GeoLoT

Project Description

Successfully dealing with global challenges requires the interplay of cognitive, affective-motivational, and action-related competencies. Until now, empirical research and teaching practice have focused predominantly on cognitive competencies, even though neglecting non-cognitive components can contribute to a “knowledge-behavior gap,” in which knowledge does not guide action. 
In geography teaching practice, the so-called solution-oriented approach is currently becoming established, which, in contrast to conventional problem-focused subject teaching, emphasises affective-motivational and action-related aspects in addition to cognitive competencies. 
The DFG-funded GeoLoT project aims, on the one hand, to empirically assess the interplay of several ESD outcomes and, on the other hand, to evaluate different approaches to subject teaching in addressing global challenges.

Project Objectives

The overall goal of the project is to investigate the impact of three different teaching approaches (problem-focused/solution-oriented/transformative solution-oriented) on the experience and on various ESD outcomes using a multi-method approach.
Specifically, GeoLoT pursues four objectives: 
(1) First, three (problem-focused/solution-oriented/transformative solution-oriented) teaching modules are developed, tested, and optimised. Based on this, teachers are trained to implement them.
(2) For the summative evaluation of the teaching approaches, their effect on cognitive, affective-motivational, and behavioural ESD outcomes will be experimentally examined using data from pre- and post-test assessments. 
(3) Accompanying online surveys will be conducted to analyse the students' affective-motivational experience over the course of the teaching module.
(4) Using a reconstructive documentary approach, students’ action-guiding orientations can be reconstructed based on group discussions. In this way, the quantitatively assessed learning outcomes (see objective 2) are complemented by implicit learning and interpretation processes.

Funding

GeoLoT is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under project number 565032774.

Cooperations

University of Education Karlsruhe

Project Management

• Prof. Dr. Johannes Hartig
• Dr. Nina Roczen

Project Details