Abstract
This chapter associates School Cartography and Spatial Thinking in order to evaluate how they can help us to create learning pathways. This approach is based on the assumption that these pathways aggregate a broad, meaningful and powerful vocabulary that can be arranged in different stages to help teachers and students to investigate geographical situations and problems. We first define the close relationship between School Cartography and Spatial Thinking, proposing a theoretical dialogue between these fields of research, recognising their fundamental associations in Geography, Cognitive Psychology and the Theory of Communication. We then identify the elements that justify the role of the concepts of spatial relationships, spatial representations and cognitive processes in the teaching and learning Geography. We conducted a case study at a school with 116 14–16 year-old students to determine whether it is possible to combine components of spatial thinking and school cartography to formulate learning pathways, as well as to confirm the different levels of complexity needed to interpret the geographical information on paper-based maps. The results of the analysis contribute to the understanding of the need to strengthen ties between Cognitive Psychology, Geography and Education Science, in particular for future research on learning barriers in Geography education.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
This level of reasoning refers to the possible relationships revealed by the representations. These are maps of location, analysis and synthesis, and their differences result from the complexity of the spatial data represented.
- 2.
All these maps have the same constituent parts: title (expressing what is represented, where and when); cardinal points (a reference point); the geographic coordinates (to locate objects based on their coordinates); the scale (the level of detail); the projection (the geometric reference of the spatial grid), and the captions (the means to interpret the spatial information).
- 3.
In order to produce our own description, we refer to Martinelli (2016) and Gersmehl (2008). Martinelli does not propose a reference map, only analytical and summary maps. For Gersmehl (2008, p. 16), however, the “reference map shows the locations of a variety of things within an area. (…) Armed with a good reference map, geographers can ask what is located in a place, what forces converge to shape the place, what resources are available there, and how people define, mark, and use the land there.” The thematic map, here referred to as thematic-analytical, “shows the pattern of a specific thing” (idem).
- 4.
These are important data because, if we compare maps A (neighbourhoods) and D (low family income), we can verify that the areas in which there is a higher concentration of low-income residents, are the same areas in which the school students live. This means a direct relationship between the research practice and the possible problems faced by the students in their lives.
- 5.
The Porto Bello neighbourhood is the northernmost polygon in the maps (marked as 1) of all four students (ART, GIU, BNA and NAI). When we cross-reference all the information available in the maps, this neighbourhood presents the worst social living conditions in Porto Ferreira—it lacks public facilities and has a high concentration of low-income residents (unemployed or underemployed).
- 6.
The Anésia neighbourhood is located in the polygon in the northeastern extreme of the maps (marked as 2) of all four students (ART, GIU, BNA and NAI). Los Palmas is adjacent to Porto Bello, the west (marked as 5 by GIU, BNA and NAI, but as 3 by ART—this mistake determined ART’s classification as satisfactory, rather than good).
References
Baglatzi, A. et al. (2016). Evaluation of the use of spatial thinking components (concepts, representation tools and reasoning tools) in educational pathways. In AGILE 2016, Helsinki, June 14–17, 2016.
Bednarz, R. S., & Bednarz, S. W. (2012). Geography education: The glass is half full and it’s getting fuller. The Professional Geographer, 56(1), 22–27.
Bednarz, S. W. (2018). Spatial Thinking: A powerful tool for educators to empower youth, improve society, and change the world. Boletim Paulista De Geografia, 99, 1–20.
Bertin, J. (1986). A neográfica e o tratamento gráfico da informação. In J. Bertin (Ed.), Tradução de Cecília Maria Westphalen. Editora da Universidade Federal do Paraná.
Board, C. (1977). The geographer’s contribution to evaluating maps as vehicles for communicating information. International Yearbook of Cartography, 47–59.
Carlos, A. F. A. (2016). A condição espacial (1st ed.). Contexto.
Castellar, S. M. V. (2014). A psicologia genética e a aprendizagem no ensino de Geografia. In S. Castellar (Ed.), Educação geográfica: teorias e práticas docentes (3rd ed.) Contexto.
Castellar, S. M. V. (2017). Cartografia Escolar e o Pensamento Espacial fortalecendo o conhecimento geográfico. Revista Brasileira de Educação em Geografia, Campinas, 7(13), 207–232.
