Title: Can Maps and Map Symbols Help Teaching Sustainable Development?
Stream: Art and Design Education for Sustainable Development
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Thea Schoeman, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Abstract:
Cartography is the science, technology and art of making maps. Maps are part of daily life – from finding your way via Google Maps to monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Map symbols are the standard language used by cartographers to visually indicate and describe the distribution of features and phenomena on the earth’s surface. However, the question arises if Geography teachers in Gauteng (South Africa) understand and correctly use map symbols. This study investigated the competence of primary and high school teachers of map symbols before and after attending a short learning programme (SLP) on mapwork skills. Teachers rated their level of competence of map symbols before and after the SLP. Only 17.8% of primary school teachers rated themselves with a high level of competence in understanding and using map symbols correctly before the SLP. This increased to 65.1% after completing the SLP. Similar results were obtained for high school teachers – 9.4% rated themselves with a high level of competence before the SLP. This increased to 58.1% after completion of the SLP. The teachers were asked to complete a short survey on using map symbols to teach sustainable development. The majority (90.8%) agreed that map symbols can be used to convey environmental and societal problems. There was also strong agreement on the use of maps in teaching and learning with 86.6% indicating it extremely important to use maps to make learners aware of sustainable development and SDGs.
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