Maturity-oriented Education in Geographical Teacher Training – The Potential of E-Portfolios

Abstract

Maturity (Mündigkeit) is of importance in a digital culture. The developments require an education which is oriented towards maturity, so that young people can act autonomously and reflexively in a connected world. Future teachers need to become aware of their own maturity to foster their future students' maturity. The present study shows the potential of portfolio work regarding maturity-oriented education and examines contextual factors beneficial to its realization. It focuses on a future-geography-teacher seminar, which covers Smart Cities. E-portfolios compiled by the students and interviews were analyzed regarding maturity-oriented education by content analysis. The results show that portfolio work contributed to students' awareness towards their own maturity and have an influence on students' professional habitus. The students worked self-regulated and differentiated their opinions, and later elaborated on them in a discussion.