TIMES OF CHANGE FOR TIMES OF CHANGE FOR GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY

EDUCATION IN SLOVENIAEDUCATION IN SLOVENIA

Tatjana Resnik PlanincTatjana Resnik PlanincDepartment of Geography, Faculty of ArtsDepartment of Geography, Faculty of Arts

University of LjubljanaUniversity of LjubljanaSloveniaSlovenia

Key words: geography, education, student, Key words: geography, education, student, Slovenia, knowledge, skills, practiceSlovenia, knowledge, skills, practice

Slovenia has recently undergone many rapid Slovenia has recently undergone many rapid and profound changes.and profound changes.

differences in culture, in behaviour, in values differences in culture, in behaviour, in values and standardsand standards

>>>>>>>>>>

enrichment and strengthening of a enrichment and strengthening of a societysociety

... it is important to create a dialogue about the ... it is important to create a dialogue about the social, economic, political and cultural contexts social, economic, political and cultural contexts within which geographical studies occur.within which geographical studies occur.

From the geographical standpoint these processes and From the geographical standpoint these processes and changes demand immediate action regarding the changes demand immediate action regarding the

creation of new curriculum structure and contents.creation of new curriculum structure and contents.

The recent changes and development of Middle, The recent changes and development of Middle,

South Eastern and Eastern European countriesSouth Eastern and Eastern European countries

are the results of European integration and are the results of European integration and

globalisation.globalisation.

Simplified version of school system in Simplified version of school system in SloveniaSlovenia

TYPE OF SCHOOLTYPE OF SCHOOL AGE AGE GROUPGROUP

CLASS/CLASS/GRADEGRADE

Primary schoolPrimary school 6 -156 -15 1 – 91 – 9

Secondary vocational Secondary vocational schoolschool

15 – 17 (18)15 – 17 (18) 1 – 2 (3)1 – 2 (3)

Secondary technical Secondary technical schoolsschools

15 – 1915 – 19 1 - 4 1 - 4

Grammar schoolGrammar school 15 - 1915 - 19 1 - 41 - 4

Geography contents and the quantity of Geography contents and the quantity of geography school hours per classes in 9-geography school hours per classes in 9-year primary school in Sloveniayear primary school in Slovenia

CLASSCLASS GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY CONTENTSCONTENTS

SCHOOL SCHOOL HOURSHOURS

66 The planeth EarthThe planeth Earth 3535

77 Regional geography of Regional geography of Europe and AsiaEurope and Asia

7070

88 Regional geography of Regional geography of America, Africa, Australia America, Africa, Australia and polar regionsand polar regions

5252

99 Slovenia – our homelandSlovenia – our homeland 7070

All togetherAll together 227227

Geography contents and the quantity of Geography contents and the quantity of geography school hours per grades in geography school hours per grades in grammar school in Sloveniagrammar school in Slovenia

GRADEGRADE GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY CONTENTSCONTENTS

SCHOOL SCHOOL HOURSHOURS

11 General geographyGeneral geography 7070

22 Regional geography of the Regional geography of the worldworld

5050

33 Regional geography of Regional geography of Europe and SloveniaEurope and Slovenia

5050

44(not (not

obligatory)obligatory)

Slovenia + final exam Slovenia + final exam preparationpreparation

40 + 35 40 + 35 (general (general

examination)examination)

All All togethertogether

170 or 245170 or 245

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Syllabus changes always raises difficult questions Syllabus changes always raises difficult questions and comments relating to unnecessary contents.and comments relating to unnecessary contents.

HOW AND WHAT SHOULD BE REDUCED IS A HOW AND WHAT SHOULD BE REDUCED IS A GROWING DILEMMA NOT ONLY IN PRIMARY AND GROWING DILEMMA NOT ONLY IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION BUT ALSO IN THE SECONDARY EDUCATION BUT ALSO IN THE UNIVERSITY COURSES. UNIVERSITY COURSES.

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Developing important concepts of geography in Developing important concepts of geography in education needs considerable cooperation education needs considerable cooperation between subject experts, researchers and authors between subject experts, researchers and authors from different countries.from different countries.

an arrangement about the methodologyan arrangement about the methodology

a modernisation of syllabi and educational aimsa modernisation of syllabi and educational aims

a modernisation of textbooks and other a modernisation of textbooks and other teaching aidsteaching aids

interesting contents, new knowledge, interesting contents, new knowledge, experience and methods with real and experience and methods with real and applicable valueapplicable value

Competing tensions Competing tensions (Naish, 1996)(Naish, 1996)::

the call for an emphasis on basic skills, the call for an emphasis on basic skills, vocationalism and instrumentalism vocationalism and instrumentalism versusversus the view of education as humanitarian, the view of education as humanitarian, liberal and progressive, of intrinsic value in liberal and progressive, of intrinsic value in its own rightits own right

academic academic versusversus child oriented education child oriented education

traditional traditional versusversus progressive approaches progressive approaches

didactic teaching didactic teaching versusversus enquiry learning enquiry learning

Four main orientations Four main orientations (McNeil, 1977, (McNeil, 1977,

Naish, 1996)Naish, 1996)::

humanistichumanistic

academicacademic

technological technological

social social reconstructionreconstruction

““There is no such thing as a neutral educational There is no such thing as a neutral educational activity. Any action that one takes in the activity. Any action that one takes in the classroom is necessarily linked to the external classroom is necessarily linked to the external economic, political and social order in either in economic, political and social order in either in primarily integrative or a creative fashion. Either primarily integrative or a creative fashion. Either a teaching activity serves to integrate children a teaching activity serves to integrate children into the current social order or it provides into the current social order or it provides children with the knowledge, attitudes and skills children with the knowledge, attitudes and skills to deal critically and creatively with that reality in to deal critically and creatively with that reality in order to improve it.”order to improve it.”

Grant and Zeichner, 1984Grant and Zeichner, 1984

The struggle can be seen in teachers’ The struggle can be seen in teachers’ roles in 4 main ways (Hargreaves, 1996):roles in 4 main ways (Hargreaves, 1996):

The teacher’s role expand ...The teacher’s role expand ...

Innovations multiply ...Innovations multiply ...

Moral certainties collapse ...Moral certainties collapse ...

The methods and strategies that teachers The methods and strategies that teachers use, together with their underlying use, together with their underlying knowledge base are constantly criticised ...knowledge base are constantly criticised ...

The important assumptions for the future The important assumptions for the future development of school geography in development of school geography in Slovenia:Slovenia:

The qick and effective flow of information.The qick and effective flow of information.

Geography teachers will be better organised Geography teachers will be better organised regarding contacts with other countries.regarding contacts with other countries.

There will be vertical and horizontal flow of There will be vertical and horizontal flow of information between the institutions.information between the institutions.

Self sufficiency will be avoided.Self sufficiency will be avoided.

““Our own search for knowledge and that which Our own search for knowledge and that which we encourage in our students should be we encourage in our students should be directed towards regaining enchantment with directed towards regaining enchantment with geographical stories within the context of a geographical stories within the context of a global geographical culture. Only thus can we global geographical culture. Only thus can we retain and renew our professionalism as retain and renew our professionalism as geographers and geography teacher.”geographers and geography teacher.”

Lidstone, Lidstone, 19961996