The purpose of the article is to reveal the importance of the local studies principle of learning as a local one in students' assimilation of the content of geographical education and to show the possibilities of educational excursions in the formation of their geographical competences.
 The article analyzes the process of the formation of the local lore principle in the study of geography in publications of scientific-geographical and didactic content. The contribution of a number of scientists to the development of modern geographic local history is outlined. The role of Ya. Zhupanskyi and V. Krul in the formation of national local history in Ukraine is highlighted. The position of S. Rusova regarding the important role of the regional studies principle in the educational process is indicated. After L. Chubrei with the co-authors, we state that "The principle of regional studies involves the systematic establishment of connections between the study of geography and the knowledge that students acquire as a result of direct study of the region. Mandatory use of acquired regional knowledge in education is the main purpose of educational regional studies."
 The model programs for the study of geography were analyzed. They show the importance of educational excursions. It was established that in the program of S. P. Zapotocki, educational excursions occupy a higher priority position, especially in the 8th - 9th grades, which makes it possible to implement the principle of regional studies in education and instill in children love for their region, and then for the Motherland. The list of excursion topics in the school geography course program (S.P. Zapotocki, etc.) is highlighted. Examples of locations for excursions are offered on the following topics: "School excursion to a geological monument of one's region", "Excursion to a region with a natural landscape. Acquaintance with nearby forest/steppe landscapes, description of their condition", "Excursion to the national (local) natural park".
 It is substantiated that excursions into nature involve not only familiarization with objects or phenomena and processes occurring in it, but also the identification of relationships between individual components of nature on the one hand, and between nature and the economic and cultural activities of the population on the other. They contribute to the development of schoolchildren's observation, imagination, visual thinking, purposeful perception, the formation of a caring attitude towards nature and are a form and means of environmental education. It was established that the educational excursion is complex in terms of methodology and organization. It requires thorough preparation of the teacher and students.
 Preparing a teacher to conduct an educational excursion into nature includes: 1) formulating the purpose and objectives of the excursion; 2) choosing a route, getting familiar with it in the area, studying the nature of the tour area and its attractions; 3) determination of objects of observation, number and placement of stops during the excursion, content and methods of working with students at each stop; 4) determination of the general task and individual and group tasks for students; 5) development of safety instructions, recommendations for equipment, group and individual equipment of tour participants.
 It was established that Ternopil region is rich in attractive tourist attractions in general and geological ones in particular. Thus, there are more than 90 geological monuments of nature in Ternopil region. The largest concentration of interesting geological objects is confined to Transnistria in the south and to the structural-denudation escarpment of Podillia in the north. Excursions to caves will obviously be the most interesting for students. Verteba near the village of Verteba is an excursion destination within Ternopil region. Bilche Zolote and Krystaleva (Krystalna) in the village Crooked Mlynky, Ugryn, and Optimistichna are also used for orienteering, but the expediency of involving the latter in educational excursions is highly questionable.
 A number of examples of single-theme and multi-theme educational excursions on the territory of Ternopil region have been developed. The main focus is on excursions to geological monuments. An excursion to the Kristalna and Verteba caves is offered, as well as to the exposure of Cretaceous rocks in the village of Monastery The possibilities of educational excursions to the national natural park "Kremenetsk Mountains" and to the Chervone tract have been revealed. The contents of a one-day hiking route in the territory of Podilskyi Tovtry are proposed, with an introduction to the geological structure of the outcrops and the floristic features of rock-steppe areas.
 The itineraries of educational excursions proposed by us can be used by geography teachers of Ternopil and neighboring regions.
 We consider the development of methodological recommendations and the selection of educational locations for conducting all educational excursions provided by model programs to be promising directions for further research.
 Keywords: geographic competence, local lore principle, educational excursion, tourist trip, geosite, exposure.
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May 30, 2024
Sang-Won Ha + 1
Open Access