Contents

Our research focuses questions on the conditions for success of critical and reflective geography and socioeconomic education in school and in teacher training. Both a theoretical-conceptual and a qualitative-empirical paradigm are pursued, using participative and hermeneutic-interpretive methods.

Current research revolves around

• transformative learning in schools and universities;

• emancipatory education for sustainable development;

• critical media education in digital cultures;

• theory-practice-relation in teacher training;

• extracurricular learning places in GW teaching.

The dissemination and implementation of the research results in school practice is ensured on the one hand by research-related and project-based teacher training via Research-based learning and on the other hand by the development of teaching concepts and further training offers for teachers.

 

EAT+CHANGE (10/2022–09/2025)

Within EAT+CHANGE students from three lower secondary schools in Graz work together as co-researchers with academic researchers from the University of Graz to investigate food consumption practices and their sociocultural contexts in everyday life. They identify strengths, weaknesses, and potential for change in their local environment. Thereby, previously invisible layers of knowledge are made visible and enter into dialogue with the local public.

Funding: BMBWF, OeAD; further info: www.sparklingscience.at

NormESD (12/2021–11/2022)
Teachers‘ perspectives on normativity in an Education for Sustainable Development

NormESD is dedicated to the dealing with contradictions and uncertainties of Sustainable Development in teaching practices. Using qualitative methods, experiential and action-related knowledge of Styrian geography and socioeconomic teachers within the context of ESD is reconstructed. Thus, potentials for the further development of university geography and socioeconomic teacher’s education, the development of open educational resources as well as impulses for further teacher training offers are being identified.

Funding: Province of Styria

School Atlas Styria (ongoing)

The School Atlas Styria is a supra-institutional project that has been continuously developed since 2003 in a cooperation of our group, the RFDZ-GW and the Province of Styria. The centerpiece of the continuously actualized and expanding product range is an interactive atlas (www.schulatlas.at), but in addition there is also a wide range of analog maps, teaching materials and games.

Funding: Own resources

Environmental education platform AGUAStud (ongoing)

The German Abbreviation AGUAStud stands for “working group of environmental active students” (www.aguastud.at), which aims to explore water as the “elixir of life” through joint activities with adolescents. Thereby, they should learn how nature “works” and how human activities influence the complex geosystem. These projects are didactically supported by our group and intend to contribute to an Education for Sustainable Development.

Funding: Own resources