Inspiring Geography Curriculum: Nurturing Future Global Stewards

1. S1-3 Geographycurriculum Revision Rationale and Design Principles CDI July 2010 1 1

2. Geography as a Discipline • understand our Earth from a spatial and an ecological perspective • study of places and regions • study of patterns and processes • interactions between people and environments • global understanding through studying interconnectedness and interdependence • study of contemporary issues of sustainability 2 2

3. Geography as a School Subject • stimulates students’ interest in and a sense of wonder about people, places and environments • make sense of our complex and dynamically changing world • develop world knowledge and understanding: a better understanding of different places in the world • develop geographical and enquiry skills, and basic competencies • be an informed and responsible citizen 3 3

4. Rationale for Revision • the only chance for some of our students to receive basic geography training: a delicate balance between students’ interest and discipline essence • cater for integrated and combined subject modes : flexible and versatile  modular & issue-based • update existing curriculum • new developments in geographical education: • geo-informatics techniques • matter, method and mission  contemporary world view • China elements 4 4

5. Design Principles (1) • For details refer to p.7 of English version / p.6 of Chinese version • to suit the needs of different students taking different pathways after the completion of junior secondary education • provide a flexible and diversified framework allowing its adoption into the various types of school-based PSHE curricula and catering for student diversity 5 5

6. Design Principles (2) • Enable students to understand how geography has meaning and relevance to their own lives • build on students’ curiosity and encourage them to explore the whole world • provide ample opportunities for students to develop a wide range of skills • promote our students to develop investigative and critical approaches to learning, and provide opportunities for their creativity to flourish 6 6

7. Contents (1) • 8 Core Modules include: • Using Urban Space Wisely  Can we maintain a sustainable urban environment? • Living with Natural Hazards  Are we better equipped than the others? • Tourists  Friends or foes? • Changing Climate, Changing Environments • Can we Feed Ourselves? • Too Much and Too Little? • Global Shift of Manufacturing Industry  Opportunities and threats • Scramble for Energy 7

8. Contents (2) • 4 Elective Modules include: • Population Problems  Purely a matter of number? • Taming the Sand • Facing a Spreading Risk! • Oceans in Trouble! 8

9. Curriculum Structure (1) 9 9

10. Curriculum Structure (2) • Section A: From Hong Kong to the World — Variations in space, people and places • 4 core modules • Space and Place • enquiring the issue in local context (Hong Kong), and then extending their investigation to national (China), regional (Asia and the Pacific) and finally to global scale • understand how the interaction of physical and human processes in different places creates varying geographical patterns and phenomena 10 10

11. Curriculum Structure (3) • Section B: From China to the World — Enquiring regional problems arising from human-environment interactions • 2 core modules and 2 elective modules • Region and Human-environment Interaction • Enquiring an issue in national context, and then extending the investigation to regional and global scale • emphasis on the impacts of people-environment interactions and the diverse responses of people towards these impacts 11 11

12. Curriculum Structure (4) • Section C: Challenges for our world — Managing global issues in a sustainable way • 2 core modules and 2 elective modules • Global interdependence and Sustainable Development • Enquiring contemporary global issues • appreciate the increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of our world, and how global issues could be managed in a sustainable manner 12 12

13. Curriculum Structure (5) • On the whole, all students have to study 10 modules within three years. • The 10 modules include 8 core modules • 4 from Section A • 2 from Section B • 2 from Section C • and 2 elective modules • 1 from Section B • 1 from Section C 13 13

14. Curriculum Structure (6) • Guiding Questions • One possible way of studying the related issue • Allows alternative way of structuring the study of the issue • Knowledge, Skills, Values and Attitudes • only need to ensure that after the completion of the whole curriculum, all the essential learning elements recommended in Section 2.4 are covered • feel free to decide which concepts or skills should be included in the teaching of individual modules 14 14

15. Curriculum Structure (7) • Introductory Paragraphs • The first paragraph of the introduction is about the major foci of the module, highlighting the rationale of choosing that particular theme and the key learning elements that should be covered • The second paragraph is mainly on catering for student diversity, in particular the difference in learning ability. Suggestions on how to tailor the curriculum content to cater for students of different learning abilities are included, such as excluding the teaching of some specific examples or introducing additional learning activities 15 15

16. Curriculum Structure (8) • Specific Examples • The purpose of these specific examples is to enhance the areal coverage of the module so as to strengthen students’ global perspective, enabling them to have a better understanding of what is happening in other parts of the world. • For students of average ability, teachers can simply give a very brief overview and do not need to go into details. • If time and students’ ability allow, teachers can consider turning the examples into case studies, engaging their students into more detailed enquiry 16 16

17. Curriculum Structure (9) • Essential Learning Elements • to ensure all students will acquire the basic knowledge, concepts, skills, values and attitudes • This is particularly crucial for schools which choose not to offer geography as an independent subject • The essential learning elements are based on • a review of a number of overseas geography curricula • teachers’ opinions collected from the “Research on Teachers’ Views of Essential Learning Outcomes in PSHE at the End of Secondary 3 • the views of a group of professionals from tertiary institutions, experienced teachers and curriculum developers 17 17

18. Catering for Diversity (1) Variations in Content • Teach only the 8 core modules • Teach 10 modules as recommended (8 core + 2 elective) • Teach all 12 modules • Prime Concern: essential learning elements covered 18 18

19. Catering for Diversity (2) Variations in Scope • Section A: only the case of Hong Kong  HK + China  HK + China + Asia  HK + China + Asia + World • Section B: only the case of China  China + Asia  China + Asia + World • Section C: 1 case  2 cases  3 cases 19 19

20. Catering for Diversity (3) Variations in Depth • Cover the major foci mentioned in the 1st paragraph of the Introduction • Example from “Taming the spreading sand” • the causes and impact of desertification and sandstorms in North China • the measures to tame the spreading sand • skill-training e.g. describing a distribution pattern on a map, interpreting satellite images, conducting a geographical enquiry in the field and using GIS for geographical analysis • develop a sense of belonging to our nation, appreciate the importance of sustainable development and be willing to take appropriate actions for a better environment 20 20

21. Catering for Diversity (4) Variations in Depth • Follow the recommendations in the 2nd paragraph of the Introduction • Example from “Taming the spreading sand” • brief introduction of the global pattern of desertification, major regions affected by sandstorms and the measures taken by them to alleviate the problems • in-depth case studies of how the spreading of desert dust and sand affects the inhabitants of Australia and the Sahara • study the similarities and differences on how less developed countries and more developed countries manage their sand problems 21 21

22. Catering for Diversity (5) General Guidelines • Basic for ALL • Location, distribution, pattern / trend, causes, characteristics, problems / impact, solutions • Study the basic example • A brief overview of what is happening in other parts of the world • Identify, describe and explain 22 22

23. Catering for Diversity (6) General Guidelines • For more able • Spatial / temporal variations in causes and characteristics, similarities and differences in MDCs and LDCs, Spatial association and variation • Study more specific examples / in-depth case study • Compare and contrast, analyse and apply 23 23

24. Special Support • For schools offering geography as an independent subject in S1-3: • Regional networking • Normal teacher training and resource support • e-Learning depository • For schools offering integrated subjects in S1-3: • Workshops on curriculum auditing and planning • Exemplars of typical cases 24 24

25. An additional question Do you think a more frequent, but minor in scale, revision of the S1-3 Geography curriculum an more acceptable / a better way in suiting the needs of our students? e.g. revising part or the whole of one or two modules every three years, instead of a major revision every decade. 25 25

26. The End 26 26