USE OF CASE METHOD IN FORMING STUDENTS' SPATIAL THINKING IN THE PROCESS OF STUDYING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY

Abstract

The article examines the peculiarities of applying the case method in the process of developing students’ spatial thinking while studying economic and social geography. Spatial thinking is defined as a key component of geographical education that ensures students’ ability to perform a comprehensive analysis of territorial processes, identify cause-and-effect relationships, and predict socio-economic development. It is emphasized that traditional teaching methods do not always provide sufficient opportunities for the effective development of this type of thinking, which makes the use of innovative technologies essential. One of the most effective approaches in this regard is the case method, which involves solving educational situations based on real or simulated problems.The article analyzes the methodology of implementing cases in the course of economic and social geography, particularly the stages of work: problem setting, analysis of diverse information sources (cartographic, statistical, and textual), discussion of possible solutions, and presentation of results. It is demonstrated that working with cases contributes to the development of both critical and prognostic components of spatial thinking, while also forming analytical and communicative skills among students. Special attention is paid to the integration of digital resources, which significantly expand the potential of case technologies and make them more relevant to the real needs of society. The challenges of implementing the case method in school practice are identified: insufficient number of high-quality educational cases, limited lesson time, and lack of teachers’ readiness for systematic application of this technology. Prospects for further development are related to the creation of a bank of geographical cases, the integration of digital technologies, and the systematic preparation of future teachers. The author provides methodological recommendations for the organization of the learning process using the case method, which will contribute to the effective formation of students’ spatial thinking and improvement of the overall quality of geographical education.