Field-based enquiry in geography: the influence of Singapore teachers’ subject identities on their practice

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the influence of teachers’ subject identities on how four secondary school teachers in Singapore conduct field-based enquiry about water quality in geography. Given the complex interactions noted in the literature among teachers’ academic and school training, their academic subject specialisms and their practice, it also interrogated the influence of teachers’ subject specialisations on their practice. In general, it was found that the teachers shared concerns about water conservation and environmental sustainability in their practice of enquiry with their students. However, divergence in teachers’ emphases when conducting GI was also noted, which could be partly attributed to the influence of their other subject specialisations. This underscores the importance of attention to teachers’ subject identities in geography education research, as well as in pre-service and professional development courses for teachers.