Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

In the gymnasium and in high school extending, and deepening one’s knowledgeabout the above mention subject matters, should take place. The direction of geographer’sactivity in the practical realization of the cultural education should mainly be theproper realization of the international programme Regional Education – the culturalheritage of the region. The programme should be undertaken in three areas of education,in elementary school classes 4−6; in the gymnasium and in high school.The educational aims of this way of working with students are most of all to extendknowledge about the culture of their own region, to provide physical contact with thelocal and regional environment, to strengthen national identity and develop a regionalidentity. The tasks of the school are focused on the introduction of pupils into theworld of traditions occurring in the region and its’ values, supporting contacts withpeople and institutions and dealing with protection and multiplication of the culturalheritage of the region. The points of this programme include: dialects and regionallanguage, traditions and habits, the main monuments of nature and architecture(Dziennik ustaw nr. 61, art.126).A very difficult task in the process of achieving this programme is combiningthe skillful combination of historical and geographical facts with knowledge aboutart, and to give coherence to the programme. The historical-geographical characteristicof the region presents no difficulties for a geographer, as it corresponds withstudying and teaching geography. Aspects of cultural education however, can causesome difficulties, and definitely demands from teachers some self-education in thesubject matter. The natural variety of geographical space can only be revealed whenwe become acquainted with the cultural landscape, with emphasizing its aestheticand symbolic values.An effective cultural education of pupils includes, most of all, contact with thematerial and non-material wealth of the culture of a given region. The part of ateacher-geographer is to:• enable a student to have contact with this reality;• find and choose from the wealth of the surrounding space the elements of a materialand non-material landscape;• support student in interpretation and judgment of this reality and to• motivate the student to learn, evaluate and judge in an independent and emotionallyactive way. (Piróg, 2003).Education of cultureThe present and future reality, in which people exist, is shaped intensively by theprocesses of globalization and integration. According to Nikiforowicz (2001) aspirationto unity and integration is a positive phenomenon, because in the long runit causes am increase of self-identity and care of the common values. Concern forothers is also essential, as it causes the disappearance of stereotypes and xenophobia,development of sensitivity and shaping human’s cooperation. On the other hand,the inevitable processes of globalization are risky to the above goals because theyencourage standardization, which causes the disappearance of, the much neededvariety, and resulting loss of cultural identity.266