Analytical Study of the New SHS Geography Curriculum

Outline of Presentation

• Introduction
• Philosophy, vision and goal of Geography
• Rationale of the Geography syllabus
• Scope and sequence of the geography curriculum
• The potential of the curriculum for environmental sustainability

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Introduction

• Since the publication of the existing SHS geography curriculum in September 2010, a lot has changed.

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• These changes are driven by technological advancements and emergence of new educational tools, after more than a decade.

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• Moreover, the 2010 geography curriculum has content overlaps with other subjects (Social Studies, Agriculture, and Economics).

Be conscious of the existence of minority and disadvantaged groups in society and work to support them

Introduction cont’d

• The 2010 geography curriculum does not emphasise on the acquisition of 21^st Century skills and competencies.

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• Also, the curriculum was not GESI-responsive, thus failing to create a supportive and enabling learning environment for disadvantaged learners to realise their full learning potential.

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• Again, the geographical knowledge and skills required for solving human=environment challenges not stressed.

Introduction cont’d

• The pedagogies used is largely teacher centred. The instructional design barely went beyond ‘remembering’ – emphasising only ‘recognise and recall’.

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• As such, knowledge and understanding formed 40% of the assessment, application of knowledge (40%) and attitudes, values and process skills formed 20%.

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Introduction cont’d

• These challenges are further worsened by inadequate tools and equipment to support the effective teaching and learning of geography in SHSs.

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• These factors accounted for the overhaul of the existing geography curriculum in SHSs.

What then has been done?

1. The new Geography curriculum is designed to meet the current and future needs of learners with different learning abilities.

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• It also incorporates the current and emerging technologies and applications for space-time analysis, the world of work and adult life

What then has been done?

3. The curriculum has addressed the issues of subject overlaps by aligning the content with related subject groups such as Social Studies, Agriculture and Economics.

4. It also incorporates the current and emerging technologies and applications for space-time analysis, the world of work and adult life.
5. It has also been streamlined to eliminate obvious repetitions.

What then has been done?

6. It also employs multiple techniques of teaching and learning including teacher-learner interactions, presentations, field trips, discussions, computer laboratory sessions and videos, with a special focus on local examples.

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• The new curriculum shifts from an objective-based assessment to a standard-based assessment that emphasises learners demonstrating 21st-century skills and competencies.

What then has been done?

9. With the advent of new and emerging technologies, this curriculum incorporates and encourages learners to make use of the free geographic information system (GIS) and computer/mobile-based applications for spatial analysis.

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• GESI issues are deliberately integrated to remove biases and create supportively and enabling learning environments that allow disadvantaged learners to achieve their full learning potential.

Philosophy of the new SHS Geography curriculum

• All learners can be supported to develop their full potential in:

• the geographical skills of space-time and human-environment interrelationships,
• build on contemporary and emerging technologies and competencies for further studies,
• the world of work and adult life.

Vision of the new Geography curriculum

• It envisages learners equipped with 21st Century skills and competencies in critical thinking and spatial analysis of the earth’s physical and human patterns and processes to be:

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• interdisciplinary innovators,
• advance new world-changing discoveries in geospatial science, and the interrelationship between the natural and the built-environment.

Goal of the new Geography curriculum

The curriculum aims to equip the SHS Geography learners with relevant knowledge, skills and competencies that will enable them to:

• make sense of spatial phenomena and processes in their localities and the wider world as well as exhibit 21st Century skills and GESI in their social interactions.

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• become informed, communicative and responsible global citizens and solve societal problems.

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Rationale of the new Geography curriculum

• Issues of the environment are becoming increasingly important and the study of gprovides solutions to problems in their spatial context.

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• The study of Geography contributes to the attainment of national educational goals through the following six (6) ways:

Rationale cont’d

One:

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Providing learners with the opportunity to apply the geographical skills of space-time and human-environment interrelationships to read, interpret and analyse their environment, giving them the ability to make valuable contributions to the socio-economic development of their localities and the world at large.

Rationale cont’d

Two:

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Providing an opportunity for learners to appreciate the processes that shape the landscape and the world, and viewing human-environment issues as responsible local and global citizens (‘Glocal citizens’).

Rationale cont’d

Three:

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Explore past, current and possible future events and phenomena on the Earth’s surface, thereby placing learners to be part of a generation that can deal effectively with and mitigate global challenges while maximising related opportunities.

Rationale cont’d

Four:

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Providing learners with the opportunity to be systematic inquirers by stimulating critical thinking involving asking questions about spatial phenomena, gathering, evaluating and interpreting geospatial data and communicating information to help guide decision-making.

Rationale cont’d

Four:

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Providing learners with the opportunity to be systematic inquirers by stimulating critical thinking involving asking questions about spatial phenomena, gathering, evaluating and interpreting geospatial data and communicating information to help guide decision-making.

Rationale cont’d

Five:

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Developing learners’ critical thinking, problem-solving and graphical skills for development at the personal, local and global levels to enable them to make a living in future [in areas such as cartography, regional and urban planning, and use and spatial planning, surveying, environmental protection agency (EPA), teaching]

Rationale cont’d

Six:

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Enhancing digital and information literacy for effective organisation and utilisation of space thereby exposing learners to the policies and principles underlying land use practices, and resource exploitation and utilisation for socio-economic development.

Scope and Sequence of Geography Curriculum

Assignment

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Using the draft final copy of the new SHS Geography curriculum, provide a detailed structure of the scope and sequence of the subject. For each sub-strand, provide a list of the topics to be learned. Establish a linkage between the topics to be learned and the vision for the subject.

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ANY QUESTIONS?

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