Session A
School Geography and Territories.
Teaching Territories in Primary and Secondary Schools: Issues and Problems. An International Approach
Co-chairs: Magali HARDOUIN (INSPE / UBO) & Jean-François THÉMINES (INSPE / UCN)
As a discipline and subject taught in schools, geography is shaped by politics. Why are certain topics taught in geography? How are these topics selected by schools? What kind of society and what kind of citizens are we trying to create by teaching geography? By taking an international perspective, this session aims to highlight the issues and problems involved in teaching about territories in primary and secondary schools.
In France, the official texts dealing with geography as a school subject use the term “territory” when explaining the goals of teaching the subject: in a nutshell, the aim is to enable pupils to gain an understanding of the contemporary world through the study of the actions of present-day societies within their own territories. From the final years of primary school to the end of secondary school (pupils aged from approximately 9 to 18), the term “territory” reoccurs frequently as a key word in connection with geography as a school subject. However, the meaning of this word –whether it is used in the singular or plural, and along with terms such as space, planning, actor, development and sustainability (or not)– is never clearly defined. The vagueness of the concept appears to extend to the purposes of teaching geography.
Nonetheless, this use of the term “territory” prompts teachers to focus their geography lessons on decision-making and action, i.e. to concrete initiatives and efforts applied in a particular place or space with the intention of modifying, adapting or transforming it. This type of action has thus become an object of study, as suggested by the numerous references in the curricula to the study of conflicts relating to how places are used, how people live in them, resource issues, the fight against inequality, and sustainability issues. Through the study of these practices, conflicts and challenges, the aim is to train future citizens capable of acting responsibly.
This session aims to shed light on this paradox by means of papers relating to different areas around the world. How has school geography appropriated the term “territory”? What significance does it confer upon the term? What vision of the world can or should be developed in schools once “territories” (or “territory”) is the focus of study? And how do teachers approach their teaching options with regard to this vision of the world and of society? The session is open to all disciplines within the social and human sciences.
Selected bibliographical references
Beucher S., Reghezza M., Ciattoni A., 2017, La géographie. Pourquoi ? Comment ?, Paris, Hatier.
Ciattoni A., Veyret Y., 2018, Les fondamentaux de la géographie [4th ed.], Paris, Armand Colin.
Éthier M. A., Mottet E., 2016, Didactiques de l’histoire, de la géographie et de l’éducation à la citoyenneté, Bruxelles, De Boeck supérieur.
Sierra P., 2017, La géographie : concepts, savoirs et enseignements [2nd ed.], Paris, Armand Colin.
Thémines J.-F., 2011, Savoir et savoir enseigner. Le territoire, Toulouse, PUM.
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