School Geography Research Articles

Chronicling participants’ understanding and experiences of integrating ICT into the teaching of geography in South African schools

This article examines geography teachers’, parents’ and learners’ understanding and experiences of the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the teaching of that subject. The study was guided by the TPACK-SAMR model, which proved to be a reliable tool for measuring the extent of ICT integration. The purposive sampling technique that was employed enabled the researchers to identify participants for the research study related to the importance of integrating ICTs into the teaching and learning of geography. The article draws its purpose from the integration of technologies into the teaching of geography as a means of preparing and equipping learners who take this subject with the type of skills required in the 21st-century job market. Surprisingly, the research findings revealed that some teachers still do not feel comfortable to integrate diverse technologies into their teaching of geography, perceiving it as time consuming. Their unwillingness to become digital citizens and conform to the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a drawback, as are learners’ inappropriate use of ICTs (visiting irrelevant, unwanted sites instead of downloading subject-related content). To empower learners to adopt and use ICTs as valuable tools and solutions on their learning journey drastic changes are required, particularly on the part of curriculum planners in geography.

Reading landscape by high school graduates in Czechia: the perspective of high school teachers and academic geographers

Understanding and practicing the skill of reading landscape is paramount for responsible behavior. The European Landscape Convention underscores the importance of comprehending the ongoing processes in one’s surroundings, with a dual aim of landscape preservation and efficient utilization. This proficiency should extend beyond geography graduates, becoming an integral part of school education. Surprisingly, the development of reading landscape has been largely overlooked in both school curricula and educational research. This study engaged 21 high school geography teachers and academic geographers who provided 274 questions in response to photographs depicting diverse landscapes, including urban, rural, and natural, at varying levels of detail. Teachers exhibited greater creativity and posed questions demanding more active interaction with the images compared to academic geographers. Notably, some photographs evoked strikingly similar inquiries. Through a rigorous qualitative analysis of the questions offered, we crafted a definition of reading landscape tailored for high school graduates, expressed as expected outcomes. This definition holds promise as a practical guide for geography educators seeking to cultivate these essential skills and offers a foundation for further exploration in the realm of reading landscape.

Dutch inspiration for an engaged pluralist historiography of geography

This paper introduces to an international audience the ‘encyclopaedic approach’ to geographical historiography. This approach was developed at the Free University of Amsterdam between 1961 and 1987 by Marcus Heslinga and Andries Kouwenhoven. Signalling how contemporary geography is hampered by the silofication of different subdisciplines and how a better understanding of our shared and pluriform histories can help overcome these silos, the encyclopaedic approach demonstrates how an ‘engaged pluralist’ historiography of geography could take shape. Testifying to its bridge-building character, the approach was developed in response to decades of acerbic conflict between rivalling schools of human geography in the Netherlands. Its central premises involve an acknowledgement that geography is a dynamic discipline with shifting formal and material objects and an empirical strategy to map and relate these different conceptual fields.

Mathuiz-B Android-Based Application Program to Overcome Dissimilarity in Mathematics Fields of Sabilurrosyad Islamic Junior High School Students

Sabilurrosyad Islamic Middle School is a junior high school in the village of Karangbesuki. The geography school is located on the edge of Malang City and far away from the center of Malang City. Students entering junior high school are big children from local public elementary school graduates. Sabilurrosyad Islamic Middle School is the school that found its students with diverse ability different academics. _ Problems faced _ partner is different competence academic field mathematics in students new Sabilurrosyad Islamic Middle School. Based on the results analysis situation and SWOT analysis, the team devoted the public to the solution by creating and giving application edugames (MATHUIZ-B) that can used by schools. For participants assigned to educate new order capabilities, cognitive students can be uniform with standard junior high school level. The method of this community activity begins with preparation, making the Mathuiz-B application, outreach to teachers and principals of Sabilurrosyad Middle School, and Submission of the application so that service partners can use it. On activities devotion public, team devotion will provide an application manual book and a book regarding successful strategies for learning mathematics for entering junior high school.

