Tine Béneker & Hans Palings (Fontys University of
Applied Sciences; Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
GTE Conference
Oxford 2015
Research aim
To find out:
1. In what way teachers are able to think
about a prefered future for geography
education in their schools
2.
In what way this futures thinking can
inform us about ‘teachers as curriculum
makers’?
Future & education

(geography) education for the future

(geography) education of the future

(geography) education about the future
(Lambert & Morgan, 2010)
(Thijs & v.d Akker ed. , 2009)
Context : teacher education at Fontys University
Master course (3 years part time) to become
a qualified teacher for upper secondary
education
 First year course unit: Geography for
Education
 Aims:

 developing a vision on geography education and
their possible role as a head of department

8 weeks during the first term
The assignment

Final assignment
 Describe the ideal situation of GE in your school
in five years
 Use earlier assignments and literature
 Form: an article for a professional journal

3 preparatory assignments
 comparison of (international) curricula
 departemental checklist (Dawson, Lodge &
Roberts, 2004)
 students survey (Dawson, Lodge & Roberts,
2004)
Methodology

Assignments 2009 - 2014 (110 papers)

Random selection of 31 papers

Content analysis
Findings

What are teachers’ concerns?
 fewer students choose geography (upper
secondary)
 Students are less motivated
 Relevance of the subject is not obvious for
students

Why are the students learning geography
(rationale)?
 (world) citizenship, responsibility
 Geographical awareness
What is important?
1.
2.
3.
Active learning and
enquiry based
What is not / hardly ever
mentioned?
1. Assessment
2.
Time
3.
Grouping
Fieldwork & excursions
Use of IT e.g. GIS and
tablets
Aims and content

Aims and content are implicit (clues)
national curriculum & central exams
 relate to the news
 relate to other subjects
 relate to further education and future jobs

Future thinking of teachers

GE for the future:
 personal futures
 (global) citizenship

GE of the future
○ use of ICT
○ enquiry skills

GE about the future: ?
Curriculum
makers?
In what way are they curriculum makers?
They all have an idea how to improve GE in
their school.
 They are aware of the context in which they
have to teach (examinations, preconditions
school, etc. ).
 They have innovative ideas regarding
classroom practice, how students should
learn.
 They feel responsible for the learning of their
students.

Preliminary conclusions
Critical remarks from research perspective
 Analysis of a mandatory final assignment
 Direct and indirect influence of the lessons, the
lecturers, the literature, etc.
Lessons learned for the course unit
 Clarify the interdepence of the curricular
artefacts
 Starting point is the rationale for GE
 Use interdepence of teacher – student - subject
References
Dawson, G., Lodge, R. and Roberts, D. (2004) ‘Enhancing
students’ experience of geography’, Teaching Geography,
29, 2, pp. 84-9.
Lambert, D. & Morgan, J. (2010) Teaching Geography 1118 – A Conceptual Approach. Maidenhead: Open
University Press.
Thijs, A. & van de Akker, J. (2009) Leerplan in
ontwikkeling. Enschede: Stichting Leerplan Ontwikkeling /
in English: Curriculum in Development:
http://www.slo.nl/downloads/2009/curriculum-indevelopment.pdf/