Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

orientated themselves on “normal” maps of the world, as they are usually used inthe atlases, on wall maps and in the media.But also in the mental maps, which do not represent an arrangement of the countries(Figures 5 and 6), so centrality could not be demonstrated.Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6Figure 7. Old model of the developmentof a childish habitantIn the past children explored their surrounding area bit bybit starting from their own domicile. Thus they became – stepby step – acquainted with larger areas. The development ranaccording to so-called “concentric circles” (Figure 7). Today theclose area still is explored by children in the form of circles. Thewhole model of development however has got a completely newform. It is extended by additional islands (Figure 8). The reasonsfor these islands are very complex, multilayered and individual.In many cases they can be theresult of holiday trips or currentevents such as the OlympicGames, wars, natural disastersetc. (Haubricht, 1992)Thereby the area betweenthe islands is formed due tothe missing experiences emptyand only bridged by the children.Thus perceived distancesbetween different places of thechildren are completely subjectivelyfelt (short flight vs. longFigure 8. New model of insular development of a childrens habitatdrive).The results of the questionnaire survey done by the children also shows an enlargementof the “concentric circles” model. The ranking of the countries mentioned byGerman children (Figure 9) shows a clear dominance of holiday countries withinthe top ten. However the results reflect also political and current causes. Thus Iraqis in 11 th position in the German ranking and in 6 th position in the ranking of theUK children. The results are even more surprising concerning the member statesof the European Union. Even though the member states again and again are in thefocus of current affairs and the media and both the implementation of the Euro andthe enlargement of the European Union were treated in school (so it should be), themajority of the member states is found far below the top fifteen countries209