Investigating Primary Student Teachers’ Senses of Geography

1. Primary ITE Students’Senses of GeographyProfessor Simon Catling & Emma MorleyOxford Brookes University University of WinchesterLooking to the FutureGeographical AssociationAnnual ConferenceApril 6th, 2013

2. Investigating Primary Student Teachers’ Senses of Geography This study developed from an earlier investigation into undergraduate primary student teachers’ perceptions of geography (Morley, 2012), which found similar results to Walford (1996), Martin (2000), Catling (2004) and Alkis (2009), that: Primary trainee teachers’ images of geography were limited to an information–orientated perception of the subject, centred on the human-physical features of the world, e.g. ‘geography is about the world we live in’; No significant differences in the results between students who had formal qualifications in geography and those who did not; Twice as many students surveyed preferred history to geography on entry to their primary teacher education course.

3. Reasons for the Study: Considering ITE students’ feelings about geography Students’ feelings about geography have not been directly investigated. In informal discussions student teachers express a range of views and feelings about geography, indicating varied levels of engagement, and likes and dislikes or disinterest as influences on their views of geography.

4. What was being Investigated? This research project investigated how a cohort of primary student teachers felt about geography in general as well as more specifically about their school geography. It explored whether individuals were positive or negative about geography and what may have contributed towards these feelings. It became apparent that there is a wide variety of influences affecting students’ views about geography, and that their own experiences of being taughtgeography had an evident impact on their feelings towards the subject.

5. Study Details The research was undertaken with 215 undergraduate students in Winchester and 83 students in Oxford. It provided some 248 useable sets of data. A questionnaire was administered during the taught part of a Year 1 geography module (September – November) at Winchester and of a Year 1 research module (October) at Oxford Brookes in the autumn of 2011. Students were asked about: their qualifications in the subject of geography; how they felt about the subject geography; how they felt about the way they were taughtgeography in school.

6. The Undergraduate Student Teachers’ Qualifications in Geography 53% of students have no geography qualification – Almost all gave up geography at the age of 14. 47% of all the students have post-16 geography qualifications, including GCSE/O level, A/AS level or other qualifications. Of all students: 43% have a 16+ qualification in geography; 16% have a 17+ qualification in geography; 18% have an 18+ qualification in geography; 2% have another qualification in geography.

7. Students’ Feelings about Geography as a Subject:Positive 45%; Negative 25%

8. Influences on Students’ Feelings towards Geography Positive experience and/or attitude Personal enjoyment/interest 12% Positive about all subject content 7% Positive about methods of teaching 7% Importance of the subject 6% Positive about some subject content 5% Eagerness to learn more 2% Usefulness of subject 1% Determined to teach good geography 1% Personally relevant <1% Limited experience/lack of interest Combination of positive and negative 4% Ambivalent to geography 3% No personal interest 3% Little exposure to geography 1% No memories of geography 1% Critical experience and/or attitude Negative about teaching methods 18% Negative about some content 11% Academically challenging 7% Negative about subject content 6% Uncertainty of subject knowledge 4% Bad personal experiences 1%

9. Students’ Feelings about Studying Geography at School:Positive 42%; Negative 37%

10. Influences on Students’ Feelings about being Taught Geography at School Positive experience and/or attitude Positive about how taught geography 14% Much personal interest and enjoyment 10% Positive about some subject content 8.5% Positive about all subject content 8% Personally relevant 5% Usefulness of subject 1.5% Limited experience/lack of interest No personal interest or desire to learn geography 6% Combination of positive and negative experience of teaching 4% Little exposure to geography in its own right 1.5% No memory of being taught geography <1% No opinion 1% Critical experience and/or attitude Negative experiences of geography teaching, a few very poor 23% Difficult and challenging subject 7% Negative about all aspects of teaching of geography content 4.5% Negative about some teaching of content 4% Could not study beyond 14+ years: option choices limited 1.5% Not taught geography as a separate subject <1% Not fully confident with subject knowledge <1%

