Maps for Sustainable Development in Teacher Education: A Digital Learning Unit (OER) to Promote Critical Analysis Skills

Abstract

Unsustainable developments are often represented using maps. However, maps are not objective media, but are used in social discourse to shape the formation of opinions. Since sustainability discourses are characterized by a particularly high level of controversy, critical map analysis skills are necessary to evaluate the widely used sustainability maps according to scientific criteria. In order for teachers of geography, history and social sciences to be able to impart critical map skills to their students in the context of education for sustainable development in their later professional lives, they must acquire and learn to apply these skills during their studies. Therefore, a digital learning unit on the topic of “Critical Analysis of Sustainable Development Maps” was designed, evaluated and published for teacher training.
In this article, this learning unit is presented and embedded in the concept of critical cartography. The results of the evaluation are then presented.