Geography matters : standards of minimum geographical knowledge in Malta

Abstract

The main question analysed in this dissertation is the following: 'Is the average Maltese person a geographically informed person, someone who understands people, places and environments from a spatial perspective, someone who appreciates the interdependent worlds in which we all live?' A questionnaire was distributed amongst students attending their fifth form class in Area Secondary Schools, Junior Lyceums and Private Schools (Church Schools). A sample of three hundred was randomly selected in order to provide enough material for this study. The results have been analysed mainly according to sex and schools attended, and they have also been compared to the National Geography Standards that were produced under the sponsorship of the four major geography organisations: The American Geographical Society, the Association of American Geographers, the National Council for Geographic Education, and the National Geographic Society. Therefore, it was analysed whether these standards are needed in the Maltese Islands, whether they are applicable in the Maltese scenario, and if so how they should be implemented.