Geography, Education and the Future

Description

Geography, Education and the Future considers the future of both geography and geography education by exploring the following questions: How can geography education prepare young people for the places, environments and societies they will inhabit in the future? How should geography be reframed to take into account the major social and environmental changes wrought by growing consumption, restructuring of economies and technologies, and the dynamic connections between local and global? How can geography and geography education present an agenda that can be taken seriously and implemented in the twenty first century? A range of geographical themes are considered through four sections: children, young people and geography; place, space and change; mediating forms of geographical knowledge; and global ethics, environment and citizenship. Each section concludes with a discussant critically summarising the content.

Graham Butt is Reader in Geography Education, Director of Academic Planning and Deputy Head of the School of Education at the University of Birmingham, UK.

'A detailed discussion of the challenges that geography as a subject faces both now and in the future. It encourages geography teachers to assess the relevance of the geography that they currently teach and consider which aspects of geography really matter.'Ellen Clarkson, Geography Teacher, George Salter Collegiate Academy, West Bromwich, UK 'This is an impressive publication from authors working at the leading edge of geography education research in England today. Each chapter captures original and innovative thinking and practice in school geography. Coverage is comprehensive, with sections focusing on student participation in geography curriculum-making; the cultural politics of space and place; issues around geographical knowledge and the ethico-political responsibilities of geography educators. A scholarly engagement with current and controversial issues in geography education is conveyed in a clear, refreshing style. This excellent publication will have appeal across a wide national and international audience of readers interested in the revitalisation of the school geography curriculum.'Christine Winter, Senior Lecturer, Department of Educational Studies, University of Sheffield, UK 'This set of topical and engaging essays moves forward the discipline of geography education. Each author draws on an impressive range of literature, contextualising their chosen focus within a range of academic fields. Discussants draw together shared threads within sections and suggest questions or implications raised by the material. This creates a coherent and lively experience for the reader, akin to being present at a seminar series. Geography, Education and the Future will be valuable to those working within geography education nationally and internationally.'Liz Taylor, Lecturer in Geography Education and Secondary PGCE Course Manager, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, UK 'Each chapter builds a compelling case for the role for the discipline, its perspectives, content and skills in elementary and secondary school as well as in adult life. The contributors place geography and 21st century subject based expectations on the same educational stage, making practical connections among ethics, citizenship, and geographic content at the elementary and secondary levels of schooling.' Joseph P. Stoltman, Professor of Geography and Science Education, Western Michigan University, USA 'This is a book edited and written by those who are at the forefront of geographical education in the twenty-first century. While it acknowledges the need to revitalise geography in schools, it does not shy away from the difficulties of such an aim. Its intellectual compass is wide, from considering the components of geographical education to epistemological questions, curriculum theory, and ethical and pedagogical issues. Its emphasis on the worthwhile ideas of geography, as Michael Young points out, is more limited. It is a book which will appeal to those who wish to examine critically their thinking about and practice of geographical education.' Norman Graves, Curriculum Journal This book should be required reading for all geography teachers who wish to adapt their curriculum to make their subject relevant to the citizens of the 21st century. -- Geography This is a book edited and written by those who are at the forefront of geographical education in the twenty-first century. While it acknowledges the need to revitalise geography in schools, it does not shy away from the difficulties of such an aim. Its intellectual compass is wide, from considering the components of geographical education to epistemological questions, curriculum theory, and ethical and pedagogical issues. Its emphasis on the worthwhile ideas of geography, as Michael Young points out, is more limited. It is a book which will appeal to those who wish to examine critically their thinking about and practice of geographical education. -- The Curriculum Journal