Unfortunately there's plenty of evidence: Ofsted's own evidence comes in
its subject-specific reports series, an example of which is here:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=pubs.displayf
ile&id=3523&type=doc
A key part of the problem is that the subject content in schools
(particularly at GCSE and A-level) is firmly rooted in the positivistic
and quantitative geography of the 1960s. The "great divide" between
school and university geographies is widening because GCSE and A-level
geography remains frozen in a previous age - little wonder that
secondary school children are turned off geography.
The Pilot GCSE to which David Bell refers (and for which I am fortunate
enough to be Principal Examiner) attempts to re-link school and
university geographies and to introduce innovative pedagogy. One
Birmingham school has seen an increase of 30% in its GCSE numbers since
switching to the Pilot GCSE. Unfortunately the specification is only
available to 50 selected schools - but we hope that the experience of it
will inform any Tomlinson-related changes to the secondary curriculum.
In primary schools, teachers are often not confident in teaching
geography because they are non-specialists. The current system means
that primary school teachers can themselves have dropped geography at 14
and not be taught any geography subject content thereafter. At UCE we
teach geography to all intending primary teachers (and we have some
primary subject specialists) but this is by no means common practice.
Until there is a coherent and refreshed geography curriculum in schools,
despite the extensive support offered to teachers by the Geographical
Association, the picture doesn't seem set to change.
Ian
Ian Mack
Senior Lecturer in Geography Education
University of Central England
Perry Barr
Birmingham B42 2SU
0121 331 7310
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Johnston [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 November 2004 12:25
To: Ian Mack
Cc: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Children 'failed in geography'
Thanks: I found that"!
I assume there is some 'evidence' somewhere!?!?!
On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 12:04:37 -0000 Ian Mack <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Having searched for a full report since yesterday afternoon, I've just
> spoken to Ofsted's press office. All that exists is a press briefing
> which took place yesterday, the written version of which is here:
>
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.details&id=1630
>
> Ian
>
> Ian Mack
> Senior Lecturer in Geography Education
> University of Central England
> Perry Barr
> Birmingham B42 2SU
> 0121 331 7310
> [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A forum for critical and radical geographers
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ron Johnston
> Sent: 25 November 2004 11:50
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Children 'failed in geography'
>
> Has anybody found the full report on the OFSTED website,
> as against just the pr4ess releaseon which the BBC story
> was based/
>
> On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 16:35:50 -0000 "Canning J."
<[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > As a geographer now working in a languages department, I am used to
> reading articles about problems in language teaching in schools and
how
> this impacts upon future student numbers studying languages in Higher
> Education. However, it seems that there are difficulties closer to
home.
> > John
> > Geography is the worst-taught subject in primary school and fewer
> teenagers are choosing to study it, England's school inspectors say.
> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4038463.stm
> >
> > Dr John Canning
> > Academic Coordinator (Area Studies)
> > Modern Languages
> > University of Southampton
> > Southampton
> > SO17 1BJ
> > Tel +44 (0)23 8059 5408
> > Fax +44 (0)23 8059 4815
> > Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies
> > www.llas.ac.uk
> > The Subject Centre is now part of the HE Academy www.heacademy.ac.uk
> >
> >
>
> -------------------
> Ron Johnston
> School of Geographical Sciences,
> University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1SS
> 0117 928 9116 (FAX 0117 928 7878)
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.ggy.bris.ac.uk/staff/staff_johnston.htm
>
> * This e-mail message was sent with Execmail V5.0 *
>
>
>
-------------------
Ron Johnston
School of Geographical Sciences,
University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1SS
0117 928 9116 (FAX 0117 928 7878)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.ggy.bris.ac.uk/staff/staff_johnston.htm
* This e-mail message was sent with Execmail V5.0 *
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