Research focus: Different aspects of geographical education in terms of the intended, realised, and achieved curriculum in Czechia and abroad:
- The map work of students and the wider public (in the broad sense)—cognitive aspects of map work, strategies of map use, (mis)conceptions related to map work, level of map skills, and influencing factors ; teachers´ personal concepts of map skills development; etc.
- Geocapabilities – geography teachers as curriculum makers and advocates; Powerfull knowledge in geography curricula; etc.
- Perceived and real gaps in geography education
- Student perceptions of geographical space and the way in which it is created and expressed—mental and cognitive maps, sketch maps; factors influencing the quality of mental maps.
- National and school level curriculum development.
- Teacher concepts of geography teaching, including the professional development of teachers and training students of geography teaching.
- The use of GIS in geography teaching.
A note for prospective PhD students: Potential PhD candidates interested in the research of map work or other topics mentioned above are welcome (see the ‘Open calls’). Other topics of PhD projects are possible after consultation.
Open calls: Student (mis)conceptions when working with maps, Student strategies for solving tasks with maps
PhD supervision:
- Ongoing PhD projects: Teachers' strategies of the map skills development in geography lessons (Kristýna Štolcová); Principles and limits of implementation of GIS in geography lessons from the perspective of teachers (Veronika Bernhäuserová); Students' of various ages and their strategies of problem-solving with maps (David Trokšiar), The educational potential of adaptive learning in geography education: The case of map skills development (Martin Kutiš); Experimenting educational interventions in upper secondary schools: exploring the utility of student-generated questions for deep learning and education in Geography (Lorenzo Angiolelli).
- Completed PhD projects: Educational aspects of space perception (Kateřina Novotná); Student strategies for solving problem tasks with maps (Lenka Havelková).
For more information see the academic profile of Martin Hanus.