INITIAL TRAINING OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TEACHERS IN GEOGRAPHICAL THINKING: LANDSCAPE AND TERRITORIAL IDENTITIES

This study presents the training levels of future childhood education teachers in geographical thinking from the teaching of landscape and territorial identities. A written exercise on knowledge and application of geographical thinking skills carried out by 185 teachers in training of the Teacher's degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Valencia, between 2021 and 2024, is analysed. The exercise requires reasoned analysis. of a written secondary education test to recognize levels of geographical competencies and the evaluation of learning about landscape and territorial identities. The qualitative analysis supported by grounded theory allows the responses to be categorized into three levels (null, declarative and applicative), in relation to the practical and critical curricular or didactic models. It is evident that the majority of teachers in training reach declarative levels, which explains some difficulties in applying geographical thinking in childhood classrooms.