An ex post facto study of critical thinking skills in mathematics learning based on school geography

An ex post facto study of critical thinking skills in mathematics learning based on school geography

Pre-service teacher’s perceptions about the difficult nature of physics as a mathematics embedded course in a college of education

Despite the great importance attached to physics as a core science course that aids the learning of other subjects like mathematics, chemistry, agriculture, biology, computer, geography, and other vocational subjects in high schools to upgrade their knowledge on the physical world, some pre-service teachers still see physics as a very difficult subject that only exist in an abstract form. As a result of this, some pre-service physics teachers find it a challenge when offering or teaching physics as a course in colleges of education and high schools during their teaching practice. The reasons contributing to this is not far from; poor teaching and learning approach, lack of modern practical equipment, and incompetent lecturers among many others. As a result of this, this study finds it necessary to investigate the preserve teachers’ perceptions about the difficult nature of physics as a field of study in a college of education. In achieving this, the study was conducted among some college of education students taking physics as a major or minor field of study in a college of education. And this study was carried out using a quantitative approach of data collection among the 46 students taking physics as a course in a college of education in Nigeria. The result of the finding confirmed that there is a high percentage of the participants taking physics who reported that the teaching process, adopted when learning it, lacks some vital resources, such as motivation, good practical tools, and competent lecturers among many other. As a result of this, some students have taken physics as a difficult subject

The Management of Facilities and Infrastructure in the Development of Islamic Boarding Schools in Jambi Province

This research is motivated by the condition of Islamic boarding schools in Jambi province in terms of infrastructure management. The research objective is to determine the infrastructure management system in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province.The research method uses a qualitative approach. The sample in this study; Nurul Jalal Islamic boarding school, Tebo Regency City, Zulhijjah Islamic boarding school, Batang Hari Regency, Nurul Iman Islamic boarding school, Jambi City and as a research informant for Islamic boarding school leaders, madrasa leaders and staff who handle infrastructure management. Data collection technique using snowball sampling. Sampling technique using the method : interviews, documentation, observation. To test the validity of the data by using data triangulationThe research results are as follows; first, management of facilities and infrastructure in the development of Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province, the Islamic boarding schools as samples in this research are as follows; carry out planning, carry out implementation and organization, then carry out the process of procurement and inventory of facilities and infrastructure as well as the final stage of monitoring and evaluating the condition of infrastructure in an effort to develop Islamic boarding schools. All activities are oriented towards achieving goals, clarity and responsibility, administration, efficiency and consistency in the use of facilities and infrastructure. Second, the inhibiting factors in the process of managing facilities and infrastructure to develop Islamic boarding schools in Jambi province include; human resources, educational funds as well as the location and geography of Islamic boarding schools, while the supporting factors in managing facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province come from the culture of Islamic boarding schools and the principles possessed by Kiai as leaders of Islamic boarding schools. Third, the efforts made by Islamic boarding schools in managing facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province include; maximizing the allocation of the use of education financing funds for facilities and infrastructure, increasing human resources through training, collaborating with other institutions, collaborating with the private sector, collaborating with the government and the community. Fourth, a suitable management model for facilities and infrastructure in developing Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province, the results of findings in the field show a model that is more suitable for developing Islamic boarding schools. The facilities and infrastructure management model is carried out using a strategic management model and at the beginning of activities uses the active management concept. This activity is influenced by the type and style of Islamic boarding school leadership. Apart from that, Islamic boarding school leaders view facilities and infrastructure as resources in the form of sources of strength in achieving a goal and as resources related to humans, finances and materials.

Geodiversity as a Tool to Integrate Geographical Science and School Geography in Elementary Education in Rio de Janeiro City

O artigo aborda Geodiversidade, com o objetivo de integrar a Ciência Geográfica e a Geografia Escolar, aplicada em uma escola primária do Rio de Janeiro. Para alcançar esse objetivo, consideramos as regras da Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC). Além disso, conceitos relacionados à Geodiversidade e Geoeducação são também discutidos com os estudantes, para que possam aplicar à geoeducação. Um Laboratório de Solos foi criado na Escola Municipal Marília de Dirceu, com recursos da FAPERJ, com o objetivo de levar os alunos para aulas práticas. Uma pequena aula de campo foi feita com os alunos, para ensiná-los a identificar diferentes paisagens urbanas, próximas da escola. Além dos solos, durante o projeto, os estudantes aprenderam sobre rochas, e como associá-las com a Geodiversidade do Rio de Janeiro, evidenciando aprendizagem significativa a partir do contato com atividades científicas e práticas.

