Perspective on geographical education in the 21st century

Abstract

The 2012 Congress of the International Geographical Union and Symposium of the Commission on Geography Education (IGU-CGE) attracted geographical educators from many countries. For the past five decades the IGU-CGE has served as a main international venue for geography education. The current paper uses the frequency of scientific presentations as empirical evidence to categorize major topics at the 2012 IGU-CGE. The assumption is that the major directions in geography education internationally are reflected in the topics represented by participants to the congress and symposia. The evidence suggests that traditional interests of geography educators continue to prevail in the categories such as pedagogy and teacher preparation. Interest in the use of geospatial technologies is on the increase, as are the topics of spatial thinking and sustainable development. The United Nation’s attention to sustainable development and the general engagement of geographers in the topic is reflected in the increased attention to sustainability. Geography as a discipline and geography education in practice display deep roots in its human-environment traditions, which include sustainability.