Curriculum Development: ProducingGeographersfor the 21st Century

Abstract

We take a fresh look at geography curricula and their appropriateness to the demands of the 21st century. We reflect on the purpose, content and relevance of undergraduate geography curricula in an age of 'supercomplexity'. Geography curricula, by their nature, are varied and multiple, with different countries often privileging different types of geographical knowledge and skills. The paper emerges from a group of US and UK geographers and so focuses mainly upon AngloAmerican geographical traditions. We highlight the need to provide generic and employability skills as part of the rapidly changing requirements into which geographical skills and knowledge need to be integrated. The knowledge base may well change according to circumstances (for example, adaptation to environmental change) that will require geographers to be able to contribute to the community and thereby enhance the overall stature of geography. A geographical outlook, reflecting space and change, remains at the heart of geography and can provide a unique selling point for its study. Graduates will need to promote their geographical knowledge and skills in order to cope with employment possibilities, so instructors will need to diversify their teaching methods to embrace active learning and problem-orientated approaches to the delivery of geographical curricula.

Graduate attributes: implications for higher education practice and policy

“…This shift is engendering debate around the world about the role of higher education institutions in producing employable graduates to feed national prosperity in the emerging knowledge economy (with respect to geography see Arrowsmith, BagolySimó, Finchum, Oda, & Pawson, 2011;Erickson, 2012;Hennemann & Liefner, 2010;Kong, 2007;Li, Kong, & Peng, 2007;Whalley et al, 2011). As this evolution continues, we need to consider how we enhance generic graduate capabilities as well as the disciplinary expertise of our undergraduate students.…”

“…An important role has been highlighted for academic staff in the implementation of graduate attributes in order to take ownership of institutionally derived descriptors and to make them relevant to disciplines (Chapple & Tolley, 2000). Even generic attributes such as critical thinking and problem-solving can be contextualised to the discipline (and a host of other local factors), and thus, each degree programme needs a contextualised graduate profile (Jones, 2009(Jones, , 2013Litchfield, Frawley, & Nettleton, 2010;Whalley, Saunders, Lewis, Buenemann, & Sutton, 2011). Embedding graduate attributes within curricula, however, is dependent upon academic staff viewing their role in fostering such skills and dispositions positively and delivering learning activities that are effective in the delivery of these attributes.…”

A Comparative Study Regarding the Learning Styles of Turkish Undergraduate Geography Students and Their Western Counterparts

“…In addition, geographers must possess the skills to apply their particular subject knowledge as they enter the global job arena (Whalley, Saunders, Lewis, Buenemann, & Sutton, 2011). Therefore, the important aspects of field classes and applications, especially as related to the geography curriculum in higher education, must be organized in such a way as to make the students active participants in the teaching and learning environments.…”

La difusión de la innovación docente: retos y reflexiones

“…Así, la Comisión señala que entre los retos pendientes sobre los sistemas educativos de los Estados miembros se encuentra el fomento y desarrollo de aptitudes transversales y en particular las estrategias específicas relacionadas con la educación para el emprendimiento. Cabe recordar que las competencias transversales o cardinales son aquellas comunes para diferentes puestos o perfiles profesionales (Oliveros, 2006) y se consideran muy adecuadas en un escenario laboral como el actual, sometido a cambios constantes (Whalley et al, 2011). Lograr mayor emprendimiento y empleabilidad nos sitúa ante un nuevo escenario en el que hay que valorar las competencias a trabajar en la asignatura Geografía de la Población la cual, junto con la labor del resto de las que componen el Grado, debe contribuir a la consecución de estos objetivos.…”