10 describe and explain past and current human geographical spatial structures;
they are familiar with predictions of future structures (e.g., political organisation,
spatial economic structures, population distributions),
S 11 describe and explain the functions of human geographical spatial factors
(e.g., the opening up of settlement areas by transport networks),
S 12 describe and explain the operation of spatial human geographical processes
(e.g., structural change, urbanisation, economic globalisation),
S 13 explain the interaction of factors in human geographical systems (e.g.,
population policy, world trade, megacities),
S 14 explain the consequences of social and political spatial constructs (e.g.,
wars, migration, tourism),
S 15 explain human geographical interactions between spaces (e.g., town
– country, developing countries – industrialised countries),
S 16 apply the geographical knowledge acquired on the basis of examples to
other spaces and places.
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F 4 Ability to analyse human-environment relations in different types and sizes
of spatial divisions
Students can
S 17 describe and analyse the functional and systemic interactions among
physical and anthropogenic factors in the use and shaping of spaces (e.g.,
choice of company location, agriculture, mining, energy production, tourism,
transport networks, urban ecology),
S 18 explain the consequences of the use and shaping of spaces (e.g., forest
clearance, water pollution, soil erosion, natural catastrophes, climatic change,
water shortages, soil salinization),
S 19 explain systemically the consequences of the use and shaping of spaces
using selected examples (e.g., desertification, migration, resource conflicts,
ocean pollution),
S 20 explain possible ecologically, socially and/or economically appropriate
measures for the development and protection of spaces (e.g., development of
tourism, reforestation, linking-up of biotopes, protection of geotopes),
S 21 transfer knowledge to other spaces at the same or different scale and
describe similarities and differences (e.g., global environmental problems, regionalisation,
and globalisation, capacity of the Earth and sustainable develop-
ment).
F 5 Ability to analyse different types and sizes of space with regard to specific
issues
Students can
S 22 formulate geographical questions (e.g., favourable/unfavourable location,
equality of living conditions in towns/cities and in the country) for a specific
area (e.g., home area, federal state, agglomeration, Germany, Europe, USA,
Russia),
S 23 analyse structures and processes in the selected areas (e.g., economic
structures in the EU, globalisation of industry in Germany, deforestation in the
Amazon Basin, Siberia) in order to answer these questions,
S 24 compare areas according to selected topics (e.g., population policy in
India and China, the climate of the USA, Germany, Russia, natural resources in
the Arctic and Antarctic),
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S 25 label spaces according to specific characteristics and delimit them from
one another on a comparative basis (e.g., developing countries – industrialised
countries, agglomerations and peripheries in Germany and Europe).
3.2 Standards for the competence area "Spatial Orientation"
Skills in spatial orientation are developed strongly in geography in schools. Students
acquire fundamental topographic knowledge and skills in geography classes.
One element of orientation competence is a basic knowledge of topographic
orientation at different spatial scales (e.g., such as knowing the names and locations
of the continents and oceans, the European states and important cities, rivers
and mountain ranges in Germany) and knowledge of various spatial grids for
orientations and systems of organisation (O1), e.g., such as latitude and longitude,
climatic and vegetation zones or the classification of the Earth according to economic,
political and cultural characteristics. Orientation competence also includes
the ability to fit geographical facts into spatial systems (O2), i.e. the recognition of
locational relations, as well as a series of topographic skills relevant to everyday life
(O3), e.g., the competences to read maps and produce simple maps of one‘s own.
It is also a part of geographical education to train orientation skills in towns or the
countryside using maps, compass directions and other tools, such as a compass
(O4). Awareness of the subjectivity of spatial perceptions (e.g., the Eurocentric
orientation of maps) and of the social constructedness of space and depictions of
space provide additional key elements of spatial orientation competence (O5).
Map competence is not only highly relevant to everyday life but is also a basic
qualification for other subjects taught in schools.
Although there are some overlaps with aspects of the knowledge, methods and
evaluation of other competence areas, spatial orientation competence is considered
a separate area of competence because of its geographical foundations and
its high degree of social relevance.
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O 1 Possession of basic topographic knowledge
Students
S 1 have basic orientation knowledge at different scales (e.g., names and location
of continents and oceans, major mountain ranges of the Earth, the German
federal states, major European cities and rivers),
S 2 are familiar with basic rasters and orientation systems (e.g., latitude and
longitude, climatic and landscape zones of the Earth, regions at different stages
of development).
