Cognitive Development Stages in History and Geography Teaching

The Age Factor in Geography Education

Children's understanding of geographical space changes depending on their age, aligning with cognitive development stages:

Piaget's Stages and Spatial Understanding

• Sensorimotor Stage

  They only know the space immediately nearby.

• Preoperational Stage (Preop)

  Their knowledge is based primarily on their direct experience.

• Concrete Operational Stage (Concrete Op)

  They can read and represent maps and sketches.

• Formal Operational Stage (Formal Op)

  They can imagine or conceive geographical space through an abstract point of view. They can analyze different types of cartographic documents.

Suggestions for Geography Teaching

• To acquire basic spatial concepts.
• To use adapted maps.
• To reinforce their orientation skills.
• To make students understand the common keys for reading maps.
• To use other geographical materials.

The Age Factor in History Education

Piaget's Stages and Temporal Understanding

• Sensorimotor Stage

  Things appear to exist only when they are directly perceived.

• Preoperational Stage (Preop)

  The measure of time is based on their own experience. They have difficulties sequencing a series of actions.

• Concrete Operational Stage (Concrete Op)

  They understand how real time passes, utilizing tools like clocks and calendars.

• Formal Operational Stage (Formal Op)

  They can imagine time through an abstract point of view.

Suggestions for History Teaching

• To acquire basic concepts about time and sequences.
• To use adapted time issues.
• To help students connect timing with their daily routines.
• To make students understand the historic time.
• To use other historical materials.

Didactic Resources for Social Studies

Various resources can enhance the teaching of history and geography:

• Historical Maps: Are useful materials to locate historic events.
• Genealogy: Family trees are useful to analyze royal succession concerns and to connect major history with our personal history.
• Visuals: Includes mind maps, diagrams, outlines, and graphs.
• Comics and Movies: Can be used as a way to illustrate many historic issues.

Cultural Heritage

Cultural Heritage is an expression of the ways of living developed by a community and passed on from generation to generation, including customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions, and values.

Changes in the Perception of Heritage

The definition and value placed on heritage have shifted significantly:

• In the Past: Focused on richness, treasures, antiquities, rare things, works of art, beauty models, private collections, and historic selection.
• In the Present: Encompasses tangible and intangible things, social and historic identity, conservation, education, cultural management, and cultural sediment.