Geography Curriculum Research Articles

Improving the geography curriculum: analysis of learning outcomes and the possibility of application of powerful knowledge principle

In this paper, we have conducted an analysis of learning outcomes in the geography curriculum for high schools (gymnasiums) in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Our aim was to identify the deficiencies in individual knowledge dimensions and levels of cognitive processes within defined outcomes. Subsequently, we applied the principle of powerful geographical knowledge to explore the potential for improving geography curriculum for high schools in contrast to the existing traditional curriculum. We used the revised Bloom’s taxonomy as an analysis tool. We employed a qualitative approach and theory-driven content analysis, utilizing researcher triangulation in the analysis process. The results revealed that the existing geography curriculum predominantly emphasizes factual knowledge and lower levels of cognitive processes. We then connected Maude’s powerful geographical knowledge types with the cognitive and knowledge dimensions of the revised Bloom’s taxonomy. We used the revised Bloom’s taxonomy to make judgements about powerful knowledge. Based on these connections, as well as the other prerequisites for applying the principle of powerful knowledge, we considered the possibility of developing a Future 3 curriculum for high schools in the Republic of Srpska and improving the traditional geography curriculum.

Reflecting on the powers, possibilities and constraints of geography curricula in England, Finland and Sweden

ABSTRACT National curriculum statements found within the Official Recontextualising Field (ORF) provide an insight into how geography as a school subject is conceptualized in a country’s education system. National curricula can shape teachers’ agency in curriculum making and what, how and where children and young people study and learn geography. This paper engages with the lower secondary national geography curriculum for England, Finland and Sweden. We examine the structure and nature of the national geography curricula in each country, before drawing on the threefold arrangement of geographical knowledge as a tool for the analysis of the curricula. Our analysis found that deep and descriptive world knowledge forms the largest proportion of all three national curricula documents, and we argue that this can lead to a potentially limited conceptualization of geographical knowledge and representation of geography. We also suggest that the threefold arrangement could more actively engage with political dimensions when considering futures, and that there should be greater attention paid to the histories and geographies of the discipline (geography) in school geography.

Evolving into curriculum makers: the pivotal role of geography teachers as “boundary teachers”

This study explores how collaborative action research (CAR) can enhance high school geography teachers’ curriculum making capabilities and strengthen their status as “boundary workers.” The research team consisted of a graduate student pre-service geography teacher, a university theoretical mentor, and a high school practical mentor. The study lasted four months and employed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing four rounds of CAR to continuously reflect on and evaluate the effectiveness of boundary work-based high school geography curriculum making and its impact on enhancing pre-service teachers’ curriculum competency. Each CAR round focused on different aspects of curriculum making, such as designing problem situations, strengthening teacher-student interactions, creating localized curricula, and using interdisciplinary themes. The four CAR rounds collectively formed a “boundary work-based geography curriculum making model.” The research findings indicate that through sustained practice of this model, geography teachers, especially those pursuing graduate degrees, can effectively improve their curriculum leadership and become competent “boundary teachers.”

Resilient education: The role of digital technology in supporting geographical education in Ukraine

AbstractThis commentary spotlights the continued impact of the Russian invasion on geography education in higher education in Ukraine. From discussions with Ukrainian geographers in institutions in contrasting regions of the country, we describe their resilience in adapting the delivery of the physical geography curriculum, especially in the essential area of fieldwork and the use of digital tools. This ‘lived experience’ perspective builds on the theoretical contributions to the discussion initiated by Klinke (2023) in this journal about the challenges posed for geographers. In the third year of the conflict, the challenges set out are considerable, long term, and we call for individuals, universities and funders to further facilitate teaching and learning collaborations despite the limited funds available for the exchange of teaching and learning support and innovation.

How Well Does the F-10 Australian Curriculum Prepare Students to be Water Literate Citizens?

