Idee Wacława Nałkowskiego a współczesna dydaktyka

Abstract

The answer to the question whether teaching of geography nowadays respects the universal ideas of the great geographer, is not clear. A critical look at teaching achievements of Wacław Nałkowski, as well as at the contemporary state of geographical teaching, seems to be difficult due to the individual views and personal experiences. This paper is an attempt to assess the extent to which the important educational concepts of Nałkowski are respected in contemporary educational practice. The author particularly emphasizes the idea of geography as a synoptic field, which was to integrate the arts and the sciences, the „rationality” principle in geography, the views of Nałkowski concerning the use of maps, and the role and shape of geographical handbooks. In conclusion it was ascertained that the guiding principles of teaching geography, which were developed by Nałkowski and introduced by him to educational practice, today are mainly plain postulates. Although these principles did not lost their validity, what is confirmed by numerous authors, educational practice, form and content of geographical textbooks still deviate from Nałkowski’s recommendations. Also in geographical education at academic level many educational ideas of Nałkowski are not implemented.