Castellar, S. M. V., & Juliasz, P. C. S. (2017) Educação geográfica e pensamento espacial: conceitos e representações. ACTA Geográfica, Boa Vista, Edição Especial, pp. 160–178.
Castellar, S. M. V., & De Paula, I. (2020). Recontextualizando la educación geográfica por médio del pensamiento espacial y del raciocínio geográfico. In Formación en geografia, sentidos, métodos y conceptos: apuntes para el siglo XXI (in press).
de Almeida, R. D. (2010) Uma proposta metodológica para a compreensão de mapas geográficos. In: R. D. de Almeida (Ed.), Cartografia escolar (2nd Ed.). São Paulo: Contexto.
de Gomes, P. C. C. (2017). Quadros geográficos: uma forma de ver, uma forma de pensar (1st Ed.) Bertrand Brasil.
De Loache, J. S. et al. (1998). Grasping the nature of pictures. Psychological Science, 9(3).
De Miguel, R. (2016). Pensamiento espacial y conocimiento geográfico en los nuevos estilos de aprendizaje. In: Nativos digitales y Geografia in siglo XXI: educación geográfica y estilo de aprendizaje (pp. 11–39).
Downs, R. M., & Stea, D. (Eds.). (1973). Image & environment: Cognitive mapping and spatial behavior. Aldine Transaction.
Duarte, R. G. (2016). Educação Geográfica, Cartografia Escolar e Pensamento Espacial no segundo segmento do ensino fundamental. Ronaldo Goulart Duarte; 310 f. Tese.
Duarte, R. G. (2017). A linguagem cartográfica como suporte ao desenvolvimento do pensamento espacial dos alunos na educação básica. Revista Brasileira de Educação em Geografia, Campinas, 7(13), 187–206.
Fourez, G. (2008). Como se elabora el conocimiento: la epistemología desde un enfoque socioconstructivista. (1 ed). Narcea Ediciones.
Gersmehl, P. (2008). Teaching geography (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Golledge, R. (1991). Primitives of spatial knowledge. In T. L. Nyerge, D. M. Mark, R. Laurini, & M. J. Egenhofer (Eds.), Cognitive aspects of human-computer interaction for geographic information systems. NATO ASI Series (Series D: Behavioural and Social Sciences) (vol. 83). Springer.
Golledge, R. (1992). Do people understand spatial concepts: The case of first-order primitives.
Golledge, R. (2002). The nature of geographic knowledge. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 92(1), 1–14.
Golledge, R., Marsh, M., & Battersby, S. (2008). Matching geospatial concepts with geographical educational needs. Geographical Research, 46(1), 85–98.
Gregg, M. G., & Leinhardt, G. (1994). Mapping out geography: An example of epistemology and education. Review of Educational Research, 64(2), 311–361.
Huttenlocher, J., & Newcombe, N. (1994). Sandberg, E.H. The coding of spatial location in young children. Cognitive Psichology, 27, 115–148.
Jo, I. (2018). Spatial thinking in secondary geography: A summary of research findings and recommendations for future research. Boletim Paulista De Geografia, 99(2018), 200–212.
Jo, I., & Bednarz, S. (2009). Evaluating geography textbook questions from a spatial perspective: Using concepts of space, tools of representation, and cognitive process to evaluate spatiality. Journal of Geography, 108, 4–13.
Jo, I., Bednarz, S. (2014). Dispositions toward teaching spatial thinking through geography: Conceptualization and an exemplar assessment. Journal of Geography, 113(5), 198–207.
Jo, I., Bednarz, S., & Metoyer, S. (2010). Selecting and designing questions to facilitate spatial thinking. The Geography Teacher, 7(2), 49–55.
Joly, F. (1979). A cartografia/Fernand Joly; tradução Tânia Pellegrini; revisão técnica Rosely Pacheco D. Ferreira. (15th ed.). Papirus.
Juliasz, P. C. S. (2017). O pensamento espacial na educação infantil: uma relação entre Geografia e Cartografia; orientação Sonia Maria Vanzella Castellar. s.n., 257 p.
Juliasz, P. C. S. (2018). Spatial thinking in preschool education: The construction of geographic knowledge. Boletim Paulista De Geografia, 99(2018), 231–250.
Keates. (1982). Understanding maps (1ª Ed.). Longman.
Kolacny. (1971). Cartographic information. International Yearbook of Cartography, 11, 65–68.
