Ľuboš BALÁŽOVIČ

Cartography minimal curriculum and its position in school system in Slovakia

Balážovič, Ľ.: Cartography minimal curriculum and its position in school system in Slovakia. Kartografické listy, 2014, 22 (1).

Abstract: This paper focuses on the determination of core/essential cartography terminology and its use in education systems (Slovak education system in detail). First part is briefly describing purpose of cartography in everyday life especially in context of new technologies (Global Navigation System – GPS, maps in smartphones, internet maps). Next part elaborates selected term which was based on skills and knowledge useful in real life, excluding special science purposes. Several definitions of each term from various sources (textbooks for lower secondary education, textbooks for high secondary education, standards and International Cartographic Association – ICA definitions) is presented in context of term use. It includes terms: “map”, “map distortion”, “coordinate reference system and grid”, “map scale”. Goal of discussion is to find balance between precise scientific definitions and very simplificated incorrect widely used definitions.

Keywords: cartography, map, coordinate system, grid, map distortion, map scale, school cartography, public use of geography, basic terminology in cartography