This document discusses the importance of geography education for developing students' understanding of the world and ability to address global challenges. It argues that geography helps students make sense of a complex, changing world by explaining how places are formed, how people and environments interact, and how societies are interconnected. The study of geography encourages questioning, investigation, critical thinking and fieldwork to explore issues affecting people's lives. It inspires students to become global citizens by exploring their place in the world and their responsibilities. The key is teaching geography concepts and skills that enhance students' autonomy, choices, creativity and understanding of interconnected global systems, to better equip them for the future.

1. Geography in schools and education for survival David Lambert

2. Geography in schools and education for survival

3. Crisis, what crisis? Environmental global climate change Economic global financial crisis Educational how to respond?

4. What geography is significant to the 21st century learner?

5. What’s the purpose of school geography? And end in itself? Or A means to an end?

6. Geography underpins a lifelong ‘conversation’ about the earth as the home of humankind. It is not a narrow academic subject for the few. It is a fundamental idea. It is of relevance to everyone.- Geography fascinates and inspires - Geography deepens understanding- Thinking with geography enables decision-making - Geographical enquiry encourages skills developmentSource: the GA Manifesto A Different View(www.geography.org.uk/adifferentview)

7. ‘Geography is all about the living, breathing essence of the world we live in. It explains the past, illuminates the present and prepares us for the future. What could be more important than that?’ Michael Palin, 27 November 2007 At the reception at the Speaker’s House, House of Commons, to celebrate the successes of the Action Plan for Geography.

8. “I want my children to understand the world, but not just because the world is fascinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to understand it so they will be positioned to make it a better place.” Gardner H (2000) Intelligence Reframed: multiple intelligences for the 21st century, NY: Basic Books. P 180-1

9. The moral implications of teaching geography Questions: What are the children learning (anyhow) What are the children learning through my teaching? In what ways is this learning an educational achievement? Has it enabled students to travel ‘with a different view’?

10. Curriculum Making Which learning activity ? Does this take the learner beyond what they already know ? Student Experiences Geography: the subject Teacher Choices Underpinned by Key Concepts Thinking Geographically

11. The subject Geography – not as an end in itself but a resource in the service of educational aims Geography - “defined not as a collection of facts but as the state of the art conceptual frameworks of the subject”

13. skills and ways of thinking Key processes Range and content opportunities Curriculum Key concepts knowledge and understanding essential ideas contexts for learning Less prescribed contentbut an increased focuson subject discipline… the key ideas and skillsthat underpin a subject. A new look at subjects Importance Why the subject matters and how it contributes to the aims

14. The study of geography stimulates an interest in, and a sense of wonder about, places and helps make sense of a complex and dynamically changing world. It explains how places and landscapes are formed, how people and environment interact, and how a diverse range of economies and societies are interconnected. It builds on pupils’ own experiences to investigate at all scales from the personal to the global. Geographical enquiry encourages questioning, investigation and critical thinking about issues affecting the world and people’s lives, for the present and future. Fieldwork is an essential element of this. Pupils learn to think spatially, using maps, visual images and new technologies, including geographical information systems, to obtain, present and analyse information. Geography inspires pupils to become global citizens by exploring their own place in the world, their values and responsibilities to other people, to the environment and to the sustainability of the planet.

15. What are the key concepts in Geography?

16. KEY PROCESSES

17. What are the stages of enquiry? Creating a need to know speculating, hypothesising, generating ideas, asking questions, planning how to research Using sources locating evidence, collecting, selecting, sorting, classifying, sequencing Reflecting on Learning evaluating, identifying areas for improvement Making sense describing, explaining, comparing, contrasting, analysing, concluding

18. School Geography and “Capabilities”

19. A student ‘thinking geographically’. What does that mean? What does she need in order to be able to do that? And how does it benefit her?

20. Capability Derives from Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum and their work in human welfare and development economics: What it is to be ‘truly human’? Anything that prevents fully human functioning is a deprivation of capability

21. Thus, poverty is not simply ‘low income’. It is: a lack of choice a lack of opportunity

23. being able to form a conception of the good and to plan one’s life accordingly

24. being able to show concern for others, to empathise and to live successfully with others

25. being able participate effectively in political choices, with free speech and association[after Nussbaum 1993]

26. Human capabilities and education Not to be confused with imparting value free ‘skills’ for the ‘knowledge economy’ Education to enhance the agency of young people, clarifying values and deepening understanding.

28. choices about how to live

29. creativity and productivityIn a context of ‘moral seriousness’

31. Meeting points

32. Power geometriesThis enables a framework for understanding. It helps us puts more specific matters into the context of wider implications and interdependencies.

33. The neo-liberal orthodoxy has “dulled our ability to think for, or beyond, ourselves” [Wadley 2008] “Vibrant City”

34. Identity Who am I? Where am I from? Who is my ‘family’? What is their story? And the people around me? Society Who decides on who gets what, where and why? What is fair? Why care?

35. The physical environment What is the world (and this place) made of? Why do things move? What becomes of things? Our place in the world Where do I live? How does it look? How is it changing? How might it become?

37. relational understanding of people and places in the world

39. A Different View

46. The GA’s ‘manifesto’ links Geography: “Knowledge about the earth as the home of humankind” and Education“ ... to travel with a different view” www.geography.org.uk/adifferentview

47. Sharing and learning from good practice - FEB 2008

48. Sharing and learning from good practice - FEB 2008 Is it possible to imagine school geography underpinning radical debate with young people about ‘how to live’?

49. Sharing and learning from good practice - FEB 2008 Is it possible to imagine school geography underpinning radical debate with young people about ‘how to live’? Yes please

50. Geography in schools and education for survival