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Are teachers and students ready for the new middle

school geography syllabus in Sweden? Traditions in
geography teaching, current teacher practices, and
student achievement
a b
Lena Molin & Ann Grubbström
a
Department of Education , Uppsala University , P.O. Box 2136, Uppsala , SE-750 02 ,
Sweden
b
Department of Social and Economic Geography , Uppsala University , P.O. Box 513,
Uppsala , SE-751 20 , Sweden
Published online: 26 Jun 2013.

To cite this article: Lena Molin & Ann Grubbström (2013) Are teachers and students ready for the new middle school
geography syllabus in Sweden? Traditions in geography teaching, current teacher practices, and student achievement, Norsk
Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography, 67:3, 142-147, DOI: 10.1080/00291951.2013.803209

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 Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift
Norwegian Journal of Geography 2013
Vol. 67, No. 3, 142
147, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00291951.2013.803209

Are teachers and students ready for the new middle school geography
syllabus in Sweden? Traditions in geography teaching, current teacher
practices, and student achievement
LENA MOLIN & ANN GRUBBSTRÖM

Molin, L. & Grubbström, A. 2013. Are teachers and students ready for the new middle school geography syllabus in Sweden?
Traditions in geography teaching, current teacher practices, and student achievement. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift
Norwegian
Journal of Geography Vol. 67, 142
147. ISSN 0029-1951.

The article examines the relationship between selective traditions in geographical education, what middle school teachers choose to
emphasise in geographical education, and student achievement. The study, conducted in Sweden, is based on observations made by
students in teacher training programmes, interviews with teachers, and analyses of a test administered to middle school students. It
shows that selective traditions in geographical education are strong, resulting in a focus on country-related knowledge and map-
reading skills. Both teachers and students seem unclear about what other subject-specific skills geography teaching provides.
Furthermore, students have difficulty achieving a high level of geographic reasoning. The authors argue that a subject-specific
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language in geography is important in both teaching and assessment. They stress that students need more practice in geographic
reasoning, since this is required by the new curriculum and in the national test in geography for Year 6 (i.e. pupils in the age range
12
13 years). The study adds to earlier research by highlighting Swedish middle school teaching, which is a neglected field within
curriculum studies, and by using a combination of methods to analyse the impact of selective traditions.
Keywords: geography teaching, middle school, selective traditions, subject didactics, subject skills
Lena Molin, Department of Education, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 2136, Uppsala SE-750 02, Sweden. E-mail: lena.molin@
edu.uu.se; Ann Grubbström, Department of Social and Economic Geography, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 513, Uppsala SE-751 20,
Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]

