Learning Area Geography 1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours

Teacher Candidates must meet the minimum academic study requirements for teaching in specialist areas, in accordance with the Victorian Institute of Teaching's Specialist Area Guidelines, for entry into this subject.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject prepares teacher candidates for teaching secondary school geography in years 7-12. Teacher candidates will use, develop and critically evaluate resources for teaching secondary geography. In particular, they will draw upon and elaborate the mandated geography curriculum guidelines.

Key areas of the course are planning and organisation; teaching and learning; recording and assessment; geographical skills; and resources for learning. The key concepts of geography will be studied with an emphasis placed on how each concept can be learned by 11 to 18 year olds.

The course includes a detailed study of senior geography including practical and theoretical issues in planning units of work. State and national curriculum policy documents will be used to explore ways that geography can be organised to meet the different learning needs of students in the middle years of schooling.

Pedagogical approaches will include those that advance critical thinking, metacognition, inquiry and spatial literacy. Topics include the value and place of different kinds of geography and their links to other disciplines; the development of geographical skills and concepts; the relationship between geographical knowledge and participatory citizenship; the pursuit of respect and valuing of diversity; and a focus on the rights of all people; social justice and sustainability.

Teacher Candidates will use the geography education literature to inform their teaching practices and engage in debates about the nature and purpose of geography and geography education.

On completion of this subject teacher candidates will be able to:

• Demonstrate competency in the use of concepts, knowledge and skills in Geography and develop coherent learning sequences in accordance with current curriculum frameworks
• Foster developmentally appropriate and socially just curriculum and model learning strategies which develop inquiry and curiosity about the world
• Develop an understanding of what is best practice in the teaching and learning of Geography
• Demonstrate professional collegiality and participate effectively in team work
• Articulate the results of their critical reasoning on practice
• Identify areas for personal ongoing professional learning

The subject covers a range of the National Professional Standards for Teachers (for Graduate Teachers). In particular, the subject will contribute to students attaining the following standards:

1.2 Understand how students learn

2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area

2.2 Content selection and organisation

3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs

3.3 Use teaching strategies

3.4 Select and use resources

7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities

• Annotated Lesson Plans (800 words) due early semester (20%)
• Team Presentation (1200 words equivalent) as scheduled (30%)
• Negotiated project (2000 words) due late semester (50%)

There is 1 hurdle requirement:

• Lesson Plan due early semester

Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

A collection of readings

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, teacher candidates will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to:

• Be highly-skilled teachers who demonstrate the professional capabilities to meet the individual needs of diverse learners using interventionist practice.
• Understand the significance of developing their practice on the basis of research evidence;
• Use evidence to make sound clinical judgments about the nature and implementation of teaching interventions.
• Demonstrate sound discipline knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge.
• Work in teams with skills in cooperation, communication and negotiation;
• Have a conscious personal and social values base.