Abstract:
This article contains selected results of research on the course of geographical regional
education and the territorial awareness of pupils in Gorzów county (Western Poland),
a region situated on the border with Germany (the Land of Brandenburg). The paper defines
the basic concepts and terms, and describes a research tool. Students' knowledge about their
own region, the source of this knowledge and the means of its acquisition were set as outcomes.
The state of territorial awareness of pupils including its spatial extent and the nature and
strength of ties were established. While analyzing the results, the authors highlighted the
differences between the declared attitudes of the students of each school, differentiating
them due to the stage of education (middle school and high school) and the place (Gorzów
Wielkopolski, Kostrzyn nad Odrą and Witnica). It was found, that lessons on regional issues
implemented within geography lessons and educational trail such as Regional education
– cultural heritage in the region (Edukacja regionalna – dziedzictwo kulturowe w regionie)
play an important role and contribute significantly to the mastery of complex knowledge
about the region. Beside the formal education about the region a family home is of great
importance, especially in terms of shaping forces of territorial ties. Deficiencies in terms of
regional education were also highlighted. Due to the nature of this article and its small size
authors focuses only on the selected parts of research, in particular the analysis of the diversity
of geographical and historical knowledge resources of the surveyed students was omitted.
