This presentation explores geographical knowledge in the context of the GeoCapabilities project and a capabilities approach. It introduces the role of geographical knowledge in terms of capabilities. It then illustrates three dimensions of powerful disciplinary knowledge (NCGRE): - content-based geographic knowledge - conceptual geographic knowledge and - procedural geographic knowledge The presentation is part of the Web site for the GeoCapabilities 3 project

1. Project partners
http://www.geocapabilities.org
http://www.geocapabilities.org
GeoCapabilities
Geographical Knowledge

2. Project partners
http://www.geocapabilities.org
http://www.geocapabilities.org
Geographical Knowledge
• A capabilities approach to education considers how
the individual can live a life that she or he values.
• A GeoCapabilities approach argues that an
individual will develop a greater potential to do so
if they acquire geographical knowledge, which
enables them to think geographically.
• GeoCapabilities relates to the role of powerful
geographical knowledge in teaching and learning

3. Project partners
http://www.geocapabilities.org
http://www.geocapabilities.org
The GeoCapabilities Project
The project sees geographical knowledge as
a powerful educational resource
Pupil’s needs are placed in the foreground
Enabling them in many ways to:
• participate in big debates
• sort truth from fiction
• know their world at different scales and
• open real choices about how to live

4. Project partners
http://www.geocapabilities.org
1. content-based geographical knowledge
e.g. knowledge and understanding of geographical
terminology and substantive concepts such as alluvial
plain, metropolitan area, ethnic group, tertiary
economy, coniferous forest, geological fault, flood
plain, natural hazards, etc.
Three dimensions of Powerful
Geographic Knowledge
National Center for Research in
Geography Education (NCRGE),
http://www.ncrge.org/

5. Project partners
http://www.geocapabilities.org
2. conceptual geographical knowledge
e.g. the use of 'big ideas' in Geography, such as
location, place, region, interconnection, spatial
relationships, etc., to think about about people,
places and environments, from the local to the
global.
Three dimensions of Powerful
Geographic Knowledge
National Center for Research in
Geography Education (NCRGE),
http://www.ncrge.org/

6. Project partners
http://www.geocapabilities.org
3. procedural geographical knowledge
e.g. when undertaking spatial analysis with a
GIS or other geospatial technology, or designing
a geographical survey and research study,
collecting spatial data in the field, etc.
Three dimensions of Powerful
Geographic Knowledge
National Center for Research in
Geography Education (NCRGE),
http://www.ncrge.org/