Abstract Global water availability and management are persistent challenges to sustainable futures, yet people may have limited understandings of water systems and may hold negative attitudes towards sustainable solutions. With education a mechanism for realising a water literate citizenry, this study asks: How well does the Australian curriculum prepare students to be water literate citizens? McCarroll and Hamann’s (2020) Dimensions of Water Literacy guided a document analysis of Version 9.0 of the F-10 Australian Science and Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) curricula. Findings revealed that concepts related to water literacy were largely confined to the Year 4 Science and Year 7 Geography curricula. In Science, the dimensions of Science and Systems Knowledge and Local Knowledge were through concepts related to the natural and urban water cycle. In HASS, the Hydrosocial Knowledge dimension was privileged, owing to people’s interactions with water. While there were occurrences of Functional Knowledge in both curricula, the organisation of the curriculum according to knowledge and skills does not explicitly focus on the development of students’ positive attitudes and values towards water conservation, nor engage them in individual or collective decision-making and action. Implications for the Australian curriculum and what it means to be a water literate citizen are discussed.

The spatiality of geography assessment questions: a case study of selected South African universities

ABSTRACT Spatial thinking is an essential skill for geographers and can be taught and learnt at any age. Spatial thinking should, therefore, form part of the Geography curriculum at every study level. An initial desktop study by the authors has indicated that the inclusion of spatial thinking in the undergraduate Geography curriculum at South African universities needs improvement. Up to now, published research papers have focused mostly on questions on spatiality included in Geography textbooks at the school and tertiary levels. None of these papers focused on the spatiality of assessment questions. This research aims to assess the spatiality of questions posed in formative and summative assessments of undergraduate geography modules at six selected South African universities. The taxonomy of spatial thinking was used to determine the spatiality of 2864 formative and summative assessment questions used at the first, second and third-year levels at six selected South African universities. The results indicate that the assessment questions, generally, do not reach a desirable level of spatiality and will, therefore, contribute towards developing students’ spatial thinking skills only in a limited way. Based on the results, recommendations are supplied to improve the spatiality of undergraduate Geography assessment questions using the taxonomy of spatial thinking.

Eval_uasi Penerapan Pembelajaran Berdiferensiasi pada Mata Pelajaran Geografi Kurikulum Merdeka di SMAN 2 Gunung Talang Kabupaten Solok

The purpose of this research is 1) To find out how the implementation of differentiated learning at SMAN 2 Gunung Talang Solok Regency. 2) To find out the obstacles experienced by teachers in the Independent Curriculum Geography subject in class X SMAN 2 Gunung Talang Solok Regency. The type of research used is descriptive qualitative research. The informants in this study were the principal, teachers and students of class X phase E. The data collection techniques used in this study were observation, interviews and documentation. Data analysis techniques in this study used the Miles and Huberman model, namely data reduction, data display and verification. The results of this study concluded that 1) The application of differentiated learning is very effective to be applied in the classroom as evidenced by the increased interest in learning and student learning outcomes and all stages in the application of differentiated learning from the pre-implementation, implementation and eval_uation stages have gone well and all aspects of differentiated learning have been implemented well by geography teachers. But in its implementation there are still some things that need to be maximized again. 2) The problems encountered such as the lack of time in its implementation because each school has allocated time for each teacher and their respective subjects. So that teachers do not have enough time in implementing differentiated learning and limited resources because differentiated learning is still new in its application arises because of the independent curriculum.

