The document discusses the role and value of geography in education. It argues that geography is sometimes misunderstood or undervalued in school curriculums. While knowledge used to be the core focus of curriculums, there is now a greater emphasis on skills, processes, and social purposes. This can result in subjects like geography being overlooked or not fully appreciated for what they offer. The document advocates for balancing subjects, pedagogy, and educational aims to maximize student learning and understanding.

1. Geography in schools: misplaced or misheard ? David Lambert

3. Broad Context A ‘twenty-first century curriculum’ cannot have the transfer of knowledge at its core: What knowledge would we select in an information rich age? We live in a ‘knowledge economy’: so what actually constitutes knowledge? OECD proposes four types of knowledge: Know-what, know-why, know-how and know-who. While the traditional school curriculum is dominated by know-what (‘factual knowledge’), there is growing demand for the latter three.

4. Broad Context “ ATL proposes a national curriculum model which starts with pupil needs and interests and is designed in terms of the skills and attitudes that we want pupils to acquire and develop.” [ATL (2006) Position Statement: Subject to Change ]

7. Geographical Content “ defined not as a collection of facts but as the state of the art conceptual frameworks of the subject” [p 242] Marsden, B. (1997) ‘On taking the geography out of geographical education’, Geography , 82, 3, p 241-252

9. Geographical Content Or, according to Allen and Massey (1995): ‘ We live in local versions of the world and in so doing we have to locate ourselves within a wider global context. We only understand the changes taking place in our own backyard when we begin to understand how changes taking place elsewhere affect our world’ (p1)

10. What is geography? According to Alastiar Bonnett (2008) “ Geography is a fundamental fascination. It is also a core component of a good education. … (It) is one of humanity’s big ideas.” (p1) “ Its ambition is absurdly vast. But we know it would be more absurd to abandon it.” (p28)

11. What is Geography? Ron Johnston in 1985: ‘ the study of Earth as the home of mankind’

13. The rise of ‘educational processes’ and the fall of ‘subjects’ “ In general, educational theorists strongly favoured integration, dismissing subject-based syllabuses as mere social constructions and/or historical accidents.” [p 247] Marsden, B. (1997) ‘On taking the geography out of geographical education’, Geography , 82, 3, p 241-252

15. (Re)balancing subject and pedagogy When ‘pedagogical adventures’ dominate, understanding may lack: coherence purpose perspective criticality ‘ rigour’

16. Subjects and Social Purposes (‘Good Causes’) “ good causes tend to generate inculcation and indoctrination rather than genuine education” [p 244] encouraging a “… debilitating anti-intellectualism” [p 249]

18. ‘ Curriculum corruption’ ‘ Over the past two decades the school curriculum has been estranged from the challenge of educating children’ (Whelan 2007 p1) eg the promotion of ‘global citizenship’ values (by government, NGOs and subject associations) at the expense of knowledge and understanding .

19. Balancing subject, pedagogy and educational aims and purposes Have we failed to communicate the value of a “distinctively geographical approach” and its contribution to the education of children and young people?

21. Subject programmes of study A new look at subjects Importance Why the subject matters and how it contributes to the aims Less prescribed content but an increased focus on subject discipline… the key ideas and skills that underpin a subject . Curriculum opportunities contexts for learning Range and content knowledge and understanding Key processes skills and ways of thinking Key concepts essential ideas

23. Student experiences and curiosity Geography: the subject resource Teacher knowledge, skills and experience Underpinned by Key Concepts Thinking Geographically Learning Activity How does this take the learner beyond what they already know?

24. Curriculum Making in an Educational Context To introduce ideals which inspire and are worth pursuing To introduce a defensible set of values which can sustain young people into the future To encourage the disposition to take responsibility for self, the environment and wider community To provide insights into the physical, moral, social, cultural and economic worlds To prepare young people for employment - through self knowledge, basic competences and understanding and confidence in learning Source: The Nuffield 14-19 Review

26. Implications for teachers of Geography Teachers as ‘curriculum makers‘ need to draw from a rigorous understanding of the ways geography operates as a discipline – to think synoptically about the subject.

27. What might a 21 st century geography curriculum look like?

28. Should we allow the sea to reclaim areas of coastline ?

29. Have we seen the end of cheap food ?

30. What is the impact of immigration into the UK ?

31. Should we start building nuclear power stations again ?

32. Is the world’s climate really changing because of us ?

33. Should people whose homes have been built on floodplains still expect to be able to insure their house ?

34. Where does London ‘end’ ?

35. Is the world becoming a riskier place ?

36. Do we really care about local shops ? Or do we prefer ‘Tesco’ ?

37. London 2012: a Gold medal choice ?

38. London 2012: A Gold medal choice ? Can we solve the problem of ‘waste’?

39. Are our streets really less safe?

40. Steel: Sheffield or Saudi?

41. Can an entire country disappear?

42. What valuable perspectives can geography contribut e to the study of …. Me and My Place in the World African Crises Asia Buddhism China Colonialism Conflict Cultural Diversity Darfur , Development Energy security Environment Exploitation Trade Food security Foreign Policy Futures Generosity & Greed Genocide Global Warming Globalization Human Rights Interdependence Landscapes and Change Latin America Middle East Natural Disaster s Physical and Human Interactions Poverty & Hunger Refugees Scale Solutions Values Violence & Inhumanity War & Peace Waste Water security Wealth Well-being

43. Find us at Geographical Association www.geography.org.uk Action Plan for Geography www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk