Geography Education Curriculum

Distinguishing Space from Place

Space and place are terms that flow well together, so well that they are often used interchangeably. But these terms are not interchangeable, and their distinction is core to geography. Geography is the study of the spatial or how things are located spatially on their own and in relation to one another. Geography is also the study of places or the meaning of space. These terms need fleshing out in order to understand their full potential in the discipline and as used in curriculum studies.

Space is most appropriately linked with location, whether a physical or conceptual location. Traditionally, geography has been aligned with the study of physical locations. Maps are a common means of depicting these spaces. They provide a spatial representation of spaces too large to comprehend or too physically distant to visit. Maps reflect distance between and within locations, highlight the boundaries around and between locations, and reveal landscapes. Advocates for geography education are attentive to the need for a locational understanding of the world. People should know the location of allies or enemies, spatially understand the relationships between boundaries, or understand why, based on climate and landforms, certain places are isolated or connected with other places.

Space is also a broad term in curriculum studies. It is used in various theoretical and methodological frameworks to refer to intellectual or conceptual locations and their origins. Theorists may refer to the space where ideas come together to develop a thesis or theory. They may refer to the space of research meaning not the space where research is conducted, but the space around the research. What is referenced here is a set of values or concepts that organize approaches to research and knowledge. Geographers call this abstract space. These conceptual or intellectual spaces are used to give meaning to places. But consider the researcher bound to producing a certain kind of space or environment for research. Perhaps he or she seeks to create a dialogic space where there is engagement of multiple or marginalized voices. He or she is seeking a conceptual space of equality and uses this space to affect how he or she conducts his or her research regardless of the physical location in which it is conducted. People across disciplines are also attentive to the space of text and how text is laid out on a page. Like the traditional maps of geography, these spatial representations are designed to connote a certain meaning to the reader. In many academic fields, researchers are attentive to what is communicated in all spaces available. There is an effort not merely to study physical location, but to inquire into the presentation of intellectual and conceptual spaces that produce ideas and incite people to act in particular ways.

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