Assignment TwoInteractive Workshop

Topic: The need to make Geography mandatory from

years 6 to 10

James LymerRachel Bola

Pamela SlackAshlee Patzwald

Why are participants attending our workshop?

Why is our workshop relevant? What are some key questions being

addressed? What is the focus of our workshop?

Rationale

Goal 1: Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence

Goal 2: All young Australians become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens

Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young

Australians

Gardner (multiple intelligences) Bloom’s Taxonomy De Bono’s six thinking hats Constructivism – Piaget, Vygotsky (Zone of

Proximal Development & social constructivist), Bruner

Freire

Theoretical Frameworks

Did you study Geography at school? Do you think it should be made compulsory? What has been your experience with

teaching Geography so far? What do you think about the new Geography

curriculum?

Focus Questions

Findings

In Queensland, SOSE involves the study of history, geography, economics and sociology. The knowledge and understanding indicators of the SOSE curriculum are organised in four areas; time, continuity and change, place and space, culture and identity and political and economic systems. This broad range of content that must be covered does not allow for a strong focus on geography.

Many teachers have experienced the absorption of geography into SOSE and this has resulted in a loss of the content, rigour and skills that were taught when geography was a stand alone subject. Teachers have found that students studying geography in the final years of high school are lacking the basic knowledge required for that level of study.

The Importance of Teaching and Learning about Geography

Geography develops knowledge of places and environments throughout the world

Geography develops understandings of maps, and a range of investigative and problem solving skills

As students study geography, they come across different societies and cultures. This develops understandings about how nations rely on each other

Students also learn about the consequences that can arise from everyday decision making

Geography can inspire students to think about their own place in the world and their own personal values, rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment

The Importance of Teaching and Learning about Geography

The perceived decline in the teaching of geography has been linked to severalfactors including curriculum structures, teaching and learning, school organisation and teacher professional development. Obstacles to the quality of teaching and learning of geography have been identified and listed below.

1) Problems caused by the amalgamation of geography into Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) Contribution to the loss of identity of Geography in the primary/middle years2) Loss of status for geography and geography teachers Due in part to the amalgamation with SOSE, an undermining of the subject’s integrity and the

specialist knowledge of geography teachers has occurred 3) Loss of priority for geography in an over-crowded curriculum There is a lack of curriculum time allocated for teaching Geography4) The shortage of suitably qualified geography teachers There is a rapidly decreasing number of students enrolling in tertiary-level geography courses,

and even fewer graduating as geography teachers.5) Failure to engage students Inadequate training affects the unenthusiastic way that geography is taught by some teachers6) Lack of incentives for the study of geography in senior years Tertiary prerequisite courses influence senior subject selection – Geography is not a prerequisite

for any tertiary course

Issues Surrounding the Teaching and Learning of Geography

Title: ‘Are we there yet?’Aim: By completing this set task students will learn how to calculate

how long it will take to get from one country/city to another.Task: Using the following formula and map calculate how long it will

take to get from point A to point B

Formula: rate x time = distancePoint A = Brisbane AustraliaPoint B = New York USADistance = 15508 kmTime = 20 hours 15 minutesWhat is the rate?

Activity(Geography & Numeracy)

A

B

Findings

Feedback

Strong leadership with an unrelenting focus on improvement

Shared commitment to:- implementing the required curriculum- embedding literacy and numeracy across all learning areas- embedding higher order thinking in all learning areas

Quality curriculum and planning to improve learning

Teaching focused on the achievement of every student

Monitoring student progress and responding to learning needs

Teaching Strategies

Years 5 and 6Teaching Approaches Spatial interaction Spatial analysis

Years 7-10Teaching Approaches Human agency Scalar Cultural/social

constructivist

The quality of geographical education is enhanced by the following factors:

Geography teaching and learning is provided with adequate time in the curricula Qualified geography teachers who have the academic background and skills to facilitate rigorous and in depth learning Teachers who have a passion for the subject and believe in its value in the curriculum and are innovative Teachers who want to teach the subject rather than being required to as is at

times the case when geography is combined into SOSE Teachers who keep their knowledge and skills current Teachers who embrace and are confident to utilize new technology Teachers who develop positive relationships with their students Class size-large classes reduce the opportunities for individual students to interact and be assisted by teachers Access to technology such as computers, Geographic Information Systems, broadband internet access, software programs

Teaching Strategies

Access to excursions and fieldwork. These activities develop students’ skills but also to connect classroom learning with real world applications Students understanding the relevance of what they are learning to themselves and others Activities that involve problem solving and higher order thinking skills. These challenge and extend students. Incorporating current learning theory into teaching practices, for example, Multiple Intelligences and Thinking Skills Incorporating a range of different learning activities in the classroom that cater for the different learning style preferences of students, e.g. role plays, group work, individual research, and team investigations Opportunities for student involvement in practical community based projects, e.g. water care, coast watch, Trees for Life. These activities involve students putting their learning into action and empower students. Access to quality and current resources

Teaching Strategies

Geographical inquiry involves the examination of a geographical question from a variety of perspectives while using a variety of concepts.

