Geography in the early years as a constructivist practice: contributions of piagetian theory to the development of spatial thinking

Abstract

aBSTRACT

This article analyzes the connections between Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and the teaching of Geography in the early years of Elementary Education, with emphasis on the development of spatial thinking. It is based on the assumption that knowledge is constructed through the interaction between the subject and the environment, assigning central importance to children's lived experiences in the learning process.The research is characterized as qualitative, with a bibliographic and documentary approach, grounded in studies from Developmental Psychology and Geographic Education. The analysis of theoretical references indicates that Geography teaching, by mobilizing categories such as space, place, and landscape, constitutes a privileged field for cognitive development, particularly in the formation of spatial notions. However, the persistence of decontextualized pedagogical practices was identified, which disregard lived space and limit meaningful learning. As a contribution, the study proposes understanding school Geography as a space of mediation between experience and knowledge, articulating constructivist assumptions with pedagogical practices. It concludes that the articulation between Piagetian theory and Geography teaching expands the possibilities for the development of critical and meaningful spatial thinking in childhood.

Keywords: Geography education; Piagetian theory; Spatial thinking; Early years; Knowledge construction.