評析台灣地區高中通論地理教科書之地圖

Analysis of Maps of High School General Geography Textbooks in Taiwan

通論地理是目前台灣地區高中一年級地理課的必修科目。為了能達成教育部新訂定「普通高級中學課程暫行綱要」之目標，使學生容易了解通論地理學中的地理學理論，多家出版社編輯的教科書裡，皆繪製了許多不同類型的地圖與多樣化的主題地圖輔助課文的說明。但往往在這些教科書的地圖裡，會發現一些繪製不良的地圖須要改善。為釐清造成地圖設計不良的因素，本研究根據Bos定義的地圖設計模式中的地圖內容、概括化、地圖配置、符號設計和視覺感知五項影響因素，再細分為圖文對應、形底關係、階層組織、清晰易讀、視覺變數、量度分級、文字排列、地圖元素和電腦概括化九項評比變數，來分析高中地理教科書第一至第二冊通論地理部分，來探討與整理在通論地理教科書中經常發生的地圖設計問題。本研究共搜集五家出版社編輯的10本地理教科書中的地圖，分析發現會有地圖或標題與課文說明不符，主題與背景的形底關係模糊，符號與文字小到無法清晰易讀，地形圖的高度與分色，主題地圖符號分級的大小與顏色設計不當，圖例、經緯網、比例尺與指北針的圖元配置不宜，以及縮編地形圖時概括化狀況不佳等設計不良等問題，本文根據地圖設計原則找這些缺失的因素。希望能藉此研究成果，提供正在編輯99年地理科課程綱要新教科書的撰寫者，改進這些地圖設計問題，繪出品質較好的地圖，協助學生更容易閱讀這些地圖，進而能深入理解地理課本的內容。

General Geography is one of the requirement courses for freshmen at senior high schools in Taiwan. In order to achieve one of the goals of “2006 Senior High School Temporary Curriculum Guidelines” and “2010 Senior High School Curriculum Guidelines” of Ministry of Education, geography textbooks had many types of maps and various thematic maps corresponding to main contents to enable students easily comprehend basic principles of general geography. Some poor-designed maps also exist in these textbooks, so these maps need to be improved. To clarify elements causing poor-designed maps, five elements according to Bos’ definition were used in this study to analyze these maps. The five factors include map content, generalization, map layout, symbol design and visual perception. Other nine criteria, correspondence among texts and maps, figure-ground origination, hierarchical organization, clarity and legibility, visual variable, measurement level, lettering, map elements, and computer generalization, also were considered when analyzing maps in the first and second senior high school geography textbooks. In addition, common issues of map design in senior high school general geography textbooks are organized and discussed. Ten senior high school general geography textbooks from five publishing companies were analyzed in this study. Based on these map-design principles, the results summarized common poor-design map issues, such as mismatch among maps, titles, and contents, indistinct relationship between main titles and backgrounds, small symbols and words, wrong disposition among legends, longitude and latitude, scales, compasses, and poor generalization when deducing maps. One of the goals of this study is to guide authors who will edit new 2010 senior high school geography textbooks to pay attention to these issues, and further produce high quality maps. High quality maps not only assist students to read these maps more easily, but also make students comprehend the geography textbook content. Other goal of this study is to guide geography teachers and students to draw better maps by modeling some well-designed maps in these geography textbooks.