O 2 Ability to place geographical objects and information in spatial systems
Students can
S 3 describe the location of a place (and other geographical objects and facts)
in relation to other geographical units of reference (e.g., rivers, mountains),
S 4 describe in detail the location of geographical objects in relation to selected
frameworks and spatial orientation systems (e.g., latitude and longitude).
O 3 Ability to use maps appropriately (map competence)
Students can
S 5 list the basic elements of a map (e.g., projections, generalisation, double
flattening of the spherical Earth and relief) and describe how a map is created,
S 6 read topographic, physical, thematic and other everyday types of maps
and evaluate them in the context of guiding questions,
S 7 describe the ways in which cartographic information can be manipulated
(e.g., through choice of colour, accentuation),
S 8 prepare topographic sketches and simple maps,
S 9 carry out simple mapping in the context of school exercises,
S 10 describe the applications of GIS (= Geographical Information Systems).
O 4 Orientation skills in real space
Students can
S 11 determine their location in real space with the aid of a map and other aids
to orientation (e.g., landmarks, street names, compass directions, GPS--the
Global Positioning System),
S 12 describe a route in real space with reference to a map,
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S 13 move in real space with the aid of maps and other aids to orientation (e.g.,
landmarks, pictograms, compass),
S 14 use schematic diagrams of transport networks.
O 5 Ability to reflect upon spatial perceptions and constructions
Students can
S 15 explain, using cognitive/mental maps, that space is always perceived selectively
and subjectively (e.g., comparison of German and Japanese students‘
mental maps of the world),
S 16 explain, using various types of maps, that representations of space are always
constructed (e.g., two different designs for map grids; two different maps
of developing and industrialised countries).
3.3 Standards for the competence area "Acquisition of Knowledge/
Methodology"
Methodological competence is increasing in significance for students in order to
enable life-long learning. A wide range of methods and media are used in geography
teaching to answer geographical/geoscientific questions. There are many
sources and forms of information available to students in their lessons for the acquisition
of geographically/geoscientifically relevant information.
Methodological competence to deal with geographically/geoscientifically relevant
information includes three subsidiary skills: Knowledge of sources and forms of
information, and information strategies (M1), the ability to gather information (M2)
and the ability to analyse information (M3). The evaluation of information is placed
in the competence area "Evaluation" in the model of competence structures used
here, communication of/about information as well as the presentation of information
is placed in the competence area "Communication". Maps are a media, which
is particularly important in geography, and they play a major role in the competence
area "Spatial Orientation". It also becomes apparent here that subsidiary competences
are not acquired sequentially but in association with each other.
Students of geography learn that geographical information can be found in a wide
range of sources (e.g., information books, atlases, in the field, the press, CDs/
DVDs) and in numerous information forms/media (maps, photographs, aerial photographs
and satellite images, diagrams, statistics, graphic representations, texts).
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Maps as specifically geographical media play a prominent role. Modern, high-tech
sources of information are growing in importance because of their topicality. In
geography today it is not sufficient to teach about sources and forms, it is also
necessary to teach strategies for gathering and evaluating information. Students
acquire this knowledge, can apply it routinely and process geographical/geoscientific
information critically and purposefully.
Students use two main ways of gathering information. Firstly, they gather information
from the above-mentioned new and traditional media and sources of information.
Secondly, the students can gather their own data during field trips in
geographical reality or in simple experiments (e.g., observation, mapping, counting
and measuring).
In geography lessons students learn how to process information systematically by
structuring their information, identifying the most significant information, linking
it with other information and transforming it into other forms. With these qualifications
they attain reading competence with regard to so-called non-continuous
texts after PISA.
Furthermore, students of geography learn how geographers/geoscientists carry
out their research, and begin to develop the ability (M4) to complete, in principle,
the same steps in their own search for evidence and solutions. It must be emphasised
that this ability is only beginning to be developed by the time the students
do the Intermediate School Certificate. Using selected examples, analogous to
research procedures, students start with geographically/geoscientifically relevant
questions and formulate new hypotheses on causes, interrelationships and solutions.
