Should Alexander von Humboldt Be Part of Contemporary Geography Education?

Abstract

Geography education has passed through profound changes and recently faces again a discussion about its educational value and societal benefit. As such, it is vital to reflect on recent meaning and contribution of geography’s role in education. It has become obvious that especially the combination of systemic approach, the consideration of different spatial levels, the solution-oriented as well as action- and future-oriented didactic approaches of geography education supplies an important input. Against the background of a globalized world along with numerous global challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, poverty or mass migration and the “2030 Agenda” as global strategy to counteract these trends, it reveals that education for sustainable development offers appropriate didactic concepts. That can be combined with those in geography education. It is within this framework that Alexander von Humboldt’s geographical approach appears absolutely modern despite his influence on geography education being negligible. This leads to the question whether Alexander von Humboldt’s work can contribute to contemporary geography education.