Rod Lane

Students' alternative conceptions of tropical cyclone causes and processes

While Shulman argues that an important component of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is teachers’ understanding of the alternative conceptions commonly held by students, relatively little is known about what students believe about many topics in the school curriculum. This paper focuses on a content area typically featured in Geography curriculum as the first phase of a larger study designed to investigate Geography teachers’ PCK. Common student conceptions of tropical cyclone causes and processes were identified using a variety of methods. Results indicate that secondary school Geography students (n = 339) hold a range of alternative conceptions related to foundational scientific principles as well as the geographical concepts of location, scale, spatial distribution, interactions and interdependence. Implications for the knowledge requirements of Geography teachers are discussed along with suggestions for future research.

Quality reflective practice in teacher education: a journey towards shared understanding

This paper describes the process followed by a group of four primary and secondary teacher educators at a university in Sydney, Australia, to develop a collective understanding of the nature and value of reflective practice. The project developed a framework and set of indicators to assess the quality of pre-service teachers’ reflective writing and provide targeted feedback to support their ability to reflect on classroom practice. The process of developing the framework highlights the value of collaborative coding and collegial discussion as methods for establishing common understanding and shared practice of reflective writing in teacher education.

Experienced Geography Teachers' PCK of Students' Ideas and Beliefs about Learning and Teaching.

This paper reports the findings of a study designed to assess 16 experienced geography teachers’ epistemological beliefs about learning and teaching and their awareness of common alternative conceptions held by students. The investigation forms part of a larger study exploring the ways in which experienced geography teachers use their knowledge of students’ ideas to inform instruction. The results suggest that teachers’ knowledge of students’ ideas and epistemological beliefs about learning and teaching are both complex and varied. Teachers with an understanding of the constructed and robust nature of students’ ideas, however, are more likely to hold a nuanced, detailed and accurate knowledge of students’ common alternative conceptions. The implications of these findings for professional practice are discussed together with suggestions for future research.

Preservice Primary Teachers’ Depth and Accuracy of Knowledge of Tropical Cyclones

Abstract Climatic hazards are a key feature of life. It is vital that teachers are knowledgeable about these phenomena in order to develop their students’ understanding of them. This study used a mixed methods approach to examine the accuracy and depth of preservice primary teachers’ (n = 430) knowledge of tropical cyclones. The findings suggest that prospective primary teachers hold alternative conceptions about the causes, spatial distribution, and impacts of these phenomena and that their explanations of processes lack structural complexity and integration. Issues raised by these findings and implications for teachers’ geographical knowledge and their professional standards and preservice teacher education are discussed.

Possibilities for an international assessment in geography

ABSTRACT A recent editorial in International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education (IRGEE) highlighted an opportunity for the inclusion of geography as a subject in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) tests. At present, TIMSS tests only encompass mathematics and physical sciences. The IRGEE editors encouraged geography educators to take the initiative and be proactive for a TIMSS international assessment in geography to become a reality. This paper reports on a research project to identify the perceptions of the global geography education community on the advantages and challenges of initiating and implementing such tests. The authors highlight a number of consistencies and tensions revealed by the respondents as well as potential issues of validity, reliability and fairness of a geography assessment instrument. The implications of these findings for ongoing research are discussed.

Understanding student engagement with research: a study of pre-service teachers’ research perceptions, research experience, and motivation

This study reports on findings from a research project that investigated the extent to which pre-service teachers at a major metropolitan Australian university engage with research, and the factors that influence their level of engagement or disengagement. Results from survey responses (n = 235) and focus group interviews suggest that attitudes towards research are more positive among pre-service teachers who possess research experience and those who are intrinsically motivated with respect to their university studies. The article discusses the implications of these results for the effective organisation and promotion of research activities for pre-service teachers.

The Inclusion of Geography in TIMSS: Can Consensus Be Reached?.

ABSTRACT An initial call by the editors of International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education prompted a study about the inclusion of geography in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) tests. This study found that the geography education community were overwhelmingly in favour of such a move, believing that the information collected would be valuable in enhancing learning outcomes through its impact on research, policy and teaching practice. However, a number of questions about the development and implementation of this assessment were posed. This paper addresses two of these questions: (1) what is the global geographical education communitys views about Grades 4 and 8 as target year levels for the assessment?; and (2) what types of knowledge and cognitive dimensions would they like to see assessed? Based on these findings, the overarching key question that requires further discussion is: can there be some degree of consensus in terms of what should be assessed and how the test should be implemented?

A Comparison of the International Charters on Geographical Education

Abstract This article uses discourse analysis techniques associated with Foucauldian archaeology to examine the two international charters developed by the International Geographical Union Commission on Geographical Education (IGU-CGE), the original one in 1992 and the revised version endorsed in 2016 at the Beijing conference. The examination considers the consultation and development processes before outlining similarities and differences in the messages communicated and how discourses have changed through time. The article concludes with recommendations for the geography education community for the future.

Concepts, Conceptualization, and Conceptions in Geography

Abstract This article explores concepts and the conceptualization process in geography. Much of the literature around these ideas uses terminology and ontological descriptions in multiple ways, leading to complexity and confusion when applied to pedagogical practice. Equally, the use of the term “concept” can depend on the context. We synthesize some of the overlapping categories by defining the nature of concepts in geography. Then we outline the process of conceptualization (development of deep understanding) and the role of alternative conceptions. Finally, we explain how students’ alternative conceptions can be restructured to master threshold concepts, and outline the implications for geographical educators in terms of pedagogy.

Assessment in geography education: a systematic review

ABSTRACT There are more than 700 articles exploring assessment in geography education. However, these papers vary in the degree to which recommendations and conclusions are based on research evidence. Globally, evidence-based practice is being prioritised, making it essential to understand exactly what the empirical research around this topic is saying. A systematic review provides a rigorous method for achieving such a task. This paper quantifies and systematically accounts for the proportion and scope of articles dedicated to assessment in geography education. We conclude that clarity is required regarding: (1) the essential geographical knowledge and skills students should develop; (2) the nature of the learning progressions in each of these areas; and (3) the types and formats of assessment instruments that will provide valid and reliable measures of this progress.