The geographical knowledge and the educational-didactic theories for the teaching of geography

Abstract

In ancient times, the geographical knowledge was mainly focused on the the Earth dimension, primarily seen as a celestial body and connected to the cartographical activity. In the Renaissance, the cultural renewal had some effects also on the educational field, humanists considered the man at the beginning of a new era. The great geographical discoveries opened new horizons to the knowledge of the world and towards different educational applications. Michel Eyquem de Montaigne maintained that, the teaching of geography had to be based on the direct observation by connecting geography to history. The philosopher John Locke saw in geography a particularly fruitful discipline for the development of the spirit of observation, because, through scientific walks, tours and trips, the student could be able to have direct knowledge of things. In the 700 it developed the Enlightenment, inspired by the rational principles; Jean - Jacques Rousseau in his work, “Emilio”, highlighted the great strength and the educational value of the environment, he insisted that ,during the transition from childhood to adolescence , the boy’s curiosity about the world develops, for this reason geography becomes an important supporter for the study of sciences. After the second half of the nineteenth century, naturalism and positivism arouse, in this period the discipline of geography was also introduced in the Italian universities and a positive impulse for teaching geography in elementary school was given by Philip Porena, who proposed a new methodology based on the use of different methods: objective method (images); natural method; local geography and also reading and drawing of maps. The use of the drawings became an important methodology in all the sciences but, especially, in geography