To test these hypotheses they use information from the above-mentioned
sources and process it in view of the questions and their hypotheses.
M 1 Knowledge of geographically/geoscientifically relevant sources and forms
of information and information strategies
Students can
S 1 list geographically relevant sources of information, both traditional (e.g.,
books, the field) and technical (e.g., Internet, DVDs),
S 2 name geographically relevant forms of information/media (e.g., maps,
photographs, aerial photographs, figures, texts, diagrams, globe),
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S 3 describe fundamental strategies for gathering information from traditional
and high-tech sources and forms as well as information processing strategies.
M 2 Ability to gather information to answer geographical/geoscientific
questions
Students can
S 4 select information from maps, texts, images, statistics, diagrams etc. in
accordance with specific problems, issues and goals,
S 5 in accordance with specific problems, issues and goals, gather information
in the field (e.g., observation, mapping, measuring, counting, taking samples,
questionnaire survey) or by means of simple experiments.
M 3 Ability to process information in order to answer geographical/
geoscientific questions
Students can
S 6 structure geographically relevant information from traditional and hightech
sources and from their own research and extract significant insights,
S 7 purposefully associate the information thus acquired with other geographical
information,
S 8 transform the information thus acquired into other forms of representation
(e.g., figures into maps or diagrams).
M 4 Ability to describe simply the methodological steps for acquiring
geographical/geoscientific information and reflect upon this
Students can
S 9 ndependently pose simple geographical questions and formulate hypotheses
to answer these questions,
S 10 describe and apply simple ways of testing hypotheses,
S 11 describe simply ways to acquire information/insights.
3.4 Standards for the competence area „Communication“
Communication competence has a dual function: Communication in the classroom
and communication in a social context.
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Students learn to understand geographical/geoscientifc facts, to express themselves
appropriately using geographical terms and thus to make themselves understood
to others. This includes the presentation of such facts and interrelations/connections
in front of others. These various subsidiary communication competences
are summarised here as one competence (K1). Students also have the opportunity
to exchange ideas in geography classes (K2). These skills should be developed
and practiced in the long-term as part of an overall geographical competence.
Geography classes provide a special opportunity in this context, as they usually involve
highly relevant themes that are also very important outside of school in society
at large (e.g., environmental themes, planning, urban development, migration,
natural hazards, cultures, regional geography etc.). This has very much to do with
"putting knowledge into life" (Alexander von Humboldt). Geography lessons are
not limited to unequivocal or unambiguous information, but also include a variety
of trains of thought and arguments (e.g., when assessing interests and dealing with
conflicts in planning, in the explanation and evaluation of natural hazards, justifying
predictions etc.). Communication competence is of elementary significance for all
of these activities.
Students realise that the geographical/geoscientific contents of schoolwork also
depend on communication appropriate to the facts, the audience, and the communicator‘s
aims, and that form and content work together. Thus communication
does not take place only "after" the acquisition of specialised knowledge but is
simultaneously its prerequisite.
K 1 Ability to understand and express geographically/geoscientifically relevant
statements
Students can
S 1 understand written and verbal geographically relevant statements in everyday
and subject-specific language,
S 2 express geographically relevant information (in text, images, graphics etc.)
ordered according to the logic of the subject and using specialist terminology,
S 3 differentiate between observations of information and evaluations in geographically
relevant statements,
S 4 organise and present geographically relevant statements in a way appropriate
to the subject, the situation and the audience/target group.
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K 2 Ability to speak about geographically/geoscientifically relevant facts, to
discuss them and develop a well-founded opinion
Students can
S 5 identify the logical, argumentative and geographical quality of their own
and other people‘s statements in the context of geographical issues, and react
appropriately,
S 6 weigh geographical statements and evaluations based on selected examples
and develop their own, well-founded opinion in a discussion and/or
develop an appropriate compromise (e.g., role-playing, scenarios).
3.5 Standards for the competence area "Evaluation"
On the basis of fundamental, integrated geographical knowledge and the skills
acquired in the areas of orientation, methodology/acquisition of knowledge and the
communication, students can evaluate spatial situations, facts and problems using
specialised geographical knowledge (B1) in geography lessons. For this evaluation
they take geographical criteria into account, consider physical geographical / ecological
and economic and social geographical aspects (especially their mutual influence),
take different scales and locations into account and begin to reflect upon
the emergence and development potential of natural and cultural landscapes. They
also make use of general criteria when discussing advantages and disadvantages,
identify the interests of different actors, look at a situation from the point of view of
different people affected by it and thereby practice the skill of changing perspectives.
