This document outlines a vision for teaching geography in the 21st century. It argues that geography is an important subject that can help students understand issues affecting the world like climate change, wealth distribution, poverty, and sustainability. The document proposes a rethinking of geography curricula to include key concepts like place, scale, and human-environment interactions. It also suggests assessing students' understanding through geographical enquiry, fieldwork, and communication skills. The overall goal is to equip both teachers and students to appreciate different perspectives and interconnectedness, and to make informed choices about contemporary and future challenges.

1. Key Stage 3 GeographyKey Stage 3 Geography
in the 21in the 21stst
CenturyCentury
David LambertDavid Lambert
Geographical AssociationGeographical Association

2. Outline of KeynoteOutline of Keynote
School geography:School geography:
• Need for changeNeed for change
• The power of geographyThe power of geography
• Opportunities on their wayOpportunities on their way
• Threats to be aware ofThreats to be aware of

3. Shift Happens

4. Disciplined innovation
"The best approach would allow for experimentation.
As we also report today, there are concerns that
many initiatives in education are pursued without
being tested properly. Ministers should encourage
different schools to engage in different
strategies for motivating children at this sensitive
age, pool the results and adjust accordingly.
There is no merit whatsoever is replacing uniform
teaching with anarchy.“
The Times 2007 5th
Feb 2007

5. Resulting in a curriculum that is
– appropriate
• adaptable
• challenging
• inspiring
for the 21st
century
economy, society, environment,
technology
for pupils’ different needs
for schools in different circumstances
real audiences
real purposes, worthwhile
real skills
engaging, enjoyable
expanding horizons

6. And a curriculum that
enables learners to
– linger longer
• dig deeper
• cross boundaries
to secure learning
to follow through
to recap
reach conceptual
understanding
go beneath the surface
link subjects
go beyond the school gates

7. And a curriculum that builds
– coherent
• meaningful for all pupils
• makes imaginative use
of resources
building on …
avoiding repetition
why am I doing this?
how can I use what I’ve
learnt?
creative engagement with the
subject
combining teacher expertises

8. Rethinking subjects

9. A new look at subjects: an
extract from geography
The importance statement
Geography is important in developing investigation and critical thinking about
issues affecting the world and people's lives, for the present and future.
Geography inspires pupils to think about their own place in the world, their
values and responsibilities to other people, to the environment and to the
sustainability of the planet.
Less prescribed content but an increased focus on subject
discipline… the key ideas and skills that underpin a subject.
13 Skills
23 separate elements
18 sub-elements
+ 54 items of content
7 key concepts
4 key processes
4 aspects of range
and content

10. Key Concepts
• Place
• Space
• Scale
• Interdependence
• Environmental interaction and sustainable
development
• Human and physical processes
• Cultural understanding and diversity

11. Key Processes
– Geographical Enquiry
– Fieldwork and out of class learning
– Graphicacy and visual literacy
– Geographical Communication

12. Range and content
Investigations focusing on:
- variety of scales
- places, themes and issues
- key aspects of the UK, EU and regions/countries
in ‘different states of development’
- physical geography
- human geography
- people-environmental interactions

13. Curriculum opportunities
• Make links to other subjects and the wider
curriculum
• Investigate issues of relevance to the UK
and globally (including issues in the news)
• Participate in informed, responsible action
• Real world investigations, individually and in
teams
• Varied resources, including GIS
• Varied approaches to enquiry
• Building on personal experiences of
geography

14. Cross-curriculum dimensions
The non-statutory cross curricular dimensions reflect the
major ideas and challenges that face society and have
significance for individuals.
– Identity and culture
– Healthy lifestyles
– Community participation
– Enterprise
– Sustainable futures and the global dimension
– Technology and the media
– Creativity and critical thinking

15. Three curriculum questions
• What are we trying to achieve?
• How will we organise learning?
• How will we know when we are
achieving our aims?
EvaluationEvaluationVisionVision OrganisationOrganisation

16. 21st
Century Professional
Development
Move away from “R&D”
(and instead)
Grow a culture of “D&R”

17. Geography for the 21st
Century?

18. Why geography matters

19. Why geography matters
It is a subject resource for the
twenty-first century.
Some 21st
century topics:
– Global Climate Change
– Unequal distributions of
• wealth
• poverty
• well-being
– Migrations

20. Why geography matters
Or what about,
- energy security?
- water security?
- food security?

21. Why geography matters
That is, understanding
Sustainable Development

22. Geography matters!
Therefore,

23. It can contribute to worthwhile and
informed choices.
For example,
“Thinking Geographically appreciates
– different perspectives eg place
– interconnectedness – eg scale
– interdependence – eg physical/human
– analysis, evaluation and synthesis

24. It is a subject resource which is
concerned with ‘the actual and
the real’.
“Living Geography” encourages:
– learning outside the classroom
– identifying and understanding
contemporary change
– using geographical imagination to help
envision futures
– awe and wonder, and excitement

25. The Action Plan for Geography
The goal of the Action Plan is:
‘To provide everyone (opinion formers, policy
makers, schools, parents and pupils) with a
clear vision of geography as a relevant and
powerful 21st
century subject; and to equip
teachers with the professional skills and
support they need so that pupils enjoy and
succeed in geography.’

26. Geography for the 21st
Century?
Let at least a thousand flowers bloom!

27. Together, we can do it……
www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk
www.geography.org.uk