Do they like geography? A study of Fijian high school students’ attitudes towards geography

This paper investigates the causes of students’ preference and disinclination for high school geography. The paper draws on data from 135 students from years 11, 12, and 13 (aged 16–18 years) from seven secondary schools in the Ba district, Western division, Fiji Islands. We used the posterior inductive reduction model to analyze and identify the themes that connected the interviews conducted with the study participants. We discovered that the multidisciplinary and exciting nature of geography, teacher influence, and the notion that geography offers the opportunity for high scores constituted the significant factors explaining students’ favorable attitudes toward geography. On the other hand, perceived subject difficulty, lack of outdoor activities, and negative societal impression of geography constituted the push factors underlying students’ disinclination towards the subject. The findings suggest that the inclusion of a broader range of topics, assessing and realigning the current curriculum, and integrating technology in the geography classrooms would generate interest in the subject.

Critiquing ‘powerful knowledge’ in school geography through a decolonial lens

ABSTRACT The concept of ‘powerful knowledge’ has risen to prominence in the school curriculum in England, taking on a life both in educational policy and in the work of schools, teachers, teacher educators and students. This article conducts a decolonial critique of ‘powerful knowledge’ in school geography. We begin by reviewing research about ‘powerful knowledge’ in geography education before turning to its interpretation in education policy and curriculum framings. We then offer our decolonial critique. We argue that the concept adopts reductive binary frames and neglects the racialising politics of geographical knowledge production. In doing so, ‘powerful knowledge’ marginalises the everyday knowledge of people globally and glosses over their ‘hidden’ geographies and histories in ways that sustain racialised global inequalities. We conclude by explaining the reasons for the emergence of ‘powerful knowledge’ and arguing for its demise on account of lack of analytical rigour and inattentiveness to social justice.

READINESS OF TEACHERS OF GEOGRAFHY OF SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN SLOVAK REPUBLIC TO USE THE ELECTRONIC MANUAL WITH IT SUPPORT

The purpose of the article is to highlight the level of readiness of teachers of geography of special schools of the Slovak Republic (on the example of 14 of special and inclusive education institutions of the Košice Region) to the use of an electronic didactic manual on IT support. Teachers of the Department of Special Pedagogy of the Pedagogical Faculty of the Catholic University in Ruzomberok together with teachers of the geography of special schools prepared an electronic didactic manual on IT support taking into account modern requirements to the level of knowledge, abilities and psychophysical capabilities of school children with special education needs. The manual has helped to raise the level of geographical learning among school children of special school. The convincing results of the pedagogical experiment are described in the previous article «Using a didactic tool with IT-support for teaching geography in a special school in Slovakia». However, in the course of studying the question the researchers concluded that success in the work depends on the level of readiness of the teacher for this work. Namely, the presence of interest and motivation to the introduction of innovative forms of training for the subjects of the education process the attitude of the teacher to the organization of the education process, the level of professional training (possession of the means and technologies of training). To obtain objective and unbiased results Google Form has conducted a survey of teachers of geography. The first set of questions – the reference one – provided an opportblocky to explain the answers of the second set of questions – the informative one. The statistical processing of the survey results supports the assumption that the quality of the IT-supported e-manual is largely dependent on the teacher’s readiness. The results also show that the majority of teachers of geography surveyed are well aware of the benefits of this teaching tool and are now ready to put the manual into practice. However, due to the rapid progress in the use of information and communication technologies the teachers of special schools do not deny the need to improve their professional knowledge of the use of ICT in postgraduate teacher training.

Where powerful knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge intersect: the case of knowledge and beliefs for teaching school geography through inquiry

Despite global interest in inquiry as a teaching and learning approach for school geography, little is known about teachers’ knowledge and beliefs for teaching geography through inquiry. This paper reports on findings from a survey of 44 Victorian secondary teachers’ knowledge, beliefs and practice of teaching geography through inquiry. Our findings reveal that geography teachers believe in the power of geographical knowledge to influence young people’s attitudes, values, emotions and ethical action and the power of incorporating geography inquiry to deliver these ambitious educational goals. This paper concludes that knowledge for teaching geography through inquiry is a dynamic collection of rich and situated knowledge constructed in and with practice, and teachers’ beliefs are deeply intertwined. These conclusions augment Shulman’s concept of pedagogical content knowledge by incorporating concepts of powerful knowledge and curriculum-making, signalling a way forward on knowledge for teaching powerful subject knowledge through inquiry. We argue that geography inquiry is key to experiencing and developing powerful knowledge in geography. Disciplinary inquiry supports, even gives flesh to, Young’s vision of a Future 3 curriculum.