Introduction and aims to education research that focuses on the selection of

content, the teaching process, and learning in a specific
This study discusses the relationship between traditions in subject. This article discusses geography didactics and
geographical education, what content teachers of middle research on geographical education. One way to strengthen
school geographical education choose to emphasise, and subject didactics is to include more research on how active
student achievement. Our focus is on the triple message teachers think and act. From a research perspective, middle
system of education
selection, transmission and realisation school (Years 4
6) may be described as the forgotten years.
of knowledge
and how it is connected (Forsberg 2007). In Sweden there is a lack of research that examines teaching
Hence, the study concentrates on the content and processes and the evaluation of learning when students are in the age
involved in teaching and learning geography. group 10
13 years (Years 4
6). Research on the subject of
In autumn 2011 a new curriculum was introduced in geography is no exception; it is virtually non-existent,
Swedish compulsory schools, including new course syllabi especially when it comes to teachers’ assessments of
with clearer learning goals in terms of knowledge require-
students’ knowledge of geography in Year 6. In addition,
ments, a new grading scale, and mandatory grading starting
research on educational assessments in general in Sweden
in Year 6 (age range 12
13 years) (Skolverket 2011). The
has been carried out primarily by pedagogues (e.g. Lundahl
Swedish Government also introduced national tests in social
2011). Given that we are geographers with a strong interest
studies (geography, history, religion, and civics) for Years 6
in educational issues, our study focuses on analysing the
and Year 9 (15
16 years) (as a means of supporting equal
assessment and grading, and for analysing the extent to content of geographical education and subject-specific skills.
which learning objectives can be reached at school, munici- Specific geography skills are those that students develop
pal, and national levels (Utbildningsdepartementet 2011). through geographical education, such as the ability to read a
The developments should be viewed in the light of the map.
percentage of students in Swedish compulsory schools that Previous studies, both national (SOU 2007:28; Skolverket
do not fulfil the learning objectives and those whose 2009) and international (Alexandre 2009; Kolenc-Kolnik
knowledge remains below average in comparative interna- 2010), indicate that curriculum reform and policy docu-
tional studies (Karlsson et al. 2006; Skolverket 2009). ments do not lead to major changes in teaching; rather,
According to an evaluation of the recent reforms in the teaching tends to be governed by earlier curricula or content
education of teachers, the research base in teacher education in textbooks. Research indicates that the curricula for
should be strengthened (Utbildningsdepartementet 2009). elementary school geography in Sweden in the period
One example of a research field that is in particular need of 1951
1994 did not differ significantly from each other and
strengthening is subject didactics for future teachers of Years that the formulated objectives were almost identical (Wenn-
4
6 (10
13 years) (Skolverket 2009). Subject didactics refer berg 1990; Holmén & Anderberg 1993; Molin 2006).

# 2013 Norwegian Geographical Society

 NORSK GEOGRAFISK TIDSSKRIFT 67 (2013) The new middle school geography syllabus in Sweden 143

Wennberg (1990) concluded that teachers were not thor- theory in the United States of America. They argue that
oughly familiar with the national curriculum, and did not selective traditions promote a particular discourse and
make use of it in their planning. A study conducted by exclude certain views by championing one way of under-
Holmén & Anderberg (1993) revealed that the modest standing the subject. Liu (2011) makes a similar point when
objectives that characterised primary school geography discussing the relationship between Chinese and Western
had repercussions throughout the school system, in terms traditions of curricula and pedagogy.
of, for example, a low level of education in geography in the Molin (2006) has specifically studied selective traditions in
case of geography teachers, the poor status of geography as a Swedish geographical education. Educational philosophies
taught subject, and lack of advancement in students’ skills are an important basis for categorising various selective
and attitudes. The same results were demonstrated in a study traditions, and therefore Molin used educational philoso-
of choices made by Swedish upper secondary teachers with phies in her study of secondary school geography teachers
respect to the purpose, content, and method of geography and their perceptions of educational aims, content, and
teaching (Molin 2006). methods. The study shows that the choice of content made
Selective traditions are established choices for a specific by modern geography teachers is characterised by an
subject; in other words, the predominant content and essentialist philosophy of education that lacks the perspec-
structure of education that are taken for granted (Englund tive of values such as gender. This is problematic, given that
2007). As Williams points out, selectivity of content is the the curriculum specifically highlights these issues as the
main issue: ‘The way in which from a whole possible area of responsibility of schools and teachers. If geography teaching
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past and present, certain meanings and practices are chosen lacks a moral dimension, the opportunity to discuss issues
for emphasis, certain other meanings and practices are related to solidarity, social justice, gender, ethnicity, and
neglected and excluded’ (Williams 1973, 3). The aim of sustainable social development is largely lost (Molin 2006).
our study is to discuss the ways that selective traditions in Molin’s study shows that substance traditions have become
geographical education affect what teachers emphasise and selective over time, meaning that they include and exclude
what students achieve. First, we identify the content that is subject matter and form a dominant school curriculum
emphasised in middle school geographical education and discourse. A dominant discourse that is not exposed to
how it can be evaluated. Our purpose is to explore the competing alternatives may eventually be perceived as
subject-specific skills that teachers believe they can impart to objective and therefore not open to question. The result is
their students. Second, we discuss
based on results from a embodied in five didactic typologies in the subject of
geography test
how the content of geography teaching can geography: based on traditional values, science, social
affect subject-specific knowledge and skill. Finally, we look sciences, interdisciplinary approaches and current events,
at teacher practices and student achievement in relation to or values (Molin 2006). The five typologies show that the
the selective traditions in geographical education as well as
various objectives, contents, and methods lead to different
the knowledge requirements of the new syllabus.
kinds of meaning-making in the teaching of geography.

