The role and relevance of Geography and Citizenship: a European perspective

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The role and relevance of Geography and
Citizenship a European perspective

• Karl Donert donertk_at_hope.ac.uk
• National Teaching Fellow, Liverpool Hope
  University
• President, EUROGEO
• Coordinator, HERODOT Network for Geography in
  higher education

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Key Messages

• aspects of the process of Europeanisation
• eEurope Action Plan - seeks to promote and
  enhance intercultural understanding through
  online actions (European Commission, 2002)
• European dimension" - (educational) initiatives
  with the goal of promoting unity (European
  Ministers of Education, 1991) while encouraging
  awareness of
• geographical diversity - natural, social and
  economic features
• political and social structures in Europe
• forces that shaped Europe
• resultant patterns of development and
• characteristic features of European culture -
  unity and diversity

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Citizenship education plays a role in

• 1. creating citizens by
• encouraging both capacity and motivation to
  develop democratic and trans-nationally
  meaningful competences for those living in Europe
  
• awareness raising on social, egalitarian,
  intercultural and ecological issues
• giving young people a sense of their
  responsibilities in an interdependent society

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Citizenship education plays a role in

• 2. creating a TOLERANT society by
• learning to live positively with difference and
  diversity which is becoming a core dimension of
  the practice of citizenship in Europe
• working critically with diverse and overlapping
  values and identities

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Citizenship education plays a role in

• 3. understanding and educating by
• enabling cultural citizenship understanding
• an awareness of environments, identities and
  contexts _at_ local, regional, national scales
• explaining Europe as a complex inter-related
  system that is globally interconnected
• learning to live positively with difference and
  diversity with overlapping values and identities

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Citizenship Theories in Education
analysis by Andrews and Lewis (2000) suggested
four theories of citizenship

• active citizenship (participation)
• cultural citizenship (tradition, heritage)
• global citizenship (responsibilities)
• comprehensive citizenship (involving all the
  above actions)

Andrews R and Lewis G (2000), Citizenship
education in Wales community, culture and the
Curriculum Cymreig, Paper presented at the
British Educational Research Association
Conference, Cardiff University, 7-10 September
2000
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Europe of Cultural Cooperation (2001)

• sense of being European developed through
  cultural actions . study of languages museums,
  art, cinema, communication .
• .... and through Education about Place
• ECC suggested travels in the global village to
  broaden the mind and deepen appreciation of our
  European cultural heritage
• opportunity not really yet taken forward

The Europe of Cultural Cooperation (2001),
European Citizenship and Cultural Identity,
http//culture.coe.fr/indexeng.htm
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Europe and Identity (Delgado-Moreira, 1997)

• European identity necessary to avoid
  fragmentation, chaos and conflict
• European identity has to crystallise
• Europeans must feel they belong together .
  sharing a destiny
• What role should Geography play?
• What should we do about it?

Juan M. Delgado-Moreira, 1997 Electronic Journal
of Sociology, 2 (3), http//www.sociology.org/vol0
02.003/delgado-moreira.article.1997.html
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Social Constructionism (Delgado-Moreira, 1997)

• an approach that emphasises the creative activity
  of individuals and groups
• cultural citizenship and European identity
• constructing more suitable institutions
• constructing our citizenship
• stressing the process of spreading certain values
• what are these values?

Juan M. Delgado-Moreira, 1997 Electronic Journal
of Sociology, 2 (3), http//www.sociology.org/vol0
02.003/delgado-moreira.article.1997.html
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Social Constructionist values

• "Unity in diversity" .. promotes the idea of
  European identity richness of cultural
  diversity
• part of a wider whole, being European, developed
  through cultural actions
• "live" activity, with free ports of culture,
  selection of identity through our history
• CHALLENGE can we establish such an European
  identity through Geography education?
• QUESTION What potential for ESD?

Juan M. Delgado-Moreira, 1997 Electronic Journal
of Sociology, 2 (3), http//www.sociology.org/vol0
02.003/delgado-moreira.article.1997.html
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Logos and symbols of Europe
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European Messages European Union
growth and jobs
security and justice
stability and strength
united in diversity
freedom of movement
working together for peace and prosperity
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European Approach

• state of mind
• citizenship culture heritage
• democracy responsibility

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European dimension in education

• BUT
• still no concrete definition of the European
  dimension in terms of pedagogic objectives
• usually expressed in general statements
• e.g. educational initiatives whose aim is to
  promote the European dimension (EURYDICE, 1998)

EURDICE (1998), European Dimension,
http//www.eurydice.org/Documents/Bibliographie/Di
mension/en/Dimension.htm
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5 components of European Citizenship

• 1. human person
• recognition of dignity and centrality of people
• cornerstone of democratic citizenship
• 2. social citizenship
• aware of the importance of social rights and
  responsibilities
• struggle against social exclusion is a priority
• 3. egalitarian citizenship
• reject discrimination based on gender and
  ethnicity
• understand the value of equality
• explicit efforts to avoid discrimination and
  prejudice

Donert K (2004), How ICT can contribute to
citizenship in geographical education the eNews
Project, 140-151, in Kent WA and Powell A (eds.),
Geography and Citizenship Education Research
Perspectives, the International Geographical
Union Commission on Geographic Education,
Institute of Education, University of London
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5 components of European Citizenship