Regarding digitalization and school geography

Pervasive digitization in a school context does not simply imply a new way of teaching and learning, it is projected into the learning content and into the lesson. In this sense, what are the prospects for teaching geography? The relationship between digital technologies and geospatial relationships has long been debated, i.e. the new perception of spatial configurations, new spatial practices, new geographical distribution of digital infrastructures. Digitization, by itself, cannot project the development of modern geographical science and geography in the classroom, however, it offers opportunities for a critical approach to basic geographical concepts, to modern diagnostic assumptions in geographical science, to current geographical localizations. In this sense, the article systematizes and presents a critical analysis of the issue, more specifically – outlines the relationship between digitalization and school geography in Bulgaria in several steps: 1) outline the key characteristics of the digital common culture, considering the digital not as technical, but more soon as a social and cultural phenomenon, 2) outlining the relationship between digital and geography, referring to some current models and 3) outlining the projection of this relationship in the normative base and the information-methodological resource of school geography in the Bulgarian school. Based on the analysis, the need for additional and more in-depth studies on the issue is proven.

Augmented Horizons: Development and Impact of Augmented Reality on Atmospheric Education

Educational media serve as a supporting component in learning, offering benefits to enhance student engagement, interactivity, and interest in learning. The media employed should align with current advancements in science and technology, one of which is Augmented Reality (3D), a medium capable of projecting virtual objects into reality. This study aims to 1) Produce an AR media design for high school geography education on atmospheric topics, 2) Determine the feasibility of using AR-based media for such geography education. The creation of the Augmented Reality (3D) educational media utilizes the Borg and Gall (1989) model, which comprises ten development steps. This media creation employs Unity 3D software and supporting applications such as Vuforia, Cinema 4D, and Corel Draw. The development of this educational media resulted in two products: a smartphone application (for Android and iOS) named Cloud AR and its accompanying book, both of which meet UNESCO standards. Based on the research findings, the developed educational media is deemed suitable for use, with a score of 85.16% and classified in the suitable category.

GeoCapabilities Approach to Climate Change Education: Developing an Epistemic Model for Geographical Thinking

Multiple perspectives on geographical thinking are lacking in the teaching of climate change in school geography. This study establishes an epistemic model through a co-construction design to support geography teachers’ curriculum making with respect to climate change. We developed the preliminary model with four main geographical perspectives, including natural scientific, humanistic, social scientific, and posthuman perspectives, by drawing on studies in academic geography. Based on interviews with nine geography education researchers who have been involved in the GeoCapabilities project, we examined the educational potentials of multiple geographical perspectives in developing student’s capabilities to react to climate change.

Hindrances Of Geography Teachers Ict Competence In Public Secondary Schools In Zaria Metropolis, Kaduna State Nigeria

The study investigated the Hindrances of Geography teachers ICT Competence in Public Secondary Schools Zaria Metropolis, Kaduna State. The researcher deployed descriptive survey research using 40 Geography Teachers as study Sample and two questionnaires as research instruments. First Questionnaire: level of ICT competence among Geography Teachers (LOGTIC) with face validity index 72.2 Content validity index 0.74 and reliability coefficient 0.81. Second Questionnaire: Hindrances of Geography Teachers ICT Competence Questionnaire (HGTICQ) face validity index 83.6 content validity index 0.77 and reliability coefficient 0.71. Data collected analyzed using frequency and percentage. The study found out that: the percentage of male geography ICT competence teacher are more than the female and the factors that hider geography teachers both affects the male and female geography teachers ICT competence for teaching geography in public senior secondary schools. The researcher recommended among others: Government should create awareness of the danger of lack ICT knowledge and skills in schools to the entire public. Training and retraining of teachers to be good and update their ICT knowledge and skills, and Government should take the lead in eradicating all forms of factors hindering teachers ICT competence in public secondary schools, by among others providing good electricity power supply, basic infrastructures and good maintenance and management techniques.