Learning Experiences

Year 5/6 Geographical skills finding the way around countries and

the world with small-scale maps mapping land surfaces, human

settlement and circulation using maps to investigate locational

and movement patterns planning geographical inquiries fieldwork interviewing using maps, photographs, statistics

and literary sources classifying and interpreting data constructing climate graphs using aerial photographs and satellite

images to identify patterns interpreting isopleth maps

Skills and Concepts

Major concepts system spatial

distribution culture adaptation perception evaluation

Years 7-10 Geographical inquiry skills measuring environmental, demographic,

economic and social phenomena using maps to develop and test

generalisations constructing and interpreting mental maps constructing, interpreting and analysing

choropleth maps constructing, interpreting and analysing

graphs and diagrams statistical analysis using computer mapping software to create

statistical and other maps interpreting simple remotely sensed images understanding a GIS and its uses evaluation of information Reflection

Skills and Concepts

Major concepts • scale• behaviour• risk• power• linear and non-

linear change• sustainability• policy• representation• time–space

compression• agglomeration

and dispersal

Geographical knowledge and understanding

Years 5 and 6

Place Understanding cultural differences between places and countries Finding out how local community issues are managed Exploring places in the world with similar characteristics to those of the students’

own place

Environment Investigating the local environment Investigating a local environmental project Investigating Australian and world climates and human adaptation to them Studying an extreme environment Learning about environmental hazards

Space Investigating how places are connected to each other Finding out how retailing and transport produce spatial patterns of towns and

commercial centres

Knowledge and Understanding

Geographical knowledge and understanding:

Year 7

Place Investigating the population and community structure of the

neighbourhood Comparative analysis of the local place with other local-scale places

Environment Investigating the environmental impact of housing and household

consumption

Space Investigating the places and spaces that students use Investigating online spaces

Knowledge and Understanding

Geographical knowledge and understanding: Years 8 and 9

Place Comparative analysis of places and countries; deeper study of selected countries

Environment Understanding and explaining environmental systems and environmental change Exploring the concepts of environment, nature and wilderness Studying world biomes and their ecosystem health Investigating environmental resources and human dependence on them Exploring the perception and use of environmental resources Undertaking an in-depth study of water and one or more other resource

Space Investigating topics such as sport, tourism, surfing, popular culture, food, retailing, crime, and

cyberspace Understanding the local economy Explaining the distribution of employment Identifying the effects of changing transport and communication technologies on local economies Explaining population distribution and urban concentration Explaining population mobility and its consequences

Knowledge and Understanding

Geographical knowledge and understanding:

Year 10

Place Comparative analysis of places and countries; deeper study of selected

countries

Environment Understanding and investigating environmental sustainability Undertaking in-depth studies of one or more of climate change, urban

environments, forests, land, and marine resources

Space Investigating migrant settlement Explaining the spatial pattern of economic and social wellbeing, and its

consequences

Knowledge and Understanding

Work, Employment and Enterprise

Difference and Diversity Aboriginal and Indigenous

history and culture Asia and Australia’s

engagement with Asia Creativity and thinking skills

including higher order Intercultural understanding Self management and

teamwork

Cross-curricular Links

Literacy Multicultural Numeracy ICT Civics and

citizenship Environment Sustainability Social competence Ethical behaviour

Assessment, both formative and summative, must be planned for so that the teacher can determine students’ preliminary knowledge, understanding and skills, keep track of students’ progress and report student achievement. Students receive feedback about what they have learnt, and what needs to be done to continue their learning from their teacher and from self and peer assessments. The complexity of assessment tasks gradually increase over time to allow students to develop evaluative independence as they assess their own knowledge, understanding and skills, and determine ways of improving their learning.

Assessment for learning: emphasises the interactions between learning and manageable

assessment strategies that promote learning clearly expresses for the student and teacher the goals of the

learning activity reflects a view of learning in which assessment helps students learn

better, rather than just achieve a better mark provides ways for students to use feedback from assessment helps students take responsibility for their own learning is inclusive of all learners

Assessment

Geography is suited to the following types of assessment Inquiry-based research assignments and

projects Fieldwork activities Presentations Peer assessment Self-assessment

Assessment

The geography strand of SOSE is usually taught by teachers who have no specific geography training. This can mean that the subject is delivered with no great enthusiasm. The Council of the Institute of Australian Geographers (CIAG) report that in several states SOSE teachers in Years 8-10 are expected to teach across the disciplines of history, geography and economics, even though they might have studied only one of these subjects at a university level, which is not conducive to quality education.

Importance of Registered and Pre-service Teacher Training

As mentioned before, a partial explanation for the decline in student enrolment in elective geography arises from the way that the subject is taught by some teachers. This reiterates the argument about inadequately prepared teachers and their consequent lack of enthusiasm about the subject they have to teach yet do not have expertise in.

If teachers are knowledgeable and confident in their knowledge about a subject, they are more likely to teach it well and with enthusiasm. This enthusiasm then rubs off onto their students who are then more likely to show enthusiasm towards the subject.

Importance of Registered and Pre-service Teacher Training

www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/8221F0DF.../geographyreport.pdf http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Draft__Shape

__AC_Geography21062010.pdf http://

www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/geography_710_syl.pdf http://

www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/geography_710_support.pdf

http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf

www.geography.org.uk/download/GA_NKS3Importance.doc http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/ucspatialint.htm http://education.qld.gov.au/qcar/strat-techniq.html

References