Introducing the

GeoCapabilitieswebsite
www.geocapabilities.org
New resources for developing teachers as
curriculum leaders
GeoCapabilities is an EU-funded project to prepare teachers
for their role as future curriculum leaders. The website is intended
to be used both in Initial Teacher Training and in the professional
development of practising teachers. Four training modules are
featured, and these are supported with workshop materials,
additional key readings, and videos.

Guiding principles
GeoCapabilities is concerned that the absence of geographical knowledge in formal
education deprives young people of some vital perspectives, ultimately undermining their
capabilities as autonomous and independently-minded global citizens. We argue that the
development of geographical knowledge and understanding in young people contributes
to the fully educated person.
GeoCapabilities aims to:
enable critical reflection on the teaching of geography at the level of goals
andpurposes
develop ideas of disciplinary rigour in geography education and to link
thiseffectively with enquiry pedagogies
empower teachers with new understandings of the significance of their role
inenacting the curriculum
inspire teachers of geography internationally to take responsibility
forcurriculum making and to learn from each other
provide examples of curriculum leadership

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Engaging with the modules

The four training modules are intended to be enjoyed and to be professionally rewarding
and motivating, contributing to teachers lifelong learning as curriculum leaders.
Eachcontains:
a set of aims and learning outcomes
activities for putting theory and
suggestions for getting started and
concepts into practice
some questions for reflection
preparing to teach the module
a discussion of relevant theories of
a small bibliography of additional
learning and professional development
materials and readings
While users are free to access the training modules in any order they prefer, the modules
are designed to build upon each other:
Module 1 Capabilities & Powerful Disciplinary Knowledge
Introduces the capabilities approach as a productive way to express the significance of
geographical knowledge and thought in educational contexts.
Module 2 Curriculum Making byTeachers
Explores ideas and practical suggestions for engaging students in a progressive,
knowledge-led curriculum.
Module 3 Video Case Studies
Provides examples of geography teachers enacting the curriculum as a resource to
encourage critical reflection.
Module 4 Curriculum Leadership & Advocacy
Inspires teachers of geography to consider their roles as subject experts in schools.

Future steps
In the coming months, www.geocapabilities.org will be refined and developed for
teacher training and workshops in different countries. Plans are also underway for an
international dissemination event for teacher-educators at the 2017 Annual Conference
of the Geographical Association in Guildford, UK.
The GeoCapabilities website was developed through an international collaborative process involving significant
original research and piloting with teachers and teacher educators. This work began with a pilot study in 2011
funded by a grant to the American Association of Geographers (AAG) from the US National Science Foundation,
under the direction of Dr Michael Solem. This led to a larger partnership under the direction of Professor David
Lambert (UCL Institute of Education) with funding from the EU COMENIUS programme. The full partnership includes
Sirpa Tani (University of Helsinki, Finland), Karl Donert (Eurogeo, Belgium) and Duncan Hawley (Geographical
Association, UK) as well as four school partners: Elina Srkel (Viikki Teacher Training School, Finland), Panos
Papoutsis (Doukas School, Greece), Richard Bustin (City of London Freemens School, UK), and Kelly Kerrigan
(Stafford Grammar School, UK).

539079-LLP-1-2013-1-UK-COMENIUS-CMP

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