Teaching Cartographical Skills in Different Educational Systems of EU - Maps for the Future Children Education and Internet - page 48

1. Language and communication,
2. Individual and society,
3. Nature and technical sciences,
4. Creativity and planning,
5. Knowledge of health and physical education (Eurydice 2002 ).
The two main topics of the European educational policies are the foreign languages
and digital knowledge. The purpose is to develop skills to a knowledge-based society,
to ensure an access to ICT, to increase the number of students in scientific and
technical studies, to open learning environment, to make teach more attractive
(Eurydice 2002 ). The digital technology is transforming every aspect of people's
lives. The educational systems must adapt to these individual needs and requirements.
Today, the goal is the skills and the competencies required for practical life rather than
factual knowledge (Orm´ndi 2006 ).
The general trend in EU member states is keeping students for a long time in
school to obtain the necessary skills and to prepare “lifelong learning”. The period of
the compulsory education increases. The time devoted to nature and social science
subjects as well as foreign language education is growing. The following disciplines
are emphasized in the different stages of the educational systems (Eurydice 2009 ):
• The curriculum of primary education is almost the same in all member states.
The differences are only in flexible timetables and obligation to provide ICT
instruction and religious or moral instruction. The main subjects are the lan-
guage of instruction (one-quarter and one-third of teaching time), mathematics,
sciences and social sciences (9-15% of teaching time), physical education
(7-12%), foreign language (less than 10%), religious and moral instruction
(4-8%). The information and communication technology (ICT) education as a
subject takes very little time and often belongs to other disciplines.
• The timetable of the subjects is changing in the lower secondary school : almost
every member state reduced the proportion of the native language and mathe-
matics, respectively increased the proportion of natural and social sciences. The
natural science will find the largest number of lessons in some countries (the
Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland). 10-20% consists of
teaching foreign languages, mother tongue, mathematics, natural and social
sciences. Foreign language education is the same ratio compared to the primary
education but the education of arts is less at this level.
•In upper secondary education general education and vocational education are
separated.
4.3.1 Teaching Geography
Teaching Geography in each member state can be characterized by autonomy in the
subject, changes in content, attitude and number of lessons (Fig. 4.4 ). Teaching
Cartography is one little piece of geography education but this is one of the most