Selective traditions and teaching Skills in geography and assessment

The concept of selective traditions has been used by practices
Williams (1973) and further elaborated on by Englund
(1986; 1998) with respect to citizenship education. The According to a Swedish Government Official Report (SOU
concept has also been used in Sweden to identify teaching 2007:28), there is a lack of research on determining the
traditions (Östman 1995) as well as how teacher’s classroom areas of knowledge that are relevant in different subjects.
practice relates to those traditions in the field of science This is reflected in the curriculum texts that describe
(Lundqvist et al. 2012). Subject traditions emerge from general skills, desirable processes, and attitudinal changes
history and reflect specific perceptions associated with rather than subject-specific knowledge content. Therefore,
various purposes, content, and methods. According to it is emphasised that there is a need to develop descriptions
Östman (1995), such perceptions are seen as ideological of all of the subject-specific qualities and skills that
rules for the selection of content. He argues that discourses students can cultivate by studying a subject. We argue
within school subjects are both affected by and can include a that these subject-specific skills are important for both
number of different selective traditions. The discourses are teaching and assessment.
characterised by various values and beliefs, such as ideolo- Several studies show that assessment is an important
gies, knowledge, visions, and perceptions of human nature factor in spurring students’ efforts at school, and that good
that compete with each other. Cherryholmes (1988) main- assessment involves improving the quality of teaching and
tains that competition between the discourses makes it learning (Eisner 1985; Black & William 1998; Lundahl
possible to problematise both education theory and practical 2011). In this respect, the encounter between teacher and
content. Several didactic typologies are often involved, as student is central: there is a clear correlation between
shown by Roberts (1988) for North America and by Östman student achievement and a teacher’s ability to develop and
(1995) for science education in Sweden. Wilson & Cervero apply formative classroom assessment (Lundahl 2011).
(1997) apply the concept of selective traditions in their study Research shows that feedback is crucial to learning and is
of the historical development of adult education planning thus a powerful tool for significantly improving student
 144 L. Molin & A. Grubbström NORSK GEOGRAFISK TIDSSKRIFT 67 (2013)

achievement (Lundahl et al. 2010). However, the single most teacher, and 106 students, were notified of the ethical
important factor in learning is the teacher’s skills (Bright & guidelines, purpose, and methods of the study and how the
Leat 2000; Östman 2003; Leat et al. 2005; Alexandre 2009; empirical material would be analysed and used (Vetenskaps-
Lundahl et al. 2010). Further, Svingby (1998) believes that rådet 2002). Furthermore, the participants were guaranteed
the professional repertoire of teachers in terms of assessment anonymity. To identify the content that is emphasised in
needs to be expanded, as it is much too limited. middle school geographical education, we used Uppsala
Three out of four Swedish schools inspected in 2007 were University’s Student Observations and Didactic Analysis
criticised for their reporting of results and knowledge; the (SODA) research database, as well as interviews. During the
Schools Inspectorate report noted that monitoring and second and third semesters of one year in the university’s
evaluation were largely lacking (Skolinspektionen 2010). teacher education programme, all students were assigned an
The report showed that teaching was not focused on the observation task to enable them to observe systematically
national objectives of the curriculum and cited examples of and critically analyse the didactic choices made by school-
assessment based on criteria such as ensuring that labora-
teachers. The study involved observations of all geography
tory reports were neatly written and students’ active
lessons taught by middle school teachers in the years 2008