• 4. Intercultural citizenship
• European societies are more and more
  multicultural
• co-operate across cultures to build the European
  society of tomorrow
• intercultural skills and knowledge about other
  cultures
• aware of richness of all cultures and
  complementarity
• 5. Ecological citizenship
• sustainable development is one of the key
  elements
• responsibility to raise the awareness of
  youngsters of the importance of sustainable
  development of European economies

Donert K (2004), How ICT can contribute to
citizenship in geographical education the eNews
Project, 140-151, in Kent WA and Powell A (eds.),
Geography and Citizenship Education Research
Perspectives, the International Geographical
Union Commission on Geographic Education,
Institute of Education, University of London
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European dimension

• many educational initiatives to encourage common
  European identity without losing sight of their
  global responsibilities or their national,
  regional and local roots
• desire to empower young people to become inspired
  to take an active part in shaping Europe's future
  as a cohesive and inclusive society based on
  solidarity.
• an over-simplification of the actual situation
• Cullingford (2000), comments on the great
  complexity associated with the relationships
  between citizenship and identity
• biggest challenge - establish meaningful
  opportunities in which young people might develop
  their citizenship through participation

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European Image

• research suggests most young people develop their
  images through
• public opinion and mass culture
• information presented by education, scientific
  institutions and teachers
• the individual from his/her direct experiences

On whom does the burden fall?
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Popular Youth Culture

• rock music and hamburgers
• world wide web, television, mobile phone and . .
  .

• changes in society, need active engagement

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Future Teacher, Future Learner
shooting for the stars
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Approach Geography brings

• discover

• explore

experience
thinking about places, people, environments,
cultures

• systems
• processes
• cause and effect
• concepts
• issues

EURO.GEO Project, http//www.eurogeo.org
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Geographical citizenship, spatial literacy

• What constitutes a distinctive body of knowledge?
  Spatial Literacy?
• Spatial literacy should empower people to
  participate (Bednarz, 2005).
• They have choices and can make a difference.
  Spatial literacy includes
• authentic teaching (Kennedy, 2003) in and beyond
  the classroom
• distinctive and unique aspects (Leander and
  Sheahy, 2004)
• orientate citizenship education to be strongly
  linked to Geography
• develop locational knowledge and skills, so
  learners are able to express their ideas,
  feelings and intentions, make decisions and
  reflect on the possible implications
• strengthen foundations for making decisions
  (Roberts, 1992)

Bednarz SW (2005), Thinking Spatially
Incorporating Geographic Information Science in
Pre and Post Secondary Education, AAG,
http//www.geography.org.uk/download/EVbednarzthin
k.doc Kennedy K (2003), Preparing young
Australians for an uncertain future New thinking
about citizenship education, Teaching Education,
14(1), 5367 Leander K and Sheahy M (Eds.)
(2004), Spatializing literacy research and
practice. New York Peter Lang Roberts M (1992),
Squaring the circle. Times Educational
Supplement, 10 April 1992, 46
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Spatial literacy should include

• Learning about place (Europe)
• Fieldwork and visits
• Using ICT for collaborative learning
• Linking students, schools, universities with the
  real world
• Understanding our environment and its
  sustainability
• Awareness of global issues

Donert K (in press), European citizenship
opportunities for Geography, HERODOT Network,
Poland
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Decision making Geographical futures

• investigate possible, probable and preferred
  futures
• highly engaging and motivating approach
• develop a learning identity to empower them to
  deal with uncertainty
• apply learning in many different contexts to work
  to shape the world around them
• engage with the big questions.

• Need to
• establish learning for visions of the future
  within geographical education
• find ways of positively engaging Geography
  teachers in these futures

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Teacher training

• Effective citizenship education through Geography
  requires
• Courage, conviction and investment
• International dialogue
• Exchange of ideas and practise
• Confident teachers
• Skilled specialists
• Teachers prepared to innovate and take risks
• Supported by
• Curriculum change
• professional development and
• transformative pedagogies
• To create a total Geographical learning
  experience

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EURO.GEO Project, http//www.eurogeo.org
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Environment OnLine ENO http//eno.joensuu.fi/
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eNews Web site http//www.e4news.net
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THE EUROPEAN SCHOOLNET INITIATIVE
31 MINISTRIES OF EDUCATIONhttp//www.eun.org
http//eschola.eun.org
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• debate about the future of Europe
• values discussion
• organisation of a day for schools and pupils
• between 17 March and 9 May
• 2006 over 8000 schools registered

http//springday2006.org
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Friendship Schools http//www.life-link.org/
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Exploring Places
A new tunnel?
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The role and relevance of Geography and
Citizenship an ESD perspective
Karl Donert donertk_at_hope.ac.uk
http//hopelive.hope.ac.uk/international/karld/
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Key Messages ESD .. where is the Education?
Where is the impact?

• aspects of the process of Sustainable Development
  
• SD Action Plan - seeks to promote and enhance
  understanding through online actions
• ESD - (educational) initiatives with the goal of
  promoting global SD unity, while encouraging
  awareness of
• geographical diversity - natural, social and
  economic features
• political and social structures
• forces that shaped places
• resultant patterns of development and
• characteristic features of SD - unity and
  diversity

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What sort of Geography do we need to produce
citizens?
Home Page http//hopelive.hope.ac.uk/internationa
l/karld