Maantieteen opetuksen haasteita : digitalisaatio, opetuksen eheyttäminen ja opettajan roolin murros

Abstract

The article investigates three challenges that school geography faces in Finland. First, the digitalization has changed aims and contents of the Finnish national curricula. In the context of geography education, geographical information systems, geo-media and digitalization of matriculation examinations have strengthened the status of digital material in teaching, which can be seen as a possible threat for value-based themes of the subject. Second, the emphasis of phenomenon-based integration can be seen as a problem when complex issues are taught. Third, trendy ideas of ’learning to learn’ pedagogies can be seen as a threat for disciplinebased teaching. The article questions these challenges and highlights geography’s potential in enhancing students’ critical thinking skills and their abilities to construct links between people and environment, local and global and natural and social phenomena. Geography teacher’s role as a subject specialist is seen essential in geography education.