participation in study and field trips, i.e. examples unrelated
2010, which totalled 35. In addition, we conducted four
to the kind of knowledge described in the national grading
semi-structured interviews: three with teachers in middle
criteria (Skolinspektionen 2010). Samuelsson (2010) exam-
schools and one with a student enrolled in a teaching
ined the skills considered in social studies by analysing
programme. We asked about the purpose and content of
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individual development plans with a written assessment in

middle school history. The study revealed that teachers often geography teaching, the methods used, how the content was
left out summative and formative reviews of social studies. examined and assessed, and the subject-specific skills that
Further, they lacked an assessment repertoire with a subject- teachers believed they could impart. In the interview with
specific language in social studies assessment. Little or no the student teacher we asked about his previous geographi-
information was provided about what students could do and cal education and experiences of the presentation of
what they needed to improve on. geography teaching in teacher education.
An important insight is the didactic analysis of language In order to examine the ways that the content of
and communication that is vital to learning and the geography teaching can affect students’ subject-specific
importance of taking it into account when designing tests knowledge, we administered a geography test containing
and performing assessments (Englund 2007). Studies that 10 questions and an accompanying questionnaire to total of
have examined the ways that teachers assess students’ 106 students in Year 6 (12
13 years) attending five schools
knowledge have shown that gender is of critical importance situated in mid-Sweden. The test contained different types of
to assessments made by teachers (Danielsson 2009; Anders- questions, such as naming countries and capitals that had
son 2010). A national evaluation found that girls offered been highlighted on a map of Europe, multiple-choice
more qualitative answers and wrote in a more detailed and questions dealing with substance concepts, such as ‘delta’,
explanatory manner than boys (Skolverket 2004). However, and open-ended questions that allowed students to demon-
the sample design of the evaluation may have favoured girls. strate their ability to reason in discussions about geographi-
Korkeamäki (1992) and Severin (2002) have shown that cal features. The survey included questions about the extent
there are no qualitative differences between the verbal to which the content of the test corresponded to the tuition
response images of girls and boys. The national evaluation the students received and on the degree of difficulty of the
also showed that Swedish girls had higher grades than boys test. Two questions were included to generate more in-depth
in all subjects except physical education (Skolverket 2004). information: one measured the students’ knowledge of
In addition, the national evaluation found that statistics countries and capitals in Europe, and the other, more
demonstrated clear gender differences between test results open-ended, question asked students to choose a road
and final grades, and that research showed that boys were at alignment and justify their choice. The students’ responses
a disadvantage when it came to grading (Skolverket 2004).
were assessed and analysed from a gender perspective.
However, international research shows that boys receive
However, the discussion concerning gender (in the section
higher grades than girls in geography but it is unclear
headed ‘Student achievement in a written test’) should be
whether it has to do with, for example, the content of the
interpreted with caution because only 54 out of 106 students
questions or how they are framed (Eve et al. 1994; Henrie
specified their gender. The open-ended question was also
et al. 1997).
analysed at the level of reasoning. Finally, we returned to
one of the schools and administered a test in which we asked
32 students in Year 6 to give their responses to a number of
Methods statements using an atlas with true and false entries. Such
Our study combined qualitative and quantitative methods in tests are also named ‘multiple choice’ tests (Rød et al. 2010,
order to capture the perceptions of teachers about their 142). As an example, one of the statements used in our test
geography teaching and to gain insight into their students’ was: ‘Ireland lies west of Great Britain.’ Our aim was to test
achievements and the subject skills that geography teaching students’ knowledge of geographical place names and the
imparts. The results are related to selective traditions in location and relative size of places, though the use of an
geography. The informants, comprising 3 teachers, 1 student atlas.
 NORSK GEOGRAFISK TIDSSKRIFT 67 (2013) The new middle school geography syllabus in Sweden 145

