Recent curriculum introductions and revisions on a global scale have highlighted the importance of primary teachers' content knowledge in geography and the lack of research in this area (Catling, 2014). This has become a particular focus in Australia with the introduction of the "Australian Curriculum: Geography" in 2013 and the…

A senior within a spatial science Ecological Planning capstone course designed an undergraduate research project to increase his spatial science expertise and to assess the hands-on instruction methodology employed within the Bachelor of Science in Spatial Science program at Stephen F Austin State University. The height of 30 building features…

Choropleth maps combined with diagram maps are frequently used in geography. For this reason, based on the maps developed by students, the study aims at the following: identifying and analyzing the errors made by the students; establishing and analyzing the competence level of the students; identifying the causes that led to these errors; and…

In this study we analyze the behavior of a sample of 30 third-year students of various majors of the Faculty of Geography, "Babes-Bolyai" University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, regarding the Internet use. We applied a questionnaire containing 15 items related to: Internet activities performed; length of time students spend on the Internet;…

This article aims to analyze the geography textbooks, which are being used in the public schools of the city of Ituiutaba, Depth of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The research also seeks to address the ways and methods being employed by the teachers of these schools for studies that include the teaching of Geology and Geosciences. In this study, survey…

Marking of high-stakes examinations in England has traditionally been administered by schools and colleges sending their examination papers directly to examiners. As a consequence, the work of one candidate has, historically, been marked by one examiner, as has work of an entire centre. Previous studies have suggested that the marking of both…

Differences between student audiences are an important aspect not only of traditional learning in higher education, but also in the distance learning environment. Facilitators of distance learning coursework must be cognizant of the differences which adult students bring to the classroom and their varying expectations and reasons for learning.…

Learning geography online is becoming an option for more students but not without controversy. Issues of faculty resources, logistics, professional recognition, and pedagogical concerns are cited as barriers to teaching online. Offering introductory physical geography online presents special challenges. As a general education course, an…

In a world where governments increasingly attempt to impose regulation on all professional activities, this paper advocates that professional standards for teachers be developed "by the profession for the profession". Foucauldian archaeology is applied to two teacher standards documents recently published in Australia, one developed at…

Where to draw the boundary line between "nature" and "society" has perplexed sociologists, ecologists and geographers through the ages. This paper was inspired by environmental sociologist, Alan Irwin, who suggests that we shift our focus from asking "where to draw the line" between what is considered…

As much as the history and study of Africa have been incorporated into social studies curricula, Africa is still a region that is prone to misperceptions and misconceptions. Social studies teachers could provide students with an alternative image, but what if they only perpetuate misperceptions of Africa? This case study examines preservice…

Questions remain about inquiry instruction, while research confirms that using primary sources can aid students' inquiry learning processes. This study questioned: "How do second-grade teachers at an International Baccalaureate Organization/IBO language immersion setting incorporate inquiry methods in instructional practices?"; "How…

The English Geography National Curriculum encourages primary teachers to focus on similarities and differences when teaching distant places. The issues this raises are particularly acute when teaching geography in the context of the Global South. In this article I argue that comparisons based on object-based thinking can lead to views of the…

In late 2012, both the second edition of the "Geography for Life: National Geography Standards" and the National Science Foundation-funded "Road Map for Geography Education Project" reports were released; the former document describes the conceptual goals for K-12 geography education, and the latter, a route to coordinating reform efforts to…

The aim of this paper is to investigate and frame some learning conditions involved in the practice of geographical excursions. The empirical material from this study comes from several excursions made by students in human geography and an ethnomethodological approach through participant observation is used. The study is informed by theories from…