From where do I see the world? A learning activity with mental world maps
Abstract
This contribution shares a teaching experience centred on drawing mental maps of the world to stimulate students to reflect on the relationship between map, geography and imagery, revealing the taken-forgranted spatial ordering on which these elements are constructed. The relationship between maps and imagery has long been debated from both cartographical and geographical perspectives, opening interesting didactic directions when it comes to making students responsible for their own geographic imagination in a conscious manner. In particular, this research draws from a world mapping exercise carried out by university students during a human geography course for a master’s degree in local development at the University of Padua (Italy). Focusing on the students’ sketched world maps and on some results of the individual and collective debriefing, carried out in class, a deductive process is employed to illustrate mapping practices as a learning tool that is capable of visually developing critical and situated geographical knowledge. The approach could be adopted with groups of different ages and in various courses.References
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