On teaching Holocaust geographies: supporting inquiry into space, persecution and civic action

PurposeIn this article, the authors – a social studies methods professor and geography research associate – make the case for considering the integration of Holocaust geographies into the middle and secondary curriculum, potential challenges that teachers may have in teaching Holocaust geographies are addressed.Design/methodology/approachUsing an experience in delivering professional development on Holocaust geographies to teachers to frame the discourse within the article, the authors contend that a study of Holocaust geographies tests geography as a discipline, addresses current problems and supports student inquiry. Therefore, the inclusion of the Holocaust in the geography curriculum is both needed and valuable.FindingsExamining the Holocaust spatially using geographical skills moves students away from the potential limits of studying the Holocaust temporally using only historical skills. Thus, the distance between past and present, although not ignored, is narrowed through the inquiry into spatial patterns and characteristics, providing the potential to bring greater focus on present-day antisemitism, persecution, genocide and authoritarianism.Originality/valueEducators are encouraged to take up work that intersects the civic goals of both geography and Holocaust education, yet literature on these intersections is sparse. We call upon Holocaust education and geography education organizations to develop and provide support for teachers around Holocaust geographies.

Fostering students’ geographical synthetic thinking using geographic subject mind maps

The term “geographical synthetic thinking” is taken from the latest Chinese version of the “Geography Curriculum Standards” (General High School 2017 edition, Compulsory Education 2022 edition) and is one of the four core competencies prioritized in the teaching of geography at the secondary-school level. This study proposes that using geographic subject mind maps improves students’ geographical synthetic thinking and develops a set of geographic subject mind map (GSMM) drawing standards for teachers and matching standards and suggestions for teaching applications. Seven geography teachers and their students from eight class sections in seven provinces and cities in China were recruited to participate in the study. The teachers taught students how to use geographic subject mind maps designed to develop students’ geographical synthetic thinking in the geography classroom. After 4–5 experimental lessons, the geographical synthetic thinking level of the 267 valid student participants showed a significant improvement, with a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores. The teachers’ level of application of geographic subject mind maps in teaching was significantly and positively correlated with the students’ improvements in geographical synthetic thinking, demonstrating that the standardized use of geographic subject mind maps in accordance with teaching application standards can effectively improve students’ geographical synthetic thinking levels.

Positioning Environmental Education in the South African Classroom: The Case of the Grade 11 Geography Curriculum

The teaching of environmental education in the South African classroom is challenging. Although the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) provides for the integration of environmental education across subjects and grades, there are contextual limitations that educators (in the case of this study geography educators) face when having to teach environmental education. This problem is further compounded by limited research on the contextual challenges faced by geography educators when teaching environmental education and environmental awareness principles. This study investigates how geography educators conceptualise and teach environmental education and environmental awareness principles in the geography grade 11 classroom. The findings indicate that educators’ conceptualisation of environmental education, and how they teach it varies according to the setting that they are in. They expressed challenges faced due to inadequate resources to teach environmental education, as well as the inability to assess learners’ pro-environmental behaviour due to it not being allocated in the curriculum.

Comparative Analysis of Kyrgyzstan and Türkiye’s Secondary Geography Curriculums

The study was made as a qualitative document analysis. The geography curriculums implemented in secondary education in Türkiye since 2018 and in Kyrgyzstan since 2020 were compared by applying document analysis and content analysis. The curriculums were subjected to a comparative analysis in terms of achievements, content, learning and teaching approaches and assessment-evaluation features. Due to the difference in the educational levels of both countries, there are some difficulties in comparing only at the high school level. According to the findings, it was observed that the subjects included in the curriculum were more limited in Kyrgyzstan. In this context, it was more appropriate to make comparisons on the basis of human systems, global environment: regions and countries, and environment and society units in the Turkish geography curriculum. It is noteworthy that the geography curriculum in Kyrgyzstan has an approach that addresses geographical, geocological, social-humanitarian aspects in teaching the outcomes. When evaluated in this respect, it can be said that there is a great overlap in terms of the geographical perspective intended to be gained by students. It is noteworthy that the similarities in the updated constructivist teaching philosophy are also intense in terms of objectives and some guidance, educational situations and assessment-evaluation. In the Kyrgyzstan geography curriculum, there are a lot of details about educational situations and assessment-evaluation. The most important difficulty experienced in the comparison was the difference in the educational levels at which geography courses were taught in the two countries.

