Teaching education is Ireland is currently undergoing significant structural and conceptual changes. School placement is at the centre of these reforms. This article reports the findings of an all-Ireland study which investigates student teachers' experiences of teaching geography during their school placements. Based on data collected from…

Students' conceptions are a central learning condition. Until now there have only been qualitative results regarding the important geographical area of the desert, especially its location and formation. Therefore this study surveys students' conceptions (N = 585; n = 448 without pre-instruction on deserts and n = 137 with pre-instruction on…

Young children are naturally inquisitive, and teachers often invite them to question, challenge, and create to expand their ever growing knowledge base. This article describes an inspiration one kindergarten teacher had when she overheard two children in her class discussing their recent experiences at an airport. The students were sharing some of…

The regional divisions termed as "Latin America" versus "Anglo-America" used by many geographers do not fully reflect the cultural and political trends in the world today. "Latin" is a term that was coined by the French Emperor Napoleon the III in order to justify Mexico's being ruled by Maximillian, and later picked…

Scholars trained and credentialed in disciplines have a vast array of response options when challenged to engage with others from other disciplinary backgrounds. By considering the ways in which disciplines are like cultures and putting acculturation theory squarely into the domain of interdisciplinary studies, this article takes a new look at…

This study identified secondary school students' alternative conceptions (ACs) of climate change and their resistance to instruction. Using a case-based approach, a diagnostic test was administered to Secondary 3 male students in a pre-test and post-test. The ACs identified in the pre-test were on the causes of climate change, the natural…

In this article, the authors explore the social studies teacher candidates' understanding of the role of media in geography courses which they took. Qualitative research techniques were used in the study designed using phenomenological pattern. The study was conducted with 134 pre-service social studies teachers at a state university's Faculty of…

This study features the concept of "context" and how various macro, meso and micro features of the social system play themselves out in any setting. Using South Africa as an example, it explores the features that may constrain or enable professional development, quality teaching and the work of teaching and learning centres at eight…

"Virtual Interactive Student-Oriented Learning Environment" ("VISOLE") is a pedagogical approach to integrating constructivist online game-based learning (COGBLe) into formal teaching in school education. This paper reports a qualitative case study on the implementation of VISOLE (in secondary Geography education) in which we…

The importance of developing employability skills of graduates has become a strategic priority in higher education. Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools is a valuable skill for graduates both in terms of the specific skillset it provides and of the wider transferable skills. This paper discusses the importance of GIS as an…

This article aims to contribute to the debate on the significance of geographical education as part of the development of a society in which information and communication technologies have made profound changes. It starts with the discussion on how Geography is taught at international scale, and then addresses the intersection between research…

In the current study, we aim to investigate the use of Google Earth and Google Maps Applications on tablet and laptop computers. The research was carried out during the Geography Club seminars organized at "Radu Petrescu" High School in the 2013-2014 school year. The research involved 13 students in various gymnasium and high school…

This article examines the use of concept mapping for formative and summative assessment of northeast Florida middle school students' knowledge of human geography. The students were participants in an afterschool, academic, college reach-out program that provided opportunities to test concept mapping strategies that support spatial thinking and…

Computer games, whether accessed online or through commercial software, have learning potential in educational settings. However, alignment with national, state, or local curriculum requirements can create a barrier. The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of selected games that could be used in a sixth grade geography or…

Field trips have been acknowledged as valuable learning experiences in geography. This article uses Kolb's (1984) experiential learning model to discuss how students learn and how field trips can help enhance learning. Using Kolb's experiential learning theory as a guide in the design of field trips helps ensure that field trips contribute to…