The Google Earth app, geography teaching and children in the literacy process

The New Information and Communication Technologies are tools that can help in everyday life, as well as offering support to contribute in the classroom with the aim of instrumentalizing the teaching of geography. This paper presents a report on a classroom experience with children aged six (6) and seven (7) in which the Google Earth application is used to demonstrate how children in the literacy phase express and use geographical knowledge in a meaningful and spontaneous way in their daily lives. However, there are criticisms of the risks of romanticizing the use of information and communication technologies. That said, the step-by-step process is described, from arriving at the school to using the app, the frustration at not being able to use it in the first lesson, and the difficulty of accessing the necessary resources. The children's speeches are transcribed, their reactions as they follow and view the images that the Google Earth application makes available, during the lesson proposed and carried out. At the end, we present some images that reveal how the children express their spatial experiences in drawings. Thus, we advocate the possibility and importance that from elementary school onwards, including in literacy classes for children aged six (6) and seven (7), it is conceivable to develop activities that contribute to the construction of ideas and knowledge pertaining to the teaching of school geography with children who are at the beginning of the literacy process of their language.

Von Stadt, Land, Fluss zur Nachhaltigkeitskunde: (Irr-)Wege der Ausgestaltung des Fachwissens in den Berliner Geographielehrplänen der letzten drei Jahrzehnte

Abstract. Sustainable development is of equal concern to Geography as an academic discipline and Geography Education. Given Geography's explicit conceptual and thematic affinity to sustainable development, various professional organizations developed normative documents proclaiming Geography to the main carrier subject of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The aim of this paper is to explore what effects the special proximity of school Geography to the promotion of ESD has on the design of geographical specialist knowledge. Lower secondary Geography curricula (1992–2022) of the federal state of Berlin served as sample for content analysis. Viewed in light of work from the History of Education, Sociology of Education, and Subject Education, the results show a progressive loss of disciplinary identity accompanied by a concurrent shift in focus from factual judgments to value judgments.

The use of active teaching methods in the process of studying school geography courses

The article discusses the role of active teaching methods in the educational process of geography, which contribute to activating students’ cognitive activity, preparing them for lifelong self-education, and ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of knowledge acquisition. The study utilized theoretical methods, namely general scientific methods of investigating reality, comparative-historical and structural methods, as well as empirical methods: surveys, discussions, interviews; observational (observation, self-observation); practimetric (analysis of advanced and mass pedagogical experience, analysis of activity results).Experimental work was carried out in general secondary education institutions in Vinnytsia city and Vinnytsia region.Various views of scientists and respondents on the substantive essence of the concept of «active teaching methods» have been considered. An analysis of the results of a ascertainment experiment was carried out, during which the real state of the problem in teaching practice was clarified. In particular, during discussions, observations in classes, conducting independent work, surveys of teachers and students, we concluded that at the present stage in the educational process of geography, various active forms and methods of teaching are used. However, their advantages and disadvantages are not always taken into account, often the substantive essence is distorted by teachers, thus the effectiveness is neutralized. Many respondents do not associate deep, thoughtful assimilation of knowledge with the need to organize students’ search activities. Therefore, methods that stimulate active independent creative work of students in geography lessons are underestimated. It is noted that active learning is associated by modern students with creativity, innovation, independence, critical thinking, development of communicative abilities, group activities, ability to substantiate their own position, self-confidence, diversity of opinions, peer learning.Methodological features of applying active and interactive teaching methods in geography lessons have been determined, including research, partially search, brainstorming, educational discussion, analysis of problematic situations, intellectual warm-ups, role-playing games. The motives for their implementation, advantages and disadvantages have been identified. In further research, more attention should be paid to the use of interactive teaching methods, STEM technologies in the process of studying geography to unleash the creative potential of students, and to foster critical thinking on this basis.

A Deep Learning-Based Teaching Design for High School Geography Units: Taking the Example of Landforms of the Humanistic Education Edition

The traditional teaching methods of one-way cultivation of students can no longer meet the requirements oftalent cultivation at this stage. The issue of how to promote students from passive acceptance to the independent cognitive understanding stage (i.e. deep learning) has become the focus of geography teaching. Therefore, under the guidance of deep learning theory, this paper takes the “landforms” knowledge unit of the Humanistic Education Edition as an example, improves the classroom teaching means through the unit teaching mode, reconstructs the “landforms” teaching unit, and explores the specific teaching of high school geography unit based on deep learning. This study provides a good example and guidelines for high school geography teaching and learning.