Powerful knowledge and the significance of teaching geography for in-service upper secondary teachers:a case study from Northern Finland

Abstract The aim of this research is to ask what kind of geography is taught in Finnish upper secondary schools and whether this knowledge is powerful knowledge. This is achieved by analysing 11 in-service geography teachers’ concept maps and in-depth interviews with qualitative data analysis. The results indicate the dominance of three terms: spatiality, phenomena and a holistic approach running through the teachers’ conceptions of geographical knowledge, skills and assessment. Geography is described by the teachers as a science which studies extensive spatial phenomena with the help of concepts and a holistic approach and in which values and students’ own lived experiences play a major role. We conclude that the in-service Finnish upper secondary teachers’ perceptions of geography are a form of powerful knowledge because they: (1) urge students to form new geographical thinking about the world, (2) give possibilities for students to study geographical phenomena and (3) evaluate their own knowledge, (4) encourage students to follow topical debates in different scales, (5) open up the students’ world views and (6) support the general objectives of Finnish upper secondary schools by applying four of the six cross-curricular themes to a great extent in teaching geography, particularly sustainable development

Geography tests in the Finnish Matriculation Examination in paper and digital forms:an analysis of questions based on revised Bloom’s taxonomy

Abstract This study examines the possible change in cognitive processes and geographical knowledge requirements during the digitalisation process of the Finnish Matriculation Examination in Geography (digitalised in the autumn of 2016). The theoretical background is derived from revised Bloom’s taxonomy, which is applied as a framework for the content analysis of the questions (n = 331) of the geography tests between the autumn of 2013 and the spring of 2019. The results show that the questions mainly require an understanding of conceptual and factual knowledge. Because of the digitalisation, questions that require remembering have been reduced, whereas questions that require analysing have been increased. In addition, more comprehensive use and more extensive production of materials are required in the tests. Based on our research findings, we emphasise the need for a careful re-evaluation of the kind of cognitive processes and knowledge that should be assessed in geography tests, both nationally and internationally

Geography curricula objectives and students’ performance:enhancing the student’s higher-order thinking skills?

Abstract This paper centers on to evaluate whether and to what extent the learning objectives of the geography curricula emphasize students’ higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), and whether students are capable of answering to HOTS-questions by using the Finnish upper secondary geography education as an example. The revised Bloom’s taxonomy was used as a framework for the content analysis. The findings show that geography has the potential to enhance students’ HOTS, but students experience difficulties when answering to HOTS-questions. The results could be used to evaluate the desired thinking skills and knowledge dimensions in geography education for to enhance students meaningful learning