Workshop: Teaching Controversial Issues in Geography: Values Clarification and Communication through Classroom-Tested Teaching Strategies
Author(s)
Prof. Dr. Semra Sütgibi, Dr. Duygu Metin Peten, Dr. Uwe Krause, Dr. Tibor Madlenak, Dr. Bohuslava Gregorova, Dagmar Ulrichova. (on behalf of the Erasmus+ project Teaching Controversial Issues)
If you wish to apply for the workshop and receive the grant 
- Register for the conference and pay the conbference fee
- Send an email to Karl Donert ([email protected])
- Apply for the grant after the conference
Abstract
How can geography education address controversial societal issues in ways that do justice to complexity, plurality of values, and democratic dialogue? This workshop presents key outcomes of the Erasmus+ project Teaching Controversial Issues (TCI), in which geography educators and schools in four European countries collaboratively developed, tested and refined twelve teaching strategies aimed at values clarification and values communication.
The strategies were selected together with schools, implemented in real classrooms, and iteratively improved based on classroom experiences. Each strategy is supported by filmed classroom examples and comprehensive guidelines that explicitly address typical challenges, dilemmas and pedagogical sensitivities involved in working with controversial issues. The strategies are designed to be used in combination with empirical value data and explanatory tools from the Atlas of European Values, including interactive maps, contextual explanations and a classroom tool based on value dimensions.
The workshop is structured in two parts. In the first part, participants actively experience selected teaching strategies, enabling reflection on how values become visible, negotiated and articulated in geography lessons. In the second part, the structure and pedagogical rationale of the accompanying online course (developed for eTwinning) are introduced. Participants explore how the course can be followed individually or used as a professional development tool in pre-service and in-service teacher education.
By connecting classroom-tested strategies, empirical value data and teacher education, the workshop contributes to current debates on geography education in a changing world, in which teachers are increasingly expected to navigate complexity, disagreement and uncertainty in responsible and informed ways.
The first 40 participants can be supported by a grant of 100 Euro, to be claimed after attendance.
If you wish to apply for the workshop and receive the grant
- Register for the conference and pay the conbference fee
- Send an email to Karl Donert ([email protected])
- Apply for the grant after the conference
Key Words
Teaching controversial issues; Values clarification; Values communication; Geography education; Teacher education; Classroom practice