In geography classes, students frequently have the opportunity to develop
this ability to evaluate using different examples, e.g., by evaluating the construction
of a hotel complex, the designation of a conservation area or intervention in an
ecosystem according to given criteria. It should be emphasised that this skill is just
beginning to be developed when students sit the Intermediate School Certificate.
Geography lessons also teach students the skill to evaluate geographically relevant
information gained from various sources and media in terms of their significance
and explanatory value (B2). They learn, for example, about the different value of
maps, aerial photographs and satellite images or they discover that different emphases
can be placed when they transform data into maps or diagrams.
The students examine the social significance of geographical/geoscientific knowledge
(B3), in that examples help them to recognise, for instance, the effects that
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exploration had on the areas travelled and on the explorers‘ countries of origin.
They also learn about the consequences and relevance or geographical/geoscientific
research findings using selected examples, e.g., the prediction of a volcanic
eruption or the environmental acceptability of a construction project.
Students are trained to link their evaluation of evidence with geographically relevant
values and norms and thus to produce well-founded evaluations (B4). Criteria for
evaluations are provided, for example, according to general human rights and the
protection of nature and the environment. This leads to the model of sustainability
(sustainable development). Geography helps students to develop the ability to
evaluate humankind‘s interventions in nature and the environment (e.g., planning
and construction of new housing/a dam) according to their ecological, social/political
and economic acceptability. This includes subjective preferences; that may be
unavoidable but must be identified and justified.
B 1 Ability to evaluate selected spatial situations/facts using geographical/
geoscientific knowledge
Students can
S 1 name general and subject-specific criteria for evaluation (e.g., ecological/economic
suitability, significance now and in the future, perspectivity),
S 2 apply geographical knowledge and the above-mentioned criteria to evaluate
selected geographically relevant facts, events, problems and risks (e.g.,
migration, flooding, development aid, land-use conflicts, cultural conflicts, civil
wars, resource conflicts).
B 2 Ability to evaluate selected geographically/geoscientifically relevant
information from the media in accordance with given criteria (media
competence)
Students can
S 3 evaluate information acquired from traditional and modern sources (e.g.,
school textbooks, newspapers, atlases, Internet) and their own field work in
terms of their general explanatory value and their significance for the specific
question/issue,
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S 4 give a critical opinion on the role of special interests in the presentation of
geographically relevant information (e.g., tourist complexes in travel brochures,
town plans for children).
B 3 Ability to evaluate appropriately selected geographical/geoscientific
insights and perspectives in terms of their significance and consequences for
society
Students can
S 5 express a critical opinion on the consequences of selected geographical
insights in historical and social contexts (e.g., consequences of different conceptions
of the world/explorers‘ reports),
S 6 express an opinion on selected geographical statements with regard to
their social significance (e.g., predictions of natural hazards and environmental
risks).
B 4 Ability to evaluate selected geographically/geoscientifically relevant facts/
processes having regard to geographical and interdisciplinary values and norms
Students can
S 7 list geographically relevant values and norms (e.g., human rights, environmental
protection, sustainability),
S 8 evaluate geographically relevant facts and processes (e.g., watercourse
regulation, tourism, development aid/economic co-operation, use of resources)
in terms of these values and norms.
3.6 Standards for the competence area "Action"
On the basis of the competences acquired in all of the areas described here, students
acquire the ability to potentially become appropriately active in specific situations
and contribute to solving problems. This should/could lead to willingness
to act.
Responsible action can only take place when basic subject-specific knowledge is
augmented by the teaching of action-relevant knowledge (e.g., knowledge of potential
solutions, spatial problems, environmentally friendly measures) (H1) is taught
and when the students are also motivated/interested (H2). Numerous factors can
hinder their willingness to act and take real action, even when knowledge and inter-
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est are present. Nonetheless, together with other school subjects, geography aims
to develop a willingness to take appropriate action (H3). It should be borne in mind
that the influence of school lessons is limited and that factors external to school,
especially the students‘ parents and friends, play a large role. Students should not
be manipulated in school or forced to take action, but should decide to take action
after serious thought and for good reasons. A distinction can be made between
informative action, political action and everyday action. Geography lessons should
enable and encourage students to think about the consequences of action planned
or carried out and possible alternatives (H4).