Selective traditions in middle school Student achievement in a written test

geography teaching Students in Year 6 were asked to solve a problem that
Our analysis of the observations made by the students in measured their knowledge of place names. The problem
teaching programmes shows that geography teachers in required them to match countries, mountain ranges, rivers,
middle schools often lack clear aim or do not even have and cities with the right letter on a map of Europe.
an aim. One of the interviewed teachers stated that the Approximately 45% of the 106 students scored 100% and
the results were about the same for girls and boys. When we
purpose of geography is closely linked to public knowledge,
tested their ability to use an atlas to respond to a number of
for example knowing the name of the world’s highest
statements, they appeared to have difficulty. They were not
mountain, which confirms the dominant role played by
accustomed to using an atlas and they took a relatively long
names of places and countries in geography teaching.
time to find countries, mountain ranges, and other features.
Learning names and interpreting maps are common teach-
This result is also supported by the observations made by
ing objectives. Moreover, the analysis of the SODA database students enrolled in teaching programmes, several of whom
observations revealed the traditional progression in geogra- concluded that middle school students did not have the basic
phy from the local to the global, starting with the Swedish skills to read an atlas.
provinces, to Sweden as a whole, Scandinavia, Europe, and The open-ended question about options for drawing a
ultimately the world; only a few observations deviated from road was designed to measure the students’ ability to employ
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the pattern. The teachers’ statements on geography as a geographical reasoning using subject-specific language.
taught subject were strongly linked to knowledge of Their responses were analysed and the assessment took
countries and map-reading skills. Geography teaching is into account their ability to compare alternative road
often done with reference to a particular country, which alignments from a geographical point of view, and to justify
students have to find facts about, sometimes in the context their decision and evaluate it from different perspectives.
of an imaginary journey. The trainee teachers’ observations The students’ reasoning reflected their understanding of the
revealed that learning is often textbook-driven. In addition, complex relationships between nature and cultural land-
they noted that students in middle school often seemed scapes. The responses were assigned one of three grades,
to copy their answers directly from their textbooks without depending on the students’ level of reasoning (Fig. 1). An
having understood or thought very deeply about the example of simple reasoning involved a description of what
question they were answering. One interviewee expressed the road passed through (e.g. a village) and its main impact.
concern that the content of the forthcoming national By contrast, an example of developed reasoning could
test would not match the content of the textbook that she include a comparison with another option and a more in-
used. depth analysis of the effects of constructing a road at that
The interviews indicated that teachers believe that their site. Highly developed reasoning could be exemplified by a
methods need to change in order for students to meet the student specifying chain reactions and looking at the effects
proficiency requirements of the new curriculum. For from different angles. The results revealed that few students
example, it was mentioned that students need more were able to use highly developed geographical reasoning
training in how to argue and reason. Teachers use many when faced with such an open-ended question, although
different types of examinations, and consider that oral boys performed the task on road alignment slightly better
examinations engage students more than other types and than girls.
Our conclusion is that students attending middle school in
may be better than written examinations for revealing
Sweden generally lack the skills required to perform
what has been learned. The dominant method of exam-
geographical reasoning independently, even though the
ination was formative assessment, and the interviewees
ability to perform geographical reasoning is among the
highlighted that the students were an important part of
knowledge requirements stipulated in the national curricu-
the assessment process. Based on discussions with teachers
lum. With respect to grade A at the end of Year 6, for
concerning their assessment of the knowledge that their example, the new curriculum states: ‘In their reasoning,
students had acquired, we found that subject-specific students should be able to describe complex relationships
knowledge is very rarely emphasised compared to more between nature and cultural landscapes, natural resources,
general knowledge, such as the ability to extract facts from and the distribution of the population. Students should also
a text. be able to use geographical concepts in a well-functioning
The teachers had trouble identifying the subject-specific manner’ (Skolverket 2011, 165; our translation).
skills that the teaching of geography can impart, and after We also found that students seemed to lack models for
some consideration they mentioned two skills: reading and constructing an argument and inserting it into a subject
understanding a map, and the ability to use scales. They also context. In this regard, one way to help students would be to
stressed the importance of having the relevant tools to make use of the support structure in the query formulation,
interpret the world we live in. One teacher said that for example by including subject-specific concepts or
geography teaching could be linked to current events, as particular perspectives that the students should use in their
students receive the tools necessary to understand the causes discussions. The teachers in our study experienced that their
of disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes. students felt uncertain about whether they had written
 146 L. Molin & A. Grubbström NORSK GEOGRAFISK TIDSSKRIFT 67 (2013)