Lambert, D., & Solem, M. (2017). Rediscovering the teaching of geography with the focus on quality. Geographical Education, 30, 8–15.
Le Sann, J. (2010). Metodologia para introduzir a Geografia no Ensino Fundamental. In R. D. de Almeida (Ed.), Cartografia escolar (2 Ed., pp. 95–118). Contexto.
Lefebvre, H. (1976). The survival of capitalism: Reproduction of the relations of production. St. Martin Press, New York.
Martinelli, M. (2010). A sistematização da cartografia temática. In R. D. de Almeida (Ed.), Cartografia escolar (2nd Ed., pp. 193–220). Contexto.
Martinelli, M. (2016). Mapas da geografia e cartografia temática (6th Ed.). Contexto.
Meine, K. H. (1978). Certain aspects of cartographic communication in a systems of cartography as a science. International Yearbook of Cartography., 18, 102–117.
Morrison. (1984). Applied cartographic communication: map symbolization for Atlases. Cartographica – New insights in cartographic communication, University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 21(1), 44–84.
Muehrcke, P. C. (1972). Thematic cartography. Resource Paper nº 19 of the Commission on College Geography. Ass. of American Geographers, Washington.
Newcombe, N., & Huttenlocher, J. (2006). Making space: The development of spatial representation and reasoning. MIT Press.
NRC. (2006). Learning to think spatially: GIS as a support system in the K-12 curriculum. National Research Council Press.
Oliveira, L. (1978). Estudo metodológico e cognitivo do mapa. Universidade de São Paulo.
Paganelli, T. I. (2010). Para construção do espaço geográfico na criança. In: R. D. de Almeida (organizadora), Cartografia escolar (2. ed., pp. 43–70). Contexto.
Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (1993). A representação do espaço na criança. In J. Piaget, & B. Inhelder (Trad.), Bernardina Machado de Albuquerque. Artes Médicas.
Risette, M. C. U. (2017). Pensamento Espacial e Raciocínio Geográfico: Uma proposta de indicadores para Alfabetização Científica na Educação Geográfica (210 f). Universidade de São Paulo.
Robinson, P., & Petchenik, B. (1976). The nature of maps (1ª ed., Chicago, 138 p). The University of Chicago Press.
Rodrigues, P. B. (2018). Categorias do raciocínio geográfico e níveis de conhecimento: o uso de indicadores da alfabetização geográfica no ensino médio (210 f). Universidade Federal de São Paulo.
Salichtchev, K. A. (1973). Some reflections on the subject and method of cartography after sixth international cartographic conference (pp. 106–111). University of Toronto Press, Toronto.
Santos, M. (2014a). A natureza do espaço: Técnica e Tempo, Razão e Emoção. In M. Santos (4. ed.) Editora da Universidade de São Paulo.
Santos, M. (2014b). Espaço e método. In. M. Santos (5. ed.) Editora da Universidade de São Paulo.
Simielli, M. E. R. (1986). O mapa como meio de comunicação : implicações no ensino da geografia do 1º grau. 1986. 205 f. Departamento de Geografia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo.
Simielli, M. E. R. (1999). Cartografia escolar no ensino fundamental e médio. In A. F. A. Carlos (Ed.), A geografia na sala de aula/organizadora (9th ed., pp. 92–108). Contexto.
Tversky, B. (1992). Distortions in memory maps. Geoforum, 23, 131–138.
Tversky, B. (1993). Cognitive maps, cognitive collages, and spatial mental models (pp. 14–24). Stanford University.
Uttal, D. (2001). Making sense of the development of spatial cognition. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 5(7), 316–317.
Uttal, D. H., & Cohen, C. A. (2012). Spatial thinking and STEM education: When, why, and how? Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 57, 147–181.
Wakabayashi, Y., & Ishikawa, T. (2011). Spatial thinking in geographical information science: a review of past studies and prospects for the future. Procedia – Social and Behavorial Science, 21, 304–313.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
De Paula, I. (2021). Dealing with Words to Deal with the World: How Can We Use the Geographic Education Vocabulary in Learning Pathways?. In: Vanzella Castellar, S.M., Garrido-Pereira, M., Moreno Lache, N. (eds) Geographical Reasoning and Learning. International Perspectives on Geographical Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79847-5_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79847-5_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-79846-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-79847-5
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)