Numerous fields of action are discussed in geography classes. Firstly, the wide
range of everyday activities whereby aspects of the environment are used, shaped,
and "geography is made". A special role is played by the value-oriented fields of
action for environmental protection and intercultural and international understanding
in One World, all of which come together in the overall model of "sustainable
development".
Students gain a basic understanding of natural systems and the consequences
of intervention in these systems. This can lead to a high regard for a near-natural
environment and willingness to become active in environmental protection. The
inclusion of anthropogenic aspects can help the students to develop an awareness
of man‘s threat to natural habitats as well as risks to humans from natural hazards.
In this way geography can make a significant contribution to encouraging students
to participate actively in the avoidance and reduction of environmental damage.
On the basis of their geographical knowledge of regions and social systems as well
as the development/acquisition of a corresponding value system, the students can
be encouraged to develop the ability and willingness to work for peaceful coexistence
on Earth, to co-operate in planning projects for the promotion of intercultural
understanding in their own country and to support development aid measures.
Their understanding of the interactions among physical and human geographical
factors, i.e. ecological, economic and social/political factors, gives the students
insight into the need for sustainable development, from the local to the global level,
and also gives them the ability and willingness to act accordingly.
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H 1 Knowledge of information and strategies relevant to action
Students are familiar with
S 1 environmentally and socially acceptable lifestyles, economic activities
and products as well as solutions (e.g., use of public transport, organic farming,
renewable energy sources),
S 2 measures to prevent/reduce damage and risks (e.g., tsunami warning
systems, unsealing surfaces, land reclamation),
S 3 ways to identify prejudices (e.g., with regard to people from other cultures)
and to mitigate them.
H 2 Motivation and interest in geographical/geoscientific fields of action
Students are interested in
S 4 the variety of nature and culture in their home area and in other regions,
S 5 geographically relevant problems at a local, regional, national and global
levels (e.g., ocean pollution, flooding, poverty in developing countries),
S 6 orientation towards geographically relevant values.
H 3 Willingness to take specific action in geographically/geoscientifically
relevant situations (informative action, political action, everyday action)
Students are willing to
S 7 provide other people with geographical information about relevant fields
of action (e.g., environmental and social acceptability of a by-pass, the necessity
to construct a dyke or to provide areas for flooding, sustainable urban
development, sustainable agriculture),
S 8 understand geographically based decision-making processes in planning
policy and to participate in these (e.g., planning suggestion to local authorities,
participation in the local agenda of their home place),
S 9 work on an everyday basis for better environmental quality, sustainable
development, intercultural understanding and peaceful co-existence in One
World (e.g., purchase of fair trade and/or organic products, sponsorship, choice
of means of transport, avoiding creating rubbish).
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H 4 Ability to reflect upon actions with regard to their effects on natural and
social spaces
Students can
S 10 explain individual potential or actual actions in a geographical context,
S 11 assess the natural and social spatial consequences of selected individual
actions and think of alternatives.
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Contact
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geographie (DGfG)
German Association for Geography
President
Prof. Dr. Elmar Kulke
Geography Department
Humboldt University Berlin
Rudower Chaussee 16
D-12489 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)30 2093-6814/5
Fax: +49 (0)30 2093-6856
elmar.kulke@geo.hu-berlin.de
Hochschulverband für Geographie und ihre Didaktik (HGD)
University-Association for Geographical Education
Chair
Prof. Dr. Ingrid Hemmer
ingrid.hemmer@ku-eichstaett.de
Verband Deutscher Schulgeographen (VDSG)
Association of German School Geographers
Chair
Dr. Eberhard Schallhorn
schallhorn@erdkunde.com
Address for orders
The brochure Educational Standards in Geography for the Intermediate School
Certificate (in English) can be ordered from:
GEO-Büro
Bundesgeschäftsstelle des Verbands der Geographen
an Deutschen Hochschulen (VGDH)
Meckenheimer Allee 166
D-53115 Bonn
Germany