Fig. 1. Students’ understanding of the relationships between nature and cultural landscapes according to their level of reasoning; percentage of students in each
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category (n 106)

enough, which indicates that the support structure should of teachers concerning what skills can be developed through
provide essential guidance. When students evaluated the test learning geography and how such skills can be assessed. The
as a whole, 48% thought the questions were fairly easy to teachers in our study experienced difficulty when asked to
understand. Their assessment of the test suggests that there give examples of subject-specific skills. Samuelsson (2010)
was only a vague connection between how students viewed shows that history teachers in Sweden lack a subject-specific
the difficulty of the questions and their results. The fact that language when assessing the skills of their students. They
only 6% of the students exhibited a high degree of reasoning had little or no information about what students could
in their responses indicates that they were not accustomed to achieve and what they needed to develop within the subject.
such demanding tasks; rather, they had believed that simple If geography teachers had a clearer idea of what is particular
reasoning was enough. The boys thought the test was to geography teaching, they probably could use more
slightly harder than the girls, yet their results were somewhat subject-specific language for assessment purposes. Currently,
better. both teaching and assessment practices are guided by the
selective traditions of the subject. Teachers are often
unaware that they are affecting their students’ ability to
Discussion and concluding remarks understand the subject, and that they are reinforcing a
traditional view. Our study revealed that the didactic choices
Our study revealed how the selective traditions of geogra- of teachers have consequences in terms of the knowledge
phical education influence the didactic choices made by that students acquire. Selective content, such as being able to
teachers. The purpose of their teaching is often unclear, locate countries and named places proved to be the kind of
which may reduce their students’ understanding of the knowledge that students master best. However, the new
subject-specific content of their teaching. Our results are in syllabus requirements that students should be able to
line with those of previous studies that have demonstrated demonstrate knowledge of the relationship between geo-
that geography teaching has remained relatively unchanged graphic objects and locations posed major difficulties.
regardless of curriculum reforms (Wennberg 1990; Holmén In addition, students were unable to employ sophisticated
& Anderberg 1993; Molin 2006; Alexandre 2009; Kolenc- geographic reasoning. One interesting result is that among
Kolnik 2010). Further, we found that the content of those who thought that the test we had administered was
geography taught in middle schools seems to be traditional, easy, many had failed it, thus indicating that they believed
following the selective tradition. Knowledge of individual that simple reasoning would be sufficient to answer ques-
countries and regions is given priority over knowledge of tions. More research is needed to examine the differences
connections between different places in order, for example, between boys and girls with respect to their written work.
to understand the consequences of injustice and to work on Our study was not extensive enough to draw any firm
issues related to sustainable development using an inter- conclusions, but the results indicate that boys have the same
disciplinary, holistic, and pluralistic approach. Geography ability to employ advanced geographical reasoning as girls, a
teaching appears to be closely related to textbooks. The finding that contradicts the results of previous studies in
consequences of such a method are that the content is Sweden (Skolverket 2004). More research on such gender
largely limited to knowledge of place names and country- differences is needed in order to explain and thus adjust
specific knowledge at the expense of solving problems, teaching so that both girls and boys can perform better.
examining the world, and identifying resources that need In the light of the adoption of the curriculum reform in
to be shared. The selective traditions also influence the views autumn 2011 and the Swedish Government’s decision to
 NORSK GEOGRAFISK TIDSSKRIFT 67 (2013) The new middle school geography syllabus in Sweden 147

introduce national tests in geography as of spring 2013, it Leat, D., Van der Schee, J. & Vankan L. 2005. New strategies for learning
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sent ute
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