Abstract
This chapter explores the teaching of primary school geography by contrasting the multi-perspective Sachunterricht subject from Germany and the single discipline subject of Geography in the Australian Curriculum: HASS. Both Germany and Australia adopt the notion of integrated geographical education. Learning and teaching prepare the children for their actual and future lives in an increasingly globalised world dominated by complex connections and tasks. Children need to gain fundamental insights into complex contemporary topics such as mobility, sustainability and climate change. The teacher must select examples familiar to the child to enable the child to understand the complexity and the mutual interdependence of environment, society and economy. Appropriate connections with the relevant subject disciplines are therefore necessary. At the same time, good teaching and learning must allow children the most significant possible link to their general and individual living experiences.
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Notes
- 1.
Germany has a state-based curriculum, Australia has a national curriculum.
- 2.
In the Federal Republic of Germany, the 16 States (Länder) are autonomously responsible for all matters of culture and education. Thus, each of the States maintains its own school system. Nevertheless, Primary school generally is for four years (age 6–I0) in a comprehensive school. Only in Berlin and Brandenburg is a 6-year comprehensive school program required. In all states, primary school is committed to an integrated concept of education. Sachunterricht is considered one of the core subjects next to German Language and Mathematics. Although the name of the school subject differs from state to state, as does the curriculum, the textbooks used and the topics taught, a concurring understanding of this subject, and its Didaktik has evolved, establishing it as a university discipline of own standing (GDSU 2003).
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Schmeinck, D., Kidman, G. (2022). The Integrated Nature of Geography Education in German and Australian Primary Schools. In: Kidman, G., Schmeinck, D. (eds) Teaching Primary Geography. Key Challenges in Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99970-4_2
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