Geography Education and Teaching Practices
Summary
Geography education has evolved from a content-driven discipline to a dynamic field that emphasises spatial thinking, enquiry-based pedagogy and critical engagement with global challenges. Curricula now integrate digital mapping tools, geographic information systems and multidisciplinary enquiries to foster pupils’ analytical, cartographic and citizenship skills. Educators employ active and collaborative learning strategies—including problem-based projects, fieldwork and comparative tasks—to cultivate autonomy and reflective practice. Professional development for teachers has shifted towards community-driven models and sustained investigation into classroom approaches, enhancing both subject mastery and pedagogical innovation. This growth in pedagogical research highlights equity, sustainability and digital literacy as central imperatives, underscoring geography’s role in nurturing informed, responsible and globally aware citizens.
Research from Nature Portfolio
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Geography Education and Teaching Practices publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in geography education and teaching practices across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Spatial thinking: The capacity to recognise, interpret and analyse spatial relationships among places and phenomena.
Enquiry-based learning: A learner-centred approach where students formulate questions, investigate solutions and construct understanding through active exploration.
Community of practice: A group of educators who collaborate regularly to share knowledge and develop professional skills within a specific domain.
Authentic personal narratives: First-person accounts or stories used as pedagogical tools to situate learning in real-world contexts and diverse perspectives.
Sustainability awareness: Understanding of environmental processes and challenges that informs responsible decision-making for sustainable futures.
References
- “It’s Easy to Put Oneself in the Shoes of Others.” Results of a School Study in Geography Lessons on Working with Authentic Personal Narratives in Comparison to Factual Texts. European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education (2023).
- The impact of forming a community of practice on teachers’ attitudes and approaches to primary geography. Irish Educational Studies (2023).
- Environmental Threats and Geographical Education: Students’ Sustainability Awareness—Evaluation. Education Sciences (2021).
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