11. Comparing Students’ Feelings about Geography and about being Taught Geography

12. Students’ Hobbies and Interests: Some 75% claimed links with geography Hobbies Sport & being active 14% Community activities 4% Artistic, photographic 2% Collecting things 1% Interests Travel experiences 31% Cultural experiences 19% Wildlife, habitats, geology 9% Media, ICT, literature 6% Environmental issues 5% Being outdoors 1% Spiritual 1% Family links elsewhere 1% Aspirations, eg to travel 6%

13. Key Positive and Critical Aspects of Students’ Feelings about Geography Key positives Some 45% had a positive view of geography, and 42% were favourable about their taught experience, including: Positive experience of being taught geography; Positive about the subject’s content. Personal interest and enjoyment; Seeing geography as important and personally relevant; Many students have hobbies and interests which they connect with geography. Key critical issues Some 25% were negative about the subject, but 37% were critical of their taught experience, referring to: Critical of the approaches to and quality of the geography teaching they experienced; Not enjoying various aspects of the subject’s content; Finding the subject challenging academically.

14. Some Implications for Teaching Geography to Generalist Primary Student Teachers – 1 There are divided views about geography among primary ITE students, not tied to subject qualifications. Some 2/5th+ seem positive, but a 1/4 to 1/3rd+ have mild or strongly negative views. This is a more favourable position than in maths! Primary ITE geography courses have, it seems, two demands: (a) to keep the positive interested, and (b) to change the minds of the less engaged and the uninterested. Two ways forward: [1] A focus on the value of geography for students and for primary children, and [2] an active, practical approach to geographical learning relevant to the primary geography curriculum. Some 75% of students state they have interests or hobbies relevant to primary geography. Is this an opportunity? Some thought should be given as to how these interests and hobbies can be harnessed (in a climate of diminishing course time).

15. Some Implications for Teaching Geography to Generalist Primary Student Teachers – 2 Engage those students who have a background and positive perspective on geography to: Share their liking of geography with their peers; Buddy with a fellow student who is less positive; Lead, introduce and/or reflect on activities for the whole class group. Begin the course with students recording their own views about geography and their reasons for these. Encourage them to set goals about what to develop; Have students note what they have learnt from each session, and how this contributes to meeting their goals; Ensure they evaluate their personal views during and at the end of the course.

16. A Concluding Reflection and Concern Students in this study referred almost exclusively to their secondary school geography experience. If more than 50% of secondary school students do not take geography for 16+ exams, why is this? (Option choice problems? Unhappiness with the teacher/subject? Other?) What are the positive and critical effects which secondary geography teaching/courses have on 11-14 year olds that affect these students’ feelings about geography at 13-14 years old? What responsibility do secondary geography teachers and teacher education programmes have to create positive attitudes to geography for all school students, including those who become primary school teachers of geography?

17. References Alkis, S. (2009) Turkish geography trainee teachers’ perceptions of geography, International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 18, 2, 120-133. Catling, S. (2004) An understanding of geography: The perspectives of English primary trainee teachers, Geoforum, 60, 149-158. Martin, F. (2000), Postgraduate primary education students’ images of geography and how these affect the types of teachers they become, International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 14, 4, 364-371. Morley, E. (2012) English primary trainee teachers’ perceptions of geography, International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 21, 2, 123-137. Morley, E. (2013, forthcoming) The geography that WE want to teach! The views of a sample of English trainee teachers, in Schmeinck, D. & Lidstone, J. (eds.) Standards and Research in Geography Education: Current Trends and International Issues, Berlin: Mensch & Bucj Verlag. Walford, R. (1996) What is geography? An analysis of definitions provided by prospective teachers of the subject, International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 5, 1, 69-76. Acknowledgements Our data analysts, Clive West and Melanie Reynolds, have been immensely helpful to this project. Our thanks to them.