What GI education do we need in Europe? AGIT2008 – Learning with Geoinformation, Herodot Forum, University of Salzburg, July 4, 2008 Tino Johansson Department of Geography, University of Helsinki, Finland

Background HERODOT Geography Thematic Network – GIS Expert meeting in Madrid 29 May – 1 June 2008 to establish guidelines for spatial/GI studies in Geography education in Europe focus on the essential components, such as the key competences at different educational levels the workshop reflected the findings of TUNING Geography report (2007) on the current national competences and/or situations subject content reference points that should be met by the discipline the Bologna process > reference points closely related to learning outcomes

TUNING Geography survey 985 completed surveys from twelve European countries higher educational institutions create an academic disciplinary profile for degree qualifications ranked subject specific competences and ranked generic competences for undergraduate and postgraduate levels TUNING phases 1 and 2 are finished and now we are in phase 3 where these outcomes are reviewed and discussed

Competences in the TUNING report Competences were described as follows: competences are a combination of cognitive and meta-cognitive skills, knowledge and understaning they consists of interpersonal, practical and intellectual skills and ethical values

The aim of this workshop To discuss and agree on the set of competences in GI that a learner of Geography should be expected to know, understand and be able to demonstrate after completion of their process of learning  Our work should be based on the two documents created in Madrid (available for comments in the HERODOT discussion forum until the end of July)  What are the absolute minimum level descriptors and learning outcomes that every European learner should achieve 1) at the end of secondary school and 2) at the end of graduate studies at the higher educational institutions?

The aim of this workshop To contribute to the establishment of European key competences for GI in Geography  The finalized documents will be sent to the decision- makers across Europe to promote the agenda there  Once the documents are finished, they will be translated to most (if not all) European languages  Potential effects, such as employability, improvement of the status of geography and GI in our countries, etc.