Climate Change Education in Afghanistan High School Curriculum: Depictions of the Causes, Impacts and Solutions

Climate change education is crucial for equipping students with the knowledge to address environmental challenges. This study analyzes climate change education in Afghanistan's high school curriculum. Using content analysis, the research identifies climate change topics in geography, biology, and chemistry syllabi for grades 10 to 12. The study focuses on causes, impacts, and solutions to climate change and examines topic distribution across grades. The findings reveal that climate change-related topics are included in the geography, biology, and chemistry curriculums. In the geography curriculum, climate change topics are prevalent, constituting 6% of the content. However, in biology, the coverage is relatively lower at 3%. In chemistry, there is only one topic in 12th grade related to climate change. Notably, the 10th and 12th grade exhibits a more significant emphasis on climate change topics in geography and biology respectively. These findings raise important considerations for climate change education in Afghanistan. While progress has been made in integrating climate change topics into the curriculum, there is a need for further attention and balance across subject areas and grade levels. Enhancing the coverage of climate change topics, particularly in science subjects, can significantly contribute to fostering a comprehensive understanding of the issue among students. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers, curriculum developers, and educators in Afghanistan to strengthen climate change education within the high school curriculum.

Disaster Risk Reduction Education in Geography at Schools in Greece

In Greece, the school subject of geography is used as a tool to integrate Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the national school curriculum. In order to investigate the content development of DRR in the Greek school geography curricula, this study analyzed the primary and secondary geography curricula from 2003 to 2023, using the five dimensions of the DRR learning system (knowledge, reaction , action, participation and integration) as platforms and conceptual assumptions. Qualitative content analysis indicated the following: (a) the DRR-relevant content in the geography curricula used for analysis underwent minimal changes from 2003 to 2023; (b) the changes in the DRR-relevant content in the primary and secondary school curricula presented almost identical characteristics. Therefore, should the geography curriculum be revised in the future, it is necessary to understand that the term “disaster” does not only describe the natural event per se but also its impact on and the consequences for infrastructure and society. Such revisions in the school geography curriculum are bound to add more DRR-relevant content that belongs to the “action” and “participation” dimensions, and as they should systematically incorporate the DRR-relevant content of the “integration” dimension.

Development of Web-Based Geography Learning Media for High School Students

Purpose of the study: This research aims to address the low student learning outcomes and motivation in the geography learning subjects of students at higher schools by developing and evaluating a web-based geography learning media using Moodle and examining its effectiveness in enhancing student learning achievement and interest.
 Methodology: This research uses an R&D method development procedure with six steps. The research subjects are 21 students in higher school. The data collection technique is a test using a before-after experimental design.
 Main Findings: The research data shows that Moodle's web-based geography learning media is effective and suitable. The validation by subject matter experts in geography shows that the learning media material is very good quality, with an average score of 92.5%. The media validation results show that the learning media is very good and suitable for application in the learning process, with an average score of 66.2%. The test results using a before-after experimental design show that the learning media can improve student learning outcomes with a significant difference of 5.570 ≥ 2.086, exceeding the expected outcome of 75%.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: Develop and evaluate a web-based geography learning media using Moodle for the geography learning subjects of higher school, which may have different characteristics and needs from other students in other regions or countries. The research has implications for improving the geography curriculum and the teacher training program in higher schools.

