Description
TMS3713 ASSIGNMENT 3 2026
DUE JUNE 2026
Reflective Journal Entry: Transforming My Geography Learning Challenge
1. Depth of Reflection (Connecting past challenges to current understanding)
One of the biggest challenges I had in high school Geography was understanding
magnetic declination and how to calculate true and magnetic bearings on topographic
maps. In Grade 10, this topic is part of mapwork skills and includes learning about true
and magnetic bearings (Department of Basic Education [DBE], 2011, p. 20). I found it
difficult because I did not understand why magnetic north is different from true north. I
also struggled to remember when to add or subtract the declination value, which often
caused me to make mistakes in tests.
As a future Geography teacher, I now understand that my problem was not just the
calculations but also the way I learned the topic. I could not connect the mapwork
concepts to real-life situations. The CAPS document explains that this is an important
skill that learners must develop, not just knowledge they must memorize (DBE, 2011, p.
20). I had never used a magnetic compass, so it was difficult to understand how it
related to a 1:50 000 topographic map. My teacher mainly used a question-and-answer
method without practical activities, which made the topic even more confusing (UNISA,
2020, p. 30). Looking back, I now realise that Geography is easier to understand when
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.