Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

The syllabi reflect mainly that the introduction of this new subject has not beenaccompanied by a renewal of teaching ideas or approaches. On the contrary, themodels of existing regional subjects have been adapted to a new geographical scale.In other words, the object of study varies, but not the way it is approached.The teaching of the geography of Europe clearly suggests that there is potentialfor regional studies, and although they are not exclusive to geography, they should beapproached and recovered by this discipline. First, because students find such studiesattractive, and second, because they are highly identifiable with geography.Indeed, it is worth recognising the potential of regional geography courses as away to attract students from secondary education and other disciplines into geographydegree programmes, and as a way of showing what the study of the subjectcan involve. Holistic knowledge of territories and societies is fundamental in themodern world and can offer elements for thinking, deciding and behaving in betterways and with more solidarity.Meanwhile, from a methodological perspective, regional geography allows usto incorporate plurality, synthesis, the relationship between research scales, theconnection between different issues, books or materials, and the very exercise ofregionalisation is, in itself, conceptually of great interest.Regional studies, and among those, the geography of Europe, can better preparestudents for professional and geographical mobility and for the understanding ofother European languages, aspects that are increasingly more valued within professionalcareers.The global vision of teaching geography of Europe in Spanish universities andour experience in the teaching leads us to conclude that the elaboration of a syllabusof regional geography, and specifically of a geography of Europe is a complex task.Nevertheless, we would not like to finish without presenting here some ideas andsuggestions that could be applicable in the design of future syllabi:• To incorporate a problem-oriented approach in the development of the course• To introduce case studies at different spatial scales• To elaborate a syllabus with a central axis and different subjects, case studies andspecific problems around it• To promote visits of lecturers from other European countries to participate in theteaching process.• To introduce in the syllabus subjects related to otherness, like gender, age,ethnicity, sexuality, class, either as separate issues integrated into other topics• To stimulate critical thinking, particularly with respect to key subjects likemigrations, European construction, multiculturality, environmental issues andso forth• To promote the study of other European languages in order to improve studentsacademic and professional opportunities in the current European labour marketwhere mobility is increasingly valued• To take advantage of Internet resources to get access to materials produced byother universities and European institutions.234