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Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

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Charles University geography graduates <strong>in</strong> practise:the relationship between the concept of education andprofessional successMiroslav Marada, Dana ŘezníčkováFaculty of Science, dept. of social geography and regional development,Charles University <strong>in</strong> Prague, Albertov № 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czechiae-mail: marada@natur.cuni.cz danarez@natur.cuni.czAbstractIn recent years there has been <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g demand for geography studies at Charles University<strong>in</strong> Prague. In develop<strong>in</strong>g high quality of geographical education and mak<strong>in</strong>g necessaryadjustments we have taken the professional success of our graduates <strong>in</strong>to consideration. Forthat reason a wide questionnaire survey among graduates from geographical discipl<strong>in</strong>eshas been done. Nearly 400 respondents answered questions about their carreer, <strong>in</strong>come,reasons for chang<strong>in</strong>g jobs, quality of education regard<strong>in</strong>g their profession etc. The data arepresented here with help of statistical <strong>in</strong>dicators, tables and charts. Several conclusions forfuture conception of education programmes at our department are drawn.Key words: Geographical education, professional successfulness, questionnaire survey,data analysesIntroductionThe Czech Republic has been undergo<strong>in</strong>g number of conceptual, legislative andorganizational reforms <strong>in</strong> last fifteen years of societal transition. The chang<strong>in</strong>gexternal conditions create a new demand on quality of human recourses and on theconcepts of education. Czech universities have modified their study programmes<strong>in</strong>to three-stages (bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees). There are new specialbachelors programs i.e. for employees <strong>in</strong> self-adm<strong>in</strong>istration or <strong>in</strong> regional developmentand many so called “expert schools” have been established.At present, geographical education at Faculty of Science, Charles University <strong>in</strong>Prague, is traditionally divided <strong>in</strong>to two “universal” branches, one for future geographyteachers and for so-called professional geographers. However the curriculumwas essentially changed <strong>in</strong> the 1990’s. New topical subjects, such as regional andlocal development, physical plann<strong>in</strong>g, behavioural geography or spatial polarization,have been implemented. Teacher tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g is taught only <strong>in</strong> masters programmes andis either <strong>in</strong> various comb<strong>in</strong>ations of two school curriculum subjects (geography withmaths, history, physical tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g or with biology; other comb<strong>in</strong>ations are possible <strong>in</strong>the form of an <strong>in</strong>dividual study plan) or as geography itself. After graduation frombachelor studies, professional geographers and demographers could specialize <strong>in</strong>Masters programmes of social geography, regional geography, cartography and GISor physical geography and geoecology.156

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