Towards an educational case for social and political issues in the geography curriculum

AbstractWhilst social and political issues have an important role in the geography curriculum, the long-term erosion of the value and insularity of disciplinary knowledge in society and the curriculum has blurred the distinction between educational aims and political advocacy in classrooms. Increasingly, teachers, policymakers, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) instrumentalize the curriculum with respect to their political objectives, including climate change and social injustice. In taking an advocacy approach to pedagogy, they potentially undermine liberal educational objectives, including the development of autonomy and subjectification. Drawing on recent work in philosophy of education (e.g. Biesta; Van Poeck, and Östman) as well as social realist approaches to knowledge, I make a case for teaching about social and political issues on liberal educational grounds. Geography plays a key role in the school curriculum by providing a space for exploring the human condition through the study of people in contrasting environments and cultural systems. Here, we examine how geography teachers can handle issues in a morally careful way and navigate a line between advocacy and educational aims. One key difference examined is the need to treat students as subjects in their own right and to help develop skills of moral enquiry. In practice this means encouraging an open-ended approach, exploring topics (and the values underpinning them) from a range of perspectives, developing sensitivity to difference, and showing tolerance for ideas of which one disapproves. For students to develop agency and moral independence, they must learn how to think about social and political issues rather than be told what to think.

From boundary maintenance to boundary crossing: Geography in the Norwegian national curriculum

AbstractThe integrated status of Social Studies in the Norwegian Curriculum for Knowledge Promotion in Primary and Secondary Education and Training 2020 reflects an international educational trend pertaining to a movement from knowledge and traditional disciplinary thinking to generic skills, competence and boundary crossing. This article addresses the changed organisation of geography as a subject within Social Studies in the national curriculum framework. Through a thematic analysis of how geographical knowledge is classified and represented in the curriculum, this article discusses opportunities and limitations in the curriculum when it comes to developing students' powerful geographical knowledge. The analysis shows that geographical knowledge is organised in an attempt to reduce content boundaries. Found across the curriculum, geographical knowledge includes geographical scale, geographic conditions and human–nature interconnections. However, geographical knowledge is represented through an understanding of space as absolute and fixed rather than relational and dynamic, as well as through a technical and mainly individual understanding of scale. We conclude that boundary crossing related to sustainability and citizenship as interdisciplinary topics opens opportunities for powerful geographical knowledge, although this potential is limited by the weak classification of geography in the curriculum for Social Studies.

Exploration and Utilization of Curriculum Ideological and Political Education in Human Geography Teaching

Curriculum ideological and political education is an effective way to cultivate talents for socialist construction in the new era. Human geography urgently needs the integration of curriculum ideology and politics. Under the background of new requirements in the new era, the ideological and political construction of curriculum is explored. By excavating the ideological and political elements of human geography curriculum, starting from the concept of national conditions, life values, sustainable development concept, and human-land coordination concept, this paper explores the corresponding integration points of ideological and political elements in each chapter, and integrates the ideological and political contents such as world outlook, political outlook, moral outlook, outlook on life, and rule of law into the human geography classroom, so as to cultivate students' cognitive ability and practical ability, improve their social responsibility and ability to identify right and wrong, and realize the educational effect of “moistening things silently”.

Race, racism and the geography curriculum

ABSTRACT How geography teachers can respond to racism has become an important theme in geography in recent years. This short article provides important context and background.

Challenges in the implementation of fieldwork learning in the geography curriculum in Indonesia

The objective of this study is to analyze the high school geography curriculum in Indonesia and suggest ways in which fieldwork geography learning can be implemented. To gather data, mixed methods were employed, including analyzing curriculum documents, the results of national exams, and surveys of geography teachers. The study was conducted with 26 geography teachers from South Kalimantan Province in Indonesia. The findings demonstrate that while the geography curriculum in Indonesia allows for fieldwork, not all teachers have the opportunity to carry it out. Furthermore, poor results in national exams may be attributed, in part, to the lack of fieldwork learning on the lithosphere topics. Geography teachers can handle the challenges in carrying out fieldwork by doing more student-centered learning, by developing students' investigative abilities, such as inquiry-based learning or project-based learning. Teachers can overcome cost problems by choosing locations around the school, reducing transportation costs, and using mobile phone technology for data input.

Study on the Strategies and Measures of World Geography Curriculum Optimization in Universities

Study on the Strategies and Measures of World Geography Curriculum Optimization in Universities